Hola!  Como esta usted?

Chichi Hernandez here.  I hope you are doing good; we are doing great, even though The Taug (Tyler Taughman, my best friend) and myself are back at school.

We had a fun, action-filled summer.  We went to Coney Island a few times, the zoo, the Metro Museum of Art, and spent a few times at our cousins' place.  We have had a lot of fun, but now we must concentrate on getting our homework done and our learning.

The Taug and I must also decide what we want to be for Halloween.  I was thinking a pair of zombies, but The Taug thinking more in the line of a pair of big, bruising football players.  Well, that sounds good and all, but the fact of the matter is this:  I am puny in size and weight.  Even though I am in fifth grade now, I still could easily pass for a third or fourth grader.  

Both Mami and Papi are short, so it's no surprise that I and my ssiters, Valencia (3) and Yacinthia (5) are all short.  Abuelo and Abuela are short as well.  We're a short family.

We have a new pet now: a pretty little black and white longhaired Chihuahua that we named "Precious".  She is absolutely adorable!  We got her right after the Fourth of July and the entire family just loves her; she's alerady becoming quite spoiled!

I also have a new baby cousin, a little girl named Elisiana Esperanza; she was born in August, so she's just about two months old.  She looks just like a fat little pumpkin; she's the cutest!  I just love her to death!

Anyway, since the Taug came into my life, school is a lot more bearable; that way I don't have to face the wrath of the bullies who still think it is great fun to pick on us littler kids.  I nearly got a swirlie on the first day of school, but then the Taug came and beat 'em up, one so bad I thought he was gonna end up in the hospital.  It really scared me.

Now it is October and Halloween (not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas) are on our minds.  It is getting to be a very exciting time of year.  And Mami is working with the Democratic Party; she's trying to drum up extra support (and votes) for Barack Obama.  Papi is still doing his sanitation work and he loves it; I don't know why 'cause he stinks like a big, overgrown pig!   I honestly don't know how people can play in garbage or raw sewage for a living!  That is beyond disgusting!!

Well, it's nearly time for supper, so I'll go.  We're having chili with mashed potatoes, avacado salad, and for dessert, pineapple upside down cake.  Yum!! One of my very favorite meals!  And guess what!  Mama invited The Taug to eat supper with us, so we have company!  Isn't that the coolest??  Take care and talk to you later!

~Chee.  :)

~To be continued.~