Alex and Trace's new classmates in their first, of many, parades of the year. This one was to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Escuela Del Mundo
Alex and Trace's new classmates in their first, of many, parades of the year. This one was to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Stuff
It has been a while since I have written a post, though many things go through my head that I want to write about. And then I get really hot and all I want to do is lie around and try not to exert any energy so I think that I will write another day. So I finally sat down last night and wrote. So here goes Ashley's most recent thoughts of living in Mexico
THE HEAT! It is flippin hot and flippin humid. Ozzy doesn't think so. I think that he is still thawing out from growing up in Vermont and up state New York. I grew up in the south, and this is flippin hot. I love it when I go to Atlanta and the people are complaining that it is hot. I have not been uncomfortably hot in Atlanta all summer. I am miserably hot here. Did you know that sweat will pour out of every orifice of your body? I smelled myself today and it was not good. One thing I don't understand is that no matter how hot and humid it is the Mexican locals always smell good. Honestly, it can be the middle of the day and a local Mexican can walk by you with long pants and a long sleeve shirt on, and you know he has been busting his ass all day in the heat but he still smells like he just jumped out of a washing machine.
I have also learned to make sure your soaking wet clothes (from sweating) are dry before you put them in the laundry basket or they will develop a funk that you cannot ever get rid of.
DOCTOR VISITS. I love them! If you have a problem, you walk or drive to the doctor. No appointment needed. If he is not there you come back when he is available. If he is not in his office, you knock on his front door (to his home). Maybe he is having lunch with his family, taking a siesta or who knows what.
He will then come out to talk to you, usually on the curb, yes, side of the street, aka, the waiting room, look at the problem, usually on the street, depending on the problem, diagnose it and give you medicine, which he has right there. If he is with another patient he will stop that visit if he thinks it will take a while and come to talk to you. There is no recepionist, first nurse to take weight and blood pressure, etc, second to ask what the problem is so she can tell the doctor, who is actually the forth person you interact with, give a quick diagnosis, a prescription and maybe some $600 blood tests, just to make sure. Wham Bam, thank you maam, in, out, $45.00 US includes Dr. visit and prescription, usually less than that. And he cares. He will use oral antiboitics as a last resort. He always wants you to come back if the problem is not cleared up in four days, and he always mentions that while healing, no gluten, sweets or dairy. These feed health problems.
There is also the Salud Clinic, which I have visited and was very happy with. $20 US for stiches in the face, no scar, no appointment needed, just walk in, and the hospitals in Puerto Vallarta are great as well.
FOOD PREPARATION: I feel like when I am home, all I do is prepare food. I thought we ate well in the States but I was so very wrong. It is time consuming but doesn't bother me, because, it is not cooking frozen chicken, or boiling water for Mac N Cheese, which I used to do here but the more the kids eat raw whole foods the less they want processed food. Actually, they will not even eat processed food anymore. So this brings me back to the kitchen. I FEEL like I make everything except our corn tortillas and water. Actually I don't make everything but I do make the granola we eat in the morning, I make Dillon's dog food, of fresh veggies, rice, eggs, yellowfin tuna or sometimes chicken. The kids only want smoothies at night for dinner so I am always preparing banannas to freeze, fresh kiwi, pineapple, Mila, yogurt. If we only had a goat we could add raw goats milk. There is always rice and black beans for Ozzy's tacos. Freeze the grape and pineapple juice the kids and Ozzy love to eat in the afternoon. It can literally be a full time job but we all feel so much better eating this way, we are healthier and leaner, have much more energy and endurance, except when it is flippin hot. It is fun for me to feed my family this way and see the benefits of natural foods all the way down to my pet. And the great thing about Mexico is that you can compost EVERYTHING! All you have to do is throw it somewhere, anywhere and that is okay. We have a very large compost container that we keep in our kitchen and about every other day it is full because of all of the healthy raw food we prepare and we take it about 10 yards away from the house throw it into the vacant lot and we are good! And the kids love helping with the composting and recycling process.
ESCUELA DEL MUNDO. The kids new school. I love it. Escuela Del Mundo is about 10 minutes away in the neighboring town of San Pancho and is a Montessori school which is very new for our kids. So far Trace loves it, Alex likes it but seems like she needs a connection to something there. Actually, she told me today she doesn't like school when she has to do school work. (I guess we all have a very long road ahead of us.) Trace has a great group in his kindergarten class. He always comes out of school smiling and wanting to give hugs a kisses. He gets to plant trees, play with bugs, do yoga, he really likes the streching, and he is learning cursive, as is Alex. Today he introduced me to his gardening teacher. And the teachers and students are barefoot in the classroom and sometimes out of the classroom. This is a non issue. Trace had a playdate with his friend from school, Bo, yesterday and another boy, Maximo. His first playdate without Alex. He really needed this and he loved it. Escuela Del Mundo is a Spanish speaking school so Alex and Trace are continuing their Spanish language education and doing quite well.
We had parent teacher conferences last week. Veronica, the school director sat in and translated for us, much different than last year when I would run out of school scanning the streets for a friend, I knew who was bilingual to help us. Alex's teachers let us know how well she was doing and how much she could read and write Spanish and even gave a presentation, in Spanish, to her class along with Oscar(long O, scar) about the importance of healthy food as opposed to non healthy food. Ozzy and I both looked at the teacher like she was crazy, asking if we were talking about the same child. The teachers said that Alex was doing great. (Even though she doesn't like school when she has to do school work. Though she loves to get up in front of people, she is bummed that she has only been on stage once, and loves to do ANYTHING that involves art.)
Another aspect I love about Escuela Del Mundo is the lunch program. Each day a parent prepares lunch for their child's class. We sign up for days and the school tells the parent what to prepare, sends them home the with the containers for the food. So each day the children get a different, healthy menu, we do not have to make lunch each day. This month I have made a Cauliflower Cerviche, with tostadas and banannas on the side and Chamomile Tea for Trace's Class. And for Alex I made Fusilli Pasta salad with vegetables and pineapple slices. Later this month we make Cauliflouer Cervice for Alex's class and Salad with chicken and oranges for Trace's class. No FDA here. The children get more healthy food and vegetables that are not processed but homemade. There is no one saying you cannot bring this or that because it does not come from a "box" that is FDA approved. And when they come home they want a light snack and smoothies for dinner because they had a substancial and healthy lunch.
Off to find a reprieve from the heat and humidity. Oh, actually I will get that when I land in Atlanta on Saturday. WHEW!!
I have also learned to make sure your soaking wet clothes (from sweating) are dry before you put them in the laundry basket or they will develop a funk that you cannot ever get rid of.
DOCTOR VISITS. I love them! If you have a problem, you walk or drive to the doctor. No appointment needed. If he is not there you come back when he is available. If he is not in his office, you knock on his front door (to his home). Maybe he is having lunch with his family, taking a siesta or who knows what.
He will then come out to talk to you, usually on the curb, yes, side of the street, aka, the waiting room, look at the problem, usually on the street, depending on the problem, diagnose it and give you medicine, which he has right there. If he is with another patient he will stop that visit if he thinks it will take a while and come to talk to you. There is no recepionist, first nurse to take weight and blood pressure, etc, second to ask what the problem is so she can tell the doctor, who is actually the forth person you interact with, give a quick diagnosis, a prescription and maybe some $600 blood tests, just to make sure. Wham Bam, thank you maam, in, out, $45.00 US includes Dr. visit and prescription, usually less than that. And he cares. He will use oral antiboitics as a last resort. He always wants you to come back if the problem is not cleared up in four days, and he always mentions that while healing, no gluten, sweets or dairy. These feed health problems.
There is also the Salud Clinic, which I have visited and was very happy with. $20 US for stiches in the face, no scar, no appointment needed, just walk in, and the hospitals in Puerto Vallarta are great as well.
FOOD PREPARATION: I feel like when I am home, all I do is prepare food. I thought we ate well in the States but I was so very wrong. It is time consuming but doesn't bother me, because, it is not cooking frozen chicken, or boiling water for Mac N Cheese, which I used to do here but the more the kids eat raw whole foods the less they want processed food. Actually, they will not even eat processed food anymore. So this brings me back to the kitchen. I FEEL like I make everything except our corn tortillas and water. Actually I don't make everything but I do make the granola we eat in the morning, I make Dillon's dog food, of fresh veggies, rice, eggs, yellowfin tuna or sometimes chicken. The kids only want smoothies at night for dinner so I am always preparing banannas to freeze, fresh kiwi, pineapple, Mila, yogurt. If we only had a goat we could add raw goats milk. There is always rice and black beans for Ozzy's tacos. Freeze the grape and pineapple juice the kids and Ozzy love to eat in the afternoon. It can literally be a full time job but we all feel so much better eating this way, we are healthier and leaner, have much more energy and endurance, except when it is flippin hot. It is fun for me to feed my family this way and see the benefits of natural foods all the way down to my pet. And the great thing about Mexico is that you can compost EVERYTHING! All you have to do is throw it somewhere, anywhere and that is okay. We have a very large compost container that we keep in our kitchen and about every other day it is full because of all of the healthy raw food we prepare and we take it about 10 yards away from the house throw it into the vacant lot and we are good! And the kids love helping with the composting and recycling process.
ESCUELA DEL MUNDO. The kids new school. I love it. Escuela Del Mundo is about 10 minutes away in the neighboring town of San Pancho and is a Montessori school which is very new for our kids. So far Trace loves it, Alex likes it but seems like she needs a connection to something there. Actually, she told me today she doesn't like school when she has to do school work. (I guess we all have a very long road ahead of us.) Trace has a great group in his kindergarten class. He always comes out of school smiling and wanting to give hugs a kisses. He gets to plant trees, play with bugs, do yoga, he really likes the streching, and he is learning cursive, as is Alex. Today he introduced me to his gardening teacher. And the teachers and students are barefoot in the classroom and sometimes out of the classroom. This is a non issue. Trace had a playdate with his friend from school, Bo, yesterday and another boy, Maximo. His first playdate without Alex. He really needed this and he loved it. Escuela Del Mundo is a Spanish speaking school so Alex and Trace are continuing their Spanish language education and doing quite well.
Another aspect I love about Escuela Del Mundo is the lunch program. Each day a parent prepares lunch for their child's class. We sign up for days and the school tells the parent what to prepare, sends them home the with the containers for the food. So each day the children get a different, healthy menu, we do not have to make lunch each day. This month I have made a Cauliflower Cerviche, with tostadas and banannas on the side and Chamomile Tea for Trace's Class. And for Alex I made Fusilli Pasta salad with vegetables and pineapple slices. Later this month we make Cauliflouer Cervice for Alex's class and Salad with chicken and oranges for Trace's class. No FDA here. The children get more healthy food and vegetables that are not processed but homemade. There is no one saying you cannot bring this or that because it does not come from a "box" that is FDA approved. And when they come home they want a light snack and smoothies for dinner because they had a substancial and healthy lunch.
Off to find a reprieve from the heat and humidity. Oh, actually I will get that when I land in Atlanta on Saturday. WHEW!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Wahines Back in Sayulita...With Friends
Our favorite all girls surf program, The Wahine Project, was back in Sayulita and this time it was partnered up with Project Save Our Surf to create Project South Swell. Alex once again joined the "girls only" surf session, learned about ocean ecosystems, participated in a beach clean up, made some jewelry and met some other "Wahines" from Sayulita. The Wahines battled some tough surf conditions for the session but all the participants had a smiles on their faces.
Dionne is the Head Wahine and her enthusiasm for the girls is amazing. There was a second surf day offered and there was barely a ripple on the ocean. Alex was the only one to show up and Dionne still took her out for a paddle, showed her some paddling skills and had some plain old girl time. Growing up I had my coaches and teachers that I looked up to and listened to. I hope Alex finds these kind of people, like Dionne, in her life as well. Hopefully, we'll see the Wahine Project again in October. If you are able to help out any of the above organizations with donations please see the links to their websites.
Dionne is the Head Wahine and her enthusiasm for the girls is amazing. There was a second surf day offered and there was barely a ripple on the ocean. Alex was the only one to show up and Dionne still took her out for a paddle, showed her some paddling skills and had some plain old girl time. Growing up I had my coaches and teachers that I looked up to and listened to. I hope Alex finds these kind of people, like Dionne, in her life as well. Hopefully, we'll see the Wahine Project again in October. If you are able to help out any of the above organizations with donations please see the links to their websites.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Surfing Road Trip
Pretty much what everyone's SUVs looked like leaving for San Blas this past weekend.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Alex' 7th Birthday
Alex recently had her 7th birthday and it was pretty much all she could talk about for a month. We had some kiddos and parents over for burgers, dogs, cake and some good old fashion piñata smashing.
It was great to finally play host to some of the folks we have made friends with over the past year. We tried to keep things rather small but the amount of work involved is still crazy. It amazes me that for the most part kids can always find a way to entertain themselves. We don't have a pool or even room to run and kids were playing, laughing and having a good time during the evening.
I pretty much just took orders from Ashley since she had the plan and knew exactly what she and Alex wanted to do for the evening's festivities. She busted her butt organizing, shopping and planning. All in all, smiles all around for the special evening. Next up, Ashley's birthday next month.
It was great to finally play host to some of the folks we have made friends with over the past year. We tried to keep things rather small but the amount of work involved is still crazy. It amazes me that for the most part kids can always find a way to entertain themselves. We don't have a pool or even room to run and kids were playing, laughing and having a good time during the evening.
I pretty much just took orders from Ashley since she had the plan and knew exactly what she and Alex wanted to do for the evening's festivities. She busted her butt organizing, shopping and planning. All in all, smiles all around for the special evening. Next up, Ashley's birthday next month.
Everything Flows Downstream
The long anticipated summer rains have finally arrived and brought with them flooded streets, washed out roads and a beach that is virtually unrecognizable from just a few weeks ago.
The river in town is finally flowing and bringing with it all the debris, trash and everything else that may ended up in the riverbed in Sayulita and points upstream..
The amount of trash and natural debris was staggering but I'm sure this happens every summer. A sad way to see our beach. Fortunately, once the flow of material had come and gone, clean up began. Garbage started get picked up, debris was raked up, piles of branches and tree limbs began to be stacked.
We've mostly stayed out of the water lately. Other beaches we have visited near us are in similar condition but not quite to the extent Sayulita's beach was in at the beginning of last week. By the end of this week I would guess that the beach will be back to normal. A big swell is expected next weekend for the highly anticipated first really big forecasted surf of the summer.
The river in town is finally flowing and bringing with it all the debris, trash and everything else that may ended up in the riverbed in Sayulita and points upstream..
The amount of trash and natural debris was staggering but I'm sure this happens every summer. A sad way to see our beach. Fortunately, once the flow of material had come and gone, clean up began. Garbage started get picked up, debris was raked up, piles of branches and tree limbs began to be stacked.
We've mostly stayed out of the water lately. Other beaches we have visited near us are in similar condition but not quite to the extent Sayulita's beach was in at the beginning of last week. By the end of this week I would guess that the beach will be back to normal. A big swell is expected next weekend for the highly anticipated first really big forecasted surf of the summer.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
When school is in I just can't forget that ad that showed the sour faced kids and the parents dancing from aisle to aisle shopping for school supplies. Soon the kids will be busy all day long and the parents will be FREEEEE! Well, I can't remember what store chain put the ad out but it still cracks me up.
Today was Alex and Trace's first day back at school. This year they are attending Escuela del Mundo which is just down the road in San Pancho. It is a Montessori school and they will receive instruction in Spanish 90-95% of the time. It is a non-profit school so they are always looking for outside funding (as well as our tuition payments). The kids are very excited this year and the first day went well. I'm sure we will post tons of stuff about school in the months to come as we settle into a new routine and learn about the community that the kids' new school is a part of.
Today was Alex and Trace's first day back at school. This year they are attending Escuela del Mundo which is just down the road in San Pancho. It is a Montessori school and they will receive instruction in Spanish 90-95% of the time. It is a non-profit school so they are always looking for outside funding (as well as our tuition payments). The kids are very excited this year and the first day went well. I'm sure we will post tons of stuff about school in the months to come as we settle into a new routine and learn about the community that the kids' new school is a part of.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
If you would have told me a year ago.....
If you would have told us a year ago that by August of 2012 we would have done or would be doing the following:
Ashley: Living in Mexico year round
Ozzy: Living in Mexico year round
Ashley: Surfing and actually catching waves and loving it
Ozzy: Surfing, catching waves loving it and geeking out on SUP gear and technique
A: Would already be on my second surf board
O: Would be hoping my wife would go to work so I could use her "second surf board".
A: Put my children in a public kindergarten in Mexico and hear them say "we love school"
O: Actually, not all that surprised
A: Survive public kindergarten, not the school itself but the fact that we were"so very lost in translation" most of the year
O: Yep, I agree
A: Listening to my kids speak Spanish to friends or each other
O: Ask my kids translate what someone said in Spanish for me
A: Watch my daughter sing solo in her second kindergarten graduation "in Spanish" in Mexico, as the only tall blondie, and do an excellent job
O: See any member of my family, other than my mother, sing at all
A: Finally, gain what we think is, respect, from the "power moms" at school, thanks to Ozzy
O: Finally make some progress with the very, very local families parents at the school
A: Make Ozzy do all of the translating because I am just not picking up on this language, and admitting that he is doing a wonderful job
O: Surprised that I translate for my wife in any language
A: Say that I am so glad that the first year of school is over, but I would not do anything different
O: Say how proud I am of my kids who went into a difficult situation at a school where they didn't speak the language, get bullied, be totally confused only to come out on the end of it with friends, the affection of many of the school parents, teachers and totally survive an experience that will make them stronger people in the long run.
A: Learn how to groom my dog, clip his nails and stave off bacterial infections with a shampoo after each ocean outing. Also make the perfect diet of dog food, veggies, rice, eggs and the occasional special treats to make him so happy
O: Glad that Ashley has taken up dog grooming as a second career, wonder why our dog eats better than our family and wonder why I don't get more "occasional special treats to make "me" so happy".
A: Sweep five times a day, thank goodness my house is small
O: Sweep five times a week and wonder why we can't get a robotic floor sweeper.
A: Eat fresh caught yellowfin tuna for the cost of a Big Mac
O: Eat fresh caught yellowfin tuna for the cost of good beer in a restaurant
A: Kill two scorpions
O: Not having killed my kids after 10 months
A: Have no TV or major news outlet
O: Have no TV or desire to watch(other than a football game once in a while)
A: Work out of Atlanta
O: Have a legal business and work in Mexico
A: Been to Jamaica, Panama City, Panama, San Jose, Puerto Rico, Lagos, Nigeria and Sao Paulo, Brazil
O: Been to San Blas, Chacala and all the places along the travel route through Mexico
A: Wash dishes all day long
O: Wash dishes all day long...with some sweeping in between
O: That I would pick up our kids from school in board shorts, no shoes, no shirt and not find the cops waiting outside
A: Watch for whales as I sip my morning coffee
O: Watch the surf so I can report via Skype to other surfers who are looking for morning, local waves...while drinking coffee
A: Meet some of the most friendly, welcoming, non-judgemental, awesome people that I have ever met
O: Yep
A: Realize that almost everything is about to break therefore it is fixable. We have become very good at either fixing things or jimmy rigging things. The thought of, "we'll just throw it away and buy another" just isn't a thought here. I shouldn't say "we". I say Ozzy, this or that is broken, you need to fix it. And he usually does, this ranges from toilets to expensive English imported cars.
O: Make a huge effort to use every last drop, leftover, supply since restocking some things just isn't easy
A: Shower with only the cold water turned on and wish the water was colder
Y: Yep
A: Be home schooling almost everyday
O: Yep
I say I have done all of this but I have to hand over all of the credit to Ozzy. I have done and dealt with a lot of it but he deals with the brunt of it each and every day.
And finally....
Have no regrets
Ashley: Living in Mexico year round
Ozzy: Living in Mexico year round
Ashley: Surfing and actually catching waves and loving it
Ozzy: Surfing, catching waves loving it and geeking out on SUP gear and technique
A: Would already be on my second surf board
O: Would be hoping my wife would go to work so I could use her "second surf board".
A: Put my children in a public kindergarten in Mexico and hear them say "we love school"
O: Actually, not all that surprised
A: Survive public kindergarten, not the school itself but the fact that we were"so very lost in translation" most of the year
O: Yep, I agree
A: Listening to my kids speak Spanish to friends or each other
O: Ask my kids translate what someone said in Spanish for me
A: Watch my daughter sing solo in her second kindergarten graduation "in Spanish" in Mexico, as the only tall blondie, and do an excellent job
O: See any member of my family, other than my mother, sing at all
A: Finally, gain what we think is, respect, from the "power moms" at school, thanks to Ozzy
O: Finally make some progress with the very, very local families parents at the school
A: Make Ozzy do all of the translating because I am just not picking up on this language, and admitting that he is doing a wonderful job
O: Surprised that I translate for my wife in any language
A: Say that I am so glad that the first year of school is over, but I would not do anything different
O: Say how proud I am of my kids who went into a difficult situation at a school where they didn't speak the language, get bullied, be totally confused only to come out on the end of it with friends, the affection of many of the school parents, teachers and totally survive an experience that will make them stronger people in the long run.
A: Learn how to groom my dog, clip his nails and stave off bacterial infections with a shampoo after each ocean outing. Also make the perfect diet of dog food, veggies, rice, eggs and the occasional special treats to make him so happy
O: Glad that Ashley has taken up dog grooming as a second career, wonder why our dog eats better than our family and wonder why I don't get more "occasional special treats to make "me" so happy".
A: Sweep five times a day, thank goodness my house is small
O: Sweep five times a week and wonder why we can't get a robotic floor sweeper.
A: Eat fresh caught yellowfin tuna for the cost of a Big Mac
O: Eat fresh caught yellowfin tuna for the cost of good beer in a restaurant
A: Kill two scorpions
O: Not having killed my kids after 10 months
A: Have no TV or major news outlet
O: Have no TV or desire to watch(other than a football game once in a while)
A: Work out of Atlanta
O: Have a legal business and work in Mexico
A: Been to Jamaica, Panama City, Panama, San Jose, Puerto Rico, Lagos, Nigeria and Sao Paulo, Brazil
O: Been to San Blas, Chacala and all the places along the travel route through Mexico
A: Wash dishes all day long
O: Wash dishes all day long...with some sweeping in between
O: That I would pick up our kids from school in board shorts, no shoes, no shirt and not find the cops waiting outside
A: Watch for whales as I sip my morning coffee
O: Watch the surf so I can report via Skype to other surfers who are looking for morning, local waves...while drinking coffee
A: Meet some of the most friendly, welcoming, non-judgemental, awesome people that I have ever met
O: Yep
A: Realize that almost everything is about to break therefore it is fixable. We have become very good at either fixing things or jimmy rigging things. The thought of, "we'll just throw it away and buy another" just isn't a thought here. I shouldn't say "we". I say Ozzy, this or that is broken, you need to fix it. And he usually does, this ranges from toilets to expensive English imported cars.
O: Make a huge effort to use every last drop, leftover, supply since restocking some things just isn't easy
A: Shower with only the cold water turned on and wish the water was colder
Y: Yep
A: Be home schooling almost everyday
O: Yep
I say I have done all of this but I have to hand over all of the credit to Ozzy. I have done and dealt with a lot of it but he deals with the brunt of it each and every day.
And finally....
Have no regrets
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Ozzy's Yacht Arrives!
Our Yacht arrived in Sayulita recently and dropped anchor for the afternoon. I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about us so I paddled out from the beach and sent the "Ozzy" and crew away. I'm not even sure why they thought we needed a pick up. Hard to find good help these days.
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