Wednesday, July 29 - follow up to House Hunters International

Miraculously, we were out the door by 9:35am, and that's with Devon waking up at 9:15 and all 3 kids eating and gettig dressed before walking out the door.  I wanted to squeeze in a workout, and so I brought the kids with me to the gym.  While I sweated like crazy, they sat in the cool of the air conditioning and played on the tablet.

From there, we went to the school to return the books we'd borrowed.  We decided to keep some and we also checked out a couple more.  The school was empty of visitors, but very busy with maintenance work.  As we left, we ran into one of the school administrators, Maria Angeles, who's also a mom of one of Rosa's classmates.  She'd invited us to swim at her pool this summer, but the timing never worked out with our visitors and her work schedule.  Still, it was nice to see her and catch up a bit.

I'd bribed the kids to join me at the gym, and the bribery was to buy them ice cream.  So off we went to one of the oldest ice cream shops in Sevilla, La Campana.

And then it was lunchtime.  We headed to a favorite near the school, El Pequeno Almirante.  The kids each had mini hamburgers and after Devon had carrillada.  We sort of shared a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, granny smith apples, cheese, and honey.  And I had octopus.  The staff was fabulous and we had some of the best service ever!  And, when we left, the kids were each given a plastic cup with a straw.  They were super happy with their gifts (regalos).

Back at the apartment they played a game where Rosa was the queen (I love her leadership skills) and the boys propped her up with pillows and brought her whatever she wanted.  They also travelled by plane and train to various places.  We played some puzzles and then we watched a movie.  Scott came home as we finished the movie.

He'd just finished a 2.5 hour lunch.  The fried anchovies were course #3 of 7 or so courses.  The food just kept on coming.  

Since Scott was stuffed from such a big and late lunch, and since the kids and I had already been out for the day (an accomplishment considering the heat). we ate dinner at home.  And then we started watching another movie before bedtime.

Onto a different note, I realize that I've never completed the HGTV House Hunters International (HHI) story.  So here it is...

In December, I'd contacted HHI about our move to Spain and about being on their show.  It was months before I heard back.  And when I did, I learned that they way the work the show is that we'd have already selected our place and would already be living in it, and then we'd stage the search.  We'd use a real estate agent (either ours if she spoke enough English or borrow someone else) and we'd look at 3 properties, including ours.  Then we'd deliberate and obviously choose the one where we are living.  To film it, first HHI would pack out our entire apartment.  Since we rented it furnished, the furniture could stay, but all of our stuff would need to be removed and put in storage for a day of filming.  Filming would include 4 days in Sevilla (2 days could be weekend days).  Scott would need to take off 2 days of work to make this happen and we'd have to use a weekend to film, as well.  The kids would be involved in one of the camera shoots, one showing all of us enjoying something in Sevilla.  Otherwise, they'd need to be in school or with a babysitter.  And, the 5th day of shooting would be in Denver showing us "before" our move to Spain.  Additionally, we'd need to clear all of this with the apartment complex and make sure that the film crew could set up here.  For us, it wasn't worth the time and effort to make this happen.  But, it was a fun thought.  And the HHI contact was incredibly friendly and professional (though our Skype session had me on the camera, though not her).

Tuesday, July 28 - Devon and Cody's half birthday

The kids slept late and had a relaxing morning at the apartment.  Finally we made it out the door (after noon) to go down the street and buy desserts to celebrate Cody and Devon's 5 1/2 birthdays.  Cody selected his usual, a multi-layer chocolate cake (thinking of you Aunt Bonnie).  Devon selected a cake that looked like it had strawberry flavoring.  And that was our adventure.

Back home there was fort making, movie watching, magnatile playing, and book reading.

Scott came home to a home-cooked meal, our almost weekly dinner of balsamic chicken.  What I'd also made was mashed potatoes, with Devon's help.  That's a rarity for us, and what a fun treat it was!

And then it was time to sing to the boys.

Rosa prepared her bitty baby and bunnies and had them at the table all propped up on pillows.  She's holding her new wallet in her hand and she's wearing one of her new dresses (thank you Grandma Carol!).

Scott, Cody, and Devon are ready to dig into their cake pieces - but first the singing of "Happy Half Birthday to You...".

And then time to eat.

I went to the gym and Scott cycled the kids through showers and teeth brushing.  By the time I was back, Scott had to get on his weekly Tuesday night Alaska call.  Lately Scott's been working longer hours.  I think he's anxious for Alaska to wrap up (almost there) and for Spain to go into smooth-sailing mode (hopefully that'll happen).

Monday, July 27

The kids were all up and dressed and we were out the door by 10:39am - a rarity for us this summer.  Actually, often if we're ready about that time, we wait the extra 20 minutes to first turn on the AC before heading out.  But, Monday we left first and headed down the street to run an errand.  The shop we wanted to visit was nearby a coffee shop I'd seen multiple times, so our first stop was to it, Cafe de Indias.  The kids wanted hot chocolate, but they don't serve it in the hot summer months.  So, the kids were spoiled with milk shakes.

Rosa had a vanilla ice cream shake to start her day.  She had no problem finishing it.

Devon had a mango shake.

And Cody had a forest berry's shake.  

After breakfast, we ran our errands and then returned to the apartment.  It was really nice to just stroll and not be on a schedule.

Around 5:30pm we packed it back out again and headed over to my gym.  The kids entertained themselves with the tablet while I started my workout.  Scott met them there, about 15 minutes later, and they went off to the mushroom to play.  It was too hot, so they popped into a nearby cafe for cold drinks.

Then it was Rosa's date night.  She'd selected Scott and a return visit to Tapaole.  Luckily for Scott, the restaurant wasn't yet open, and rather, the Italian restaurant we like under the mushroom was.  They ate dinner there and then they popped into 5 stores looking for an inexpensive wallet for Rosa. Rosa had a few euros left and that's what she wanted to spend it on.  She made a great selection!  In fact, the wallet is the color of my bridesmaid dresses.

Meanwhile, the boys and I went to El Corte Ingles via Calle Alfonso XII to buy a few groceries and then we headed home for dinner and to play with magna tiles.

That night I had the opportunity to play alone with Cody while Scott put the brownies to bed.  Cody made some nice magna tile structures for his cats away from his siblings knocking over his work followed by book reading.

And Devon and Rosa enjoyed their one-on-one reading time with Scott.

Sunday, July 26 - Aquapolis - return visit

Scott took off first thing in the morning to go on a bike ride.  We'd tried to get a sitter so we could go together, but Sevilla is a ghost town now with most locals at the beaches.

After he returned, we took a mystery ride and returned to the water park Aquapolis.  The kids were thrilled!

We had the opportunity to experience the wave pool twice.  They really know how to build the excitement.  First there's an announcement over the park loudspeaker.  Then the people start swarming to the wave pool.  It's followed by additional lifeguards lining up along the sides of the pool.  Then there's the repeated horn and loads of cheering from the now packed pool.  And then more cheering once the waves start.  After 5-10 minutes of constant waves, they stop and there's a loud boo throughout the pool and then swarms of people leaving the area.

Brave Devon rode down a waterslide twice with a huge smile plastered on his face both times.

And last time Cody was at just 1.2 meters tall which gave him access to an additional kid's pool that Devon was too short to enjoy.  Just 2 weeks later, Devon has more or less also reached the 1.2m tall benchmark and he enjoyed the additional pool today.

While our phone/camera was locked in a locker while we were there, I took a few pictuers afterwards.  It's a beautiful park with lots of natural tree coverage, palm trees, and covered trellises and beautiful tropical flowers.

Natural and man-made shade covers.

Flora

bougainvillea

The wave pool with tall trees in the distance (on park property).

Getting ready for the next set of waves.  They take place once an hour on the top of the hour.

The kids were asked multiple times if their rash guard / sun protective shirts were meant for swimming or not.  We were definitely the most covered up guests at the park today.

Scott did some work in the afternoon (trying to finalize the design phase of the project) and then we headed out for dinner.

We went down Banos street to Nazca - just a few blocks away from our apartment.  Scott had taken his mom there and the rest of us wanted to try it out.

Scott had a delicious wok dish.

I had yummy sushi-like items.

And we had a 5 yogurt dessert.

Of course, the kids were still hungry, so while at the restaurant we ordered not just one, but two plates of fresh sliced tomatoes which they devoured.

Back at the apartment it was time to go to bed.  Devon loves his red bathrobe and wears it almost daily.  He looks so cute in it.  He insisted that we pack it for Ireland (that made sense).  He was made on other flights when we didn't have it.  Here he is all smiles rolling around on his bed with his 2 favorite lovies:  monkey and cat.

Rosa and I continued to read Harry Potter.  And Scott was so tired, that after reading to the boys and tucking them in, he fell asleep on top of the sheets fully clothed.

Saturday, July 25

The kids slept LATE - until past 10 o'clock.  Scott made bacon and pancakes for breakfast and then we headed out.

As we walked by the fine arts museum, Museo de Bellas Artes, on the way to the pedestrian/tourist area of town, Rosa suggested we check out the museum.  And so we did.

The museum had loads of religious art and mostly paintings from Sevillan artists.

I loved the beautiful museum courtyards and architecture.

Devon in front of a fountain.

Devon and I.  

Beautiful tiles.

Picture of the Triana neighborhood from way back when.

Another pretty courtyard in the museum.

After the museum, we went to the Tiger store on pedestrian street Calle San Eloy.  Rosa bought a bunny night light that changes colors.  Devon bought a mini alarm clock.  And Cody bought a 2-hole punch.

Along the way we saw a preschool with stuffed animal alligators on the grates outside the 2nd-story windows.

A picture of the pedestrian streets and some of the overhead shade covers.

Another barber of Seville.

On our walk to lunch, we went by yet another El Corte Ingles.  This was a  home furniture store.  Rosa is anxious to buy a new bed when we return to Denver as she wants to fit a desk in her room and thinks that a loft bed is the answer to make the most of the space she has in her room for a bed and a desk.  Lately the bed is all she talks about and she often borrows Scott's phone to look up pictures of what she wants.  

In the store the kids had fun trying out the patio furniture.

So did Scott.

Here's Devon holding his new hat.  We found it at Tiger and it fit with room to spare.  His other hat had grown quite small and tight on his big head.

Rosa loved this lounger.

And then we walked to lunch.  I had been wanting to check out this restaurant for quite some time, as it often ranks as #1 or top 5 on TripAdvisor.  Today was the day.

The front doors of La Brunilda.

Neat lights on the exposed brick walls above our table.

The ceiling.

Devon playing with his new alarm clock.

Cody playing with his new 2-hole punch.

Rosa checking out the alarm clock.

Scotty

My AMAZING squid tapa.

My DELICIOUS oyster tapa.

Scott and Cody's SCRUMPTIOUS steak.

Rosa and Devon enjoyed mini hamburgers.

Cody was concentrating hard (as seen by his tongue sticking out) as he played with his new hole puncher.

I thought Devon's crossed legs dangling above the floor looked adorable.

On our walk back to the apartment Cody spotted a car with a bunny on it.  Bunnies are Rosa's favorite, and thus I took this picture.

Scott spent siesta working, the kids watched a movie, and I worked on the blog and took a nap.  And then it was off to dinner.  Rosa requested that we return to the place where we'd taken Scott for Father's Day, El Burladero.  It was a treat yet again.  We ordered loads of carrillada as well as jamon, steak, and squid.