Fun In and On the Dunes.

One of things we love about our friends Melissa and John (and, of course, their daughter Izzy) so much is that they are both laid back and happy to take us anywhere outdoors. This time it was the turn of a drive across the country to southern Oman to a beach sitting along a long stretch of white dunes. 

One, undoubtedly, one of things that they love about us is the fact that we are such camping 'wannabes' but with little actual experience in roughing it. Case in point: After packing up everything we needed for several days outdoors - from water coolers to sleeping bags - we embarked on the roughly 5 hour drive to Muscat. Once there, and after getting to see the neighborhood and hand out with everyone, we set up on this camping trip another six hours away. When we got there we were delighted!  Despite the amount of trash that had come to shore if we were to look inward we would see nothing but dunes... and so we settled down to set up our tents. Which is about when we realized that our six person tent, purchased from a friend for exactly this type of outing, was left inside the upper level of a closet on one the bedrooms. Isn't that where it's supposed to be?  :-)

So, our friends were gracious enough (and took things in stride enough) to lend us their second tent which, with the wind picking up and blowing all over the place, we struggled to set up. The rain softly fell as well with gusts making the movement and cooking a more complicated process than it might have otherwise been. We opted to head out after just one night, but not before enjoying a few hours in the dunes!

A few locals came over to look at our dune sledding and we invited them to join us as well!  A couple of them did, until it became clear that they needed to move on (they were dressed rather nicely.. perhaps for prayers?). Is was sooo nice to have that 20 minute interchange with the locals, and several of them spoke good english, but the biggest positive was their laughter and delight in trying (only sometimes successfully) to race down the slopes in Izzy's sled. 

Our return was as beautiful as our departure had been, and we returned home with a few key lessons/reminders. Oman is pretty awesome in every way. Remember to actually take the camping equipment that you have for such occasions. Great friends who know what they're doing are good to have around when out in the middle of nowhere. :-)

On the Water. In Our Element.

 There's something about being on and in water that just fills you with hope and a deep sense of calm. Add some great friends to the mix and you've got yourself a pretty spectacular day!  We left the house right after breakfast and drove the 20 or so minutes to get to the marina where we got onto a boat. It still sat on its trailer but we didn't mind. We were too busy being excited about the day. Soon enough a tracktor pulled up and gave us a lift to the inclined access to the water. Things were undone and the boat soon was floating. Safely away from the shallows we started the engine, turned the boat around and headed out to open water. 

The day was a never-ending tourist brochure of wonderful sights and that feeling of cool air in your hair. We closed our eyes and took in the feeling. We opened our eyes and took in the sights. We jumped in for a swim in a small, isolated inlet and then headed for our final destination where, alone, we set up a seating area, with the requisite shade, and settled down for the day. Wow!  

As beautiful as it was in the pictures above it was just as spectacular under water. By the end of the stay, and with our tummies filled, we were back on the boat for the return. Simply awesome!  And a sighting (outside the water, no less) of a marlin (we think) and a puffer fish were added bonus. Happiness is being in beautiful places with beautiful people. And this was happiness, 100%!

Hiking in Oman.

The Gulf region really is quite perfect this time of year. With the temperatures heading southward of the double digits in the evening (especially in them Omani mountains) and the daytime hanging around the low 20s it's nothing but outdoors for us (when we can anyway)!  This trip to Oman for Christmas brought us back to our friends John, Melissa and Izzy, and it was pretty awesome! 

Apart from hanging out, as friends do, and chatting up a storm about all sorts of this and thats, we also had a couple excursions to see the country. First and foremost it was heading up into the mountains where a beautiful, westward-facing hotel awaited our arrival. The evenings were spend just sitting outside, with our fire, watching the quiet blue-to-yellow-to-orange-to-purple spectacle that is a spectacular sunset over the mountains. 

By day we'd sneak out and about and roam a bit. One such roam took us to the top of a canyon where we parked at a small village at the edge and hiked on in. Daddy could only go so far, deciding that perhaps things were looking a little too steep for his liking. But the rest of the gang kept on marching right into the final little bit, sitting for some lunch looking out over the beautiful cliffs, and then returning to pick up daddy and return to the car. Six hours later we were thoroughly tired but happy as can be. Nature sure does have a way of bringing you together, of touching that inner bit of your being and of making you a better person. 

A MS Athlete 2.

As Irini grows she's really loving team sports. She is rushing from one season to another and, on some occasions, from one team to another. Though playing volleyball with her mom and dad she has also been able to be on the grade 6 team since there were in need of a few extra players. This is a group of girls that she's been sharing soccer with for the past few years and so was happy as can be find time to practice with them. Every once in a while she was also able to play with the team as well!  You can see from the smile on her face just how happy she was and, with sweat dripping from her brow, a sense of accomplishment as well. We love to see that in her, and how she's really growing into a young athlete!

Our Little One Starts Her Athletic Life!

With her sister setting the tone for sports over the past couple years, Amalia was chomping at the bits to get started as well. She was coming to practices and staying to play afterwards. She was watching games or sitting on the bench. She was listening and asking questions. Now in 4th grade, though, she is finally able to participate on her own terms!

Season 1 for this little girl began with soccer. She wasn't quite sure about soccer but she knew she wanted to be on the Mini-Falons team, so she went for it. It helped that several of her friends were doing it also. To make things even better she was put on the same team as one of her best frineds on all the world, Eva!

She instantly loved the sport and her coaches were very supportive, allowing her to blossom into a good little player. The pictures and video here are of her first week of practices, before games had formally begun, but it coincided with daddy's first time watching this little girl in soccer action!  

By the end of the season our little one was happily and boldly stating, "I love soccer" and even participating in games with older students (including the 6th grade team that needed extra players for a game or two). We hope that this is but the beginning of our girl's athletic future!  We love you Amalia!!

A MS Athlete!

 

With every passing day our little girl is becoming not-so-little. Irini, now in Middle School, made her way to her first formal tryouts back in September. From a parent perspective we could tell instantly the difference between a 5th grade "everyone makes the team" approach and the more serious MS "we're making cuts" approach.   After just one day of try outs it was obvious that the pressure was high, as was the stress level. Irini found it difficult to be sharing the court with girls as old as 8th grade, some of whom were jump serving. For a 6th grader who has never tried formal volleyball in her life this was quite a jump. But, as much as the stress was high, she determined that she would follow through with her commitment to the tryouts and see what would come of it, focus on those things which she could control (effort, communication, listenting, etc.) and not worry about the things she could not (e.g. whether she made the team, who her teammates might be, etc.). 

With every passing day of tryouts (there were three) she got more and more confident and, by the end of tryouts she had made the MS Junior Falcons team!  We were thrilled to welcome her. To make it a family affair it was quite fortuitous that both mommy and daddy were coaching the team as well!  How cool!

The season seemed short but the growth of both Irini and her 12 teammates was quite impressive. They girls became a good team by the end and really learned how to play together, focusing on hustle, communication, supporting each other, etc. Without the pressure of playing time (everyone plays the same amount of time at this level) the team really bonded and became proud Falcons!  Irini was no exception to that as she continued to develop her skills. 

By the end of the season we could not be prouder of Irini and her work ethic, her growth, her commitment to the team and her being such a great learner!  We are hopeful that she will continue to thrive in sports as she continues on to season 2 (basketball) and beyond!  We love you Irinoula!

Charcoal and Face Cleaning. Who Knew?

Ah, the things one has to do to be a parent. There are times when you have to sit back and wait to ensure that all the left overs are eaten. Or there are times when you have to do the driving to ensure that your children are having fun with their friends. There are times you have to read with them. You have to make sure they've done their teeth and gotten ready for bed. Other times you have to be there to support them during games or performances. Other times still you just have to listen. And every once in a while you have to be part of the beautification process.... and so it was when daddy was introduced to charcoal face masks. The girls will insist that it does wonders for their skin. Daddy's not so sure about the quality of the skin, but it sure was fun to share the experience!  Here's to many more such fun and new experiences!

Dubai Fun

When we first got to Dubai, now over three years ago, we promised ourselves that we wouldn't be caught up with a lifestyle of over-consumption of high-end presents, experiences and the like. We'd keep things real, so to speak. But, as the daily life moves forward it's hard not to be allow one's self to be sucked in to the many options for fun that exist in this place. Before long we were going to the pool, then the mall, then the water park, then the escape room and, of course, the amusement parks that call this area home. 

On this October day we took advantage of the good weather and headed off to one of the amusement parks. Each girl brought a friend and together we did several rounds of the fun and exciting things on offer. Rollercoasters, running around, special theme events, etc., were all on offer and though daddy, largely not interested in the adrenaline rush of near-death-like experiences, opted for watching from afar, the day was a huge success. The girls wore smiles from ear to ear, even if mommy and daddy showed a bit more wear and tear. :-)

For the record, we still still try to focus on the important things - family, friends, natural spaces - but we're also learning (some more quickly than others) of the benefits of having such entertainment spaces within such easy reach. Now, how does one complete with this stuff?  :-)

Attica Sun & Sand

They say life isn't the same without friends (or at least we say that) and in this case it's quite true. With our biological family out of town for mostly-good our summers home mean reconnecting with our good friends and their children too!  Whether we're enjoying crystal waters (as is the case with the ΚΑΠΕ beach that Stelio and Maria introduced us to) or arguing about politics (such a Greek thing to do) or savoring a rizogalo Athens is home and it's much, much better with friends!  

Our final chapter of the summer included around a week or so of interrupted Athens and Attica time (a rarity, for sure) and it was a great way to finish the 'year' for us. The final goodbyes included food and good times and we are now full with home-based, friend-filled memories to go hand in had with those extra kilos of Greek cuisine. :-)

Roadtrip Antics

Sometimes, when you're on the road for hours and hours, the mind starts to play games with you... and sometimes you play games with your mind. In this instance, here are the girls enjoying part of the ride between Kalamata (of the well-known olive variety) and Sparta (of the Hollywood blockbuster "This is Sparta" variety)... 

A Low Key Swedish Delight

After such a whirlwind Paros and Rotterdam trip it was time for some down time. Our arrival in Askersund was not without problems (Amsterdam's Schiphol airport was closed on the day of our departure, resulting in our flight being 3.5 hours delayed that, in turn, made us arrive after the car rental office closed, resulting in our needing to get a hotel room to stay the night, meaning that we had to scavenge opportunities in the hotel shuttle bus pick up lane) but once there it was nothing but relaxation and time outdoors!

Members of Moca's extended family where there and were gracious enough to let us join in their summer holidays. It allowed us a great chance to have great conversations, partake in board games, play some volleyball (though not enough, really) and, literally, jump in the lake (time and time again). We also were privy to some great cooking even if, at times, the new tastes challenged our mental models. :-) In there, also, were the fundamental elements of our visit... quality time, sharing conversation, sharing a walk in the woods or by the lakeshore, picking mushrooms and all the little things that make family time so very special. 

In the end our departure was as beautiful as our arrival. The Swedish countryside was as beautiful as ever with green fields and forests making way for rivers and lakes and then opening up to the small hamlets of wooden homes that make the Swedish countryside so idyllic. An amazing visit in every way!  Thank you to all for the hospitality and the love that makes this family such a wonderful life experience!

 

Rotterdam with our Guide, Avi.

This was the third part of the Brownie summer in Europe. Following some time in Athens, and our visit to Paros, we all returned to the apartment in Athens for a few more nights... and then departed the next day for Rotterdam!  Our day in transit allowed time to Avi to work out the hosting situation at her university residence hall where, the lot of us, were going to spend the next six nights!  It turns out, students are well situated in the walking district of the downtown of Rotterdam, nestled in between the City Hall and the shopping district, surrounded by cafes and places to eat and only a stone's throw away from shopping, shopping and more shopping!  

Avi's first attempt at hosting a large group went beautifully!  She dealt with the pressure of multiple needs and wants, organizing the movement of people in and out of the building and was able to balance her family life with a bit of her personal life as our collective experiences crossed those of her friends from time to time. She was also able to show the family her new apartment~ her first chapter as a full-fledged independent adult!  

The visit was part shopping, lots of eating, a good deal of walking (and trams/metro) and some sightseeing to boot. Add to that the mosey to the fruit market, the visit to the university and her favorite coffee shop, the cafes and the parks and it was a pretty good overview of what the city has to offer!  Apart from a day where our Irini was sick (and stayed in the room with daddy) the rest of the trip was a good opportunity to share family time (now shared by Adri who also came to visit for this leg of the trip!) along with finding space to see the city. 

It was also a chance for us to reunite with old friends. Though only for a couple hours, our time spent with Paz and her husband was well-appreciated as well. Paz took notes on the types of professional positions that might entice us to move to Holland one day. Who knows?  We have been around the world enough to know that flexibility is key. And so, why not Holland one day?  Certainly the summers, the family and friends there would make it an agreeable option. 

As we departed - all in the airport simultaneously trying to say goodbye and check in to various flights - we were once again reminded of the power of love and the positives of family. We will miss you all and send love to Holland, to Colombia, to Malaysia, to Italy... in all directions!  Thank you, Avi (and all) for showing us 'your town' and for being such a gracious and wonderful host!