2017 Summer Family Holiday in Side, Turkey

I have a tendency to put off posting our Side vacation photos.  I think it mostly has to do with being overwhelmed by the photos and having to select only a few to try to represent the amazing family time.  Last year was no exception.  So here it is, February of 2018, and I am finally getting around to posting our Side photos from 2017.  (I still haven't posted from 2015 either!)  For the last four months or so, due to political tensions and visa issues, we actually thought we wouldn't be able to return to Turkey for our next summer family holiday, but this week we made the decision to go forward with it, and we booked our hotel and flights!!!  The simple truth is that nothing compares to our Side Breeze Hotel and the family memories we've made there over the last five years!

This year we went the week after school ended, departed on July 4th.

I must admit that it is somewhat unbelievable how much easier flying is with the kids at this age.  Every few month makes a huge difference.

In the spotlight on stage with Alex

Fashion show night

Staying up way past bedtime to watch the animation performance

Güle güle! (Tschuss - Goodbye - literally go smiling)

Sick week and Ferienwoche

A week of the flu with Nathanael halfway overlapping a week of the flu with Eva followed by a week off school.  *sigh*  It has been a long, long, long two weeks.  I had a minor breakdown a few days ago when I stuck Nathanael in front of the computer and finally lay down for a twenty minute nap before needing to pick up Eva from preschool.  I cried a few tears over my exhaustion and then quickly fell asleep, awoke to my alarm, made a quick espresso, and continued on with the week.  I'm better now.  It's Saturday night, and Monday is just around the corner.  It also helps that tomorrow is Sunday, and we have church and then small group afterwards.  It will be a wonderful day, and we will all be exhausted by the awesome fellowship when we fall asleep tomorrow.

A desperate "get me out of the house" moment.  We bundled them up and took them on a wagon ride!  Nathanael cracked me up by asked five times, "Won't people thing we're crazy, Mom?!"  Yes, dear, they will.  But I do not care!

During weeks off school, Vienna has some incredible organizations and businesses that offer activities for kids at low to no cost.  We had planned to take part in six of them this last week.  I had to say no to the last two (after my minor breakdown on Wednesday).  Still, I'd say it was quite a cool week, other than Eva having the flu and visiting the doctor this week, again.

We always register for the events at the Center for Architecture.  Nathanael is really into that kind of thing.  This time the topic was playgrounds, and the kids concluded the time by building their own playground and trying it out.  Every single picture I tried to take is blurry.



Young scientists learning about experiments with fire at Vienna Open Labs


Too busy to look at the camera for a photo

Boys

Add to all the "excitement" of the week a repairman coming to fix our dryer!  (Finally!)  Not having a dryer while the kids both hat the flu was not fun!  Both kids thought seeing the workings of the dryer mechanics was crazy interesting.

Learning about robots in films and then building paper robots that light up with his friend Elliott

Nathanael built Eva a robot on Thursday.

And we also finally were all well enough to play in the snow before it melted.

Finally, Nathanael and Dad visited an indoor high ropes course -- an absolute success!

Special moments

The boys are on their way back from an exciting adventure at an indoor high ropes course. We're anxious to hear all about it! But before I forget, I wanted to take a moment and record the last few hours with my daughter. We've had five hours together and a lot to do, getting ready to host small  group tomorrow. Somehow, we stayed completely engaged with each other and had a blast. After two weeks of sick kids, this was sure a gift to me. First we headed to the grocery store to get some parsley which I needed for our soup. Eva pushed around the miniature carriage and took care of all the groceries at the check-out. After returning we listened to our favorite kids' songs in English and German and danced and sang, while I simultaneously chopped veggies in the kitchen. Then we had special girl time to paint fingernails and braid hair. Next came cleaning, and Eva was my helper, carrying around a duster and making sure the vacuum cleaner cord wasn't in the way (because these tasks are quite important to a four-year-old). Then we decided we needed to make cookies, and so Eva proceeded to pretend to make cookies with a box for her oven and the kitchen sink for her ingredients and different bowls and measuring cups.  I actually made one of my favorites, peanut butter and chocolate no-bake cookies. We had to taste a few before the boys returned.  ;)  What a special five hours. I'm so thankful for my precious daughter!

Note the nails and braids. ;)

Puzzletime!