Costa Del Sol-Coast Of The Sun (blog music: surfing usa)

The sand was hot, the breeze was cool, and the water was warm. The boys loved rolling around in the sand, digging giant holes, burring each other, and making "sand cakes".

The waters of the Mediterranean were salty and warm, even wild at times! The boys liked sitting on the shore the most, just close to where the waves would break. Thomas thought the waves were whales and would say, "Thomas not like the whales". Nevertheless, occasionally they would venture out into the waters with Filip or I.

Filip and I on the other hand loved swimming in the Sea. We would just float and float. When the waves would become wild we would use them to get back to shore. We had even bought the boys little surf boards, but WE soon discovered what a blast they were. Floating in that deep water took some getting use to for me. I was convinced that Jaws was looming somewhere just under the waves. I would always wrap my legs around Filip (I didn't like the idea of them just hanging there) and keep my back to the shore! You know, if we were going to get attacked Filip would be first!

My 3 Little Fish

3 Little Fish!

A special HELLO to everyone back home

from 3 Spanish Fish!

Viva la Spain (blog music: la bamba)

It's time to bid the gray and rainy skies of Belgium goodbye because the only umbrellas we'll be seeing are the ones in our drinks!

SPAIN, here we come!!!

We are all looking forward to a week filled with nothing but the sand between our toes, the smell of the ocean, and the warmth of the Spanish sun!

My 3 little surfers are so excited they can hardly stand it!

Forest Fun! (blog music: beach boys)

Look what Mama found amongst the trees, 3 cute little busy bees!

After spending the last 3 days confined to the house because of the rain, the boys and I had decided that enough was enough. About a 2 minute drive from the house is this beautiful wooded area called the Peerdsbos. This network of forests is spread out over and through 3 different towns. It is beautiful for walking, biking, and horseback riding. The boys love to go for walks here. They wander all over the woods climbing on fallen trees, playing make believe games, and acting just a little more wild than usual!

The boys love to bring Zip Lock bags with them to carry around their forest treasures in!

A RARE Harrison sighting!

Don't look down William!

Make A Wish (blog music: happy b-day)

Happy birthday to me!! Today was a great day. It all started when Filip let me sleep in. I slept until 11:00, something I haven't done since I was a teenager! I couldn't believe it.

It gets even better! Filip and the boys took me to lunch at Colmar. This great family restaurant with really good food (for the Americans... think along the lines of Sizzler but European). The boys like to go there because of the crocodile mascot. We had a wonderful time and the boys presented me with their present, an iPod nano. I couldn't believe it; I had been wanting one for so long.

Later that evening, we went to Oma and Opa's for more birthday fun. All of the family was there to join in the fun. Uncle Erik and Aunt Ann greeted me with beautiful roses. The table was set beautifully with all kinds of breads, cheeses, meats and wine. We had so much fun eating, laughing and talking. The boys were running back and forth from the garden to the house and playing wild games with Uncle Erik, who they love very much.

Filip's mom and dad then presented us with an amazing gift. A stay in one of Belgium's most beautiful villages. Brugge, named the Venice of the North because of all of the canals that run through the town. The luxury hotel is something out of a dream and was named "Best Charming Hotel in Europe 2007". Perfectly European, fanciful coziness, old world charm meets spoiling comforts and the setting for heart-warming memories.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but who would have ever thought a cake could be worth a million.

The cake was covered in the softest and whitest cream that provided the perfect backdrop for carefully placed fruit. A large band of chocolate had been wrapped around the cake, which had also been adorned with a blue stripped ribbon. The words happy birthday had been written so beautifully and every candle had been placed so perfectly. But sitting up there in the corner was this old familiar friend. They had made for me an American flag from marzipan with its reds, whites and blues having never looked richer and more proud than it did lying on top of my birthday cake.

This wasn't just a birthday cake to me, but an expression of affection and a deep love that two people have given to me for over 7 years. It was the way in which they presented this little birthday cake with such pride to me that I knew a cake could be worth a million words.

The 4th of July (blog music: star s. banner)

How does one celebrate the 4th of July in Belgium?

We'll the kids and I could have fired up the BBQ, ran around waving American flags chanting "USA" "USA", and lighting off fireworks in the streets but people can be so picky when it comes to either hamburgers or hot dogs (ha ha).
Therefore, we did the next best thing, pancakes in the Center. We all enjoyed a warm chocolate covered pannekoeken at one of the cafes in the Center's main square. The boys had a great time eating their pancakes; Thomas had chocolate all over his face. Yes, the country was different, there were no small town parades, no fireworks, and no flags. But the evening we spent eating pancakes and watching the boys run around, was just as good!

I almost forgot, the Coca Cola never tasted so great!