2008-02-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

Movimos nuestro blog a:
We've moved our blog to:

http://norenas.blogspot.com/

Puedes ver los archivos publicador anteriormente en esa página (parte derecha)
You can look at the archive of posts in that page (right side)

Noreñas in Michigan - Summer 07

2007-09-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER - 2007

Hello Friends and Family! This summer has been so exciting and we were blessed with a ton of visits, that tells us that family and good friends are forever! Since we haven't been in touch so much lately we though this would be a great way to give you an update on our lives. Hopefully you can do the same or at least send us an e-mail and tell us you are doing great!

Ana Mary is now 6 and She just started 1st. grade, Diego is 4, Mateo is 15 months and Marilu and I keep getting older. Marilu is now oficially the Spanish teacher at Brookview Montessori School, our kids' school and now that we are official residents, She is paid! I still work at Whirlpool, now managing sales one of our corporate trade partners that sells tons of electronics and appliances, I guess in that order.

Even though we are a very tight family, I realized we didn't have a recent picture of the five of us, so I am going to have to show you us separately. That should also tell you a bit about our lives these days, pretty hectic with three kids and tons of activities. Well worth it!

We moved into a new house last year and we've been enjoying it a lot, except when the monthly payment comes, but the remaining 29 days of the month are very enjoyable!

Summer is exciting in our lives, not only the days get very long but the long awaited nice weather allows us to enjoy the Michigan outdoors - we remember how we joked before coming to the US how 'gringos' wore shorts when temperatures were barely beareable, now we understand.

Summers are different for many reasons, everything changes, including the people we see on a frequent basis, like our dear friends The Thrums, who take a summer-long vacation to their native France. We miss them a lot but we are happy for them since they spend it in wonderful places with their family.

For the past three years the summer starts with a long awaited event: Diego's birdthday party at Siver Beach, one of our favorite places for the summer. This year, as previous, he's been luck and got great turnout, great presents and good weather.

And you know, for those of you that haven't been here, this is the view from Silver Beach, you'll know why we love it!

To start the summer with excitement, Diego learned to ride his bike on his own. What a great day for him and daddy! Watch him:

As the weather heats up and school finishes, the summer activities kick-off. This year we chose to start the kids in T-Ball, which they truly enjoyed, specially since daddy was the head coach of their team "Tiny Happy People".

T-Ball kept us busy for weekends and even some weekdays. We then received our fist visit: Paty Berron and her husband. They both came with the excuse to do shopping for their upcoming baby girl. We had a great few days and they came back loaded, including the usual KitchenAid gadgets that visitors get when they visit Whirlpooland. So you know, if you want some KitchenAid gadgets, just come visit us.

As summer got to its peak and the sun started to come down at 10:00 PM, T-Ball was starting to get old but to keep the interest and fun, Yesi, Mariul's highschool friend and her two kids, Patricio, 6 and Alex, 2 joined us for a couple of weeks.

The kids had a great time going from one camp to another, while Marilu and Yessi stayed up until after midnight talking and talking. It always amazes me how much women can talk for hours and hours without getting to the point.

The kids had a great time going from one camp to another, while Marilu and Yessi stayed up until after midnight talking and talking. It always amazes me how much women can talk for hours and hours without getting to the point.

Here's the kids in a Chicago field trip

Here's the kids in a beach day

The Resinas family stayed at the Norenas for about 15 days, as we dropped them at the O'Hare airport, Nona, Nono and a special visitor were arriving from Mexico. That special visitor was Javier, my sister's son.

As usual the Nonos had a great time spoling the Norena kids buying everything that their finger is able to point. I think Javier had a great time, the enjoyed one of the best sunsets of the summer, got to help me mow the lawn, ride on a speed boat, go to the Kalamazoo Safari, eat all kinds of food and his favorite summer activity: shop at the downtown toy store!

Here's Nono, Mateo and I on the classic Ed Debevic's Chicago

Javier on the lake

Nona had her first boat ride in lake Michigan

Javier helping me mow the lawn

As Nona and Javier left, synchronized as birds flying, Pili my syster in law arrived with Sofi and Maria. The kids had a great time with their cousins and they also got to do all kinds of camps, peach picking, a trip to Chicago and much more, including playing with Uncle Moises' Guitar Hero game.

Pili also got to do things She never though She was going to do in her visit, like helping me with my annual paint in the Chalk the Block festival in St. Joseph, Michigan or skydiving at Indiana's Skydiving Academy.

This is our painting, a composition about Frida Khalo

I painted Frida and Pili painted the colorful background

Ana and Sofi playing Guitar Hero

The family at the lighthouse

Maria with her perfect peaches

As our last visitors left, our friends came back from their long vacation and we welcomed the arrival of a new school year and celebrated the joy of having great friends and living in a great place.

Stay in touch, and we hope you come and be part of our lives again sometime soon!

The Norenas