Monday, 7/18/16 - Working Remotely, Dinner at Isabela's RestaurantAfter a busy weekend, I was back to work today. There was no chance to sleep in after two days of non-stop activity. Still, it was nice to be able to work from here rather than taking a vacation day!For breakfast, we had hard boiled eggs, toast, jam, muffins, coffee, and tea. Yoselin, Yasmin, and three friends were practicing partner dancing in the hallway outside the guest rooms for school. We tried to stay out of their way so as not to embarrass them in front of their friends, but we stole a glance now and then. Humberto moved back into his newly renovated office today, and also put some of the finishing touches on the gate separating the house and guest rooms from the alley. For lunch, we had beef, rice, mixed vegetables, and juice. When I was done working for the day, we played the Labyrinth board game with the kids, and took a walk down to the store to buy snacks. We played with Ian a lot. He is so sweet and funny. Every time he sees Craig or me, he reaches out his index finger to "beep" our noses. This was a tradition we started when the older kids were very young, and it lives on with the younger generation! Ian also gives high 5's and fist bumps. He is a very happy and sociable baby. He only seems to cry when he is very hungry or falls down (or is antagonized by his big brother...did I say that out loud?). As we mentioned, when we arrived nearly 3 weeks ago, he wasn't quite able to walk on his own. Now he walks, runs in circles, and is fully mobile. It's amazing how quickly a baby can master those skills! Watch out, world, here comes Ian! Each time we visit, we make a point of taking the family out for dinner at the restaurant owned by Paulina's sister Isabela. Paulina informs Isabela in advance, because the size of our party pretty much fills her restaurant to capacity! The restaurant is on Calle Rancho Grande, just around the corner from the house. Isabela gave us a warm welcome to her restaurant, which is a favorite watering hole for locals. It was so nice to see her! Isabela's daughter Lety was there too, along with her daughter Nidia. Isabela's daughters and granddaughters often help out at the restaurant at busy times, such as tonight. Lety often makes cakes for family functions. We haven't seen Nidia in years, and were amazed to see her as a teenager, around Yoselin's age! Isabela is famous for her tacos. They are served wrapped in soft tortillas, and they are absolutely delicious! Most everyone ordered a plate of three chicken tacos. Some of the kids ordered a hamburger instead, as that is more of a rare treat for them. Some kids with bigger appetites had tacos and a burger. We all enjoyed the delicious papas fritas. We also got licuados de fresa (strawberry milkshakes). We were happy to let the kids eat as much as they want. We are happy to support Isabela and her business. We stuffed ourselves to bursting on her delicious food. It was a short walk home and we all retired to our rooms, with pleasantly full bellies. |
 Ian Ivan plays with a puzzle  Dinner at Isabela's restaurant See all photos from this day |
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