CaniCross- Humanes

Another race day! This time in Humanes, Guadalajara about an hour from our house. The town was tiny and we didn't see much but we enjoyed a sunny race day with the family. Every time we go to a race I think-this is quite a sight. There are dogs everywhere, all barking, running around, of every different shape and size. People that look pretty professional and others that are there to have a good time. Kids looking so cute in their running gear, looking so proud, taking care of their dogs. It is such a positive atmosphere because people are running with their dogs, their best friends! How can you not stop and say- awwww so cute!!

Ready to run!

Daddy's #1 Fan

Go Daddy, Go!

Running

Smile Goonie

Coming into the Finish

Finished!!

We're #1

Gabriela's 1st Birthday

Our sweet baby is officially 1 year old and we can't believe it. As everyone told us, and we didn't believe, it goes by so fast. Gabriela makes us smile everyday, she is so amazing, that we just sit and stare at her all day, watching her grown and seeing her learn. She is so loving and smart and a little devilish. She is developing into quite the character and loves to ham it up and show off. She is a speed walker and we kind of think she can't feel pain as she is falling all over the place and hardly whimpers. She loves ducks, her dog Tommy, and currently a talking cell phone. Her teeth are coming in full force and she has quite the smile. Yogurt is her favorite food followed by bananas and maria cookies (like graham crackers), peas are up there too. Her hair is growing like a weed and if we can keep a hair clip in for longer than 30 seconds it is a miracle. She loves to pull them out and give them too you. She hates anything on her head. She loves to read books. Her current favorites are, Sophie the giraffe, I love you through and through and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
I think some congratulations are in order for Pablo and myself because we SURVIVED the first year as parents. It was a roller coaster but we did it, we are still married, I'm pretty sure we still love each other and we have one beautiful baby to show for it!
To celebrate the day mommy, with help from grandma, made a duck cake. I figured since Gabriela loves ducks and can say duck we should make a duck cake. Grandma found this 3-D cake tin and we baked it up. Frosting it was a little challenging and our attempt to make orange frosting for the beak wasn't successful so we resorted to candy corn. I think it turned out pretty cute for a first timer but many Spanish didn't appreciate it and thought it was mashed potatoes. But it tasted good. Gabriela was more interested in feeding Pablo and I than herself but she took out a good chunk of the duck. We made pizza for lunch, drank champagne and opened presents. Her daddy couldn't resist buying her a little motorcycle even though it is still a bit big. This day was a baby melt down waiting to happen but we survived and overall had a good day!
Happy Birthday my sweet princess and we can't wait to celebrate so many more birthdays with you.

Opening presents, holding her new duck

She is figuring out this present thing

Her new moto

Lookin' Good!

Duck cake

Birthday girl

Taking a little bit

Daddy is so funny

Feeding daddy is fun

Her art

Family

Ortigosa del Monte & Segovia

Gabriela's first birthday was on a Saturday and lucky for her the day before her birthday will always be a holiday, All Saints Day, or Day of the Dead. This means that this year we got a three-day weekend and I decided we should do this first birthday up right and get out of town! We ended up renting a little cabin in a small town called Ortigosa del Monte, which is very close to Segovia. We invited the abuelos, la Tia and grandma was in town, and made it a fun-filled family weekend.
The house was very rustic, everything made out of wood, with a fireplace, a big yard, and we were surrounded by bulls! Probably cows but they have horns and we are in Spain so BULLS! OLE!
Anyway, mommy's goal of the weekend (mine) was to relax, drink wine and sit by the fire, oh and throw a little birthday party for a one year old. We accomplished all that and it was so nice to get out of the city and relax in a big open house instead of being in a tiny apartment! Gabriela loved the yard, she ran all over, and all over the house too, there was so much space!
The highlight for the two american ladies was going into town and drinking beer in the local bars. Always an experience when the towns population is like 50! One town had two bars and the neighboring town, La Losa, had three. We had our very own pub crawl.
We also went to Segovia and had a nice walk around. It was pretty short and sweet but my mom got to see the famous aqueduct and I'm sure we'll have to make a trip back in the future.

The house

The family

Spanish family

BULLS!

Swinging with my baby

The Freimuth Girls in Segovia

Aqueduct

Grandma and G in front of the cathedral

So pretty

Pull tab beer- awsome

Hanging at the bar

Beer and sardines- YUMMY!

Family

Halloween

My little Monster/Pumpkin got to celebrate her first Halloween. Grandma brought her a very special outfit and she got to play with her most favorite new toy, a pumpkin. She loves pumpkins and loves saying pumpkin. Later that afternoon we left for Segovia for a weekend with family to celebrate this little monster's first birthday. But before the celebration we had to teach the Spanish family how to carve pumpkins!

Our little Monster

Let the carving begin

Tia Natlia and her first pumpkin

This was Pablo earlier in the week

Our finished masterpieces

Oooooh scary!

Aranda de Duero

Grandma is town!! So of course we must drink wine and what better place to drink wine than one of Spain's famous wine regions- Ribera del Duero. Last time she was here we went to the La Rioja region. We figured we needed to show her more of what Spain has to offer in terms of wine and so we packed the crew up and drove an hour and half to the cute town of Aranda de Duero, famous for wine and lamb. We hit up a few bars before lunch and then had a traditional lamb feast. It was delicious! After lunch we went to another bar for coffee and more wine and below the bar they have their own wine cellar. We got to take a self guided tour of the very old and pretty cool cellar. Now folks, this is why you come to Spain- old stuff and wine!

Glass of wine in the Plaza Mayor

Gabriela eying the goods

Drinking wine with grandma

Cutness

more wine

Lunch!

Yes Sir! (Stop and drink)

Going down into the wine celler

Making some wine

The Freimuth Girls in a wine cellar

Family shot

Outside the bar with the cellar