One week 'til Christmas

We have now been in Spain for almost 6 months. I can't believe it. It is going by to fast.  Life has been so busy that we still feel like we are trying to get used to life here.  All in all things are going well.  The boys have finished their first trimester of school in town and have come out ok.  They are all growing up so quickly through all their new experiences.  They are discovering a lot about themselves and their personalities are becoming more defined.  Caden continues to be slightly more passive, usually a little more mature for his age, and seems to be confident in his abilities to get by in this foreign country.  Max is the emotional, passionate one. He has discovered his ability to analyze and dissect even the most insignificant details, and will passionately and articulately defend himself in any language.  Jake continues to keep us laughing as he absorbs everything around him.  He is witty beyond his years and he knows how to use it.

A couple of weeks ago the school took classic-style, black and white photos of the kids.  They changed their shirt, put them in front of a studious looking map with a fountain pen in hand and took their picture. Caden and Max went along with things just fine, but Jake decided he didn't want anything to do with it. Anyone who knows Jake also knows that he can get pretty stubborn and give a nasty stink-eye when forced to do something against his will.  Well, this one was caught on film.   If you know Jake you'll be able to appreciate the photo.

We took a little road trip to a place called Grazalema.  It is one of the "Pueblos Blancos" that Spain is so famous for.  These are enchanted little cities built in the mountains and cliffs of southern Spain.  Grazalema is one of the better known of these cities.  It is has that feel of being trapped in time.  Things seemed like they had probably been the same for hundreds of years, but yet everything was clean and well kept. The video below is a clip of the short time we spent in the area.




We hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!