Happy Halloween!

The rain came in fits and spurts, so we were able to get most of our trick-or-treating in.

 

Amelia decided not to carry a Toto, for fear that it would detract from her ability to carry large amounts of candy. I tried to explain that she could get even more if she carried a picnic basket, but she wasn't buying it.

 

We started off with a pizza party with some of our neighborhood playgroup friends, then covered the neighborhood, or tried to. At one house, when they answered the door, Jack yelled, "SpongeBob Here!" He was not shy at all about going to the door by himself.

 

Both kids had buckets filled to the brim with candy, and even poor Jack declared that he had enough and was ready to go home. We spent some time with some new friends (who just moved from St. Louis) and overall had a really great time.

 

 

Reading to a Dog

I'm not sure if this was to benefit the kids or the dogs, but our local library had an event on Saturday where you could read to a trained therapy dog. Amelia just couldn't believe that you really got to read to a dog, so I signed her up for a slot. Of course, she went straight the the little fluffy dog with bows. I'm not sure who was a more rapt listener -- Jack or the dog. In any event, the reading was a success.



One of the funniest parts is Amelia showing the pictures to the dog.

First Day of First Grade

Amelia was up bright and early -- and dressed -- this morning. I'm not sure how early she got up, but she said she was waiting and waiting for her sun to turn on. (She has a nightlight that turns to a sun at 7 am, indicating that they can get up. They know, but don't always follow, that they shouldn't get out of bed until their sun comes on.)

It was the first day of new rules -- no TV or Nintendo DS until everyone was ready for the day. Maybe it was the excitement, but there were no complaints -- or even requests for Spongebob! Somehow, it was a REALLY productive morning.

It was raining, which meant we had to drive to the bus stop (I was hoping to sneak in some bonus exercise). Amelia's jitters from the previous night seemed to melt away, for which I was very grateful.






She got on the bus without even looking back. I think she was *really* excited for that bus ride. I was terribly choked up (even though she's been going to school for several years, this just seemed *different*).

Jack and I didn't even follow her to school, but we did slightly tail the bus on the way to the grocery store (as long as we were driving, might as well make an errand out of it). Jack pushed a kid-sized cart and filled it with all our groceries. He even picked a pretty bunch of flowers for me because "he loves me so much."

All he ever wants to do is go fishing, and today was no exception. We went out in the backyard and gathered worms and slugs and actually went down to the pond. TJ still can't believe I did this. But I actually cut worms (shrieking, of course) and put them on hooks (yelling "ewwww," of course) and then yelling when we actually caught fish and i had to shake them off the hooks. It was actually kinda fun, but I was relieved when we ran out of live bait and could use the fake stuff.

Jack and I are also making bread, he has vacuumed and cleaned my windows, and now we're making the traditional "First Day of School Chocolate Chip Cookies" for Amelia's return.

I'm hoping she had a great first day -- I'll post an update later!

Happy Birthday, Jack

We celebrated Jack's 4th birthday with a pirate cruise in Annapolis. I highly recommend it for any young pirates out there (http://www.chesapeakepirates.com/). Since it was his birthday, he got to be "Captain Jack" and was even able to steer the boat for a bit. We had done the same cruise earlier in the summer and Jack had been begging to do it again. He was much more into it this time, participating more in the activities and not being dependent on Amelia. Amelia, on the other hand, seemed to be a little lost without Jack by her side and didn't really participate much.

Jack's actual birthday was celebrated at Jerry and Pete's -- Jack and Pop share the same birthday, so it was a doubly special time. Jerry got a SpongeBob pinata for the kids to enjoy -- luckily, you didn't need to beat it with a stick -- you just had to pull strings to open the trap door (which, strangely, was SpongeBob's bottom -- which made the candy a little less appetizing to me).



Jack also picked, at my urging, a very cool animatronic dino cake. It was the hit of the party, for sure.



Amelia has a very loose tooth and is excited about the prospect of losing it, as long as no blood is involved. I made the mistake once of telling her it was bleeding a little (to say that it was getting looser) and she went nuts. Not a good move on my part. I suspect it will take a few more weeks to fall out. I'm in no rush -- it's just another sign of her growing up, and she has a teeny-tiny mouth that I don't think is ready for grown-up teeth.

Amelia starts school in just over a week; Jack, the week after. Both are a mixture of excited and scared. Me, too!

Jack has a new passion -- fishing. We've gone through 3 rods so far (one broke, one got dropped in the lake) and a bunch of fake bait. He got lots of tackle and gear for his birthday, and every night, he asks TJ if they can go fishing (there is a small pond in our neighborhood where fish are plentiful and easy to catch). I made the mistake of going the other night and caught a turtle. TJ was not happy with me.

It also looks like Jack will have surgery soon to release his tongue-tie. Luckily, it's an outpatient surgery -- a far cry from when I had it done in the hospital with a several-day stay. I'm not fond of him having to go under to have the procedure done, but I'm also hoping it will help his speech.

Have a great weekend, all!

Clearly, blogging has taken a backseat to a million boxes (soon to be 2 million, once they deliver our long-term storage items on Friday), but I'm going to try to continue to post some things for our out-of-town family and our friends in Belgium...

Both the kids have LOVED doing swimming this summer and can't believe they get to do it outside ... every day! Brussels just wasn't conducive to such endeavors. Amelia was on the Junior Seahawk Swim Team (for those kids over 4 who still aren't very proficient swimmers) and Jack has been taking lessons. As you can see from the video, we're making great progress!

Amelia has started a fairytale ballet camp this week, and while it's only a 5-day camp, she's really enjoying it and is looking forward to more ballet this fall. (While a friend and I are going to try our hand at tap dancing -- if for no other reason than pure entertainment.)

We obviously haven't done any traveling this summer, except for when we were nomads, waiting to get back to our house. I'm pleased to say that the transition has been very smooth and it feels nice to be back in our house and neighborhood.

Amelia is getting ready for first grade, and Jack is excited for preschool. He misses his friend Magnus terribly, and Amelia misses all her school friends, too.

We do miss Belgium, but we missed our lives here, too. I admit that Costco and all the restaurants and grocery stores aren't doing my waistline any favors, even though I'm trying to walk a lot. But since we have no local commerce that is within biking distance, I'm now just trying to get out in the mornings.

We will post more soon, including pictures of the house. But for now, here are a few summer pictures to enjoy!



Fishing on the Chesapeake Bay with his Spiderman fishing rod. He actually caught fish, too.


Getting ready for swim lessons.


We just learned this "swimming" yesterday.



This was Amelia's first race. They had a Lollipop race for all the juniors, and the object was just to get across the pool in any way possible. Although Amelia was dead last, everyone was cheering loudly for her, and I think she really enjoyed it! She was also very proud to get her first engraved trophy for her participation this year.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Tonight, Amelia asked me to wiggle her teeth and see if any are loose. (I fear the day she actually starts losing teeth, as her mouth is so teeny-tiny, I just don't see how she has room for adult teeth.)

 

Sure enough, there are a few that do actually wiggle. Which got us into a discussion on the tooth fairy, including if she would bring presents rather than money.

 

She asked if she could stay awake to see the tooth fairy, and I said that no, like with Santa, she has to be asleep for the tooth fairy to come. She started to wonder aloud about this and declared: Maybe it's because she has no clothes, and she has to fly around naked. So she can only visit people while they're sleeping so they don't see her privates.

 

Priceless!

 

Last Brussels Update?

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Things went amazingly well at the exit survey. We were told to expect charges of 5 euro per nail hole, plus other assorted charges. To our great relief (and surprise), we didn't get charged ANYTHING. Not even for the speckled laundry room walls as a result of some sparkling wine exploding all over everything and leaving spots. The inspector didn't even go outside, so he didn't see where I had agonizingly scrubbed rust spots with something akin to hair perm solution. (And, luckily, he also missed all the spots I also missed!) I was truly surprised, given the horror stories I had heard about others' inspections.

 

So now, we are officially homeless.

 

The kids and I spent the day doing a little last shopping (Hello Kitty dress for Miss A, tiger tank top for Jack, no dresses for me), enjoying ice cream, and getting a big bucket of wonderful strawberries. We had one last dinner at Fat Boys, a sports bar by the EU that is run by a former Exxon guy, and where no one even tries to speak French. Great bar food, and a truly fantastic hamburger that rivaled those in the U.S.

 

So we pack up tomorrow, go to the birthday party, and head home Sunday morning. Yippee!

 

I've tried to add some pictures of the move. Not sure how, or if they'll come through. I'm sending these updates via e-mail (as we're charged 0.60 euro per online minute!!). If they don't come through, I'll just wait until the US to resend.

 

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Last Days in Brussels

The move went (mostly) smoothly. We overflowed our 40-foot container (how embarassing! so much stuff!), so I'm not sure what they'll do with the excess. It was pretty remarkable that we filled the container, especially given that they completely took apart anything that could be taken apart. Toys, furniture, you name it.

 

I'll post pictures from the move, including the lift, later, once I find my cords to connect the camera to the computer. It's in the hotel somewhere...

 

So yesterday was cleaning the house -- T.J., Lila (our cleaning lady) and me. Lila was in tears at the beginning and end, and it was sad for me, too. She is such a sweet person and a glorious help -- I wish we could find someone like her in the U.S.

 

So the house is clean, but today at 5 is the real test: is it clean enough for the exit survey? I can't tell how well (or not) it's going to go. Keep your fingers crossed!

 

I took the kids to our favorite waffle/crepe place downtown today (since our hotel is just a block from it). Our favorite waiter was there, and I wondered if he would remember us. T.J. and I came there almost every day when we did our househunting trip, and we've been there several times since. Indeed, he did remember us. It was nice -- I've been surprised at how many vendors/servers we've come to know almost by name or at least have become familiar with.

 

Today is a free day, until our inspection at 5. Then tomorrow is our last day in Brussels. The kids are going to Jacqueline's birthday party in the afternoon. Then Sunday morning, we fly home

The Last Goodbyes

Learning how to make baskets at the celebration in Stockel for the 100th anniversary of the tram.


Petting a (formerly) real fox outside a butcher's in Stockel.


The proud princess displaying her cupcakes to take to school as a going-away treat.


He should be proud -- he decorated all the cupcakes himself!


Our humble Belgian abode.

The movers are here, frantically packing away. So far, they won't pack batteries, and it doesn't look like they're packing food. (Poor Tammy is going to overwhelmed with all by bits of food that they won't pack. I can't throw it away, but I doubt she's going to want all of this!!)

It's overwhelming, a little. I'm trying to stay out of the way, watching TV. They're packing the kitchen, so I can't get a snack or a drink. Things, so far, are going smoothly. They're packing quickly (oooh, and listening to a little vintage Paul Young on the radio!).

Amelia chose Saturday night to have another bout of middle-of-the-night croup. It was a pretty bad case, with some stridor on her inhalations. But after a sit outside (in the rain) for the cool air, then a transfer to the bathroom for inhaling steam, she begged to go back to bed. It did break my heart, however, when she asked me if she was going to die. I think it worried her that we were causing such a fuss and dragging her all over the house, rather than just giving her any medicines. But she recovered enough on Sunday to make one last trip to the Stockel carnival.

The kids have three more days of school, and tonight (Monday night) is our last night in the house. It seems a little surreal.

We're all excited to come back, but we will miss Brussels. But on to bigger and better things (and things that are open 24 hours!).

More to come!

Our Last Travels

I still hope to blog more later, but the movers are coming in two weeks, and I'm not sure which way is up. I'm torn between trying to do all the "lasts" that I want to do, and trying to get a jump on packing. Neither seems to be working, so instead, I helped chaperone a field trip to the Antwerp Zoo today.

I hope to post more soon. But in the meantime, enjoy the pix.


Jack and Amelia on a windmill in Kinderdijk, the Netherlands



Getting some bratwurst in Cologne, Germany with the Coles.


view from the top of the mini Eiffel tower, Petrin Hill, Prague



Schmoozing the bartender for cherries at the Hard Rock Cafe, Prague


A fountain Jack just loved, Prague.

Singing and Riding

I guess when she can sing AND ride at the same time, the riding skill is well on its way to mastery.

Day 3 of riding a bicycle, and Amelia is clearly doing well. Few wipeouts, and endless circles. It was much easier than I thought it would be (and for her, too).



I bought Jack a bubble blower at Aldi today -- he was out on the terrace this morning, blowing bubbles and he yelled "This is the best day of my life." so cute!

Amelia Rides a Bike

Here's a video of today's accomplishment: we took Amelia's training wheels off! She did really well on the terrace, so we took her to Tervuren Park (the former summer palace of the king), and off she went.

A little wobbly, but she was amazing. Now she's excited because we've promised her a big girl bike when we return to Virginia this summer! Her current Walla Koala bike is pretty small and has seen better days. We've seen a (pricey) Littlest Pet Shop bike here, but she seems interested in a Barbie bike. Time will tell.

The Beginning of the End

Today, we made our last trip into Brussels. For all my talk about moving home, it was a little sad. Of course, it started raining as soon as we arrived, but we did see a really pretty rainbow coming out of the clouds.

The kids and I, thankfully, got bumped up to Economy Plus, and to an empty row at that! So they got to stretch out on 2 seats each and got some good sleep. I was even able to sleep, since I didn't have heads on my laps the whole time.

We arrived home to 2 good pieces of news:

1. No one had broken into our house (I had received a voice mail early on in our trip and I couldn't decipher it at all. I was worried that perhaps it was the alarm company calling but had decided it was probably just a wrong number. But since I couldn't understand the message, I spent quite a bit of time worried about the house.)

2. My car started right away. After 3 batteries in 1 year, several misdiagnoses and a 350 euro trip to the dealer the day before we left, we weren't confident they had fixed the problem. But amazingly, it started right away.

Oh, and our fish were still alive. I guess that's good news, although the poor things are pretty much ignored around here.

After a brief bit of unpacking, I walked down to the market, wheeled shopping cart in tow, to fetch food. Of all the things I will miss here, I will REALLY miss the walks to market on a day like today. The sun came out, the temperature is nice, and the flowers are blooming. After stocking up on chicken and ribs and tiropitaki and sweet peppers stuffed with cheese and waffles and Moroccan bread, I headed home.

I was listening to my iPod, and a Duran Duran song was on (no shock to those who know me well) and the lyric "A thousand Sundays seem to have drifted right by, I could've sworn, in one evening." That seems to sum up our stay here. It's been a long time, but it's gone by so fast.

So now, we have just about 6 weeks left, if you can imagine. So I start to think "Only 6 more Saturday markets." And I think of all the things I want to bring back. I will miss many things about here, but I will be happy to get back to all else that is familiar.

A man with a mini calliope just puttered down our street. We heard this charming music but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Eventually, a man with a little wheeled calliope appeared. He had a basket on top, for donations, and we did run out and give hime some coins. It was just such an unexpected moment!

On Saturday night, we kept the kids up late -- until about 10, and we all slept until nearly 11 Sunday morning. Hooray! Of course, we tried the same thing last night. Jack woke up at 6 and wasn't really able to got back to sleep. Amelia didn't fall asleep until nearly midnight, but she's still sleeping now. Hate jet lag.

More soon, I'm sure!

What do you think of THAT?

Words from my 3 1/2 year old son as he smacked a ball right at me when we were playing baseball today. It was pretty funny. He is a very good baseball and tennis player (even his tennis instructor suggested that he get private lessons, as he was doing far better than all the other children in his class [sorry, Amelia]).

We're looking forward to our last visit to the States this week -- the next trip we make from Belgium to the U.S. will be the permanent one. Hooray!

We enjoyed a sunny weekend here, and Amelia decided she wanted to ride her bike to the market on Saturday. She was excited, because I had bought her a special basket for her bike, with a handle so that she could take it off her bike and do her marketing.



The first thing that caught her eye were some wonderfully red, ripe strawberries. She couldn't wait to eat one, so while I stopped at the Greek stand for some tiropitaki, she dug in.

Her next stop was for tulips.



She picked out some beautiful white tulips with hints of pink -- 10 tulips for 3 euros. I will really, really miss all the fresh flowers when we move back. Especially the tulips!!

She did an admirable job riding all the way there and back (it's about a 15-minute walk each way). She was quite proud of herself, too.

The icing on the cake for the weekend was a personal concerts by my two budding musicians. I'm not sure which is funnier. Amelia's flamenco dress, or Jack's dancing. (Before watching the video, make sure your volume isn't too loud. And if you have dogs, they might start howling along.)

Living Frugally? How, in Europe?

I've been reading lots of U.S.-based blogs lately on the topic of frugal living. I'm very impressed by all the folks who manage their coupons and store-based deals so well. There are very few coupons here (at least, that I've been able to figure out). I'm really looking forward to coming back home and being able to buy some things in bulk. There's just no such thing here. I've been shocked by our food bills -- we can pay some extravagant prices on some things, especially things from home. For example, I paid over 5 euros yesterday for a box of PopTarts, and the same for a bottle of Hunts BBQ sauce. A small bottle of Golden Griddle pancake syrup is 8.50, and a package of chocolate chips is nearly 6 euros (1 euro is roughly $1.30). THIS is why my suitcases are always so food-laden!

Yes, I realize that I don't need PopTarts, or BBQ sauce, so if I buy them I shouldn't complain. But STILL....

Now, I realize that with 3 months to go, I've kinda missed the boat on trying to live in Brussels more economically. But better late than never, right? One thing I've decided to try, on occasion, is some line drying. I hooked up a line and some hooks outside and have done 2 loads of drying outside. Given the temperature, and the humidity, it takes a long time. But I was quite pleased with how well it (eventually) turned out. Few wrinkles, not crunchy, and I didn't have to use the inefficient (and LOUD) dryer. And, as a bonus, it gave T.J. quite a chuckle. Not sure what the cost savings benefit is, but it made me feel better. But, of course, last night, Jack's diaper leaked -- all over his bed -- and it's raining today. So today, I try some inside line drying.

How many of you are snickering?

The kids and I have also been making our own bread lately. We found a good recipe here for beginner's bread that is very easy (although Jack isn't very patient during the rising portion of the process). One down side is that Jack wants to make bread faster than we can eat it. So I've been making lots of French Toast (perfect for a quick breakfast and it can be easily frozen!). T.J. seems slightly concerned that this could be the signs of an impending midlife crisis (kidding, of course), but he's decided that if it is a crisis of sorts, making my own bread probably lets him off the hook pretty easy. Laura just sent me a recipe for another easy bread (here) and I think that's what I'm going to try next.

I also made (if I do say so myself) a wonderful tartiflette the other night (see here for a recipe similar to the one I used). It's with sliced potatoes, bacon bits, onions, and a delicious Reblochon cheese melted on top. The kids, amazingly, were the biggest fans. Amelia had 2 helpings that night and asked for it again the next night. I highly recommend it. (The cheese is just a very creamy, mild cheese. Not sure what it would be comparable to in the grocery stores of the U.S.)

School Days
Jack is starting full days at school now. I'm not sure how that's going to go. He still needs that nap, so missing it more often than not has made him a little cranky in the evenings. But he's so excited to stay at school with his friends and set the table.

Upcoming Move
There are still no official details on our move, so we're a bit in limbo. I'm still trying to organize, toss, and donate, while buying all those last things that I don't want to leave Belgium without (great grocery shopping bags, a Le Creuset pot from the market, a quilt for the guest bed, saddlebags for my bicycle). There will be a lot to do once we establish our move date, but until then, there are just a lot of hypotheticals. I just can't wait to get back into our house in July. T.J. can't believe that I just want to go sit in the empty house the first day it's empty. But I am just longing for the day. I will probably sit on the kitchen floor, dispensing ice and running the garbage disposal. Just because I can.

Anyone want to come help me strip kitchen wallpaper? I didn't think so. I'd eventually like to renovate the kitchen, but until then, I'd love a fresh coat of paint. But the wallpaper seems like an ominous job....

Our last vistors
A lot of folks are making their last-chance trips to visit us. My sister is here now (generously bringing Cheerios, fruit juice snacks, Velveeta, ravioletti, and baked cheetos). the weather hasn't been too cooperative, but we're trying to make the most of it. It is ironic, though. She came to Belgium to come shopping, and I can't wait to come to the US to go shopping!!

We did go visit the Atomium. I've been before (though never up in it yet) and finally took some photos.



We also took the kids to a donkey farm that is reportedly one of the most important donkey milk manufacturing sites in Europe ... I know, ew, right? It was a bit of a letdown, but the kids enjoyed seeing all the animals.





Midi Market
Just when it's almost too late, Susan and I discovere the Sunday market at Gare du Midi. Hundreds of fresh food vendors, and a plethora of other goodies (my big finds, a roaring, light-up, walking dinosaur for Jack and Littlest Pet Shop sock for Amelia). Our favorite, though, was a Moroccan food stand. They were selling delicious mint tea, which we had adored on our cruise to Morocco (a wonderful combo of green tea, sugar and fresh mint). And to go with it, a freshly made flat bread, filled with a soft feta-like cheese and roasted red peppers and drizzled with honey). I know I talk too much about food, but this is an exception. This, I could eat every day. In fact, I will try to return as often as I can on Sundays to get my fill. Pure heaven!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Amelia and the Wii, and Other Things

Amelia went for a 10-minute run this weekend with Wii Fit. She made it the whole time, too, even though we told her to rest! She really enjoyed it. She loves playing Littlest Pet Shop and Barbie Horse Camp, and both kids love playing miniature golf. We got a bass fishing game too, but we haven't been able to quite figure that one out yet. Only the kids have hooked fish so far, and even then, we haven't been able to reel any in. Amelia has been trying to hula-hoop, too, but she doesn't seem to weigh enough for the balance board to recognize her, poor thing.

Amelia got to talk to her best friend today, who moved over Christmas back to the U.S. It was sweet to see her so excited and asking a lot of grown-up-type questions. We're hoping to be able to arrange a trip for the girls to visit this summer.

I've been battling a sinus infection. Our doctor gave me a "concoction" of oils -- thyme, pine, eucalyptus, menthol, etc. -- to add to boiling water to inhale. It smells wonderful, but leaves a terrible residue on bowls. Nearly impossible to get off. I had to toss the plastic spoon I had used for measuring it. Effective, but gross. We picked up the prescription for this at the pharmacy that has taken over the Harrison's old townhouse. It was strange to be standing in their dining room, getting drugs. The pharmacist was nice enough to take Amelia for a "tour" of the renovated digs. She was quite puzzled, but very fascinated.

Jack has been doing very well with his two full days of school. So well, in fact, that he keeps asking me and his teachers if he can stay for lunch every day. So ... in March, he will go 4 full days. It will be a little sad for him to be doing such a big-boy thing, but it will also be a help, as official word went out today about T.J.'s new job, so there will be much chaos around here as I try to organize. I could just have the packers take everything, and then sort it out on the other end, but it would be nice to have things purged -- or at least organized -- so the move on the other end will be smoother.

Tonight, Jack belted out a pretty good try at "Frere Jacques." You can tell they learn the song by listening, because the only words that were right were "ding, dong, dong." It was a valiant attempt, and it was clear what he was trying to sing. It's cute, because now when we play hide and seek, he counts to 10 in French.

Today is the last day of school before the Carnivale holidays next week. The kids got to dress up in costumes, and I've included a picture below. Amelia just couldn't decide which dress-up dress to wear -- she must've tried on 5 dresses before she finally settled on this one.

Jack Bakes Bread

I was invited today to watch Jack make bread. It was quite a hoot, and the other kids seemed quite fascinated that I was there. Jack was very proud of showing off to me, but Amelia was very sad that I wasn't coming to her class today. She was sitting at a table at the bottom of the stairs from Jack's class (so she wouldn't miss me when I came back downstairs to leave), drawing pictures for me.

Every child in school loves to make the bread, and while it isn't the tastiest stuff out there, we always manage to choke some down, as the kids get to bring muffin-shaped bread home to share with the family, while they make a loaf for the class to eat at lunch.


Adding the oil.


Lots of (way-too-healthy) flour


Stir it up good.


Muffin-shaped bread to take home; the loaf will be for lunchtime.


Cover it up to let it rise.

The Latest Dorito Flavor: Jack Byrd

I'm trying to enjoy a little big of Spring here -- a planter and pebbles from Ikea, and 5 euros for 4 hyacinth plants. They're starting to smell wonderful, and with the sun being out today, the smell is filling the house!


I was at Stonemanor (the British food store) today and picked up a few boxes for the upcoming Spring Clean/move. T-Bone Steak flavored Doritos are apparently popular in the U.K. I don't think I want to try them, though. But it's a great box, as you can tell. Amelia and Jack immediately confiscated all of them and filled them with dinosaurs, ponies and other animals.

Our Latest Cruise

I didn't blog on the cruise, so it will take me a while to get text up, but meanwhile, enjoy the photos. More pictures will be posted later, after I download from our second camera!

Barcelona, Spain
We arrived in Barcelona the night before our cruise. It was a trying evening, as our flight didn't arrive until 10 pm. We waited 30 minutes with 2 hysterical, overtired children (one more so than the other) for our luggage, only to discover it was circling a different carousel. But we arrived at our hotel without incident and promptly went to bed.

In the morning, we had time to walk around Barcelona before the cruise departed. We walked down Las Ramblas avenue, where there were many stalls of flowers and, more importantly to the children, animals (rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, ducklings, chicks, turtles). I'm not sure if pet sales on the streets is a really booming business, but there certainly were plenty of stalls. We also went back to the fresh produce and fish market, where they sell 20ish different kinds of fresh fruit juice byt the cup, for just a euro.

We met the Rousseaus and Gaston (our tour guide from our last trip to Barcelona) at a rotisserie chicken restaurant and let the children get reacquainted. And in this blog, since T.J. was determined to find tapas restaurants throughout Spain, I feel OK in talking about food. ;)

Then it was off to the cruise ship where we were actually staying in the exact same room as we did on our first cruise aboard the same ship. Our concierge was the same, and there were some of the same counselors in the Kids' Club. The grownups enjoyed their champagne, while the kids enjoyed M&Ms and gummi bears. All were happy!


The family with Captain Tommy

First Sea Day

Casablanca, Morocco

Agadir, Morocco


Eating a traditional Moroccon meal in Tiout.


The family donkey ride in Tiout. Jack later kicked me off so he could ride by himself.


Cooking tagine. The food was amazing in Morocco.


The mosque in Agadir, which was right on the shore.


Las Palmas, Grand Canary

Playing at a beach playground in Las Palmas.


Posing with the dog for whom the Canary Islands were named (in Las Palmas, Grand Canary)

Funchal, Madeira


The street toboggans in Funchal, Madeira.

Second Sea Day

Malaga, Spain

Third Sea Day

Barcelona, Spain


Taking the cable car up to Montserrat.


Post Cruise
Our days have been busy, in anticipation of returning to the U.S. in the summer. While I thought it would be easier to move back to the U.S. (just have the movers pack up EVERYTHING), I realize now it's a little more work than I thought. I was a little lax in my inventory about our house contents when we moved here, so I'm trying to be more thorough this time. That means a pretty detailed list of the contents of the house, and it's value. Plus selling all the European appliances, and cars, and miscellaneous other belongings.

We found out Jack is enrolled in preschool back in VA for next fall, which is a relief. Now I need to get all their Belgian health information in line to transfer back to the US and hope they don't need to get any duplicate immunizations (more paperwork)

Amelia seems to have her first loose tooth (only mildly loose -- or is it my imagination?). I'm not looking forward. She also, oddly enough, seems to have a case of athlete's foot. Huh? Well, at least I had some Tinactin on hand ...

Jack is getting high praise at tennis lessons. He seems to be pretty good, from what I've seen, and his instructor says he has real skill. And, even better, they both love playing

A Tease of a Post

Alas, I don't have time for a full posting today, but thought I'd get out a picture of my favorite aspiring fireman:



He got a great fireman suit for Christmas and had a private tour of the Kirkwood Firehouse given by Captain Mike. Jack was most fascinated by the firepole, and even convinced Fireman Victor to slide down the pole. Jack had a great time and who knows, maybe he really will be a fireman one day.

And then we came back to Brussels to find quite a bit of very powdery snow. Not the right consistency for a real snowman, but perfect for a snowman pile. The kids just loved the snow, and I think T.J. enjoyed it too!



At least, Jack liked it until he got snow in his face...and Amelia lost her boot