Long awaited and long anticipated - we got a visit from home. My sister, Franca, came to visit.
We would have been JUST as happy even if she didn't bring 25 pounds of our favorite American candy, 5 pounds of peanut butter, a quart of maple syrup, and Yana's computer. REALLY!
We were so happy to have a little dose of home. We were so happy to see Franca after almost two years! We were so happy to show Franca our home and our life in Valencia.
We brought Franca to a few of our many beautiful parks.
We went to the beach.
We introduced her to a few of our wonderful friends.
We took Franca to the ninot (little Fallas) exhibition and to a mascletá. What are the Fallas? (See the blog from last year.) What are mascletás? They are hard to explain - you have to experience one. They are my favorite - I will most certainly write another blog specifically about the mascletás. For those who do not have the opportunity to feel them, here is link to a video from last year (mascletá). The mascletá starts at 3:30 into the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV1Egj9B2X4&feature=channel_page
We went to Sagunto and then orange picking ... while it was raining and pouring. Kerrie and Katie (in photo with Franca) are from Wisconsin and are studying abroad in Valencia. They joined us on our wet adventure. Everyone was a great sport and pretended that they were enjoying themselves and having a great time.
Franca jumped right into our matrix of cooking, cleaning, schleping (bringing kids to/from school) and entertaining children. She made sweet potato lasagna - the sweet potatoes replace the noodles. (Just typing that made my mouth water.) Above is a photo of Franca, Eva, and Bronson on the railroad tracks which the kids cross to/from school. I can't believe I don't have a photo of Franca playing Uno or Skip-Bo with Eva and Bronson ... I think they played a thousand games while she was here.
Franca spent a lot of quality time with the kids. Besides staying up late every night talking and playing games - Franca spent almost 4 hours making pineapple cake with Kerline and, for the record, teaching the kids how to whistle (REALLY LOUDLY).
For more and more and more photos of Franca's visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/abrownell/sets/72157615121051570/
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