life according to the diaz's: Spring Break 2015

I say it every...single...time. It's been HOW LONG since I've made time to sit down and write a little bit about my family?! Wow, I think this is the longest I've ever gone without a blog update...going on 3 months, people. Sorry for the delay...we've just been too busy enjoying our life that I haven't wanted to stop to sit down and write about it...until now :) It's spring break, so I've got the windows open, fans on, and radio turned down really low so I can still listen to the birds sing outside. What a lovely feeling to be able to sit in some quiet, alone time to just listen and think. This happens so rarely, I believe, in anyone's life these days, so I'm soaking up every second of it. It's also nice to just go back over the last few months of what our family has been doing and the photos we've taken to capture our time together.

January...
January was just a cold month! It didn't snow too much, well, not enough to really warrant a snow day, but it was just COLD! Juan, Elena, and I went to a few Hickman Kewpie basketball games, which is always a good time...Elena just LOVES the Kewpie mascot...and popcorn too. She definitely takes after her momma there. ;) Another exciting time in January was when our favorite fast food place opened in Columbia!! Jack in the Box! It's been a treat to go there, for sure. Juan and I always say that it's a good thing it opened on the other side of town, otherwise, we'd have a serious problem on our hands...hahaha! Elena only likes their fries...what's new, right? I mean, the kid still doesn't eat much of anything. We pull through a drive thru and she asks for fries and a water with no ice...apparently ice is a horrible thing. SO high maintenance, I tell ya. We're on a steady diet of noodles (plain with a little butter is her favorite), yogurt, squeeze fruits, chips, scrambled eggs, shredded hash browns, toast, garlic bread, cheese pizza (sometimes), pancakes with syrup (but only at the babysitter's), cinnamon bread, and sometimes we can get her to eat a plain hamburger. She is one picky eater; I'm sure she gets that from me too.

February...
Another very busy month for us! We started February all in different places! I had a conference to attend in Ohio, so Juan was in Columbia, Elena was in St. Louis, and I was in Columbus for four days in February. My conference was absolutely fabulous...photos below. :) After I flew back to STL from the conference, it was a treat for Elena and I to have lunch with my sister at Adriana's on the Hill. Absolutely amazing roast beef sandwiches...I could honestly eat there everyday. We ordered Elena a cheese pizza and of course, she didn't want to eat any of it that day. I'm telling you, she has her days where she is good to eat, and others she just doesn't want anything. We've gotten to the point where if she's just getting some calories, then we have succeeded for the day...lol. When we returned home from our travels, Juan had some goodies for me since I turned 34 while away. It was just so nice to be back home! We did get some snow at the end of this month, good enough to play in and build snowmen...FINALLY!!

March...
March has come and gone so fast. I mean, we're already at the first of April and Easter is just a few days away. This month has had some beautiful warm days, but quickly followed up with some cold and dreary ones. I'm SO glad that I think we've gotten over the hump of the cold days and are well on our way to spring. We have been enjoying getting back outside to play, blow bubbles, go to the park, ride bikes, and just having the windows open for fresh air has been such a treat. Juan and I have started running again, in hopes that by the summer, we will be well on our way to being in better shape. I'd like to get back to my 9-10 minute miles for a 5K, but I'm still a few minutes off for now...I'm hoping by the summer, we'll be on track! Juan and I did not have the same week, unfortunately, to be off this year for spring break, so Elena got to spend some alone time with her daddy for awhile last week and me this week! Can't believe spring break is already half over...two more days to go! I'll be enjoying every second, for sure.

So, the Diaz family has been busy, as usual...among all the happenings of our life, Juan and I are still super busy with the everyday life of teaching. Trying to fit everything we want into a day seems impossible sometimes, but with our "one day at a time" attitude, we make it all work. Elena continues to be our inspiration every day. She inspires both of us to be better people with each passing day. Elena is growing up before our very eyes and there's not a second to waste when spending time with her. She is a walking, talking "threenager". Opinions, demands, polite requests, songs, hugs, "I love you's", etc...these are all part of our "everyday" life as a family. There is absolutely nothing I would trade for this beautiful life we have. I'm thankful everyday for what I've got...it's a wonderful life!