MMMMM pretty much better.

So everyone can sleep better tonight...the bruising is going through the color changing process and well on its way to full recovery. It doesnt hurt when I sit normally.

Lately I feel that every idle moment, or at least the moments that I am not quite interested in, are spent thinking and dreaming about summer. For those of you that dont know, as of now I plan to spend the summer in the states from mid-June until the end of September. I have great visions that I am going to become rich and have many friends. muh hahaha Still not quite sure how to go about achieving that.... but anyways I hope to be stationed in the midwest and venture out east sometime. Get your party pants on! Yep Grammy, that includes you.

I am really proud of myself and would like to share with everyone that this past week I went to class all 5 days and I had an intercambio. Thats the most structured Learning that i have ever done in one week since I arrived here. My Spanish exam is coming up on the 26th.

Today I fell on my ass

This morning I fell down a flight of icy stairs outside the house. I got up and looked around. Nope, no one saw. Just left with a bruised butt. One of the big greenish ones.

Also, I opened a bank account. I feel so grown up.

Done playing catch up

So in the back of my head I have been meaning to get on here and write few more meaty blogs to talk about the ending of my christmas break. Well, it sat there a while and now i am throwing out the idea and moving on. Blogging gets dry when you are playing catch up and writing out of a semi-obligation.

Anyways.... some things that I have stored in my head:

I wish i had a dollar for everytime i was told that it was like i lived my life in the movies.

A fact for DAD: "cinta americana" = "american tape" = Duct tape
- i was just told that it is also very expensive. Remember that the next time that i give it to your for father's day.

A fact for Mom: When it is snowing the Spanairds carry umbrellas.

A fact for all of America: Everyone in Spain seems to be reading the Barak Obama biography. I think i read somewhere that is a hit seller.

Some pictures I have stored on my computer:

So i went to the reyes magos parade. AND i saw the REAL WISE MEN. Yep. be jealous. My favorite part of the parade was this little gaggle:

And the fact that I was with the kids and we goooooot soooo much candy. Nothing to do with the candy, but you know the game of see how much you can get. We made santi go to the front and he was all crawling around the ground and giving us handfuls of little candies. It was intense. His parents wouldve killed him if they saw him.
Here he is down and dirty underneath the fence collecting candy.....

Then we went out to dinner and got chocolate y churros.... remember? A nice thick mug of thickity thick chocolate syrup. In the end we went running to the train station to catch the last train at 1130pm. End of story.

So lately

Well its been about 4 weeks since i have been remotely interested in climbing.... A truely spiritual experience. Remember the game clue? It's still awesome. I have also discovered a new album/cd that i like it is SOUL by Seal. Until later hopefully today......

A trip.

So I would like to insert here some statistic about how most Americans do not like to take time to read, but I dont have any statistic and lets be honest, do we really need a statistic to prove this? Anyways, I hope that is a sufficient enough excuse for quick writing with little details beyond the whole "and then i did this and then this and then this" I am doing either a service or disservice to all those who are too lazy to read. Still follow me? Baaahhhhh welll lets move on....

So there were 6 days in between Christmas and New Years. Good block of time for a trip, huh?Well, this will come as a shocker to most of you- I was tired of climbing. So what did we do? Searched ALLthe climbing meccas in Spain for the one that had the best weather (Yeah- I know, i did just say i was sick of climbing.... but just in case i changed my mind) Welll the forecast for all of spain...... rain rain rain, CATS AND DOGS STYLE.

A shot in the dark, we decided to head south looking for some sun or something and went to El chorro....... Here are the results:

So there's been a lack of writing because I have been BUSY.

I have been on the run-around again. It is now the morning of the Reyes Magos. I suppose I would say that it is the more important holiday in Spain as far as gifts etc. It is now 11am and because this is a spanish household, not everyone is awake. We are waiting until the kids are all awake to open presents from the Reyes and have breakfast. I dont remember what we are having, but it is a special tradition. I will get back to you on what it is later today.

Holidays.

The second round of Christmas and New Years in Spain proved to be just as wonderful as the first. Here is a picture from Daniela's Christmas program (she is top and center). Her english song this year was "Oh Christmas Tree." Absolutely adorable little Anne Geddes babies.

Papa Noel has since come and visited us, now the kids are still waiting for the Reyes Magos to come on the 6th. Then everyone goes back to school.

On Christmas Eve we had the same big dinner here at the house as last year. Nothing new, still 100% spanish: lots of food, champagne and a late night.

CHRISTMAS DAY:
On christmas day we go to the houses of both sets of abuelos. We get the presents that Papa Noel has left at each house for the children. At the home of the parents of Victoria we eat a big afternoon meal of cuchinillo again..... That is the baby pig. (in the picture below)

Above is a picture of Diego and I. Diego is the baby of Victoria's sister (maybe 6 monthish now). He is absolutely ADORABLE. He doesnt really cry. He is like a little doll that we all pass around and play with at every family gathering.

Below is Victoria and Diego's older brother, Josete. He is probably about 2 years old now. He is a little terror. He throws everything.... and normally spills at least one glass of something. But is a loooot of fun because he loves to run and play, like all little boys and is as light as a feather so you can't resist picking him up and running around with him or throwing him or something. He is pretty shy with me, but always seems to be keeping an eye on me from across the room. He just stares and stares at me.

I decided to put in a different picture of the cuchinillo this year. This is what was put on the table in front of me. Appetizing, huh? Don'tworry- we dont really eat the head...... But the skin is crsipy delicious.

NEW YEARS EVE:

New year's eve was spent in Madrid at the home of Manolo's sister. We went over there until midnight and then the young ones (me included) normally go out afterwards.... but we were tired and that did not really happen. I went home with the kids and made it into bed by about 3 am.
Of course the jamon is ever important during the holidays.......

And the grapes. I told the tradition last year..... a brief review: Eat one with everyone gong of the clock at midnight. It began as part of a great marketing scheme 100 years ago and continues today. Everyone does it and its super fun. 12 grapes.... but its actually one every 3 seconds.
Below are pablo "my cousin". His mom, Manolo's sister. Javier "my other cousin." Abuela Paloma (grandmother of Pablo and Javier). Pablo is around my age and javier is probably about 1 or 2 years younger. Everyone has thier grapes ready to eat and of course tons of that new years streamer crap that we throw in the air.