May the Force be with You

Darth Vader was a special visitor to our home over the weekend.  "Darth" is the pet hamster from Alex's class.  Alex took good care of him and gave him fresh water and some food.  Alex has settled into school nicely and even wanted to go on Saturday. 
The weather here is still quite warm, making it nice to spend time outside.  Saturday evening we went to a small festival in downtown Nicosia.  In Venetian times (the 16th century), Nicosia Center was surrounded by a circular wall with a moat around it.  The wall still exists, but the area around it has become a bit run down over the years.  The current mayor (who was at Boston University at the same time as Demetris) is trying to revitalize the area and the festival was held in the space where the moat would have been.  The festival consisted of a few food booths, many craft tables, and some cultural exhibits.  Sunday we spent the day at one of my favorite beaches, Konnos.  It is a smaller beach with beautiful scenery.  The water is very calm and shallow, great for the kids.  The "sun beds" (lounge chairs) at this beach can also float in the water.  Our kids flipped one over and used it as a small water slide.  The kids are so happy at the beach.  All they need is a shovel and a bucket and they can play for hours. 

Darth Vader

At the festival.  They were supposed to continue the drawing that was already there.

Just chilling at Konnos Beach

All he needs is sand and water.

View from the restaurant at Konnos.

The sun bed slide.

Wine Festival

The town of Limassol hosts an annual wine festival that lasts for one week, and tonight we joined the festivities. I made the mistake of mentioning it earlier in the week in front of Sofia and she has since been demanding, "I want to go to the wine festival right now!". Not something you really expect to hear from a three year old. The admission for adults was six euros, and with that we got a bottle of wine to bring home and could sample as much wine as we wanted while there. There was plenty of traditional of Cypriot food available as well as some crafts and traditional music. One of the great things about Cyprus at this time of year is that it is still quite warm, so very pleasant to walk around in the evening. The festival is held at the municipal gardens. They made some areas of the park into open "restaurants". We were able to sit in an area next to a small playground to allow the kids a chance to run around a bit. There was also a booth for the local cancer society and for a small donation you could draw a number and receive the corresponding wrapped prize. Of course, Alex thought that sounded pretty great.  We let each of the kids pick a number. Sofia received a first aid case that she thought was cool. (It's empty but she has plans to put toys in it). Alex was clearly disappointed to get a napkin holder that looks like the top of a pair of pants. We let him try again and he was more satisfied with some cardboard dominoes. At least that was for a good cause.

The biggest wine glass ever according to Guinness World Record

Tasting station for one of the largest wineries

I think we gave her too much wine

Silly dancing

Now that is a lot of souvla he is grilling

First Day of School by Alex

I had a great day.  I loved it.  I loved playing with the balance bike.  I loved playing with the sandbox, too.  It was the best day ever.  I played a lot outside because that's what the teachers said.  I liked the color of all of the toys.  I loved painting my rock and coloring my picture.  It was the bestest school I ever went to.  The teacher told me what to do.

I was about to go to school.  I had a lot of things to take.

It's the coolest ever.  That's a fun sandbox.

I was painting the prettiest rock ever.

I'm drawing the coolest picture ever.

Birthday girl

Our sweet little girl, Sofia, turned three yesterday.  In the late afternoon, we went to the Athalassa Park for a birthday party picnic.  Sofia wanted a Barbie theme.  She calls them Bearbies, because that is what Sister Bear plays with in the Berenstain Bear books.  All of the cousins came with their parents, as well as grandma and Demetris' cousin, Alexia, and her family.  There is a very nice playground at this park in a slightly wooded area. We were lucky to find a group of picnic tables protected from the sun by a roof.  The playground kept the kids busy and they stopped just long enough to eat.  It certainly has become noticeable how much earlier it is getting dark now compared to the summer.  Around 8:00 we quickly packed everything up and headed to the cars guided by the light from iPhones.  What did we ever do without them?  On the way to the car Sofia said, "I had a good birthday."  One of her presents was a pair of Reebok shoes with lights on them.  She said, "When we go to Emilio's I can wear these shoes."  Emilio's is the restaurant that we go to in the village and it is always dark when we walk there. That girl is thinking!

Aunt Maria made the cake and I decorated it.

My birthday girl

Proud he climbed the chain ladder

Me and my girl

Make a wish

The cousins and grandma.  Alexia's daughter, Natalie, on the left.

Looking concerned that someone would take her Barbie.  See Alex in the corner?

Daddy recorded everything.  The playground is in the background.

Enjoying the potato head play dough from Alexia the next morning.