A Picture For Dad

Hi Dad this photo shot is for you... Me in the back of the car with both kids fast asleep. This was on our way to Milina a few weeks ago. Now here's the story... When Dad and Rhonda were here they helped me make the car seat toddler ready for Nik and then gave me some money for a seat for baby Kat. So I was excited to use both seats on our trip and I got the car all ready the night before. We did good for the first hour and half but then tragedy struck, Nik got car sick. Car sick bad, several times before we could come to a stop. We washed him up but there was no way we could fully clean the car seat. As we were stopped Katerina informed us that she was starving and wanted to eat right now. So we stacked her car seat on top of Nik's and I feed her in the backseat, Nik curled up next to me and fell asleep. I spent the next hour and half holding my babies and keeping the car seat from falling on top of us as we took the curvy road to the beach.

Another New Machine

We had to buy a new washing machine for KokaRoka, their 30 year old one from Australia broke down to the point of no return. So we bought a 11 kilo Whirlpool, they had it priced a $1,250 euros and Arthur said how much if I pay cash and they took it down to $880 euros. It looks very nice and so far is doing a good job of cleaning the large loads of sheets. We have been full almost every night since the beginning of August a lot of Italians and Spanish are traveling. We haven't seen very many Americans or Australians this year, you can really tell that there is a monetary crisis going on. Hopefully we won't have any other machines break down, keep your fingers crossed.

New Machine

I am so excited to report that we bought a new Laundry Washing Machine. It is an LG 7 kilo and works very quietly and doesn't jump around a huge improvement over our last machine that was 20 years old. In typical Greek fashion we gave our machine to a neighbor who wanted it, my American thinking was to immediately toss it into a waste bin, but nothing is wasted here. Now I just need to find someone who wants all of the underwear that Dad left here, I'm sure someone will want them.

Video

Bougainvillea

When Rhonda was here she bought me this really pretty flower called Bougainvillea (pictured above with flower at the friday market). I liked it so much that I went out and bought a second one to go in my backyard. Then when we were in Milina at the hotel we stayed at they had two huge ones in pots in front of the hotel (pictured below). I had no idea that they could get so huge, should be interesting to see how mine grow.

2 1/2 Sea Celebration

Nik turned 2 1/2 on the 29th and we celebrated by going to the Sea on the East side of Greece in what is called the Pilio area. Our first stop was at a little village called Milina one hour away from Volos on the Pagassitikos Kolpos bay. Arthur and I had gone there 3 years ago when I was pregnant with Nik and he enjoyed the water then and he enjoyed it this time also. He pretty much jumps straight in, no fear and walked up to his neck, did some laying down while the waves came in.
We then enjoyed lunch at Arthur's favorite restaurant right by the water we had just swam in, but this is no longer our favorite restaurant it cost us 47euros to eat there and some of it we didn't even eat because it didn't taste good and came out cooked incorrectly. Plus the fact of continually being worried about Nik because on one side we had the sea and on the other side a busy road, so no freedom for him to just run around.
We stayed at a hotel just one block up from the beach that we had just been too and right behind the restaurant. Here is the view from our veranda.
You can see the view from this angle too. Baby Kat was the best to travel with and I loved her for being such a calm joy compared to the busy activity of a two year old named Nik.
Nik and Dad going off for an evening swim while I feed Riene.
Nik and I then went on a run along the boardwalk and found a park to play in and then watched the sun set, like I said continuous action.

The next day we decided to drive and find another beach, we ended up taking a morning break in the tiny village of Platania on the east side of the Pilio range facing the Aegean sea.
It had great warm water and wasn't to windy or wavy but there just wasn't anywhere to stay, so we had to continue on our hunt for a beach with a hotel nearby. But meanwhile Nik enjoyed smearing sand all over himself and chasing girls on the beach.
I fed our little ladybug when we arrived and then jumped in the water with Nik, or should I say was forced into going in since he threw his shoes in and they weren't magically making it back to shore.

We had lunch at a Taverna nearby and I had fresh swordfish and Arthur had Calamari, all very good.
We are driving along the ridge of the Pelion mountain and this is a view towards Milina beach where we had stayed the night before. We ended up finding a hotel near a really awesome beach and the other cool part was this hotel cost only 40euros and there were other children screaming and staying up all night there too! We weren't the only ones! It was a very nice family run place that also had a Taverna downstairs, so just like KokaRoka, and the view was great too the only problem was that they had so many trees around that you couldn't see the view. I realized why when in the morning we woke up with very bright sun shining directly into the windows, I guess this is a downfall of beaches located on the east side.
Baby sleeping at the beach, all dressed up to go swimming and way to windy to make it out of her carrier.
Getting into the water, grabbing a little sand on the way.
Way to early, pretty much the only ones on the beach here in Xinovrisi.
Beautiful sand and great waves and water was clear and warm.
Nik knocking down somebody else's sand castles left from the day before.
Nik and Daddy playing together, and Arthur taking one last dip before the long drive home(4 hours).

Train Station

The train has arrived and Arthur, Nik and Dad are waiting outside to hop on quickly and get a good seat. The parents took the train to and from Thessaloniki and Kalampaka, a direct train ride lasting 3 hours. These photos were taken when they left two weeks ago, the two bottom photos were taken by Nik.

Rhonda, Mara, Riene and Nik in the train station's waiting room, it was pretty windy outside and 7:40 in the morning so still pretty cool.
Riene in a U.S.A. baby onesie a gift from Birgit and Brian.
Rhonda, Dad and Riene.
Nik running up and down the train tracks.

Pictures taken by Nik- pretty darn good

Swimming Pool

Dad and Rhonda helped me pump up the pool for Nik but then we realized something, he's a little to big for it now.
We are going to have to get a bigger pool, but hopefully one of these days we will go to the beach again. The weather has been real hot during the day and then a big thunder, lightning and hard rain in the afternoon, just like New Mexico but more humid.
I will save this pool for next year it will be a perfect size then for our baby girl.