1. Dia de reyes went really well, the kids liked the presents and we really had a good time in my parents house. My mom actually didn't say anything hurtfull to me...

2. I have to start my diet again tomorrow. I ate a lot of rosca, chocolate and roasted chestnuts. So if I want to continue losing weight I have to go back to my balanced way of eating. 10 pounds more to go.( that Tiramisu of Tracy has to wait *snif*)

3. This is the last weekend of the winter vacations of Carlitos so we are going to take him to a place he chooses, he haven't decided but I think is going to be fun.

4. I have to take out the Christmas decorations on Saturday and I hate it. When you put it on you don't mind the work because you want to see the three and want your house full of Christmas spirit. Besides everyone wants to cooperate but anyone wants to take them out!

5. I didn't move forward on the translation but I did in the revisions. I hope I can go back to my schedule of writing on Monday.

Have a great weekend! I am dying for some sleep!

A holiday we celebrate in Latin America and Spain.

In this holiday we commemorate the arriving of the Three Kings – Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar-- to see Little Jesus with presents for him (gold, frankincense and myrrh).

Days before children leave letters on the Christmas tree asking for the presents they want. In January 5 they leave a shoe for the three kings to leave their presents. Also children leave cookies and milk for them to eat.

In that day in Spain in all of the towns the Three Kings participate in a parade were they show the presents they are going to give. These parades are beautiful traditions full of color and music that children love. They throw candies at everyone. Candies can hit you in the head so be warned!

I watched once the Three Kings parade in Madrid and it was beautiful with immense displays going through the down town streets. Anyway I put here some videos so you can see it.

 

 

In that day we eat Rosca de Reyes that is a round sweet bread with candied fruit on top, recently, different flavored whipped creams are used as filling.

In Spain inside the Rosca is a doll, the one that gets the doll in his piece has to pay the Rosca.

In México the one or ones that get the doll have to make a party on February 2 ( Dia de la Candelaria) the day of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. The party must have tamales and atole (a hot sweet drink thickened with corn flour).

Right now I am going to help the three kings with the presents and see if they want to share a little milk and chocolate. ;)

Maybe I can persuade them of giving me presents instead of coal…

Whether you celebrate or not this Holiday, I hope you have a beautiful Thursday!

 

Lately I am never impressed with music videos, maybe because they are always about the same thing.

But the video of Katy Perry for the song Fireworks impressed me. The mix of the lyrics with the images made me cry. ( I am very sensitive)

It is beautiful! I leave you here the video and the lyrics. Hope you like it!




Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?

Do you ever feel already buried deep?
Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you?

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon


Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Yes, over here we are still in holidays. We still have to celebrate the Dia de Reyes on January 6. So the kids will go back to school next monday and will have extra present this thursday!

I plan to post something of the tradition of los reyes magos this week.

We started again the diet from january 2 to january 5 so we can lose a little weight before the rosca and hot chocolate of the dia de reyes. We are eating at my mother's home so I am not cooking. Finally!!

This vacation time I took a break or semi break of my translation. With carlos on vacations Alex doesn't want to take a nap and all my schedule goes through the window so I flow with them and what they want to do. We play a lot these days with the xbox and the kinect , certainly Carlos and I are making exercise. I feel pain in some muscles I didn't knew I had.

Actually I thought the xbox was going to be a game for carlitos to stay sit, but actually he burns a lot of energy with the sports game. And mommy loses a little weight  :p

I hope I can recover my schedule on Monday so I can move forward with my translation- revision.

How are you going with your manuscripts,revisions,queries,synopsis,etc?

Have a great Tuesday!!

Thsi cake is traditional of Galicia, Spain. It is made in honor of Santiago de compostela, an apostle.
As i promised I am sharing the recipe! 

Ingredients:

175 gr of flour

3 eggs

125 gr of milk

A split of water

125 gr of butter without salt

250gr of pealed almonds

250 gr of sugar

The skin of half a lemon

25 gr of pulverized sugar.

Triturate the almonds with the lemon skin. Until the almonds are in very small pieces.

Whip the eggs with the sugar for 5 minutes at medium- High speed.

Add the milk, the split of water, the butter at room temperature, and the flour. You whip it 2 minutes at the same speed.

Add the almonds and the lemon. Mixing it 1 minute at medium- high speed.

Put the mix in a previously buttered demountable round baking pan. Cook it in a preheated oven 200°C for 25 minutes. Let it cool completely before removing it from the baking pan. It is very fragile.

Last sprinkle the pulverized sugar over the top.

I know that many of you don’t use this measures but I don’t know how to translate them.

The original recipe is for a cooking machine called Thermomix ( my best friend in the kitchen)

It is a little wet because of the oil of the almonds  but believe me is delicious.

Here is a photo: