Albuferia, Portugal

This past holiday weekend Andy had a four day weekend so we headed to Portugal (four hours away).  We found an awesome resort to stay at with apartment condos and is just a walk to the beach! 

Now with two young children we love staying in a condo where we have multiple bedrooms, a kitchen to eat in, and room to play!

From our condo it was only steps out to the pool!

It was perfect timing and was carnival going on. Carnival is a huge celebration with bands, parades, food, and everyone dresses up in costumes!  The kiddos with their beautiful smiles before the parade:)

The floats were really fun!

Here they throw all sorts of paper to dress up in

The resort had six outdoor swimming pools!

We had such an amazing relaxing time that we booked the same resort for Memorial weekend with seven other families!!!

Happy Valentines Day!

I will always remember when I was little when we would wake up Valentines Day morning my mom would have decorated our table.  I started this tradition with our children last year.  It's funny though, as I get such an enjoyment decorating the night before! It almost feels like Christmas Eve to me knowing how excited the kiddos will be when they see it in the morning.

On the table waiting for them was a small gift.  Each child opened a book.

Claire was thrilled with her ballerina book

That morning we went to Drew's class room for a Valentines Day party.  My mom had sent the kiddos some V-Day stickers. Drew opened them also that morning and loaded his shirt up with them!!

Singing their V-Day song for the parents!

Sugar cooking to frost with TONS of candy on top!

Each child made a "mail box" for their V-Day cards to be delivered from their friends.  I thought Drew's was pretty cute and creative;)

We had a wonderful day

Saving Really Works!

Drew has big eyes when we go to the store and loves everything. Something he has loved for a long time though is a skate board. Instead of buying him everything he sees and loves we decided to start an allowance.

Drew earns 25 cents a day if he remembers to take his dishes to the sink after every meal and makes his bed. It’s really a win – win for everyone;) He SAVED $18 and bought a skate board the other week!! We were amazed and told him if he could save his money for a skate board we would buy his safety gear.

Drew is doing awesome on the skate board and is on it every minute! We also have a pretty awesome skate park here on base and have visited the park several times. Pretty proud of his saving and mad skills on the skate board!

Sunny February!

So our backyard doesn't have one tree in it and direct sun, which means it's always warm!!!  Today.. yes... we had the water out again..   It started with a big bike wash and turned in to a huge puddle to jump in!

Claire couldn't stop laughing!!

Then she stopped laughing when she fell face first and was COVERED!!  Don't worry this lasted only a few minutes, then Drew called he back..

The secret to happiness at this age, really is, water.

All You Need Is Water...

The past few years here we've had a garden.  However, with moving this summer we won't be having one.  What does this mean for the kiddos... a HUGE mud pit!!!  They have stayed so busy with "their garden"!!  We have made forts, mud pies, "gardens", played with trucks in it and so much more.  For some reason, every time we play in the dirt pile water is always involved!

They have a blast and stay so busy, can't ask for more:)

Randomness

The other day we watched our cute little neighbor boy Fin.  I had saved some of our old baby stuff just for this reason, friends babies!  It was fun to take it out again. Claire must have had flash backs from when she was a baby and crawled right under there with Fin!  (Fin is also her baby doll, so she needed to be close to him..)!

Ready to go to ballet!

This photo I just think is cute of Claire working at her table outside:)

THANK YOU Alicia Geiger and Aunt Allison!!

The other day we were so excited to have a package in the mail and from two of our favorite people Alicia and Allison!  The kiddos had the box open before I could even grab my camera! 

Claire found a new tutu that Alicia and Allison made together for her!  She was thrilled and needed it on right away!

Drew found TWO new airplanes in the box.  If someone today asked me what I thought Drew would be when he was older I would say a piolet. So he was thrilled to see the airplanes!

Claire told Drew since their were two, she thought one was for her....

In complete awe that Drew actually let her hold one.. for a little bit....

THANK YOU ALICIA AND ALLISON!!!!