Constant Beginnings

We are deep in planning mode for our next trip. This time we will be heading to Portugal. We'll be flying into Porto and taking the train down to Lisbon. Once again, The Banks' will join us on our adventure and we couldn't be more excited. Here is a look at the itinerary or at least our options: Porto 1. Ponte de Dom Luís I Address: Ribeira Completed in 1886 by a student of Gustave Eiffel, the double-decker bridge's top deck is now reserved for pedestrians as well as one of the city's metro lines; the lower deck bears regular traffic. Both afford wonderful views Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/portugal/the-north/porto/sights/bridge/ponte-dom-luis#ixzz2JLeNPBEv 2. Clerigos Church and Tower Hours: Daily 9:30-13:00 & 14:30-19:00 Porto’s towering landmark, with a 225 step climb to sweeping views over the city. 3. Sao Francisco Church Daily Oct-Feb. 9:00-17:30 Gothic church dripping with Baroque gold. 4. Strolling the Cais da Ribeira Porto’s ...

WARNING: This post contains personal and detailed womanly information. Dad, you may want to skip this one :) It is no secret that we've been trying to have another baby. It has been a long road, granted not as long as many others', but very long for us. I want to document for the sake of my girls. As life moves forward, there are details that will be lost, questions that may be answered and thoughts that may be forgotten. I want my girls to be aware of our challenge in case they should face their own. 2 months after giving birth to Mya, I had an IUD placed--Mirena (hormonal not copper). "The hormonal (Mirena) IUD is a small plastic ‘T-shaped’ device that contains progestogen. This is a synthetic version of the natural hormone progesterone. The device has a coating (membrane) that controls the release of the progestogen into the uterus. Like the copper IUD, it has a fine nylon string attached to the end to make checking and removing it easier." ( http://www.bette...

It's no secret that this blog is our record of life events and the love we share. I keep no diary, so this is it. I hope our kids will look back someday and read about all the amazing things they experienced, adventures we shared and the immeasurable amount of pride, we as they parents, feel on a daily basis. So, without further ado, is my pride filled post about Claire's reading success. She entered kindergarten on level A, which is knowing all letters, sounds they make and beginning to put words together. She is a stubborn little child. When Chris and I would work with her, she'd get frustrated and give up. We didn't push the issue, knowing that she'd get it when she was ready. Get it, she did. She moved up through the ranks until she was at a level D around Thanksgiving (1st grade level). I raised question to this as I felt this was a lower estimate of her skills. I was suspecting maybe a level E. I am not a reading teacher, but have a general understanding of ...

Occasionally, Chris and I ask the girls what they want to be when the grow up. Mya insists repeatedly that she will be a "commissary payer," meaning a grocery cashier. I love it! So darn cute and following in her Momma's footsteps. Claire has fallen for what many girls her age do, a teacher or speech pathologist, depending on the day. In 2nd grade, I had to do a project on what I wanted to be when I grew up and I too chose "teacher." Not a bad gig. We'll see how these dreams play out. Recently at school, Mya's class was talking about occupations. Mya was asked what her Mommy and Daddy do, to which she replied,  "Daddy picks up the dishes and mommy washes them!" (as quoted from the email sent to me by her teacher ;). Yep, little girl, life is that simple!

Germany has a nice variety of play places for kids. They play host to many birthday parties and offer fun for children of all ages. We ventured to Kinderland in New Dahn in December ( http://www.super-dubber.de/ ). It was great fun, filled with many trampolines, different kinds of slides, bikes, climbing structures, inflatables and indoor go cards.  We thought Korea frequently lived on the edge with their lack of safety rules/restrictions; however, we've quickly come ot realize that it is only the USA that actually minds the safety of children. Go carts under the control of children of any age, without rubber bumpers and no helmets. hmmm. TBI waiting to happen, but tons of fun! Claire is anticipating the crash and rightly so ;)   Fast and furious is the only way she drives. This girly is going to keep us on our toes.   Look at that smile--loving every minute!  Mya and her best friend, Asa. Together these two are twice the trouble! ...

When Erika and I planned our trip to Venice, we naively thought the most challenging portion would be the flight itself. Ryanair is an extremely affordable airline, but there are many quirks. Your carryon bag, for example, MUST be equal or less than the dimensions provided. There are boxes all over the airport for you to slip your bag inside, making certain it fits within the requirements. Weight is another big issue. Carryons must weigh under 10 kg., checked bags must be under 15 kg. We thought those demands may be difficult as we were packing for four people, four days each in one bag. We did it and our experience with RyanAir was wonderful! Simple and smooth. We checked in, hung out in the airport for some time, then boarded that flight. We paid the extra 5 Euro each way for a reserved seat. Although the idea of not having to entertain my children for the flight was somewhat appealing, I didn't think the unlucky passenger who was  seated next to them would be so excited at the i...