Saturday, September 25, 2010

Picasa Fun; Favorite memories of summer 2010

I'm going through my photos and as I get lost in blogland; I have been seeing these collage of images and I like!  So, my beautiful, intelligent daughter showed her Momma how to make collages of pictures using Picasa.  I got the jist of it and read a tutorial on the Picasa help menu and here we are!  I like.  Did I say that already?  You will probably see a lot more of this.

I am using photos of America on our visit there this past summer because I feel sad.  I miss my family and my Mom was supposed to come in November for another visit.  Something my sister said makes me believe that she won't be coming now.  I'm sad.  So, bear with me as I go down memory lane.

No one told me how hard it would be to be in a foreign country without my family.  It does not get any easier either after 16 years here in the Middle East.  I have a lovely life; but there is no place like home and one's own family!

Ok.  I feel better... thanks.  Now to give the details of the photos...


Starting from top left to right:

1.  My kids and I are doing South Beach.  My daughter, 14, is the only one that is being really good.  She was stellar in America!  I still lost 11 pounds and she lost 42 total from February and Ali gained.  Bless him!  Little shi%!  Anyway, Amal made cake balls and with the theme of 4th of July.  People, the child stole my thunder and I couldn't be happier to have her do that!  She made these and they rocked!
2.  The kids on Lake Erie next to the USA flag.
3.  My family.  My husband is missing.  He never comes to America with us.  It's Ali, my son, me, my Mom, Amal - my daughter, behind her my Dad, next to him my BIL, the lady with the sunglasses is my sister and the two little ones are my nieces, Melina and Sofia.
4.  Amal and Ali
5.  The Fam
6.  Aunt Dorothy's beautiful cake.
7.  The Fam
8.  Cake ball in all it's glory
9.  Uncle David's private beach he shared with us!

We as Colombians have a meat pie that is called EMPANADA.  My Dad makes the most delicious ones.  I can't get the ingredients here in Oman to make them myself and although I have made the filling and the Ahi (accompanying sauce) the casing continues to confuse me.  Anyway, he always makes them for us when we go visit.  I fear that very soon all I will have are photos and memories as it is a huge task that takes it's toll on him.  I should not say that I suppose.  Here are some photos from this past summer of him making them.  The actual cooked empanadas are from two years ago.


1.  My one and only Dad.  2.  The cooked, BAKED (we stopped frying years ago) empanadas.  3.  The meat and rice mixture once ready for putting in the shells.  4.  Modern conveniences and tons of Latinos in America has made this step easier.  Goya products has put out these disks that make life so much easier.  Stuffed and ready to be baked.

We eat these with a sauce called Ahi.  You almost use a tea spoon.  You know, the really long handle and the size of a teaspoon to get down in the jar to get the sauce and you put it on the empanada and take a bite.  Then, you keep doing that until you are done!  Nice!

Thanks for going on this little trip down memory lane with me.  Come by again soon!




2 comments:

Unknown said...

nice pics Alia ... hugs

Coffeebean's Dailies said...

Thanks! You are my faithful commentator!