A pioneer

 A few weeks ago my beloved Grandma ( Lita) passed away.  Like many similar funerals we feel at peace knowing she is no longer in pain and is in a better place with my grandpa and other family and friends now.  She lived a long (92 years!) and full life and we are grateful to have had her this long.

 One of the good things about funerals are all the impromptu out of town family visits and family pictures.  We got to spend time with my uncle and aunt, and cousin and his wife from NY for the first time in 12 or more years.  Such wonderful people!

 ^ ^ Sibling photo! ^ ^

^ ^ Lita's favorite flowers are red carnations. ^ ^

At the funeral service I learned some new things about my grandma that was interesting.  She was the first member to be baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in her city, Guatemala City, and the first to leave on a mission from there.  She immigrated to the U.S. to marry my grandpa and made many decisions in life that affect who I am today.  I will always be grateful to her.  Lita makes me want to be a better person, to make her proud.  She is one of my heroes and I love her so much!

Halloween

Halloween was a busy, long, fun day.  We're still in recovery mode from sugar overload, sleep deprivation  and a messy house but I managed to get the kids to eat part of their dinner before all the fun and Elliot and Avery can boast of a decent amount of candy considering they only went trick-or-treating to about 5 houses.

Yesterday morning we went to the Zoo with some friends while Elliot was at Kindergarten.

That got a little interesting towards the end.

After dinner we visited Lita in costume.  It's a tradition.

After that we went to a party and visited my parents and hurried on home to bed by 9:30.

Here are our two attempts of a family picture.

Andrew dressed up as a corporate pirate.  He wore it to work sans "facial hair". I'm a black swan.  I made the mask last minute.  Not bad!  Elliot is Iron man, Avery is an angel, and Zara a monkey.  Here's us last year.

October was an amazing month but I really look forward to November!

my Abue"lita"

Let me introduce you to my spunky, unique, silly, Guatemalan, one of a kind grandma, Lita!  She is seriously a pioneer and a legend and I can't help but love her and be inspired by her the more I learn her life history.  I know she's not perfect and has certain qualities I have inherited stubborn temper, but I love my Lita!  She turned 92 last month and we arranged to visit her for her birthday but she wasn't feeling well so we finally got around to visiting her on Sunday.

Our visits to Lita always begin and end the same: with big hugs and kisses.  It's a ritual.  Then we all sit down and she asks us why it's been so long since we saw her and teases that the next time we see her it will be a new year. During a visit we often have to talk loud so she can hear us and we repeat ourselves and remind her our kids names but we still enjoy each visit.  Zara was fussy during this visit but I was able to snap a few good pictures that mean so much to me!

Sometimes it's hard to get the kids to sit for long but my aunt, Tia Silvia, who lives with Lita, was able to distract Elliot and Avery with some English toffee.  Sometimes it's cookies.  Yum!!

I have so many good memories visiting Lita in this home growing up that it's hard to believe Lita will not always be here with us.  I mean, she may be doing pretty good for her age but her memory and body are not what they used to be and she's 92, for goodness sake!  I will never spend the night, watch movies past my bed time, drink chocolate milk, trace the pretty flower tile, sew/cross stitch/knit/crochet at Lita's again but I feel an urgency to let my children as time as possible with her.  I am grateful for her example in my life but I am also grateful my kids love to go to their grandparent's house.  I just wish our English family weren't so far.

Lately I've come to terms with the fact that I'm going to write Lita's biography, or at least some of it.  It's taken me a long time to admit to these feelings and I feel completely overwhelmed but I also feel honored.  Isn't it wonderful to be surrounded by incredible people?