Baby Lucia!!

Itxi and Mario's baby Lucia was born this week. Too adorable for words.

Semana Santa

Finally got some sunshine down in the Canary Islands. After three months of rain, being warm and at the beach was so revitalizing. We had such a great time and Luisa's family could not have been more welcoming!!

Luisa's Dad Preping Our Picnic 

Luisa, Me, Tommy and Fernie infront of the Flower Rock

Teide Mountain, yes that is snow!

All the kids in the pool on Easter

Easter Egg Hunt!

Tiede

Picnic Spot

Luisa's Family

Baby Surfer, too cute!

American BBQ

The BBQ Sauce was a HUGE Hit (Thanks Mom!)

View from Luisa's House

More at Tiede

Fernie, Luisa, and Marina their Goddaughter

Easter Morning

Semana Santa Processions 

Cheaters, they have this thing on wheels!!

Hardened Lava Bed with views of the other Islands

We are Ridiculously Good Looking

Easter Breakfast

Papa Tiede

La Rioja

Such a wonderful trip wish we would have had more time in Logroño!

24

Had such a wonderful birthday. We all went to a Cuban restaurant where we were all having so much fun I forgot to take a picture. But my birthday gift box from Mom and Dad came before my birthday which was a great surprise!

Corbata Miercoles everyone rocking their ties before dinner (I took my off for the actual dinner lol)

Birthday Box!!! Yes those are Red Cups...

Felling Festive for Easter Thanks to the Birthday Box 

El Escorial

A group of us went to El Escorial, which is the town where the monastery that raised all the Spanish kings is. Not only were they raised there, about 20 king and queens are buried there along with around 100 young princes and princesses... Talk about creepy, being trapped in their crypt! Unfortunately ( or luckily depending on your point of view!) they do not allow photos in the crypt but here is the outside of the monastery.

Casual Sunday

Finally getting some good weather! We weren't the only ones who were out and about enjoying the sunshine. #artsy

Casual Greek Getaway

While the weather in Madrid was hovering around freezing I was off enjoying some much needed sunshine in Athens with Jake (my friend from studying abroad who was in town). Going to Greece I had no idea what to expect, rioting in the streets? homeless people on every street corner? every other shop shut down? hostility toward foreigners? What we found was evidence of past riots, an average amount of homeless people for a large city, some shop closures, and no hostility toward us. What we were most surprised about was the amount of abandoned and dilapidated buildings which ranged from homes to warehouses. Another surprise to us was the amount of children begging on the street. This is something you almost never see in Madrid. Above all the most surprising part of Athens to me was how nice and friendly the people were. I was not expecting people to take the time to walk lost tourists to where they were trying to go, or take them into restaurants where they take their guests when they are in town (which had the best mussel dish I've ever had).

Acropolis

Future Home

Changing of the Gaurd

Ancient Agora

Acropolis, Under Construction Since the 80's

Athens!

Getting Lost in the Rain the First Night

Temple of Poseidon 

Getting in the Aegean Sea

Ancient Baths

View of the Acropolis From the Sacred Judgement Rock

Those Mussels...YUM! 

Greg our Amazing Host