Layla!

here's winking at you, kid...

Here's the newest member of our family, Layla.  We just got her today and we are already in love (and exhausted).  She's a Yorkshire Terrier mixed with Miniature Pinscher and pure sugar.  We're looking forward to lots of good times and adventures with our new best buddy.

Oh, and there's a kid here too who is going to be 12 this month

She likes clothes from Target, Gap, and Abercrombie  (size 14 (slim if possible)) and she loves snack food like Goldfish, Cheezits and Reese's PB cups (HINT HINT).

Spring Break Barcelona

 I haven't been to Barcelona since Michael and I were there as college students in 1994.  OK, I was a student and Michael was hard at work but we were still young and it was a very long time ago!

The city is still lovely with amazing architecture, old and new.  The only thing that seems to have changed is the amount of tourists swarming all the Gaudi sites.  Here is a photo of Casa Milà that I took as we drove by.  You can see the ridiculously long queue at the bottom.

and this is Sagrada Familia.  We waited in line for 45 minutes before hearing sirens and seeing smoke.  Some deranged person had set fire to the sacristy.  You can read it here:  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13131352

Even Parc Güell was packed with people but it was a beautiful day so who could blame us touristy types for trying to enjoy the sunshine in such a cool place?

We checked out Mercat de la Bouqeria and drank some delicious smoothies

and checked out the jamón ibérico

 

The least crowded tourist spot on our itinerary was Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion

We ate tapas at Tapas 24

and ended the week at El Meridien Ra in El Vendrell

a great beach resort and spa.  The weather didn't cooperate with our plans so we spent most of the time indoors or on the hotel patio but it was relaxing.  Maisie and I took our shoes off and walked on the beach but that was as close as we got to sunbathing.

Another fun trip.

We're home now in time to celebrate Easter in Switzerland.  I think this is the first year that we haven't had an Easter picnic or Easter egg hunt.  Guess my baby is getting too old for all of that.

Happy Spring and Happy Easter everyone!

Basketball Star

Maisie had a Sports Day at her school this past weekend.  Her class needed a 5th for their basketball team and despite never having played before, Maisie stepped up to fill the spot...

and..

(that's her, all elbows, in the green)

sank the winning basket in their first game!

here she is (in green with her year older doppleganger in blue on the right) riding the pine waiting for the second game which didn't have as good a result but her House took home the first place trophy at the end of the day.

Fortunately there are no photos of me playing in the Parents vs. Teachers game.  We were doing pretty well in the first half but had our butts handed to us in the second.  Maisie said I didn't embarrass her too badly though so I consider it a success.

Making it look easy for 51 years

March 4, 1960

I love this photo.  It's of my Mom and Dad on their wedding day.  

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing but they led me to believe that being married was easy; that you just fell in love and everything worked out.  I know differently now which makes me all the more proud to have such a great example of enduring love in my life.

Happy 51st Anniversary Funny and PJ!

Skating with old friends

At the first of the year we had a get together at the ice skate rink with Maisie's old friends from her primary school.

As girls will do, there was more chatting than skating but it was lots of fun!

Here is Maisie being pushed in a learner's chair just for fun and below is a group shot.

Not the greatest photos but I just wanted to let you know that we're still alive and enjoying what little bit of Winter we've had so far.

I was able to snowshoe a couple of weeks ago while there was still some snow at a reachable altitude in an area called Rathvel 

The visibility was not so great and it was very windy but I love being outdoors so it was worth it.  

I'll try to take more people photos for the next post.  Maisie is growing up so quickly and I don't want you to miss any of it.

Tanked

Maisie used more of her Christmas money (thanks G'ma and G'pa May) to upgrade George's digs:

.

 He got double the water capacity, a new (fake) Japanese tree and, a new (live) plant.  As fancy as it is, it was just too much for George to maintain and he gave up the ghost about two weeks after moving in (RIP George, you were a good fish and we're sorry we accidentally tore your fin off before we left on Christmas vacation).  We couldn't let such a cool tank go to waste so Maisie chose the beautiful Ningyo (not pictured here) and her two side kicks Sushi and Sumo (snails) to be the new tenants.  Here's hoping they live happy and healthy lives.

Maisie's Favorite Things

We were handed some pretty crazy weather to deal with over the Holiday so things didn't necessarily go as planned but we made the best of it.  

We had dinner with our friends the Williamsons and then went to Bryant Park to watch the ice skaters:

 We shopped for Muppets:

 Maisie designed this beauty, Joyce, at FAO Schwartz (thanks to a generous gift from Grandma and Grandpa Hinson in Florida)!

We went to the M&M store which I'm still struggling to understand.  An entire store devoted to M&M souvenirs.  Really?  Is there that great of a demand for M&M thimbles and spoons?  

We even survived the Blizzard and played in the snow with Uncle Kevin.  This is how his roof terrace looked after the snow stopped!

 And here we are forcing our way out the front door:

Maisie even got the chance to show off her tree decorating skills for a second time.  Here we present Georgina:

And the Christmas Peeps Wreath:

Oh, and they have this other tree in NYC at Rockefeller Plaza.  

That's about it for our Holiday photos.  I keep getting caught up in the moment and forgetting to document/photograph everything but we had a great time and came home with lots of happy memories.  Happy 2011!