Our Baby Girl Is Eleven!

I'm taking Zita and her friends to lunch today and tonight is the big family celebration.
Lots more to come on Zita's festivities!

A Misty Afternoon in Sintra

With the wisdom tooth saga and Sebby's fever quarantine behind us, we wanted to get out of the house and move our legs in fresh air. We hadn't taken my mom to Sintra yet this visit so to Sintra we went. 

This particular afternoon was cut short by rain, but it was still worth the visit. We waited out the rain for a bit under this little shelter, but a cross wind meant soon we were cold and wet and ready to move along. 

Before the rain started pouring down, the kids did some exploring around this pond and had fun playing Pooh Sticks in a rushing natural spring. 

Seb slept through the whole thing so I held him until my arms were breaking. He is one heavy boy! 

 For anyone interested, this pond is a short walk across the street from the entrance to Moserrate Palace:

http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-and-monuments/park-and-palace-of-monserrate/ 

Hard Rock Cafe And a Walk Through Lisbon

Going to Hard Rock Café has somehow become tradition when my mom visits. I recognize everything wrong with eating here while in a European country, but sometimes a family needs a loud child-friendly restaurant with free refills, abundant fries, and the comfort of feeling like we are in the States.

It was so dark in there that we were all blinded when we went outside. 

On our way to the Hard Rock Cafe, we stopped in the Principe Real neighborhood to check out a house/palace called Embaixada. I only have two pictures, but the house is beautiful; It's a little hidden gem in the heart of the city with a café and botique shops.

What better way to end the day than our yearly walk through the Chiado for Santini ice cream?

 

 

Christmas Pictures

Freddy was the most enthusiastic and earnest gift giver this year. He went shopping with my mom and bought gifts for each and every family member. He was so excited to give out gifts and watch everyone open what he chose. 

I got this beautiful heart shaped alarm clock that now has pride of place on my nightstand. 

Moojie got a can of tennis balls from Freddy, and he gave Zita a bracelet making kit. I'm already wishing I had taken more pictures on Christmas morning.

We did Christmas crackers over breakfast of cranberry blueberry bagels. The jokes are so entertaining to read out and it keeps the mood lively and full of laughs. 

Whereas last year had a strong tennis theme, this year was an apparel and electronics years for Miss Zita. She's top to toe in new things, but was happiest to join the rest of her school in smart phone ownership. 

We had Christmas  lunch at my brother in law's house where we had a third and final round of presents and another big meal of shrimp bisque and duck rice. 

Freddy and Zita helped my mom set the Christmas breakfast table at night so I could spend my Christmas morning enjoying the moment. I already miss the perks of pampering that come from having my mom here.

 When we are back to civilization, I'll write my annual best gifts of 2013 post. 

Happy New Year!

Back to Tennis

Freddy was excited to try out his new Christmas racket and tennis shoes. Finding these shoes for him was the true Christmas miracle for us this year. I had almost given up. While his current shoes were springing new holes every day, we were running out of options when we decided to go back to the original place we had already tried. He took the first pair he tried on and one week later, he still likes them. 

 Seb loves messing up all of the equipment while I go around behind him putting it all back.

 

His burn shows up in the cold, but it looks like a darling rosey cheek, not a burn scar. Thank goodness for that. 

 He watches Freddy longingly as if he knows it's more exciting to be playing on the court, swinging a racket around, than it is to be stuck in the stands shifting cones around.

 A few more years and he'll be out there too.

Big Brother, Little Brother