Summer Fun!

It may seem that we've had all of the summer fun that we can handle here with our big trip and all, but we're just getting started!!  We have tons of plans this summer for when we're actually in this country.

To recap a bit: our Spain trip was amazing!!  We saw a lot of the country that I hadn't seen before, and lived with a great host family (I will not be posting their pics, as I did not ask permission).  We started in Barcelona, where we spent 3 days.

Chasing pigeons in a plaza in Barcelona

Then we moved on to Valladolid to stay with our host family.  While we were there, we took a few day trips.  We went to a city called Ávila which is a walled in city that is about 1500 years old.  We went to a city called Segovia with a 2000 year old Roman aqueduct, and we also were able to visit Santander, a beach town on the northern coast.

Skyping with M from our homestay

Our remaining summer plans are quite as exotic, but at least we'll be able to do (most) of them as a family.  Well, after I get back from Panama on the 15th that is.  I am taking a group of students to Panama for 9 days where we'll stay with Panamanian families to learn more about the language and culture there.  We will also be doing some work in a Panamanian orphanage as a service learning project.  We leave on Saturday, and as much as I'm looking forward to the trip, I'm also looking forward to coming home to stay for a while.  ;)

M is on vacation for a week and Evie's birthday is coming up!!  We plan to take her to Bay Beach amusement park in Green Bay during that week.  I went there a ton when I was a kid, and I can't wait to take Evie too!  I have such great memories of it, and it's so exciting to pass that on to her.

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It's going to be a busy summer, but I'm looking forward to spending some time just the three of us before the new baby is born.  Next summer will be a whole new adventure!!

This post was written for Toddle Along Tuesday, sponsored by Growing Up Geeky.  This week's topic is Summer Fun.  

Link up and join the fun!!

Top 5 Laughs of the Week

Here are my top 5 laughs of the week.  If you'd like to join in the link-up fun, head over to The Mommyhood Chronicles to add your top 5 laughs!

5. I think Evie is in the middle of a growth spurt.  She has been eating a TON lately.  We went out for lunch at Fazoli's today while we were shopping with my sister, and she ate half of my sister's baked ziti!  It was unbelievable.  She's like a bottomless pit!!

4. Now that Evie is walking running around so much, she likes to try to get away from us and run away.  It's become a really fun game...most of the time.  The other night, she got away from me before her bath, and ran from her bedroom to the bathtub completely nude.  M and I cracked up watching our child streak down the hall.

3. We captured some of her escape artistry on camera last night.  She took off while I was putting her pajamas on, and ran into the living room to dance in her diaper.  M managed to grab the camera and catch her in action...The footage might come in handy when she's a teenager.  (I'd upload the video, but my computer/internet connections is being dumb.)  :(

2. We bought Evie a front-facing carseat now that she's about to exceed the weight limit on our rear-facing one. She looks so happy now that she can see out of the window better.  I keep peeking back at her in the rear view mirror thinking that she looks like such a big kid!

1. Playing Evie's new "chasing" game.  We start in the living room, and I run after her into the kitchen.  She "hides" by the oven door while I tickle her.  Then I run away from her and wait in the living room.  She comes after me and the game starts all over again.  Every time I begin to chase her or she begins to chase me, she squeals and giggles and it's about the most fun I've ever had running back and forth between my kitchen and living room.  :)

Thankful

It's pretty simple.

I'm thankful for 

a supportive extended family, 

a career I love, 

a healthy, beautiful, growing daughter

 a loving husband who is my best friend

 and a family to come home to every day.

What more could anyone possibly ask for?

Top 5 of the Week

I've seen this on a few blogs that I frequent, and I thought I'd give it a try.

Here are my top 5 laughs/moments of the week:

5. Evie was walking around the kitchen with a dish towel.  She has been into hiding behind things and then "jumping" out and saying boo.  She did this several times with the dish towel as she was walking around the kitchen.  I was sitting at the table, and she was walking towards me.  She put the towel in front of her face just in time to walk into my chair.  She fell on her butt, pulled the towel down and said, "Boo."  M and I both laughed hysterically that the fall didn't ruin her concentration, and she was still able to "scare" me.

4. Watching as M put Evie in her snow pants for the first time.  I'm not a huge fan of winter, but it's coming whether we like it or not!

3. Seeing the final results of my students' video projects for El Cid.  They did a great job!!!  Teaching amazes me every day, and seeing my students excel is the reason I keep going when it feels like the whole world is down on my profession. 

2. Hanging out with M...just hanging out.  He is my best friend, and sometimes life gets in the way and we forget that.  He won me over by making me laugh, and now I love it when he makes me and Evie laugh together.

1. Seeing Evie blow kisses for the first time.  Seriously, how awesome is that!?!?!!?

When you grow up...

Mi hijita,

As each milestone passes, I know that you are one step closer to being your own independent person.  I try not to mourn the passing of each stage, and I also try not to hope for unpleasant stages to pass either.  I try to enjoy each moment as it happens. 

As much as I attempt that, whenever I look at you, I can't help but think about the future... 

Could you be a piano prodigy?

 Could you be the star of your high school basketball team?  (If that happens, you DEFINITELY didn't inherit those genes from your mama, trust me!!)

Could you find the cure for some horrible disease?

Could you be a great friend/mother/wife?

Of course I've dreamed of what you'll be, but what I want most for you is happiness

...whatever that looks like for you. 

This post was written as part of the Breastfeeding Blog Hop... 

which is open to ALL mamas 

and has nothing to do with breastfeeding this week!!!  

If you'd like to link up, go to Life with Levi and add your blog to list!!

Blog Hop - Toddle Along Tuesday

Welcome Toddle Along Tuesday Blog Hoppers!! 

Please take a look around and introduce yourself in the comments.  I love to follow back, so make sure to leave your blog address too!!  I'm always looking for more pages to read.  If you are just stopping by and would like to get your blog in on the action, head over to Growing Up Geeky or Our Growing Garden to link up.