Saturday, June 07, 2008

What we've been up to with Granny...

Hooooo baby, there's gonna be a lot of pictures in this post...(you'll be so glad you read it though, since you'll be treated to some pics of me shaking my booty with the Candombe dancers, totally worth the time investment.) So, let's see...Sunday we went to church, Zac made dinner on the parrilla, and we had a fun game of Carcassone. Monday we just went on walks and played and had my Spanish teacher/friend Ileana and her daughter Kimmie over. Tuesday we went to the embassy and then to the big fort, El Cerro. Unfortunately, I assumed the fort was open, but it's only open Wed-Sun, so we were outta luck getting inside. We still were able to walk around it and enjoy the picturesque view of Montevideo and the ocean/river. (Yes, Dad, I know what "assuming" means...) The twins learned how to roll down hills and Bran reaffirmed that he enjoys tackling and smushing his sister. (The lady in the stripes is Mom, not me.)

Wednesday we went to the weekly neighborhood feria, the outdoor market, and looked at all the stuff for sale. We played at the park and that afternoon walked a ways down the Rambla and on the beach. Granny got Nuala hooked on a spoon-like shell, so N was "feeding" us all sand and invisible food for the rest of the afternoon. Until Daddy got home from work and stepped on it.

Thursday we went to a different park (where we were able to perfectly balance N&B on the seesaw) and then to the BIG grocery store with a little arcade and some rides (like in front of Wal-Mart, you know, cars and planes that you put some $$ in). We went in our favorite pet store and poked and squealed at puppies and kittens, then shopped, and THEN N&B got to sit on the motorcycles all lined up for sale. Highlight of Bran's day, no doubt. That evening we went to the temple to walk around outside, because even though I planned on Mom and I going and made her bring her clothes, I (sigh) assumed it would be open without checking and OF COURSE it's closed for cleaning the weeks she's here.... (I'm not having a good run). Oh well! (Mom's wearing a blue sweater, me, pink. Just in case we look too much alike.)

Thursday night Mom, Zachariah and I went out to dinner and then to a Tango show. It's the latest we've been out in a long time! We didn't get back till after midnight!! Shocking!! Especially for here, where people don't really get going till about then. The Tango show was fun, they did some Tango (duh), Candombe dancing (very Uruguayan African dance/music), and some Gaucho (Uruguayan/Argentinian cowboys) stuff. Very cool to see! And a wonderful, very dapper looking older man singing songs about the history of tango. Then, as we all feared, the half-naked Candombe dancers tried to get audience members up to participate. Z glued his rear to the seat, but I allowed myself to be dragged up. I only wish I had had sense enough to grab my mom! I did try to pry Z up, but no luck. He was planted! I stink at dancing. Terrible. Which can be confirmed, I know, by some of you. But it's fun, so I don't mind embarrassing myself sometimes. (Which, unfortunately, can also be confirmed by some of you.) I almost want to include a little video of the Candombe dancers, but seriously, the main girl...you could see her entire rear end. All of it. I think I want to keep this fairly family-friendly. (you can kinda see her in the second photo, the farthest right person on the floor) I'm the one in the blue sweater, if you couldn't tell, haha.

Friday we went to the zoo. Wow, not a lot to write about that, I know you're surprised, seeing as how...um, I can kinda go on and on...but yeah, the zoo. Nuala likes to carry crackers in her mouth like this (picture...) and then here is Mom, Nuala, Bran, and a giraffe.

So that's what we did up to Friday. We had fun Saturday, too, but I just can't post anything else right now. Do you know we leave in 2 days??? Do you know that I haven't packed anything yet for me or my 2 18-month olds?? I'm not concerned about clothes, etc., really, since we have to basically buy them a new wardrobe anyway and I can get anything, and I mean ANYTHING, in the States. It's having every possible cause for discomfort/tantrums/discontent on the looooong plane ride covered that's making my brain whirr. And I know we've done this and other long flights before, but they're different little people now...it will be fine, it will be fine, it will be fine...no, it really will be fine, but I should probably start a list or something about now. Sigh. So, anyway, we're having fun, N&B are loving having Granny (aka, "Nana," or "Naddy," or other strange variations) around (we are, too, of course!), and I'll post more later!

9 comments:

Carolyn said...

Sounds like fun. You made me afraid to look to closely at the one picture. I so need to find a way to get down to Uruguay. Good luck with the flight.

Tara said...

Yay for a new post! I was starting to think this was Aislinn's blog...just kidding. It sounds like y'all are having lots of fun. I'm glad you distinguished between mom and Fiona...very nice dancing pictures - I'm shocked that Zac wasn't interested in dancing along with you ;) Bran and Nuala are so cute! Almost too cute to look at sometimes!

Twinkies said...

Wow you did a lot this week. Sounded like a really fun time for your super cute mom. Good luck on the plane ride. If you have a dvd player I say bring it and lots of videos especially one they kinda know already. A couple of coloring crayons might help too. It's a hard age to entertain.

Erwin said...

I love the pic in front of the Giraffe. We still don't have one and we live in Africa, LOL! They moved the zoo to a city about 6 hours away.
I love the pic of the kids on the grass. They are too cute.

JnR said...

I am one of those that can confirm Fiona's dancing skills HeHeHe!:):):) I love the first picture of N&B so cute, I also love the giraffe the horse looks like it needs a little love. Glad you're having lots of fun! And everything will be fine, everything will be fine.

Rochelle said...

I LOVED this post! So many colorful and exciting things happening. My brain is thinking of making those cute animals made of wood and painted brightly for my play yard. I might decide to make them of rebar covered with wire and then cement. I'm better with cement than wood. Your mom is the coolest! Good luck on the airplane. I've only flown once for 5 hrs and thought I was going to DIE! And I'm way older than 18 months. But I sat by a mom with 3 yr. old twins. She was exhausted by the end. Of course the kiddos fell asleep 30 min. before landing. LOL.........

Cara said...

Love the first pic! They are so sweet! Wow you guys are having all kinds of fun over there! Hope to see you when your here! And when I fly with my kids I go and get a bunch of new little toys for them to open and use, and candy works well if your really going mad!!

Megan and Greg said...

Sounds like you guys have been having fun. I LOVE the picture of Nuala with the cracker in her mouth. And the one where Bran is tackling Nuala.

Also, I must say that there are some benefits of Zac not being a dancer. After all, it has kept him from sporting a Candombe outfit!

--Greg

Rob and Erin said...

So many wonderful pictures! I love the one where Bran is tackling Nuala! That is soooo awesome. The animals are cool, and the perfectly balanced seesaw, they are so cute! I also love Nuala's cracker face and Mom wrangling the two babes in the last photo:0) Also, that blue sweater looks really good on you Fiona, and Zac, nice hair and sweater. Mom, you look nicely done up as well. What a fun night out!