April Album I: San Antonio

Oh, what a wonderful birthday month!  It started in San Antonio, where we basked in the sunshine with tons of playtime outdoors.  Before we arrived, I needed to buy shorts, short-sleeved shirts, and sandals for all of us.  It was strange not to be wearing our raincoats (or socks).  April in San Antonio is definitely the month to visit.
   
   
Leo got to meet his great-grandparents and great Aunt Mary - he enjoyed cuddle-time with everyone.  I loved taking these multiple-generation photos:
   

In the mornings, Leo liked to read the Express News with Nani and Gramps over coffee.

We also experienced a bit of San Antonio living: lots of trips to HEB (especially during sample Saturdays), visiting the zoo, and getting together with my old classmates from Texas A&M Landscape Architecture – Studio 99.

By the way, Dean was REALLY interested in looking at the animal pictures in the zoo map – we had to ask him to put it away so that he could enjoy the real animals.  He agreed to keep it in his pocket until lunchtime.  Here he’s planning our next route.

The night I met my friends from A&M, I realized in a panic that I needed Mom and Dad to accompany me.  I actually had thought I could manage my three kids at this restaurant/play-place on my own until about an hour before we got there.  I’m so grateful that my parents came with me… Thanks, Nani and Gramps! 
Look at us, twelve years and nine kids later.

One of the best events this month: Fiona became potty-trained!!  She had many cheerleaders to encourage her.  Mom and I giggled that she often declared from the potty, “I want Gramps!” 
More great events: Leo and I squeezed in as many naps as we could. 

We missed Matt terribly, but we made up for it with FaceTime phone calls almost daily. 
 
Our adventure in Texas continued on to my grandparents’ ranch in Kenedy and Padre Island…

Remembering cascarones

This Easter I am teaching Dean's classroom how to make cascarones.  I can't wait to share this family tradition - it's amazing how little is known throughout this country about this funny little custom.  Even during my college years at Texas A&M University, it was surprising how few Texans had ever heard of cascarones - except for those from San Antonio.  One of Dean's teachers lived in Houston and she said that she had never heard of them.  She asked if there were any books on them.  I told her I would check.  So I have been scouring the internet in search of a book that could help explain cascarones.  To be fair, there are a few children's books that discuss or mention cascarones, but not quite how I would explain them from my own memory and experience.  Then again, I started thinking: we never really discussed in my family what the origins were.  I guess I never questioned it.   

Why did we save eggshells during Lent, decorate them and fill them with confetti, then find and gather them on our Easter Egg hunt, where Mom and Dad (or the Easter bunny) had tucked them into all the hiding places in our backyard, only to crack them on each other's heads?  Where did this come from?  Moving around the country during my formative years as an Air Force brat, I slowly realized that other families just didn't do this.  Then in San Antonio, where my family ended up "returning" (for my parents it was returning, but I am only beginning to think of San Antonio as home - more on that later), cascarones are everywhere - not only for Easter, but during Fiesta Week to celebrate the battle of San Jacinto and Texas Independence.

So back to the book.  I am still unsatisfied from my search.  So now I am adding "Write a children's book on cascarones." to my never-ending list.  I'm actually pretty excited about this.  For Dean's class, I'm just going to have to wing it.