Texas Vacation- San Antonio Pt2!

Every time I go to San Antonio I make it a point to visit at least one of the missions there. We have Missions

San Jose, Espada, San Juan, Concepcion and of course The Alamo.

I love the grounds so much, I feel as if I can feel something pulling at my soul when I am at the missions,

it's really a beautiful thing. This is where my Ancestors come from. 

If you'd like to read more about any of the Missions, you can go here.

My mom actually grew up on the grounds of San Juan but had to move when she was young because they were making it into a national historical site.

 There is also a  little house at Mission San Juan where my great great grandfather Julio was born.

On my father's side of the family, my Grandmother always told us that we were distantly related to the man who carved the Rose Window at Mission San Jose.

Here is a photo of the Rose Window, they were cleaning it up and restoring it that day.

Needless to say every time I am there I can feel the connection. <3 p="">

I was sooo happy to share this place with Sophie and Josh too!

This time around we went to visit Mission San Jose

I love this part of the wall, it's amazing to imagine that the stone building I've come to love was actually covered in this pattern and color all those years ago.

 Here is a look inside the church.

The Rose window from the inside

Surrounding the mission are many small rooms where the priests and Native Americans once lived.

This is a photo of their "kitchen"

This photo was snapped in a few seconds, their faces are hilarious!

I adore the trees that grow there.

Sophie reallly LOVED San Jose, she said that she really needed to find the King that lived there

(she thought it was a castle) and thank him for letting her visit, because it was so awesome!!

While in San Antonio we also attended The battle of Flowers day parade 

and the Fiesta Flambeau night parade.

I miss being around for Fiesta Time!

Sophie was in awe because Cinderella was there!

These horses are so majestic and gorgeous.

I couldn't believe the beauty and detail of work that went into the dresses!

This one was my favorite, it was styled after the Rose window!

Our little camera wasn't able to catch many photos of the night parade, 

There were too many moving, flashing or glow in the dark things and everything came out blurry, lol

After the day parade we had a lunch BBQ picnic at the park by 

the San Antonio river with some family.

Sophie of course promptly made some quick friends!

It was such a lovely day. I really miss Texas and all it's lovely greeness (is that a word, lol)!

Thanks for sharing some time with us!

Take care and God bless.

-Debra Lea

Home Sweet Home!!

I get to go back to my hometown for a week!

I can't wait to see my family and the city again.

I'm going to miss my Grandma not being there though.

We are going down to have our last vacation (for who knows how long lol)

and while we are there we will be having a baby shower!

Most of my family is down there, and my Aunt, Uncle and cousin will be coming in

from FL so it should be fun!

Me and baby can't wait for this too:

YUUUUUUUUUUUMMMM...

These type of enchiladas are only served in San Antonio, and my kitchen -

but they are so much better there lol..we don't even have red corn tortillas here!

AND THIS...

~YUUUUUUUUMMMMMM AG~

~AND~

Can you tell we love to eat when we go back home? 

Vegas just doesn't have food like San Antonio, yum,yum, yum, lol. ..

I'm so excited, I gotta go clean and do laundry and pack! 

See you soon!!

Cascarones

My hometown is the Lovely San Antonio.

I REALLY miss San Antonio with all my heart!

Easter is one of those times of the year when I can do something traditional from back

home and fill connected to it again. :0)

I remember very fondly when I was a kid how my Grandma Severa 

would always be saving up her egg shells.

Then close to Easter (and Fiesta time) she'd bring out a HUGE bowl that she had

which was used to mix masa for tamales during Christmas time, and fill it to the top with confetti!

We'd cover the dining table with newspaper and bring out the cups with colored dye, colored pencils,

crayons and markers and have a blast coloring our eggs any way we pleased.

Every time I make cascarones(confetti eggs), I always find myself reminiscing about my Grandma :0)

SO! Cascarones are washed out egg shells that you decorate as you please, stuff with confetti, cover with tissue paper and then on Easter or during Fiesta (a celebration week in San Antonio) you

run around like crazies chasing your friends and family and crush them (in your hand first) on their heads!

Here's how we make them:

I didn't get pics of the naked eggs, but all you do is crack an egg more to one side than in the middle. 

 Wash it out right away and rub the inside with your fingers to make sure it's cleaned out well.

Then just set it with the hole faced down to dry out.

Next you decorate them in which ever manner you choose.

This year we didn't use any dye because we only made a few.

I still find myself coloring them with some of the designs my Grandma always loved.

After they are all decorated you fill them up with confetti.

Next you cut circles out of tissue paper that are big enough to cover up the holes.

~and~

Make a glue out of a couple tablespoons of flour and a little water.

Using your finger, you dip into the glue and rub it along the edge of the hole in the shell.

Then grab a piece of tissue and smooth it on .

Like this:

After that just set them back in an egg crate and let them dry!

Now your ready for a fiesta!!!

We usually have them around and then someone will sneak a couple and ambush

another with cascarones ~lol~ which then sparks an all out

Confetti egg battle.

They are always lots of fun.

We used to make tons of these...

They look so pretty and colorful.

Then afterwards you look pretty and colorful too!!!

*Make sure to crack the egg in your hand first and not on someones head! ~ that hurts!!*

I hope everyone has a wonderful and Blessed Easter!!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately but we've been buried in the laundry room redo.

We even handmade our own wood floors!! Yes, you read right lol.

More info and pics to come soon! :0)