Dead Bread

“Hey Mom, I need to bring some dead bread to school.”

“Huh? Oh  you mean pan de muertos  (translation: bread of the dead!)  ”

I guess dead bread was a pretty good translation.

November 2 is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).   It sounds like a spooky, horribly evil day, but I have come to realize that for most people it is simply a day to remember and honor loved ones who have passed away.  Last year I went to the graveyard to see for myself.

This year Kayden had to do a lot of different crafts and activities related to this holiday in school.  We were invited to his class where he had to recite a rhyme we (Saul) had to help him make up about a skeleton. For those who speak spanish…

Fuera, fuera calabera, no me asustes en ese manera,

Dormire tranquilo esta noche, agarra tus llaves y be te en tu coche!

Then he did a dance with his home-made maracas and skull (turned spider man) mask with his classmates.He rocked it!

My favorite part of the holiday is that for over a week you can buy flowers for really cheap.  They are supposed to be for graves, but I buy them for my house.  Why not take advantage of a great deal!  I love seeing them on every street corner.  

Oh and the “dead bread” is often eaten at the gravesite.

I am sure there are a lot of not so good things about this day  that I might not know about but I choose to focus on the good and learn what I can about the culture!

Oustide Kayden’s Window: A little Visit

I let Kayden use my camera the other day… which I never do.  My camera is my baby.  Not to mention that it’s heavy and not meant for little fingers, but he saw me let another little girl take a picture so he had to have a turn too.  A few snaps and he was hooked.  We were at a dedication for a house that was built last week  having a little visit and this is what he saw:  I was amazed with the pictures he took!   I think I’ll let him use my camera a little more often.

Outside my Window: Mexico Border Crossing

I went to San Diego last week to pick up some visitors.  Part of the trip is crossing the border.   Apparently the border we cross (Tijuana/San Ysidro) is the most traveled border crossing in the world.  It usually is at least an hour wait to cross over, but usually more.  This time I was happy that it was only an hour.  I think the longest I have ever waited in line was over 3 hours.  Since I was bored I thought I would take a few pictures to show you.  There is a lot to look at…

Vendors try to sell you all sorts of things.  

Many try to wash your car.

Injured or sick people beg for money.

Sometimes small children juggle and do other tricks.  I didn’t see any this time.  I always feel sad for them.

These guys asked me to take their picture, then jokingly tried to charge me $1o.  Funny.

So that’s a little glimpse of one Mexico boreder crossing.  Very busy, and very entertaining.

Y para mis amigos mexicanos, un cosa mas que me dio mucho risa….

Outside my window: Sights on a morning drive

Last week I gave my friend Altagracia a ride.  She lives in a small community in a valley about a 15 minutes drive away but it is a very long walk!  I often drive her home when she is in town.  This time I had to pick her up early in the morning, so I thought I would bring along my camera to see what I could capture with the morning sunlight.  This is what I saw…

This dog just cracks me up….  It’s just not every day that you see  a stray Mexican dog with a shirt on!

Outside my Window : mi Bodega Aurrera and globos

You know that you live in a small town when the most exciting thing to do is go to the new commercial store that just opened.  We live in a small town in the middle of a valley.  The nearest city is 2 hours away.  Until now we  have not had anything even close to a commercial store in our town or any other town nearby.  All we had were small grocery stores that all sell the same products for pretty much the same price.  So last week when they opened ” mi Bodega Aurrera” (it’s related to Walmart, I’ve heard, cousins maybe? hee hee) everyone, and I mean seriously everyone, went to check it out.  It was pretty amusing…. but I can’t really make fun of people as I was one of them.  It was insanely busy.  Wall to wall people.  I only went to look.  I was happy to see a few things I have not seen sold here  before… it’s funny how some of the simplest things can make a person happy.  Who knew a packaged salad and granola bars could make my day?  Did I feel a little strange taking pictures in the grocery store?  Yes! but I am tall and white so I stand out anyways, I may as well just go with it.  I knew it was a real store when I saw the paved parking lot!  Fancy huh?

They even had christmas decorations… not that I bought any!  Why would I when I could get them at globos? which was my next stop.  Right now there is a huge assortment of Christmas decorations there for really cheap.  It’s so random, I love it!  I don’t think I’ll ever buy any new (store-bought) decorations ever again!  Last week, I found some pretty great treasures, thought I would share them with you.  It all cost less than $10 dollars!  Whoppie!

The red box is our new and improved baby proof Lego box.

My favorite purchase was the roll of textured wall paper.

Well that’s it folks, thanks for stopping buy and “shopping” with me!

Outside my Window: Dia de Muertos

I love learning about the Mexican culture!  I find the traditions and customs fascinating, even though I don’t necassarily agree with them all .  Yesterday was a holiday called “dia de muertos” or day of the dead.  The general idea is that people pay their respects to their lost loved ones by visiting the grave.  Most people clean up the plot and decorate the grave with flowers and candles.  For some people the day has very religious or spiritual significance, they make an altar and bring food as gifts to the spirits.  I wanted to see for myself, so a friend and I went to the graveyard in town to see….

We went back at night…Sadly it was also the one year anniversary of my father in law.  He is very missed!

 

Outside my window: Textures and Color

Last weekend I took advantage of the spare time to go on a little walk around the property to take some pictures.  I was attracted to the variety of textures and color!  Isn’t God so amazing!  Looking at his creativity totally amazes me!  How could I not believe in Him?

Outside My Window: Makeshift Fences

I have recently been fascinated by the variety of makeshift fences I have seen.  These fences are all in a little town nearby here.  I love the creativity, even though it sadly comes from lack of resources and poverty.  Take  a look at fences made from

palets

plastic

sticks

stones, wire, and metal

weaved plastic

fabric

my favorite… bedsprings

I thought this was a snake, but it wasn’t thank goodness, I would have freaked out!

Some people don’t have fences

Last but not least I came across this lovely picket white fence in the same neighbourhood.  Quite the contrast isn’t it!  Can you see the Avon sign?  Random.

Outside my window: Las Aves

You would think I would get used to it.

Seeing the same things all the time.

You would think it wouldn’t affect me….

The dirty faces.  Bare feet.  Cardboard houses. Young moms.  Poverty.  But I’m not used to it.

It still breaks my heart.

I hope it always does.

The worst thing that could happen to me is that I could become numb.

I just went to visit a small community called Las Aves.  It’s where we built Alta Gracia’s house.  In my visits to the house building project I fell in love with the people there.  As soon as I pull up in my dusty vehicle I find myself surrounded by small, dirty, smiling children.  They run to hug me, call me hermana (sister), embrace my children and ask where hermano (brother) Saul is.  Today I have some small treasures to give them.  When we moved I found two small suitcases filled with donations that some one had given to us to bring down that I had forgotten we still had.  The first suitcase had a few pairs of boys dress shoes. The shoes where shiny and new looking, perfect for school here, as all children wear uniforms.  The first boy I gave them to, after he had tried them on and I told them they were his, gave me one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen.  I don’t know for sure, but there is a pretty good chance that those where some of the nicest shoes he has ever owned, there are 8 children in his family.  After finding boys that fit the other 2 shoes I proceeded to open the second suitcase filled with small toys and trinkets.  Some one elses junk, were these people’s new treasures.  I handed out pencils, whistles, small frogs that “jumped”, necklaces, small glass ornaments, and purses.  A small crowd gathered around my car, with humble hands all waiting for their treasure.  Even moms and grandma’s came to see what was going on, and timidly  waited there turn.  They were so grateful.    I don’t always like giving things away.  Not all people are so appreciative.  Some areas have become so accustomed to the handouts from well-meaning visitors they no longer wait patiently but push shove, and take what they think is rightfully theres. That was not the case with this group.  Both young and old  where genuinely thrilled with the small gifts.  I drove away with mixed emotions.  Happy, the look of the small boys smile and the sounds of excited giggles etched in my memory, but all the more heartbroken for their state of poverty.  There must be more that can be done… I pray to be a part of the solution.

Outside my window… Cardboard houses

There is poverty around every corner where I live.  Some areas are worse than others.  The area where Saul is building the house the majority of the people live in houses made out of cardboard and plastic.  It’s a new neighborhood.  A christian lady is selling lots for very cheap so that people can have a home of their own.  She allows the people to make whatever payments they can every month.  This is huge blessing, since most of these people barely live off what they make.   People are taking advantage of the great opportunity to have land of their own, so they make a house out of what they can.  Most start with a wood frame then they find whatever scraps of usable material such as cardboard, scrap metal, plywood or plastic to make the walls.  The family above (7 kids, a pregnant Mom and a Dad) lives in that little house.   I know that these pictures are hard to look at.  My question is, if you could would you do something about it?  I would love to give you the opportunity to change some ones life…