Thursday 31 December 2009

Rain in Spain


Our friends Sean and Helen purchased a wee little holiday home in Spain. And we celebrated. Visions of sunny breaks in our dark winter danced in my head. And what a better time than the week between Christmas and New Year to get a bit of Vitamin D on a beach?

Our plane landed in Faro, Portugal and as we walked across the parking lot to get our rental car the wind lashed us and the rain soaked us. I prayed the skies would clear during the hour drive to Spain. Alas, it was not to be.

This part of Spain has had record rain fall and we have found ourselves dashing outside to enjoy the brief breaks in the grey sky. The beach is full of shells and starfish and bubbles (that might be sewage?). Just in time we ducked into a Chiringuito on the beach at Playa de Punta Umbria to enjoy lunch whilst the biggest rain drops lashed the beach outside the windows of the restaurant. The storm clouds were frightening and the Spanish staff rushed to fill the gaps in the windows as the water leaked in. We sat oblivious as we enjoyed a meal of shrimp pancakes, cuttlefish, baby squid and anchovies. The children are being a bit adventurous in their culinary choices (they must be starving). Even Marc is enjoying the fish.

We've played Quirkle and Scrabble and Cluedo. I am thanking the nerds of the world for iPods, iPhones and Nintendo DS Lites. Lottie and Abgail have entertained us with a variety show every night. Tonight is the Grand Finale.

As I write this the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the weather forecast is improving! We may get our Vitamin D after all.

Thursday 24 December 2009

Wednesday 23 December 2009

Breakfast with Santa


We had our annual breakfast with Santa a few mornings ago and the gift lists have been officially registered. Of course, we couldn't hear what the children told him so who knows if they will get what they asked for. Apparently, parents aren't allowed to hear what the children tell Santa. Well, that makes it a bit of a challenge!

Third Tooth


Sebastian lost his third tooth yesterday whilst we were enjoying tea and mince pies round the neighbour's house. We got another one that is loose. I do believe he has added teeth to his Christmas list.

Tuesday 22 December 2009

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Hawaiian Christmas





In the tale of The Littlest Angel, angels travel all over the world looking for the perfect place for the son of God to be born whilst the littlest angel falls asleep in a stable in Bethlehem. The angels travel to North America and visit the Native Americans. They travel to the Far East and see beautiful gardens. They travel to Scotland where it rains but the people are very nice and dance funnily. They travel to Hawaii where the sun is always shining and the flowers always in bloom. And they hula.

Abigail was a hula girl and a fine hula girl was she. I can honestly (and boastfully) admit that she was the best hula girl I have ever seen in my entire life.

When the angels report back all they have seen, the littlest angel wake sup and admits she has been asleep the entire time and it is decided that if the stable was good enough or the littlest angel it is good enough for the son of God. And so Jesus is born in a stable in Bethlehem.

I love school Nativity plays!

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Rainbow Promise

In September Abigail started in the local troop of Rainbows which are are the group before Girl Guides (which is like Girl Scouts in the USA). Last week she made her Rainbow promise and is now a full fledging Rainbow. She took it all very seriously!



Monday 14 December 2009

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Faces of World Leaders

I just love this collection of photographs of world leaders taken at the UN this past September. If you click on a photograph you can then play the narrative by the photographer about that photo. A face is worth a thousand words....