Moms. Is there honestly anything better? 

I honestly can't think of anything, especially mine-She is the craziest, funniest, most loving, most caring person in the entire world. this is her last year mothers day. isnt she beautiful? 

The year I graduated from high school I gave a talk in church on mothers day with all the other seniors so I decided to look back at it. I opened with story of Christ and the footprints (short summary, a man wonders why at the hardest times in life there are only one set and Christ tells him that is when he carried him) and then talk about how much I love her and how she is my best friend. 

Nothing has changed. 

Except that my love for her has grown even more, if that is even possible. 

Some of my earliest memories of her- the year she got in a crash for Christmas, and then raked rocks, put milk in the cabinet haha. Then when you broke your knee and dad has his surgery and you would roll around the house on your chair still continuing to make dinner, clean and everything. Not making us watch the great documentaries greggy decided to get us that one summer in pc. Going to ice skating during the Olympics and me getting my goose egg on my head. Her giving me crap for all the funny things I used to say wrong...he got ashed, wanting spuds as earings etc.... 

High school- four of my most miserable and amazing years and she was there every single day. When I was miserable at Xavier and you didn't care what dad said you finally realized I would be happier at dv and you took me out and helped me figure everything out. I loved you so much for that, I still remember driving to dads office to go tell him and you just always having my back no matter what. I remember all the days when you would "force me" to stay home because you wanted a friend to hang out with. The night I took the car out when I was 15 and you simply told me you were too tired to get mad (dad-did you know that?) hahaha. The countless days you made me the best lunches, breakfast. My favorite memories are coming home from school and sitting with you talking about school or life just everything and you would let me cry or laugh and always just have something to say. The day of graduation when you gave me my ring because I was so sad about not wearing my other ones anymore. I know it's so stupid but you have no idea how happy that made me and still does to this day. 

(this is her in london, this is for the women who took over for their husbands during the war...things would not have worked out if they hadnt been there. just like how my life would be a mess without her)

You are the most kind hearted person that I honestly think exists. You always think the best of people no matter what they could have done. You love all my friends and welcome them into our family with open arms. You just love everyone and care for them wanting everyone to be happy. 

Your also one of the strongest people I know. You put up with dad (love you dad) even when he is a big stinker. And you have raised all five of us kids. We have all been rude and annoying and stupid at countless times, but you never give up. You have the hardest job and you are the very best at it. I love you and rely on you more than you will ever know. 

You are one of my very best friends and always will be. I can wait to see you in two weeks I hope you have an amazing day and I hope dad cooks you something great. xoxo

El Clasico

well over this last weekend Blakely and i ventured back to Barcelona one last time for probably my favorite trip so far. 

we got there really late, went to a bar called Obama (their shirts had pictures of africa on them...saying something?) it was really great, they had live music and some old people dancing their hearts out

the next day we slept in of course and then went walking in barcelona, found my favorite candy shop and ate lynch on top of corte ingles which looked out onto a gorgeous view. later that night we went to a flamenco show which are so cool (i saw one in granada during high school however this was blakely first time) i think they are so amazing and show great aspects of the gypsy culture. 

the next day was the best... in the morning we did a vespa tour around the city and up the mountain to look out over the city which was breathtaking, its an amazing city im clearly obsessed. we got to eat lynch in this little restaurant owned by a catalan family, and it was a locals only place with the best food i have eaten while being here. 

that night we went to el clasico (or the barcelona madrid game to non soccer people) coolest thing ever! my dads friend got blakely and i some great tickets and it was a blast. im not a big soccer fan (they lay around on the ground WAY to much) however the ambiance was something i cant explain. they are like yankees red sox fans times a thousand. they love their team, even after they lost they were cheering and singing their anthem i loved it. we went out after that and everyone was still so excited, we walked past madrid fans and had a great conversation with them about how barca was still the best. 

it was a great weekend and got me so excited for when my family comes. however i cant believe that is almost here...where have these five months gone? 

video my friend blakely made: http://vimeo.com/41236587

Semana Santa

Well the past two weeks have been go, go, go.

It started two Saturdays ago when I set off for morocco. I took a bus to Madrid then a bus to Seville then a bus to Gibraltar a ferry to Africa then a bus into the city of fez. I honestly don't know how I survived all this traveling but somehow...

 

Fez. The first city we went to. It had this amazing medina (their city, containing 9,300 little streets and over 300,000 citizens...that's more than Salamanca) anyways it was the most confusing thing in the entire world I can't even imagine trying to guide myself through it without a guide. We went to a rug store a leather store a ceramic store and a gold/metal work store. They were all so amazing and I got to buy a few fun things. Oh also we went to a natural pharmacy which was the coolest thing ever. I got coal eyeliner Moroccan oil and spices and such (for mom and patsy) it was an amazingly cool place to see.

The ext day we made our eight hour bus venture into the desert. When we got there we got in 4by4 and Indian jones style drove into the desert. Most fun ride ever...sorry Disneyland. When we finally got there is was so dark so we didn't really know what was going on. Except we were sleeping in little tents and there was tons of huge black beetles everywhere. I surprisingly slept great and woke up in time to go see the beautiful sunrise. The sand was such a beautiful color and the scenery was amazing. That day we took a camel ride into a little town and then walked back. We met some great Moroccan friends and little boys that were so darling. I loved them and wished I could bring one home. The next day we set off for one last city, slept and then finally made our way back to Madrid. All in all it was probably one of the most amazing trips I'll ever go on in my life.

After that blakely and I made our way to the beautiful island of fuerteventura. Don't worry it's back down by morocco, little did I know. It was gorgeous and a much needed week. We literally sat and tanned all week. We made some Italian friends there as well who knew blakely and I by name since the guys in charge introduced us to everyone. And don't worry I was Pollyanna aka Heidi aka baaaaaaa (I still don't get the correlation) but whatever they were great.

I'm back in Salamanca now until thurs. trying to breathe, not thinking about the fact that may is in two weeks.....

milan y verona

Ohhh italy. it Just never fails me.... maybe a little this time. only because milan was a little lame. i mean its italy so its not lame it was only shopping and then this gorgeous Duomo. i wanted a little more history and great people. there simply wasnt. however they do know how to make gelato. in fact its probably the best i have ever had. and i feel like i can be a pretty good Judge because i have had my fair share of it. so anyways they fill the cone with chocolate and then put yoir gelato on top. absoltely amazing. especially since whenever i eat ice cream i always get to the bottom of the cone and am disappointed to find it empty. this makes it certain that will never happen again. oh food wise though, amazing i had apple ravioli with a walnyt sace, patsy find a recipe its great. 

however, verona is a whole other story. im OBSESSED. like honestly Blakely and i are really confused why its not our home, like why do we not live there. there is a beautiful hill over the river and we are determined that our houses are some where up there. we got there on train took this bus that we didnt know how to pay for...so we didnt whoops. and came upon this gorgeous piazza shown in the pic below where we ate an amazing lynch mmm. then we walked around saw all the amazing sights they had. like the house of Juliet. oh how clever those italians are. pretend it was really where she was, have her balcony and even a tomb. dont get me wrong it was a very romantic city and lovely but really people, im sorry that Juliet was not a real person...then we walked along the river and into this other part of town where we saw all these little italian families waiting in line. of corse it was gelato and if all the italians are waiting in line it had to be good, so of course we proceeded to wait as well. and it was a good choice, great gelato and such a great feeling we got because they were all so friendly and all knew each other. i simply love that city and really really want to go back. any day. anytime. im there. 

oh and one last side note. i have never been so absolutely obsessed with a child as i was on my flight back to madrid. the MOST beautiful little girl i have ever seen in my entire life. she had curly hair and was from colombia (a little child speaking spanish only makes them cuter). anyways she was worth the side note. 

off to Morocco this weekend, camel riding and a great time expected. what is this life i live?

paris

paris-the city of love.blinding lights. eiffel tour. etc. 

yeah psych. no body loves anyone in that country. angry angry angry. whoops thats mean. 

well... i will say this it has some potential for sure. they all just need to be a little happier is all.

 so anyways.... went to paris over the weekend with my friend Blakely and my darling friend Nick from home (he came out for a week for his spring break). we left Thursday got there checked into or hotel and everything was great. then we decided to go out to dinner...yeah good luck we finally picked a place and i got Boeuf Bourguignon and freckled onion soup. and that was very delicious. (however mom yours is better. and i need you to make it when i get home please) then we decided we wanted a mcflrry from mcdonalds. well apparently that is not okay because the lady wouldn't even look at s when we ordered and acted like she had to go milk the cows herself. calm down lady. oh and we got locked in and had to ask to get let out? what... 

the next day we woke and went off to the Eiffel Tour. so excited since its something i have always wanted to see obviously. We even had a guy playing the violin on the metro on or way it was perfect. And i loved it, it was beautiful. (nick did about five back flips in front of it which made the best pictures ever) then we walked the river and saw all sorts of things. We ended at this little restaurant in the Jewish district and got falafel...okay yummy we loved it. then we ventured to the Arc de triumph which was a cluster of a roundabout  im still confused how there arent a million accidents daily. so props to their driving skills. that night we went the most beautiful little white church on the top of a hill. so romantic and so pretty i loved it. then we ate cheese and bread for dinner. so great. 

the next day we went to versailles. why is this not my house? im really confused. but honestly, most beautiful palace i have ever seen. i am so envious of those who can walk around and live in something like that. we ate lunch there at a place called angelina it was delicious, and we drank so much hot chocolate it was insane. after we went and walked around shopping and exploring

all in all it was great. 


P.S. Blakely made this lovely video.  http://vimeo.com/38788468

spanish padres dia

today is padres day in spain...

so i thought i would write my dad a little note. 

Greggy...aka the worlds best dad. BY FAR. there is nothing i cant go to him for. nothing i cant cry to him about. nothing i can say to him to make him hate me or judge me for. he is the only guy that will always think im beautiful, always love me and always tell me how stupid any boy is. always take my side, or at least tell me how it is. 

there is a nursery song that goes something like "im so glad when daddy comes home glad as i can be clap my hands and shout for glee and climb up on his knee pit my arms around his neck pat his cheek and give him what a great big kiss" and i always loved it. because its so true. those days when i just want to go sit in his office, watch t.v. and talk i know he is there.

being here in spain has only made my appreciation for him grow. im honestly the luckiest girl in the entire world. i can not express the gratitude i have for the ability to do the things i get to do here, and its because of him.

pues gracias padre, te quiero. (so thank you i love you)

my new obsessions

1) first off is Mallorca. It's a little island of the east coast of Spain. And it's gorgeous. My friend blakely and I ventured here this past weekend and It was the best 70 euro spent ever (30 euro for the flight and 40 for the hostel...so great) it was a little colder than we wanted but it was in the 60 which compared to how cold Salamanca is it was perfect. We were the only ones not in parkas and people thought we were INSANE for laying out...but it was worth it. I would love to go back when it's warmer and hopefully I will. However apparently Spain has some gorgeous places so we wanna experience some others. But still a new obsession of mine.

2) the families here. They are adorable. There are so many old married couples that walk around the plaza (women in their fur coats of course...still need one) and just talk and are all so happy. We have decided its because the men here treat the women like princess's. Seriously... Even as young couples the girls are so sassy and make the boys work so hard to get them. And are so mean I don't get it. But it's adorable.


3) the children... It kind of ties to the families because you always see the grandparents pushing their kids around in strollers. It just makes me think of my parents especially my dad who i know will be just like this and love them to death. Buuutt anyways the kids are seriously all adorable it's not even funny. I already wanted a kid and it just got ten times worse here. Probably because every single one of them dresses so well, they have the cutest strollers and all of them are darling. Im obsessed.. A few times some of us have come a little to close to kidnapping.


I'm in love with this place...