Gung Hay Fat Choy

Ok, here is the Albondigas soup, and the link for the recipe.

Muy Sabroso~

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000042albondigas_soup.php

CALACAS!

Well today I finally mixed up the icing for our sugar skull project.

Big day in the kitchen, I also whipped up some Albondigas, a traditional Mexican meatball soup. The sugar skulls are decorations for our

Dia De Los Muertos altar.

It was great fun, it is one of my favorite times of the year.

Our family really enjoys decorating our altar, and making it beautiful with fall flowers and candles. Of course it is a wonderful way to remember loved ones lost with photos and remembrances of their favorite things.

If you would like info on ordering the sugar skull molds you can visit http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/

Here are some photos, as well as the "official" definition from wikipedia.

The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos in Spanish) is a holiday celebrated mainly in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage (and others) living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. The celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day which take place on those days. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Observance of the holiday in Mexican-American communities in the United States has become more important and widespread as the community grows numerically and economically.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl (known in English as "The Lady of the Dead").
Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example, it is a public holiday in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray to their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.

The education (& the tamales) are happening~

I have been overhauling the office/schoolroom this week while everyone has been down with various sicknesses. It has been great for me to re-vamp.
I am trying to get things sort of all together again, instead of that stuff completely all over the house method. I would like to actually start using the dining room table again for~eating. Since I have decided to incorporate mas Montessori, I have noticed my needs have changed. Of course I need more shelving, but I will tell Santa about that.

We have really been having a good time celebrating the Advent season this year. Lots of crafts and feasts. We made Guadalupe grottos for our altar. Anything that requires glitter & sequins in a hit around here. A very nice morning....

During the weekend, we prepared tamales. The girls really got into it. So adorable. It was an all day project.

I remember how much I loved making tamales with my grandma. I would try my best to study everything she cooked~prepare the masa....if it floats, it is good to go. Then the big job of spreading the masa on the husk, placing the meat, folding them, steaming them... Little packets of fun and goodness.

Ok, back to modern day...Lucy had such a good time helping, and Sophia really did some great ones!! We read Too many Tamales
and went to bed.

For some info on Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Hispanic Fun
check out this http://www.casaq.com/