Anna M. Aquino

            This weekend my family and I went to help some very dear friends of ours at their alpaca/chicken farm.  I think it was a great learning experience for all, and of course we learned there wasn’t anything some good soap and water can’t clean off.  For my primarily raised in city kids, there was some great lessons here.              Toward the end of our visit my friends decided to get one of their alpacas away from the herd so my children could feel their fur.  It was a great idea.  My kids wanted to do this.  However no one realized how much of a challenge this would be for all of us.  I hadn’t realized before this how much alpaca’s are herd animals.  They don’t like to get separated from the others.   The others do not like one to get separated from them. I’m not sure if I will ever run with the bulls in Spain,...

                As I’ve written about before, we have become a single car family; which for us it means that when I pick my kids up from school we have to hang out where my husband works for an hour.   It’s really not that big of a deal.   His work has a small pond and a couple picnic tables set up.   The girls do their homework, and Mojo (my dog) gets to spend some time outside.   Yesterday my youngest was on a toot.   She was procrastinating on doing her homework. “Mommy, I forgot my sweater in the car.   Mommy, I don’t have a pencil.   Mommy, I need to get another piece of paper.”   I was getting frustrated, and sent her back to the car to get what she needed.   In order for her to do that, she has to cross a parking lot. I tell her every time to be careful in the parking lot. I had Mojo’s leash in one hand, and my tablet in another.   Suddenly I heard a scream. ...