Spring break in Michigan

We opted out of the typical boring tropical spring break and went for the get a little colder than home and drive eleven hours to see the cutest little family on earth. 

Michigan or bust!

 The Workman clan was all too kind and amazing hosts- who would expect anything else?
We were greeted with welcome gifts of Michigan made sodas, M&M's (because the rapper was originally from that area) and some match box cars of the GM brand since that is where Bryan works.

We then got to go to the Henry Ford museum that had a ton of cool stuff. We saw the chair Lincoln was assassinated in and sat on Rosa parks bus. There were lots of cool old things and it was just great hanging out!

 We also got to go see a hokey game. I love ice hockey - its my favorite spectator sport! We had fun roasting smores and kissing babies. Katie and Bryan made the yummiest food and we learned things about Michigan. I had expected it to be very similar to MO since they are both mid west towns, but Michigan is a bit more beat up, and MO is a bit more farm land. However I loved the international community in MI. Great restaurants and forghien markets.

 We had princess day where we prepped to see cinderella by getting crowns and princess perfume and jewelry. We painted our nails and went to the movies all dressed up! We were so royal!

All in all it was a great trip. Seth and Paige loved playing with their cousins and I loved hanging out with my Sister and Bryan! 

Thanks for all the good times! Lets do it again!

Family History- "I am doing it" (Not really)

This is me and my kitten, The story goes : I was being potty trained and thought the kitten would also like to use the toilet so once I put her in the toilet I began to pile the toilet paper on top of her and flush. Luckily I was caught in the act and the kitten was saved.

Fun stories like this are lost if they do not get written down somewhere and while I can't imagine anyone caring to much about my almost dead kitten, I would actually like to hear some simple everyday stories about the ancestors I have from a hundred years ago our so.

Since only 40 years have passed since the picture above and the picture below, lots of simple and amazing adventures have happened.

Our upcoming move to Italy has my Family history fanatic sister in a tizzy, and as we spent spring break together we had many conversations about the research she could do on our family history in the homeland of a good chunk of our family.

Upon returning from spending time with her, we had a in-depth leon on the importance of doing our family history work. I was reassured that keeping my blog was a good way of documenting our current history.
I would also like credit for taking video and recently having it converted to digital for preservation purposes.

One thing in our lesson on Sunday was about keeping the branches - extended family  info current as well. I know as my kids grow our little trunk of the tree will start to sprout branches, so we are starting a new tradition on this blog.

On the month of your birthday you will get to post about your year. Small adventures and daily trials, or big exciting things. We will start this with Paige (Her birthday is next) and everyone who is born or married in will get to do it as well!

I am also going to try to do some back personal family history by opening one of our older photo albums and ransoming picking a page. Scanning it in and telling you a bit about it (Since this blog is not that old)

I am going to attempt it as a "Flash Back Friday" or a "Family History" Friday, but I am not guaranteeing every Friday- I have a foreign language to learn....

Drum roll please.......

Our assignment is in. The next three years in.....

Uhmm...... Ok , if I must.

Fallas in Missouri

So the Shrimp in our Paella was cleaned and didn't still have all its body parts, and it was chicken instead of rabbit. Also our sculptures were only the size of a shoe box, but we had Valencia in our hearts as we celebrated Fallas here in MO.

 If you do not remember Fallas check it out HERE  or HERE
It is the one time of year I actually miss Spain. Here in MO we have a friend down the street who served her mission in Spain and was in Valencia 2 times both during Fallas.
So we got together and introduced some of our other friends to the Spanish food, and traditions of
Fallas.

Stephanie made Spanish tortillas Recipe HERE

 I toasted a baguette and we had crushed tomatoes with olive oil and salt to top it

 We decorated with our lladro's Info: HERE

Lots of kids having fun just like in Valencia- Just none of ours had a rolled paper on fire to light the 100's of fireworks they had in their pockets.

 The Bailey's Falla- Fuego the dog

 The Strode's - The Valencia Bat

 The Elmore's - Olaf (He had sparklers for hands and hair

 Monjego Cheese from Spain, Valencian Oranges, Jamon Serrano Which typically looks like this:

Yup thats a whole pig leg, hoof and all!

 Santa pronounced with a long soft A, tastes a bit different here but is a staple there. We wish they had the limone flavor too here, but no.

 We also had some  Cola Coa- with is Spanish chocolate milk

 Turron is a Spanish treat for all the runner ups of the Fallas contest

 The cook family made Baymax

 We all voted and the Bat won!

 Then in true Spanish fashion we burnt them all!

 The sparklers were a cool idea!

We finished off the evening with Churros Y Chocolate 

It wasn't quite ESPANA, but we had a great time!

Now if we could only find out where our next location is......