Grandma in Gibraltar

Today we spent the last full day with mom in Gibraltar.  I am not sure you can make a visit to our place in Spain without seeing a little piece of the UK on the south tip of Spain.  We took a tour up the rock, saw the caves, monkeys, watched the kids get attacked by the monkeys, the castle, and then had lunch at our favorite fish and chips place; Roys. 

At the start of our journey... in the taxi.

Pillars of Hercules

Outside St. Michael's Cave- and the first monkeys we saw... with our tour guide (he was amazing)

Inside the cave

Aydin fell in LOVE with sausage rolls in London... and about fell over with excitement when he saw them in the little snack shop outside of the caves.  He was in heaven when he got one to eat.

Mom did NOT want to walk by that monkey on the rock...

...and she had ever reason to not want to walk by it- that monkey jumped right in between her and Liam.  Liam had NO clue but mom was terrified!! 

(dont get mad mom... I HAD to post it! To be fair- I didnt zoom in thought like I wanted to) 

She tried so many times to get the monkey to climb on her...

And when it did... it poked her in the eye and pulled her hair.  I think it is safe to say- she will not be having any more monkeys climbing on her...

High five from a monkey...

Liam was so excited to see a baby monkey on the rocks (top left corner) that he was jumping and screaming...

Little did we all know that the momma monkey did not like that he was screaming at her baby and attacked Liam.... What a great mother I am- instead of helping him get the monkey off- I took this wonderful picture! Yes- that is a monkey biting his arm...

Eating!!!

Looking at the castle from our lunch table...

After lunch we stopped in the glass shop and mom bought herself beautiful hand blown champagne flutes.

Blowing glass...

Buying glasses..

They are beautiful!!

Before we walked back tot he boarder- we had to stop and get some ice cream!

Carnival instead of school

When I say Spaniards like to and know how to party... I was not kidding.
Today in school, the kids partied for Carnival.  The whole school had a theme and dressed up as as lighthouse workers; each class taking a job.  Morgans class were the painters and Aydin's class were the ones who make the bricks.

Before school started:

They began school (if you can call it that) with an assembly, took class pictures, and then began walking in a parade around the streets until they reached the city center.  Although it was a little chaotic, it was worth every minute!!

2nd grade class- Pantora's (painters)

4th grade class- Cantero's (brick makers)

 The teachers all dressed up with their classes- I LOVE how much they get into their holidays.  

Eating cookies before leaving the school- they really love American desserts.

And the walk begins.... leaving the school.

Aydin and his teacher playing around...

The school walking through the market street or main street

Morgan and Viviane (a friend of hers that is not in her school)

Aydin and his friend Diego from soccer (he is in a different school but was downtown today also)

Vito's, a kid in Aydins class, father owns this store.. so we stopped by to say hello

On the walk home we walked along the beach... it was a beautiful day!

Valentines Dinner-
Thanks to mom for making an amazing meal!
Halibut, roasted potatoes, fruit, bread, and mango salsa... YUM

Happy Valentines Day

Last night, mom and I decorated the table for the kids to wake up to.

 I think they have enough candy to last the year...

For breakfast the kids had red pancakes and fruit kabobs... great way to start the day.

After breakfast, they put their costumes on, grabbed the cookies they made for their class and headed to school. 

I love Valentines Day...