HellO 2011, it's nice to see you!

2011 sounds like something that should be really far away, yet here we are . . . .
Well hello there, darling, work with me, k? I'm not really a New Year's resolution type of gal, but I did recently read a blog that had some awesome questions some of which I am going to reflect on, wrestle around with, cozy up to in the near future.

For now, here are some highlights from New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.   For New Year's Eve we did a traditional pig roast, which Jon spent several days preparing for.  So, while he was getting everything ready, we wandered around (as in, followed Sweet Pea everywhere her little legs would take her).

Sawyer kids get lots of love.

Jarabacoa pre-fireworks

One of the things we love about living where we do is that we have a beautiful view of the city.  From our porch, it looks tranquil and quiet.  On New Year's Eve, fireworks go up all over the city.  If I had mad photography skills, I could show you, but  . . . . . .

I could only capture one location at a time, but imagine with me this display in like 5 different locations across the city. Beautiful.

Before I move on to New Year's Day festivities, you need to know that we don't go to "the city," (a.k.a. Santiago, Dominican Republic) often.  We rarely visit the mall (no "cheapy cheapy for you my friend" in there).  We don't hit the video store EVER - and after today I'm not sure they'd allow us back in there - the kids had not ever really been in a video rental place or seen so many movies that they wanted to watch just sitting at the ends of their sticky little finger tips.  Not to mention after several vigorous and exciting laps around the store each of them exclaiming, "OOHHH can we have this one?  What about this one?  Look - the Backyardigans, Barbie, Barney!"that they then stopped to appreciate the Little Tikes playground.  Luckily, we were pretty much the only people in there :)

Nevermind that Mamacita struggled to climb in and out, and that when she sat on the slide her feet were already at the bottom.   Nevermind that I sat right down on the floor and started snapping pictures.

AND, we have just recently discovered  . . . . .wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it . . . . .

Chili's!!!!!  

Now that does my Texan- transplanted- to- the- Dominican heart good, and Amy Green, I thought of you while I suffered through the bottomless chips and salsa, but knew that you would be all right since you are stateside right now.

Tater with serious mall A.D.D.   Even though most of the stores weren't open, the arcade and the movie theater were calling to him from opposite ends of the mall.  He was torn, clearly.

Giving me his "talk to the hand" routine after too many photos, I suppose.

For Sawyer kids, the level of greatness of any outing to "the city"  is determined by whether or not there is an escalator.

Little pickle making like a mannequin.

And now, two mannequins.

I TOTALLY dig this Christmas tree out of yarn and pom pom balls.  

Kids adoring baby Jesus on the astroturf with rope lighting.  

Okay, so I forgot to mention that the whole point of this excursion was to see Harry Potter 7 at the movie theater in Santiago.  We bribed the kids earlier in the week that "if they played nice all week" we would take them to see it (minus Sweet Pea, of course).  All in all, they were great and so this is why we set out for the big city.   Needless to say, they were CRAZY GIDDY with excitement!

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Exhibit C.

Harry Potter Crazies are similar to Christmas Crazies, but much less holy.

Thank you, Jesus, for the many blessings you sent our way in 2010.  May we continue to look to you for ALL THINGS and find contentment and joy in ALL circumstances.