Merry Christmas!

This year we celebrated Christmas in Mieres with Pablo's family. We headed up north around noon on Christmas eve with the car jam-packed with almost everything we own. We ended up running into a lot of traffic getting out of Madrid so our journey took a little longer than we'd have liked but we took our time and stopped a couple times to enjoy the snow along the way. 

In the mountains of Madrid there was a nice dusting of snow and it was very pretty. Once we got to the mountains of Asturias we ran into quite a few inches and it was beautiful.

Mountains in Madrid

Alkie and the presents

Bulls in the snow- yep we're in Spain

Leon

Water Reserve

Snow in Asturias

Once we got to Mieres, Mari Carmen was in the kitchen cooking up a feast. The house was decorated, the table set, we hung the stockings and it felt like Christmas. While we were waiting for dinner santa came to visit on his bike. It was quite entertaining.

Pepo's Nativity Scene

While we were waiting for dinner santa came to visit on his bike. It was quite entertaining. 

Santa

Watching Santa

On the menu for Christmas Eve dinner was baked prawns, mussels with tomatoes and garlic, crab pate, seafood soup and lamb. We had white wine, red whine, champagne and a cortante. It was so fancy like our wedding. We ate so much!

Our menu for Christmas Eve dinner

Huge prawns

Lamb

Cortante- lemon sorbet with champagne

Family

Nadal- Federer

Even though he complains about his job everyday, Pablo has some perks that go along with this job. One of those perks was going with his judge to watch the charity match between Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer yesterday in Madrid. His judge scored some court side seats and Pablo was surrounded by Spanish celebrities and the Royal Family all there to watch the match. Before the match there was a mini-concert by spanish singer David Bisbal and then Nadal and Federer played their match.
It is rare that people get the chance to watch the worlds best tennis players so Pablo felt pretty lucky for the opportunity. His new partner (who Pablo hates with a passion) decided to sit in the car for 2 and half hours and missed everything.....que idiota!

Federer

Nadal

The whole Royal Family minus the king
(the guy right in the middle looking away is the prince, next to inherit the throne)

Basketball Update

Pablo and I had our games this last weekend and we both came out victorious even though we both didn't have much to do with the final outcome.
Pablo had two points, four rebounds and 1 block

I had four points (I win the beer this week) and a couple rebounds (Pablo doesn't keep track) and not much else. We beat the team we were tied for second- a bunch of little girls who were very quick but the old ladies (us) showed them how it is done.
We now have Christmas break until January 9th. Hopefully we won't forget how to play!

Things we do to entertain ourselves...

Our lovely little boy Alkie has this fascination with what is outside our front door. Every time we come home is shoots out the door into the hallway and proceeds to sniff his way around and sit there like it is his house. He even had his head banged by the elevator door as it was closing because he didn't know it was closing- he is very curious and has no fear it seems. He also sits at the door and meows all of the time like he wants to go outside. So we thought that in his old life he was an outdoor cat and could come and go as he pleased and that is why he sits at the door all the time and also, maybe how he got lost and ended up in a man hole. 

Therefore, we thought, why don't we take Alkie outside. We have a nice grassy common area that he can sniff all around, maybe eat some grass and enjoy some fresh air. Pablo bought a harness and leash and this is how the first day went.....

Family Fabada Lunch

We had the opportunity to go up to Asturias for a quick trip and indulged in a few days of food, drinks and more food. We had Sunday, family lunch with Pablo's parents, aunt, uncle, Natalia and Rene. Mari Carmen cooked up the famous Asturian Fabada (white bean soup) this time with seafood and it was delicious as always. 

The table- wine, meats and cheese

Dishing up the fabada

Yum

Dessert

The fam

Basketball Christmas Dinner

Last Friday I went to dinner with my basketball team to celebrate the holidays. In Spain it is very popular to plan dinners with every different group of friends you have during Christmastime. Some people have dinners with co-workers, hometown friends, city friends, family, soccer teams, basketball teams, neighbors- EVERYONE! And these dinners aren't cheap so if you have a lot of different groups of friends your weekends in December are packed, you gain at least 10 pounds, and you will probably spend at least 50 euros for each dinner (including the drinks when you go out for fiesta after!) Lucky for me I only have one group!
Anyway, my dinner was fun. It was a chance for me to see and meet all the girls, (5 pregnant and new moms that I haven't met yet), and talk to them since I normally just see them on the court and don't really say anything besides que?(what) and si. This dinner was just the girls, no husbands/boyfriends/kids, so it was a chance for me to have some much needed girl time and it was something I could do all by myself with out Pablo's help. We did secret santa so we all exchanged gifts, I got a planner/diary type thing- in english!
After dinner a few of us continued the party at another bar or two with a few adult beverages and dancing. I have to admit I was a good Spanish girl and didn't get home until 5am! And we left for Asturias, 4 hours in the car, at 1 pm. But I survived!

The team

Me with Carmen and Bea

Bea, Alba, Lorena and Yola

Laura and Miriam

Patricia, Marisa, Sara

The tall girls- Carol and Marina

Fiesta!

It is really amazing to me that a lot of these girls are moms and some, a lot older than me, and they know how to play some basketball! They are good!! I want to be a cool, basketball playing mom! Alkie doesn't really appreciate it!

First Snow in Madrid