BBQ at the park

The YW president (MMJJ in Espana) wanted to have both American families for a BBQ in the park. Both of us are called to MMJJ and both of us will be leaving soon. It was very nice of her unfortunaly the whole thing didnt work out quite as planned. First Dan and Brent got asked to help another family and Dan and I got lost on the way and (2 hrs later) when they were starting the fire to BBQ they got in trouble for using charcole instead of fire by the Bar bq police (no joke Dan has a picture, Ill add it later) But after all was said and done it was a yummy outing (more flys than I have EVER seen in one place at a time) The sausages were actualy quite good and the chicken was great and I learned an excelent new salad dressing that was not only way yummy but easy and low cal!

My Paella experiance

I know that sounds a bit selfish, after all the whole family experienced it, and this is a family blog.

Its just that the kids eat paella every week at school and Dan works with Spaniards that feed him paella from time to time and I have had paella before but not since I have been here.

You must know Valencia is the Paella capitol and the fact that I have been here for a year and havent eaten any is mearly a miracle!

No one (until now) has offered to make me any and I wasnt about to order it when we went out with is whole un clean shrimp and thier eyes peaking out at you, barley open clams and snail shells showing through the rice in random places.

If you are lucky (as I was today) someone will make you Valenciano paella the only "yucky" part in this is some cute little bunny who was just hopping in a sunny meadow until some mean old spaniard caught him and said "Get in my paella" (thats some bunny hanging from my fork there, and also I am not smothering that baby, he was asleep and comfortable like that)

Any way I degress. Josue and Christina were very kind and a little anxiouse the moment they saw our BBQ pit to come over and make us some paella. Aparently it is much better on the fire.

They cooked and slaved over the fire for about 1.5 hours and by then all us Americans were purposly full of appetisers and enjoyed a small dish of paella.

No, in all honesty it wasnt bad. No fish, and it had good flavor. Bunny tastes a lot like chicken and it was a very enjoyable evening!

I am glad I didnt not leave the country without that experience!

Fun Friday?

I dont know what to say?

We should have called it beach friday!

Each of our fun fridays' (except this week it was on Thursday)

we spent at the beach.

This week was extra fun because Dad got out early from work and came with us!

Cave of St. Joseph

We decided to take the short 1 hr drive to the cave of St. Joseph because word of mouth was that it was an excelent outing. We took along our favorite American family and headed out. It was SOOOO cool! They wouldnt let us take pictures. I got these few snapped off before I got scolded. It was a boat ride through the water at the bottom of the cave that was so clean and cool you could see al the way to the floor. Which at some places was up to 30 ft deep.

The cave was full of coves and peeks. There were places that the celing was so low we had to crouch all the way down in the boat to not hit our heads.

Then we got out and walked through a small path through the cave, It was very interesting and neat to look at. We got back on the boat and headed back for the mouth of the cave.

One interesting thing about this cave and the water is that they do not know where it comes from. All this water, but no idea where the river is that feeds it!

It was a nice day trip that we would definatly recomend!

Noche de Familia

We were invited to the home of Alexandra and Mario (and thier bebe- Arron)

for Family night and so were a few other families in the ward. We had a lesson on the restoration of the gospel and empanadas from columbia- YUMMY! (way better than Spanish empanadas!)

My sister is always telling me how she has chosen a husband for my oldest daughter. As I type this my sister is in the hospitol prepareing to have her oldest daughter...I have found the husband for her!

Top of my list.....

So I wondered what the kids thought they would miss most about Spain and while we have all complained about the food here you would be surprised that all of them said food.
Let me explain: Man can not live by bread a lone, ok maybe bread, cheese and ice cream and that would be why Ive gain 15 lbs since being here! They are the only good food here and they are REALLLLLY good and very inexpensive! We will all miss them but the other common thought was the travel. We have done a lot and it will be sad to miss out on another year of travel.

Then I wondered what are they looking forward to the most once they get to the states...the first thing on thier list. Everyone of them said "Mexican food"
I guess my family is all about the food.
I asked them if there was anything else they realy wanted to do and this is what they said
Logan: See her new cousin Alexa while eating mexican food
Tori: See her old cousin Marin while eating mexican food
Seth: Shop for a dirt bike with his Dad & get some mexican food (I dont know who told him he was getting a dirt bike but this is going to be discused further for sure!)
Paige:Visit her cousin Kiera at a mexican food resteraunt
Arlena: Need a pedicure! - dont mind a taco while Im at it!
Dan: Wants some Hot spicey nachos with a giant rootbeer!

So I guess that says it all. I guess I will be gaining more wieght on my return!

Tera mitica

With a shortened summer (due to the move/school scheduling differances) we wnated to make the most of our time. So while Dan was a work and while we were watcing the two smaller Dixon kids we took a few extra teens and another mom and little kids and headed to Benadorm Spain (1.5 hr away) this means 10 kids 2 moms (talk about adventure) Actualy it was alot of fun. Kate (the other mom) has a 3 yr old who didnt go on many rides so I was the rider! Logan ,Tori and thier friends went off on thier own.

We all had a great time. I realy enjoyed the park!

Logan's First Date

So Logan is 16 and that makes her dateable!
So of course her Daddy couldnt help asking her out!
She loves the Disney movie "Finding Nemo" even had a quote from it engraved on her Ipod (B-day present from her mom and dad)She had no idea but he got reservations at an exclusive resteraunt under the Valencia Aquarium . The walls and celing are glass and fish swim all around. As I type this they are off enjoying a great first date I am sure!
Happy Sweet Sixteen Logan!

My birthday

My birthday was a nice day, I went shopping and to lunch with two friends and then when I came home there was a poster wishing me a happy birthday (Made from paper the movers left behind) by the kids. Paige made me some Bar B Q sauce (yep thats right- to dip my chips into!)

And Logan made this cake . it resembles the same icing used on her birthday cake a few days ago...HMMM?

Seth and Tori gave me a coupon for a foot rub and Dan had bought me an antique hand made change purse when he was in Minorca. It was a pretty cool day all in all!

Sweet sixteen

It was a great night. The music was loud the decorations were sparkly, Logan looked so pretty and a bunch of friends showed up for dancing and good food and it was so much fun!

Our friend took these pictures so that Dan and I could enjoy the party . We also had friends helping take kids to and from the metro as well as helping getting the food out at the right time.

All the kids looked amazing all dressed up and realy seemed to have a good time.

Paige enjoyed shaking her groove thing, Seth was with the video camera but still dressed for the occasion. I enjoyed the electric slide as always (despite Logans protest) and Dan and Logan danced to "Sixteen Candles" just before she blew hers out.

Laser lights and smoke from the DJ equipment filled the air as did the Confetti from the rocket shooters as she blew out her candles!

Of course it doesnt count as a good party if the police dont show up so of course they were there to shut down our noise....we were ready to shut down anyway! But it was fun to have them.

I wanted to offer them cake but they were on thier way in no time!

Movers

So they came and well...they wanted to pack everything and it was hard to keep them on task of

only packing what I had marked (Very clearly)to pack. I guess movers are movers and thier job is to pack. It was to be honest a bit hard. All my talk of good military wife and the possitive side of things is all well and good until it starts realy happening.

The stuff is gone now and we are enjoying our friends and last few Spanish days (For this year- we will be back next summer!)

Personal Progress Project

In Spain one of the things we miss (ALOT) is Mexican food. They sell something they call mexican food here, but I can guarentee you it is NOTHING like mexican food!

So for a YW project Logan decided to plant a salsa garden. (Tori did too, but she seemed to inherit my black thumb)

Logans celantro took off right away and we have had many yummy meals with it, her peppers are just starting to grow, but her tomaotes are now turning red and we are excited to taste them.

Way to go Logan!

Toledo, Spain

We enjoyed ourselves on this great little trip to a close by city here in Spain. It was only about 4 hour drive and we had our friends with us and that always makes it more fun!

We rode the Zoco train around the city and learned alot about this interesting town. From be-headed princesses that still haunt the lake to the diamond miner who got help from a goblin to fulfill the kings order for diamonds.

We saw lots of Don quieote things and statues. We went to a knight museum and also to a mid- evil torchure devise museum.

This town is famous for its metal works (swords and jewlery) so we watched some crafts men at work and looked in many shops to see all thier wears.

Of course the girls and I came home with Jewlery and Dan and Seth both got swords!

All in all it was a great trip!

Windmills of Lamancha

El Cid, Don Quiote, The man of Lamancha.....

Go watch the movies/read the books!

We went with the familia Dixon on a fun adventure. I think the lot of us (14) was an adventure for all the museums/resteraunts etc. where ever we went!

We started off on our way to Madrid and stoped to see the castel and the windmills of lamancha.

We had some PB&J (now a coveted meal) and headed on to Toledo!