The Most Romantic Wedding Anniversary Ever

We started off the day by looking for a fruit and vegetable market. I found one, but it was too crowded. I took a number and waited and waited and waited and finally left because I couldn't remember how to say 'zucchini.' We also walked by the kids' school, but no one was in the mood for a walk. We all took naps when we got home and lazed around. I finally found a good book that I was totally absorbed in so the house got messier and messier. We ran out of food and started eating peanut butter on a spoon since we were out of bread. At that point, Collin went to the store. Then a colleague of his from Bucknell called and asked us to meet him a few blocks away so he could give Collin the cellphone charger. 

After that, we wandered around pretty aimlessly until we found a Kebab restaurant. It was a rockin' 11th anniversary with a sumptuous and romantic dinner of fries with spicy ketchup and aioli with soda to drink. (No babysitter=kids on 11th anniversary date.) Emma kept saying that she didn't want us to be mushy and celebrate our wedding anniversary. I said, "If it wasn't for all the gooey gooey lovey goo around here you wouldn't be here, so you should be happy that we are celebrating!" Not the most exciting anniversary, but it still beats the one when Collin got a vasectomy and the couple times we have been on different continents.

A man selling sunglasses came by our table and Collin made the mistake of asking how much they were. He said 20E, then 15E and finally all the way down to 10E. All way more than Collin was willing to pay. The guy would not leave us alone. He hung around saying how cheap the sunglasses were and how they were real Ray Bans. We were trapped at our table since we were eating. When we paid our bill, he actually followed us for a couple blocks. So ANNOYING! 

There was a free concert in the middle of a plaza which I would have liked to sit and listen to, but the kids weren't interested. We got an ice cream at a new place and it was pretty good, the variety of flavors was smaller and not nearly as exotic as the other place we went to. We got After Eight, banana and Ferrero Roche ice creams and they were good. The banana was a little too ripe tasting, you could tell they made it with real bananas. 

We went to bed early last night so we could get up for church this morning, but something was eating me alive and I was so hot that I couldn't sleep. I have about 10 bug bites, hopefully mosquito and not bed bugs. We did get up on time and caught a bus to church. It is pretty expensive ride: 12E round trip which comes out to $17 to go to church each Sunday until we get a rental car when the students arrive. Next Sunday we are going to walk there and take the bus back since it is cool in the morning and boiling by noon. The ward here is VERY friendly, probably the friendliest ward I have ever been to. I got to do a lot of double cheek kissing, which is very different from how we greet each other in Pennsylvania, but I can get used to it. It was kind of exhausting to focus so hard on understanding what people are saying. I noticed that it was harder for me to understand Spaniards because they speak so fast and with the theta. The Latin Americans speak much more slowly and clearly. The kids went to primary. They were EXTRA clingy today because they were so nervous. But everyone was kind to them and they made it through without tears (except for Ian, but that's typical Sunday behavior for him). Members from all over the world meet in the Granada ward: Dominican, Spaniard, Venezuelan, Argentine, Columbian, Chilean, African, Mexican, and American (us and the missionaries).  Collin is going to play basketball at the church on Wednesday night and the kids have a Primary activity on Friday night. 

Ian has been asking to ride the bus since we arrived. He absolutely loved riding it today. You would have thought we were headed to Disneyland rather than church. When we got home I took a three hour nap. It was so hot today (99 F and no air conditioning) that we all felt kind of crabby and drowsy. We ended up going to the park when it cooled off at 9 pm and then for a little walk. On the way home I read a flyer that was offering free Spanish classes. I hope it works out and I hope that the kids can come too. That would be perfect since I can't afford the Spanish immersion class that the Bucknell students will be taking. 

On our way home across the bridge we saw a fruit seller. Ian kind of squatted in front of the apples while Collin asked him if he had any peaches. He didn't and so we walked on. The man started calling after Ian and gave him an apple for free. The other kids were jealous and asked why he gave Ian an apple. Ian said, "You just have to make this motion."(Licking his lips in a circular and slobbery way.)

Emma and Collin were out walking by themselves and Collin forgot to bring water. Emma kept saying how thirsty she was and finally said, "My sodium carbohydrates are low. I don't even know what that means, but I know that I need them!"