Summer Re-Cap

Half of the crew is home, with Zita and Freddy still on vacation in the Algarve.
It has been one of the longest and best and worst Summers on record.

On June 25th, we flew from Lisbon to Salt Lake City via Amsterdam, and then drove up to Jackson Hole Wyoming via -Utah and Idaho . That was phase one.

Phase two was Yellowstone Park, covering Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. Lots and lots and lots of car time and beautiful scenery beyond compare.

Phase three was Salt Lake City, that we covered inch by inch as a family unit of six.

Phase four began in Salt Lake City airport where Pai flew back to Portugal, Moojie flew on to New York, and I flew with the three littles to San Franisco.
We stayed five days in the bay area, getting my sister packed up and ready to move, an the whole crew packed up and ready for Phase Five (see below :) )

Phase five brought fresh mountain air and a whole week of rivers, lakes, giant redwoods, and enough nature to last a lifetime.

Phase six and the final phase of our US journey was the most relaxing, wonderful, warm, holiday-feeling week ever in a gem of a house in Glen Ellen (wine country!!).

Phase seven continued in the spirit of a relaxing holiday with a week in Sagres, Same house. Same beaches. Just a little chillier this year. See below: hooded sweatshirts and jeans in August.

Phase eight ( I was not joking when I said it has been the longest Summer ever) started with Pai, Sebby, and myself driving through August traffic for 6.5 hours back home from the Algarve, Moojie going to a music festival in Zambujeira do Mar, Freddy staying in Sagres with his cousins, and Zita going to Villamoura for the week with a friend.

Phase ten begins on Saturday when we have all six of us back home, together again for the rest of the Summer until school starts around September 9th.

Despite covering 6 states, staying in over 5 hotels and 6 houses, two countries, 6 flights, and like 60 million hours in the car, we STILL have four weeks of Summer left to keep the kids busy.

The Sweetest

Early morning big brother cuddles are the best

A Few More Shots From The Alentejo

If Seb didn't already idolize Moojie, he sure does now. He became the go-to person for motorcycle sitting. 

 I always know when Seb is getting tired because he starts hollering for Moojie. He even does it when he's already in bed, but fighting sleep. 

A few nights ago Moojie appeared at the foot of the bed after Seb had been crying "Mooooojjjiiiiieee" for a good few minutes. As soon as Moojie got there, Seb stopped crying, looked at Moojie and then said "make a pizza! piiiizzzzaaa!" We never know what's going to come out of his mouth. 

The new riding school horse doesn't have the same handsome nose that the other horses have and therefore can't fit into any bridles. The kids had to settle for being led with just a halter. 

That's my Zita girl in the distance. 

Beach

We had the best time in Sagres; one of our more relaxing holidays ever.

We got home last night past midnight, and today has been nothing but laundry- four loads and counting-  kitchen, kitchen, kitchen, and a ridiculous decision on my part to organize the big closet in my bedroom. There's nothing like living out of a carry-on for 6+ weeks to spur on a great clothing purge. 1 have four big bags for goodwill and many more to come.

 

 All that plus Sebby forgot how to play and be more that 6 inches from me means that I can't upload and share my trip highlight pictures just yet.

 

 

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Here is the one picture I got of just the four kids together, and another shot of Freddy and Seb.

 

Yes, that is mud on their faces.

 

More on the Twins

 

My favorite part of this picture is the way Seb's pudgy little fingers are holding Freddy's arm.

 

Seb isn't one to just sit next to someone. He has to sit on us so as to maximize contact. Moojie calls it his "koala style" hold, and that's the perfect way to describe it.

I have to include Zita when I can since she rarely pauses for a picture.

More Water Play

Until we get to the States, it's going to be water play heavy on this blog. My days with Seb have a perfect rythm of outdoor play until lunch, and then the excitement of the biggies getting home.  Mooj goes back to school at 2, which leaves a litte over an hour before we get Freddy.

 

Lately, the first thing Freddy asks when he gets in the car is "can I play in the hose with Seb?"

 

Apart from the fact that I get nailed with the hose every time, it is the best way to pass the afternoon.

 Seb errupts into exposive laughter exery time Freddy dumps water on his head.

 When Seb reaches the top of the slide he says "I got you. I got you." By that he means "don't let me fall, lady!"

 I think the lawn is going to stay nice and green this year.

 Who needs a pool, right?

I'm in love with these freckles.

Misty Morning Walk

 

We went from hot seaside sun to the chilly fog-covered Alentejo for a few days of family time.

 

These mares roam free, but show up every morning for food and a little company. We didn't ride this weekend, but Sebby did get a chance to sit on a calf.

  Flowers were irresistable to Seb; he could hardly stand to pass a bush without picking at least one flower.  The hills were covered in thousands of these white flowers, wild lavender, and purple and yellow wild flowers.

 Freddy's grandmother taught him the names of all of the wild grasses, and how to tell which plants are poisonous and which are safe for the animals to eat. He soaked it all up and made sure to come and show me each flower and tell me a little bit about it.

 A spontaneous peek-a-boo break

The big kids were on teenagers-without-school time and joined for afternoon walks.

 We were on the hunt for wild orchids and did find these beauties as well as a rare red variety that I somehow don't have pictures of. Maybe I was too busy trying to keep Seb from picking them.

This is what I love about being in the Alentejo. We set off on long meandering morning walks, and by the time we get back to the house, it's almost time for lunch, of course followed by rest, and then it's time to set out on another beautiful afternoon walk. What's not to love about this schedule?

On Cleaning

Things have been getting increasingly disorderly around the house. The fast comings and goings of children with so many bags, papers, equipment, and who knows what, means that "I'll get that later," is uttered far more often than "gosh, let's put this away and help out."

My position of letting every person deal with his or her own stuff was simply untenable. Here's a big shocker- mess doesn't bother (my) children like it bothers adults. Not to mention, if I'm going to chose between making them clean or study, school will always come first. 

I've taken every stance at both ends of the extreme, from being mother and maid in chief, to the drill sargent who won't so much as get a spoon when asked. I wish I could say that I've cracked the code and figured out the best way, but I'm writing this in complete defeat. 

I have made a few changes that I'm happy with: 

Big kids do their own laundry on Sunday. It takes all of five minutes to put their clothes in the washing machine and hit start, and later hang their things on the line to dry. 

I no longer clear any dishes or non- perishables that are not my own or Seb's. After a few days of this, one could hardly see the counter, so I've softened that stance to moving dishes to a tray, where they await eventual migration to the dishwasher. 

The kids have to clean their own bathroom. 

Lastly, I moved the TV cabinet from our upstairs sala to the entrance. It's a catch-all for rugby/tennis/PE bags, and has a separate compartment for shoes. So far, so good. 

Since I don't have recent pictures with me, here are a few of Freddy at Seb's current age- 16 months. 

It feels like decades ago that I was taller than Moojie and Freddy was a baby. 

A Park Day With The Little Boys

Apple Waffles and a Little Morning Dancing

We are 11 people in the house right now which is why blogging has completely fallen by the wayside. 

I have no pictures uploaded and Pai has the laptop with him in Porto today. This waffle post will have to suffice until I get my hands on the laptop. 

Right around Christmas time, Freddy started researching waffle recipes and we have not gotten off the waffle train ever since. 

We followed a recipe the first few times, but now I just wing it, using a ratio of 2 cups to 1.5cups for flour to milk. If the flour to to milk ratio is okay, the rest seems to always work out. 

Our new go-to favorites are apple waffles, born from a need to use up some slow-cooked apples from dessert the night before. I just scooped out the soft apple centers, and folded them into the waffle batter as a last step. 

Freddy is never one to just spoon on some jam or syrup; he always makes some sort of symmetric pattern or creative face.

Seb gets his cut into sticks and knows exactly what it means when I plonk the waffle maker on the counter.

Our microwave has a radio that Seb turns on for " dance dance time" ( his term, not mine).

Freddy and I brought Pai his waffles and coffee in bed.

I left the rest in the oven for the biggies to discover when they came down to the kitchen.

Extras get frozen and heat beautifully in the toaster. 

Night Night Mano

Mano is an affectionate term for brother in Portuguese, and mano is generally what Freddy and Sebby call their big brother. The other night when Freddy went to give Mooj a hug goodnight, Seb got down from my arms and was on that sofa in seconds. Seb never wants to be left out of a hug.

 He then put his hands on his head and said "head, eyes, mouff" which is his way of asking for the song "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes."

It's official; Moojie can never move out.

Big Brother, Little Brother