Is it Bedtime yet?: La Vida Fría

I think today might win the prize for worst weather day we've had since arriving to Madrid. It's just plain icky-- cold, rainy, windy.

The kids were in heaven.

Ever since they received their very own umbrellas for Christmas, each cloudy day brings them to the windows, hoping for rain. So they happily puddle jumped their way to the metro, and from the metro to the school.
I decided after dropping them off that this weather was an indication that I should forgo my planned errand of grocery shopping and instead curl up with a cup of hot coffee and keep the couch in place.
It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

But after the second cup, I recalled that we scraped the bottom of the barrel with pancakes and eggs for dinner last night, and I should probably at least run to the market around the corner for something a little heartier for our meal tonight.

Yesterday my dad sent me a picture of my favorite soup simmering on his stovetop-- it was a recipe from my friend Ashley that I had passed along to him and Cindy after we had it when they visited us in Monterey.
And suddenly no other thing would do for dinner on this cold, wet day than my favorite soup.

So I abandoned the neighborhood market plans and instead headed to the embassy. I've tried the soup before with the sausage from the stores here and it didn't work-- only the hot and spicy crumbly American links will do.

Mmmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Totally worth returning home with
freezing fingers, looking like a drowned rat. I hope.
I do have the ability to ruin even the most basic recipes. Pancake balls, anyone?

On Saturday we took the kids to a dinner and Flamenco show. It was a lot of fun! Josh and I went to flamenco once before, but when I saw a good deal for it on Groupon, I snatched it up.

Forgive the fuzzy photos, they didn't allow flash, and I didn't realize we had the camera set to low megapixels.

Huevos Rotos-- yum! It's a common Spanish dish of eggs and jamón over french fries.

Alex seemed to enjoy the show, although by the end she was looking sleepy. Derek practically fell asleep on my lap, and flamenco is not quiet. Guess we haven't changed them into Spanish kids after all, as the children here have no problems staying up to all hours of the night.

I was about to make a caveat about how non-photogenic I am, but maybe this is just actually what I look like.
But it was raining, so that's my excuse for my hair.

We had stage-side seats. I quite like flamenco, the music is hauntingly beautiful.

On Sunday I taught the kids' class at church again, and survived. We played "Pin the Jonah in the Whale" which was a big hit. I went with my usual Spanglish for the lesson. I might have been laughed at a time or two.

Watching the weeks slip by on the calendar, I've felt a pressing need to start carrying a camera with me everywhere. I'm still so amazed at this chance to live here in Madrid, that I want to record everything-- even the regular stuff that we do everyday.
Alex got a camera for Christmas, so I grabbed hers on the way out the door to pick them up yesterday and snapped some pictures at the bus stop on the way home.
It was windy.