Solo Hayes, illegal packages, and mini-trips!
Settling into a routine and into a BIG fat IMPORTANT year ....
It’s been a great month of school - kids are crushing it. We are back into a nice routine with the kids and a few small trips, hitting the gym, and time with friends. We have our first visitors for many months starting Saturday - Ashley’s father/MIL (first time to Europe!) and her brother Ryan and his GF Luisby (2nd trip!) are coming to Barcelona for a week!
Quick Hits!
Hayes is getting independent. He has ridden the subway ALONE, walked, hopped on bus, and then walked again to an appointment and returned HOME - ALONE, and has been going to the grocery store for quite some time ALONE. It’s incredible the amount of freedom he can get here with how safe it is…he does NOT have an iPhone with maps to get him around either! The Apple Watch provides us comfort in tracking him and reaching him if we need…which we really don’t need!
Ashley shipped a package from the US (thanks, Melissa!), and the port authorities called her asking what it was. 'oh, just some food and medicines’ Ashley said. ‘Ok, we will send it back’ they say - as they tell her the ingredients may be unsafe and unapproved in Spain. Live and learn - next time, just lie. If you don’t know, red dye 40, high fructose corn syrup, transfats, etc (all in much of American processed food) are illegal here….so, they won’t even let it in.
We are planning more trips to the US this year. It’s purposeful for sure - as we look to where we land in a year or two or three, missing friends and family is a reason we would consider moving back - this, of course, can be solved with more trips! So, Ashley is going back in October for a girl’s trip, we are flying Dad and Vickie here for a MONTH in November/December, and I’ll be heading back to America in January (to ski) and likely again in April (probably a work trip!). I’m sure we will be back sometime before the end of the summer, too …. and we will see how Thanksgiving is here in a few months - this will be my first Thanksgiving outside the States ever - and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday by a landslide…
We bought Ellory an Apple Watch. It’ll help us track her in town (she can get off the bus and walk home alone now) and on the ski slopes (should be open in 10 weeks!). It’ll give her responsibility (charging, messages and timers, calling when she needs a ride, etc) and it’s a great tool to have. Hayes and her can even compete in ping-pong app games if needed….
For trips, the last few weeks we hit London on a 3-day weekend - and Ellory and I hit Tarragona for PortAventura and Ferrari Land (amusement parks) on a long weekend. More deets below … next Ashley is heading back to Italy and I’m doing wine country with Alex, then to the Mountains with Hayes for a Father-Son trip! We have a few longer weekends coming up as well - so we are shopping Italy (you just can’t go to Italy too much) or Ireland, maybe Hungary or Portugal.
Our former KC Neighbor was in town for a conference so we connected with her over drinks. Always good to see familiar faces and catch up on all things - if you are in Europe look us up!
It is magical being around ‘newbies’ now - people that just moved her from the US. I have a buddy that just moved from Orlando and I continue to meet new people all the time that are ‘fresh’ - it’s so fun to see their emotions - experiencing all for the first time … the brain chemistry with ‘HOLY SHIT WE JUST MOVED TO SPAIN’ and remembering my first few months here … all the new shops, restaurants, friends, things to do, etc etc etc - it is really special to see them soak it all in, live in the moment, and take life by the reigns so to speak.
Back to school!
As I mentioned last blog, the kids are back to school. One of the ‘things’ (not good or bad) about the school is constant flux. Families are constantly moving and transferring, and there are always new kids - from day one and throughout the year. This year is no different - one of Ellory’s best friends is gone, and there are NEW friends - while they have many friends from last year, Hayes has a ‘plaza happy hour’ planned with a new buddy this Friday - they are surely learning how to be dynamic and flexible with relationships and friendships. They are thriving in grades 3 and 5. Ashley and I are ‘class reps’ for their classes (I’m with Hayes, and she is with Ells), so we will be involved again this year. They have many activities to keep them busy - Hayes has afterschool activities every day but Wednesday (Padel, Flag Football, Mountain Biking Down Hill), and Ellory has Mondays and Fridays free (she has volleyball, flag football, and basketball). I’m super jazzed about Hayes and his DH Bike school. It’s a BIG commitment from him and myself (an expensive new bike and gear (he needs one) and TONS of time per week) at around 27 hours a month all in. Yes, he is learning to go down the mountain track over rocks and jumps as fast as possible….I can’t wait (Ashley will be covering her eyes!). Overall, I feel a pivotal year for them in school, being their 2nd full year of school outside the states.
Father-Daughter Trip!
Ellory and I hit PortAventura - the largest amusement park until you get to Disney in Paris (Ashley and I made a ‘Disney Never pact). We left school early on Friday and drove the 60 minutes there in the RAIN. We arrived, and it was RAINING….I tell ya, a few no-alcohol mojitos, some popcorn and an afternoon hotel movie with your daughter is amazing …. even if we didn’t get to hit the park (a very wet park) until 15 minutes before they closed on Friday. We did get to Ferarri Land, though - and the place is amazing! Bomb ass cars, bomb ass rides, and bomb ass shows. We were up early and at the park as they opened on Saturday. We hit all coasters we could based on her height (thank you, FastPass!) and there until they kicked us out at night. Ells crushed over 20,000 steps like a champ. I know I brag about the food in Spain often, the quality and taste, but the amusement park food is just like anywhere - fried, terrible, and overpriced! Outside of quality time with Ellory, my favorite part of the weekend was seeing the true international language - LAUGHTER. It’s just amazing hearing French, Spanish, Catalan, English, Italian, German, and more all in the same area - yet one language is universal. LAUGHTER and SCREEMS on roller coasters. I love it.
London / UK
We hit London and Stonehenge on a 3-day weekend. As you can imagine, Stonehenge is cool yet underwhelming. It's still amazing to see that thing and re-learn the history of it. We spent the rest of the trip in London, hitting all the attractions - one of Ellory’s friends tagged along (and brought her father, a buddy of mine!), so that was special as well….I’ve not been a fan of London on my 5 previous trips, but this one, the weather was the best I’ve seen (sunny, go figure), and things worked out pretty decent. We crushed a proper Afternoon Tea (ok ok ok it was really champagne and wine for us and sweets and hot chocolate for the kids - Hayes was the only one that actually had tea) and just enjoyed all the history of London. The kids were much more interested in the Royal Family, landmarks, etc than I thought!
Next blog - I can’t WAIT to get Leo and Marge (ash pops and MIL) to Barna this weekend and see them here …. hopefully it’s their first of many trips! I’ll include details of Hayes MTN bike progress and more about school and our upcoming TRIPS….there are a TON of long weekends coming up!