It is a minor miracle….

…that I have now blogged twice in less than a week.  I thought that things would be relaxed this week, but somehow I’ve ended up being very busy.  I think that I am incapable of remaining un-busy.  Especially here.  Everything takes soooooooooooooo long.  Case in point – I have to re-register my kids for the Child Youth Services here (the group responsible for all official sports/dance/music activities here on post).  In order to complete the registration they have to have physicals, I have to provide a copy of Ben’s orders, I have to provide a copy of his latest LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) and I have to confirm that none of the information they have on file for emergency contacts or allergies or health insurance has changed.  I know it doesn’t sound like an unduly rigorous process.  I assure you, however, IT IS.  For instance, today when I made the appointments for the physicals the operator told me I should bring in copies of the sports physical forms for the doctors to sign because she wasn’t sure if they had any in the office.  So, I drove over to CYS, had to sign in and wait for 20 minutes until my name was called in order to pick up the forms.  The entire round trip took 45 minutes.  That’s just to obtain forms.  The next visit (post-physical, forms in hand) will be a treat – last time it took over an hour for the lady at the desk to confirm my information (none of which had changed) and clear us for activities.  This is how my uneventful weeks suddenly become jam packed with a frenzy of activities.   Here’s hoping that when the kids are back in school (both of them full time this year!) I’ll actually feel caught up with at least a few things.  Then again…..

Anyway, here are some more pictures documenting the craziness that has been my life for the last few months.  We’ll pick back up in Seville, Spain…

                              

So much warmer and so much more pleasant than Madrid….

                             

The Alcazar in Seville is one of the most impressive places we have visited to date.  Christopher Columbus met with Ferdinand and Isabella in this palace and it is still used by the Spanish monarchy today.

                             

                             

                            

This is one of those pictures that I had to take quickly because there were people waiting to pose in the same spot.  Not the greatest setup, but it shows the setup of the palace.  There are several beautiful courtyards – each with a water feature of some kind.  Someday I’m going to have a beautiful Moorish/Spanish courtyard.  I’m thinking it might be hard, however to find someone who can do this kind of plaster work.

                           

All Naomi wanted to do was touch a duck.  She tried very hard.

 

                           

She eventually succeeded.  If you ask Naomi what her favorite thing about Seville was, she’ll probably respond, “touching a duck.”  Who needs castles and cathedrals anyway?!  I’m just glad that A) she didn’t get bitten by a duck, and that B) she didn’t fall into the water.  Tender mercies.

                           

I really loved wandering the palace gardens.  They were beautiful.

 

              

                  

                        

Well, it’s nearly midnight and I haven’t finished documenting our time in Seville.  I loved Seville.  So much, in fact, that I’d love to go back.  Tomorrow I’ll try to present more photographic evidence of its loveliness.  Love you all and I’ll be back (hopefully) tomorrow.