Week 12

We got back from the beach and the very next day I got to take a full day TRX training course!! I am now certified to instruct, Hooray!!!  Thanks mom and dad for watching the kids, so I could do that!

At this point, we had been in the states for 6 weeks and Aiden and Mia were really beginning to miss home, SO lucky for us, a little taste of Dubai came for a visit!!  Lisa, Analise, Sasha and Jameson came over for a BBQ. You should have seen Aiden and Mia's expressions when they walked in the door, they were excited beyond belief!!!  The kids played so well together, with my dad's train, in the tree house and they loved the hammock...it was so special that we could catch up this summer!!!  THEN the next day, we got a visit from Matt and Jessica!!!  They came through town and made a special trip just to see us!!  Aiden and Matt played the Wii of course, and we even got to check out some of Matt's special photography and see pics of their new house!

 The next night, we were off to meet up with Auntie Sarah, Hailey and Logan for Silver Diner kids night!!

 The kids got their faces painted and there was even a guy making balloon art!!  Aiden had a special sword made and I think the girls got animals. We finished off the night with a trip to Hadley park, we stayed out WAY to late, but had an amazing time. And the next day, we got to meet up at Rockville Town Center for another trip to the library, some play time in the fountains,  lunch at the pizzeria and a trip to the yogurt shop...YUM!

 That night, we were off to the Montgomery County fair--our annual tradition with Uncle Ken!!  We had a blast riding the rides, Aiden was even tall enough to drive the bumper cars himself!

 One of the highlights was sitting in the drivers seat of a real fire engine!!  The kids were SO high up, it felt like they were on top of the world!  AND they got to go in a real ambulance and talk to a paramedic (who talked and talked and talked)...And then, of course, we went to see the animals!  They were having a "hog show" so we got to see the pigs running from their pens into the ring, very interesting.  Great night, and then we were off to Florida the next day!





We made it to sunny Florida, the 2.5 hour flight was easy compared to 14 hours...the kids couldn't believe it. Driving through the gates of Wynmore, you get this feeling, like coming home.  When we got to Aruba way, and parked in the same yellow lined visitor parking area, so many memories came rushing back...I looked out at the grass and was reminded that my grandmother had been bitten by red ants when they first moved there, so we were forbidden to walk on the plush green slivers for fear that we would be devoured.  I walked up the familiar adobe colored steps, out of the corner of my eye a getco slithered up the wall. Aiden reached out and twisted the doorbell--which gave that same shrill sound. We walked in and stepped on the plush beige carpet and the apartment smelled exactly the same...my grandmother rushed over and showered us with kisses, her soft cool cheeks smelling of anais anais...her signature fragrance. And there was my grandfather, sitting in the same spot on the couch (actually a new one). He always sat oh the far right hand corner, right next to the mirror. The only difference was that he was a bit paler, he was in an undershirt (before he was always in a polo) and this time, his walker was standing right next to him, ready for take off.

 We went back into my grandparents room so I could nap Mia and the other kids were going swimming.  My grandparents have this porch attached to their apartment. As my mom-mom reached down and lifted the metal screen, the clickety, clickety, click reminded me of all the times we were kids, swimming and playing in the pool.  She would look out at us, raise the screen, smile and wave...her special limp-wristed wave--so excited that we were enjoying the comfortable 80 degree water.  That day, Aiden and Talia were having a jumping contest and Uncle Ken and Uncle Bob were hanging out.

 Mia was particularly attached to my pop-pop this trip.  His calm, unassuming manner...his soft voice...she was drawn to him. She loved putting her blankie on his head, and giggling when he said "that's MY blankie." He's always had a special way with us, where we were secretly drawn in by his energy...he and my mom-mom exude pure pride and pure love. "Halachka!"

Mia and Aiden adored playing with Talia and Zackary...this trip was one in which they all brought out the best in each other. We'd have an adventure in the morning... play in the hotel room...we all just loved to be together. Our first adventure was at the Science and Discovery museum...a hands on museum for kids (and adults!)
There was an IMAX--Aiden and Mia's first experience with the world of 3-D Imax...and we saw this incredible movie on orphaned elephants and orphaned arangatans..
We almost didn't make it to the actual movie when we were offered a preview of a Dinosaur 3-D movie...A T-rex nearly came and bit off Aiden and Mia's heads....and that was almost the end. But my brave little troopers decided to stay and we were all in for a real treat...it was a beautiful movie. Zackary said it was the BEST IMAX movie he'd ever seen!  In other parts of the museum, Aiden got to be in a cockpit of a plane, Mia got to pick oranges, we got to play with HUGE bubbles and Aiden learned about the way energy builds up through this funky ball activity. He's still talking about it to this day!  SO yes, we all got THE MOST out of the museum!

 One of Zackary's favorite experiences was when he got to meet some pilots in the restaurant of our hotel
He really impressed them with his knowledge of planes...I think my favorite quote was "as an airline enthusiast, I did not like flying southwest because they only have one kind of plane...and I'm forced to be in their terminal..." Such a smarty, and what a way with words!!

Butterfly World was our next adventure. We were amazed by all the different species of butterflies that we saw before our very eyes. One even landed on Uncle Mike's nose!!  Mia's favorite part was the misty sprayer...and Aiden loved feeding the lorikeets. We all loved the wobbly bridge!

A lovely Riverboat cruise was next on our list.  We cruised along the water and saw the most expensive houses in Fort Lauderdale. We even saw Judge Judy's Yacht!  Of course the kids favorite part was eating hot dogs and ice cream!



There was even a boat called Mia:)


Spending time at my grandparents place was really special. Just being there, coloring pictures, eating cereal, watching TV, playing cards...brought back such

wonderful memories of all the times we used to visit and how excited my grand-parents were to have us. I remember asking if I could live there forever...my grandfather said that there was a two-week max for visitors, we must have been a pretty tiring bunch when we were younger!!!



Some of my grandparents favorite moments were hanging with their GREAT-grand kids:)  Here are some of the pics!


And finally, a pic of most of our group just before we had to go. Words can't describe how truly memorable this trip was...nothing like it in the whole world.  We love you mom-mom and pop-pop!!!