tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31050475490197613572024-02-19T17:31:40.479-05:00Calli's CrossingThe adventures of a food junkie and travel addictCallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.comBlogger762125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-49086934679763662962023-04-27T09:14:00.000-04:002023-04-27T09:14:04.771-04:00Sweet Nori<p> This week we lost our sweet kitty, Nori. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOASvZwGFStmU8qktWcGN9ogm_1byDpPwFVYPGC7vVkejmk74Dm_bnASVAB6gHuSMjnbMH2qnypRGFLC5TTRKw6-MgD4iKNpZo15A2NWB9Jwdp8KhBDXyHzB4_61hjLV8_wKjPGYgal9fT5iBqAvwIg92txFJYYJI7qmVr9zrrjPy_67ozKhhDkIFhTg/s4608/IMG_20200512_191708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOASvZwGFStmU8qktWcGN9ogm_1byDpPwFVYPGC7vVkejmk74Dm_bnASVAB6gHuSMjnbMH2qnypRGFLC5TTRKw6-MgD4iKNpZo15A2NWB9Jwdp8KhBDXyHzB4_61hjLV8_wKjPGYgal9fT5iBqAvwIg92txFJYYJI7qmVr9zrrjPy_67ozKhhDkIFhTg/w400-h300/IMG_20200512_191708.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Dan and I adopted Nori 14 years ago when she was only a few weeks old. Nori had been with us through three houses, two countries, two kids, and so many wonderful memories. Anyone who met her loved her. At times she was more of a dog than a cat. She'd run up to anyone and immediately start showing affection. When she was little she even played fetch!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSvd8TU7mtkmKVinkeYEbedzzDVtr5Buzhd2inmJ8BCO7Owc8IHmpiIkpdUJI_0NVCJhCM3BNTeS7e-QLRvxcznu7Xu10NJBNDktjYQZikxEfC20bEZpBBz9rOsNDTRAy3Go81QAigfNOI-GZ5O3hebgVu_q074jjfgGDAU3o7g_wz1xYggzXyN0MVw/s2992/20230112_110016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSvd8TU7mtkmKVinkeYEbedzzDVtr5Buzhd2inmJ8BCO7Owc8IHmpiIkpdUJI_0NVCJhCM3BNTeS7e-QLRvxcznu7Xu10NJBNDktjYQZikxEfC20bEZpBBz9rOsNDTRAy3Go81QAigfNOI-GZ5O3hebgVu_q074jjfgGDAU3o7g_wz1xYggzXyN0MVw/w400-h400/20230112_110016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJyJbNVXH1HQn5XlwNawNxt3A71g2ZJKeFTGvN-fImk01B_WbwF04SR0EltbYaUhzPGx3t0DRFVoLdbRuk_BMRnVfvsxIDWxUGV08bJudj4k8w1xBMG6HtmkFNK6vUkL0_UMbqQzDgCn4xMLkK2eemqkVwio2XSrihABS6-g7T3Qobo9TXSePwfHZYQ/s4608/IMG_20201004_130138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJyJbNVXH1HQn5XlwNawNxt3A71g2ZJKeFTGvN-fImk01B_WbwF04SR0EltbYaUhzPGx3t0DRFVoLdbRuk_BMRnVfvsxIDWxUGV08bJudj4k8w1xBMG6HtmkFNK6vUkL0_UMbqQzDgCn4xMLkK2eemqkVwio2XSrihABS6-g7T3Qobo9TXSePwfHZYQ/w300-h400/IMG_20201004_130138.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>She was a fantastic cuddler and would make sure you knew she was happy by her extremely loud purrs. The flip side of Nori's friendliness is that she <i>really</i> wanted to be around us all the time. If we were upstairs, she would meow very loudly until we came and gave her pets. If we were asleep on the couch or in the guest room, she would climb on our faces and nuzzle us until we woke up and pet her. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtThS-GcVfHDaQsjhZYRWYGongsBTXYYIYP1klcGao1ROHpsz_wsXcMx-CzUjIy_L3ONGHqftFVummswxV5ulfsWO0MHsoYKrcUf5jTfp5GfJqbK9vD9zg0lWD49RnXjFPQx2BZpWvX1Gy-4aEr9o3jqZmkFYbK-XM9tdr_fy3vgXdRzVerQfCm-D7Q/s4912/DSC03499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4912" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtThS-GcVfHDaQsjhZYRWYGongsBTXYYIYP1klcGao1ROHpsz_wsXcMx-CzUjIy_L3ONGHqftFVummswxV5ulfsWO0MHsoYKrcUf5jTfp5GfJqbK9vD9zg0lWD49RnXjFPQx2BZpWvX1Gy-4aEr9o3jqZmkFYbK-XM9tdr_fy3vgXdRzVerQfCm-D7Q/w400-h266/DSC03499.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0f6ctmoTFnsRAzRRMPWXXuCgUQkRxYOb4W5blmA8zIBqPLBoGf6UZz14IE2NGU0Ji740n5MKiGg3I49I29uJ7QxjYIX1bDwUvPbA0a9UXQ2c5iVGYfQFLFpTw0kimOhWRBxh-Vve6Z_2Zm4NI4E8IC-KiqImDu71NAfoQ__G0X6ofpFVBg2o4QM5_Q/s4608/IMG_20220110_211010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0f6ctmoTFnsRAzRRMPWXXuCgUQkRxYOb4W5blmA8zIBqPLBoGf6UZz14IE2NGU0Ji740n5MKiGg3I49I29uJ7QxjYIX1bDwUvPbA0a9UXQ2c5iVGYfQFLFpTw0kimOhWRBxh-Vve6Z_2Zm4NI4E8IC-KiqImDu71NAfoQ__G0X6ofpFVBg2o4QM5_Q/w184-h400/IMG_20220110_211010.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><p>Nori was my number one co-worker. True, she could be disruptive by sitting on my laptop, walking across the screen during video calls, and knocking my pens off the desk, but at least she looked cute while doing it. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5ImrdvGg8IkoYePJzqjBEVy9-O4aNynnPENkH27S4HLaLEXWuNeQlUfSQJq9Z5SeNKa81nASWh2zRwHT0lSRQOW5IBKEM1gyAiRRqLj-WpcDv1dlhwov27RmgJ9VCg13IezNdp-FHbJKI5fg5xhtMKYnudLmUHMYdNlODjkRC7JPBiPI69R3edihCQ/s3264/IMG_20190201_124030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5ImrdvGg8IkoYePJzqjBEVy9-O4aNynnPENkH27S4HLaLEXWuNeQlUfSQJq9Z5SeNKa81nASWh2zRwHT0lSRQOW5IBKEM1gyAiRRqLj-WpcDv1dlhwov27RmgJ9VCg13IezNdp-FHbJKI5fg5xhtMKYnudLmUHMYdNlODjkRC7JPBiPI69R3edihCQ/w300-h400/IMG_20190201_124030.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLifC-3723Q3_6Mpkiiq3iEdiNOPYF_WAArkwcdFGg49O-Q5MQQjZPORmox7Pt7lAg9Vvf29rjr7XeWCnJES7w5lfP5lBz9uroIKS396_k9xXY3wi1pPyGAiW_wFr4F45pLBCmiklRYCoPlseVUCMwAbkHr3pFKmpN7P1gG0H7RM6N1ExWEA52q35aXQ/s4608/IMG_20201218_150934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLifC-3723Q3_6Mpkiiq3iEdiNOPYF_WAArkwcdFGg49O-Q5MQQjZPORmox7Pt7lAg9Vvf29rjr7XeWCnJES7w5lfP5lBz9uroIKS396_k9xXY3wi1pPyGAiW_wFr4F45pLBCmiklRYCoPlseVUCMwAbkHr3pFKmpN7P1gG0H7RM6N1ExWEA52q35aXQ/w184-h400/IMG_20201218_150934.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><p>Nori put up with a lot and was so gentle with the kids. Zahara loved Nori with a passion. She took care of her, feeding her, petting her, and making her toys. Asher showed his love a little differently. He roughhoused with her but also would tell her how much he loved her. Catching those sweet moments is something I will cherish.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCD41iDDCvDIIqXcEU-D63fiAG_qqjXhUUZyURufnQncGB2ZlvZNbJon2FS-vGpKXQCCca4Xis09hs0EFZEcMF1xFtG-uZsbCPyl7h_36gjVQyIvAz3XyqcfOUG_MDPnDiunVBvlXPkAIAVFWTT_xonrlhj8vFex3CaI3f12Zhp9bWICbE5dSEMFsOQ/s3264/IMG_20130702_121442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCD41iDDCvDIIqXcEU-D63fiAG_qqjXhUUZyURufnQncGB2ZlvZNbJon2FS-vGpKXQCCca4Xis09hs0EFZEcMF1xFtG-uZsbCPyl7h_36gjVQyIvAz3XyqcfOUG_MDPnDiunVBvlXPkAIAVFWTT_xonrlhj8vFex3CaI3f12Zhp9bWICbE5dSEMFsOQ/w300-h400/IMG_20130702_121442.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn6e8E5OOYVF6oXraiV9YbGHdtwh_woIpwVUr7qnNtORQMAltcbLIpKxGzFBohvKfPbBy6cwTiczELNzjv1ExxWleFgofPjM6XrNgMQtdmEWfDHqhUqzzjgKnQ5anL1rdp_D-JMokJO4PGbrUY5HznV3ynEZwolwMjVRXtGvjxJqBwn7gO98DIThLrA/s3995/IMG_20161018_205813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2844" data-original-width="3995" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn6e8E5OOYVF6oXraiV9YbGHdtwh_woIpwVUr7qnNtORQMAltcbLIpKxGzFBohvKfPbBy6cwTiczELNzjv1ExxWleFgofPjM6XrNgMQtdmEWfDHqhUqzzjgKnQ5anL1rdp_D-JMokJO4PGbrUY5HznV3ynEZwolwMjVRXtGvjxJqBwn7gO98DIThLrA/w400-h285/IMG_20161018_205813.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj174ty-br91oj9vL0LVxUX664CbA74W1V64AH8xAEsytXWmRghHeM8c_rKDTYtiz-odL3yvV3I1is3fMzbfdTfUzwlQqN6bCWjz1D8E3PD2HoeWpVKyQNt8C6c9NJS0Ch7feePDHl4BhCWr3DFk0QEHPquW8Uq0JQTsp0PgKgv5xCjAlDQNRbyrVw4bg/s4608/IMG_20181125_121705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj174ty-br91oj9vL0LVxUX664CbA74W1V64AH8xAEsytXWmRghHeM8c_rKDTYtiz-odL3yvV3I1is3fMzbfdTfUzwlQqN6bCWjz1D8E3PD2HoeWpVKyQNt8C6c9NJS0Ch7feePDHl4BhCWr3DFk0QEHPquW8Uq0JQTsp0PgKgv5xCjAlDQNRbyrVw4bg/w200-h400/IMG_20181125_121705.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-m3-I-_m_u2otpYpvZb3z5njuga4BZeW6bUzo7j4M_iYNrNXcR7RfxzyMcvxA1ubzTIcGKCht6HFDtidGheiAHEaNkZNVdap6OEFfN_kz3ZDyylrvrDslJ2mS59-EUD9Q7j8nvwrSdjKDM7UzJnm7XqOnHqhdP1R_n9ZQqvnCKg90_DGvydYCA1ojQ/s4608/IMG_20201229_184730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-m3-I-_m_u2otpYpvZb3z5njuga4BZeW6bUzo7j4M_iYNrNXcR7RfxzyMcvxA1ubzTIcGKCht6HFDtidGheiAHEaNkZNVdap6OEFfN_kz3ZDyylrvrDslJ2mS59-EUD9Q7j8nvwrSdjKDM7UzJnm7XqOnHqhdP1R_n9ZQqvnCKg90_DGvydYCA1ojQ/w184-h400/IMG_20201229_184730.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><p>Nori, thank you for being exactly what we needed. Our family will miss you terribly.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB1K3q_0PirmsMLClXHOiD8OOE8IyN880O5xzKjexARCYjlRi8QLogs5pbC7sz7UzWLlwTOjtK2zLHXUwBIldrBJxqyn4m-ZYUcD7ae2ypZ6z5CcG9qPf8MYG3iqWJk9PUZ9zOrtNFS4cBn4QOn-PmDg0XrLbY8MOPM_pRGddqzzmjZjLRPKhKxKpAA/s2944/20230425_185630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB1K3q_0PirmsMLClXHOiD8OOE8IyN880O5xzKjexARCYjlRi8QLogs5pbC7sz7UzWLlwTOjtK2zLHXUwBIldrBJxqyn4m-ZYUcD7ae2ypZ6z5CcG9qPf8MYG3iqWJk9PUZ9zOrtNFS4cBn4QOn-PmDg0XrLbY8MOPM_pRGddqzzmjZjLRPKhKxKpAA/w300-h400/20230425_185630.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com2Silver Spring, MD, USA38.990665700000008 -77.02608810.680431863821163 -112.182338 67.300899536178861 -41.869838tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-45425257060732954902023-02-12T17:12:00.000-05:002023-02-12T17:12:15.433-05:00Food and Wine in Franschhoek<p>After an incredible stay in Hermanus we made our way 1.5 hours west to Franschhoek, an area known for their food and wine. But first, on the way, we stopped at <a href="https://www.creationwines.com/" target="_blank">Creation Wines</a> for incredible views and delicious cheese. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzHrXh9RWT4FIptk_prEvUxPSCc_1M24HtDhmk0mBEREKeLfQoXFigyCtHaKBy4e16FHqvrYOvVC1Rnon4QC6EYlU5itIsXlqeSX3o6DdLRFQe4h6fe5r2zkTDlXdtDHL9xft9UE_6z3AEhzYCxKNa9IH7sqLWsk1bgvAH1CfInv-eFkbpzXewuvVtA/s4000/20220802_121808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzHrXh9RWT4FIptk_prEvUxPSCc_1M24HtDhmk0mBEREKeLfQoXFigyCtHaKBy4e16FHqvrYOvVC1Rnon4QC6EYlU5itIsXlqeSX3o6DdLRFQe4h6fe5r2zkTDlXdtDHL9xft9UE_6z3AEhzYCxKNa9IH7sqLWsk1bgvAH1CfInv-eFkbpzXewuvVtA/s320/20220802_121808.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We got so lucky and even had a spontaneous tour of the winery from one of the vintners! It was really neat hearing about how they create, store, and distribute their wines.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucTuSxYRWzh-tLt3AJ0sBGK5Ic-qCxf6r4FY8WQ6jBU37aBlo9QtfoFZr3vxxza8g6dmMVIAGTeTFEhleo6iofekJWVx0wmGix_9gh1NsoQPP-TPBB2Sq9pmTufVZUxXYj0dkz0Y07K50OZhNg2MZpjRIuN8cYt0Q2iUI5kNJbE_PATP4L1d89gjY8w/s4000/IMG_20220802_134405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucTuSxYRWzh-tLt3AJ0sBGK5Ic-qCxf6r4FY8WQ6jBU37aBlo9QtfoFZr3vxxza8g6dmMVIAGTeTFEhleo6iofekJWVx0wmGix_9gh1NsoQPP-TPBB2Sq9pmTufVZUxXYj0dkz0Y07K50OZhNg2MZpjRIuN8cYt0Q2iUI5kNJbE_PATP4L1d89gjY8w/s320/IMG_20220802_134405.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMLW7lppdpld6uU2eFgoGCQarN2bXNpexF2YlAnATzjZA1AtjMj4kAle7ThpDMsTsha45b3aD-VCKGFZGy6QmFIq65Cr9SibNVX4XDALfx1Jul9rYDH0kDrU9e8tk-sDwOVByAfPXd9ylhAfWkbhScTYrFFzqDA3aMf2cXE8Uz2vHSs9ytDWjON3adQ/s3648/20220802_153019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMLW7lppdpld6uU2eFgoGCQarN2bXNpexF2YlAnATzjZA1AtjMj4kAle7ThpDMsTsha45b3aD-VCKGFZGy6QmFIq65Cr9SibNVX4XDALfx1Jul9rYDH0kDrU9e8tk-sDwOVByAfPXd9ylhAfWkbhScTYrFFzqDA3aMf2cXE8Uz2vHSs9ytDWjON3adQ/s320/20220802_153019.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We stayed on a working vineyard called <a href="https://book.nightsbridge.com/14618?nbid=952&startdate=2023-02-23&enddate=2023-02-24" target="_blank">Auberge Clermont</a>. Though the grapes were dormant for the season, I loved walking around the property and taking in the views. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pEGctV5PlnLXPql3rjcIJO1QbiMOe9goKN9txzeNw7pifPwY41YYMKI9hnwuLhpt7BKpjvB_tRb3eB3GyDK6uXRQf9e3qHr8AJWeRSAGBwHTHVqtPc85jeb1doKzw7XJEjPb9REvdjD_yQxZd5fXDMWVar5BCPkT-2AauoNUdDIXu2H-H3ViSdYyEw/s11760/IMG_20220802_161059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3680" data-original-width="11760" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pEGctV5PlnLXPql3rjcIJO1QbiMOe9goKN9txzeNw7pifPwY41YYMKI9hnwuLhpt7BKpjvB_tRb3eB3GyDK6uXRQf9e3qHr8AJWeRSAGBwHTHVqtPc85jeb1doKzw7XJEjPb9REvdjD_yQxZd5fXDMWVar5BCPkT-2AauoNUdDIXu2H-H3ViSdYyEw/w400-h125/IMG_20220802_161059.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The town was founded by French religious refugees in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Huguenot legacy continues through the French culture in the town, including the vineyards and delicious French-inspired food. <a href="https://lapetitecolombe.restaurant/food" target="_blank">La Petite Colombe</a> is one of the top restaurants in Africa for good reason. Our thirteen course meal was full of whimsy, artistry, and delicious flavors! Look at the presentation of the snacks served to us while we waited for our table! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinT0RxZ3dLHUpUsOnJ8A3ASW5h8P5I5QFMC7xRv6gChJigazovO4fPOGnauUKn5x7ooucMXbZAuvV_CYKPfhvcyzrvA5ZL7QhncGFFnbKwRc8uBSJzQAqTGnEeLfv1s9cslnzPfVHBk1gsC5RpvegY1CDvBxuFmcXWmlrfufLT9bga5nrkvnENoN2yA/s4000/20220802_192356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinT0RxZ3dLHUpUsOnJ8A3ASW5h8P5I5QFMC7xRv6gChJigazovO4fPOGnauUKn5x7ooucMXbZAuvV_CYKPfhvcyzrvA5ZL7QhncGFFnbKwRc8uBSJzQAqTGnEeLfv1s9cslnzPfVHBk1gsC5RpvegY1CDvBxuFmcXWmlrfufLT9bga5nrkvnENoN2yA/s320/20220802_192356.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This course was delicious. It was a freshly cooked bread with a smoked fish spread meant to look like caviar. So playful and tasty!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWcDPYrrnXXLfUxvXLPGT9dWHaPTE2FD_h6u7U8CTEWbhJx-AiEo-5Q35p3-fTkmf9m50mFGKeV9gDs45MZL6wjBZ-y5JnAiuAmXc-9uSTTeVZY6Tmq7duNOJnV1xXWXx3ROapfVLGEGAxTd7GZOV6Z0XsEYQyjhYpFC1bjmyUID5GtSq1ESLykFdag/s4000/20220802_195644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWcDPYrrnXXLfUxvXLPGT9dWHaPTE2FD_h6u7U8CTEWbhJx-AiEo-5Q35p3-fTkmf9m50mFGKeV9gDs45MZL6wjBZ-y5JnAiuAmXc-9uSTTeVZY6Tmq7duNOJnV1xXWXx3ROapfVLGEGAxTd7GZOV6Z0XsEYQyjhYpFC1bjmyUID5GtSq1ESLykFdag/s320/20220802_195644.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Every plate was just as meticulous as the last. And to top it all off at the end of the night they brought around a sweets trolly reminiscent of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRK39maLt1AJprJSOuV_DkAmBApr6Gt-CRHC7iacE4no0h8-s2RiZZAtGgiMZJkcu9jjBCk75Qc9YkWvbwCoX8NqtWoCaw0LZCVqlnhO7lrRMivE3YVpbrdK4AorgyRmHR_jf-PVu2NcgH2ZXvXlTLtdZWEXsBk1vM41T8r96TFlWx8NxYXA_ir9W-g/s4000/IMG_20220802_203053_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRK39maLt1AJprJSOuV_DkAmBApr6Gt-CRHC7iacE4no0h8-s2RiZZAtGgiMZJkcu9jjBCk75Qc9YkWvbwCoX8NqtWoCaw0LZCVqlnhO7lrRMivE3YVpbrdK4AorgyRmHR_jf-PVu2NcgH2ZXvXlTLtdZWEXsBk1vM41T8r96TFlWx8NxYXA_ir9W-g/s320/IMG_20220802_203053_Bokeh.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkdE9my1XUe5LU4EWkrOyhh4w5-exk6pu7tDz-1ujqN-7a4m-uNVT2Gw7W7o8mczfZlgzQvyf9V40Std1Ricu2LtQtQHz_EvtiMeNRzy7LORb3LiBLecljPbbdJTqoGQP-1IZOabPgLAm7vvflouT-PuIw8qR4InGo5_4m_d0OfdPlLbmOvkitBMTBg/s4000/20220802_205653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkdE9my1XUe5LU4EWkrOyhh4w5-exk6pu7tDz-1ujqN-7a4m-uNVT2Gw7W7o8mczfZlgzQvyf9V40Std1Ricu2LtQtQHz_EvtiMeNRzy7LORb3LiBLecljPbbdJTqoGQP-1IZOabPgLAm7vvflouT-PuIw8qR4InGo5_4m_d0OfdPlLbmOvkitBMTBg/s320/20220802_205653.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLo8SH1yMz7NDBZFsNsyqioY03mVWNk-yXXQGOArSayGZZN8G2nlamPfLQVtcnSlHAze9KUXHOiiArDUQxls5auT4AtYQqq6pljNiXYzO2R_3Xk1EQ5kP-Vls5-RQJZP6j3GRN_8UUcVOdQxvbzG5FkjRMKqKWKEdM3Z9mrM1o1ZllGR0HfLP-IixUQ/s4000/20220802_215757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLo8SH1yMz7NDBZFsNsyqioY03mVWNk-yXXQGOArSayGZZN8G2nlamPfLQVtcnSlHAze9KUXHOiiArDUQxls5auT4AtYQqq6pljNiXYzO2R_3Xk1EQ5kP-Vls5-RQJZP6j3GRN_8UUcVOdQxvbzG5FkjRMKqKWKEdM3Z9mrM1o1ZllGR0HfLP-IixUQ/s320/20220802_215757.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day we devoted to wine tasting. We went to four different vineyards, all with very different looks and price points. You can take the wine trolly or hire a driver to go around the vineyards, but we found it relaxing just taking our time and moving on our own. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGFHIFwZHum6YczljMcmfn99AbF8VMVoVIqpzHDg6qE3sOKR-GJGb6_hVxE0BMOmYKO2eH7Co9mw7lihShAhs7HmCeU3DvqcuIDezeui31XWG_dj4fNkDIYJCVDQDvt5lWmmFHx9lv5zQ4B5Fl9MpOt-VEfZpqxohQzI4ugtOhMJoKAsLWeNBXqc9dg/s4608/IMG_20220803_130225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGFHIFwZHum6YczljMcmfn99AbF8VMVoVIqpzHDg6qE3sOKR-GJGb6_hVxE0BMOmYKO2eH7Co9mw7lihShAhs7HmCeU3DvqcuIDezeui31XWG_dj4fNkDIYJCVDQDvt5lWmmFHx9lv5zQ4B5Fl9MpOt-VEfZpqxohQzI4ugtOhMJoKAsLWeNBXqc9dg/s320/IMG_20220803_130225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7574DVD8Eg0ZNMvxSWMQvMbdjOqZYR2kqs4TlxOVGmwi7VLMSKXqXQCKbvUm1ofkIWnwu34HGEiTgs2j4WxMfNMiA7LZLpV_sm-tWykT1PSJA9SufUXQmjHeMwyYQhtfC_nZdzo7rvOhXq-IRRGxMVhZMbLrtjyHmzAMv9Q3XXNYgH7OTpquE3Fny0A/s4000/20220803_154317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7574DVD8Eg0ZNMvxSWMQvMbdjOqZYR2kqs4TlxOVGmwi7VLMSKXqXQCKbvUm1ofkIWnwu34HGEiTgs2j4WxMfNMiA7LZLpV_sm-tWykT1PSJA9SufUXQmjHeMwyYQhtfC_nZdzo7rvOhXq-IRRGxMVhZMbLrtjyHmzAMv9Q3XXNYgH7OTpquE3Fny0A/s320/20220803_154317.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2rGyCOyrqjkT_bjGBnzi3doobvuuGIb8VyGXN18nUSIeSMSw8-l7DyOLs6l-TaExAFehJh0QFTZPdH6MDUbexPBDcsR6xF1dnnJbApWxp9eyeDEQEmYQ0FjjLSzJnoyjKO-Hb5ZDxWS1U6dJiD7wz9eNtNsBY2w9rP6TfKDl0LjYJQ93vUL8IPeSxw/s3648/20220803_152841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2rGyCOyrqjkT_bjGBnzi3doobvuuGIb8VyGXN18nUSIeSMSw8-l7DyOLs6l-TaExAFehJh0QFTZPdH6MDUbexPBDcsR6xF1dnnJbApWxp9eyeDEQEmYQ0FjjLSzJnoyjKO-Hb5ZDxWS1U6dJiD7wz9eNtNsBY2w9rP6TfKDl0LjYJQ93vUL8IPeSxw/s320/20220803_152841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzm5af4MUSdx5NgmtmXCjEabGMadNnLikD2pGzjfRShQmXKAqlXMpujq40SD_RmTZRG7WuSj5k6t1Xn3np7DCgAYsFOX-Y8JuLzCtcnGyRaUzlosCggV-DG6CtHgoUAC10jfSlmWkXUaFJ-HgxKyMAY3Bw-XYS26YZSlJAHhPbowgscIGHbQZZa0COBw/s3648/20220803_150042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzm5af4MUSdx5NgmtmXCjEabGMadNnLikD2pGzjfRShQmXKAqlXMpujq40SD_RmTZRG7WuSj5k6t1Xn3np7DCgAYsFOX-Y8JuLzCtcnGyRaUzlosCggV-DG6CtHgoUAC10jfSlmWkXUaFJ-HgxKyMAY3Bw-XYS26YZSlJAHhPbowgscIGHbQZZa0COBw/s320/20220803_150042.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up...Safari!</div><br /><div><p><b><i>Read more about our trip:</i></b></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2022/08/southern-africa-trip-of-lifetime.html" target="_blank">Southern Africa: A Trip of a Lifetime</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/touching-down-in-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Touching Down in Cape Town</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/lions-head-mountain-and-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Lion's Head Mountain and Cape Town</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/whale-watching-in-hermanus.html" target="_blank">Whale Watching in Hermanus</a></p></div></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa-33.8974833 19.1523292-62.207717136178843 -16.0039208 -5.5872494638211521 54.3085792tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-42644278926159915392023-01-16T21:32:00.000-05:002023-01-16T21:32:00.323-05:00Whale Watching in Hermanus<p>Though I was sad to leave <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/lions-head-mountain-and-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Cape Town</a> I was excited that the next leg of our trip was Hermanus, one of the top whale watching spots in the region. The drive up was gorgeous, and it was fun to stop and see some more penguins at Betty's Bay.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mSQMRB1yA6FpUOEQ3mYPq7cPLGfZPvtfgza3AENMfODvMFm7HnXdWjw4TJq4t3fIHXhKrepYfDoEt6rNPjEc0E1wdlBgUyjGzmAVXbYrdOlk_iPEK-rJFvQZ3BeY1Qq6qHN5wJed1-MW6me_yOjsqkr4omFxBYbumyEaJ37OMShkRXhrh3T_A_Monw/s4608/IMG_20220731_141619~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mSQMRB1yA6FpUOEQ3mYPq7cPLGfZPvtfgza3AENMfODvMFm7HnXdWjw4TJq4t3fIHXhKrepYfDoEt6rNPjEc0E1wdlBgUyjGzmAVXbYrdOlk_iPEK-rJFvQZ3BeY1Qq6qHN5wJed1-MW6me_yOjsqkr4omFxBYbumyEaJ37OMShkRXhrh3T_A_Monw/s320/IMG_20220731_141619~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0OxywfqAlrRsnMdR5ROXntH24_9DJBXfzwoJrjYvosUEKByJai9JioBTcW-0eBK_eY5yziJqSbMHVOnIMIpPLBLNXKPX5U3v2TLpnymjEX3KtZnBti0WJuNg7Pb4NgCN-7wDAwf0AGQnznC_mgt0Z__r7b88GemCSCOUbK_kefTcU5G2xa_MEXiWWA/s4000/20220731_142031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0OxywfqAlrRsnMdR5ROXntH24_9DJBXfzwoJrjYvosUEKByJai9JioBTcW-0eBK_eY5yziJqSbMHVOnIMIpPLBLNXKPX5U3v2TLpnymjEX3KtZnBti0WJuNg7Pb4NgCN-7wDAwf0AGQnznC_mgt0Z__r7b88GemCSCOUbK_kefTcU5G2xa_MEXiWWA/s320/20220731_142031.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betty's Bay on the way to Hermanus</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Once in Hermanus, we started walking the Cliff Path along the harbor. We walked for hours, stopping to admire the views, and eventually making our way back to town for a delicious fish dinner.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6GMiRDeVeukES_5ZeMVsY1VmAjbg-PHrAuFzy_gVGY1qsBdwKqt4BfxAb4NIFsKRGCMMG2Sy4h24NiF9nS2iJwWiRRSrS0QKdz3m50dpvxmWgXFoxJjN1zCU9hGdpYuMoUgpSJ_-7aU38KZD6Wo8tXcoAC1OmZxb5zQm2A1FDa8-LHvd4iFapQW06Q/s3648/20220731_155119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6GMiRDeVeukES_5ZeMVsY1VmAjbg-PHrAuFzy_gVGY1qsBdwKqt4BfxAb4NIFsKRGCMMG2Sy4h24NiF9nS2iJwWiRRSrS0QKdz3m50dpvxmWgXFoxJjN1zCU9hGdpYuMoUgpSJ_-7aU38KZD6Wo8tXcoAC1OmZxb5zQm2A1FDa8-LHvd4iFapQW06Q/s320/20220731_155119.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The real highlight of Hermanus is the whale watching. We went on a tour (thanks to my generous in-laws!) through <a href="https://www.southernrightcharters.co.za/" target="_blank">Southern Right Charters</a>. I had no idea what to expect, but this 2 hour tour far exceeded my expectations! I couldn't believe how close we got to a pod of whales. We spent the majority of the time watching 4 whales (3 male, 1 female) play. There were at two other whales below the surface we saw occasionally. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUfhLXo-wDuY5VWRSx6GLeQlxR3wP25ZLT6oUni06jLugV1Z4VD0U4aWSqYFd6Y0zt-zRJJE3pWHroPJWWLhtroGIfIisuqF43pJbiVIiv3WDduoCfDLleH_OsVbPrEflkj_h5L4Rzc-IRlKrseRx-UyY9QoHzIqwsMyz18ANEm-c44M36ipYW0FWlQ/s4608/IMG_20220801_150416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUfhLXo-wDuY5VWRSx6GLeQlxR3wP25ZLT6oUni06jLugV1Z4VD0U4aWSqYFd6Y0zt-zRJJE3pWHroPJWWLhtroGIfIisuqF43pJbiVIiv3WDduoCfDLleH_OsVbPrEflkj_h5L4Rzc-IRlKrseRx-UyY9QoHzIqwsMyz18ANEm-c44M36ipYW0FWlQ/s320/IMG_20220801_150416.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oKsoAUwzmNVnt91FoqZlqQyKlRSETsVUXA26EoTUaPUonYHgiiLbnt47yrf_w8NIT4ssi1IAqWIKHL51YwUshnD_4FfFSsACx8T_HwRIPz-VFz82irkwXvQ_OQJ3czUOOfqY07-UZmYYwDO_XJfyLZuKPUzcEi66UYae5IKzoTvs5JtyK4_YuiEWdw/s4000/20220801_154301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oKsoAUwzmNVnt91FoqZlqQyKlRSETsVUXA26EoTUaPUonYHgiiLbnt47yrf_w8NIT4ssi1IAqWIKHL51YwUshnD_4FfFSsACx8T_HwRIPz-VFz82irkwXvQ_OQJ3czUOOfqY07-UZmYYwDO_XJfyLZuKPUzcEi66UYae5IKzoTvs5JtyK4_YuiEWdw/s320/20220801_154301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I brought binoculars for us assuming that if we even saw whales it would be in the distance. I had no idea these amazing creatures would literally be up against our boat. We could hear them calling to each other. We felt the spray from their blowholes. It was so special.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaySnViOTCXSYOZ70tvJmTD1BySM1dpU1iIoQCz_L3SToSzq9jLuaPDA_kjf1MWC-oKw2ONzFkcrLWd6c6hLG3J_PvKgB1M70Yx3JIJSoQULBcNPuwSHOpVlXrLr_Pp8Bm27xML_0XcXIoKiYTnTEgKuhw19lI_e3zenD7FjjfdbyOtihaNY7LU0w9Ew/s4000/20220801_162543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaySnViOTCXSYOZ70tvJmTD1BySM1dpU1iIoQCz_L3SToSzq9jLuaPDA_kjf1MWC-oKw2ONzFkcrLWd6c6hLG3J_PvKgB1M70Yx3JIJSoQULBcNPuwSHOpVlXrLr_Pp8Bm27xML_0XcXIoKiYTnTEgKuhw19lI_e3zenD7FjjfdbyOtihaNY7LU0w9Ew/s320/20220801_162543.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2roRDSzgWusBdI2YpdI6shWuGar1NqPTXg8jErC5cRGFDA4YYxIur_1UMvhlCcM7WhSumEJUhRd1lIFpE2I23aU8sRfJjimYuK7CJJNRKNaJtfxVX2KvMe_US2IBfzJB6Wp0MRI8arFPkg-WRWJVQpKRfWq236CyiH4aXg3jwlWMqPked8znylAEQjQ/s4608/IMG_20220801_154223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2roRDSzgWusBdI2YpdI6shWuGar1NqPTXg8jErC5cRGFDA4YYxIur_1UMvhlCcM7WhSumEJUhRd1lIFpE2I23aU8sRfJjimYuK7CJJNRKNaJtfxVX2KvMe_US2IBfzJB6Wp0MRI8arFPkg-WRWJVQpKRfWq236CyiH4aXg3jwlWMqPked8znylAEQjQ/s320/IMG_20220801_154223.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We ended our night at our gorgeous B&B right on the water. These sunsets are dreamy!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijR51pwhGLNOlhhvrpDLu7Ai9DZhOwP6ITKUlJWVCsx9S9esweKTdCiGFarFFE3o2-djteEnzA2G4ugc5d7KjTwRMgQG9x53Kux99eIixUbk-XaRx8K2j9vg4sVZ76ZSeYCOouxFj_DsP2SR-_B8ucMVyhkHs52hzEDFobOXoNfl-ZJfZ5lKtL748HCw/s4000/20220801_182556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijR51pwhGLNOlhhvrpDLu7Ai9DZhOwP6ITKUlJWVCsx9S9esweKTdCiGFarFFE3o2-djteEnzA2G4ugc5d7KjTwRMgQG9x53Kux99eIixUbk-XaRx8K2j9vg4sVZ76ZSeYCOouxFj_DsP2SR-_B8ucMVyhkHs52hzEDFobOXoNfl-ZJfZ5lKtL748HCw/s320/20220801_182556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEMQ9EhL48XDd-SlZpzLGt6DAUxkJXZ-VO5i6g9_R98BuUMUhqDJUSmpstkvJR7zB_Wzfy-uAAYhX-bknP9N_1Lw7WGz3dHcliWpxw795bwndIfplTqcloCea2Br96lf2fA_vDVWvtEnyJv5jXTSSpzzH6Oy2zNpHrj21ZU356g2iFEa-ndmpk9PrlA/s4000/20220731_211904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEMQ9EhL48XDd-SlZpzLGt6DAUxkJXZ-VO5i6g9_R98BuUMUhqDJUSmpstkvJR7zB_Wzfy-uAAYhX-bknP9N_1Lw7WGz3dHcliWpxw795bwndIfplTqcloCea2Br96lf2fA_vDVWvtEnyJv5jXTSSpzzH6Oy2zNpHrj21ZU356g2iFEa-ndmpk9PrlA/s320/20220731_211904.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What an incredible couple of days. Next stop, Franschhoek for wine tastings!</div><div><br /></div><div><p><b><i>Read more about our trip:</i></b></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2022/08/southern-africa-trip-of-lifetime.html" target="_blank">Southern Africa: A Trip of a Lifetime</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/touching-down-in-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Touching Down in Cape Town</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/lions-head-mountain-and-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Lion's Head Mountain and Cape Town</a></p></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Hermanus, 7200, South Africa-34.4092004 19.2504436-62.719434236178849 -15.9058064 -6.0989665638211576 54.4066936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-67753708349173404542023-01-15T21:49:00.002-05:002023-01-15T21:49:40.415-05:00Lion's Head Mountain and Cape Town<p>After an incredible <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/touching-down-in-cape-town.html" target="_blank">first day in South Africa</a> visiting Cape of Good Hope, we spent our next day touring around Cape Town. Our first stop was Lion's Head Mountain, one of the four mountains surrounding the city (Devil's Peak, Table Mountain, Signal Hill, and Lion's Head).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD2QKwUIkNllhPS3ZwuklASrtIzo59wTGQAyNtKO8-v3C3TKZVzAncMHAtX1EaeNkyYwoXmQ5nvF50o8VCt7I6Vq3TYoI0rFDbB65qLXkdLHNqvhONw7EmjHLDFSf5v_tw1NOIhAjT_oIvdanV_1FIN1cGgeJuADcccL5QWhnnsg0WvJVuM01Zqu_zA/s4000/IMG_20220730_095730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD2QKwUIkNllhPS3ZwuklASrtIzo59wTGQAyNtKO8-v3C3TKZVzAncMHAtX1EaeNkyYwoXmQ5nvF50o8VCt7I6Vq3TYoI0rFDbB65qLXkdLHNqvhONw7EmjHLDFSf5v_tw1NOIhAjT_oIvdanV_1FIN1cGgeJuADcccL5QWhnnsg0WvJVuM01Zqu_zA/s320/IMG_20220730_095730.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lion's Head Mountain</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Reading online, it seemed there were two options for our climb. An easy route suitable for beginners or a more challenging route recommended for experienced climbers. The difficult route included ladders and chains, whereas the easier route was wide paths and great views. Which one do you think we did?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gy3_7SJ0gSqbZYgU8TKG6mSwGuvCczw9XC9CbVGWbkb0DwEGqwfl4sxmhM8FGumuDdgi9wSO4rbZ9YiFB6lFtl_RHB6ZfOVQfdoc_fp8glh-ocomXu1CH4_CbkF261RaOZTdcN04H6rrNbw69_zJa_IOjfUbMhopwdqLOGmlanqR-WuGbdQXJ1tIhQ/s3000/20220730_094731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gy3_7SJ0gSqbZYgU8TKG6mSwGuvCczw9XC9CbVGWbkb0DwEGqwfl4sxmhM8FGumuDdgi9wSO4rbZ9YiFB6lFtl_RHB6ZfOVQfdoc_fp8glh-ocomXu1CH4_CbkF261RaOZTdcN04H6rrNbw69_zJa_IOjfUbMhopwdqLOGmlanqR-WuGbdQXJ1tIhQ/s320/20220730_094731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQqbhs69qb0fmuDQhYQ4vjjAOKGLuiF7iNGBKpvNIgdGnH9MN9xh-GpssqdKP620wIQgUE_bp0OCdVlL0yFnk5jx12-YLFWNEiH4JbDyhf02vtJDAIe2ZcduBas9Mp2Yp7fgtdiFgEUUeKhnJoXbz69g5GicZDV2Dlkvla4QCT7id6ZdcPOGXWoPm5w/s4000/IMG_20220730_095120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQqbhs69qb0fmuDQhYQ4vjjAOKGLuiF7iNGBKpvNIgdGnH9MN9xh-GpssqdKP620wIQgUE_bp0OCdVlL0yFnk5jx12-YLFWNEiH4JbDyhf02vtJDAIe2ZcduBas9Mp2Yp7fgtdiFgEUUeKhnJoXbz69g5GicZDV2Dlkvla4QCT7id6ZdcPOGXWoPm5w/s320/IMG_20220730_095120.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Trick question! We thought we were doing the easy path but more than halfway up realized that was not the case. Funny story. Right after we decided we were not going to climb up the ladder to the next part of the mountain we watched a university rowing crew come by carrying an entire rowing machine! They were climbing the difficult path with all of their equipment to raise money for their team. It was a little deflating, but I'm proud of how far up we went. And the views were definitely worth it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvna4i57frJ6Hv9j7NnKBg24zfnfH9toe9Qij5IXDXNklnZRMlvoSZwBYwNwIYTL9lpyQ4ij0vE0GDONrxPyORmyU0dyCaVZcj-rbdqZlAbNi1nUXtzppiKea7gDGUHFibWaaY7QWz8b-MtIXmoR1QSfc50V0cLLhDxJZGcUeKYsR3vIncmA46S3d9ZQ/s4000/20220730_100126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvna4i57frJ6Hv9j7NnKBg24zfnfH9toe9Qij5IXDXNklnZRMlvoSZwBYwNwIYTL9lpyQ4ij0vE0GDONrxPyORmyU0dyCaVZcj-rbdqZlAbNi1nUXtzppiKea7gDGUHFibWaaY7QWz8b-MtIXmoR1QSfc50V0cLLhDxJZGcUeKYsR3vIncmA46S3d9ZQ/s320/20220730_100126.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing a ladder with a rower</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj_3xVkDbMHVkbzIa865jvKCyvt9aNihQXOBbPVlYTWtHB9HiyELRsmP75ju796Y8U2PgkOgTsdjcZbMInUfYqox4K94kqNDt9UEXzFsRwowK9iUrzUIkIDcBJnvAVAROc1aD5LuR57nEiOAu9oU7EZSCx63bJ5cucmpWE9h_eg9Nln82IJkWt2m1SA/s4000/20220730_094741.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj_3xVkDbMHVkbzIa865jvKCyvt9aNihQXOBbPVlYTWtHB9HiyELRsmP75ju796Y8U2PgkOgTsdjcZbMInUfYqox4K94kqNDt9UEXzFsRwowK9iUrzUIkIDcBJnvAVAROc1aD5LuR57nEiOAu9oU7EZSCx63bJ5cucmpWE9h_eg9Nln82IJkWt2m1SA/s320/20220730_094741.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from Lion's Head Mountain</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>After our climb we went into the city to explore the V&A waterfront. We listened to an <a href="https://www.waterfront.co.za/attractions/va-waterfront-audio-tour/" target="_blank">audio tour</a> of the area that was produced by the city. It was really interesting to learn the history of the area and explore some of its secrets. I loved watching the professional buskers, seeing all the seals, and looking out at Table Mountain.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjxX6gopFlarl_nAbHj_KyrpREQBPSXiN413lYntGhx4J0SNPKFUfOrCLnH1S-lFvNfSrONqmgMLoFNDAegnbkF8siMoa1wWG4XEjm7e6jNoZ_ghcxjphCTBOOE0H5EAK_4IM3Pi5eszpjKyXgJ-q5vVeR8oUEaTj7Hrlhrd4wN8ZGKJaNvjPytiFiw/s4000/IMG_20220730_153920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjxX6gopFlarl_nAbHj_KyrpREQBPSXiN413lYntGhx4J0SNPKFUfOrCLnH1S-lFvNfSrONqmgMLoFNDAegnbkF8siMoa1wWG4XEjm7e6jNoZ_ghcxjphCTBOOE0H5EAK_4IM3Pi5eszpjKyXgJ-q5vVeR8oUEaTj7Hrlhrd4wN8ZGKJaNvjPytiFiw/s320/IMG_20220730_153920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tNLVHrWbUFwbVEoY_y48rRlgiMGD5YoI-oV4vQQgXzr6LdfqXsjSfNwmH4tKsngjT9O8Mn7AKGIzsWfIbq1gkrn1vvepjFxuHq2Cc9HCp1_fyev8uAkXCQc8xT4Pt0pOMKtDRngCOcIVIJpQVUEWg-HOIwOxC2m2wayIU_FS-oH-l5h1a05NRJ-Caw/s4608/IMG_20220730_152535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tNLVHrWbUFwbVEoY_y48rRlgiMGD5YoI-oV4vQQgXzr6LdfqXsjSfNwmH4tKsngjT9O8Mn7AKGIzsWfIbq1gkrn1vvepjFxuHq2Cc9HCp1_fyev8uAkXCQc8xT4Pt0pOMKtDRngCOcIVIJpQVUEWg-HOIwOxC2m2wayIU_FS-oH-l5h1a05NRJ-Caw/s320/IMG_20220730_152535.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qs3pQJF5UFBdo-ljNrkxGWOjouit6kJxwsnuaSjQsz_DySDaZtzjV0oGzz6J88xPmeV9m-1cDn7x73HS8dBS5LvNfFx6JmypiD7O4aG3S6pe5IDtAGgEd8BmU13HRMZ-s8lNAjqdNq329utM3iH_wfl-5hrYf3qoDr3Qfag34U3LzlIalvbE-2QfHg/s4000/IMG_20220730_154750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qs3pQJF5UFBdo-ljNrkxGWOjouit6kJxwsnuaSjQsz_DySDaZtzjV0oGzz6J88xPmeV9m-1cDn7x73HS8dBS5LvNfFx6JmypiD7O4aG3S6pe5IDtAGgEd8BmU13HRMZ-s8lNAjqdNq329utM3iH_wfl-5hrYf3qoDr3Qfag34U3LzlIalvbE-2QfHg/s320/IMG_20220730_154750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>After the audio tour we took a stroll down to Bo-Kaap, a neighborhood most known for its colorful houses. We took <a href="https://voicemap.me/tour/cape-town/bo-kaap-walking-tour" target="_blank">another audio tour</a> here and learned the history of how during Apartheid the majority Muslim neighborhood was deeply impacted with many forced from their homes and the formerly colorful neighborhood painted white. Once Apartheid ended, residents re-painted the vibrant colors to signify their freedom. <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqirSFvqG2d3qAevqr1n9g5lohmhHrwU7d-TnOjuTs-L55tM-XY0mOk1QfEytB0VFSQHZSKARZNkoGjVpsWklWAO_rAm0cRUi1x8-W2fmApjRVJpMcbWOkOSA1HrIlBiTnoQYHSeNWDuk9pMk92g88DRr69vs4QGyf9oJvlnWHGkCh03hkgYUnkEOZA/s3648/20220730_170721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqirSFvqG2d3qAevqr1n9g5lohmhHrwU7d-TnOjuTs-L55tM-XY0mOk1QfEytB0VFSQHZSKARZNkoGjVpsWklWAO_rAm0cRUi1x8-W2fmApjRVJpMcbWOkOSA1HrIlBiTnoQYHSeNWDuk9pMk92g88DRr69vs4QGyf9oJvlnWHGkCh03hkgYUnkEOZA/s320/20220730_170721.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MY8JkSAYblWjLjitsqTbZ6Wb-iNMKC3ALjSugSBBUEfuuAY_xeGbTLE2wpN6vFfqNHRi4ayLLOTLvip1sXHaDxY9UI-psBHhtqzJWTV4jqoGg1VYteLTfveq89cu0g7su-HCEESAMvGth_-MZfLhe5ENckpnST4Q2R5-__3_kS2qxBUFfuQM_mylmA/s4000/IMG_20220730_170825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MY8JkSAYblWjLjitsqTbZ6Wb-iNMKC3ALjSugSBBUEfuuAY_xeGbTLE2wpN6vFfqNHRi4ayLLOTLvip1sXHaDxY9UI-psBHhtqzJWTV4jqoGg1VYteLTfveq89cu0g7su-HCEESAMvGth_-MZfLhe5ENckpnST4Q2R5-__3_kS2qxBUFfuQM_mylmA/s320/IMG_20220730_170825.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We finished our day with an incredible meal at the <a href="https://ttkfledgelings.co.za/" target="_blank">Test Kitchen Fledglings</a>. Not only was the food fantastic, but the mission of this restaurant is amazing. Underprivileged people with an interest in entering the culinary world are given employment, training, and mentorship.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK_zaguA7-EIylIF6ZrA6pCKtyCBkj0_1ij_9QqSqNlA6ol2q7op-x3LfPFjXFr_JcR_WERil8o9BVe5RqHoiFQyKKOTusWcPmn-uiO94poxntNH1Ecm_fSCQAV8PlXdYL5eqyp8Puq1nQcHxaZ-GMj_ZxWzofBfO8BeG8pfTyUhc0xf5TQlmGzjCbA/s4000/20220730_192647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK_zaguA7-EIylIF6ZrA6pCKtyCBkj0_1ij_9QqSqNlA6ol2q7op-x3LfPFjXFr_JcR_WERil8o9BVe5RqHoiFQyKKOTusWcPmn-uiO94poxntNH1Ecm_fSCQAV8PlXdYL5eqyp8Puq1nQcHxaZ-GMj_ZxWzofBfO8BeG8pfTyUhc0xf5TQlmGzjCbA/s320/20220730_192647.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjANjOsaiUSfzJn6OPy2_uF9veR_0L1oAPW8_OMYoYTIFACNKvksKmvjtsFThGCdMflEA5MxW1Fo_wZoxXyWm47gLijSHETMuIkhcl4d7uH-k38tUGZt7lZHj1YHuCGseqU5fzzUJR7W-v6iH61m_B_G5MWoExNJngnioBFMZ_sFq-KBNatn9RRUB9g/s4000/20220730_203643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjANjOsaiUSfzJn6OPy2_uF9veR_0L1oAPW8_OMYoYTIFACNKvksKmvjtsFThGCdMflEA5MxW1Fo_wZoxXyWm47gLijSHETMuIkhcl4d7uH-k38tUGZt7lZHj1YHuCGseqU5fzzUJR7W-v6iH61m_B_G5MWoExNJngnioBFMZ_sFq-KBNatn9RRUB9g/s320/20220730_203643.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYUtM9hU32REU4bGsKi1h_G6V9eSvUa9HvjS6vP-D4Mnv1_LO2v3DRG3Hwmmlr_hSkZXOgPxlfn3t1G3VxTXcANd3QkjB2Ixq_evek66ftX_5D1I1x5kvZI-47gx0pN8eKUFTozRjgGYNUnm4YVx003d8M9TBQkoqpDLitWBaFhswmVYRKvVTQFlZpQ/s4000/20220730_213143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYUtM9hU32REU4bGsKi1h_G6V9eSvUa9HvjS6vP-D4Mnv1_LO2v3DRG3Hwmmlr_hSkZXOgPxlfn3t1G3VxTXcANd3QkjB2Ixq_evek66ftX_5D1I1x5kvZI-47gx0pN8eKUFTozRjgGYNUnm4YVx003d8M9TBQkoqpDLitWBaFhswmVYRKvVTQFlZpQ/s320/20220730_213143.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP2xqULyjD9WcYqEw_oR7VJcl92jscflztng6F8pbYSMe_yMTk5exAsbmoU9oFeGIT0G46ZM9u-9GpH58ln4MYsQa0fbq9DUhj37OunskLzrliNjwLIqrzHqwzAJ-I93rK_DW1FQPliiAFRZd4p20sVPUDKWDlXgBAxkT5msFU7jIw5A754kprKjubQ/s4000/20220730_213148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP2xqULyjD9WcYqEw_oR7VJcl92jscflztng6F8pbYSMe_yMTk5exAsbmoU9oFeGIT0G46ZM9u-9GpH58ln4MYsQa0fbq9DUhj37OunskLzrliNjwLIqrzHqwzAJ-I93rK_DW1FQPliiAFRZd4p20sVPUDKWDlXgBAxkT5msFU7jIw5A754kprKjubQ/s320/20220730_213148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Another incredible day in South Africa! Next up, Hermanus and whale watching!</p><p><b><i>Read more about our trip:</i></b></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2022/08/southern-africa-trip-of-lifetime.html" target="_blank">Southern Africa: A Trip of a Lifetime</a></p><p><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2023/01/touching-down-in-cape-town.html" target="_blank">Touching Down in Cape Town</a></p></div></div></div></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Cape Town, South Africa-33.9248685 18.4240553-62.235102336178848 -16.7321947 -5.6146346638211568 53.5803053tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-2274886575356600862023-01-11T20:44:00.000-05:002023-01-11T20:44:14.301-05:00Touching Down in Cape Town<p>We started our epic journey in Cape Town on Thursday night after around a day's worth of travel. We saved up credit card miles and found an amazing deal for a one-way business class deal so we could arrive in style. IT WAS AMAZING!!! Lie flat beds, excellent service, great amenities. It was so good that even 15 hours felt too short.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOw3mLi2wbAZfBvzMlidYJAmbVjjxi8WHOfAKZses_9lJp5Q9s_1xcfEP2qv_s0D6_5m2jOkBYIav6TF-oVEK63zFX8ZIkBiQzGGZejz3c5iSDrLhBO6eMj0-PH4jx9pS5BU81BQA43VseA5wmBTJNwM6WvPoY7HSdSYBppHMc2kzQU9XUAHfajz9gw/s4000/IMG_20220727_202732.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOw3mLi2wbAZfBvzMlidYJAmbVjjxi8WHOfAKZses_9lJp5Q9s_1xcfEP2qv_s0D6_5m2jOkBYIav6TF-oVEK63zFX8ZIkBiQzGGZejz3c5iSDrLhBO6eMj0-PH4jx9pS5BU81BQA43VseA5wmBTJNwM6WvPoY7HSdSYBppHMc2kzQU9XUAHfajz9gw/w400-h300/IMG_20220727_202732.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The beauty of traveling business class is that we probably got more sleep on the plane than we do on a regular night at home! We arrived in Cape Town in time for dinner near our hotel and a soak in the hotel's hot tub before it was lights out for the day. </p><p>We spent our first full day in Africa driving from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope (in a manual car on the opposite side of the road! Glad we learned to drive in England!). We stopped in Muizenberg on the way for the picturesque views of the tidal pool and colorful beach huts. I couldn't believe how many sea stars, sea urchins and bright coral were in these waters. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UYX0xabCakbPKUlh6KPw-a2E5USI_mBL-dNDt7dtihP_wYcELQ_UhfCtceQ_93FEjWueT5fI0-2JdXVlEJt3ep6_zRc2Ln8ye4tUC0nqlsUTQKksBvxq3prHv5cPxuGdz5ZrjpFzbVOdWy15yZ7b2-895Z8YGHTDxsJCbypVCFogUPWQYV75MmwvxA/s4000/20220729_110039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UYX0xabCakbPKUlh6KPw-a2E5USI_mBL-dNDt7dtihP_wYcELQ_UhfCtceQ_93FEjWueT5fI0-2JdXVlEJt3ep6_zRc2Ln8ye4tUC0nqlsUTQKksBvxq3prHv5cPxuGdz5ZrjpFzbVOdWy15yZ7b2-895Z8YGHTDxsJCbypVCFogUPWQYV75MmwvxA/w240-h320/20220729_110039.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tidal pool in Muizenberg</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiijW_nao9IAjSMeMC7YtE-OSFObzxxk2whAEclp7drw5NJe53y97Ft6d_iMjDBVDAQfcKkeo2dKKrd0cVzPm17G8gs9Zfrx1Sgw_2gT-ohx0O3qq6MkM0hR7IY2jJadbobFrep8M5e8WXujr3peBYG-Y9jOvM9H5WJ1aWcfM_AgzmporJ49s7fU80OA/s4000/20220729_105500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiijW_nao9IAjSMeMC7YtE-OSFObzxxk2whAEclp7drw5NJe53y97Ft6d_iMjDBVDAQfcKkeo2dKKrd0cVzPm17G8gs9Zfrx1Sgw_2gT-ohx0O3qq6MkM0hR7IY2jJadbobFrep8M5e8WXujr3peBYG-Y9jOvM9H5WJ1aWcfM_AgzmporJ49s7fU80OA/w320-h240/20220729_105500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach huts</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our next stop was at Boulder Beach, famous for its penguin colony. I was not prepared for just how many penguins there would be--and how badly they smelled! I enjoyed learning how to spot penguins of different ages: grey fluffy = newborn; slick grey = teenager; black and white = adult. Watching them burrow in their nests, play on the beach, and dive in the water was really special.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFEtWCC1IexUjHxVDkHVNC6GAmloqQ45qyODHuZ-ZBKrB60uqtCHV9ZYVQJa9EO20pLcGJNVgQEDdF-bbb92hWgZLEc1DF_uzHFY8Yda13SZzgucD65PrZOrX9JdY7lpg0-_uIroHtcROQeOarPSR7dCpZou77BLJ6-3nmve4ECGIOnQOZVjpl6Nf6w/s3703/IMG_20220729_115710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="3703" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFEtWCC1IexUjHxVDkHVNC6GAmloqQ45qyODHuZ-ZBKrB60uqtCHV9ZYVQJa9EO20pLcGJNVgQEDdF-bbb92hWgZLEc1DF_uzHFY8Yda13SZzgucD65PrZOrX9JdY7lpg0-_uIroHtcROQeOarPSR7dCpZou77BLJ6-3nmve4ECGIOnQOZVjpl6Nf6w/s320/IMG_20220729_115710.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boulder Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKinOwn0yiGbJk8XH2us9OGJJ76MhU5hGQ8sMbuWczetz5H55ga9gDdHCyDjrB1XeAcEHi0CY8z-_HGgwnYwYqqs1cdWaSbe2yFeBt7TP9eU6A9YdH1c20APCb1qaDgLd9fv3flrac4WgmJztV58JGb-0L_In-owSP-u5ib-LAcx4q2fPTsmhP3ozrow/s4000/20220729_115500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKinOwn0yiGbJk8XH2us9OGJJ76MhU5hGQ8sMbuWczetz5H55ga9gDdHCyDjrB1XeAcEHi0CY8z-_HGgwnYwYqqs1cdWaSbe2yFeBt7TP9eU6A9YdH1c20APCb1qaDgLd9fv3flrac4WgmJztV58JGb-0L_In-owSP-u5ib-LAcx4q2fPTsmhP3ozrow/s320/20220729_115500.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Next we were at the Cape of Good Hope, which is often wrongly cited as the southernmost part of Africa. It's actually the south-westernmost point of Africa, but it still has some incredible views. It's a hike, but I definitely recommend walking up to the top of the lighthouse if you're able. The color of the ocean water is dreamy!</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1phz_oG9pEQzRAOooEyVNqfZrtSZbVi4y6_YR8OArncQSvMyetvkJXaHYJq850yHM1I5aahc4wXA2Tv_AK0BUe8qqeJNHaOuGOcfw4XYrMyOhJe_oUIFHrcnTRkwrQEY_A2vG8H9cYCEUptEdYHWGKzuUdYOpQWQLyTycNHGqcpmz5f2Vca2iEyqgug/s4000/20220729_131905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1phz_oG9pEQzRAOooEyVNqfZrtSZbVi4y6_YR8OArncQSvMyetvkJXaHYJq850yHM1I5aahc4wXA2Tv_AK0BUe8qqeJNHaOuGOcfw4XYrMyOhJe_oUIFHrcnTRkwrQEY_A2vG8H9cYCEUptEdYHWGKzuUdYOpQWQLyTycNHGqcpmz5f2Vca2iEyqgug/s320/20220729_131905.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape of Good Hope</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0sH-y5AtqeoRCMf2bTgUcz00AEz8Fi_bix6ZbjzftmmMH1TpjG1CHW1P8EdIUh4y_cSJaU7FAzCFcjNwf7SxXiQ2fCb6f_edIwh9bMwK25X-aK7AgoBvOeWsw1DIhgsrAG7qnFvUosc5GsMWzfycrW8YqJoqr1Vkj4Pzt_SIGgDg4iRK5tloV5TZ4g/s4608/IMG_20220729_132032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0sH-y5AtqeoRCMf2bTgUcz00AEz8Fi_bix6ZbjzftmmMH1TpjG1CHW1P8EdIUh4y_cSJaU7FAzCFcjNwf7SxXiQ2fCb6f_edIwh9bMwK25X-aK7AgoBvOeWsw1DIhgsrAG7qnFvUosc5GsMWzfycrW8YqJoqr1Vkj4Pzt_SIGgDg4iRK5tloV5TZ4g/s320/IMG_20220729_132032.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Have I mentioned the wildlife yet? I know we talked about penguins, but did you know ostriches live here too? I also had no idea how many baboons there are in South Africa. I loved them! All the little babies, the mamas, and the big daddies. The only time it was less than ideal was when Dan was chased by a big dude in the Cape of Good Hope parking lot. I thought it was funny, but yeah, it was a little scary.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZimmTsDoA0uCWGpSVaMzSgTGwq_Rh25SObw9Y7nLuw9EvhrVycPDuTl37r_N2m-P1IFtQZvb-KnDxa8LjDsaAFsGNRjMjEtnKZ4uxZJD-Dl2NqOWdTPB1SK6M52eoVcwgikgqoFrrdeJsaUZXPMHoZ7XSMKnaBSGunxWyvZUtE4sFU40by_8vyw3rdw/s4000/20220729_143152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZimmTsDoA0uCWGpSVaMzSgTGwq_Rh25SObw9Y7nLuw9EvhrVycPDuTl37r_N2m-P1IFtQZvb-KnDxa8LjDsaAFsGNRjMjEtnKZ4uxZJD-Dl2NqOWdTPB1SK6M52eoVcwgikgqoFrrdeJsaUZXPMHoZ7XSMKnaBSGunxWyvZUtE4sFU40by_8vyw3rdw/s320/20220729_143152.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDKMDcT_pQe6R-HkYGXScnSg2TLv3b8o3lVjuA0dUR36MgtmJtbJTGxrpPj1-5wvD6dInReCR2AV8tuKj8RbKDuQvs7hQ5QSjwyZIFuKXI-8FCTCk9CGs7qezeRlOoA6XYZKiDIq1_n30rRRIqCmVe4A-KjR4XslOiZsJT3YJk6ME9tac16UOBc09yw/s3000/20220729_152158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDKMDcT_pQe6R-HkYGXScnSg2TLv3b8o3lVjuA0dUR36MgtmJtbJTGxrpPj1-5wvD6dInReCR2AV8tuKj8RbKDuQvs7hQ5QSjwyZIFuKXI-8FCTCk9CGs7qezeRlOoA6XYZKiDIq1_n30rRRIqCmVe4A-KjR4XslOiZsJT3YJk6ME9tac16UOBc09yw/s320/20220729_152158.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stay tuned for more to come!</div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point Rd, Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa-34.3568425 18.4739882-62.801052833509253 -16.6822618 -5.9126321664907451 53.6302382tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-62799085817923314382022-08-14T11:11:00.003-04:002022-08-14T11:11:32.586-04:00Southern Africa: A Trip of a Lifetime<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For years Dan and I have said that we would celebrate our 40th birthdays with an African safari. It's a huge bucket-list item that we knew we wanted to do right. After hearing about my parents' trip for their 40th anniversary, we started planning our trip modeled after theirs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM1-x9Z__aMHuvFfMQU25cICYacVZKalRH2sOhliLlXF9dTVz7-DggzR6N-hbxk3ety3orLGQbiOh1OGaOpVIh1qr7iLuxvD_nnLCrzc_UJItJzDol8DRMhMbA8XlJDvNT-jVM6FiQNgX4vzgNr2FdyYaJ5stX6L3iFdP5U4zN1Fgqq-7MTV5kUQGEw/s2893/IMG_20220729_143910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2893" data-original-width="2477" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM1-x9Z__aMHuvFfMQU25cICYacVZKalRH2sOhliLlXF9dTVz7-DggzR6N-hbxk3ety3orLGQbiOh1OGaOpVIh1qr7iLuxvD_nnLCrzc_UJItJzDol8DRMhMbA8XlJDvNT-jVM6FiQNgX4vzgNr2FdyYaJ5stX6L3iFdP5U4zN1Fgqq-7MTV5kUQGEw/w343-h400/IMG_20220729_143910.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We consulted with our travel agent, my parents, friends, the Internet, and many library books and came up with this final itinerary. I wouldn't change a thing!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3bidJM4RLhXScLvH0V_JaThtqfRchb6moecWcEOa444yDv-lMZe3IIFa83RUHGDXLxjk8awX93QVyK7CnAcfiOcYDEqIvou1_zuYTwLrOnU6BkdU59L-XDgPdYHPVJ9p5u1chStzPoq37vEmzXOlqbn2SzslIfQ4V2DLeIGZIsSrTBr5FHHjicAiWQ/s407/Africa%20Map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="407" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3bidJM4RLhXScLvH0V_JaThtqfRchb6moecWcEOa444yDv-lMZe3IIFa83RUHGDXLxjk8awX93QVyK7CnAcfiOcYDEqIvou1_zuYTwLrOnU6BkdU59L-XDgPdYHPVJ9p5u1chStzPoq37vEmzXOlqbn2SzslIfQ4V2DLeIGZIsSrTBr5FHHjicAiWQ/w400-h260/Africa%20Map.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Cape Town -<i> 3 Nights</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Hermanus - <i>2 Nights</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Franshoek - <i>2 Nights</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Sabi Sands Game Reserve - <i>3 Nights</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Victoria Falls - <i>3 Nights</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Johannesburg - <i>Departure City</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though we are experienced travelers, we decided to work with a travel agent for a few reasons. <i>First</i>, we are still in Covid times. Travel restrictions and health requirements are constantly changing and we did not want to be figuring out each country/city/hotel's policies. <i>Second</i>, even in the best of times crossing three countries with multiple international and domestic flights and visas is challenging. Working with an agent allowed us to just enjoy our experience without having to think about the logistics. I cannot recommend using a travel agent highly enough. Helen Kirby from Rhino Africa was especially fantastic!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk8uD_BmnA9VzgM2ZtE1wVnYMC_BKcCokiarsGJJy1a3d8c-SMYGlJSyioyk3Gw626iuqDxcuW-RIMAMkaZVd-x4GQgfzQFRnyyG52xQ2Xge0owqCkuTVmNayWppEY2A24nYy1zmTpq-W3lVA9QA6qY48KVYp7xoWZX2xEA3jLDMODmonxfBkDjQfgQ/s1859/itinerary3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1859" height="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk8uD_BmnA9VzgM2ZtE1wVnYMC_BKcCokiarsGJJy1a3d8c-SMYGlJSyioyk3Gw626iuqDxcuW-RIMAMkaZVd-x4GQgfzQFRnyyG52xQ2Xge0owqCkuTVmNayWppEY2A24nYy1zmTpq-W3lVA9QA6qY48KVYp7xoWZX2xEA3jLDMODmonxfBkDjQfgQ/w640-h248/itinerary3.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Though it will be impossible to fully document our incredible trip, I'll try over the next series of posts to bring you with us through our trip of a lifetime! Get ready!</div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Cape Town, South Africa-33.9248685 18.4240553-62.235102336178848 -16.7321947 -5.6146346638211568 53.5803053tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-32006339744846215732022-07-27T07:00:00.001-04:002022-07-27T07:00:00.187-04:00Dear Asher: 6 Years<p>Dear Asher,</p><p>Happy 6th birthday! I think I say this every year, but this might have been my favorite year so far. You are just so darn loveable. I mean, look at this face!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MfJ7Di6XG__YyjGpS7P6X3xLB9TDrGGuGQuh8bAanmbAEB_LI1e4GLMITeFRZixRAm2anDtBGSq6eG3KKmA2bzLwYBow0pAlXkSMIhaZkdTgwWgpxMFjvfT-49mmKK33hqvxmHJqd5IgsoLc5v7EuZ5nnK5aqtpj-1XCRheCjMppoScYyrDdfarK8A/s4352/IMG_20220708_151055_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4352" data-original-width="3264" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MfJ7Di6XG__YyjGpS7P6X3xLB9TDrGGuGQuh8bAanmbAEB_LI1e4GLMITeFRZixRAm2anDtBGSq6eG3KKmA2bzLwYBow0pAlXkSMIhaZkdTgwWgpxMFjvfT-49mmKK33hqvxmHJqd5IgsoLc5v7EuZ5nnK5aqtpj-1XCRheCjMppoScYyrDdfarK8A/w300-h400/IMG_20220708_151055_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I love that you genuinely want to spend time with us--whether it's going on adventures in our forest, reading books, playing with Lego, doing science experiments, baking, or just being silly together. We always have a good time playing. You're also becoming more independent though. You've taken your first solo flights (to Texas and Florida) and are getting better at solo play.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp6Ps5ip69tesnlMXP8ND5Ymy-cmIJmvLIFe-WexSaIr1aWL98523zqBrEUIw1R43iYP96Y7G8dMzydGVh8ftLZu0IKwSaQIdfIh6nmBRQRYKlSj0KkDcsHRHJJ-0EOFiVHuJ2HLKTMHePETCBTDF4fR1PgxV4KC9A_liwn7ki2i5Gtzs4gbBwyFUHw/s4608/IMG_20210919_103443_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp6Ps5ip69tesnlMXP8ND5Ymy-cmIJmvLIFe-WexSaIr1aWL98523zqBrEUIw1R43iYP96Y7G8dMzydGVh8ftLZu0IKwSaQIdfIh6nmBRQRYKlSj0KkDcsHRHJJ-0EOFiVHuJ2HLKTMHePETCBTDF4fR1PgxV4KC9A_liwn7ki2i5Gtzs4gbBwyFUHw/w300-h400/IMG_20210919_103443_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbHm9pXSHH_SoMUF9zESIDcAiGVz6cZFJbYEk8i0--YOzQ1dShFM_6ZZJpBSlsi9C77PT2z6Z632bVA7XzCvHR0WV8-rn0iyixtmPs_maqWAQfL3xF7AAqEAtm9gaubhW9EGYdtWqO2nBQLAGOxX8dcRrrsQTpMvbFcqCVs2sjc7EVHZGqTSBA1uZpg/s4608/IMG_20211217_173649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbHm9pXSHH_SoMUF9zESIDcAiGVz6cZFJbYEk8i0--YOzQ1dShFM_6ZZJpBSlsi9C77PT2z6Z632bVA7XzCvHR0WV8-rn0iyixtmPs_maqWAQfL3xF7AAqEAtm9gaubhW9EGYdtWqO2nBQLAGOxX8dcRrrsQTpMvbFcqCVs2sjc7EVHZGqTSBA1uZpg/w184-h400/IMG_20211217_173649.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBX1gc4Wh9cBYpgaEF2ZieEnIrghDFgs3dyQFZebPXKMaX_arluIeDx-wTrhNBXJqF4ZKssQq8n9R9ropkIebPzOkiC7SpSjy7EFUNEOVRu6MqEPeh-HYfKJ-NWWsex1vPnjx_2CSOzpxcmSYypYMHmJxrrLuEiyRPWY9K8YVT1VjOw9NzrQl4Nt54g/s4320/IMG_20220709_112142_441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4320" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBX1gc4Wh9cBYpgaEF2ZieEnIrghDFgs3dyQFZebPXKMaX_arluIeDx-wTrhNBXJqF4ZKssQq8n9R9ropkIebPzOkiC7SpSjy7EFUNEOVRu6MqEPeh-HYfKJ-NWWsex1vPnjx_2CSOzpxcmSYypYMHmJxrrLuEiyRPWY9K8YVT1VjOw9NzrQl4Nt54g/w320-h400/IMG_20220709_112142_441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>You graduated kindergarten and are on your way to first grade! This school year was a big adjustment for you and it wasn't always smooth sailing. But you did a great job communicating with us about what you need. Your teachers also helped a lot, getting you extra help to learn how to write better. Now you're reading, writing, drawing, and doing math problems in your head for fun. Oh, and you're learning Hebrew too. It's a lot! Even though you are still a reluctant reader, it's fun watching you discover the world around you through this unlocked talent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TjoIEMuDt5xzRH5iSKu_OKm1bEiwdsd3CakktQaHXKBmwth9IBMYAt5xZxrFjzmgSMWm5fUKcvvCVetrNZBsuKxv8Stc8XefyWE54EhfQqEpZ1YRXVEITfmPup2Pvea-d4osA4j5puPKvbITrtKWvFx1W_XzkjDPtvKIul9z5kUUxnX7Z7c-n5OiDA/s4032/20210928_133109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TjoIEMuDt5xzRH5iSKu_OKm1bEiwdsd3CakktQaHXKBmwth9IBMYAt5xZxrFjzmgSMWm5fUKcvvCVetrNZBsuKxv8Stc8XefyWE54EhfQqEpZ1YRXVEITfmPup2Pvea-d4osA4j5puPKvbITrtKWvFx1W_XzkjDPtvKIul9z5kUUxnX7Z7c-n5OiDA/w400-h225/20210928_133109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>You made some good friends this year in school and still remain close to your buddies from the Pod from last year. You had several playdates with many of the kids in your class and you got "married" a few times to Roxy, Raquel, and Eva. But Zahara and I still seem to be your number one girls.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RFv2vsjN7LKusxfh3E7lmU6YskgnLmMbtMYntgHsmQl8vdFIUR2ohdFnZvxIrC4s-VHki5EBVKq_ynIDGd59q2-z8l389T4oBQROsu7jaEZ-iI6DkvvhY3Ex3jPHEmY9s0WfKodEjnTdzM_fPfV47F_-K_noEaGqu28hZdam4GlH8l_UVUQU3k_fcw/s1440/IMG_20220725_081223_195.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RFv2vsjN7LKusxfh3E7lmU6YskgnLmMbtMYntgHsmQl8vdFIUR2ohdFnZvxIrC4s-VHki5EBVKq_ynIDGd59q2-z8l389T4oBQROsu7jaEZ-iI6DkvvhY3Ex3jPHEmY9s0WfKodEjnTdzM_fPfV47F_-K_noEaGqu28hZdam4GlH8l_UVUQU3k_fcw/w400-h400/IMG_20220725_081223_195.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I wouldn't necessarily call you an athlete, but I'm proud of the efforts you've been putting in with karate, soccer, swimming, and skiing. Karate and soccer weren't your favorites, but you'd be happy skiing or swimming any day. It's so fun watching you learn a new skill! You'll be out-skiing daddy and I next season!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhqoOT5odSzU4BUMw0RUdCG_actjAspvUC-spaRfhwKyl-8-B2zgJXEWvmZxJkjfof-_49TDGLJIuPFon7Eyae8TZ9WRoFF_VLPaWErLcVNf5MtXab8zKh_WnW3OiNzN-awjBUb5jI3aTVieOo-i161gTDneEBOcHukAjoiSqbC_DA3IeKhJ4kU_kHQ/s4608/IMG_20220124_133704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhqoOT5odSzU4BUMw0RUdCG_actjAspvUC-spaRfhwKyl-8-B2zgJXEWvmZxJkjfof-_49TDGLJIuPFon7Eyae8TZ9WRoFF_VLPaWErLcVNf5MtXab8zKh_WnW3OiNzN-awjBUb5jI3aTVieOo-i161gTDneEBOcHukAjoiSqbC_DA3IeKhJ4kU_kHQ/w184-h400/IMG_20220124_133704.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0OqEDf1uCrrZvQrgUZ2j2hK2Vb5An-7sMTM99_AP1S0QULxYDaNAYBqES6cBTbM_qe2wW3EXKDWg374cUSwy04Pdrivvz_WBH2Ug0-YRrZK79gQvW9qVPT7CCiHzNFdAdzT87pz8V9v6m3gWa_DdP_b3dNV-s1XkAVBOGYL5zCLRFkNH1cFE_OKk4w/s4000/IMG_20220615_161036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0OqEDf1uCrrZvQrgUZ2j2hK2Vb5An-7sMTM99_AP1S0QULxYDaNAYBqES6cBTbM_qe2wW3EXKDWg374cUSwy04Pdrivvz_WBH2Ug0-YRrZK79gQvW9qVPT7CCiHzNFdAdzT87pz8V9v6m3gWa_DdP_b3dNV-s1XkAVBOGYL5zCLRFkNH1cFE_OKk4w/w300-h400/IMG_20220615_161036.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6QT0YuhrL1bJBlWg1-bxuNJ0gygwI-_0tJJNKAVqPc3t_y0LdAY1L5JnP0gyWmfIRIOuncMhCAStCaxfkfHPWd2pNt6ZtQM8P1de4n_oNADM_e4qShY1Fw2W3sZ7gl7ULtzXqjySvJWwi7wumNZ5Nfru1z2emQUPbEeRve9HXs3ztY7KbWiex1Nt8Q/s2959/IMG_20220414_173347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6QT0YuhrL1bJBlWg1-bxuNJ0gygwI-_0tJJNKAVqPc3t_y0LdAY1L5JnP0gyWmfIRIOuncMhCAStCaxfkfHPWd2pNt6ZtQM8P1de4n_oNADM_e4qShY1Fw2W3sZ7gl7ULtzXqjySvJWwi7wumNZ5Nfru1z2emQUPbEeRve9HXs3ztY7KbWiex1Nt8Q/w285-h400/IMG_20220414_173347.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><p>You finally lost your first teeth just this week! I know you've been telling everyone that you already lost teeth but that's not true. You grew shark teeth just like your sister and the baby teeth are hanging around forever. I'm sure more visits from the Tooth Fairy are just around the corner.</p><p>One of my favorite things about you, other than your incredible sense of humor, is your empathy. You are (almost) always thinking of others. You ask about how people are feeling, how their days are, if they'd like to share your food. It's incredibly endearing. Paired with your hilarious sayings, like "this oatmeal is kind of dry if you ask me," you just keep me smiling all day long. Not counting when you go full Hulk mode and start throwing pillows, of course.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNzm4cYlYDum_NA_iL8VPbKCtFzBYJnoVxHRHWXu4KKBx5p3zZx7n8THOjTDoK73Tx_fdP6BXtZtB0mJvc6W3ka6Rixjk2omUk8N-ZDYAJ3n1KnzNcIrbKj6FO473N0f6zW16IWi-6ZXRthGeP6PqGkYVUeYaU2RbXqYswRtJDRx3msEU52gykDyYcQ/s4608/IMG_20220521_104238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNzm4cYlYDum_NA_iL8VPbKCtFzBYJnoVxHRHWXu4KKBx5p3zZx7n8THOjTDoK73Tx_fdP6BXtZtB0mJvc6W3ka6Rixjk2omUk8N-ZDYAJ3n1KnzNcIrbKj6FO473N0f6zW16IWi-6ZXRthGeP6PqGkYVUeYaU2RbXqYswRtJDRx3msEU52gykDyYcQ/w184-h400/IMG_20220521_104238.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ash, we love the young man you are today and can't wait to see what the next year holds for you. Happiest of happy birthdays! We love you!</div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-74104340392372974542022-07-26T20:37:00.000-04:002022-07-26T20:37:28.966-04:00NYC VacationEarlier this summer, Dan and I shipped the kids off* and snuck away for a quick break in New York City! We were celebrating the trifecta event of Dan's birthday, Father's Day, and Juneteenth!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJODTMSExtbgMEvsqFHCtWKFZpqTpXfQ556pbZvbGx1xp26_-6MZF0SuX30kqbv78hZb3DRGiSc9cuEoetCn7o_05KR7wXxmbAtHabWATdrsqlxXRYUuDsrgErGzFOE92_xYj0TfgzNUtLySxEvQXTiSt3W0NyRYUlq4zxRaTBhT98AW2V4JJqJWhQkA/s4608/IMG_20220619_195602.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJODTMSExtbgMEvsqFHCtWKFZpqTpXfQ556pbZvbGx1xp26_-6MZF0SuX30kqbv78hZb3DRGiSc9cuEoetCn7o_05KR7wXxmbAtHabWATdrsqlxXRYUuDsrgErGzFOE92_xYj0TfgzNUtLySxEvQXTiSt3W0NyRYUlq4zxRaTBhT98AW2V4JJqJWhQkA/s400/IMG_20220619_195602.jpg" /></a></div><div>Dan got us a great deal for a hotel near Bryant Park. We took the train up and were able to walk everywhere. It was perfect! Here are some of our highlights:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Food</span></b></div><div>Obviously I have to start with the food. We had a few must-dos but were otherwise fairly open to what the city chose to put in our path. Must dos included:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pizza</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I wasn't picky about where this staple came from, but I wanted it hot, huge, and greasy. I was very satisfied with my slice of white from Joe's near Broadway</li></ul><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7C5MuigWXdoOu7aTUP-RkaDoTAFwQUeSdsBaEb5QgdLd3-bTW4gTBsiJA8QvvvhnsQmwxRyE3BeUJ-3z3OUX1qukPdOUr6l92-SPKwf0Mk5NC5__Vh7Q_zFUA86kjxgnIw_33sKxiWGCYmSuXIL37XyGDJhfsJpDhMfmJCOgLwuBAIr2dAzyYj7_dg/s4608/IMG_20220619_180058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7C5MuigWXdoOu7aTUP-RkaDoTAFwQUeSdsBaEb5QgdLd3-bTW4gTBsiJA8QvvvhnsQmwxRyE3BeUJ-3z3OUX1qukPdOUr6l92-SPKwf0Mk5NC5__Vh7Q_zFUA86kjxgnIw_33sKxiWGCYmSuXIL37XyGDJhfsJpDhMfmJCOgLwuBAIr2dAzyYj7_dg/s320/IMG_20220619_180058.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><b>Bagels</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> I was aiming for a perfect bagel from Ess-a-Bagel, H&H, or Russ & Daughters. We ended up getting breakfast at Best Bagel & Coffee and it was still pretty good. As they say, it's the water that makes the bagels so chewy and light.<br /><br /></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSlYvpq5pI7ooefZrAIegRlO0tcQGelyqh74koQncH6lttSkTIgb44U-yceeRL4TG-nVxwa9UVwaWFcfkQ1JdPVfkJdP_d9AK7orqZxzG_vYWYnQuXons8GM4RJ_orS6-P_h2Q2e7ba2GJ3q1o1wkUzwzQEv8Gy_-Qf5ovNrpiIaamN6hPuZu8aTt_Q/s4608/IMG_20220620_102611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSlYvpq5pI7ooefZrAIegRlO0tcQGelyqh74koQncH6lttSkTIgb44U-yceeRL4TG-nVxwa9UVwaWFcfkQ1JdPVfkJdP_d9AK7orqZxzG_vYWYnQuXons8GM4RJ_orS6-P_h2Q2e7ba2GJ3q1o1wkUzwzQEv8Gy_-Qf5ovNrpiIaamN6hPuZu8aTt_Q/w300-h400/IMG_20220620_102611.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Meat</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span>Prime Grill was my favorite NY Kosher establishment, but sadly it closed in 2017. <a href="https://www.lemarais.net/" target="_blank">Le Marais</a> is always a good choice though. I got the ribeye and Dan got </span><i>steak au poivre </i><span>(pepper-crusted steak). We split the duck and veal spread. Dan liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. We also got a chocolate mousse dessert to go, which we happily ate in our comfy hotel bed.<br /><br /></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K8OjOI-eBY6xvxDse2REk3cHtQuwGZN32fJvEXr6HGj40gRHaAAO59T5cLgWWBza6_Cez0ifEsgPZx1ZwRnXRlhu_Bj6ibD4dkZ7yxE4LFDlQA4jxpql5SH31YPqkIZ871sPENGxsCxw2zaimbTwoa3eNou_KNx4YnxJercWlSv_fqthLbadnT_7hQ/s4608/IMG_20220620_200825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K8OjOI-eBY6xvxDse2REk3cHtQuwGZN32fJvEXr6HGj40gRHaAAO59T5cLgWWBza6_Cez0ifEsgPZx1ZwRnXRlhu_Bj6ibD4dkZ7yxE4LFDlQA4jxpql5SH31YPqkIZ871sPENGxsCxw2zaimbTwoa3eNou_KNx4YnxJercWlSv_fqthLbadnT_7hQ/w300-h400/IMG_20220620_200825.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdh9mKBkQ1FUhKtlJJi8d8HzI6MoJKaaZ1TyowFEc-Iakj1EaWGRL-albw8aZpwt9JXwOKXNFDCPqxSj6BfP7fupK016hYQzunRDN4C1S-nr60ShrPFX4qSv-YAcFcbNasod2TWGFigxWvaKLlSIgS8nbgVyO_ORI3_UUY8wGCZrxovcXDWxwqPahXg/s4608/IMG_20220620_213700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdh9mKBkQ1FUhKtlJJi8d8HzI6MoJKaaZ1TyowFEc-Iakj1EaWGRL-albw8aZpwt9JXwOKXNFDCPqxSj6BfP7fupK016hYQzunRDN4C1S-nr60ShrPFX4qSv-YAcFcbNasod2TWGFigxWvaKLlSIgS8nbgVyO_ORI3_UUY8wGCZrxovcXDWxwqPahXg/w300-h400/IMG_20220620_213700.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><b>Pasta</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We stumbled upon <a href="https://www.eataly.com/us_en/shop/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwof6WBhD4ARIsAOi65ajZzFoSGFDMG-_EAJaXRZ7nFkI_4cx7xKuVvEXmgE7ZiLLgEFnvDIsaAp8qEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Eataly</a>, a super fun Italian market. We sat at one of the food counters and ordered fresh pasta while Dan drank a Chinotto. I loved checking out the vibrant fruit and veggie stands too. We didn't have as good of luck at Becco, Joe and Lidia Bastianich's restaurant. It was fine, but I expected more.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqcbliqyUBnTrCQbbaQAz0Sv20MflVTegY3LKzX0vfev7y5A_BJUg6wZKD0b4qbW5Y1gUe5WDmgPj3gx7TwsDzD9Q0PfhW03rWQYkBtiuiMp-Scaz-ngERt5ozREOdn5aAqtkDBxZz9y-ubo1K6vNpB2HOSs4kjQPVSO1njyPvlFtFkaoLp7M0lIxsw/s4608/IMG_20220621_122045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqcbliqyUBnTrCQbbaQAz0Sv20MflVTegY3LKzX0vfev7y5A_BJUg6wZKD0b4qbW5Y1gUe5WDmgPj3gx7TwsDzD9Q0PfhW03rWQYkBtiuiMp-Scaz-ngERt5ozREOdn5aAqtkDBxZz9y-ubo1K6vNpB2HOSs4kjQPVSO1njyPvlFtFkaoLp7M0lIxsw/w400-h300/IMG_20220621_122045.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojZMP1VJpuJyl5QATZcNfnPsp96kdqFIjhpYuAzrsWvKKFzg0-d-NnCECCAtooSPHu5FkxgYA4f7a3nm6tk54UHsNCe1V-SrY2wCGkWBGfSp29H2_aAGs9YWCG13NEJAdPP2rViHxVhHsz7rj2ROzPgJY2Bk2nC1eMmBzqZf6hdnnEaKA1Qhm5JYIgw/s4608/IMG_20220621_120655.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojZMP1VJpuJyl5QATZcNfnPsp96kdqFIjhpYuAzrsWvKKFzg0-d-NnCECCAtooSPHu5FkxgYA4f7a3nm6tk54UHsNCe1V-SrY2wCGkWBGfSp29H2_aAGs9YWCG13NEJAdPP2rViHxVhHsz7rj2ROzPgJY2Bk2nC1eMmBzqZf6hdnnEaKA1Qhm5JYIgw/w300-h400/IMG_20220621_120655.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkxnLVqibW4NF26wil21m-5qGWosNuus2sS6FtPW9S76jdfWz-sVval1wWAllY3kwUBCI1mXfDgXP7KfmE7WT0RakzxxnoHvQ16J9aZt56CjTHu3TlGYEckc_FXryto2fDHpQusbqc2fBfjjltrsnf_1da9F_9dGD54cTUs-46Zg2H9WJfevlDG2GiQ/s4608/IMG_20220621_120701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkxnLVqibW4NF26wil21m-5qGWosNuus2sS6FtPW9S76jdfWz-sVval1wWAllY3kwUBCI1mXfDgXP7KfmE7WT0RakzxxnoHvQ16J9aZt56CjTHu3TlGYEckc_FXryto2fDHpQusbqc2fBfjjltrsnf_1da9F_9dGD54cTUs-46Zg2H9WJfevlDG2GiQ/w300-h400/IMG_20220621_120701.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Dessert</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You know I love a good dessert. We had some pretty good ones while on vacation. Some of our favorites were the ice cream from an ice cream truck in Bryant Park; the black and white cookie from Zaro's in the train station; our chocolate mousse bomb described above; and multiple baked goods from the delicious <a href="https://www.marvelousbyfred.com/" target="_blank">Marvelous by Fred</a>. We loved that patisserie so much that we actually went back a second time for the freshly baked brioche!</li></ul></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj44NssT7PvdCBRluxKezNLGZAKcU8aw4fYohw2zecgYqOwQ6smfaBNxVbCUJKxzeXNI0Dp9tpvnKlzWMtqMBzNDNABuyuzX8JYvjdiwNN3L02pfuawlGRaQbWvig1BKhJ9kzWRBv8HI7JYwUOyUDKl5DJj0FADGRgzLCf7O8_ZR-Wj_gq4kj7-9JjHA/s4000/IMG_20220621_152328_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj44NssT7PvdCBRluxKezNLGZAKcU8aw4fYohw2zecgYqOwQ6smfaBNxVbCUJKxzeXNI0Dp9tpvnKlzWMtqMBzNDNABuyuzX8JYvjdiwNN3L02pfuawlGRaQbWvig1BKhJ9kzWRBv8HI7JYwUOyUDKl5DJj0FADGRgzLCf7O8_ZR-Wj_gq4kj7-9JjHA/w300-h400/IMG_20220621_152328_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARdeXocK6W-yOAyLdx2VbqyQIDYxzhfYfaR-2EtR1VVlb5lth31mJBEGIXMadBYAX2_QLIVEQNMWkJcswMbFT4eizTAob9Wj6--II3e3zCHSxATykhRMz3lVNP95sgxwgUQJDe8tJ-EDSkriLRdQ3Cx4uxH3yNDF5vsXW1Cua2fmbf37z7uubJ90Ekg/s4608/IMG_20220619_183020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARdeXocK6W-yOAyLdx2VbqyQIDYxzhfYfaR-2EtR1VVlb5lth31mJBEGIXMadBYAX2_QLIVEQNMWkJcswMbFT4eizTAob9Wj6--II3e3zCHSxATykhRMz3lVNP95sgxwgUQJDe8tJ-EDSkriLRdQ3Cx4uxH3yNDF5vsXW1Cua2fmbf37z7uubJ90Ekg/w300-h400/IMG_20220619_183020.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Activities</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Broadway--Hadestown</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We had to see a show while we were in town, and what better show to see than the one for which my cousin won a Tony!! That's right. I'm related to a two-time Tony award winner, Bradley King (hey Brad!). <br /><br /></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif06Q6oj6gUcXuf58DQ-lGvqsSkvZsbvqhfkm-PgKeG81mahLroBrVjdUVS0VnqRy-FvgmYaKxV0gag1hBfNPKHD4l_WRGCf08OE8w34RHyUykZE3FTWp1B6Lv8TwMywP0WJrdyaJfLkGKfCfC52yc8xlFMNb4oN7EGBYGh-xuLq-aGqc119EPeEup3g/s4608/IMG_20220619_145517__01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif06Q6oj6gUcXuf58DQ-lGvqsSkvZsbvqhfkm-PgKeG81mahLroBrVjdUVS0VnqRy-FvgmYaKxV0gag1hBfNPKHD4l_WRGCf08OE8w34RHyUykZE3FTWp1B6Lv8TwMywP0WJrdyaJfLkGKfCfC52yc8xlFMNb4oN7EGBYGh-xuLq-aGqc119EPeEup3g/w300-h400/IMG_20220619_145517__01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Brad designed the lighting for Hadestown, a retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades. At first I wasn't sure what to expect from the lighting, but wow did it deliver. The show is incredible. The music is dark and jazzy, the story is told so well, and the scenery is magical. Honestly, it's one of the best shows I've see. Highly recommend!</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><b>Highline</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We spent a day walking around the Highline. It was such a wonderful way to see the city!</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_9J5UDypnlgFd4uTL2WkhNXBVeHseiAymq9DqZnUU6PVGnmua2D6X5oEIHdMwXCggWba0orVHVpF2Pqha3sJXYVinh2gDpGY6XR3Zuft242oeliHxIiX8_D5GXfergZ7POtYFlV6wAxuRCGswU3zLRN2y9JXoKynCVewPQcd-zFJrC1KnG5HYJ2ycA/s4608/IMG_20220620_112819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_9J5UDypnlgFd4uTL2WkhNXBVeHseiAymq9DqZnUU6PVGnmua2D6X5oEIHdMwXCggWba0orVHVpF2Pqha3sJXYVinh2gDpGY6XR3Zuft242oeliHxIiX8_D5GXfergZ7POtYFlV6wAxuRCGswU3zLRN2y9JXoKynCVewPQcd-zFJrC1KnG5HYJ2ycA/w300-h400/IMG_20220620_112819.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCoTrHi9Jvh9E4lRjDV9Nf8j0aI_yRirBHqSOBgS58FfPwvw2MbJlWGO3gUBu-u5I4GO7931jmItXGlDyFc5ovqU_X7R5tamRQR-i7ZJ3vWGS-AmsjECjgVhzDB7D89KJ2WLNHEZvCxI3OuA08Zuc8uM2ge1RQDMvi4fJ0Wo9GN7IB932zZcpIQT37A/s4608/IMG_20220620_113109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCoTrHi9Jvh9E4lRjDV9Nf8j0aI_yRirBHqSOBgS58FfPwvw2MbJlWGO3gUBu-u5I4GO7931jmItXGlDyFc5ovqU_X7R5tamRQR-i7ZJ3vWGS-AmsjECjgVhzDB7D89KJ2WLNHEZvCxI3OuA08Zuc8uM2ge1RQDMvi4fJ0Wo9GN7IB932zZcpIQT37A/w300-h400/IMG_20220620_113109.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Books</b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We made a quick stop to <a href="https://www.strandbooks.com/" target="_blank">The Strand</a> to see the miles of books. It's fun seeing a place in person that I've read about in many books (like <i>Dash and Lily's Book of Dares</i>). I especially loved the rainbow book wall and the blind date table!<br /><br /></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhytn4XlG6jNS_m9LNy5vxOgwSIOez2Rn3L_r-szjLc58KCeoXcA6WBd-xQAEYc8t9QCxEJve8eCagS0kdiGHKbO3vkCPcbh2TxGqUZsbouNQTvvGy8zu023cwE-RxM9bOIqdvBaamVagmnqpE4qHWjRBjvi5Bl5lV2ITWddRfF2vl1by2WMyASROY9w/s4608/IMG_20220621_132555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhytn4XlG6jNS_m9LNy5vxOgwSIOez2Rn3L_r-szjLc58KCeoXcA6WBd-xQAEYc8t9QCxEJve8eCagS0kdiGHKbO3vkCPcbh2TxGqUZsbouNQTvvGy8zu023cwE-RxM9bOIqdvBaamVagmnqpE4qHWjRBjvi5Bl5lV2ITWddRfF2vl1by2WMyASROY9w/w400-h300/IMG_20220621_132555.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVnKO-c8JpCwCPpJGOY-ReNGJ1b6rpO4THsdTbfbjhqT5n3zuJjZR3sXzSCbgVGvIcdRlfvyyR0-Ck9a4GsPZUROnbr6HtBqPulb3sP5vsSTpCAYE1kGMZvLuR1_ONBixfkBFrbQ8qG_0xkus9aRagN3zvJgFUW6sflf8C_LXdRSGe0JMIBTLaSBzxQ/s4608/IMG_20220621_132530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVnKO-c8JpCwCPpJGOY-ReNGJ1b6rpO4THsdTbfbjhqT5n3zuJjZR3sXzSCbgVGvIcdRlfvyyR0-Ck9a4GsPZUROnbr6HtBqPulb3sP5vsSTpCAYE1kGMZvLuR1_ONBixfkBFrbQ8qG_0xkus9aRagN3zvJgFUW6sflf8C_LXdRSGe0JMIBTLaSBzxQ/w300-h400/IMG_20220621_132530.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a quick trip but it was much needed. I love getting away and seeing (and eating!) new things. Now we're ready for our next adventure!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>* I've said it before and I'll say it again--Dan and I have the BEST families. Our kids were awesome adventurers and hopped on separate planes to visit grandparents. Coincidentally, they both left from the same gate at BWI only a couple of hours apart. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACWG-NrDy-ae_5dTSq7_c_5SiJxdOyUi07GNa8RowkZI_eM0QzHG2MjiUJy7thoKWzF2RH3Oj-nk0uCM8HAvYJXdgTHOhzg7-_VaKtHxraAIO2Tw5TysByFnQFVVsfmFPiGXoilC3cnHkdQBAVjkBE30JlWm44g5T7uNymRpcv3cQJ_3SOcTtnRdsBg/s2391/IMG_20220618_112820.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="2391" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACWG-NrDy-ae_5dTSq7_c_5SiJxdOyUi07GNa8RowkZI_eM0QzHG2MjiUJy7thoKWzF2RH3Oj-nk0uCM8HAvYJXdgTHOhzg7-_VaKtHxraAIO2Tw5TysByFnQFVVsfmFPiGXoilC3cnHkdQBAVjkBE30JlWm44g5T7uNymRpcv3cQJ_3SOcTtnRdsBg/w400-h230/IMG_20220618_112820.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972812.402541463821152 -109.1622228 69.023009136178842 -38.849722799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-26317977532398612812022-06-29T22:05:00.003-04:002022-06-29T22:08:16.170-04:00Dear Zahara: 9 Years Old<p>Dear Zahara,</p><p>Happy ninth birthday! You have grown up so much this year. It's amazing to watch you mature into the clever, hilarious, caring, prankster you are.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yaOUWPAH37GcXeDBXunNIJT5nhTo_HGL_LZvXGdVgz2FKT65lHv-UpA3r3dUDwSbXF6xkZuRcR5TMMQ_YpP8LdSdBfFmiZxjoQUSNGahkuj7sffAhq5zHRz4PZeWOMA4X_65ZQQ5EBtmobGIoRkQ4cMGwvdcsJKCTbtRoFnJw3G4IgpJHMrCaBw2vQ/s4032/20210928_144554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yaOUWPAH37GcXeDBXunNIJT5nhTo_HGL_LZvXGdVgz2FKT65lHv-UpA3r3dUDwSbXF6xkZuRcR5TMMQ_YpP8LdSdBfFmiZxjoQUSNGahkuj7sffAhq5zHRz4PZeWOMA4X_65ZQQ5EBtmobGIoRkQ4cMGwvdcsJKCTbtRoFnJw3G4IgpJHMrCaBw2vQ/w400-h225/20210928_144554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Zahara, you are so full of passion. You're an avid reader (thank goodness for the library!), and love mostly fantasy or magical realism. You finished all of Harry Potter, Land of Stories, Wings of Fire, most Roald Dahl books, and many more. You also continue to be a great artist. We signed you up for art classes this year and your class painted a giant mural!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUuowgnZ8EiPeFfACQzlmoNaDzskKB9eIGzX5-WYbLeQXsN8MRI-CUBbkvAwT4IVyapXwX0TkenY2orDW7NsxzgrQ0afzohO3Ks6ZLsZdt1SDtsJFHirV3pezf7XroWBWVs8l6tvm8ymV9HbQbubQ_FPixW0AeJvA1NKHjHR3yim_f9Np1psF3v5pTg/s4352/IMG_20211031_173616_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4352" data-original-width="3264" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUuowgnZ8EiPeFfACQzlmoNaDzskKB9eIGzX5-WYbLeQXsN8MRI-CUBbkvAwT4IVyapXwX0TkenY2orDW7NsxzgrQ0afzohO3Ks6ZLsZdt1SDtsJFHirV3pezf7XroWBWVs8l6tvm8ymV9HbQbubQ_FPixW0AeJvA1NKHjHR3yim_f9Np1psF3v5pTg/w300-h400/IMG_20211031_173616_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jmA1gfXalS5EhI3TsfY8BaxbBJC_wHCVChfZNPjnIJxyODRKZFTbn_XjVj96sLdxslMNuSC0vjVBrDHDsRnvGFhhR5ibgMbjQxnUukB_Kn66mkU2c3Yre6hfSddpDq0VvwKg1IBPvDNku1mryNosaZE-tjo0dxehGkf_lpf3pOEx7ohEnjO-UOws-w/s4000/IMG_20220611_143146_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jmA1gfXalS5EhI3TsfY8BaxbBJC_wHCVChfZNPjnIJxyODRKZFTbn_XjVj96sLdxslMNuSC0vjVBrDHDsRnvGFhhR5ibgMbjQxnUukB_Kn66mkU2c3Yre6hfSddpDq0VvwKg1IBPvDNku1mryNosaZE-tjo0dxehGkf_lpf3pOEx7ohEnjO-UOws-w/w300-h400/IMG_20220611_143146_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>You've overcome some of your fears this year including riding a bike. You're super speedy on that thing. Daddy got a bike this year too so the two of you are able to ride together. You and I have been running together! You joined Girls on the Run and worked your way up to a 5K (3.1 miles). We have now run four 5Ks together. I'm so proud of your perseverance and grit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16q1ewAh6bbJ8wtRb8_Qs-nrFxRXZBWDhGeg-PA9ja3b6tYo3npvsbRexpkb8VK5de1fYkIWKQnofSnKqEBobUl8uYvKvljEeRh5hH3xMLt1_2WFs-bkgdfTZ27fB5H0qNv3rbYt6u8kaMEvdCS5-EkS1WHw0NixeipsYYsLJEpsSM_q7jSRNN0t-Tw/s4608/IMG_20211204_154343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16q1ewAh6bbJ8wtRb8_Qs-nrFxRXZBWDhGeg-PA9ja3b6tYo3npvsbRexpkb8VK5de1fYkIWKQnofSnKqEBobUl8uYvKvljEeRh5hH3xMLt1_2WFs-bkgdfTZ27fB5H0qNv3rbYt6u8kaMEvdCS5-EkS1WHw0NixeipsYYsLJEpsSM_q7jSRNN0t-Tw/w184-h400/IMG_20211204_154343.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxfNbATSQuxuEMvzpd7sGT6r8p0vQeAVQCXk7XGOul-F1_JnLLDjZUcmFd3-TKI4bH79FmGqWYXK7rEVcQfkVQk9S_yZGwBWPecI5jVvW7I0uOu1jHL9lynE36_e6xNtwIfO2rNc-zfIQDhNLLNF-0xF2mdrbiN_LObfPorQk68YBIaTWerxPg_ud6w/s4000/IMG_20211121_082000_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxfNbATSQuxuEMvzpd7sGT6r8p0vQeAVQCXk7XGOul-F1_JnLLDjZUcmFd3-TKI4bH79FmGqWYXK7rEVcQfkVQk9S_yZGwBWPecI5jVvW7I0uOu1jHL9lynE36_e6xNtwIfO2rNc-zfIQDhNLLNF-0xF2mdrbiN_LObfPorQk68YBIaTWerxPg_ud6w/s320/IMG_20211121_082000_Bokeh.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a hard run you of course need a nice relaxing spa. This has become another tradition of ours. Now on Sundays we have a whole routine with a steam, a face mask, and a massage. Sometimes it's over the top but it's sweet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ8LXmreR5dXnMxr8FAqBPxVsiuyuH1lENu4a2ZI4tqoQSbTKZkiw6PSenPh9ntheDflZeZxpNeciigiSMSkmBlo4LzPnG0_7ALp2RYMbnwl29T93szgZ4xmdfHMNfBwDE21kaq3v9wQJo84WCFNoR13L2B0Mlx0HFDeuF9mWxb5xwqzj5OjXaUzW3Q/s4000/IMG_20211121_144227%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ8LXmreR5dXnMxr8FAqBPxVsiuyuH1lENu4a2ZI4tqoQSbTKZkiw6PSenPh9ntheDflZeZxpNeciigiSMSkmBlo4LzPnG0_7ALp2RYMbnwl29T93szgZ4xmdfHMNfBwDE21kaq3v9wQJo84WCFNoR13L2B0Mlx0HFDeuF9mWxb5xwqzj5OjXaUzW3Q/w300-h400/IMG_20211121_144227%20(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ImbDDYv7DsZ2m3S4HZA6Mftmqme93V2efQSqlYWISpqNPgC767m-yQiDfwEKJoQBZFOS4VvHlPlwQm_gXrdFKNP2vNJWU0eIaMDt9hVPy7Jz5ob6J6RlAdQmD0NKdVlse7WMHqna_dL2BiKuqvoUqAyXlinM8DLT3rv-wnHzXDes0kni1v_ipOglrA/s4608/IMG_20220515_165149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ImbDDYv7DsZ2m3S4HZA6Mftmqme93V2efQSqlYWISpqNPgC767m-yQiDfwEKJoQBZFOS4VvHlPlwQm_gXrdFKNP2vNJWU0eIaMDt9hVPy7Jz5ob6J6RlAdQmD0NKdVlse7WMHqna_dL2BiKuqvoUqAyXlinM8DLT3rv-wnHzXDes0kni1v_ipOglrA/w184-h400/IMG_20220515_165149.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You got braces! You had a few baby teeth pulled and had an expander and three brackets put in. You're doing such a great job taking care of your teeth. It feels early for braces, but so many of your friends have them now too. I'm glad you're in good company.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMx-YxLvMjJ7AeYRceax3GenBCLwyXsIr2-PHnzwhbAXb0J-8AO8d-_QcdH4txqhaI9PoWbuGSWpDcl4Mo99I83h_CcxAbXpNS3R9DyMg-UPy6gMEhStHjm7WaqCAEJEej-U2IKxouKRVElzqPFDSawblSaW1Xklq4QY8kSepKkuZK8j2zwPiYx_JZA/s4608/IMG_20220429_091705.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMx-YxLvMjJ7AeYRceax3GenBCLwyXsIr2-PHnzwhbAXb0J-8AO8d-_QcdH4txqhaI9PoWbuGSWpDcl4Mo99I83h_CcxAbXpNS3R9DyMg-UPy6gMEhStHjm7WaqCAEJEej-U2IKxouKRVElzqPFDSawblSaW1Xklq4QY8kSepKkuZK8j2zwPiYx_JZA/w184-h400/IMG_20220429_091705.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This summer you'll be returning to Pinemere, a sleep-away camp in the Poconos! We were so proud of your bravery to spend ten nights away. This year you'll have three whole weeks of archery, swimming, arts and crafts, Shabbat dinners, and of course spice challenges (you're the Spice Queen, apparently!). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb5gFPqjQqO2ne2SV7JfRt-MJekI6mjvDtWp6Hn5-5hY96xQ0BOLvbJlbeh5p5cdc2CR5sJkgE2wOEIud0NDrptcl5eXITf9pr-pWy9X1-x21Mt_sZpbLlZfKL-2hfMway-Z5tqaDmoBmmWuWE93D2LoDPL2AvI67mKyImEGB0q0P3fcsq5QGH5Vsow/s4608/IMG_20210726_085525_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb5gFPqjQqO2ne2SV7JfRt-MJekI6mjvDtWp6Hn5-5hY96xQ0BOLvbJlbeh5p5cdc2CR5sJkgE2wOEIud0NDrptcl5eXITf9pr-pWy9X1-x21Mt_sZpbLlZfKL-2hfMway-Z5tqaDmoBmmWuWE93D2LoDPL2AvI67mKyImEGB0q0P3fcsq5QGH5Vsow/w300-h400/IMG_20210726_085525_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know you'll have a great time at camp, but secretly, I know you'll miss your brother too. You two recently separated for a week while you each spent time with a set of grandparents. You only made it a couple of days before you called Asher on Hangouts to see if he wanted to chat. I LOVE THAT! It's not always roses and sunshine, but we see you guys continuing to develop your relationship and it makes daddy and I proud. You're also continuing to deepen the relationships with your friends. In particular, you and Leticia are great friends to each other. You're also close with Amalia, Joni, Isa, and Abby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlFB8QUXQiuinTzO-YRSQertXswMmWV_PY5hghGYvvXeyxvCkN9bszvDd0kqJmUwRsWCe9fmUs0PjTsBoBR3RLwemyaUN-uEM6s8Wn7ENHnT_W1AFgiFH507yQIDxkNTH70KGvH7B8oE1WTKDXveUS4JKrqa5sCEPM1uJFXMbikFROChhC1MiyZO8Tg/s4608/IMG_20210831_071838_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlFB8QUXQiuinTzO-YRSQertXswMmWV_PY5hghGYvvXeyxvCkN9bszvDd0kqJmUwRsWCe9fmUs0PjTsBoBR3RLwemyaUN-uEM6s8Wn7ENHnT_W1AFgiFH507yQIDxkNTH70KGvH7B8oE1WTKDXveUS4JKrqa5sCEPM1uJFXMbikFROChhC1MiyZO8Tg/w300-h400/IMG_20210831_071838_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSGRxUIVQg_PxdHcmuBMKdoZIezP8bfCzKCbGVnc9xNgTtj8P08qlLaKdwXT1WG4STgesfvMvZw70bKOxEht1BC4ez2ucWiW_fTdUw9YyO0C1X54KlI-Do028Bmf3WX18Ed5XnnHMqoUxXXJ11PaxoLnqE1heXsrCnryO7Abu0kLpqq6bP2LM5g8ZOw/s1024/image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSGRxUIVQg_PxdHcmuBMKdoZIezP8bfCzKCbGVnc9xNgTtj8P08qlLaKdwXT1WG4STgesfvMvZw70bKOxEht1BC4ez2ucWiW_fTdUw9YyO0C1X54KlI-Do028Bmf3WX18Ed5XnnHMqoUxXXJ11PaxoLnqE1heXsrCnryO7Abu0kLpqq6bP2LM5g8ZOw/w300-h400/image.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9E_hG2TGIrodnuGSDgdZEoqBdH0GIGFbTC15O-cLLMx0cM7X5RGRNoUf51taJR6sqLom-ACE2F-VHyEDuCtS_W0Uq-5OGzvhP1lli-_cIN3aOD46hTxFgRrQI5K23CpaIPaHDaUkDhY248pNFqXSBqwiGOrsRRvfO1v9U3fcZaRm-NYkKlz1wuOwxA/s2959/IMG_20220414_173347.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9E_hG2TGIrodnuGSDgdZEoqBdH0GIGFbTC15O-cLLMx0cM7X5RGRNoUf51taJR6sqLom-ACE2F-VHyEDuCtS_W0Uq-5OGzvhP1lli-_cIN3aOD46hTxFgRrQI5K23CpaIPaHDaUkDhY248pNFqXSBqwiGOrsRRvfO1v9U3fcZaRm-NYkKlz1wuOwxA/w285-h400/IMG_20220414_173347.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Zahara, this year has been a delight. I'm so proud of the hard work you've put in this year to grow your social, emotional, physical, and intellectual skills. Daddy, Asher and I are your biggest cheerleaders and we can't wait to see what this next year brings. We love you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3VTq0V-HbpugJGjH7XzmshlA2lEuxxslWbQ8UEVGgd_2RMGUQIY5wuCK0bC-xRPzoX4kwDMQaHQRwTDjsmzMzsiLuyZvINnLywXbRK7BCcQF8a7r0FNQARGrtNn_0nf0QjgzZ8qCd-effyp20oR3zuiK6h_akcNixJ4ZBXFw3pGhIsjKWfG3VqSklg/s4000/IMG_20211211_164125_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3VTq0V-HbpugJGjH7XzmshlA2lEuxxslWbQ8UEVGgd_2RMGUQIY5wuCK0bC-xRPzoX4kwDMQaHQRwTDjsmzMzsiLuyZvINnLywXbRK7BCcQF8a7r0FNQARGrtNn_0nf0QjgzZ8qCd-effyp20oR3zuiK6h_akcNixJ4ZBXFw3pGhIsjKWfG3VqSklg/w300-h400/IMG_20211211_164125_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKAq-G9ddnGJxcfGV862IfEdOj269gkEtRILhpLdljMyjGgbNIJEcLG_coILahDYkUZSbfca362VMWJGErWR0Bz4eKoNFJE4nPtaxgZaz1RqZ8uKcBUPoQFZU9DQkGw-ASUi1YgsjoP9iLgIEc2tITWxmlJrmKfrjfwkUiTjC9dmS0tmuhtN-XX4cQA/s4608/IMG_20220102_134038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKAq-G9ddnGJxcfGV862IfEdOj269gkEtRILhpLdljMyjGgbNIJEcLG_coILahDYkUZSbfca362VMWJGErWR0Bz4eKoNFJE4nPtaxgZaz1RqZ8uKcBUPoQFZU9DQkGw-ASUi1YgsjoP9iLgIEc2tITWxmlJrmKfrjfwkUiTjC9dmS0tmuhtN-XX4cQA/w184-h400/IMG_20220102_134038.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEsChEqqauUJWcF5hPiEzdAXctl1EWl0GiIqP_uZRBzQWjuoRB9gHx7p8Vn3RyE3qVhTWt0YXZgc_5HsYHodwlVuJHy1aFn6SULiudduJ4gG8kHQeCgKOjuPkL8XfvOvWB271XoIboV43UkP-VbuuAIRpwuMgRCWm-PEMl2QI5Ep11JpEYh-3IkeVtA/s4608/IMG_20220612_175620.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEsChEqqauUJWcF5hPiEzdAXctl1EWl0GiIqP_uZRBzQWjuoRB9gHx7p8Vn3RyE3qVhTWt0YXZgc_5HsYHodwlVuJHy1aFn6SULiudduJ4gG8kHQeCgKOjuPkL8XfvOvWB271XoIboV43UkP-VbuuAIRpwuMgRCWm-PEMl2QI5Ep11JpEYh-3IkeVtA/w184-h400/IMG_20220612_175620.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><i>See Zahara's other birthday wishes <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html">here</a>.</i>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-58013678211104048022021-07-27T20:41:00.000-04:002021-07-27T20:41:00.475-04:00Dear Asher: 5 Years<p>Dear Asher,</p><p>Happy birthday to our funny, silly, smart, loving five year old! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1nXNi72me0TXHa_9_RHaOulGKshT7FsD8A_X9IcMEwI1JwTpjFp5XBbvDpebCbrm4CkTjz5QDaYeG0BRx8fiAuzCCCaEjkuykRCQyz8Zr6-_LTvR1OJBYI3IRRYSzi1tdqL9BJ8xi_Zx/s2048/IMG_20210227_184012_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1nXNi72me0TXHa_9_RHaOulGKshT7FsD8A_X9IcMEwI1JwTpjFp5XBbvDpebCbrm4CkTjz5QDaYeG0BRx8fiAuzCCCaEjkuykRCQyz8Zr6-_LTvR1OJBYI3IRRYSzi1tdqL9BJ8xi_Zx/w300-h400/IMG_20210227_184012_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>You handled all of this year's changes and uncertainty with grace. The biggest change for you this year was school. With the pandemic still in full-swing, we decided to create a small pod for you, Elnatan, and Adam. We hired the most amazing teacher, Morah Sharon, who taught you math, English, Hebrew, holidays, and more. You baked challah every week, you crafted, you went for hikes, you learned to like dogs...and so much more! We are so lucky that you got to spend your last year in pre-school with a fantastic group.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF0upD8wY2RyHuJjAHPALt0DbB-APtoHBhvgb8SorLLtvrxj617ZKmUeO-_f1oIu-UNXXiUsldgJGgeJsI_uPQKSPozae3gjqON90EAwo_HoVZP7vToh-4G9ciZY777V9lo-3aKfhpGas/s2048/IMG_20210618_135110_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF0upD8wY2RyHuJjAHPALt0DbB-APtoHBhvgb8SorLLtvrxj617ZKmUeO-_f1oIu-UNXXiUsldgJGgeJsI_uPQKSPozae3gjqON90EAwo_HoVZP7vToh-4G9ciZY777V9lo-3aKfhpGas/w300-h400/IMG_20210618_135110_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>It's so hard to believe you'll be heading to Kindergarten this fall. You're ready though! You can now write your own name and have even started recognizing some sight words like mom, dad, Zahara, son, sun, cat, and more. Sometimes to get my attention, you'll even call out "M.O.M." It's very fun to see you starting to figure out reading.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyFZ2tdeyxrqY-EjTsPflmjjBg6p2H_1CfUot0MCr_TsBF3TM6-AWN7piZyj3O79YWiXhiLbcEpsu_CEiRH4sCqnTGWI9aC4yH172Oq7TMlpjQvhRMjdijJHrgkP30Fbdjc6_rv-klJNi/s2048/IMG_20201105_160601_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyFZ2tdeyxrqY-EjTsPflmjjBg6p2H_1CfUot0MCr_TsBF3TM6-AWN7piZyj3O79YWiXhiLbcEpsu_CEiRH4sCqnTGWI9aC4yH172Oq7TMlpjQvhRMjdijJHrgkP30Fbdjc6_rv-klJNi/w300-h400/IMG_20201105_160601_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Your math skills are growing too. You love asking what numbers add up to and solving equations like 2+2 or 4+4 on your own. This year you've also gotten more excited about science. You got a science kit for Chanukah and you conducted countless experiments with it. You'll make an "experiment" out of almost anything--dirt, worms, food.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VhMqVOuH_qcRYC83MomJqeIYKHgFvPvTa1aq4KGibDm-ozNZEs6MJFIaGQvtpK8yyKQ7bO4Z_0sOXP4xfbdt9TfUhXX3Ydb2hkXcR5JW8dOawIW3rtKjRBGvkNWbAUmiedrNgeJF1dTC/s2619/IMG_20201225_113908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2619" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VhMqVOuH_qcRYC83MomJqeIYKHgFvPvTa1aq4KGibDm-ozNZEs6MJFIaGQvtpK8yyKQ7bO4Z_0sOXP4xfbdt9TfUhXX3Ydb2hkXcR5JW8dOawIW3rtKjRBGvkNWbAUmiedrNgeJF1dTC/w400-h184/IMG_20201225_113908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And while you're getting so much bigger and more independent in a lot of ways, you're still our little boy. You love being around us, which I know won't last for ever. And as much as we love being with you, sometimes, Asher, you just need to go to the bathroom by yourself without me or daddy reading you a book!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwgTHpTyFvzf8GIGXGCo1eGTv8JZJ4b1lB2y4KqE1OfeS3lbK155Uhad9a64y-L5eH4xhWsAHD-tqjM9luZFi5jAXmYaEaaUzlxgVY3IeYAnScWLMuW7RfSjN-65NxYBsVPKaSyJVLXQk/s2619/IMG_20210326_134531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwgTHpTyFvzf8GIGXGCo1eGTv8JZJ4b1lB2y4KqE1OfeS3lbK155Uhad9a64y-L5eH4xhWsAHD-tqjM9luZFi5jAXmYaEaaUzlxgVY3IeYAnScWLMuW7RfSjN-65NxYBsVPKaSyJVLXQk/w184-h400/IMG_20210326_134531.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><p>What can I say about you and your sister? The truth is that you guys drive each other crazy. But, you also really love and care about each other. When you're not fighting, you actually play so well together. Daddy and I love seeing that side of your relationship, and we hope that continues to grow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B5WGTC9z020Wu8inKSGB7qY626e0RilBmHIJJQXW0VsZRrGyRHaco65jMLGmlNGP7Sm13VQUzNvzxTBAza1UPSVsY3cvaBc5HMtUWYSPJw7vfvu6MAToz64THVC4HP0qvuRMjkLTPsOC/s2048/Calli+Levin_Tatiana+Rodriguez+_Silver+Spring_Washington+DC_2021-05-16+100pm_1621520908_recszI0bMInoc77Ci_00231_48.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B5WGTC9z020Wu8inKSGB7qY626e0RilBmHIJJQXW0VsZRrGyRHaco65jMLGmlNGP7Sm13VQUzNvzxTBAza1UPSVsY3cvaBc5HMtUWYSPJw7vfvu6MAToz64THVC4HP0qvuRMjkLTPsOC/w266-h400/Calli+Levin_Tatiana+Rodriguez+_Silver+Spring_Washington+DC_2021-05-16+100pm_1621520908_recszI0bMInoc77Ci_00231_48.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><p>Asher, you are a true joy to be around. You are constantly telling us you love us, making up songs about how wonderful we are, and smothering us with kisses. You camp counselors tell us there is no staffer who doesn't love you. It's so delightful and I hope that never changes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYN79rRLPu2Gd-o9mi00Qc4sGkjvaucb9-imW7h8ExzFgREA7innYNmwPdh_bgPYvFhKvCYe7sqb9EerGiSHXKsmVb7FnU77VWn3-vecarYyaaSjkmd3LG_kGT76lw0hnk4Vf_U9vjma-/s2619/IMG_20210727_173514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYN79rRLPu2Gd-o9mi00Qc4sGkjvaucb9-imW7h8ExzFgREA7innYNmwPdh_bgPYvFhKvCYe7sqb9EerGiSHXKsmVb7FnU77VWn3-vecarYyaaSjkmd3LG_kGT76lw0hnk4Vf_U9vjma-/w184-h400/IMG_20210727_173514.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><p>Happy fifth birthday Asher! We can't wait to see what this next year brings!</p><p><i>See Asher's other birthday wishes <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/dear-asher.html?m=1" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></p>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-21514520228675149332021-06-29T00:00:00.006-04:002021-06-29T00:00:00.221-04:00Dear Zahara: 8 Years<p>Dear Zahara,</p><p>Happy eighth birthday! I said it last year, and I'll say it again: what a year it's been. Reading your <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/06/dear-zahara-7-years.html?m=1" target="_blank">letter from last year</a> highlights the journey we've been on for the past 18 months. Last summer, there were still so many unknowns about the year ahead. Would you return to school? Would the pool open? Would there be vaccines? While there are still many unknowns, this summer we are returning to a bit of normalcy. We are all grateful for that!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9UFdbOeY1Lw1TzckrfxqvspUl-mghXFyFpcMOyOIVV2jq3el8TxcqUL9mH2UgSY2b8d9oKqyKceI6Wj_P03le313ptIT39Bmkj7fMDEKUll5DO9bZrmHHMDZ4nOfhHybFr3KeKRFIo5-/s2048/Calli+Levin_Tatiana+Rodriguez+_Silver+Spring_Washington+DC_2021-05-16+100pm_1621520908_recszI0bMInoc77Ci_00198_64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9UFdbOeY1Lw1TzckrfxqvspUl-mghXFyFpcMOyOIVV2jq3el8TxcqUL9mH2UgSY2b8d9oKqyKceI6Wj_P03le313ptIT39Bmkj7fMDEKUll5DO9bZrmHHMDZ4nOfhHybFr3KeKRFIo5-/w266-h400/Calli+Levin_Tatiana+Rodriguez+_Silver+Spring_Washington+DC_2021-05-16+100pm_1621520908_recszI0bMInoc77Ci_00198_64.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>Though Covid is still impacting our world, you are doing an exceptional job navigating all of the changes. Zoom continued to be the norm this year. You were in virtual school for the majority of the year, returning to campus (and meeting your teachers for the first time!) in late fall. That was only for two half-days a week. It took another few months before you transitioned to two full days, and then finally four full days a week. It was hard for all of us, but I loved our time as co-workers. I already miss our Kabbalat Shabbats together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuqjstWu69231iMj8tzYTAPWS_xj7mqn-nKnIwG3KoLAGl0hI0Lm2F1vNSzlTzDkiHRgBM0etCdSagjdwbmNyKi06OaWHnGyA2d7aZ1OLtHVow07cvLvSLknw6rJqTBgUFKHNYXicWqM1/s2619/IMG_20210315_093756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuqjstWu69231iMj8tzYTAPWS_xj7mqn-nKnIwG3KoLAGl0hI0Lm2F1vNSzlTzDkiHRgBM0etCdSagjdwbmNyKi06OaWHnGyA2d7aZ1OLtHVow07cvLvSLknw6rJqTBgUFKHNYXicWqM1/w184-h400/IMG_20210315_093756.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><p>One highlight of the school year was carpooling with your classmate Zamir. You two were the cutest! Listening to your banter was amazing. Big news for you this year is that you got glasses--real ones, not just the blue light glasses above! As the fashionista you've become, you've incorporated the glasses with style. You chose these two pairs for yourself, and you did a great job.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39ZYFxW_gb432sOFMIMaXwRRxj2gIWnCc4QSRtWddKNSJ-T1EhVEbnGR_IiKlbZQh6iL2FeSxpDLE2BMaEt3Ns6d-YyUoFyNLVk7iZ_wQJWqx7K7gtrjqG93M6nmaB7PouMdsbpjofY9v/s2619/IMG_20210612_182921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39ZYFxW_gb432sOFMIMaXwRRxj2gIWnCc4QSRtWddKNSJ-T1EhVEbnGR_IiKlbZQh6iL2FeSxpDLE2BMaEt3Ns6d-YyUoFyNLVk7iZ_wQJWqx7K7gtrjqG93M6nmaB7PouMdsbpjofY9v/w184-h400/IMG_20210612_182921.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3VX_nmTX8kH6X3BgD6XIErJwirZoEBqyLycw7Ppsa_n9XGLBYP2mwUSHK_1sZUS8NSDwyPkQrApAHbS8YIfFv5QWC2pnTFkRyQ_lS8DEzrtUBA2YUclwlZ6VxqolH333yVIzOTAKUSbz/s2619/IMG_20210619_112853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3VX_nmTX8kH6X3BgD6XIErJwirZoEBqyLycw7Ppsa_n9XGLBYP2mwUSHK_1sZUS8NSDwyPkQrApAHbS8YIfFv5QWC2pnTFkRyQ_lS8DEzrtUBA2YUclwlZ6VxqolH333yVIzOTAKUSbz/w184-h400/IMG_20210619_112853.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><p>You're still an avid reader. You're reading in the 98%, which is just astounding! You just finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (book 5) by yourself. We read the first four books together, so I'm a little sad you did this one on your own, but it's just part of you growing up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vq7EKZkz2n0Uy-nNP-do8zAVrED2Wktb48QCrOJ9MbduZ8KSFU4sajoTKnmX5olaJoHcQKy44K5ZE6X-9YaGqIN57lGNrfB8j9njRxhHfF4IQ09xAvOMIg5pcS66BtKwk7dxm01NJ-Cv/s2048/IMG_20200927_165720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vq7EKZkz2n0Uy-nNP-do8zAVrED2Wktb48QCrOJ9MbduZ8KSFU4sajoTKnmX5olaJoHcQKy44K5ZE6X-9YaGqIN57lGNrfB8j9njRxhHfF4IQ09xAvOMIg5pcS66BtKwk7dxm01NJ-Cv/w300-h400/IMG_20200927_165720.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjijasiUfUFwNUMw_6GhA96L1ybabmESN5aXctD_3X7446uXYzaKCuMb3i-B69tHbKgxJ91IOVbdrD638VU5M7KfTJVlzcpyXUTj4QBlAyCMUMxk6TVv_cPIK83r1hu0S3cG_uXB6vpGD/s2048/IMG_20201004_181443_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjijasiUfUFwNUMw_6GhA96L1ybabmESN5aXctD_3X7446uXYzaKCuMb3i-B69tHbKgxJ91IOVbdrD638VU5M7KfTJVlzcpyXUTj4QBlAyCMUMxk6TVv_cPIK83r1hu0S3cG_uXB6vpGD/w300-h400/IMG_20201004_181443_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX185aYM7nGlfYx06JniRwYPeBxhKwv_T3ZeMXUCbRHa1rWmctt7yng2ONi2tGOOxMICF8MNJuTdCwRcqB4icXnnepYM6hG0q5B0oxEImTSLh6-06uCt62RjKWYTXfIQIWMqvBJ75t6OK/s2048/IMG_20210330_125436_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX185aYM7nGlfYx06JniRwYPeBxhKwv_T3ZeMXUCbRHa1rWmctt7yng2ONi2tGOOxMICF8MNJuTdCwRcqB4icXnnepYM6hG0q5B0oxEImTSLh6-06uCt62RjKWYTXfIQIWMqvBJ75t6OK/w300-h400/IMG_20210330_125436_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>You and Asher are continuing to get along well, for the most part. I love watching you fill the role of big sister and show him the ropes. Whether it's in the swimming pool, on a hike, with electronics, you're right there to help him out. I also love listening to your imaginative play together. You often play pet and owner, family, or teacher and student. I'll let you guess which roles you play in each of these games.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_i0DKtGBn92TqxDXYyy1ndCryk0xN41ktI1E9Og46IZ4cplbvs9HhucSnFnrggLB1_4qswEIvHZ7ZW5q__LnpnJuhw4tmuYer59CCdyixDdgqQeVkZco4Gabp8CupXs1r70ON-PWfL86h/s2048/IMG_20200907_112134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_i0DKtGBn92TqxDXYyy1ndCryk0xN41ktI1E9Og46IZ4cplbvs9HhucSnFnrggLB1_4qswEIvHZ7ZW5q__LnpnJuhw4tmuYer59CCdyixDdgqQeVkZco4Gabp8CupXs1r70ON-PWfL86h/w400-h300/IMG_20200907_112134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_VCuFi44caWXPLQ1kEQRFlOtl78meXSuKr6FaNLgqbr1hHWWF-R6-dawOq_8GJj3DiQ28ixAgQzmZtRmVUwxsrJ1ldnpKQKPzrUTtDa5HVTMuOMZ7n8P4-oVHTiVGbw35LJAgp1aZ5Fw/s2508/IMG_20210515_143026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_VCuFi44caWXPLQ1kEQRFlOtl78meXSuKr6FaNLgqbr1hHWWF-R6-dawOq_8GJj3DiQ28ixAgQzmZtRmVUwxsrJ1ldnpKQKPzrUTtDa5HVTMuOMZ7n8P4-oVHTiVGbw35LJAgp1aZ5Fw/w400-h200/IMG_20210515_143026.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Last year we were fortunate that the pool did open and it's open again this year. Once again, you're a little fish! You are a great swimmer, earning your deep-end status. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4h_n9CFN_A90Wx8aZGYKjaDW6YUTUnI4YWYevF_Wdo-cFjMUjWBFEP1gdNS97FauTXfeDd2IjYGJI5PsdbdJqww95rtA48xdKFY9bqkfRb-WNQmAmWZdW7f0RWqsntytkFav73-VCfWx/s2619/IMG_20210605_140655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2619" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4h_n9CFN_A90Wx8aZGYKjaDW6YUTUnI4YWYevF_Wdo-cFjMUjWBFEP1gdNS97FauTXfeDd2IjYGJI5PsdbdJqww95rtA48xdKFY9bqkfRb-WNQmAmWZdW7f0RWqsntytkFav73-VCfWx/w400-h184/IMG_20210605_140655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Have I mentioned your strong personality yet? I say it every year, and every year it's just as true. One day, Zahara, you're going to rule the world. I never worry about your future. Ever. You don't take no for an answer and you don't suffer fools. You know what you want, though you don't always do a great job of communicating it. We're working on channeling your passion, emotion, energy, and willpower into forces of good. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeTkhbbQv5JRusp1WaCt5BrRJI6KndBTTP13XuT30Kts9nv0a_LQacGNmL84q_U5z9RSyqSz4tlsQOv6wAbd0EtKW548dtGbVzru4JG-Kxd9YCyokDHqYZjFDnH-_1osT0Nj-Mhw7rsrq/s2048/IMG_20210118_140920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeTkhbbQv5JRusp1WaCt5BrRJI6KndBTTP13XuT30Kts9nv0a_LQacGNmL84q_U5z9RSyqSz4tlsQOv6wAbd0EtKW548dtGbVzru4JG-Kxd9YCyokDHqYZjFDnH-_1osT0Nj-Mhw7rsrq/w300-h400/IMG_20210118_140920.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFGTZkhpIGH-suvyTWoA-w4I3sEu2P4yDu0uaNmkDZswfyEY0F14xYKiQ4lpxJ8CCtz05DlUA8ZKz9gceMGcVlgX4tNO21CDklsP7MEZtyQQrNYGWuYbAnQ4HcaSIc5BUrapVyA-WKiDb/s2048/IMG_20200802_143144_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFGTZkhpIGH-suvyTWoA-w4I3sEu2P4yDu0uaNmkDZswfyEY0F14xYKiQ4lpxJ8CCtz05DlUA8ZKz9gceMGcVlgX4tNO21CDklsP7MEZtyQQrNYGWuYbAnQ4HcaSIc5BUrapVyA-WKiDb/w300-h400/IMG_20200802_143144_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Zahara, I love our conversations, our silly dances, our inside jokes, our reading time. Though I may not love <i>every</i> minute, I really do love being around you. You're fun, funny, smart, empathetic, energetic, and so much more. I can't wait to see what this next year holds. Love you lots!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>See Zahara's other birthday wishes <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-89589329050126978182020-09-17T09:23:00.001-04:002020-09-17T09:23:15.639-04:00Labor Day Beach Vacation<div>Although I'm excited for fall, I'm in denial that summer vacation is over. This year was very different for a lot of reasons, but we actually had a great season. We enjoyed our country weeks, exploring local towns, and starting to go on hikes as a family. We ate well, played in the pool, and read a lot! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZACHgjPjhgP3DdbRLQN7uJNAIOeSO0OUpxJJtGEkWQyRCh97WoCyvnx0HEiFYWZl2ROyigTHQIGZ15FcEp20OwBGVEE-2fgyrpNZlWVD2BVeEdYryBvfozey7KOahpF5m2-8CmM0BLBbv/s2048/IMG_20200906_165021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZACHgjPjhgP3DdbRLQN7uJNAIOeSO0OUpxJJtGEkWQyRCh97WoCyvnx0HEiFYWZl2ROyigTHQIGZ15FcEp20OwBGVEE-2fgyrpNZlWVD2BVeEdYryBvfozey7KOahpF5m2-8CmM0BLBbv/w300-h400/IMG_20200906_165021.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But what we really missed was a beach vacation (<i>#Firstworldproblems)</i>. We were so lucky to be able to go on a last-minute vacation to Bethany Beach courtesy of our neighbors Marcus and Dani. Their family owns a beach house that gets a ton of use all summer, but they so generously found a few days for us to visit.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG7Vk3Fna51S53CWqkQ-7bn2_nz171Zrff4wjefvKoozQyj0HrZDwwL-zjHjHBbO0VgZl2yHBVlAcTkjnJ3dqwMY7cYjFPWxLGWcihv2AxgmeBj2OMau0M-Yb_JO881JKh5guVM55DaEF/s2048/IMG_20200906_182326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG7Vk3Fna51S53CWqkQ-7bn2_nz171Zrff4wjefvKoozQyj0HrZDwwL-zjHjHBbO0VgZl2yHBVlAcTkjnJ3dqwMY7cYjFPWxLGWcihv2AxgmeBj2OMau0M-Yb_JO881JKh5guVM55DaEF/w400-h300/IMG_20200906_182326.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The house is only a few hours away, so it was an easy trip. We planned to keep physically distancing while there, so we packed food for us to take to the beach and to eat at home in the evenings. It was actually really nice to pack picnic lunches and to come home to eat burgers. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2xd5_7pNYiX10-2TQFTrFCQCiYm74aMb9Bftl80NLa5NROLR_4d7DBqWc8HNclP2Jr3_0KHZgfA2mkDWHZUOB_Za7_oslxnTe_6oB9Shj7WJy2M9cevW7s8vFd_QnYP0Qr3fQla6MsWG/s2048/IMG_20200908_181926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2xd5_7pNYiX10-2TQFTrFCQCiYm74aMb9Bftl80NLa5NROLR_4d7DBqWc8HNclP2Jr3_0KHZgfA2mkDWHZUOB_Za7_oslxnTe_6oB9Shj7WJy2M9cevW7s8vFd_QnYP0Qr3fQla6MsWG/w400-h300/IMG_20200908_181926.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>We did eat out one night at a restaurant called <a href="https://offthehookbethany.com/" target="_blank">Off the Hook</a>; the food was great! Really fresh fish and veggies. And, no trip to the beach is complete without ice cream. If you know us at all, you know we follow "<a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/01/viennese-coffee-and-pastries.html">Rome Rules</a>," whereby we eat as much ice cream as we want while on vacation. We had ice cream each day at a different location. They were all delicious, but the chocolate peanut butter on the beach was my favorite. Dan's favorite was the rocky road from <a href="https://www.vanderwendefarmcreamery.com/" target="_blank">Vanderwende's</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjoaqAT5K5hz7Z8ORqomQiIVOWno9yaEoGaXA0QIm68yUMMgiuukjrK2p-K7H9uLKMkODW9Im9mpYctOlU4TaDpcPOLcmBaAJ9cMKuhgrA6B-HbUl_jZSxAKbLACto1O-vLzKOrjnwie3/s2048/IMG_20200906_164112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjoaqAT5K5hz7Z8ORqomQiIVOWno9yaEoGaXA0QIm68yUMMgiuukjrK2p-K7H9uLKMkODW9Im9mpYctOlU4TaDpcPOLcmBaAJ9cMKuhgrA6B-HbUl_jZSxAKbLACto1O-vLzKOrjnwie3/w300-h400/IMG_20200906_164112.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y394pqZ018H36tqSAWqagvl0o0m27SV8dOGc8dthmhB8cVbSdP6bZwHfZgpOmuY838aBz8oiHPUK9iaAT30bdbTgYA-37Wz-HEVXlyiQeilRizYdHkQDIv7PvWEPBYJSzKoSru3T17Tj/s2508/IMG_20200907_184049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y394pqZ018H36tqSAWqagvl0o0m27SV8dOGc8dthmhB8cVbSdP6bZwHfZgpOmuY838aBz8oiHPUK9iaAT30bdbTgYA-37Wz-HEVXlyiQeilRizYdHkQDIv7PvWEPBYJSzKoSru3T17Tj/w400-h200/IMG_20200907_184049.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoxwjBVsGU0F0KYoWU3rOSyBO12fmQJBxgB2rhgLiiURtzbezfvEMy53wDNQvqglBx0sIdRkVKZgwZ6XzF1JfAte-Psq4RfpIpJoyKuFBg8EjqApV5aJtWAyY8z7qUOBJMTN7h3zEHCLT/s2048/IMG_20200908_170353_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoxwjBVsGU0F0KYoWU3rOSyBO12fmQJBxgB2rhgLiiURtzbezfvEMy53wDNQvqglBx0sIdRkVKZgwZ6XzF1JfAte-Psq4RfpIpJoyKuFBg8EjqApV5aJtWAyY8z7qUOBJMTN7h3zEHCLT/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_170353_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>The house was perfect for us. It was built in a way that created two wings. The kids slept on one side of the house and we were on the other. Zahara slept in a really cool "secret" room that she accessed by way of these steep stairs. And there were so many spaces for hanging out. I really loved the screened in patio and the outdoor shower!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMYI0PHw439o8aTe2DmPZIS83VjLM329aV36aV0Jw2IdhQAXJOUYV8GC4LhWAK85Wbtu5sdc8h7jw5wSZTgUchhRdMCVYcbmtfnyDdDW70-8_32GerOnKXivFdmg6PQtQnUYm15Opo7fX/s2048/IMG_20200909_140511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMYI0PHw439o8aTe2DmPZIS83VjLM329aV36aV0Jw2IdhQAXJOUYV8GC4LhWAK85Wbtu5sdc8h7jw5wSZTgUchhRdMCVYcbmtfnyDdDW70-8_32GerOnKXivFdmg6PQtQnUYm15Opo7fX/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_140511.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eprAX6IyBZHEQMTwxfsOo6rSwjMMYdXzRSfX-yta-faWWj1EBUrBfH85r8jOqf0gj0UbvkdK9JHFABuEMrFe0YnxvCVvasXDEr39q0QsjIlQPJwP8QPiOl0xL8c52MB4fC0Wx3dw-hlU/s2048/IMG_20200909_140629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eprAX6IyBZHEQMTwxfsOo6rSwjMMYdXzRSfX-yta-faWWj1EBUrBfH85r8jOqf0gj0UbvkdK9JHFABuEMrFe0YnxvCVvasXDEr39q0QsjIlQPJwP8QPiOl0xL8c52MB4fC0Wx3dw-hlU/w400-h300/IMG_20200909_140629.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T0qgVbd9q2toEC2Hj6z_f-3VLl4PYCWl3BpBRGk_MmHEDFFvSmjj4QPNsQ6_5iFQUzBRKDw7nG14kwF8c2-1LJZZZFlglpsEf4R4U8mmVZN79S_rM8lNI3mntJ51M0G2W21vaWnmnH4B/s2048/IMG_20200907_203051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T0qgVbd9q2toEC2Hj6z_f-3VLl4PYCWl3BpBRGk_MmHEDFFvSmjj4QPNsQ6_5iFQUzBRKDw7nG14kwF8c2-1LJZZZFlglpsEf4R4U8mmVZN79S_rM8lNI3mntJ51M0G2W21vaWnmnH4B/w300-h400/IMG_20200907_203051.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgvu3KqFf_tDqC912fEmz6wCMbIxprSlEEYA2mlTHysv3MWVd50mbmOqIPPxQVttzdRdd3noEJtruRauPlJkFu09Dwxy8VB2bBWN8FkIGEcvg2ojbdTD4aXyMGRregubTCOQIx9ibccrw/s2048/IMG_20200908_181636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgvu3KqFf_tDqC912fEmz6wCMbIxprSlEEYA2mlTHysv3MWVd50mbmOqIPPxQVttzdRdd3noEJtruRauPlJkFu09Dwxy8VB2bBWN8FkIGEcvg2ojbdTD4aXyMGRregubTCOQIx9ibccrw/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_181636.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1pOvBjCJLA7_XLpr0q_NZepDwzF-JyGt-acFvcfNFVdnJzL2fDjP9CjQHwknmLnNx0Alynsd1LHryfNUqWk0IoTWdDmM8CM-MqT6m9onAvp9HgRlJQj_jLGls8zqUDs_oNl2KQj3dwd/s2048/IMG_20200909_135439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1pOvBjCJLA7_XLpr0q_NZepDwzF-JyGt-acFvcfNFVdnJzL2fDjP9CjQHwknmLnNx0Alynsd1LHryfNUqWk0IoTWdDmM8CM-MqT6m9onAvp9HgRlJQj_jLGls8zqUDs_oNl2KQj3dwd/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_135439.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4E7dJd3-0Boznq-df08fOSUlr8fDU4I2yp_Wtzs2DTNFeBHV0-Fc5eeGLR4DKGQDq6KTZzddOIDtJh10uFSjjW9engNK67JV7CIrUiYRVfMIrKDIcedNwxop987cMpljwyB1AYncbOjmg/s2048/IMG_20200909_140417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4E7dJd3-0Boznq-df08fOSUlr8fDU4I2yp_Wtzs2DTNFeBHV0-Fc5eeGLR4DKGQDq6KTZzddOIDtJh10uFSjjW9engNK67JV7CIrUiYRVfMIrKDIcedNwxop987cMpljwyB1AYncbOjmg/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_140417.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjj-sLGhttkpyCxYm5H3zWF7jw90fmiLv3XyEDhgz9jSKXnQW9Kt2rLI9ji6bTEEBYsu-B2ZVys_XIXLZfiuPSv5U8G_OSv81JkAlEH_Xv5i9KRMsGZBiuFuqHfXLVHcT2F6qvmMj8VZ3/s2048/IMG_20200909_140806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjj-sLGhttkpyCxYm5H3zWF7jw90fmiLv3XyEDhgz9jSKXnQW9Kt2rLI9ji6bTEEBYsu-B2ZVys_XIXLZfiuPSv5U8G_OSv81JkAlEH_Xv5i9KRMsGZBiuFuqHfXLVHcT2F6qvmMj8VZ3/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_140806.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>The beach itself was lovely. It was a five minute walk from the house and was exclusively for the neighborhood residents. We had plenty of room to spread out and play. The waves were very rough and large, so we didn't do a ton of swimming, but the kids liked holding on to us while we braved the waves. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0auJMNebHZLIoZsj0vcVyUQzvaEkuX0NLgJ54QV7S7G-CM13s0CEDu1bj1QvRdEK1jr0EURC-wW9wztpBFAg4g0VLa3s_tJr0l0rSb0ASMrpdoZxjrogEyERugoCBzzeeIoSS9mrcjKTf/s2048/IMG_20200908_132549_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0auJMNebHZLIoZsj0vcVyUQzvaEkuX0NLgJ54QV7S7G-CM13s0CEDu1bj1QvRdEK1jr0EURC-wW9wztpBFAg4g0VLa3s_tJr0l0rSb0ASMrpdoZxjrogEyERugoCBzzeeIoSS9mrcjKTf/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_132549_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqQN8MyH2LIgF8e4SICaits4tY9nQ7GbipTj-wT_jKOQ7CIfUML3QQKKANWu3IBOVH3XVfsCaGHyF55s6HZLIPdzr-6CvR8zSH5hceDyyiW8JCtArRXpqBGWfq2vB9Zt_oGOdXIkLCnlV/s2048/IMG_20200907_112134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqQN8MyH2LIgF8e4SICaits4tY9nQ7GbipTj-wT_jKOQ7CIfUML3QQKKANWu3IBOVH3XVfsCaGHyF55s6HZLIPdzr-6CvR8zSH5hceDyyiW8JCtArRXpqBGWfq2vB9Zt_oGOdXIkLCnlV/w400-h300/IMG_20200907_112134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mfvaMgKb9W4q-Mgq8TSY5artwLjKvpH4eT6_eiIndO6A3Y1cGYDGo8UWbiWUGceEclC6jWVgxRVZnPeWc8OAr_1cegGWQIAnB897PONUghPM_5XDrLYIDrZZGkMlee7321e2biEzKTvq/s2048/IMG_20200907_094727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1733" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mfvaMgKb9W4q-Mgq8TSY5artwLjKvpH4eT6_eiIndO6A3Y1cGYDGo8UWbiWUGceEclC6jWVgxRVZnPeWc8OAr_1cegGWQIAnB897PONUghPM_5XDrLYIDrZZGkMlee7321e2biEzKTvq/w339-h400/IMG_20200907_094727.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6gGKztUmQqE5t0dLH3_TXLYXdANGcH8EIDHZUAkfMU8Ot8UMofmd0fA93e-JomChcLT4pnztxk60HaHJIKcsm3a3853dEqxKAMdsUJ0-3fNNc41peyKoDC1AzGQxKU2DNa-45H7PYa8k/s2048/IMG_20200907_102133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1785" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6gGKztUmQqE5t0dLH3_TXLYXdANGcH8EIDHZUAkfMU8Ot8UMofmd0fA93e-JomChcLT4pnztxk60HaHJIKcsm3a3853dEqxKAMdsUJ0-3fNNc41peyKoDC1AzGQxKU2DNa-45H7PYa8k/w349-h400/IMG_20200907_102133.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5wr0icCYmnuGbxxiJeasyeYC1c5X6_BVtP8Trld7Gf8tNVOB_Xd9BgRFuOdy36A0_8RAMVEYQqcM-WU36BhxVEvGvLmX0_ywxYFWCsR1JfZlXL5eHvB1f4uOCrPJ5ro0-_4LSsApyJzZ/s2048/IMG_20200908_143734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5wr0icCYmnuGbxxiJeasyeYC1c5X6_BVtP8Trld7Gf8tNVOB_Xd9BgRFuOdy36A0_8RAMVEYQqcM-WU36BhxVEvGvLmX0_ywxYFWCsR1JfZlXL5eHvB1f4uOCrPJ5ro0-_4LSsApyJzZ/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_143734.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtCxZvz6d4EV6Pfa23n40YkfR5URnfTK7J8ZIeV6uOs_SRqotcSVrjQyRNsru2dyRUbyX7gpgaiki7PEJoi1yfprkUcOHe-LJB_oOn0mOPlkNOpGnDBQZIn79voHVN-j6RBya8e3ORkeW/s2048/IMG_20200908_143802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtCxZvz6d4EV6Pfa23n40YkfR5URnfTK7J8ZIeV6uOs_SRqotcSVrjQyRNsru2dyRUbyX7gpgaiki7PEJoi1yfprkUcOHe-LJB_oOn0mOPlkNOpGnDBQZIn79voHVN-j6RBya8e3ORkeW/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_143802.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnalmggVpgncw1cu17r0Cgb5-5Y0ZcYq4HJg8kGWM08XB5ntQw_AE4uM_r9Zy7UCwl6rQoydExsbgz-nf3iu1IfgAu2SqrM7eaUFtVgGhCPq_czgIdOwI9Kc4KHcmEjdjenZVjks91jH3/s2048/IMG_20200908_161124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnalmggVpgncw1cu17r0Cgb5-5Y0ZcYq4HJg8kGWM08XB5ntQw_AE4uM_r9Zy7UCwl6rQoydExsbgz-nf3iu1IfgAu2SqrM7eaUFtVgGhCPq_czgIdOwI9Kc4KHcmEjdjenZVjks91jH3/w400-h300/IMG_20200908_161124.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Since we went over Labor Day, Zahara was off school on that Monday. But she had virtual school on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday she did a good job attending her classes and doing her work while Dan and I took turns with Asher at the beach. The four of us joined up after her class for some beach time and ice cream (of course).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2D9ouianZqInIxPE8jzmsg1d218ieU-4wj4kbt3Rai-hkM2K2bDoxL-4x28kiqgkcjxKwu9bEGM5tGWNSDc2_O4RTqz-832RT3QZ23Ky7oHUkxH7VCorX30SNZVhcQsoI8SsyQyEIilf/s2048/IMG_20200908_085615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2D9ouianZqInIxPE8jzmsg1d218ieU-4wj4kbt3Rai-hkM2K2bDoxL-4x28kiqgkcjxKwu9bEGM5tGWNSDc2_O4RTqz-832RT3QZ23Ky7oHUkxH7VCorX30SNZVhcQsoI8SsyQyEIilf/w300-h400/IMG_20200908_085615.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>Wednesday it actually rained all day, so we stayed in and played games and cleaned the house while Zahara was in school. We headed home after her last class and made it home in time for dinner.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoZoFOt6csJWf5Xh9XfFZrjXJ3GXQnY2RgUQrBQ-XY_WswBGOufUYYPQ6_wrwhJB8no9ryEL8ytuxGHA9gOWDShqR5c82fRyjKBnEymllBFUAlRofuY5X0Q3NAb7XdxxXKEZOZl8IqhVC/s2048/IMG_20200909_125732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoZoFOt6csJWf5Xh9XfFZrjXJ3GXQnY2RgUQrBQ-XY_WswBGOufUYYPQ6_wrwhJB8no9ryEL8ytuxGHA9gOWDShqR5c82fRyjKBnEymllBFUAlRofuY5X0Q3NAb7XdxxXKEZOZl8IqhVC/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_125732.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI-yczvynLWUCj9U1stMrYhEgr3P5IfSufA0YNxd5v17T_gibL_9p5EbQH4fxz6aIybp1cKzQ9ywgZaytCtNyWO-2PlmrJluJrYNGrJfaOztVflk35_J6mAulN0WWtEa6-FncU1L0MzgK/s2048/IMG_20200909_140028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI-yczvynLWUCj9U1stMrYhEgr3P5IfSufA0YNxd5v17T_gibL_9p5EbQH4fxz6aIybp1cKzQ9ywgZaytCtNyWO-2PlmrJluJrYNGrJfaOztVflk35_J6mAulN0WWtEa6-FncU1L0MzgK/w300-h400/IMG_20200909_140028.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div>I can't tell you how refreshed I feel after that quick trip. It was a great change of scenery, and the house was everything we could have asked for. Thank you again, Dani and Marcus!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfo_43ceJ9rzvLVIS6vi1ZwI00FIXuV4PTNp23oYrL_ZndaRof3MUjlDNGLnOPRaodYe_q8k0XeHK6zwB1bSYeKrcO2GiFBZdJyGD1GxxC6UPRVKEkXNk6AEtI9b-GMorkB2ji8qygCik/s2048/IMG_20200907_172356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfo_43ceJ9rzvLVIS6vi1ZwI00FIXuV4PTNp23oYrL_ZndaRof3MUjlDNGLnOPRaodYe_q8k0XeHK6zwB1bSYeKrcO2GiFBZdJyGD1GxxC6UPRVKEkXNk6AEtI9b-GMorkB2ji8qygCik/w300-h400/IMG_20200907_172356.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com2Bethany Beach, DE, USA38.5395564 -75.055180610.229322563821157 -110.2114306 66.849790236178848 -39.8989306tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-20570953279619639512020-09-11T15:20:00.003-04:002020-09-11T15:20:39.011-04:00Tonga Week!<p>As summer comes to a close, we decided to wrap up our around-the-world adventures. I'll have a highlights post with some of our favorites, but for now, I'll fill you in on our last stop on this world tour: Tonga. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZDXJbj5cko8C8_ZNQOmGaU0bPSU6HIB9lWmPFARAj_394B6myq62-ebiNsvCCyw2sIT47TGI0aLOLJUclZEekcPlSOItgMKLBs2uL3KKUZseL_reMUW5bPuHQzMCzIcmOaKuK7SM2UJd/s2048/IMG_20200823_094410_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZDXJbj5cko8C8_ZNQOmGaU0bPSU6HIB9lWmPFARAj_394B6myq62-ebiNsvCCyw2sIT47TGI0aLOLJUclZEekcPlSOItgMKLBs2uL3KKUZseL_reMUW5bPuHQzMCzIcmOaKuK7SM2UJd/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_094410_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><b>Craft/</b><b>Culture</b></p><p>Why Tonga, you might ask? Or where is Tonga--another valid question. Tonga is a Polynesian nation of more than 170 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. Only a few of those islands are inhabited, with some islands even disappearing and reappearing with volcanic activity and erosion.</p><p>This week I let Zahara choose the country. She had recently listened to a podcast called <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/03/22/705921693/hey-baby-island-howd-you-get-here-when-underwater-volcanoes-grow-up">Wow in the World</a> (family favorite!) that highlighted this island nation and wanted to learn more about it. I'm all about interest-led learning, so off we went!</p><p>I posted earlier about how we used this country week as an excuse to visit a nearby waterfall (see <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/08/chasing-waterfalls-at-patapsco-park.html" target="_blank">here</a>). It was a bit of a stretch, but we had fun pretending we were exploring a Tongan island and that the sand and mud were volcanic. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0oaqHL_2rTYwfURk0nzbl84wkTrujh01zlTsTzg7TmilHwquibUYZfbMrrogOkj_XWDfP6NGPPdTh-JKhY_nVAfgvoC3qMY28D4fSZtVxZ3zrNbSpTChtgh5I7FVfdvK2xxrWl2o2fRP/s2048/IMG_20200823_133729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0oaqHL_2rTYwfURk0nzbl84wkTrujh01zlTsTzg7TmilHwquibUYZfbMrrogOkj_XWDfP6NGPPdTh-JKhY_nVAfgvoC3qMY28D4fSZtVxZ3zrNbSpTChtgh5I7FVfdvK2xxrWl2o2fRP/w311-h400/IMG_20200823_133729.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1UjBRCU5mLA4UDTORIuG2KX5tq1x7JWsW7gkMIYrs5AFm6oaoV9ALggKVQHret_1OcjtCjto9EnniE0ei3eYzOOhX0DGKlGGE3p0opqS4TxVrBRy0UYWleyCKOLnJI3hmpG3qQHzo9gR/s2048/IMG_20200823_134005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1UjBRCU5mLA4UDTORIuG2KX5tq1x7JWsW7gkMIYrs5AFm6oaoV9ALggKVQHret_1OcjtCjto9EnniE0ei3eYzOOhX0DGKlGGE3p0opqS4TxVrBRy0UYWleyCKOLnJI3hmpG3qQHzo9gR/w361-h400/IMG_20200823_134005.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><p>Dan helped get us into the spirit of the week by buying a young coconut. We drank the water and then used the shell to make a coconut bra. Ha! Mixed verdict on the water. The meat wasn't ready to eat--it was more gelatinous than I was expecting, and the water was a little bitter. But two thumbs up for Dan's engineering skills and Zahara's dancing skills!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBKK7QY6rtj1qaQs5txpUBIqZn22mR7aiGoe5jRIf35Ka0AETvxkFjw7k8r7AO0LdO1hGwVLwzo2DPRW29mr8Mc0J7u-Jc-48kfasIs-Ht9M8ZBOs34aOv0PhSIFHEO7jt95-_lG8ZJWR/s2048/IMG_20200823_094028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBKK7QY6rtj1qaQs5txpUBIqZn22mR7aiGoe5jRIf35Ka0AETvxkFjw7k8r7AO0LdO1hGwVLwzo2DPRW29mr8Mc0J7u-Jc-48kfasIs-Ht9M8ZBOs34aOv0PhSIFHEO7jt95-_lG8ZJWR/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_094028.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-xQpfjtf9Q0xbCWOxxmkU_k3ZJLct0Nav75Ah6pwJjF7m3VYKU47gwz2AF1GD6CejkSYx-JVe5hrQjfE8A8A2D27omSWRMXZZEOelzY5PCCWk_XyhvnnKbugeonnMblLiRwALskSxP_N/s2048/IMG_20200823_200211+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-xQpfjtf9Q0xbCWOxxmkU_k3ZJLct0Nav75Ah6pwJjF7m3VYKU47gwz2AF1GD6CejkSYx-JVe5hrQjfE8A8A2D27omSWRMXZZEOelzY5PCCWk_XyhvnnKbugeonnMblLiRwALskSxP_N/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_200211+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgmUyQMY9QC1ViTPrH6K8oZPhIpBxpRINNQJiY0MtIr4gEoH1BJsET3L6I0fjCOokbh8Mic7VPomhyphenhyphensiAVMWkh6uPa34bB6TWg-xEsZRYXN_evDqB0z7D_j0PotRkv3mWaAsvrViX42TT/s640/VID_20200824_174811-ANIMATION+%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgmUyQMY9QC1ViTPrH6K8oZPhIpBxpRINNQJiY0MtIr4gEoH1BJsET3L6I0fjCOokbh8Mic7VPomhyphenhyphensiAVMWkh6uPa34bB6TWg-xEsZRYXN_evDqB0z7D_j0PotRkv3mWaAsvrViX42TT/w225-h400/VID_20200824_174811-ANIMATION+%25281%2529.gif" width="225" /></a></div><p>We also watched Moana this week. It was a nice tie-in to talk about the Polynesian culture and their ancient traditions. I love this movie. It's so beautiful. And of course the songs are incredible. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBGeygEwLSosDZuBhqFFdSzTtrAqYkee_0EdAT9XZ2iu06B_zj2gf-813o2XjttYBq6ITq5JMLVZcdfUKFDE-8GTTP4J8z_CChwIKyEcKW36kavH3Ire5dx9U9EhAO6aUKMuesw8J3LA9/s2048/IMG_20200827_154746+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBGeygEwLSosDZuBhqFFdSzTtrAqYkee_0EdAT9XZ2iu06B_zj2gf-813o2XjttYBq6ITq5JMLVZcdfUKFDE-8GTTP4J8z_CChwIKyEcKW36kavH3Ire5dx9U9EhAO6aUKMuesw8J3LA9/w300-h400/IMG_20200827_154746+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><b>Food</b></p><p>When Zahara first mentioned Tonga, I wasn't sure there would be much to eat this week. Turns out there are a ton of Tongan dishes that we could make at home. You won't be surprised to find out that almost all of them center around coconut. Here was our menu: <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/collections/recipes/ota-ika-tongan-ceviche" target="_blank">ota'ika</a>, <a href="https://peacecorpscooking.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/tonga-lu-sipi/" target="_blank">lu pulu, lu sipi</a>, <a href="https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/683748034/auntie-vilas-samoan-curry-chicken-stew/#comments" target="_blank">kale moa</a>, <a href="https://www.pineappleandcoconut.com/recipes/otai-tongan-watermelon-drink/ " target="_blank">otai</a>. No, I'd never heard of any of these before either.</p><p>Ota'ika is a little like a Tongan ceviche. It's raw tuna mixed with coconut milk, tomatoes, and bell peppers. It was pretty good, actually. We got all of our ingredients from H Mart.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX462k0eTkBGOX_-6jm4x3-10ATv88IWuQWZSaBP1TjSYCReHP1M2lx4u6sfMhXFsm7NwD-yraNxOIEdUGlV2SsNLb3r0W2kMYTE8W5WVEEYKhr8dpGl3qGnYjtbEBLEpzsiAtkcfHW6kZ/s2048/IMG_20200823_180558_Bokeh+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX462k0eTkBGOX_-6jm4x3-10ATv88IWuQWZSaBP1TjSYCReHP1M2lx4u6sfMhXFsm7NwD-yraNxOIEdUGlV2SsNLb3r0W2kMYTE8W5WVEEYKhr8dpGl3qGnYjtbEBLEpzsiAtkcfHW6kZ/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_180558_Bokeh+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lu pulu and lu sipi are the same dish, but with different proteins. Lu pulu is lamb and lu sipi is beef. You make them both of them by wrapping the meat, onions, and coconut milk in taro or banana leaves and then cooking them in the oven. Traditionally, lu sipi uses canned corned beef. We made our own corned beef instead, and it turned out great. This was a really different dish--and not at all visually appealing, but I enjoyed it.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRpnQHX2lL145Z5IxLk-QBGDpi_o8tXWUj3ExQqQJtqssJLVNem9RLhA-zHZY-_dEHRy2exM6qtKcinSkcApekIaw27kzGU6WQa_D9xVPphv9HOoZ9uVFrx7snzH-vhp0cpJ6Bhbsy0pR/s2048/IMG_20200824_130316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRpnQHX2lL145Z5IxLk-QBGDpi_o8tXWUj3ExQqQJtqssJLVNem9RLhA-zHZY-_dEHRy2exM6qtKcinSkcApekIaw27kzGU6WQa_D9xVPphv9HOoZ9uVFrx7snzH-vhp0cpJ6Bhbsy0pR/w300-h400/IMG_20200824_130316.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Kale moa is a chicken curry with...you guessed it. Coconut milk! I forgot to take a picture of the final product, but Asher was a great sous chef. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWSob-j5mZeeujSwqU57gk7sNvkWrueb4E3wt6oGsZB2b_Aiw1BA_veiJQHCD2hJY6dt3EaWY-WoMPFn0HU5OfA11sB7mT4cb0J-RhSko0SIQ1FHNzGfuuo0I0GKMN7hiD9Fw7FJ5eOM_/s2048/IMG_20200826_152414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWSob-j5mZeeujSwqU57gk7sNvkWrueb4E3wt6oGsZB2b_Aiw1BA_veiJQHCD2hJY6dt3EaWY-WoMPFn0HU5OfA11sB7mT4cb0J-RhSko0SIQ1FHNzGfuuo0I0GKMN7hiD9Fw7FJ5eOM_/w300-h400/IMG_20200826_152414.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>This watermelon drink was really refreshing! We made it the traditional way without coconut. We all loved it, and Zahara even asked for seconds.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhse6Kz04kQOIRW768OZFLa4n9Bq7SZJA1j8GyN98ruaQwLjqPWHY28rhazHZbLC1ZR4l8CfuFZK6SzOs_XFbUb4x9lPMwdhFIHwW8clSH6dEAl6DAI4pO3sfnKiJ4Ocy6Wn30gzLZ22rgb/s2508/IMG_20200829_170154+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhse6Kz04kQOIRW768OZFLa4n9Bq7SZJA1j8GyN98ruaQwLjqPWHY28rhazHZbLC1ZR4l8CfuFZK6SzOs_XFbUb4x9lPMwdhFIHwW8clSH6dEAl6DAI4pO3sfnKiJ4Ocy6Wn30gzLZ22rgb/w200-h400/IMG_20200829_170154+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>I was really surprised that we were able to make a whole week out of this tiny country, but we did! This was a good reminder to me to not say no automatically to my kids' ideas, but instead to explore and learn with them. Tonga was a wonderful host for our last week around the world.</p><p>See our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-3064298523472732602020-09-03T07:00:00.001-04:002020-09-03T07:00:04.171-04:00Hiking the Appalachian Trail<p>This past weekend we went for another family outing--this time to Weverton Cliffs. We had heard great things about the view at the top of this hike, and since the kids did so well <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/08/chasing-waterfalls-at-patapsco-park.html" target="_blank">last week</a>, we decided to give it a go.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGuit-5vt3zSwu7qGc0FHpWzzUYi3zDhqrgP_jkOdL6aXWDWkO9qkNaAOSsGBflnkgQRqxtFhWRzGCvE_Ke9HcWWnCiwRbNcjhZt9nCF9FEpfGljDpnVjG2aDaKuukqKyl1KHdLU6k_cQ/s2048/IMG_20200830_122011_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGuit-5vt3zSwu7qGc0FHpWzzUYi3zDhqrgP_jkOdL6aXWDWkO9qkNaAOSsGBflnkgQRqxtFhWRzGCvE_Ke9HcWWnCiwRbNcjhZt9nCF9FEpfGljDpnVjG2aDaKuukqKyl1KHdLU6k_cQ/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_122011_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>This hike is part of the Appalachian Trail that spans over 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Some people spend months hiking the A.T. from end to end; luckily, we didn't need that kind of commitment to experience the beauty of this path. Instead, we walked the 3 mile Weverton Cliffs loop.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRs2F1qhD72qgnxa2skOFXaY2ze3zajtmB3U8kmeNhqnJFOgopKIEG-vcLuFaKVxQ3VtwbXDYhYaCxlSTTYEMVFIVJt8KxHg37iXslfwV0QuxdcwLwcUJfiOcaXJuUJK3qhU5rr0d6mgJ/s2048/IMG_20200830_113852_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRs2F1qhD72qgnxa2skOFXaY2ze3zajtmB3U8kmeNhqnJFOgopKIEG-vcLuFaKVxQ3VtwbXDYhYaCxlSTTYEMVFIVJt8KxHg37iXslfwV0QuxdcwLwcUJfiOcaXJuUJK3qhU5rr0d6mgJ/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_113852_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><br /></div><p>The path is pretty steep and rocky with lots of switchbacks. It took us about 90 minutes to climb up. I think if you didn't have a four-year-old with you, you could do it much, much faster. But taking our time allowed us to appreciate nature. We saw a fuzzy caterpillar (that landed on my shoulder, scaring the bejesus out of me), a tiny ring neck snake, and tons of huge wood ear mushrooms. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-V5HrfimVHskufuG48x9OY4tlNat2jcC37PeMGJr0xffmgfWlX6S5xFMbBmDBEGIbDumWutEINatLy_vU7eEvT67qY_8MHdi2BfzAOS0QQ4W0Q4XwVZWy2VkG0FrMusWjBR3hFk5vNAp/s2048/IMG_20200830_140657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-V5HrfimVHskufuG48x9OY4tlNat2jcC37PeMGJr0xffmgfWlX6S5xFMbBmDBEGIbDumWutEINatLy_vU7eEvT67qY_8MHdi2BfzAOS0QQ4W0Q4XwVZWy2VkG0FrMusWjBR3hFk5vNAp/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_140657.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><br /></div><p>We stopped for a snack and bathroom break at some large flat rocks near the top. One of the things to note about the A.T. is there are no bathroom facilities on the trail. Just something to keep in mind if you're making a day of it.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17u-jI77yPt7QqEvKVCEhjBqNslXzIol2g-EgQZwh_MhEvRCAS0g1RppmskyrGHdAZ9_n3hfFIbi-Me1sF_-KODXK7Yl1z8Qu9Uay-aJlz8uVe-kBAuBvI0Ct5pknPXPr6KlFIYVMGXU6/s2048/IMG_20200830_112012_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17u-jI77yPt7QqEvKVCEhjBqNslXzIol2g-EgQZwh_MhEvRCAS0g1RppmskyrGHdAZ9_n3hfFIbi-Me1sF_-KODXK7Yl1z8Qu9Uay-aJlz8uVe-kBAuBvI0Ct5pknPXPr6KlFIYVMGXU6/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_112012_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>We figured out last weekend that the kids LOVE lychee. Before this hike, we went to H-Mart to grab a huge bag of the fruit to use as enticements (a.k.a. "bribes") to keep moving. We created "lychee opportunities" every 20 minutes or so where the kids would look for the best place to stop and eat. I love the little things that make my kids happy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBZVW8H2ZMpOX_OGil9VOgcawEzQwcY8DBpeu6jf-OkFnP0btPwu0zD_Hu9VBP1vmg1BjIQDiiwD1Qo6seo01y-gP1Up6aM9Sq4L0E4IGyPi2vn6IVl5koha-zr4R_mLMU-ctQxydw80O/s2048/IMG_20200830_105805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBZVW8H2ZMpOX_OGil9VOgcawEzQwcY8DBpeu6jf-OkFnP0btPwu0zD_Hu9VBP1vmg1BjIQDiiwD1Qo6seo01y-gP1Up6aM9Sq4L0E4IGyPi2vn6IVl5koha-zr4R_mLMU-ctQxydw80O/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_105805.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p>The view at the top did not disappoint. We sat on the rocks overlooking the Potomac river and watched as a freight train traversed the hills. It was more crowded than I would have liked, but at least everyone was wearing masks and doing their best to keep distant. There were even hikers who set up a hammock there!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9QYPcbbapPXa6AoUKlgh87JSpJpfmLazF6TAY7dnN2-CAEbSt7GR2QpG-rpbkgzud5vgnS6jCBu5aqbYyUMkSRog5JV1COI55IT6tjuyJ-ALMK_eHu0Ex1IuStrAbceP2vZxIeUpv989/s2048/IMG_20200830_123527_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9QYPcbbapPXa6AoUKlgh87JSpJpfmLazF6TAY7dnN2-CAEbSt7GR2QpG-rpbkgzud5vgnS6jCBu5aqbYyUMkSRog5JV1COI55IT6tjuyJ-ALMK_eHu0Ex1IuStrAbceP2vZxIeUpv989/w400-h300/IMG_20200830_123527_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0AX7dSCn5iw1PYAhX5qgQeRP2Hxeh0BiRjoctPIUwxug0scPAf03j7Orf5YbhYL79zeI2EdY8xBQiCmQycgpA1ThOXVQOtEZfac3glrUKg59gnXzgA3O6hONkVHWCCP6SMXDfqzW11Kw/s2508/IMG_20200830_124317.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0AX7dSCn5iw1PYAhX5qgQeRP2Hxeh0BiRjoctPIUwxug0scPAf03j7Orf5YbhYL79zeI2EdY8xBQiCmQycgpA1ThOXVQOtEZfac3glrUKg59gnXzgA3O6hONkVHWCCP6SMXDfqzW11Kw/w200-h400/IMG_20200830_124317.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We had a nice picnic lunch before heading back down. The way back took significantly less time. I'd say maybe 45 minutes or an hour? The kids were such troopers. I'm so impressed and hopeful that we can do more of this in the future.<br /><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3VMk3qK-WduGf35-Z2pllhEsaKfjksWfmJdv6PrCBPqXr_CpEU8dEfDcBYMpvlCFgkubGfC3co1nxCoosebdPZ6g1xmY_V3jZbR86qGHuLsgyf-NwY6sdsc31D5dfwBXsmgVAtnlzQXe/s2048/IMG_20200830_125009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3VMk3qK-WduGf35-Z2pllhEsaKfjksWfmJdv6PrCBPqXr_CpEU8dEfDcBYMpvlCFgkubGfC3co1nxCoosebdPZ6g1xmY_V3jZbR86qGHuLsgyf-NwY6sdsc31D5dfwBXsmgVAtnlzQXe/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_125009.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA3ghtcJFPxTyW2pzFJ6RWc4GXRMhBQcF5_4SOMdzVIVbaRzIfUI35b_esrqVbSuaVbon-lZAT2TRrOAIUsHDAZNbx67WaynTNtni0hsjqsAsQLYY61GfsytjlXdzEJOS3idvlsttppMx/s2048/IMG_20200830_123024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA3ghtcJFPxTyW2pzFJ6RWc4GXRMhBQcF5_4SOMdzVIVbaRzIfUI35b_esrqVbSuaVbon-lZAT2TRrOAIUsHDAZNbx67WaynTNtni0hsjqsAsQLYY61GfsytjlXdzEJOS3idvlsttppMx/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_123024.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJpJ_HqAfiiL8BJcEXdFerkSPJ3VH734NhAVbjYS55TUmrchLY9t6BsErxrJS1SjC9h0aWfve-lSbc56gQ3xUdA23_TG8RSdJa8h9LYJlbr052iA2wo7klYRLwW3SCNqg4zSg65cmm_xP/s2048/IMG_20200830_125035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJpJ_HqAfiiL8BJcEXdFerkSPJ3VH734NhAVbjYS55TUmrchLY9t6BsErxrJS1SjC9h0aWfve-lSbc56gQ3xUdA23_TG8RSdJa8h9LYJlbr052iA2wo7klYRLwW3SCNqg4zSg65cmm_xP/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_125035.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Have you been to Weverton Cliffs? Have you hiked the Appalachian Trail? Leave me a comment and let me know!</p></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0Appalachian Trail, Knoxville, MD 21758, USA39.3322757 -77.67649779999999311.022041863821151 -112.83274779999999 67.642509536178835 -42.520247799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-45286809274188194402020-09-02T07:00:00.001-04:002020-09-02T07:00:00.480-04:00Summer Musings by Asher<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I can't keep up with writing down all the hilarious things Asher is saying these days. He's so chatty, and is at the stage where he's curious about everything. And I mean everything.<br />
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<b>Thought 1:</b><br />
Asher: Dear G-d, You are the best G-d ever. You make the plants grow. Thank you.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<b>Thought 2:</b><br />Asher: Mommy, let's both be monkeys. That's my dream.<br />
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<b>Thought 3:</b><br />Asher: Mommy, can I see your vagina?</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Me: No, that's private. We don't show people our private parts.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Asher: Can I see my penis?</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Me: Yes, you can look at your own penis.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Asher, <i>checking his pants: </i>Yup, it's great!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/02/thoughts-by-asher-first-edition.html">Click here</a> to see some of Asher's previous thoughts.<br />
And to see his equally insightful and hilarious sister, <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/search/label/Thoughts%20by%20Z">click here</a>.<br />
<br /></div>
Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-58907387890765851102020-09-01T11:15:00.000-04:002020-09-01T11:15:07.576-04:00Morning Glory Muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgp0AAN0y_fVkqq4paeM_Pnmr98nHZum3aX7949BtSQZegxcrAhUf5ZcVatVXgsWfqm2HZS8v8zu0EQb4_LhQOgiN3HRMgmOxj8TXX6BppHl1r3KLoR4IVk4ch1vmdOWxiE6nW_v5w3n5/s2048/IMG_20200830_193336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgp0AAN0y_fVkqq4paeM_Pnmr98nHZum3aX7949BtSQZegxcrAhUf5ZcVatVXgsWfqm2HZS8v8zu0EQb4_LhQOgiN3HRMgmOxj8TXX6BppHl1r3KLoR4IVk4ch1vmdOWxiE6nW_v5w3n5/w300-h400/IMG_20200830_193336.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Popping in quickly to tell you about my favorite healthy-ish snack: morning glory muffins. I've been making these for years and can't wait to share them with you. They're so easy and so delicious! </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Over the years I've made a lot of adjustments to the original recipe to get it to be a bit healthier, but still tasty. This is my favorite version. Asher loves them too! Give them a try and let me know what you think!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLTMqVpa2CyoL6UhtBPSoK2ueMMTj69km_U4rr4bv28dkxMXq-PibRpx689RD8M8FZDqPopuHedeBDaBrpYMA6CUDRY0-YxUzFNEhBYJRE4R5Zqnkdu2YKYlzSap7Up_mKArqZKeEiiaF/s2048/IMG_20200901_074616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLTMqVpa2CyoL6UhtBPSoK2ueMMTj69km_U4rr4bv28dkxMXq-PibRpx689RD8M8FZDqPopuHedeBDaBrpYMA6CUDRY0-YxUzFNEhBYJRE4R5Zqnkdu2YKYlzSap7Up_mKArqZKeEiiaF/w300-h400/IMG_20200901_074616.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Morning Glory Muffins</b></div><div><i>Original recipe from <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20995/easy-morning-glory-muffins/" target="_blank">here</a></i></div><div>Makes 18 muffins</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 cups whole-wheat flour</li><li>3/4 cups brown sugar </li><li>2 teaspoons baking soda </li><li>2 teaspoons ground cinnamon </li><li>1/4 teaspoon salt </li><li>2 cups shredded carrots </li><li>1/2 cup raisins (optional)</li><li>1/2 cup chopped walnuts</li><li>1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut</li><li>1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded</li><li>3 eggs</li><li>1 cup apple sauce</li><li><span>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></li></ul><ul>
</ul>
Directions
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two muffin tins. This recipe makes 12 large muffins and around 12 mini-muffins.</li><li>In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins (if using), nuts, coconut, and apple.</li><li>In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, apple sauce, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. </li><li>Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.</li><li>Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.</li></ul>
</div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-33694795232602614842020-08-31T07:00:00.001-04:002020-08-31T07:00:05.823-04:00Spain Week!<p>This week it was back to Europe to visit Spain. Spain is one of my favorite countries. I've been a few times, and each time I fell in love with the food, the culture, and the smell of oranges that pervade the Valencia region. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVeWBqnbf8W_PfZOCiEvYZcDMeiRjDIezqYxUkTyJil1aJVJGxsVb7k5R2_K-oiNFeL7hARU2tSrXbj-a88FuehNoIHeB9Y295P357Vhvhdqb4Xdxwj0Yb4-rKA2G4_l7X9jpGbZ_iQ99/s2048/P1100194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="2048" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVeWBqnbf8W_PfZOCiEvYZcDMeiRjDIezqYxUkTyJil1aJVJGxsVb7k5R2_K-oiNFeL7hARU2tSrXbj-a88FuehNoIHeB9Y295P357Vhvhdqb4Xdxwj0Yb4-rKA2G4_l7X9jpGbZ_iQ99/w400-h358/P1100194.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In Spain with my parents and sister (and pregnant with Z); 2013<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br />Culture</b><p>Dan hit it out of the park with this one. He found some fantastic videos to watch that taught us fascinating new traditions. Of course we've heard of the running of the bulls, but watching <a href="https://youtu.be/Qmp4DjtWcuw">this video </a>was eye-opening. We didn't watch it in advance, so we found ourselves in an interesting position of explaining bull-fighting to the kids. Let's just say they were not fans.</p><p>We also already knew about Gaudi, but seeing his creations all together was cool. The kids loved the gingerbread house the most, but were also pretty excited about the stone forest and gorgeous stained glass in La Sagrada Famila. We watched <a href="https://youtu.be/B2WV71dgrTs">this video</a> to learn more about his work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-6uoLtSraIXIjhnt9jwidueVtsTBNDF-mlm4sh_XqC2EjjBWQ2ewOOCzqCRO73Gm451IKKY16QCIeR2oaixmx43mMRoysDBCNKj-u8jVJAUGicZ7w_fDGDmwjluVqOaCCgGC09hZFwep/s2048/DSC03199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-6uoLtSraIXIjhnt9jwidueVtsTBNDF-mlm4sh_XqC2EjjBWQ2ewOOCzqCRO73Gm451IKKY16QCIeR2oaixmx43mMRoysDBCNKj-u8jVJAUGicZ7w_fDGDmwjluVqOaCCgGC09hZFwep/w400-h266/DSC03199.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWp3l5n-O8aDS3glXwYNaSGDvhtsou320t0b_G57JGugOFPMhvCQqOj4LH5CB_nSRXak6Wul_ITbM6GAvsPMDKJh4Q4my-AKwF8e05Q1Qq-FPyHso2EtK2do363BamuANu9h2FhwvH4Tv/s4912/DSC03256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4912" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWp3l5n-O8aDS3glXwYNaSGDvhtsou320t0b_G57JGugOFPMhvCQqOj4LH5CB_nSRXak6Wul_ITbM6GAvsPMDKJh4Q4my-AKwF8e05Q1Qq-FPyHso2EtK2do363BamuANu9h2FhwvH4Tv/w400-h266/DSC03256.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Back in the days when we were traveling a ton (man, I really miss those days), we loved learning about new destinations from Rick Steves. We did several of his walking and audio tours (<a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-quick-trip-across-pond.html">British Museum</a>, <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/06/wine-tasting-in-tuscany.html">Montepulciano</a>, <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/05/quick-trip-to-germany.html">Rhine Valley</a>, <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-from-paris.html">Notre Dame</a>) and always found him to provide helpful tidbits and interesting facts. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CtJPOF7YmU&feature=youtu.be">This video</a> provided the same about the Andalucian region in Spain. We learned about their lifestyle, history, and eating habits.</p><p>But the <i>piece de resistance</i> was learning about a Catalan tradition called castells. These are incredible human towers can reach several stories high! Each tower involves around 1,000 people, and usually includes a small child (around age 7-9) at the top. It's really hard to describe how incredible this is. Please watch <a href="https://youtu.be/iIw5gc0zlU4">this video</a> and learn more about it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMDyJpog6Z2LVrtTVO3yeKbwD8cTHnl7pN6jlgthDTE0114Q2gxkzm0eT53z21dO0jM8t3_Awifvs_TlT6K5W8Kd8MLfgjOP6cBlx12Z1dxfX-t9EX5JePdO_EbR1_YPKgv32kOk6Zp2n/s959/Human-Tower__2018_GettyImages-828610370-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="767" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMDyJpog6Z2LVrtTVO3yeKbwD8cTHnl7pN6jlgthDTE0114Q2gxkzm0eT53z21dO0jM8t3_Awifvs_TlT6K5W8Kd8MLfgjOP6cBlx12Z1dxfX-t9EX5JePdO_EbR1_YPKgv32kOk6Zp2n/w320-h400/Human-Tower__2018_GettyImages-828610370-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/activities/barcelona/human-towers">Source</a></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We also looked through our travel pictures and showed the kids our favorite parts of Spain. I've been to Spain five times. I traveled with my friend Leah in college and went on a girls' trip to <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/12/hola-alicante.html">Alicante</a> while living in England. Together, Dan, Zahara and I visited <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-spanish-chanukah.html">Barcelona </a>and <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/02/tenerife-island-full-of-surprises.html">Tenerife</a>, and we traveled with my family to <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/04/hola-espana.html">Malaga </a>when I was seven months pregnant. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdDlmz6eVC3Q5tJ7uu5xO54xLDAIWDq_neC3TjNojGV7g7ntH926jDbeUTmbXFE3DOFUOWbPWRLh7S0849aR5RNTzF-RmMqu6qSs-bwJnjMhx0mZMBJaY32Z33gEVYxHSZ9mFWcQaE7cM/s4912/DSC03107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4912" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdDlmz6eVC3Q5tJ7uu5xO54xLDAIWDq_neC3TjNojGV7g7ntH926jDbeUTmbXFE3DOFUOWbPWRLh7S0849aR5RNTzF-RmMqu6qSs-bwJnjMhx0mZMBJaY32Z33gEVYxHSZ9mFWcQaE7cM/w400-h266/DSC03107.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Funny story: Dan and I knew what we were naming Zahara, but no one else did. We INSISTED we visit the Spanish town of Zahara to collect some memorabilia and take pictures. Sadly, it was pouring rain, so the only thing we saw there was a cozy restaurant and a cemetery. All the shops were closed, so the only memento we got was a picture of a storm drain. This picture still hangs in her room today. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA8FYNGPzn6k4zK4_WSXJLxn4OR5-RScjN6uBsQQ1jEy6K2FkUFiH1nc7u-StDDY762duPU-gFlwyD5QuWNRHzTYGnewghPQSZZcu5e70LUcG2zqtuugk5iIrh9FwCAVrhLm2PKnvFl9E/s2048/P1100288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA8FYNGPzn6k4zK4_WSXJLxn4OR5-RScjN6uBsQQ1jEy6K2FkUFiH1nc7u-StDDY762duPU-gFlwyD5QuWNRHzTYGnewghPQSZZcu5e70LUcG2zqtuugk5iIrh9FwCAVrhLm2PKnvFl9E/w400-h314/P1100288.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Food</b></p><p>Spanish food is such a treat. I love having lots of little things, so tapas are perfect for me (as long as I don't have to share with too many people--ha!). In addition to tapas though, we made several other Spanish dishes. Here was our menu for the week: <a href=" https://rouxbe.com/recipes/77-tortilla-de-patatas">tortilla de patatas</a>, tinto de verano, sangria, <a href="https://www.bascofinefoods.com/spanish-recipes/albondigas/">albondigas</a>, various tapas, <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230569/chef-johns-patatas-bravas/ ">patatas bravas</a>, <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/rabo-de-toro">rabo de toro</a>, and <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/mexican-rice-pudding-arroz-con-leche-recipe-1921815">arroz con leche</a>.</p><p>The tortilla was so good we made it twice! The second time we added one more egg and cut the potatoes smaller. It's delicious!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeFNSjASjtLxNb3c_XaoUXzsHRvgtTALKoPmj1-6wbCFUqUpB4gfOllFT85RdlRb1OSywN1WY23Qy0-K9mRfuvqGE2ZbhNX7Tg27ce-sH-TMz147T1XUkEVqtzqkZBX8qs1uWqc8BrygR/s2508/IMG_20200816_175959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeFNSjASjtLxNb3c_XaoUXzsHRvgtTALKoPmj1-6wbCFUqUpB4gfOllFT85RdlRb1OSywN1WY23Qy0-K9mRfuvqGE2ZbhNX7Tg27ce-sH-TMz147T1XUkEVqtzqkZBX8qs1uWqc8BrygR/w400-h200/IMG_20200816_175959.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We had a couple of Spanish drinks this week. Sangria is one of my favorite drinks, especially in summer. It's so nice and refreshing. But, apparently, locals don't really drink sangria. Spaniards drink something called <i>tinto de verano</i> ("summer red wine"), which tastes a lot like sangria but is less complicated to make. It's just red wine and sprite! Sounds crazy, but is really tasty.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxowaDNePmt35ncKQDgRDwOkWWheTcth5KKUoJd7Pa9UGlFDxkpBqTZbyeMKvgl3-SGUguIYXMYzn9ubV09RLuooU0Z00jgcwx4g4ELsa-hCRIzM_lfQKoZSIteeh-4s1msbfjJquERczW/s2048/IMG_20200819_202043_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxowaDNePmt35ncKQDgRDwOkWWheTcth5KKUoJd7Pa9UGlFDxkpBqTZbyeMKvgl3-SGUguIYXMYzn9ubV09RLuooU0Z00jgcwx4g4ELsa-hCRIzM_lfQKoZSIteeh-4s1msbfjJquERczW/w300-h400/IMG_20200819_202043_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmMuQL-8_-65i3S16fyZq9XKicbbT89_KVHyg8MzF24usyGKYROnHVQSWoP8AfkAR9nq__XKX_855dRKUPjI0taztmvSXuPopIevIE4e-raXAELttZHwE6mGoaS0Pi2DdXwg426wXzmfp/s2048/IMG_20200816_200603.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmMuQL-8_-65i3S16fyZq9XKicbbT89_KVHyg8MzF24usyGKYROnHVQSWoP8AfkAR9nq__XKX_855dRKUPjI0taztmvSXuPopIevIE4e-raXAELttZHwE6mGoaS0Pi2DdXwg426wXzmfp/w300-h400/IMG_20200816_200603.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Albondigas are Spanish meatballs. These were good, but I didn't get a real "Spanish" taste from them. I probably wouldn't make this recipe again. Same with the patatas bravas. They were perfectly crunchy, and I liked the sauce a lot. But the potatoes were a bit salty.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-g6wFwjZw06siUi_O9nJz7OcQv0TwWN2w-0gfrfjvpIouOqeU3G4sNxSekAUcw5lj-f-Jcoc8svdcjTN5jUescWbJZkYkmzT2qLEhFpT9VbMVciDDq84aRp4uZ-_jauIyIR27rQ_7pi2/s2048/IMG_20200817_175230_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-g6wFwjZw06siUi_O9nJz7OcQv0TwWN2w-0gfrfjvpIouOqeU3G4sNxSekAUcw5lj-f-Jcoc8svdcjTN5jUescWbJZkYkmzT2qLEhFpT9VbMVciDDq84aRp4uZ-_jauIyIR27rQ_7pi2/w400-h300/IMG_20200817_175230_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERLA4D0xLc5yksf8GE9ABjkjGb-q9xIfXbbtAanx8EeQwBN78wCl1LkHh8O6KjoS5HskPZmox7mcx3dZa2mp9j_dsBiKKewpJtwLwIiw_x5dRBmNROoXqrxiAZoghyJr4BeZS6aYXExWT/s2048/IMG_20200820_182001_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERLA4D0xLc5yksf8GE9ABjkjGb-q9xIfXbbtAanx8EeQwBN78wCl1LkHh8O6KjoS5HskPZmox7mcx3dZa2mp9j_dsBiKKewpJtwLwIiw_x5dRBmNROoXqrxiAZoghyJr4BeZS6aYXExWT/w400-h300/IMG_20200820_182001_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We ordered in from Jaleo to experience a few different Spanish tapas. I love Jose Andres restaurants (as seen <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2020/02/bazaar-by-jose-andres.html">here</a>, <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2017/02/mgm-national-harbor-and-fish.html">here</a>, and <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2017/07/epic-doesnt-even-begin-to-describe-it.html">here</a>). We got gazpacho, ensalada Rusa, marinated olives, cauliflower and dates, manchego flautas, roasted salmon, marinated mushrooms, spinach and raisins, and more manchego cheese. It was a spread!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zx6L30Ej0qhcN-KMuL9LXmOlK4PvTXTOjFbb61zF7XyqPud94czliGvq-bHI2pRrtuixCP4PytMJEO2cXCl7dg_1qnZ7nnH0g8JHc52EmTEliZxFMDIXGMHA4-GaAGb7FLMBHXfuBaFq/s2048/IMG_20200819_175923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zx6L30Ej0qhcN-KMuL9LXmOlK4PvTXTOjFbb61zF7XyqPud94czliGvq-bHI2pRrtuixCP4PytMJEO2cXCl7dg_1qnZ7nnH0g8JHc52EmTEliZxFMDIXGMHA4-GaAGb7FLMBHXfuBaFq/w400-h300/IMG_20200819_175923.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We made our own tapas plate the next night with leftovers and veggies.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm8cgeE2O5NA359ZA0h_FO1sg8qMXDis1f5hSLxg3XHRVE4nSkm12nAEuI3Rmv1SpCEfe8yzV3ThxV_Fe5pZU2MjX2j4jXr3PD-jfD2RyOnIIk0jQP9WI2vMakZsmxXmpXIx19MvUL27L/s2048/IMG_20200820_182106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm8cgeE2O5NA359ZA0h_FO1sg8qMXDis1f5hSLxg3XHRVE4nSkm12nAEuI3Rmv1SpCEfe8yzV3ThxV_Fe5pZU2MjX2j4jXr3PD-jfD2RyOnIIk0jQP9WI2vMakZsmxXmpXIx19MvUL27L/w400-h300/IMG_20200820_182106.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We tried to make a traditional oxtail stew, but had a hard time finding kosher oxtail. Instead, Dan made this recipe with short ribs. It was really tasty--especially with Dan's homemade sourdough to sop up the sauce!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4dD96YLuVxwG61OtTvTC56SmSYVLi70MxPv05p2NHyN-4O-zUMG-2YB0aKyp_tgeqHzdf6_n6ZGmqbWDhaVU-1YDbj_hbBDcoG4kuwbnKNemvtM-2yRpMKw4CumVysg0T8qJfH4nh7qg/s2048/IMG_20200821_175552_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4dD96YLuVxwG61OtTvTC56SmSYVLi70MxPv05p2NHyN-4O-zUMG-2YB0aKyp_tgeqHzdf6_n6ZGmqbWDhaVU-1YDbj_hbBDcoG4kuwbnKNemvtM-2yRpMKw4CumVysg0T8qJfH4nh7qg/w400-h300/IMG_20200821_175552_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I've never been a huge fan of rice pudding, but this was pretty good. The kids and Dan loved it. I can see how some people consider it a comfort food.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JfBg-7xjTSzHxu088e3Yrf8bFspiUkuphPUR7BHlCid_UDqgw_JLhyErflXbNefcfXPiDWT6r-EVDPUTcUrjr0GAD4Yf043o2bvr-81PGbUVbsvNmK6TbpgAOS2l0frj2VVgg7lh1DCI/s2048/IMG_20200821_201435_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JfBg-7xjTSzHxu088e3Yrf8bFspiUkuphPUR7BHlCid_UDqgw_JLhyErflXbNefcfXPiDWT6r-EVDPUTcUrjr0GAD4Yf043o2bvr-81PGbUVbsvNmK6TbpgAOS2l0frj2VVgg7lh1DCI/w400-h300/IMG_20200821_201435_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's easy to see why I love Spain so much. It's such a wonderful country with so much to explore. I hope to visit in person again one day soon with the kids. Meanwhile, next country is a bit of a surprise. Stay tuned for our trip to Tonga!</p><p>See our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</p></div></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-52291627648913418472020-08-28T07:00:00.001-04:002020-08-28T07:00:06.698-04:00Chasing Waterfalls at Patapsco Park<p>We are busy soaking up the last bits of summer here. I know everyone says it, but time is so crazy right now. It simultaneously feels like it was just March and also like it's always been summer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCcVK1MTfZpa7aPTgohg_tr8xJ8S81fLT26RnRtrAKbBPlU0YX8UrMpivW0x373s3mDyrsrIW4Es1qqLM9XUrU7XmYpQMCGTlN0wcW8XldMWpKNAh4jDMxSaiAOjLLWkAYZagHR6oLKAv/s2048/IMG_20200823_124907_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCcVK1MTfZpa7aPTgohg_tr8xJ8S81fLT26RnRtrAKbBPlU0YX8UrMpivW0x373s3mDyrsrIW4Es1qqLM9XUrU7XmYpQMCGTlN0wcW8XldMWpKNAh4jDMxSaiAOjLLWkAYZagHR6oLKAv/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_124907_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>We've been doing our best to explore the cool towns and gorgeous parks around here. This week we explored <a href="https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/central/patapsco.aspx">Patapsco Valley</a> and its Cascade Falls. We've heard great things about this park from others, and the pictures were enough to convince us to give it ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2w9Dw4aBNyb_Fen6OBrKlwE6pZdzNcQuPR6LNwxI2ewl3rlxswC0dpLcrzS-h4wkMIAhqg6cx0rhYV1iqQ0tX_ulPl1wt3iYeRu5o6uGKyOHfW0o0c7nMASg6Rchq-GY0amI-CVDHHDK/s2048/IMG_20200823_132901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2w9Dw4aBNyb_Fen6OBrKlwE6pZdzNcQuPR6LNwxI2ewl3rlxswC0dpLcrzS-h4wkMIAhqg6cx0rhYV1iqQ0tX_ulPl1wt3iYeRu5o6uGKyOHfW0o0c7nMASg6Rchq-GY0amI-CVDHHDK/w400-h300/IMG_20200823_132901.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Apparently everyone else also had the same idea this weekend; we had a hard time getting into the park. First, the Google directions led us to a private driveway, then, when we finally found the correct entrance, the park ranger had <i>just</i> closed the park because it reached capacity. Thankfully, there was another entrance on the other side of the park that was still open. We raced to that entrance and crossed our fingers it would still be open when we got there. Thankfully, it was!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QIe5GBpoghukImi0JmKPHy4-E4YnXwN2ongykoim-YzOK1LO5FpuiW10VtRUdaQ1BenesYFaw0SODaV7MqXx_Gjv1l6WOmmZ9DrwcpxkvUxtrWKUL5jUplhSh-MYXKJ4y5t_qiRp_sV/s2048/IMG_20200823_125108_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QIe5GBpoghukImi0JmKPHy4-E4YnXwN2ongykoim-YzOK1LO5FpuiW10VtRUdaQ1BenesYFaw0SODaV7MqXx_Gjv1l6WOmmZ9DrwcpxkvUxtrWKUL5jUplhSh-MYXKJ4y5t_qiRp_sV/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_125108_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9Yqis5ryddM6V2lRjZhj9QUGjc_IboruPWGe5tiPS5-Vi7NH6dnlX8onSLF6NcCQgRi9t9DKsGlcm8PUHXbWZA6JqobGlt1o2t1QGF0AyujE3juSfGDy-fWbfqZoR8m8xB1IK4e9ecOE/s2048/IMG_20200823_125244_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9Yqis5ryddM6V2lRjZhj9QUGjc_IboruPWGe5tiPS5-Vi7NH6dnlX8onSLF6NcCQgRi9t9DKsGlcm8PUHXbWZA6JqobGlt1o2t1QGF0AyujE3juSfGDy-fWbfqZoR8m8xB1IK4e9ecOE/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_125244_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>This entrance was a mile from the falls and the swinging bridge, whereas the other entrance was right next to them. Thankfully, though the terrain was pretty rough, the kids did amazing. I'm a week behind in our country week reports (asynchronous learning, right?), but this week we're in Tonga. We pretended that we were exploring one of the 170 islands that make up Tonga as we hiked through the dense jungle and swam in the waterfall and river. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m_PKcboaswCsrzSUDDEEih7iHzbg6KRrRrl27dQHud9Z3lH2TYh0WHgTHoHzNwvsLEQ03ABoJuJuW6qLNj2DNIYXYQ2VPPMhZLB7ra3ZCRWoksGVy1jhu_D0r2qO4RgRu7EXPZkaSOnc/s2048/IMG_20200823_124121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m_PKcboaswCsrzSUDDEEih7iHzbg6KRrRrl27dQHud9Z3lH2TYh0WHgTHoHzNwvsLEQ03ABoJuJuW6qLNj2DNIYXYQ2VPPMhZLB7ra3ZCRWoksGVy1jhu_D0r2qO4RgRu7EXPZkaSOnc/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_124121.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>It took us an hour and a half to hike one mile, but honestly, I'm so impressed with the kids. There were no complaints, only joy. To say Zahara is not a walker is an understatement, so this was a big deal for us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52zlZ_b8o8_tMoPyizFFdbnh-3xLl6U-HiGGQrL-c74sEf66x41z27wjbYT46k7FmI7OMPCj1bFh34ZMTCRsZoGwlATiJX0q5Ox1u1foGIMp8zeQHY1tMn2jHPz0FNeS77R8qmZOo4bzM/s2048/IMG_20200823_154404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52zlZ_b8o8_tMoPyizFFdbnh-3xLl6U-HiGGQrL-c74sEf66x41z27wjbYT46k7FmI7OMPCj1bFh34ZMTCRsZoGwlATiJX0q5Ox1u1foGIMp8zeQHY1tMn2jHPz0FNeS77R8qmZOo4bzM/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_154404.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>The walk was totally worth it. We got to the waterfall and were able to swim and take some pictures. The water was pretty chilly, but we all had a good time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWL4esQQChAmejeoxJzmmfa7Vj5CJIOohy3nh9jOIy_fEOH_ytxmm-ydoTxoGWSaxon7YdOo491Z_jV40ZMXiIGcszIGJycsoX1eR84E72zsyHOs9m2xF-pEaJwPThBAVclk9RgY9nAd_o/s2048/IMG_20200823_133729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWL4esQQChAmejeoxJzmmfa7Vj5CJIOohy3nh9jOIy_fEOH_ytxmm-ydoTxoGWSaxon7YdOo491Z_jV40ZMXiIGcszIGJycsoX1eR84E72zsyHOs9m2xF-pEaJwPThBAVclk9RgY9nAd_o/w311-h400/IMG_20200823_133729.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbs3Uq2xX72zVyUgfhK8m0LVpzIaOekO-uxhbMo6Xhr0C1ltKwNLSe0DSH3CG4SPEfW8h-I9UJdiVF-0fAeJWXJgcwz2e5A_8nrMnueq8UEVhlTiq40n1zNGudnewCgQDEKBn9vEcb6xW/s2048/IMG_20200823_134005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbs3Uq2xX72zVyUgfhK8m0LVpzIaOekO-uxhbMo6Xhr0C1ltKwNLSe0DSH3CG4SPEfW8h-I9UJdiVF-0fAeJWXJgcwz2e5A_8nrMnueq8UEVhlTiq40n1zNGudnewCgQDEKBn9vEcb6xW/w361-h400/IMG_20200823_134005.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><p>After chilling in the waterfall for a bit, we climbed down and across the swinging bridge and down to the beach. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi898PBjtGOCZcxLm8j0YRTfsCR_qKS5JLmYMKI7zW0jf4llJa_z5SO6vFsOIpuFEs_PCN2O40D5y2DFb59V95inpw5UZL5AKjMs4urjqcAyZpgGIPu7L3nPIbQ4pejv7tk3AlWtrmB69IM/s2048/IMG_20200823_130724+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi898PBjtGOCZcxLm8j0YRTfsCR_qKS5JLmYMKI7zW0jf4llJa_z5SO6vFsOIpuFEs_PCN2O40D5y2DFb59V95inpw5UZL5AKjMs4urjqcAyZpgGIPu7L3nPIbQ4pejv7tk3AlWtrmB69IM/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_130724+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>This park used to house the Orange Grove Flour Mill, but it was destroyed in fire in 1905. Today, red bricks from the mill are scattered around the beach and in the river. The kids loved building structures with these bricks and the rocks they found in the shallow, warm waters.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gHq7sPNKAhkiQOrAvDqZNSqVNli0iU6oWXqgbuIJMenoI8YsZQEhhNn9Hb_OhMha43tT7Dt1Pf10AwAyn_3bDHLD8QneD3h6VshU4hmQm5g5x6pByxZ-xrU7Wf9wLKjmOeifUrxS9PNS/s2048/IMG_20200823_141829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gHq7sPNKAhkiQOrAvDqZNSqVNli0iU6oWXqgbuIJMenoI8YsZQEhhNn9Hb_OhMha43tT7Dt1Pf10AwAyn_3bDHLD8QneD3h6VshU4hmQm5g5x6pByxZ-xrU7Wf9wLKjmOeifUrxS9PNS/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_141829.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uLyQWtsM68n0nrA7qzMKXkzzs2yKh4lWsNgHxvXUfgKvMrBFu70P20aY5pVBaq9dmrSuqHy7d28Fc_WTTKH1znlimE2JT_vYp3OgAslRY6iLp8msvFOzJEpdqsKIoiyqZN0lRjVjn_cc/s2048/IMG_20200823_141851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uLyQWtsM68n0nrA7qzMKXkzzs2yKh4lWsNgHxvXUfgKvMrBFu70P20aY5pVBaq9dmrSuqHy7d28Fc_WTTKH1znlimE2JT_vYp3OgAslRY6iLp8msvFOzJEpdqsKIoiyqZN0lRjVjn_cc/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_141851.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GcDOtvaPlK1AlnI8AkbWvSCHfHe9OAW0_9H6xUnCpL6cNJ3Ap0mSWt-cu4FSvS7MdjyTr3BR1oHUbvHpVuHy4lefJw70PmpYbRBWSp33GosUBJqQKpZaCnDhBPJGvtrNDliJi6U5OUs7/s2048/IMG_20200823_142006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GcDOtvaPlK1AlnI8AkbWvSCHfHe9OAW0_9H6xUnCpL6cNJ3Ap0mSWt-cu4FSvS7MdjyTr3BR1oHUbvHpVuHy4lefJw70PmpYbRBWSp33GosUBJqQKpZaCnDhBPJGvtrNDliJi6U5OUs7/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_142006.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiU2Dhv_Ctfsrai85XuAxILzRgjuAnkiphD_UFd62NhJmabgllyI4dtqyjh0ctrsbSP0Ix-rJ8dMqcCw46I5QLH37jOkgIy4y0oKVUfrE4GlfYhUKuRiZLnwOYbURkL_wVDqETwCvqPSj/s2048/IMG_20200823_142034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiU2Dhv_Ctfsrai85XuAxILzRgjuAnkiphD_UFd62NhJmabgllyI4dtqyjh0ctrsbSP0Ix-rJ8dMqcCw46I5QLH37jOkgIy4y0oKVUfrE4GlfYhUKuRiZLnwOYbURkL_wVDqETwCvqPSj/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_142034.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldlyQUmdTxbyI4BK78JBO4ijgkQmwDgw96TgMVC-Zm9HNBSyN0FIGd8pE8d2JxSePVEZWlD3HjXo9bnv9VYWgKD90BpEj3_JseTHA4R-dNjR1NimFIZu4naNBKGqOYukt9iOcb7Q0YwDW/s2048/IMG_20200823_144304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldlyQUmdTxbyI4BK78JBO4ijgkQmwDgw96TgMVC-Zm9HNBSyN0FIGd8pE8d2JxSePVEZWlD3HjXo9bnv9VYWgKD90BpEj3_JseTHA4R-dNjR1NimFIZu4naNBKGqOYukt9iOcb7Q0YwDW/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_144304.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>The hike back took us around an hour, and the kids mostly did well. There were a few well-timed bribes of lychee fruit (which is apparently Asher's new favorite fruit). I'd highly recommend this park to anyone who wants a lovely day out. Have you been? Where else around Maryland should we explore? Leave me a comment below!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN9SnGMffNiTF1m4xfAKqrcQOGbD3heiPQJUNMGlT6gM4A4rgkemDmwRW49SEsnRU8f_UXyqdpOGXoi5iZWa1o2U8t-VKut_MMeJLAzxNG6Y3QtuEpl_o9fltxEXPu1s7u4IIjZ1q_Glv/s2048/IMG_20200823_125235_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN9SnGMffNiTF1m4xfAKqrcQOGbD3heiPQJUNMGlT6gM4A4rgkemDmwRW49SEsnRU8f_UXyqdpOGXoi5iZWa1o2U8t-VKut_MMeJLAzxNG6Y3QtuEpl_o9fltxEXPu1s7u4IIjZ1q_Glv/w300-h400/IMG_20200823_125235_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40luyLa0ur5L_HrNDMapJZvvYtgUdUBu0fkW0qYPeSbp2DHwprOKPhTUuAN_ytHzrmclprqrzllkTy4oytfl1nPPEslutHf7wZX0ET_sSkz7zuSit3MFtNHQ_sc07Wi3iLtwilA0aSkRC/s2048/IMG_20200823_125605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40luyLa0ur5L_HrNDMapJZvvYtgUdUBu0fkW0qYPeSbp2DHwprOKPhTUuAN_ytHzrmclprqrzllkTy4oytfl1nPPEslutHf7wZX0ET_sSkz7zuSit3MFtNHQ_sc07Wi3iLtwilA0aSkRC/w400-h300/IMG_20200823_125605.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-15548972722355580532020-08-24T09:59:00.002-04:002020-08-24T09:59:52.740-04:00Argentina Week!<p>This week we headed to South America to explore Argentina. Once again, this was a terrific food week, and one that Zahara had been looking forward to for a while. She's a huge steak lover, so she was pumped to learn that beef plays such an important role in Argentina's past and present.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nVwSDKMJEZDa1LHpBPINMJd8hC1txxAhJaKuCOzfvrN0Y3_d4_Ex2ZRz-mg7OR_2cZCKxZNefh8pXjaI53nFZCHQalmt89fQirKJp0Mp3XU6h568G6NBqXydnGzBAqU45kp29q2sWrm4/s4608/IMG_20200810_182056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nVwSDKMJEZDa1LHpBPINMJd8hC1txxAhJaKuCOzfvrN0Y3_d4_Ex2ZRz-mg7OR_2cZCKxZNefh8pXjaI53nFZCHQalmt89fQirKJp0Mp3XU6h568G6NBqXydnGzBAqU45kp29q2sWrm4/w300-h400/IMG_20200810_182056.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><b>Culture</b></p><p>One of the coolest things we learned about this week is <i><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-cueva-de-las-manos-cave-of-hands">La Cueva de las Manos</a></i> (the Cave of Hands). This cave art from 10,000 years ago is as beautiful as it is mysterious. The art's purpose, artist, and method are all unknown, though there are some strong hypotheses about the last point. Since all the paintings are of outlines of left hands, archaeologists believe that the artists held a pipe or blow dart filled with paint in their right hands and made impressions of their left hands. I really wanted to try this with the kids, but we didn't get to it this week. Maybe another time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBu_YxkuuX8yOKVnlagV64cnoun6itCFcoIrRrkp-yMhPcTi5Dq2C7Tf86IbapspqM-IinJuIZDqwdw8eLjT_tsbTQY-mKCJ1cVT7XHwu_8nr7E3t02ksQjEPEhlHtkJBlClcC7hyphenhyphen9dJy/s2048/cave+of+hands.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="2048" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBu_YxkuuX8yOKVnlagV64cnoun6itCFcoIrRrkp-yMhPcTi5Dq2C7Tf86IbapspqM-IinJuIZDqwdw8eLjT_tsbTQY-mKCJ1cVT7XHwu_8nr7E3t02ksQjEPEhlHtkJBlClcC7hyphenhyphen9dJy/w400-h208/cave+of+hands.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.timetravelturtle.com/cave-hand"><span style="font-size: small;">Source</span></a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We also watched a few videos to learn more about Argentina. We watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQCrdJcctGU">this one</a> on Argentinian music, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O324jDsS7PA">this one</a> on geography, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzX_-RSk2io">this one</a> had a few interesting facts, like the national sport of Argentina. What do you think it is? I would have guessed football (soccer), but it's not. It's pato! It's like a mix of polo and basketball. Crazy!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbk6RE_7zH3Xz4nFRQipyFB_Uy1em2skx_WyjAUiXudeTLv0TY5JflKDr459e64wvncaLqSL3gaMiNXqm6QX-ksq-HdACQ0riE8zmz914OpazLPFUSq5x-37VmOHydBRFsqyKjqBjUhli/s1024/pato.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbk6RE_7zH3Xz4nFRQipyFB_Uy1em2skx_WyjAUiXudeTLv0TY5JflKDr459e64wvncaLqSL3gaMiNXqm6QX-ksq-HdACQ0riE8zmz914OpazLPFUSq5x-37VmOHydBRFsqyKjqBjUhli/w400-h267/pato.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.globetrotting.com.au/pato-the-national-sport-of-argentina/"><span style="font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Food</b></p><p>As I said, we ate well this week. Here was our menu: <a href="https://www.laylita.com/recipes/empanadas-mendocinas/">empanadas</a> with chimichurri, steak, <a href="https://www.bourbonandbrownsugar.net/blog/2017/7/2/fugazetta-argentine-pizza">fungazetta</a>, and alfajores.</p><p>I was intimidated to make empanadas from scratch, but actually, these were really easy. I used non-dairy milk and margarine to make it kosher. These will absolutely go into our normal rotation. The kids couldn't get enough. Just as a note, I made half the dough and filling and it only made 8 empanadas. I might even double the recipe next time and freeze some.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijON04-YR09I-eNK-Harm5DSztwDuAOIiuXloUw1b8xJoqF3ALp3i3sfIXVHOsnK22Cfv72SpBeHRmK4xG5tT9VWo4AezO5xV4_OtUdln9gRrzhcRKXLtWYVqHWbdQOBt5AE2CAcXywq4V/s2048/IMG_20200809_181605_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijON04-YR09I-eNK-Harm5DSztwDuAOIiuXloUw1b8xJoqF3ALp3i3sfIXVHOsnK22Cfv72SpBeHRmK4xG5tT9VWo4AezO5xV4_OtUdln9gRrzhcRKXLtWYVqHWbdQOBt5AE2CAcXywq4V/w400-h300/IMG_20200809_181605_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Yum. Steak. What else is there to say? So good. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlxtgdOO_dPB34NijUToEkuYZLPmPJYtBA8ukRyDX7pymC4GNG08jdaPnkCnF2JLyXtxNhRPFXnnqxGEfZWfLLCrj94wKUR2fkeckglE2afZkkmZt140RbCs95TChAIE8pyjeLton9N_W/s2048/IMG_20200812_181442_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlxtgdOO_dPB34NijUToEkuYZLPmPJYtBA8ukRyDX7pymC4GNG08jdaPnkCnF2JLyXtxNhRPFXnnqxGEfZWfLLCrj94wKUR2fkeckglE2afZkkmZt140RbCs95TChAIE8pyjeLton9N_W/w400-h300/IMG_20200812_181442_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Fungazetta was another dish that sounded weird, but I can't wait to have again. It's more like a focaccia or flatbread than pizza, but it is SO tasty. We went for a more traditional style and used raw onions rather than caramelized. I highly recommend doing that too. It cooks in the oven so it doesn't have a raw taste, but it provides a great counterbalance to all the cheese.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6FITQv1-MlePFZnPkKVvn0vRibeVDaGQUTeRyZZgAK2ir9yHgQ6lElXBwTcHUZGhN8d-XTJETyFqmrGfhxDtL85v6HOnniWUvHJglPNjlIa47kXSopFw2kWuwJ4Iqd28ji-oZFDJlcCF/s2048/IMG_20200814_180905_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6FITQv1-MlePFZnPkKVvn0vRibeVDaGQUTeRyZZgAK2ir9yHgQ6lElXBwTcHUZGhN8d-XTJETyFqmrGfhxDtL85v6HOnniWUvHJglPNjlIa47kXSopFw2kWuwJ4Iqd28ji-oZFDJlcCF/w400-h300/IMG_20200814_180905_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We searched high and low for alfajores, a traditional Argentinian sweet. We finally found some at a local restaurant (La Limena). I personally didn't care for these much. They are made with dulce de leche, which I don't love. I think it also has a slight fennel taste--again, not a fan of licorice. But Dan and the kids liked them.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPtv3yxvww0cLH50xUjg80Z5t4xKXb8NdJunOr-GTrZi-7IgmhB7M5FJ6VTXS-DR8sAprS2ZAsc544TlQhhT3Zh-xDPlNMUQbNqwiPBZ56ojYacJ-Vw4f9UWu-o_TaMzM8MRfbt1KV7DB/s2048/IMG_20200815_182547.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPtv3yxvww0cLH50xUjg80Z5t4xKXb8NdJunOr-GTrZi-7IgmhB7M5FJ6VTXS-DR8sAprS2ZAsc544TlQhhT3Zh-xDPlNMUQbNqwiPBZ56ojYacJ-Vw4f9UWu-o_TaMzM8MRfbt1KV7DB/w300-h400/IMG_20200815_182547.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjox-jOxNZZC1gVN3yaERt_Umu65ilNw7-F7w1lkxF_XPUlN-lKpOmE_i9Phwt3pNX0LbmkAap_1-Ak5gP2XcpBhDJtVQhyKSlgIS8i-Fra-j1928QMgc0ppRgnudCsw7eFm7yrCswJ8-x5/s2048/IMG_20200815_182735_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjox-jOxNZZC1gVN3yaERt_Umu65ilNw7-F7w1lkxF_XPUlN-lKpOmE_i9Phwt3pNX0LbmkAap_1-Ak5gP2XcpBhDJtVQhyKSlgIS8i-Fra-j1928QMgc0ppRgnudCsw7eFm7yrCswJ8-x5/w300-h400/IMG_20200815_182735_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>I'm already dreaming about making the empanadas and fungazetta again, but there's no time to waste. On to Spain!</p><p>Read about our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</p></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-30303716011570934482020-08-18T12:36:00.001-04:002020-08-18T12:36:47.934-04:00Australia Week!<p>This week I turned to Facebook to see where we should go next. I got some fantastic recommendations that we'll be implementing over the next few weeks. First up, Australia!</p><p><b>Crafts/Culture</b></p><p>You'll notice that I've combined crafts and culture in this update. Though I had fun plans for a craft (<a href="https://iheartcraftythings.com/koala-printable-template.html">making a paper koala</a>), we just didn't get to it this week. <i>Spoiler alert: we didn't get to crafts in the following couple of weeks either. </i>We did, however, explore some fun cultural aspects of Australia. </p><p>One really fun thing we did was a gift from Dan's sister Amy--<a href="https://www.highlights.com/store/puzzle-book-clubs/top-secret-adventures">Highlights Top Secret Adventure Book Club</a>. Each kit is set in a new country and centers around mystery that you have to solve: what was taken, who took it, and where did they hide it. Zahara spent hours on this activity book. I was really impressed with the quality of the puzzles and how much we learned. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CIdQfXLCAbfWe5ixuzUrvV-PNUD_7ZEIffi7JvheTVatBHfMnO1C9aUI_gUYRti7oWKPTPiDQTOLHMnG0wUISa1UQrsOTuJIimbPAxRexcBPdcErsoMr7IOZ2MvrLNNLJ-7nlQBY1hId/s2048/IMG_20200801_151818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CIdQfXLCAbfWe5ixuzUrvV-PNUD_7ZEIffi7JvheTVatBHfMnO1C9aUI_gUYRti7oWKPTPiDQTOLHMnG0wUISa1UQrsOTuJIimbPAxRexcBPdcErsoMr7IOZ2MvrLNNLJ-7nlQBY1hId/w400-h300/IMG_20200801_151818.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0x2CI8iFKTN0jcJQMbMbwoRBvdw1L0L9UXzSi43n5uW7LufHgKm3DLWyawGqyiW2LpTRlbSTPE1TExKbyu9mQ9kvsP77i-UIIVUWOXOMu9eHmO1anv78ydpU9x1VA_NkcuB2nI_ILWxcv/s2048/IMG_20200801_151941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0x2CI8iFKTN0jcJQMbMbwoRBvdw1L0L9UXzSi43n5uW7LufHgKm3DLWyawGqyiW2LpTRlbSTPE1TExKbyu9mQ9kvsP77i-UIIVUWOXOMu9eHmO1anv78ydpU9x1VA_NkcuB2nI_ILWxcv/w300-h400/IMG_20200801_151941.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>We also stretched the theme a little bit this week and went for a sail on a pirate ship! There's a company called <a href="http://www.urbanpirates.com/">Urban Pirates</a> that hosts 90-minute cruises in Baltimore. I was impressed how the company has adapted to covid to make this adventure safe and fun. They limited the number of people on board and roped off sections for each family; we actually had half the ship to ourselves. It's cheesy and expensive, but the kids had a great time and it was a nice change of scenery. <i>Tip: search for a Groupon before buying. We saved a ton of money that way!</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBGFnBphfRcWqJ1gs4pkLfAEsn2fqABG_CxW9Dd3zWLNaHpsYOKcZ3lok_snjUzdGdHWKcR1uGUrJY41u3Cpaq8TGX9DAp-PaqEU4KAn4QOtjagNnsa4tLb5PFL7HsYlIML_4x9JK_ZjQ/s2046/IMG_20200802_143050_Bokeh-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="2046" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBGFnBphfRcWqJ1gs4pkLfAEsn2fqABG_CxW9Dd3zWLNaHpsYOKcZ3lok_snjUzdGdHWKcR1uGUrJY41u3Cpaq8TGX9DAp-PaqEU4KAn4QOtjagNnsa4tLb5PFL7HsYlIML_4x9JK_ZjQ/w400-h400/IMG_20200802_143050_Bokeh-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgn3L3TuCn3Gg9VFOUiKhsf7sJkQ5-0nkx6jpcsvdtWyG30uiwGZ9vsVHorJVFpxaCDuhr__UT47p2M8iPCY0e8NJSUjkYFzLG2xTMxoG0-PNjXUE_BklPo2GufdybmgFJaqWRfvwRFid/s1600/IMG_20200802_152805_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgn3L3TuCn3Gg9VFOUiKhsf7sJkQ5-0nkx6jpcsvdtWyG30uiwGZ9vsVHorJVFpxaCDuhr__UT47p2M8iPCY0e8NJSUjkYFzLG2xTMxoG0-PNjXUE_BklPo2GufdybmgFJaqWRfvwRFid/w200-h400/IMG_20200802_152805_01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOGq1IcOdWRuoaL6ZAcigwHiwHROlm1x7KdHAtBSzzjRD-6D6zWsN2M6BIAkjoGvFIYa5sg8BCfUqM1mqBG0hVGlHP3xi6qRRI4BX5-XFghV9s3xjUaxrrOCaoOXNEwfjKR3StQ2TGEX-/s2508/IMG_20200802_150611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOGq1IcOdWRuoaL6ZAcigwHiwHROlm1x7KdHAtBSzzjRD-6D6zWsN2M6BIAkjoGvFIYa5sg8BCfUqM1mqBG0hVGlHP3xi6qRRI4BX5-XFghV9s3xjUaxrrOCaoOXNEwfjKR3StQ2TGEX-/w200-h400/IMG_20200802_150611.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My friend Kathleen is living in Australia right now and working at a tourism office. She had an adorable little co-worker for a while--a joey! She sent us some pictures of her time with Chestnut. How jealous are you that she got to hang out with this tiny baby kangaroo??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx-upQFJIj_Vv663bKD8vWxO8oXC8oxbn8V-pOg4xnr1wqBRAKp3wKvzrzzsrgX1TyADi7uw27uwnhdY6QwPd4vvgLIXghVU6nLKKrLsywGGM9hKGvvo9t1vSw_OvBlOjVp607Tnk6oNw/s1678/kathleen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1523" data-original-width="1678" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx-upQFJIj_Vv663bKD8vWxO8oXC8oxbn8V-pOg4xnr1wqBRAKp3wKvzrzzsrgX1TyADi7uw27uwnhdY6QwPd4vvgLIXghVU6nLKKrLsywGGM9hKGvvo9t1vSw_OvBlOjVp607Tnk6oNw/w400-h363/kathleen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also watched a few videos on YouTube. I just searched Australia for kids and found some fun clips on wild animals and the Great Barrier Reef. We paired that with pictures from Dan's and my trip to Australia in 2010. We had such an incredible time there. You can read more about it <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2010/03/day-two-on-reef.html">here</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgwiR9RV6YkvY8kyEavfqlDOyg-vtbykyDQxWdMlT8B6fVqsLl9ylJWxL3e-N_nOB-717DQw2ycVB_oJGy_JEhMtP0EnAIrWyeU5dG8ENuLTvfqphhbLvR_bADrlLAhf4skqzaBkxRRea/s2048/P1050485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgwiR9RV6YkvY8kyEavfqlDOyg-vtbykyDQxWdMlT8B6fVqsLl9ylJWxL3e-N_nOB-717DQw2ycVB_oJGy_JEhMtP0EnAIrWyeU5dG8ENuLTvfqphhbLvR_bADrlLAhf4skqzaBkxRRea/w400-h300/P1050485.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Food</b></div><div>Here's what was on our menu for the week: <a href="http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/15899/almond-crusted-barramundi.aspx">Almond-crusted barramundi</a>, Tim Tams, Sausage Rolls (just BBQ sausage--no pictures), <a href="https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/chiko-roll-recipe/tqbgtnzg">chicko rolls</a>, <a href="https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/aussie-meat-pie-recipe-2/34l4qr5q">meat pie</a>, and Vegemite. We missed out on making fairy bread (white bread with sprinkles!), but will have to do that next time.</div><div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbKQKheOj-16vU9ITzi9TZhyW9t6J-bMdqaqExrkZL5PzbO361_8cTWbeaT2LPAZScwOwQBf-4JpKo4f4aSyKUDK9bLI6MiY8sX_z2qGW4L76FW04_hIGBDFnhWx-BSi9KJLhhm1Qrxb_/s2508/IMG_20200805_180418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbKQKheOj-16vU9ITzi9TZhyW9t6J-bMdqaqExrkZL5PzbO361_8cTWbeaT2LPAZScwOwQBf-4JpKo4f4aSyKUDK9bLI6MiY8sX_z2qGW4L76FW04_hIGBDFnhWx-BSi9KJLhhm1Qrxb_/w400-h200/IMG_20200805_180418.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I'm not kidding when I say Tim Tams might be my favorite candy now. I've never had them before, but they're chocolate covered biscuits (the British kind, not the Southern U.S. kind). They're perfectly flaky, crunchy, sweet, chocolate-y. Loved them!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lSfmgDt9rzlyxvgRul2PwuQF7Hv52XyZVQP4FtdCKYidZYXjog6vkS6p5Ly1cPfiG-v0t8DIwSauMxwxx-q9dhxCWk_3RskH6l3nS-CRTTYEErId6RbUCY1M3mC0gKyNk7GAL45Lrr34/s2048/IMG_20200806_174757_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lSfmgDt9rzlyxvgRul2PwuQF7Hv52XyZVQP4FtdCKYidZYXjog6vkS6p5Ly1cPfiG-v0t8DIwSauMxwxx-q9dhxCWk_3RskH6l3nS-CRTTYEErId6RbUCY1M3mC0gKyNk7GAL45Lrr34/w300-h400/IMG_20200806_174757_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd never heard of chicko rolls before, but apparently these are a favorite late-night snack. It's so strange, but Dan and I agreed that these taste a lot like chicken pot pie. There aren't many overlapping ingredients between those two dishes, so I'm not sure why that's the flavor profile, but we loved these. I'll definitely have them again.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg09eP-WExg_a9x1TSzAtxhASOkemKV_oOsOPp4KwzDs4wah6ZR9y3Kjubj1USEnh62UIUnaAoAUBC867JobRsXYPGk1hJRmLw_y9ofcAIrtFRPykzoyJ3M8S6qlC3Jowsbb7Gt9r3XYPy/s2508/IMG_20200806_175819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg09eP-WExg_a9x1TSzAtxhASOkemKV_oOsOPp4KwzDs4wah6ZR9y3Kjubj1USEnh62UIUnaAoAUBC867JobRsXYPGk1hJRmLw_y9ofcAIrtFRPykzoyJ3M8S6qlC3Jowsbb7Gt9r3XYPy/w400-h200/IMG_20200806_175819.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Australia you'll often find hand-pies, but we made this one family-style. This meat pie was delicious. We thought we'd have leftovers, but everyone demanded seconds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0KQ_m8LoZyR01QG2sh2GevYaJN0vHyT9H5IXyTuv70hobtI4nUPIiK2wpnR8Ai5SOsAwjftKF-lVf4bu14KvmOp4UwxeCGc8Xl83S-mLjgbTgp4DHY393RuN2e1FaN357CcitSVodj6V/s2048/IMG_20200801_181704_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0KQ_m8LoZyR01QG2sh2GevYaJN0vHyT9H5IXyTuv70hobtI4nUPIiK2wpnR8Ai5SOsAwjftKF-lVf4bu14KvmOp4UwxeCGc8Xl83S-mLjgbTgp4DHY393RuN2e1FaN357CcitSVodj6V/w300-h400/IMG_20200801_181704_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Nope. I did NOT enjoy Vegemite. Yes, I only used a tiny amount on top of a large amount of butter. I still didn't like it. I get that it's an acquired taste, but it is one that I will not be acquiring.</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7us9nOJHIUgfsSre5ALtCK1JK42h7mIhuyYAds_i6P7d_YfWFIo8SkJZZbTpKoDfBglmsIMdJRZieR9k4NscIXGh6oFl4VKOlWWg-o-AIZkyP-s3jJHKtkhB8HmWU9eq4aDZSqRXrpRGx/s2508/IMG_20200807_082640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7us9nOJHIUgfsSre5ALtCK1JK42h7mIhuyYAds_i6P7d_YfWFIo8SkJZZbTpKoDfBglmsIMdJRZieR9k4NscIXGh6oFl4VKOlWWg-o-AIZkyP-s3jJHKtkhB8HmWU9eq4aDZSqRXrpRGx/w400-h200/IMG_20200807_082640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This week reminded me how amazing Australia is. I hope we get to go back one day soon. Next week, Argentina!</p><p>See our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</p></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-29539539792241289132020-08-11T09:00:00.001-04:002020-08-11T09:00:04.935-04:00Fruit Picking!<p>This weekend we had a fun outing where we went fruit picking at a farm near us called <a href="http://www.pickyourown.com/">Larriland</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELZZL8hu2yhYMs35knLQhjlgyp-kdpirlYqCd9L7t-to4yC325vX1tiXAEsvPstx5q-RS1jSens3uMn3woAJr6b_lQKu97wL4Rtp7yIRLrDb0l2f0EtEvEsE6KG_oAXMaQW50eWe8lZ_H/s2048/IMG_20200808_140103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELZZL8hu2yhYMs35knLQhjlgyp-kdpirlYqCd9L7t-to4yC325vX1tiXAEsvPstx5q-RS1jSens3uMn3woAJr6b_lQKu97wL4Rtp7yIRLrDb0l2f0EtEvEsE6KG_oAXMaQW50eWe8lZ_H/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_140103.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>It was the perfect day to go since it was finally under 90 degrees. Still humid as heck, but at least it wasn't too hot. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o5A4FceSbTbrdotFCR84x_fNzrFlxiGCFWbwg6n5QbVyrMrtCZ_j0OS3ksUe5qFVkH2AvHvqHven6Si2eepEIH2Iq3C35Yp-75-wN7TRdVOMzmMnmTgvuBE3g_j5ycXOaJqIRpEL1Y_Q/s2508/IMG_20200808_124129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o5A4FceSbTbrdotFCR84x_fNzrFlxiGCFWbwg6n5QbVyrMrtCZ_j0OS3ksUe5qFVkH2AvHvqHven6Si2eepEIH2Iq3C35Yp-75-wN7TRdVOMzmMnmTgvuBE3g_j5ycXOaJqIRpEL1Y_Q/w200-h400/IMG_20200808_124129.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>Larriland has a lot of different crops you can pick, but we chose peaches, blueberries, and blackberries. Zahara went here last year with her camp, but for the rest of us, this was our first time picking these particular crops. We usually pick apples in the fall, and we've picked <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/07/surprise-raspberry-bush.html">raspberries from our garden</a> in England. I was expecting the peaches to be like apple picking and the berries to be like the raspberry experience. But they were different. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokzBQrBDsyctEPq5BnJ_ib6jhq9ooQXE-VKCKOZTeUWGwp1MgYTNuAY0kr3LiVHQ-f4KqxD2uTkffFW2O7eWdOyALqwBKafXQVd2l2yIEO8b106mxODOh-TREbKzIhf4U9FLThHh2MiDB/s2048/IMG_20200808_124342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokzBQrBDsyctEPq5BnJ_ib6jhq9ooQXE-VKCKOZTeUWGwp1MgYTNuAY0kr3LiVHQ-f4KqxD2uTkffFW2O7eWdOyALqwBKafXQVd2l2yIEO8b106mxODOh-TREbKzIhf4U9FLThHh2MiDB/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_124342.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>The peaches were on short trees that were full of ripe fruit. But unlike apple picking, the ripe peaches don't just fall off when you twist them. You still have to give a slight yank to get them off. The way you tell if a peach is ripe is if it is uniformly pink/red, versus yellow. The side with the dimple, or cheek, will get red first, but you need to check the other side for ripeness.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEqf1zzZh14C7MZLlSxoDbl4chmTeZWB5oEUIOhRRwq3OmxpKENgHL9IIEF5QvzIchYlWB5wFTOQ2Kj41z52tUkZVTF-E1FdsUXIl2nxQlq49IlM2rn-z5MTserlO2XFrZuhgKHflfnOP/s2048/IMG_20200808_123345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEqf1zzZh14C7MZLlSxoDbl4chmTeZWB5oEUIOhRRwq3OmxpKENgHL9IIEF5QvzIchYlWB5wFTOQ2Kj41z52tUkZVTF-E1FdsUXIl2nxQlq49IlM2rn-z5MTserlO2XFrZuhgKHflfnOP/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_123345.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>I'm not usually a huge fan of blackberries. I find them a bit tart. Zahara really wanted to pick blackberries, but Asher and I wanted to pick blueberries, so we decided to split up. Dan and Z went to one field, and Ash and I went to the other. It was actually really nice to get a little alone time with Asher. He's so funny and interesting at this age. He never stops talking, which can sometimes be a lot, but I'm grateful he wants to share his thoughts with me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7XRTq6wPqW7owbfOEd4203EFaJuCvF2Qh_s0fZsLq4ZRYI2Q-EFB2r3YhOfguhEWbFI6CKkyxXhIkzCSHnf423J_dN3kL1O-R2sT-vh1wDUDl2jEiw9YzmYxdijrZ0h4MUnsjTe1KUTR/s2048/IMG_20200808_133231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7XRTq6wPqW7owbfOEd4203EFaJuCvF2Qh_s0fZsLq4ZRYI2Q-EFB2r3YhOfguhEWbFI6CKkyxXhIkzCSHnf423J_dN3kL1O-R2sT-vh1wDUDl2jEiw9YzmYxdijrZ0h4MUnsjTe1KUTR/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_133231.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Blueberry picking was not nearly as thorny as raspberry picking. I was surprised that the berry bushes were at eye level, so I didn't need to bend over to pick, but berries were low enough that Asher could easily reach as well. The berries come off very easily, and you're looking for berries that are uniformly blue. These are so sweet! I can't wait to snack on these all week.</p><p>Zahara and Dan had fun with the blackberry patch too. Dan said he was surprised that they weren't very thorny either. And these fruit are enormous! They are much sweeter than I've had before, so they must be perfectly ripe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgKNWL3rEVe4IYDN1lqQjcPe-U1yMnVHiAZO3hXL_02oVNFyxXMC4OcteDB-M53ZZ3W_6qgaUza4-z1SCVBdwaEkHvEn-IMGmTQ3NZtjknHZSAuLFKS73l3Ev0Kr39Z-KkOY73coeMqFL/s2048/IMG_20200808_133008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgKNWL3rEVe4IYDN1lqQjcPe-U1yMnVHiAZO3hXL_02oVNFyxXMC4OcteDB-M53ZZ3W_6qgaUza4-z1SCVBdwaEkHvEn-IMGmTQ3NZtjknHZSAuLFKS73l3Ev0Kr39Z-KkOY73coeMqFL/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_133008.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSsBhI_Kwe8JIAEgH3mUtI3hI_ossSJCwcwlfMwfDt4xefdo4VQlHlvsVSNI6BtPBaFAPQsSKLv4ogR5-M1Trx_tZGzTMd3teZooUFicdb4Va3dMExnOLWpTWIpXcH2w7RKWa-p6Sqg1d/s2048/IMG_20200808_133032_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSsBhI_Kwe8JIAEgH3mUtI3hI_ossSJCwcwlfMwfDt4xefdo4VQlHlvsVSNI6BtPBaFAPQsSKLv4ogR5-M1Trx_tZGzTMd3teZooUFicdb4Va3dMExnOLWpTWIpXcH2w7RKWa-p6Sqg1d/w300-h400/IMG_20200808_133032_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>We'll be turning the peaches into ice cream and eating the other fruits as is. I'll let you know how it turns out!</p>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com02415 Woodbine Rd, Woodbine, MD 21797, USA39.3148278 -77.102896111.004593963821158 -112.2591461 67.625061636178856 -41.946646099999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-42324033574105830942020-08-10T10:40:00.001-04:002020-08-10T10:40:40.534-04:00India Week!<div>This week we explored India! This is another country where we barely made a dent in the huge and diverse culture. Still, it was fun getting a taste of India.</div><div><br /></div><b>Crafts</b><div>Since the beginning of covid, I've been keeping a stash of recyclables that I can use for various art projects. It's been really handy having cardboard boxes, egg cartons, and toilet paper rolls to use each week. This week, we made elephant masks out of old cereal boxes and construction paper. I just free-handed some shapes based off <a href="https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/elephant-mask">this tutorial</a>. I only managed to get a picture of Asher's, but Zahara colored hers and decked the elephant crown out with jewels. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfQGte8fKL7ZOWsSZn_hudkSyALmQyipXkC9n5v3WQKmopPd9KElVKr_vVUVYqNwlo0gL6_5__2yOHNagC_bYbu56jTwponSliqaZwqDHjils3udQha7fsAlnGKCErwTkRlVjbY2gFQqn/s1600/IMG_20200801_121334.jpg" style="display: inline; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfQGte8fKL7ZOWsSZn_hudkSyALmQyipXkC9n5v3WQKmopPd9KElVKr_vVUVYqNwlo0gL6_5__2yOHNagC_bYbu56jTwponSliqaZwqDHjils3udQha7fsAlnGKCErwTkRlVjbY2gFQqn/s640/IMG_20200801_121334.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Culture</b></div><div><div><div>I don't think this is the kind of culture that we typically aim for, but Dan and I have been watching <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80244565">Indian Matchmaking</a> on Netflix. This series has garnered a lot of attention--both positive and negative. For me, it's been interesting to get an inside look at a culture with which I am not very familiar. Have you seen it? What do you think about it?</div><div><br /></div><div>We also found a YouTube compilation video of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBAj4nbdLEU">top Bollywood songs</a>. We learned a bit about Bollywood and enjoyed listening to the songs. Of course, we then had to learn some of the moves. Asher and I had a blast hopping and jumping and learning new steps to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwh7X5ETh8">this tutorial</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we often do, we found some NatGeo videos on India. We watched videos on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BgYsLjEzKo&feature=youtu.be">Taj Mahal</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BgYsLjEzKo&feature=youtu.be">Holi</a>, and even an <a href="https://youtu.be/zAWYHpgs3_o">Indian Safari</a>.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Food</b></div></div><div>There's an amazing <a href="http://biryanicitymd.com/">Indian restaurant</a> near us, so we knew we'd be ordering in a good portion of our week's food. Up until now, we've only had vegetarian Indian food. This week was a good opportunity to try some of the delicious-sounding meat meals. We made <a href="https://www.recipetineats.com/rogan-josh/">rogan josh</a> and <a href="https://tasty.co/recipe/homemade-chicken-tikka-masala">tika masala</a>. We ordered in naan, egg biryani, vegetable chettinad, paneer butter masala, mixed vegetable curry, mango lassi, and channa masala.</div><div><br /></div><div>All of the food was excellent, but I really loved the paneer butter masala and the channa masala. The Lassi was so refreshing and delicious.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvGvIyqyl-UKsWJJhAnIaSpDzPZNq-pVj7RXsA7THo7SkZF9Ns8_s1FUyFiMoKg_B5D9wl73qtCbv50SbKGqvcHcDz4qYtvjRwPPZB0SPYl5R5lNreNHJ343uHmZmW_IdN0oaprvLCjEB/s1600/IMG_20200730_180042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvGvIyqyl-UKsWJJhAnIaSpDzPZNq-pVj7RXsA7THo7SkZF9Ns8_s1FUyFiMoKg_B5D9wl73qtCbv50SbKGqvcHcDz4qYtvjRwPPZB0SPYl5R5lNreNHJ343uHmZmW_IdN0oaprvLCjEB/w400-h200/IMG_20200730_180042.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The rogan josh was outstanding. We used lamb and it was perfectly tender and flavorful. I'd absolutely make this again. The tika masala was very...boring. In retrospect, this wasn't the best representation of India, since the dish didn't even originate there. It's a British interpretation of Indian cuisine. I found it pretty bland and far too tomato-y. We did tweak the recipe to make it non-dairy (dairy-free yogurt and coconut cream), but I still think even without those modifications there would have been many better options for us. Oh well, next time.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcSVznI_d-uPb_dT00BoPbtvrQvxnodaLKPq-JAyggo-9wKimfalO4wgClgC0jIWexDYo3a8yAbmKM8VHJ5W1LVl-L6lKpjZVUkJJspHtKLItrSt0gVWVrcAwrLnKXXgHcBl1LHA0e2WE/s1600/IMG_20200729_175658_Bokeh.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcSVznI_d-uPb_dT00BoPbtvrQvxnodaLKPq-JAyggo-9wKimfalO4wgClgC0jIWexDYo3a8yAbmKM8VHJ5W1LVl-L6lKpjZVUkJJspHtKLItrSt0gVWVrcAwrLnKXXgHcBl1LHA0e2WE/w400-h300/IMG_20200729_175658_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gwSrDN9Uzy5sbTfTxipnO1tT6IHwHCZvEJrVV2o3xjE696u5MbmoPyZA2qqMa4kLqYVA2R54DOzp4ljsLrYFXiEm1SXQ0bmclRG3IFLqgfNbeJIRivCd0cQGr3e2Kg4P7-KBYE6WDweB/s1156/tika+masala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1156" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gwSrDN9Uzy5sbTfTxipnO1tT6IHwHCZvEJrVV2o3xjE696u5MbmoPyZA2qqMa4kLqYVA2R54DOzp4ljsLrYFXiEm1SXQ0bmclRG3IFLqgfNbeJIRivCd0cQGr3e2Kg4P7-KBYE6WDweB/w400-h300/tika+masala.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">India was fun, but now we're off to Australia!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipgupWbc9VnCkm2SEXahLQVYNmzldrcz41C5wreHuVqcDo-D7t6-VdvMGHsm3pOoz67cvESF1vSZaM4pbOLR81hfxZHCXFAXnO7w2YAVNsV6uV6DG47vct4dgUCwCjrF8m6vmeD12_X3Z/s2670/IMG_20200726_172507.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2670" data-original-width="1178" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipgupWbc9VnCkm2SEXahLQVYNmzldrcz41C5wreHuVqcDo-D7t6-VdvMGHsm3pOoz67cvESF1vSZaM4pbOLR81hfxZHCXFAXnO7w2YAVNsV6uV6DG47vct4dgUCwCjrF8m6vmeD12_X3Z/s640/IMG_20200726_172507.jpg" /></a></div>See our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</div></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-56384949228625270072020-08-08T16:33:00.002-04:002020-08-08T16:33:17.933-04:00House Updates: Summer 2020<div>It's been a while since I've updated the blog on the status of our house. Now that we're spending a lot more time at home, we have grown to appreciate our spaces even more. I feel so lucky every day to wake up in this house. It truly is my dream house.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since our last update, we've made a few tweaks to make the house even more functional and beautiful. Though I don't believe spaces are ever "done," I do think that we're probably not making any more big changes for a while. That's not to say I might not grab a bucket of paint and change up the kids' rooms, but we're probably done buying big furniture for now. Here's what we've done recently:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Office</b></div><div>This was one of the biggest changes we made, and I couldn't be happier with the results. This room is now one of my favorite in the house and it feels like such a great expression of us. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_c8qwwcacrmsrYgjsc4nkrNZtO0-XRaZkm-Vh-k_QWKbf0lmPElM2T7qyomDoBiKB5qo5R-HsZC7y9pzajMXj7sFsv-sin8WkcM85iOFJRY2f9Hs3Xq8kl66ry9CvGLW5V0qUfSSmmlVy/s2048/IMG_20200705_201542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_c8qwwcacrmsrYgjsc4nkrNZtO0-XRaZkm-Vh-k_QWKbf0lmPElM2T7qyomDoBiKB5qo5R-HsZC7y9pzajMXj7sFsv-sin8WkcM85iOFJRY2f9Hs3Xq8kl66ry9CvGLW5V0qUfSSmmlVy/w400-h300/IMG_20200705_201542.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of hard work went into this update, and I'm thankful for my handy husband and my great neighbor (hey Marcus!) who provided most of the tools for this job.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03uTNNqJJO3AmLUhp2XOQrR2ACZycxkSoTqJosTKLD0S_pWtFoFrdciDxAhhkF84ZZ0CywYlwZiWLeoEaZOQJkHkHClA_h1yF18XvgQnu2b2V0yUv6wPQKo4QZYO_RgtliFsOkG9WH7h3/s2048/IMG_20200614_152537.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03uTNNqJJO3AmLUhp2XOQrR2ACZycxkSoTqJosTKLD0S_pWtFoFrdciDxAhhkF84ZZ0CywYlwZiWLeoEaZOQJkHkHClA_h1yF18XvgQnu2b2V0yUv6wPQKo4QZYO_RgtliFsOkG9WH7h3/w300-h400/IMG_20200614_152537.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwnnI2zxsihhWHugUGxtTqLBdaNrt2NghZh9NpiXcp2muLN4qm0x4tBhkJR_JvgAnfS7ZXKLtZs_2Guw8JX71EwVcFhlDhAx71nJGkVEt-3zVSyyZmf3Xsbr6pqSLUZxvPrA7_uoAA2GM/s2048/IMG_20200614_163028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwnnI2zxsihhWHugUGxtTqLBdaNrt2NghZh9NpiXcp2muLN4qm0x4tBhkJR_JvgAnfS7ZXKLtZs_2Guw8JX71EwVcFhlDhAx71nJGkVEt-3zVSyyZmf3Xsbr6pqSLUZxvPrA7_uoAA2GM/w300-h400/IMG_20200614_163028.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kOfowrAW59tX_B_ktdumVwX4HG_b6eJAa0dkfBuIkMF5jazEXc5ZHtIHT-6llm0qOo2gX1zuUC5qJ2wiHx90Ku6rjfAh-oNAHb3q8MSukBPGxM3J8tGd-mIJWA0riOLwxBeXz0M2OvMb/s2048/IMG_20200615_204851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kOfowrAW59tX_B_ktdumVwX4HG_b6eJAa0dkfBuIkMF5jazEXc5ZHtIHT-6llm0qOo2gX1zuUC5qJ2wiHx90Ku6rjfAh-oNAHb3q8MSukBPGxM3J8tGd-mIJWA0riOLwxBeXz0M2OvMb/w400-h300/IMG_20200615_204851.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We started with a builder-grade box. Not bad, lots of natural light, but nothing special. The room did have a great chair rail which gave us a starting point for this makeover. We painted the top of the room navy (Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik) and the bottom the same glossy white as the chair rail. Then Dan built picture moulding and added them around the bottom of the room. I think it gives such depth to an otherwise plain space.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLiNuYHTfz9Z2o4b4G40epW2lUNM5y00jsuapFB7NP3mGdOp3diAdvyHTN_dAdTrpYldaRHOxCrZeT2TGazHWO6aRJ89A-zqQdRRa-ZLXKL50zsuh4Zkly0Srd5RR8oJPTbTn89rs6XN8/s2048/IMG_20200509_165024__01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLiNuYHTfz9Z2o4b4G40epW2lUNM5y00jsuapFB7NP3mGdOp3diAdvyHTN_dAdTrpYldaRHOxCrZeT2TGazHWO6aRJ89A-zqQdRRa-ZLXKL50zsuh4Zkly0Srd5RR8oJPTbTn89rs6XN8/w300-h400/IMG_20200509_165024__01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRuylN0cbseyUC4pidxw_swcRwbxKI0jPJxhBBytoJ8cEAeg77r8vsSpNq4Ti9RN0r3gSWI6_ZWJQ2yOoYyIh_WbXggOKsvFqRq3AmcDcGWIsbxhyphenhyphen37mTwmFoncYUhGBQjvwTj9vIFlgH/s2048/IMG_20200517_143712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRuylN0cbseyUC4pidxw_swcRwbxKI0jPJxhBBytoJ8cEAeg77r8vsSpNq4Ti9RN0r3gSWI6_ZWJQ2yOoYyIh_WbXggOKsvFqRq3AmcDcGWIsbxhyphenhyphen37mTwmFoncYUhGBQjvwTj9vIFlgH/w300-h400/IMG_20200517_143712.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUVkK7_dbqKgIMzDEif_kMSfDQOptfJ121GB7TveM1sOUKajOuRSwS4Qu7xuPcntzbGVui6GvBV1e0KOdogUtGgTYC-hSrivWND3pY9IeFkBbrcn_57UE_NGON3n-XcLoTIc2KObDH8xZ/s2048/IMG_20200612_072704.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUVkK7_dbqKgIMzDEif_kMSfDQOptfJ121GB7TveM1sOUKajOuRSwS4Qu7xuPcntzbGVui6GvBV1e0KOdogUtGgTYC-hSrivWND3pY9IeFkBbrcn_57UE_NGON3n-XcLoTIc2KObDH8xZ/w400-h300/IMG_20200612_072704.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We got t<a href="https://www.target.com/p/16-34-x-20-34-matted-to-11-34-x-14-34-thin-metal-gallery-frame-brass-project-62-8482/-/A-17318268?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Home%2BDecor%2BShopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Home%2BDecor&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9007809&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&ds_rl=1247068&gclid=CjwKCAjwmrn5BRB2EiwAZgL9ojO54ZdURXhVjpoiyosavjUMBcpwmudei4rDfFYUPuDNxrAFKuh3oRoChWkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">hese gold picture frames</a> from Target after Sherry Petersik repeatedly mentioned them on her blog. They are gorgeous in person! I am absolutely obsessed with the finish. We framed pictures from a calendar my friend gave me (hi Kristiina!). They are all beautiful watercolors of towns in North Yorkshire where we used to live. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWIx7AR5h7Iwn-yNkFzRPO8SN0hBw9sV5HEbJI7SDVlvwYH4hCbDmQ_Maf0R5zbUEx4MBEH2TKA5dwc2MQ1eGMFNoE64s-g5rEVRMFLpkQ8Hn7PNoIRTJx817f0VugE8M6tkViqKv02wp/s2048/IMG_20200706_084325+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2048" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWIx7AR5h7Iwn-yNkFzRPO8SN0hBw9sV5HEbJI7SDVlvwYH4hCbDmQ_Maf0R5zbUEx4MBEH2TKA5dwc2MQ1eGMFNoE64s-g5rEVRMFLpkQ8Hn7PNoIRTJx817f0VugE8M6tkViqKv02wp/w400-h238/IMG_20200706_084325+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Mudroom</b></div><div>We are lucky enough to have this small room off the garage. Since we moved in nearly three years ago this has been a workhorse, but it hasn't always functioned very well. We installed some hooks and a basket for shoes and it worked OK. But we dreamed about a gorgeous built-in unit that had hooks for bags and coats, a space for shoes, a bench, and cubbies for storage. We even had a carpenter come out and give us a quote, but it was nearly $7,000! We looked at IKEA and Big Box stores to see if we could hack a built-in, but nothing worked quite right.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZcSbrz-N9_ADRY6RAXlyxewUxEA5zvggHzP31exCxHEn27addKj9cvWUc3-8xGycJYlKzQQvyDP67kdjDEm2cg3Kc6bINIO6jB4iwC0bVnZQ6WVc_0BYXLLoGnu03zLkKfnK-vs5X8rE/s2048/IMG_20200311_181741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZcSbrz-N9_ADRY6RAXlyxewUxEA5zvggHzP31exCxHEn27addKj9cvWUc3-8xGycJYlKzQQvyDP67kdjDEm2cg3Kc6bINIO6jB4iwC0bVnZQ6WVc_0BYXLLoGnu03zLkKfnK-vs5X8rE/w300-h400/IMG_20200311_181741.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then, Dan found a <a href="https://www.ballarddesigns.com/crawford-shiplap-entry-cabinet/492307?listIndex=3&uniqueId=492307">unit at Ballard Design</a> that was <i>almost</i> exactly what we wanted. It fit the room great and would add a ton of function to the space. And it was significantly under the custom quote. A little paint from my two best helpers plus this new unit make the room work so much better!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhai_6fbGMHPDke1DCtWvEIOoMhmN3wSqrsidHStvRTWLyh1pG-Wca0BAChKGMpy5oxPw7YJ8B-siQXHMxTPHHlUPLlftkdUSvWQ0tZMOWX3bIkgK7e0c22ei0nhRVEXPcl-TZSOHqliKWn/s2048/IMG_20200322_112757.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhai_6fbGMHPDke1DCtWvEIOoMhmN3wSqrsidHStvRTWLyh1pG-Wca0BAChKGMpy5oxPw7YJ8B-siQXHMxTPHHlUPLlftkdUSvWQ0tZMOWX3bIkgK7e0c22ei0nhRVEXPcl-TZSOHqliKWn/w300-h400/IMG_20200322_112757.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-N2dhjG0gEpa9V7rvsdr-EgPxoRphDRXAC42E198N3w_EM2AFmUWa0iBiMGH_aQJX6xwKEgY2XoCZfvViFJPDo9PDY7gY5LWSNhfzhXYqlEwewRtEfkQ-yK9FIfjyqrrhvx1mfa4NZktl/s2048/IMG_20200322_104213.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-N2dhjG0gEpa9V7rvsdr-EgPxoRphDRXAC42E198N3w_EM2AFmUWa0iBiMGH_aQJX6xwKEgY2XoCZfvViFJPDo9PDY7gY5LWSNhfzhXYqlEwewRtEfkQ-yK9FIfjyqrrhvx1mfa4NZktl/w300-h400/IMG_20200322_104213.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAU0oeFCyiVMHScM3XzR0gC1jNjvfgg-K6cYTfcVq1RJ84psy5PRjjMS9QbtVLABINtXlgZ5R-tL-hsFFg-fPsrykcKrOb5UCAalXs9jYvPdZHEXOiTKh1c-8C7SMerJdlFzD5O7oMP2P7/s2048/IMG_20200506_071839+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAU0oeFCyiVMHScM3XzR0gC1jNjvfgg-K6cYTfcVq1RJ84psy5PRjjMS9QbtVLABINtXlgZ5R-tL-hsFFg-fPsrykcKrOb5UCAalXs9jYvPdZHEXOiTKh1c-8C7SMerJdlFzD5O7oMP2P7/w300-h400/IMG_20200506_071839+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="text-align: left;">Landscaping</b></div><div>A while back, Dan and I hired a landscape architect to plot a design for our yard. She designed our neighbors' yard and we love the way it turned out. It was fun to chat with her about color preferences, types of flowers and plants we love, the amount of maintenance we want to put in, and all the other things that go into designing a yard. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo1pg7uDpWAXhPBvFpQLkG8Cl8hBU_xZMG0fOetFqeSDQAi0Pr7JKGv4P7WXPA6TyF3nlyRohwJitdHvP0_aUIMju_KcvNsxNfFwdrWlmK9XeyGzthqmrNweCM78ffYbNZfvHTNtUh5cP/s2048/IMG_20200807_171051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1817" data-original-width="2048" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo1pg7uDpWAXhPBvFpQLkG8Cl8hBU_xZMG0fOetFqeSDQAi0Pr7JKGv4P7WXPA6TyF3nlyRohwJitdHvP0_aUIMju_KcvNsxNfFwdrWlmK9XeyGzthqmrNweCM78ffYbNZfvHTNtUh5cP/w400-h355/IMG_20200807_171051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Using her designs, we bought four new trees for the backyard, including my favorite, an October Glory Maple. The kids named the trees: Flames (the maple), Bazinga, Bazuzah, and Joy (the Cryptomeria). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKYCLqSQWthxCL37PxE7qJoTp9MmtnRc6f3ABOGxnI3Qpnvk3WVk_S-aOBqIDuui002n0qQXL9bfAmAHTCFBzTpPvXadfqD0bhbFewEnC2i_1Pmq7KKL6LTf-LvuzhpPJv0ld-kkE9cQl/s2048/IMG_20191025_174834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKYCLqSQWthxCL37PxE7qJoTp9MmtnRc6f3ABOGxnI3Qpnvk3WVk_S-aOBqIDuui002n0qQXL9bfAmAHTCFBzTpPvXadfqD0bhbFewEnC2i_1Pmq7KKL6LTf-LvuzhpPJv0ld-kkE9cQl/w300-h400/IMG_20191025_174834.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC_Y_gdxLJYUAbrtxpik7fVVgf9hBsuzYS42yc3mhu1oieGStKcDVBt0ABN71zIvA5M6NvEv-mFSFYrUB66htoJTsuMXP8TQP8dlgMoCzq7AJsl4Hw0Q1hbClEU2rr6SvEXiORX42_vz2/s2048/IMG_20191025_174943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC_Y_gdxLJYUAbrtxpik7fVVgf9hBsuzYS42yc3mhu1oieGStKcDVBt0ABN71zIvA5M6NvEv-mFSFYrUB66htoJTsuMXP8TQP8dlgMoCzq7AJsl4Hw0Q1hbClEU2rr6SvEXiORX42_vz2/w400-h300/IMG_20191025_174943.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At the beginning of Covid, Dan had a lot of extra energy and time. <i>Sidenote: remember those early days? </i>He decided to tackle the front garden on his own. It turned out so much better than either of us could have imagined! We have peonies, catmint, dianthus, coriopsis, alium, a crepe myrtle, and a Japanese maple. So much color! The pictures don't do it justice. I love watching the flowers bloom and the leaves change. Every few weeks it feels like there's a new surprise in our yard.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDeIgnOsoZk5GOz5ptChfH1wIGPp6eFSTxnI5vaiCWTz2cKT6H-DS7Qb5cvZZrvgDNDpnkH2gfK0hrEaCGRi-BQw0R4cA9XUcAEc6aellcb5BxFoZGuIOxQIwjrWIrSi4Lf9fH7379uZD/s2048/IMG_20200319_101824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDeIgnOsoZk5GOz5ptChfH1wIGPp6eFSTxnI5vaiCWTz2cKT6H-DS7Qb5cvZZrvgDNDpnkH2gfK0hrEaCGRi-BQw0R4cA9XUcAEc6aellcb5BxFoZGuIOxQIwjrWIrSi4Lf9fH7379uZD/w300-h400/IMG_20200319_101824.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8T4c011tm37ULUDFsT8Sftg47y841wygFllUvKBiidj5fNVujqsCa-OAklL8D2EnanqrhHEDfD2k3Y6qP-7_xRfx8f0wVSfe7aUByWjN4jmHvFJa2BjpYK-tNCY32SnUmh4FzyGwJo3D/s2048/IMG_20200512_194455_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8T4c011tm37ULUDFsT8Sftg47y841wygFllUvKBiidj5fNVujqsCa-OAklL8D2EnanqrhHEDfD2k3Y6qP-7_xRfx8f0wVSfe7aUByWjN4jmHvFJa2BjpYK-tNCY32SnUmh4FzyGwJo3D/w300-h400/IMG_20200512_194455_2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2Wk5l0V-zaDW-QHMn52C4Qk5uiavQX0CYzd9VhXv6IpxGpQfOwphKEgqJtDKwwRkDYMRxJi8P_4ydd6FEyDlrJtiQ6vsFs0eLb3Tz6tWuxJgNMizrDvlOYq-jkIRB5o1HjkbUgnAr15g/s2048/IMG_20200512_194519_Bokeh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2Wk5l0V-zaDW-QHMn52C4Qk5uiavQX0CYzd9VhXv6IpxGpQfOwphKEgqJtDKwwRkDYMRxJi8P_4ydd6FEyDlrJtiQ6vsFs0eLb3Tz6tWuxJgNMizrDvlOYq-jkIRB5o1HjkbUgnAr15g/w300-h400/IMG_20200512_194519_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Patio</b></div><div>Speaking of outdoor spaces, we finally bit the bullet and purchased outdoor seating for the downstairs patio. We've been researching pieces for years and finally came to the conclusion that we're willing to pay more for quality. It was a saga (big delays, lost items, cancellations), but we finally got our gorgeous chairs, table, and couch from Pottery Barn. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJG4pryuOesUmUn12Ot2tpoTn3D8mozvTuOXcnmjuHrZ7YkbJK3CKsNkiXUrFiBtaenXOEqEmJwnLdx-VB94baE0UAjvpLgx96kbD4gYjCB_wdRmtid-4eGaPMzC_QdzRr4XU-ck3IUYX/s2048/IMG_20200708_120515.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJG4pryuOesUmUn12Ot2tpoTn3D8mozvTuOXcnmjuHrZ7YkbJK3CKsNkiXUrFiBtaenXOEqEmJwnLdx-VB94baE0UAjvpLgx96kbD4gYjCB_wdRmtid-4eGaPMzC_QdzRr4XU-ck3IUYX/w300-h400/IMG_20200708_120515.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOeEIAFNVwy0z8TBN-RG-BqqPxSpeFuLbiuOW1dnliuAdTEUD6SVKsAejJbVW4Wx887iahGJgKmgzOqa9HY4jNEWrfLempFPBpxyJ-LgiQxEw_45MoIX788QX1FQelp1DbkTQHKgdy-0/s2048/IMG_20200708_120613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOeEIAFNVwy0z8TBN-RG-BqqPxSpeFuLbiuOW1dnliuAdTEUD6SVKsAejJbVW4Wx887iahGJgKmgzOqa9HY4jNEWrfLempFPBpxyJ-LgiQxEw_45MoIX788QX1FQelp1DbkTQHKgdy-0/w400-h300/IMG_20200708_120613.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't love the price (even on sale), but it's clear how well made these pieces are. They're very comfortable and fit our space perfectly. I can see many happy days and nights out here for years to come.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT26b2dBDancp5WPdnVeJgjxoP9m4w2lPV2K97HZ0WUSJWz-eI9h9oZIyzXXHDWc9Mtb7bYWonoXOZo-yaTvZEDr8F8M4CmXicO9RSJf4qr2Jc4L4r9QdnaKrr5WbjqKoAeGvds024eEeG/s2048/IMG_20200708_201442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT26b2dBDancp5WPdnVeJgjxoP9m4w2lPV2K97HZ0WUSJWz-eI9h9oZIyzXXHDWc9Mtb7bYWonoXOZo-yaTvZEDr8F8M4CmXicO9RSJf4qr2Jc4L4r9QdnaKrr5WbjqKoAeGvds024eEeG/w300-h400/IMG_20200708_201442.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Phew! We've been busy here. And I didn't even mention that we added insulation to the garage to make Zahara's room more temperate, and we got a new dining room rug, dining room chairs, and a living room chandelier. We continue to make this place a reflection of us, one room at a time. Now all I need is for this pandemic to end so I can have you all over for a drink! </div><div><br /></div><div><i>See our other house updates <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/search/label/Redspire%20House">here</a>.</i></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-36849573510581120952020-08-02T22:03:00.002-04:002020-08-02T22:03:24.455-04:00Germany Week!<div><i>Guten tag!</i> This week we explored Germany! Fun fact, in high school I was in the German club during my senior year of high school. Why? Because my friend Lee was in the club and it looked good on my college applications. I never took German and rarely attended the events, but it was fun to say I was in the club.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've visited Germany a few times now, and it really is a fantastic country. Each region is so different and provides unique entertainment, scenery, and food.</div><div><br /></div><b>Crafts</b><div>There's definitely a trend here where the crafts have fallen off a bit. With both camp and pool happening every day, we have less time for crafts. It's been so wonderful having these summer activities right now. The one craft we did attempt this week was making a cuckoo clock, since they were invented in Germany. I say attempted, because it didn't really hold either of their interests, so this was all we managed to get.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GTBj72yVsgaPwIB-F59ps5Dd2UkSaaGyWgRdfweCSbUJy9zI-Agxffp99nwvwlJOn0PPID-Q63zl1U1ISSqJdrzm9a0ElbBmBU_Ul_40DtYXALv0ifUG3mA3d1BBFMmBTC-3kPJq7QFo/s2048/IMG_20200727_142559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GTBj72yVsgaPwIB-F59ps5Dd2UkSaaGyWgRdfweCSbUJy9zI-Agxffp99nwvwlJOn0PPID-Q63zl1U1ISSqJdrzm9a0ElbBmBU_Ul_40DtYXALv0ifUG3mA3d1BBFMmBTC-3kPJq7QFo/w300-h400/IMG_20200727_142559.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Culture</b></div><div>This week we took a field trip to a <a href="https://www.germangourmet.com/">German market</a> to get an apple strudel. It was about an hour away, and this should tell you a lot about our family. We are willing to travel for food.* The market was small, but cute. There was a deli counter filled with German cheeses, meats, and baked goods. The rest of the shop was filled with all sorts of German goodies like sauerkraut, spaetzele, and candies. There was a whole section devoted to mustard! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyF0a05Inznzzi3EiUTAaq04VqnotJpFSKyF_RSfiL7UsVt0UdzmoXJUt6t-HRq0QSUWVZcCMNC6gr43R4MD0CZ8e2usB2-nXHviWZEGpEzZOEThfBft5_sG82UtJsenVE5FUuOo1oZLo/s2048/IMG_20200723_141109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyF0a05Inznzzi3EiUTAaq04VqnotJpFSKyF_RSfiL7UsVt0UdzmoXJUt6t-HRq0QSUWVZcCMNC6gr43R4MD0CZ8e2usB2-nXHviWZEGpEzZOEThfBft5_sG82UtJsenVE5FUuOo1oZLo/w300-h400/IMG_20200723_141109.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also watched a few videos on Germany and German culture, including ones on <a href="https://youtu.be/VqkELxIN6_8">German Christmas markets</a> (a huge favorite of ours!), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyayoaotATI&feature=youtu.be">gingerbread houses</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zku0weZz8Y&feature=youtu.be">skiing</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Food</b></div><div>I already mentioned we went to a German market to grab some apple strudel. While there we also picked up a piece of Black Forrest cake and took both pieces to a park to eat. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0XqxeNkVjBGE8tDUSlK3a6KJglJl5xmvpqTxyWRoMO-ilZe_PS7NacrhB49MyST-RV6JBv-gKNZn7YAVNyRu6jr0unQJy26qDOt2Nu7V0XgGftMiiRzeIqBIG0KbOal40zuqWHJZegRh/s1600/IMG_20200723_145056_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0XqxeNkVjBGE8tDUSlK3a6KJglJl5xmvpqTxyWRoMO-ilZe_PS7NacrhB49MyST-RV6JBv-gKNZn7YAVNyRu6jr0unQJy26qDOt2Nu7V0XgGftMiiRzeIqBIG0KbOal40zuqWHJZegRh/w300-h400/IMG_20200723_145056_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wbeJIgwStTW1KsSDy-F-whgcHi7MnDGCIuHj68vvboq8VVdFBqEDX7H3z6CF5fQ9RMBMz9atOS_Sk_Pu_N-fiw05M6az4KD7hn3-FowSk1yzuqDYa6H3H-3ax-rdDUlwlUMuXjUBbl-5/s1600/IMG_20200723_145146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wbeJIgwStTW1KsSDy-F-whgcHi7MnDGCIuHj68vvboq8VVdFBqEDX7H3z6CF5fQ9RMBMz9atOS_Sk_Pu_N-fiw05M6az4KD7hn3-FowSk1yzuqDYa6H3H-3ax-rdDUlwlUMuXjUBbl-5/w400-h200/IMG_20200723_145146.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To be honest, they were both pretty, but not amazing. We decided to make our own <a href="https://www.lilvienna.com/homemade-apple-strudel/">strudel</a>, and it was delicious. Look at how well Dan made this strudel dough! The test is whether you can read a newspaper through the dough, and Dan succeeded. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEtDuMIIzStGhFt7P1UhLpqxhvBOuIWKMKhLLpK3qBx6Ht7R1siI-VnC-kR9HThPQhabMybWz43Su2PLJRCmOO9llMy_CKyMYD33D48yL-E7Df6YoJnf2MelwZRUl0s7ut0ugH_D1J0ad/s2048/IMG_20200723_184125+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEtDuMIIzStGhFt7P1UhLpqxhvBOuIWKMKhLLpK3qBx6Ht7R1siI-VnC-kR9HThPQhabMybWz43Su2PLJRCmOO9llMy_CKyMYD33D48yL-E7Df6YoJnf2MelwZRUl0s7ut0ugH_D1J0ad/w400-h300/IMG_20200723_184125+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQwCmLuRhS5EHhTOqIPYN0DxLVL_5BUBaW8fwIGrNe_26MpklNMegQEf6FLL6zObj0_3OMR65Y49B2JfM3P3pbT4WS7aE8fxmtLY8VfaDwAlpK7XDRkhDPY4WUa9aMBc33BWAhgTOMeTB/s2508/IMG_20200723_194105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQwCmLuRhS5EHhTOqIPYN0DxLVL_5BUBaW8fwIGrNe_26MpklNMegQEf6FLL6zObj0_3OMR65Y49B2JfM3P3pbT4WS7aE8fxmtLY8VfaDwAlpK7XDRkhDPY4WUa9aMBc33BWAhgTOMeTB/w400-h200/IMG_20200723_194105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of the menu was: <a href="https://www.daringgourmet.com/traditional-german-pork-schnitzel/">veal schnitzel</a>, <a href="https://www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-german-spaetzle/">kaesespaetzle</a>, brats with sauerkraut, <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-pretzels-recipe">homemade pretzels</a>, <a href="https://www.daringgourmet.com/traditional-kartoffelpuffer-reibekuchen-german-potato-pancakes/">kartoffelpuffers</a>, and <a href="https://www.daringgourmet.com/restaurant-style-schwabischer-kartoffelsalat-swabian-potato-salad/">potato salad</a> (forgot to take a picture). </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir5W-3_z2ObKlP1r7fvOnR3px3XIHgVzP3TmpO5AuZwDTbXDMJJgy8iFgsCMeV1iL0u14GuiBz7qRX6nOJgVd4z8nJD7XiKnYBdXORSA6vRx2J3Doa7mPcTxyEq3eG1f91F-93YiZ66En/s1600/IMG_20200720_180050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir5W-3_z2ObKlP1r7fvOnR3px3XIHgVzP3TmpO5AuZwDTbXDMJJgy8iFgsCMeV1iL0u14GuiBz7qRX6nOJgVd4z8nJD7XiKnYBdXORSA6vRx2J3Doa7mPcTxyEq3eG1f91F-93YiZ66En/w400-h200/IMG_20200720_180050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCpjd5h1bfF2eY9PFyzDR-Ki7VpCYt27bSKbrHAnxbVxCt7G0nY4yB6Pki2nMPaBfTAziDTZF9Xm-zNapH8Gd-F_lplArAxJbWt53GW5F75gIFXHRcxKeaXs12ajeaCtLtp-WvJeJXWj_/s1600/IMG_20200722_174215_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCpjd5h1bfF2eY9PFyzDR-Ki7VpCYt27bSKbrHAnxbVxCt7G0nY4yB6Pki2nMPaBfTAziDTZF9Xm-zNapH8Gd-F_lplArAxJbWt53GW5F75gIFXHRcxKeaXs12ajeaCtLtp-WvJeJXWj_/w400-h300/IMG_20200722_174215_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We opted for Beyond Meat sausages for our brats. They were delicious. Especially with the authentic kraut and mustard.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEA-n2Sj4iHValyq5sX2rYOHtYiF8K7ZP5SW4OLJRY1eSSDFWes8f4APuky1o2RPdzFKZ3EE8gqZkK3GWTIi5h_pgYiz_Xc6eQIc3f83-fulTBB5M0s3BXpYJpNnmIbsSnEwufu9ECFVcE/s2048/IMG_20200719_180432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEA-n2Sj4iHValyq5sX2rYOHtYiF8K7ZP5SW4OLJRY1eSSDFWes8f4APuky1o2RPdzFKZ3EE8gqZkK3GWTIi5h_pgYiz_Xc6eQIc3f83-fulTBB5M0s3BXpYJpNnmIbsSnEwufu9ECFVcE/w300-h400/IMG_20200719_180432.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dan made these yummy pretzels using sourdough discard. They turned out great! A kartoffelpuffer is basically a giant latke (potato pancake). It's delicious on it's own, topped with apple sauce, or even a fried egg!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnz5eniazZ4FTQgO0uxqu-QuHs1tbsbM2vnVf4e7RmojxlYZt_-czVLL5K_OoOCwq2ZMpcqtvmErwLFDckxsfBjZcFW8n4iCUDWAxh6XuJGVmzxiWqXhGYhvYHY6HeZM87BVG6b7kbgRh/s1600/IMG_20200721_215227_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnz5eniazZ4FTQgO0uxqu-QuHs1tbsbM2vnVf4e7RmojxlYZt_-czVLL5K_OoOCwq2ZMpcqtvmErwLFDckxsfBjZcFW8n4iCUDWAxh6XuJGVmzxiWqXhGYhvYHY6HeZM87BVG6b7kbgRh/w400-h300/IMG_20200721_215227_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgxCYquUSUps4t2h0wTa8w60j3huQFM30nyqlSQzgKPa1w5ELUnVJkDeOHnyuoGy8Xm4HdqDDtWinZH818cTsqVhr-6-RFrAUt-kcdRTvByPIakEbgOazgUcV1_LNnbjJ0Wm90fQCiTZs/s2048/IMG_20200725_134148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgxCYquUSUps4t2h0wTa8w60j3huQFM30nyqlSQzgKPa1w5ELUnVJkDeOHnyuoGy8Xm4HdqDDtWinZH818cTsqVhr-6-RFrAUt-kcdRTvByPIakEbgOazgUcV1_LNnbjJ0Wm90fQCiTZs/w300-h400/IMG_20200725_134148.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another great week in the books. Next up, India!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>See our other country weeks <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i>* In fact, without exaggeration, we once <a href="https://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/06/last-day-in-italy.html">stopped in Florence just to get a sandwich</a>. True story.</i></div></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105047549019761357.post-32066501144364716562020-07-28T10:34:00.002-04:002020-07-28T10:34:30.200-04:00Greece Week!<div>After a staycation in the States last week, we headed off to Greece this week.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zAWoQrT10YdN4Q8rsLMpVSZEbw9sdAn8fyBkJYQa0nkWbVUa9UI5NH4_CayuHkkwNReySvxKehFtzl0oKfaT9v0fwn5Jo7NwDDZLaFAcuyykdIziYh76WhdiurB8_O3OiQdrfe7tr4VL/s2647/IMG_20200714_192200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2647" data-original-width="1188" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zAWoQrT10YdN4Q8rsLMpVSZEbw9sdAn8fyBkJYQa0nkWbVUa9UI5NH4_CayuHkkwNReySvxKehFtzl0oKfaT9v0fwn5Jo7NwDDZLaFAcuyykdIziYh76WhdiurB8_O3OiQdrfe7tr4VL/w180-h400/IMG_20200714_192200.jpg" width="180" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Crafts</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We focused mainly on ancient Greece, rather than modern-day Greece. Zahara is already interested in Greek mythology, so we led with that. We only did one craft this week, but I loved it! We made Greek pottery using this very simple technique. I found images online of Greek pottery and traced the shapes onto a blank piece of paper. Then I colored in the shapes using orange and red crayons, and colored over the whole thing with a black crayon. The kids could then create their own images by using a toothpick to scratch off the black color.</div>
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<div><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhNjc-6V__cCv5tFxV-4aqewjttF1E2fOPGy8zuu09DgY__4OofujTZXCHpIAlrTLL-wXn4tlRvd6Iy5MmWzUeVLbuCT2SJeELpSlrUBXI3iv1W9Ppi6k1YdDZ0LIjiyKXNZdDNuCrTPw/w150-h200/IMG_20200717_095513.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDzTf5k3eQ0wIpw5q6KbZIVB1mX_L-nYckbVcT59H2DMLeYD4jfgZLHbXIEDJrT3Ctjf617O2eAnQGU4KaXI1V66OuyTeWfT3rrmU5KKfwU6iUp7vrOeT6HMy8RRvuVNuR99hnooMVFIk/w150-h200/IMG_20200717_095511.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgBaZBQy5vjjwAv_RUQMujiQtl2NpmCKDp8Af8XARnid5Q_LZK2Vh_n5aaDsEeowrLOtdllI7Chzl29y7e5ZJwbSUQSIgxP2Mgfeso8pNS3Zoz8FCW1Hn1GDaSG2Kp05fdZ0OW51732gY/w200-h150/IMG_20200717_100920.jpg" width="200" /><table><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div>
We also watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wIc6Y4cSr4">this video</a> of an artist creating a Greek amphora; Zahara did an amazing job following along. I was so impressed with the final results.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0tFCagvSBtp6qt80hYHpp1P9IGrg0q22FS0TQ1JmxnOLBm6c_g1DyiCP0ps0Qg7X6jEtv9GmJY2BVUfnb3I9f5Ts7m7CrRhA5Q-WNGV4vfUoI9dU-qxuyUj9Oj-oZULgWpuCpivvyGuc/s2048/IMG_20200717_180652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0tFCagvSBtp6qt80hYHpp1P9IGrg0q22FS0TQ1JmxnOLBm6c_g1DyiCP0ps0Qg7X6jEtv9GmJY2BVUfnb3I9f5Ts7m7CrRhA5Q-WNGV4vfUoI9dU-qxuyUj9Oj-oZULgWpuCpivvyGuc/w300-h400/IMG_20200717_180652.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Culture</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I said, Zahara is interested in Greek mythology. She learned a little through a school program called BrainPOP, and she also read Percy Jackson. This week we discovered and binged a new-to-us kids podcast from National Geographic called <a href="https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/books/zeus-the-mighty/podcast/episodes/">Greeking Out</a>. Each episode tells a different myth in a way that is approachable and fun. The contents can get a little dicey, but we listened with both kids and it was great.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaJoNhZRAiMal9EIU03G2vXMeT4ohrqXLY_8mvAmAbDQp9B77ZEitjD0E5FJyT2Ha2s6VE_eL9mmWnch8x5cpdazhXHTeh_b-H11oS5OL8rWcyF-Aw0E4pdMiowwUOdd4qqxNGJsCBAfX/s1900/greekingout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1900" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaJoNhZRAiMal9EIU03G2vXMeT4ohrqXLY_8mvAmAbDQp9B77ZEitjD0E5FJyT2Ha2s6VE_eL9mmWnch8x5cpdazhXHTeh_b-H11oS5OL8rWcyF-Aw0E4pdMiowwUOdd4qqxNGJsCBAfX/w400-h225/greekingout.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We explored a few more <a href="https://www.brainpop.com/search/?keyword=greece">BrainPOP lessons on Ancient Greece</a> to learn more about the original Olympics, democracy, and Athens. We also followed up with a viewing of the classic kids movie Hercules. To be honest, I used this time to workout and cook, but the kids loved it and asked for a repeat viewing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdYP0t5jn-tK_XIAVRvbI3UdlOyOv_i5kgHO0coGFaNrI1zv76lAgtZwlPa5lo6PKZaSeEsnmDQpsjqbavHQdeDmZR5LX0KJtxZhqOm9eytQqqmsQttnQm3wb7tcoQfFw3R4HKRSekZ9E/s2048/hercules3.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdYP0t5jn-tK_XIAVRvbI3UdlOyOv_i5kgHO0coGFaNrI1zv76lAgtZwlPa5lo6PKZaSeEsnmDQpsjqbavHQdeDmZR5LX0KJtxZhqOm9eytQqqmsQttnQm3wb7tcoQfFw3R4HKRSekZ9E/w266-h400/hercules3.webp" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Food</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had lots of delicious Greek food this week. We ate at <a href="https://www.thetrapezaria.com/">Trapezaria</a>, where we had a real feast. We had various spreads (<i>taramosolata</i>, hummus, and <i>melitzanosalata</i>); <i>spanikopita</i>; grilled halloumi; <i>saganaki </i>(cheese flambeed table-side); falafel, and <i>galaktoboureko </i>for dessert (custard in phyllo dough--so good!).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6lXtK5JCLp5VzRrMNSRvVOHCJIHTXEUHD0AT7b7roymjFDHyc4mWxOtc6jTLM7ifeuFrEmALtMiwQJkVieZOfqzfyvxFZveUiJPp45p1ReigoRb8ka0E-7hMeeAWmAwJP7MFQ-YCr679/s2048/IMG_20200712_123649_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6lXtK5JCLp5VzRrMNSRvVOHCJIHTXEUHD0AT7b7roymjFDHyc4mWxOtc6jTLM7ifeuFrEmALtMiwQJkVieZOfqzfyvxFZveUiJPp45p1ReigoRb8ka0E-7hMeeAWmAwJP7MFQ-YCr679/w300-h400/IMG_20200712_123649_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also made some great food at home. Our menu: Greek salad, <a href="https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/authentic-greek-fava-recipe-yellow-split-peas-puree/">fava</a>, <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19644/moussaka/">moussaka</a>, <a href="https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/tomatokeftedes-fried-tomato-balls/">tomatokeftedes</a>, tzatziki, <a href="https://www.lemonandolives.com/kolokythokeftede s-fried-zucchini-fritters/">kolokithokeftedes</a>, and gyro.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWnN1SCFdOeAznnDq7jcvfiQg5GOqi4I6eF2k_jwo7bLIEklUR2B_AIrfPbd9Kl9qCZivO2uwzIzyizPLdyyaySvpnGpFOVqhEp1Pk0pCO-J3RCYlJbbXEDcyddr1WQ2tG6T-7ct9iBnw/s2048/IMG_20200712_182703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWnN1SCFdOeAznnDq7jcvfiQg5GOqi4I6eF2k_jwo7bLIEklUR2B_AIrfPbd9Kl9qCZivO2uwzIzyizPLdyyaySvpnGpFOVqhEp1Pk0pCO-J3RCYlJbbXEDcyddr1WQ2tG6T-7ct9iBnw/w300-h400/IMG_20200712_182703.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VxvK_FlKuNcnRY30arpvD6eQ16wcilCAlN039UKgRRjcVMXYTzgnPL3kI5bWMe82lALjjS4yD4ad_BVlil0mycpqPZKJjZ200SLMRY3o7eooFiPSbX53jYqzALnmeK-jQuzZL7avO0eC/s2048/IMG_20200712_182727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VxvK_FlKuNcnRY30arpvD6eQ16wcilCAlN039UKgRRjcVMXYTzgnPL3kI5bWMe82lALjjS4yD4ad_BVlil0mycpqPZKJjZ200SLMRY3o7eooFiPSbX53jYqzALnmeK-jQuzZL7avO0eC/w300-h400/IMG_20200712_182727.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had to make some adjustments to some of the recipes to make them kosher. We made the moussaka with fake meat and real bechamel. I've never had this before and I really liked the flavor. We made tzatziki with non-dairy yogurt, and then ordered shawarma from a local kosher restaurant to make a gyro. It's not a perfect match to a real gyro, but it was really good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaFCuA8Oj9vXRhLe-xaQEw9MA8q0GAvmtUBTVslGqrP4jR9dwqR0yQX2-nJxmO7nGPJEhJWJbAQIA6t1hK9hyphenhyphenrUURPBoj-IXBIxEqucNYa-JjEt4r-E7khmVFmX63zon5j7ya_dTHRy5-/s2048/IMG_20200713_180511_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaFCuA8Oj9vXRhLe-xaQEw9MA8q0GAvmtUBTVslGqrP4jR9dwqR0yQX2-nJxmO7nGPJEhJWJbAQIA6t1hK9hyphenhyphenrUURPBoj-IXBIxEqucNYa-JjEt4r-E7khmVFmX63zon5j7ya_dTHRy5-/w300-h400/IMG_20200713_180511_Bokeh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnDfzS3WX77CL5Y-2SLE2wx9Xe9SM0R1_YyrXwUciAf0WMDrfnycz_ikLD4rjlDXHp91lxBUKKtFTxw5G7P-SlhfPdzKb_bXldB687j02m0cCBGahpA-s6QNCfKEhN7jXNmbcq7fY6kCg/s2048/IMG_20200714_181414_Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnDfzS3WX77CL5Y-2SLE2wx9Xe9SM0R1_YyrXwUciAf0WMDrfnycz_ikLD4rjlDXHp91lxBUKKtFTxw5G7P-SlhfPdzKb_bXldB687j02m0cCBGahpA-s6QNCfKEhN7jXNmbcq7fY6kCg/w400-h300/IMG_20200714_181414_Bokeh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those who are interested, based on the article from <a href="https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/gyro-vs-shawarma#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20shawarma,lamb%20to%20veal%20to%20goat.&text=Unlike%20the%20gyro%2C%20shawarma%20never,of%20the%20methodically%20marinated%20meat.">Spoon University</a>, the main differences between a gyro and a shawarma are twofold. 1) A gyro is typically made from pork or lamb, and a shawarma can be made of almost any type of meat. The spices on the two meats are different, with shawarma having more intense spices. 2) A shawarma is never topped with tzatziki. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were so many other things we didn't get to this week, like baklava, and yaya's cookies from my friend Rachel, and reenacting some of the original Olympic games (I was thinking javelin with pool noodles). But, this was a great sneak peak into a beautiful country with an incredible history. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up, Germany!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>See our other country week adventures <a href="http://calliscrossing.blogspot.com/p/country-weeks.html">here</a>.</i></div>Callihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690365299988361075noreply@blogger.com0