Being Aunt Bob

I am very fortunate to get to be Aunt Bob to a Gaggle of children.

My sister has two girls, Charlotte (4) and Natalie (2).  My very dear friends, Brendon and Karin, have 5 children.  Melody (6), Melissa (5), Hope (soon to be 5), Little man (15 months - he is not officially adopted yet so I can't post his name or picture), and Hannah Joy 5 months.

I spent 3 weeks at Brianna and Ben's house and got to spend a lot of time with Charlie and Nat Nat.  We went swimming, played in the park, played with puzzles, played dress up, had birthday parties, went for walks, read books, etc.  Natalie's vocabulary has exploded and I can understand most of what she says.  She has always called me "aunt Bob" and can actually say "Bobbi Jo" pretty well for a toddler.  But for my last few days there, she started calling me "Bee Bob". I am not sure why, but it is adorable.

I also introduced Charlotte to travel - her first train ride!

Snuggling on the couch

trying cotton candy for the first time

helping little sis cut her birthday cake

riding the train together

Nat Nat climbing

at the "nee nown"  playground

running in high heels like a boss

It has been 3 weeks since I have seen them.  I called my sister for her birthday and got to talk to the girls. Natalie lit up when she saw me and yelled "Bee Bob"  Music to my ears!  Charlotte told me all about their trip with their grandparents to Branson, Missouri.

She's going to need a little more training before she is ready to be a princess.  she is wearing her Hello Kitty tiara as a visor.

Whenever I walk into Brendon and Karin's house, I feel like the most popular rock star in the world.  I get assaulted by hugs and shouts of Aunt Bob!! I said I would be there Friday morning.  I was staying at Karin's parents' house and I got up, went walking got back at 8:30 to shower and head over the Karin's.  Sally said Karin had already called saying the girls had been looking for me since 7:15!  I hurried over there ASAP.  I have spent a lot of time with Melody, Melissa, and Hope since they were born.  I met Little Man when he was a few weeks old last summer, but this is the first time we have interacted when he was old enough to know who I was.  Hannah Joy was born in February so this was my first time meeting her.

Hannah Joy loved me and really enjoyed my voice.  She would crane her neck to look at me if I was reading to the other kids.

Melissa and Hannah hanging out

Hope with her Zah

Melissa and I snuggling

Chick fil a Cow appreciation day! 

Hannah in her cow outfit

I have a lot of pictures of little man, but I cannot post them until the adoption is final.  He is a delightful chunky monkey!  Even at 15 months, he knew quite a few words and wanted me to read to him a lot "book!!  book!"  even when we already had 5 books in my lap.  He LOVED me! and I learned quickly not to pick him up when he said "up" because then he would be attached to me for hours :)

I love my 7 precious angels that call me Aunt Bob!

Medieval Villages in Spain

Today I went on a tour of three Medieval Villages in the Spanish countryside.  My guide, Enrique, told us a lot about the history of Catalonia (Catalunya) and how they want to secede from Spain.  They were their own entity with a distinctive culture and want to return to that. 

We left around 8:30 and drove about an hour and a half to Besalú.  We did a guided tour of the village, including a mikveh (Jewish bath). The Jews did not die from the plague at the rate that others did and people thought it was some kind of voodoo and that the Jews were causing the plague.  Now that science knows how hand washing prevents illness, it makes since that Jews would not get as sick because they were the only people washing the hands regularly.  

Continue by minivan toward the village of Rupit. On the way, pass by Castellfollit de la Roca, one of the smallest towns in Catalonia with 1,000 habitants in just 3,280 square feet (1,000 square meters), located on the edge of a basalt precipice. When you arrive in Rupit, enjoy two hours of free time to visit this beautiful village at your own leisure. Wander along the cobblestone streets lined with 16th-century country houses, stop by the hanging wooden bridge, and visit the Baroque-era Church of Sant Miquel. Have lunch at a local restaurant (own expense) and see the remains of the Castle of Rupit on a rocky peak. 

Next, enjoy a scenic drive to the top of the Cingles de Tavertet sandstone cliffs, located by the Ter river valley. Pass by a megalithic tomb -- a field of funerary urns -- and the Iberian Wall until you reach the village of Tavertet. With your guide, visit this charming village, declared a National Property of Cultural Interest due to its 48 preserved houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Learn interesting facts about this village as you admire the houses and the 11th-century Romanesque Church of Sant Cristòfol. Enjoy a short break to grab a coffee at a local café (own expense) or walk to the viewpoint to admire stunning views over the Panta de Sau lake.

Then, relax on the drive back to Barcelona and take in views of El Magatalls, a beautiful lush forest, and El Montseny, a UNESCO Man and Biosphere-listed natural park.

Three Countries in one day - Spain, France, Andorra

Most of you know, I am trying to see 50 countries by the time I am 50.  Andorra was 31 :) 

While in Barcelona, I wanted to take some tours of the countryside and picked this one because it would get me to Andorra :) 

We left at 7 in the morning with the company Explore Catalunya and there were about 15 of us. 
We drove for about an hour and half and went to Baga, which was a small town up in the beginning parts of the mountains.  It was actually cool there compared to the heat in Barcelona. 

We crossed into France and had French croissants in mont-Louis.  We got to walk around the town a bit. 

We drove through the Pyrenees Mountains to Andorra.  We stopped at a place that had great views, unfortunately, a cloud descended while we were there. Andorra has a lot of ski places and they are known for their tax free shopping - many Europeans come here for shopping trips. Most of the group ate together at an Andorran restaurant.  They had a few choices for a 3 course meal for 10.50 Euros - good deal!  

It took about 3 hours to drive back to Barcelona.  We stopped at Coll de Nargo for a rest stop then got back around 7.