Barcelona - day two

I had to include this photo not because it is super interesting but because I want to remember.  David is a five year old boy.  He likes to RUN and be pretty rambunctious outside.  Great and normal!  Just the day before though I had talked with him about being particularly careful when older people were around and really taking his time and giving them plenty of space because we didn't want to cause them to stumble over him (or him run headlong into them!)  On this morning as we set out I had to capture this moment of him just waiting on the elderly person in the wheelchair in front of us.  I was so very proud of him!  

Pretty sign and door

these two!  We hadn't made it far from the apartment AT ALL on a day where we had quite a bit of ground to cover before they wanted to stop and play.  For about 45 seconds at a time Adrian and I got to relax on a bench and talk and then there would be the loud silly play, a fight, reminders not to whack things that were not ours to destroy with sticks we picked up, etc.  Never a dull moment!!  

let's throw things on the ground and see what happens . . . let's pick up this cardboard we found on the ground and try to do something with it . . . parent:  "Don't pick up that cardboard, it's dirty."  child:  "It's not dirty."  Parent looks at child holding up aforementioned cardboard and unfortunately/fortunately it does look fairly pristine . . . what to do, what to do???

Having made it a bit farther along our route . . . 

a beautiful blue sky framed by an ancient window

Lovely rainbow of color atop these posts on a quiet street in what turned out to be one of our favorite sections of the city

And finally, by the time we were all hot and tired and cranky . . . we made it to our destination, the beach!!!  

Beautiful girl!!!  

Afterward we took the kids to a vegan restaurant so that we had the safety of knowing that they could eat anything in the place with their egg/milk allergies and choose anything they wanted instead of being given just a couple of choices.  The place advertised a free mini tapa with an instagram pic but despite taking this one of their fun and funky decor and showing them, we didn't get one for whatever reason . . . what are you going to do?

One other fun thing about their decor that I didn't take a photo of was that in the bathroom the sinks had those flat glass "fish bowl" marbles in them over the drains and it made a fun presentation.  If you come to my house and find this duplicated, play along.  

The food was really good!  This girl enjoyed her hummus!  

This boy enjoyed what he got but did ask if we could go to a different restaurant and get some meat!  

I took this photo in the moment that I was re-remembering what it is like to travel with a two year old.  Basically you have to be prepared for every inch of their bodies to come in contact with every square inch of every city surface.  

Pretty storefront at dusk

Yay for ending the day with gelato and dairy free hippo and teddy bear pops!!!  

Barcelona - day one

After leaving the airport we took a train into Barcelona, stopping at one of the main train stations where we planned to call the man who was in charge of checking us into the apartment we were renting.  The phones apparently cost 29 Euros a minute for the first minute!!!!  That is OVER $29!  Crazy town!  

So we got onto the metro and took the train to our stop Sagrada Familia.  It was really fun to have such a famous landmark right around the corner from where we were staying.  The bells grew to be a familiar and welcome sound marking the hours as well as each quarter hours.  I even began to recognize what time it was by some of the songs.  The kids would say "Sagrada Familia!!!" when they saw it because they knew it meant we were almost "home".

That first day I actually didn't think a whole lot of the famous cathedral.  There was a lot of scaffolding and I just didn't get what the big deal was all about.  

But . . . I'll also admit that could have had to do with the fact that I was tired and hungry.

We were shown around our small little Spanish apartment that reminded me of those displays in Ikea that show you living in so many square feet.  It was not horribly small at all but it did make me appreciate all the space we have at home!

There were two bedrooms, an eensy bathroom that you had to maneuver your way in and out of and carry your soap, shampoo, etc. back and forth to each time and a laundry/kitchen as well as a living/dining area and a clothesline out the window.  

As soon as we were able we headed out to find some food.  After quite a bit of walking (because we are both picky and cheap . . . oh and dealing with food allergies for the kids) we ended up at a wonderful tapas place with our first taste of Spanish chorizo and the best tapas bravas we had on the whole trip!  

Right before we found the restaurant we saw this beautiful hospital with a fountain in front of it that the kids enjoyed playing in.  

After we ate we hit up a grocery to get some provisions for the apt. as we were staying in Barcelona for 9 days.  These two were a mess!  

Chocolate cereal is a Europe treat!  (I know you can get it here but it is not really something we normally have at home and it is a fun, dairy free option that they end up eating in Europe.) 

On the way "home" we spotted this fantastic brick structure that I had actually seen a picture of online before we went.  It is just a neighborhood park but the kids (locals and our kids) have definitely capitalized on this fun wall!  

Can you spot David climbing up?  

and sliding down!

back up!

and sister is going for it too!  

almost at the top

hanging out at the top together

inevitably rolling things down came next 

after kind of stubbing her toes landing too hard from sliding down fast, Mama became her "bumper"

Brother getting to carry the cereal home

(you have to pay for grocery sacks so we didn't ever get them and this day we had our other shopping bag full) 

Europe 2015 - getting there!

Looking at these photos has made me tired!  

We are so thankful for the opportunities to travel but it is not for the faint of heart!  

at the Colorado Springs Airport (one of our favorites!) ready to go with her new backpack!

(oh and that hairbow . . . lost before we ever made it to Barcelona!  Oh well, thankful for $2.99 bows at Hobby Lobby!)

at DFW riding the Skylink - always an extremely popular activity!

in jammies after having flown all night "across the pond" trying out her brother's old trick of riding the suitcase on what she calls the "walking machine" (aka moving sidewalk)

At Aunt Helen, Uncle John and Leo's house having enjoyed a delicious dinner with them and a wonderful visit!  

Aunt Helen walked us to the bus stop (she would have given us a ride but we traveled without carseats this time!) so we could make our way to our hotel for a much needed night's sleep before waking early to fly to Barcelona the next morning!  

We were super thankful that the hotel had a nice breakfast set up and they opened a little early for us so that we could get a good breakfast before our early morning flight!  It was really good because we didn't end up eating again until around 4 p.m. in Barcelona! 

Yay British Airways!  They gave each kid an age appropriate backpack with either a color changing pen or crayons and activity books.  Stickers were also great flight entertainment as were window gel clings from Dollar Tree played with on tray tables.  

Cleaning baby's face

cutie little feet

Mama began journaling

luggage conveyor belts are definitely a BIG deal and these two whispering in each other's ears sums up their sweet little relationship right now

waiting for the train that would take us into the city