Mia's Accomplishments

Mia's had a busy week figuring out how to do many new things. When Mia wants to learn something, she puts her mind to it and practices, practices, practices until she gets it. These are her most recent accomplishments (literally just this past week):

1. blow up a balloon
2. blow a bubble in her chewing gum
3. make a paper airplane
4. do a cartwheel
5. whistle (she's been working on this one for about 2 months)

She's also become great at swinging a baseball bat and hitting the pitched baseball. Also, she still hasn't lost any teeth but her two bottom ones are super wiggly! I think they maybe coming out together very, very soon. She's going on a two night field trip with school next week and I have a funny feeling that they may come out while she's away...

Stay tuned for pictures and videos of her doing the above 5 tasks...

A Great Easter Weekend

Last Saturday was a fab day for us as a family. Since it was Easter weekend the kids had no activities (no soccer for T and no dance for Mia). We woke and had a lazy morning with home made cinnamon rolls which the kids loved and remembered from Nana, Papa and Aunt Lisa's visit during Christmas...

After we went downtown to pick up our lamb legs for Easter dinner from a great Turkish butcher who I think has the best beef and lamb in town. From there we went for a drink and light lunch at one of our favorite cafes at Szabadsag ter. All the kids got yummy milk shakes. Love the girls' similar faces in this photo below...

At 3:30pm we attended the live Mamma Mia production at the Laszlo Papp sportarena. We kept it a surprise from the kids and they were so anxious to find out what it was that we were doing. We entered the arena and they missed all the Mamma Mia signs, t-shirt stands, etc. There weren't many but still it amazed me that they missed all the clues. I think their eyes were just taking in all the people and the huge space... We sat in our fantastic seats and the announcer came on in English welcoming us to the Mamma Mia production (it was a UK group that came to Budapest so it was completely in English). Terence sort of let out a whimper as he's grown very sick of the Mamma Mia movie which has been playing in our home about 3-5 times per week since X-mas. Actually it's probably faded to about 3 - 5 times per month but around X-mas time (the DVD was a present from Santa) the girls were watching it every day!!

The girls were in disbelief. The show was really good. Not the best but very good. Curt and I were spoiled and saw a fantastic production of Mamma Mia in London when I was pregnant with Terence about 8 1/2 years ago and it was incredible! I have a feeling the traveling group isn't as fantastic as the real deal... But, the kids loved it. T even enjoyed it though he was pretending not to. The last 3 ABBA songs the entire audience stood, danced and sang along which the girls LOVED!

We were home by about 7pm and had a nice quiet Saturday evening in preparation for the Easter bunny's visit followed by a housefill of guests (we entertained 8 adults and about 11 kids) in the beautiful sunshine!

T's Flying Cap

I don't know what it is about Terence's NY Yankees baseball cap but he never seems to be able to hold on to it for long periods of time. In April 2006, it flew off his head while on a roller coaster with Papa in Legoland Windsor. We were never able to reclaim it but we were lucky enough to have another NY friend get him one shortly after. This time he was leaning out the car window and it flew off his head while we were driving. We all whipped our heads around to see it bouncing in the middle of the road while cars wizzed over it... Curt pulled over and the 2 of them ran back to retrieve it. Fortunately, he got it back in perfect condition! And, I took advantage of having my camera in my handbag and captured the moment!

Blossoms

I'm not 100% sure what kind of tree this is in our front yard but we love it at this time of year. It's covered with pink blossoms that smell like heaven! Due to our sudden warm weather (we sort of skipped spring and went straight into summer) it started blossoming about 2 - 3 weeks earlier than usual.

Hanging from our tree is this sweet flower basket that was given to me by Erika, our nanny. Last year's was stolen by someone. In this country, anything outside of your property's fence / gate is sort of up for grabs! If we want to get rid of old bushes or furniture, we just lay it on the corner and watch. They usually get picked up within an hour! One guy picked up some old bushes (with roots in tact) by driving by, opening his door, leaning over, grabbing and pulling into his car without ever coming to a stop! We have to be careful and always tell the kids to bring in their bikes, scooters, etc or they'll get picked up...

Last year Erika (nanny) wrote a note on one of our potted plants under this tree saying in Hungarian, "Please do not take. If you need flowers, ring door bell and we can give you some change to go buy for yourself." No one stole it nor did they ring the bell asking for change!

Crazy Dancing Ali

This girl keeps us all entertained. Alexandra is now 3 years and 3 months old and she is absolutely a bundle of joy... Okay - she's not always a bundle of joy as she is definitely going through the terrible 3s (think they are harder than the 2s) stage where she will break down and have a horrible temper tantrum. She's testing the waters and trying to say 'no' when it's dinnertime or bedtime or something she may not be in the mood to do... Been there, done that - I know I will win these little battles but it's still exhausting when she tries it. Regardless, she is usually funny and full of love AND she loves to dance - and entertain. While I am fixing dinner in the evenings I love to play music. We all end up dancing... Even T, who is sort of a closet dancer like Curt, joins in on our fun. Ali likes her songs fast (like the one she's dancing to in the video below). If I try to play slower songs, she shouts "Louder!" and "I want to rock!" It's pretty funny.

Captured her in this short video clip a couple of nights ago. It brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. She is so funny. Check out her last move!!! Classic! Have no idea where she got this from... Definitely not from a family member... haha.

FYI - song is Glamorous by Fergie

Happy Easter

We have had an incredibly fun Easter weekend here in Budapest. Instead of Good Friday being a public holiday here, we get the Monday after Easter (today) off. It makes Easter a bigger event as we all get to sleep in and use Monday for resting.

As usual, the Easter bunny came while the kids were still sleeping and hid plastic filled eggs and their baskets all over the garden. Mia was the first to wake up on Easter morning be she wasn't allowed to go hunting until T and Ali also woke up. T was the next to wake up and came running down the stairs with excitement. Not being able to wait any longer, they both went and woke little Ali up (she's still only half awake in this video of them starting out the door on their hunt). PS Excuse my pj, coffee-sipping appearance. I had just woken up...

Even Curt enjoyed the egg hunt....

Checking out all their loot!

New Dunebuggy

Here is our latest toy! It was just delivered on Wednesday.

My Garden

No matter where I've lived (whether an apartment with a small balcony or a rental with a small garden) , I have always tried to add my touch with flowers. I love having a garden and thrive on watching my fall bulbs pop up in the spring. Recently the kids have gotten involved but it is still a bit too long of a wait for them. They do love getting their hands dirty in the dirt and helping plant with me. All three of them love watching what pops up and the colors of all the beautiful flowers. We are so proud of our garden and have to always post the snaps of the recent developments.

The crocuses have finished and now it is time for the tulips, daffodils and hyacinths...

The bees love it but thanks to the Bee Movie the kids get what their job is and are no longer as scared. Plus, they love honey and flowers so know the bees have a job to do!

Sprinkler Time

It seriously doesn't feel like spring here. It feels more like summer! With our mid-days reaching up to 25 degrees C which is nearing 80 degrees F! It feels warm, warm, warm. The kids have the fever for being outside non-stop. They have been asking to have the sprinklers on for about 4 or 5 days straight. Today, I finally gave in. They all ran upstairs and got their own swimsuits on in just a few short minutes! I explained to them that the water came out unheated and it would be cold, cold, cold. No problem - they explained to me. They were ready and hot and wanted cold water....

Well, it only lasted for about 15 mins but they loved it and I got a few funny fotos!

Ali can honestly be the toughest of the trio... She reminds me of myself. Third kid and trying to prove herself... She stayed in there the longest and took any dare that came her way. She was a lot of fun to watch but then ended with, "Mommy, can I have a jacket?"





These two took their time and really thought it through...

It's Finally Time to Eat Outdoors

Saturday was our first dinner of the year outdoors! It was such a great day / evening and has continued to be wonderfully warm and sunny since. We enjoyed our spaghetti bolognese in the nice warm weather.




And a video of the kids with Curt on the trampoline. Listen to our dog, Blue, whimpering on the side of the trampoline. He hates feeling left out of the fun...

Ready for Easter

On Saturday, we finally got our Easter Tree and other decorations up around the house. We are officially ready for the Easter Bunny.

Curt was away until Saturday evening (on his trip to Macedonia for a conference) and T was at a sleep over but Mia, Ali and their friend Leah were more than happy to help with the egg hanging.

After the tree was finished, they enjoyed a nutritional snack: pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows and lemonade... yum...

Bedtime Reading

The Clements kids love their books. Book time is one of their favorite things. Every night at bedtime they all get to pick out a book that we read to them. However, if they've been naughty and get a warning but if they are naughty 3 times then one of the things that they hate having taken away is - believe it or not - their books. There have been many times when Mia or Terence (or even Ali, however, she's just reaching this stage) were naughty and didn't get to pick out a book or even listen in on someone else's book time. They do not like that at all...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, they all have their favorite books. Dr Seuss is still a family favorite. Recently T and I have been reading the first book of the Harry Potter serious and he loves it! Fortunately I have read them so know the characters, funny words, premise, etc. so I can explain it to him if he has trouble following. Curt, on the otherhand, once read one chapter when I was away and T now requests that if he's doing bedtime reading that they read something else.

And, most recently..... T has been reading at bedtime and the girls enjoy it. He reads in French which Mia loves and understands (obviously) and Ali finds entertaining. He first started doing this over New Year's when we were in Austria skiing. He even read to Nana, Papa and Aunt Lisa one of his French books. The coolest thing is that he insists on translating it into English for me... Now, that is really cool!

Last night he wanted to share his library book with all of us at bedtime. Every Tuesday is library day for him and he returns his previous week's books and takes out 2 more. If there is a book he really enjoys he sometimes keeps it longer. FYI - Mia's library day is on Mondays. She's only starting to learn to read but in grand section it's more of an emphasis on letters and sounds and letter combinations. This is to prepare her for C.P. (1st grade) where the going gets tough! Next year for Mia it's not only reading time but writing time. And, in the French school it is writing in script / cursive only!