a mommy & more: Christmas vacation & New Year's Eve in Budapest part 3

The Christmas tales continue! Here is L. in front of one of the many nativity scenes we've seen. Both Budapest & Krakow had their "Christmas" markets in the square & we got to see/shop a little in both as we traveled during the Christmas season. There were usually booths set up w everything from wooden toys to hot wine to clothing to seasonal cakes to horse shoes that a person would hammer your name into for a small fee. :)

We were reunited w our friends from the states (& fellow F.Bright family), the Gartlands (Myles and Lisa), for a few days. It was so nice! They have four kiddos & the youngest, Trey, & L. get along really well. The older ones are wild about Zora. (She's wild about the girls, but doesn't care for teen-aged Ben. We don't know why; he's super sweet.) Here's our first attempt at a group shot via a self-timer & running-to-place Sonya.

I've got to begin posting about our "out to eat" adventures. Those of you who have done the "out to eat" thing w herds of children know that esp. when we were grouped w the Gartlands & all together had 6 kids, it was something to behold. :) Here's our little fam (day before G's arrived) trying out "Biogardens" in Budapest, which didn't hold a candle to my beloved MoMo Bar in Krakow (both veggie-type places).

The next pix are from a delish restaurant that took WAAAY too long to bring out our food. I think our total time in there was a little over 2 hours (not good for those "just after lunch" nappers of mine). But everybody held up okay. The waiter brought out loads of stuff for the small fries...

and they did their thing...

and so did we. :) Notice the "girl section" of Lisa & me with Abby & Natalie. We actually began making lists of "books you need to read" for each other on scraps of paper. :) It was SO wonderful to talk to another mom!

Yet another meal time for the group. Yet another attempt at a group shot. I actually thought this one would be "just for fun." We were also waiting for Leanne to join us.

Beautiful shot of Gellert Hill. Barclay took Langston here one afternoon (& let him "skip" rest) while I got Z down. They had a blast.

the view from the hill...

the boys posing...and Langston flashing some "peace" signs. He just said to me, "I did that "peace" on purpose.

During their adventures that afternoon, they discovered these monster slides. A few days later, Lisa & I took the kids there as Barclay, Myles & Ben did "manly" things...like explore more museums. :) We all had fun & got dirty. (And poor Abby tore her skirt, but don't worry, she bagged a new one. :)

Another fun thing about being around friends w kids was...the "kid trade." We each got a date night. Here's Zora w Natalie on our "date night." We went to Saint Stephen's Basilica to hear an absolutely beautiful concert. Then we grabbed some hot drinks & went home. Myles & Lisa did a dinner cruise & talked about how nice it was. Ah, date night. :) (As I was reading this to L. he asked me to add that the kids watched Charlie & the Chocolate Factory & Zora feel asleep on Lisa.)

Saint Stephen's Basilica...above an up-close & below...from the street.

Pictured above: the kids & mommy at Heroes Square...and below our fam (looking tiny) at "half" the square...

Two pix above is one of L's fav heroes bc he "looked cool & had a snake." Next, a shot of the whole "Heroes Square."

New Year's Eve was a little too wild & crazy down our street. The owner of our "apartments apart" told me that it would get pretty loud & maybe not be the best place for kids late on NYE. By about 9 pm, I believed him. It was packed w people partying (all versions), from blowing noise makers to wearing costumes to setting off fireworks at each other (I am so not kidding!). It was wild. We walked down the street pretty far before deciding to head back to the apartment. Around 10 pm. At least the kids & I headed back. Leanne came w us bc she had just gotten back from the U.S. & her biological clock was still coo-coo.

Neat-o. Some people were making pretzels. We stopped to watch.

Some of those Giant Pretzels. Langston pretended to be afraid bc they were bigger than his big head. Ha!

Group shot of the kiddies...ours & theirs. :) Ah, and here I must add that Myles almost took this group shot in front of a nudie bar complete w a gal shaking her groove thang w a shade pulled down (more exciting through the "shadow effect"). Anyway, his sweet wife alerted him to his "mistake." Oh, Myles...