A new house??

We sold our "old" house in January and have been living in a rental while we look for something new. We think we might have found a good fit!! Will this be our new home??? Stay tuned.....

Almost 5!!!

So, we only have one more week until the boys are officially 5 years old!! Where does the time go?? It seems I just posted a catch up, and here we are 6 months later already.....We've been up to nothing and lots of things. Mostly playing, hanging out, and enjoying. I thought I'd post some of the pictures that jumped out at me from the past 6 months before it's time for a birthday post. So here it is...what we've been up to (more or less) since February.

Ahoy Mateys!! Our Pirate Party!!

Here it is, the long awaited pirate birthday party video!!

Despite my reservations about hosting a party with 35 guests in 106 degree weather at our house, it actually turned out pretty well (at least that's what I think). We had loads of activities and games, many of which we never even had time for, and plenty of food. We got to dress like pirates, create telescopes, engage in sword fights, walk the plank, earn gold doubloons, pop cannonballs, hunt for treasure, eat cake, make messes, and have lots of other fun.We even got to eat a delicious and beautiful strawberry treasure chest cake and plenty of yummy pirate banana cupcakes all lovingly baked and designed by my good friend Erin. Thank you Aunt Erin!!!!

I think the kiddos and even a few adults had a good time. Happy 4th Boys! Enjoy the video:

Other bits and pieces

Yep, still working my way through all those birthday photos and video clips!!! The good and the bad of digital photography I guess. In the meantime, here is our video of all the other miscellaneous stuff we did during the month of August.

A Day with Trev & Family

My brother Trevor is in transition from one job to another and found himself with a few days off. He mentioned wanting to stop by and see our house before he starts training next week, and somehow that quickly turned into all of us going to Hawaiian Falls together. What Fun!!

Molly, Trev and the kids are season ticket holders and wanted to check out a different location as a little day-stay-cation before Trev starts working again and the kids head back to school. How lucky that they not only invited us, but they had free buddy passes as well. They picked the Roanoke location which is the newest park and looked like it had some pretty cool rides. It was a compact and totally fun place. We spent the day sliding, climbing, riding the waves, floating (flying) around the lazy river, getting soaked, eating, and mostly staying cool.

Even though the days are still over 100 degree mark, most of the places to cool off are closing down during the weekdays and will be closed for the season after Labor Day weekend.  How nice that we got to finish out the "Summer" with some of the Schreier's. They never did get to come by and see the house, but I guess that's okay since they'll be here next weekend for the boys 4th birthday party ;o)

Because of all the water, I wasn't able to get many photos or videos, but here's a compilation of what we did get:

Swimming!!

After seeing one of our previous videos, Landri and Avery decided they wanted to check out the Coppell Aquatic Center with us. So they came over yesterday, we packed up the cooler, and we all headed out for some summer fun at the pool. The kids had a great time jumping, climbing, leaping, sliding, and swimming. We almost didn't notice it was 107 degrees.....almost. Afterward, we headed back to the house for some rest and dinner before saying goodbye. It was a great day and we hope they come out and join us again soon.

What Happened to June??

Well, it's been a month since we closed on the house....we've moved in and actually started getting some furniture. We are still waiting for the roof and gutters to be finished after over 5 weeks or so, (it was part of the "deal" when we bought the house and the seller picked a really terrible roofing company), but we are settling in and trying to wrap or heads around being actual homeowners.

Of course we've been up to a bunch of other things as well. Playing, swimming, skating, local events, spending time with friends, and hanging out. The weather here is crazy hot, so if it doesn't involve water it better be somewhere inside!!! Here is a recap of what our June looked like:

Water, Water & More Water!!!

Our Memorial Day weekend was filled with lots of water activities and BBQ!! First we were invited to a Wacky Water Party where the boys played tons of fun games, ate yummy food and snacks, and got totally wet. Next we headed over to another friends house for delicious fajitas and swimming. Then we hosted Trav and the girls at our apartment pool for MORE swimming and more BBQ. Needless to say it was a weekend spent in our swimsuits!!! Too much fun!

Brenham & San Antonio

Back when it was still winter, my friend Cass suggested we take a trip to San Antonio. She works for the Westin and gets some great rates, so we randomly chose the weekend of Jaime's birthday and booked out rooms.

The last time we went to the Westin La Cantera together was when I was first pregnant with the boys, and, although we had a great time, it was too cold to enjoy all the amenities. This time we picked a warmer weekend and also invited some more friends.

We all met Lori and Jeff back when we were all childless and had time for a regular cooking club. Since then, Lori and Jeff have also added to their family and relocated to Brenham, TX where the delicious Blue Bell ice cream is made. We "convinced" Lori and Jeff  to join us in San Antonio, and they invited us to spend a night in Brenham.

Lori cooked a wonderful dinner for everyone in her home on Thursday night, and then Friday morning we enjoyed the Blue Bell creamery tour (side note: Blue Bell doesn't allow photos during the super short tour) before heading on to San Antonio. We hung out at the resort the rest of the day and then had a lovely dinner at one of the restaurants.

Saturday was more time at the resort, a stroll, lunch, and a boat ride on the Riverwalk, a stop by the Alamo, and then a birthday dinner for Jaime back at the hotel.

Sunday we just lazed around the resort before making the traffic and potty stop filled journey back to Dallas. Of course it was a fun and relaxing weekend hanging out and catching up with friends.

An Unexpected Road Trip

In less than 3 hours we found ourselves in the car making the 16+ hour journey to Wisconsin for an unexpected road trip. We thought we were heading up to see my grandfather one last time before attending his funeral later in the week. Two days after we arrived, things took a 360 degree turn and he started getting better slowly but surely. He is now in rehab trying to make his way back to his apartment in an assisted living community.

Although it didn't start out under the best circumstances, it ended up being a great trip. We had been meaning to get up to Wisconsin to visit, but we were waiting for Jaime to find a job and have a start date to finalize the plans. I guess we needed a little push to head up. We spent just over a week hanging out with my grandpa in the hospital, helping him celebrate his 86th birthday, and visiting with family. Now we are back in Dallas and prepping for a move into a furnished temporary apartment and getting ready for Jaime to start his new job in just over a week. More on all that sometime soon....

H-A-L-L-O-W-E-E-N

This past Sunday we decided to throw a Halloween bash as a sort of "Adios" party. It took some looking around and a few trips to different stores, but we found lots of goodies for our fiesta. Alex was Dracula and Connor a Rumba Guy. We had food, games, music, and fun. While it started off a little slow, it turned out pretty great in the end. Happy Halloween everyone!

Our Friends on El Hierro (Video)

Our friends, Eliza and Sergio, and their baby, Elliot, were recently transferred to the island of El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands. Of course that meant we HAD to go and visit them as soon as they got mostly settled in. On the first Friday of September, we took the ferry and spent just over a week with them hanging out and exploring their new home.

We hung out around the house, had a BBQ, played the Wii, cooked, ate, visited and explored some of the island. The highlights of our exploring include:

• Ermita de los Reyes - the Ermita is a small whitewashed church and the main destination of the local Herreños pilgrimages. Here they keep the statue of the Virgen de los Reyes - the patron saint of the island. Every four years, in her honor, they hold the Bajada Virgen de los Reyes - a tradition that began in 1741.

• El Sabinar - The juniper groves in the west of the island have enjoyed environmental protection since 1975 and they have a very special feature. Their twisted shapes have been formed over centuries by the force of the wind and the climatic conditions which predominate in this area. Alex & Connor just call them the "bendy trees."
  

• The Eco-Museo Poblado de Guinea -This, one of the three oldest settlements on the island with caves and volcanic corridors showing the way of life of the first inhabitants of the island - Bimbaches, and evolution of the construction industry since the times of Conquesu until the XXth century. It also includes a Lagartario where we saw the famous and highly endangered Lagartos Gigantes - the giant lizards of El Hierro.

• Faro de Orchilla - a lighthouse marking the westernmost point of Spain. In the II century A.D. the Greek cartographer Ptolemy considered this western end of the island as well as the end of the known world, and he used it as a reference point to cartography and geographical calculations. In 1634 this point was officially set as the Prime Meridian (Meridiano Cero). It was functioning there until 1884, when it was replaced by the new one, passing through Greenwich.

• Roque de la Bonanza - Another of the island’s emblems, this is a beautiful arch that rises 200m straight from the sea bed.

• Mirador de la Peña - A beautiful overlook and restaurant designed by the famous architect, César Manrique.

We had a great time with our friends and, as always, our time together flew by. Thanks for letting us visit your new little island home!! Enjoy the video!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Boys!!

End of Summer Fun

We've been trying to keep busy and cool since my cousin left a couple weeks ago. We haven't been up to anything specific, just a bunch of this and that. I wanted to post a quick video before we celebrate the boys 3rd birthday tomorrow!! Crazy!! Then, next week, Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of yet another summer...sometimes the days are slow, but time sure does fly!! Enjoy our fun!!

We can do it!!!

One day, while my cousin was visiting, the boys decided that they didn't need to use floaties to swim anymore.

So, they took them off and just "jumped" right in. They already think they are expert swimmers...which they just might be by the end of the swimming season.

It's amazing how much they learn on their own from one day to the next. We are happy that they are SO comfortable in the water, but now we need to be even more careful with them when they are near the water.

Here's a short video of what they are up to:

Kim and Megan visit Tenerife

My cousin, Kim, and her daughter, Megan, made the trip from Oregon to Tenerife to spend 12 days with us on our little island...here's what we did:

SO far behind....

Our time in the States has just FLOWN by!! I find myself sitting here on the eve of our last full day, and I am already sad that we have to go. I can't believe 8 weeks went by "just like that."

I am so very far behind on the blog and we've done loads of fun things, but I've only had time to put together one more video. I'm working on one for the second half of the trip as well as one from our early celebration of the boys birthday too, but that will take a bit longer.

Here is a (long) look at our 4th of July week spent in WI. We hung out in Germantown with my grandpa, and enjoyed a long weekend staying with my Uncle John and Aunt Mary up in Prairie du Sac on Lake Wisconsin. It was a fantastic week, the boys had tons of new experiences, and we thank everyone for their generosity and hospitality. Enjoy!!

2010 US Trip - Part I (Video)

I heard that we are busy enjoying the hottest Texas summer in 40 years....how lucky that we decided to come for the summer this year.

Actually, we have found lots of ways to stay cool. We've been busy visiting museums, local events, water parks, spray pads, library story times, friends, family, pools, parks, malls, etc. So much to do and so little time...it's hard to believe we only have three more weeks back here in the good ol' USA......next week we head to Wisconsin for a bit and then a little more time in Texas before heading back to Tenerife.

Don't blink during this video...the pictures go by quickly. We've taken well over 1000 photos already, and I had a really hard time just choosing a few for this post. Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer!!

The Road Trip to Wisconsin (Video)

We thought about flying to Wisconsin again this year....but, with having to purchase 4 tickets, the added cost of actually bringing luggage, and the fun and excitement of getting to the airport on time and flying with two toddlers....Well, we just decided it would be more comfortable (and fun) to drive...and it actually was!!!

Other than rain, rain, and more rain...it was a mostly uneventful trip. We took 5 days to travel 16 hours, including an extra day in St. Louis. Other than one "longish" driving day, we pretty much coordinated things with the boys nap time so that they would be sleeping on the road. They were great!!

The boys had fun exploring new places, staying in hotels, climbing on the luggage carts, watching TV, sleeping in big beds, checking out the ice machines, and swimming in the pools....We stopped at the Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, MO, we visited the Discovery Children's Museum in Rockford, IL, and, as I mentioned, we spent an extra day in St. Louis visiting the Gateway Arch and attending the "Boo at the (St. Louis) Zoo.

Like I said, it was quite a comfortable and fun road trip!!

"And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh."
~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Back from La Palma: Part III

Wednesday: Although there were big plans to visit the South of the island to hike around some volcanoes, then head to lunch, and then swim and play at another beach... we all got a late start on the day and spent too much time playing and wandering around the Villas.

We still headed South, but the lead car decided to go straight to the beach and skip the hiking. As luck would have it, the boys fell asleep in the car just as we arrived, so Jaime and I stayed with them while everyone else went down to the beach. I did finally convince Jaime to head down and take a quick swim before the boys woke up and it was time for lunch.

The Beach:

We planned to have lunch at the small bar/cafe on the cliff above the beach, but the wait was too long and it wasn't quite toddler friendly. So...we headed back to a Bodega carved right into the hillside that we passed earlier in the day. There was a small wait there as well, and we didn't eat lunch until nearly 4:30, but it was worth it. After such a late lunch, we all returned back to the apartment for a swim and then the boys were off to bed...

The Bodega:

On Thursday some of the guys were going to go spear fishing in the morning, and then we were suppose to have lunch (the loot from the fishing expedition) with one of Jaime's cousins that lives on La Palma...unfortunately, both Jaime's brother and sister woke up with different ailments, but feeling horrible. So, the plans were called off and each family sort of did their own thing. We didn't do much to speak of except hang around the Villas and then head into the town of El Paso for some groceries (it was our turn to cook dinner) and a little wandering around to look at the beautifully decorated town.

After lots of rest and medication, everyone was ready to go again by Friday. The two other families headed out earlier to fish and visit with cousins, while Jaime and I left a little later hoping the boys might nap on the drive up. The roads were so curvy and there were so many tunnels, that I don't think the boys even considered napping. They LOVED going through all the tunnels, each time asking for more "nunnels."

Part of the beautiful drive of steep mountains and deep ravines:

Eventually we met up with the rest of the group and followed them through amazing amounts of banana trees to the family cave. The yellow arrow points to where the cave is located: (click on it)

The cave is in a sort of "neighborhood" of caves and began many many years ago with Pedro's (Jaime's cousin) grandfather who started using the "cubby" as a fisherman's storage of sorts. Over time, they built it up and it evolved into a one bedroom abode complete with a dining table, a kitchen, electricity and running water (but no bathroom). No one actually lives here full time, it's more of a short term stay kind of place.

We all trekked down to the cave and hung out while mainly Pedro prepared a delicious meal of seafood, potatoes, and wine. The older kids played in the bedroom and closely around the area. Our guys were mostly confined to the dining room and the front porch. The ocean was just a bit too rough and too close for comfort.

Since the Ocean wasn't fit for swimming from the cave on this particular day, Pedro guided us to a grouping of man made ocean pools nearby. Everyone went for a refreshing swim except for the boys and me. I wasn't hot enough to want to swim and I just didn't want to get everyone's swim gear on for such a short visit. The boys enjoyed wandering around and looking at the fish. We only stayed for a little while and then had to head back to get the boys off to bed...with such an interesting day and no nap, they fell asleep almost as soon as we drove away.

Next Up:
Our last full day on La Palma