Escaping

Unlike last year when we made the most of our midwinter break in the frozen tundra of NYC, this year we had higher hopes that we'd break out of the city--and country--and head to sunny Madrid for a change. We hadn't been there in the winter since 2013 when Carolina was still just toddling around. So getting on a plane on Friday night after a full day of school *including a field trip that I chaperoned while my suitcases sat at home empty--bonus!* was absolutely mind boggling. It wasn't a sure thing given that there were only about 13 seats open, but somehow we made it there and past the neverending security lines just in time to grab some Shake Shack for dinner and get cleared for boarding. We even managed to get three seats together for me and the girls, with a bonus amount of space in our bulkhead row. Things were off to a great start!

The first day of jet lag wasn't even terrible, though neither girl slept much at all on the flight. I actually laid Carolina on the floor with a pillow after she woke tossing and turning and screaming because she just couldn't stay asleep laying across my lap. Thankfully, the flight attendants turned a blind eye, even with some minor turbulence. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done otherwise. She got at least a few hours of sleep in during our 6 hour flight, and I was able to finish "The Martian" in peace. It was a win-win. After touch down in Madrid, we made it back to Abuela's apartment in Aluche thanks to Jesus and his minivan and the resting and catching up with family began in earnest. The girls loved sleeping in Papa's old room this time around. The murphy beds are slightly higher than normal beds, so they haven't been able to sleep there before. But gauging from their excitement this trip, I'd say those cool beds still have some magic in them with their folding tables and all. 

Paellas to go...it's a thing!

Yes, so far the girls are rocking long nights going to bed around 12:30 a.m. and days without siestas. We'll see how the week goes, but I'm hopeful that this vacation will give us the kind of change of scenery we need to survive the rest of the winter. Even if the skies in Madrid have been cooler and cloudier than expected, it's still great to be here.