INTRUDER!!!

After a long day and evening on my feet cleaning, organizing and then enjoying the Fourth of July festivities here on base (all without a nap, mind you)... I was MORE than ready for bed. So just after midnight, feet throbbing and back aching, I awkwardly flopped into bed and readied myself for a long evening of sleep. (Minus bathroom breaks. Remember, I AM nearly 37 weeks pregnant.)

What I was NOT prepared for was to be awoken some time after 2 AM by a very excited husband. "What's the matter," I asked sleepily as he flipped the covers back and pulled away the pillow I had comfortably wedged between my knees.
"The boys found a little critter in the yard... you have to come see," he whispered. "Hurry up!"

... "Seriously?"

Soooooooo, I made him get me my robe and I shuffled to the backyard where the dogs were awaiting our arrival. They were circled around a small lump at the side of the lawn. As I groggily approached the lump, I thought this was Matt's idea of some sort of strange joke. It was one of the dogs toys. Really? This is what you woke me for? Was that the joke? That the excited and curious dogs were now convinced their toy had come to life? Funny. Just not 2am-wake up-call funny.

Upon further inspection, and a closer examination (I'm practically blind without my contacts) I realized this was no toy.
I've provided a picture of the dogs toys as proof of the eerie resemblance.Remember, it was dark.

Apparently shortly before he work me, Matt was alerted by excited, woofing dogs that they had found something "of interest" on the lawn. He scoped out the scene and realized that this find was "wake-pregnant-wife" worthy. This poor critter waddled into the WRONG yard, but I must say, the dogs were very good about keeping their distance and not poking and prodding too much at the odd creature that had now curled itself into a protective ball. We shot a few photos of Koda keeping watch over his new friend. Yes, it was late and Koda was sleepy, but he wasn't sleeping on duty. He was just smart enough to shut his eyes every time the flash went off.

Poor little spiky bugger. Well, after a small photo shoot, I decided it was time to head back to bed. I asked Matt to promise he'd keep the dogs inside so the lil nugget would have a chance to sneak away in the night.

Oh, but it gets better. The dogs went inside, but Matt wanted me to stay up with him on some sort of covert wildlife photography session, laying in the dark on the back lawn, waiting for the hedgehog to uncurl and scamper off. He wanted to catch the little guy in action. At this point, I carefully broke the news to Matt that I didn't think I was up for it, wished him luck and headed back to bed.

Well, Matt DID stay up even later and did hold a small stakeout on the back lawn until the hog felt it was safe to wiggle himself back out of the ball and casually make his way back out of the yard. As hedgy "came out" Matt unfortunately realized he was staked out on the wrong end of the ball and didn't get the award-winning shot he was hoping for. AND, the kind man he is, rather than getting up to chase it, risking it balling itself back up, he let the hedgehog scamper off into the darkness. To freedom. Away from the strange place with the large, loud animals and annoying strobe light. :) Alas... here's the best shot he got.
It was a fun time... but I'll be happy when Matt has a son to wake up and show this kind of stuff. ;)

This morning, I decided to do a little research on our evening intruder. If you're interested in learning more, here it is:

The Algerian hedgehog is considered rare. Its habitat is restricted to the flat lands of the eastern Mediterranean coast where its numbers have been decimated by urban encroachment across the coastal plains, vehicles and dogs. The Algerian hedgehog was possibly introduced into the Spanish mainland from North Africa. It was certainly introduced into the Balearics, though I am unaware as to whether this was purposeful. It was more recently introduced in the Canaries.The Algerian hedgehog is slightly smaller and usually lighter than its European cousin - though in these photos, the Algerian is the darker of the two -many Spanish European hedgehogs are lighter. It's spikes are softer and can be almost comfortably held in your hand. Short of doing a full autopsy on its teeth, the best way of telling the two species apart is by the ears, which are far more prominent in the Algerian hedgehog and the lack of a widow's peak or "the spinefree 'parting' on the crown of the head" here. It also has a longer snout and longer legs, indicating that it walks more. Its other English name of vagrant hedgehog is presumably in reference to this.

POD "The Perks of Pregnancy"

So Matt decided yesterday that it's about time we (yes, WE) start cashing in on some of the perks of pregnancy. Which is why you have today's photo of the day.

Oh yes. Matt picked me up and drove me to my 36 week appointment and upon pulling into the hospital parking lot, THIS is where he chose to park. We couldn't have gotten any closer to the entrance unless I was handicapped or being wheeled in on a stretcher. Can I just say that as a relatively active pregnant lady, who still walks a mile or two a day, I have not yet opted for stork parking. Which leaves us all to wonder... for WHOM did they create such stork parking? The women?... Orrrrr the men?

Yeah, he also called me "Storky" the whole way into the hospital. "Come on, Storky, let's go." Let's hope that one doesn't stick.

POD "A Motorcycle Fit for a Father-in-law"

A very proud Matthew found today's POD. It's pretty priceless. He had one simple message to accompany the picture he took:

"Tell your Dad I finally found the perfect motorcycle for him." :)

Well Dad, what do you think?

POD "Fields of Gold"

This time of year, the countryside of southern Spain is absolutely beautiful. The gently rolling hills of farmland are often filled with acres upon acres of girasoles (aka sunflowers). I, of course, noticed these vibrant fields of gold last year, but never took the time to pull the car over onto one of many small, eroding, dirt farming roads to take some photos. This year... I was not missing my chance! Here are just a few photos I snagged of the yellow beauties (and a lush, green vineyard) while Matty was in Germany. :)

Two Months in Two Minutes (or maybe longer)

Let's see what I can come up with for excuses.........
Nope. Nothing. Other than the fact that pregnancy= laziness and laziness= me no writey the bloggy. No, but seriously, it's been MUCH too long! In fact, I haven't written since my trip to MAINE! Man, I've got A LOT of catching up to do.

I know. Let's play a little game. It's called "Two Months in Two Minutes." :)

Maine: What did you miss?
I told my mom I was craving a Boston Creme Pie. I told her we could buy one. She said... "No, we don't need to buy one. They are easy to make." She might have even said... It's a piece of cake! (Okay... that joke was lame.)
Yeahhhhhhhhhh... umm apparently it's not as easy to make as she thought it would be. This photo was taken mid-cake creation and I caught her just as she was attempting to frost over and "hide" the hot mess she created. :) Hey, it might not have looked very pretty, but taste is what matters, right?
While home, my family and close friends threw me/mateo/the baby a fantastic shower. It was amazing to see everyone and the gifts were so so so above and beyond wonderful!

FERIA!!!
I caught a wonderfully comfortable C5 flight from Maine back to Rota JUST in time to make it to the Rota Feria festivities that weekend! Check out some of the great sights that can be seen every year at the fair!
The DRESSES!
The HORSES!
The HOT MAMACITAS!
The FLAMENCO!
The LIGHTS!

SNAILS!!!
I almost forgot. Do you remember from last year that springtime in Spain tis the season for caracoles? Mi amiga's mother hooked us up with some of her HOMEMADE snails. Which, I must add, were FAR superior tasting than those I sampled last year at the bar. I just had to heat them up a tad on the stove... and enjoy! :) YUM!

The Nursery!!!
I am going to do a WHOLE blog post on the nursery and how it's come from a stark white room to the warm, inviting place it now is. However, if I'm going to summarize 2 months in 2 minutes, I can't leave out the fact that we've been slaving away on our room for our little man!

The Last Hurrah: The Canary Islands
Matt and I decided before I got too big and before it came too close to our due date to travel, that we would take one last trip as "just the two of us." For this, we chose a 3 day get away at a gorgeous five-star resort on Gran Canaria island. It was only a short 2 hour flight away, and the resort was all inclusive, so we never had to leave! Our low-key trip was JUST what we both needed. Refreshing pools, sunshine, good food, and cold drinks. Ahhhhhh relaxation!






Matt's Work Trip: Germany
Early June, Matt left me for TWO WHOLE WEEKS for training classes in Germany. As much as I wanted to go, (still haven't seen Germany!) we both knew it was wise for my 34 week bellay to just stay home. The class was great, but he really enjoyed his evenings and weekends off! The highlights of the trip included visiting little villages in the Black Forest, Luxembourg and its American Cemetary and Memorial, and of course, the fantastic beer and food!




June Showers :)
While Matty was away, my amazing friends here in Rota threw me two more baby showers! The generousity of friends never ceases to amaze me~! Unfortunately I don't have the pictures from the shower the ladies of the NAVFAC wardroom threw for me, but when I do, I will share!!! The gifts, the cake, and the company were the best! The second shower was a quaint, intimate gathering of a few other women I am blessed to call my friends. Held right at one of Rota's summer beach bars, AKA chiringuitos, you couldn't have asked for a better ambiance! What a treat. How lucky am I?


Father's Day Surprise
Lastly, while Matt was away, I took the time to learn a bit about our new camera. I also took a few photos and had them developed before he returned home. Two days later, on Father's Day, I unveiled the surprise. I promise to post another blog about this self-photo taking adventure! :)

WHAT NOW?!
Okay, okay. So that PROBABLY took up more than 2 minutes of your time, unless of course you are one of those people who can read a whole page just by looking at it for a few seconds. The good news is, now you're all caught up on our lives!

School is out for summer, so that means, I'm no longer working. I'm loving the time off to nest, relax and prepare for our soon-to-be-arriving bundle of man, but I do miss staying busy. I'm 36 weeks now with only 4 more to go! I hope now that I'm all caught up, (and have lots of free time on my hands and not a lot of energy to go with that free time) I can plop in front of the computer every day or so to give you a new photo of the day or update on the good ol' pregnancy.

I must admit, my Blog Friends, it's good to be back. :) I've missed you.

POD "Go Big or Go HOME!"

Bigger is better and everything is bigger in the United States: the homes, the trucks, the portion sizes, the people. Nope, we sure don't mess around when it comes to size. Which is exactly why I started lizzing (That's laughing and wizzing at the same time... thank you 30 Rock for my new word that will SO come in handy now that I'm pregnant.) as soon as my brother walked through the door with his new "flashlight."

Now, I use the term "flashlight" loosely, because i'm not so sure this piece of equipment should be categorized as a flashlight. Let me clarify a few things to better help you understand WHY my brother's evening entrance was just so funny.

First of all, my brother lives about 100 feet (not yards, FEET) through the woods from my parents' home. There is a pretty clear walking path that is used to walk to and from the houses. Most people, especially someone who KNOWS the path, wouldn't need the additional light of a flashlight. You've got the lights that shine in the yard of his home and the motion sensored flood lights that kick on in the yard at my parents.

OKAY, let's say you feel the need to bring a little extra light. Grab a pocket flashlight, a pen light... hell, use the light from the screen on your phone. In no way, shape or form does this 30 second walk call for a spotlight.

So can we talk about the flashlight now? Well... it's a little excessive. Trevor, like many other manly Americans (cue Tim Allen grunts), has a tendency to think..."go big or go home." So when he spotted this beauty and all its nifty features, he couldn't resist. The thing has a "spotter" setting. As in, spotlight. As in, it can "spot" a freakin owl in a tree 3 football fields away. (Poor owl will probably fall from its tree, blinded... but...whatever.) It's got folding legs. LEGS! I've always wanted a flashlight that I can also use as a step stool! It's got a strap. How convenient. When your hand has gone numb from carrying the 30 lb suitcase, you can just strap it to your back. No, you haven't got a flashlight lighting your way anymore, and now you've thrown your back out, but SHIT, it looks cool! All your buddies will be jealous! (They'll be impressed, that is, IF, fumbling through the darkness, you DO ever make it to your final destination. Oh, and if you don't, and you're forced to camp out for the night, you COULD actually use the "flashlight" as a weapon to beat off hungry wild animals!) Wow. I've almost convinced myself that I need one of these. SO many uses!
Stool
Table
Show-and-Tell item
Weapon
Portable light house

:) So yeah. It was a funny entrance. Straight out of a sitcom. All he needed was some canned laughter. OH and I took a few pictures to help you get an idea of the SIZE of this thing. The first photo was just a re-enactment of the grand entrance. As you'll see in these next two, I've used a NORMAL sized coffee cup to give you an idea of its grand proportion. Wish you could have been here to see it in person.

POD "Trace Evidence"

Now where on earth did that Dunkin Donuts egg and cheese on a croissant go? I have no idea! I mean, surely IIIII am not responsible for this disappearance. I have an alibi! I was sitting right here in the front seat of the car, minding my own business.

What's that on my stomach, you ask? What? I don't see anything ... These little brown flakes? Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm OKAY, OKAY. ONE minute it was there and the next it was gone! Did I eat it? MAYBE. I forget. I don't remember what happened. It all happened so quick! What do you mean that's not going to hold up in court? Well fine then, I need to speak to my lawyer!

POD "Deja... Snow"

So yesterday afternoon I sort of had a bit of a dejavu moment! Some of my loyal blog readers may remember that during last year's visit to Maine I was treated to a light dusting of snow. WHAT?! In APRIL?! It's SPRING! I just couldn't believe it! I even took a photo for the blog as proof!

Well, mother nature, knowing that I never got to see any snow this year in Spain, COULDN'T let me down this year. So, after that gorgeous sunrise yesterday morning, it clouded up, and you could see the storm approaching from across the lake. It started as a light wintry mix. Pretty to see, but of course it wasn't going to stick. Right??? (Doggy dandruff)
Wrong. It started sticking. :)
Annnnnnnnd by the end of the day... we had two freakin inches!
Interestingly enough, my parents' home is at JUST a high enough elevation that although we had snow (that accumulated), a bit further down the mountain there was just a wintry mix of mostly rain. Not your typical Easter weekend weather, but I've got to admit, I didn't mind ONE bit. :)

POD "Some Things Never Get Old"

Long trip... tiring.
Dead bird gift upon arrival... interesting.
Unhealthy travel food comboed with lack of sleep... mildly nauseating.
Waking up at 5 am two days in a row... well... ask me in a few hours.
Seeing this view from the kitchen upon waking up this morning... priceless.Some things just never get old. :)

POD "A Traditional Welcome Gift"

Well! After a really, really, LONG 9 hr flight on an uncomfortable C17, (it'd be a pretty long trip even if I WASN'T six months pregnant!) I arrived safely in Dover. I crashed for a few hours and in the morning taxied it to my waiting rental car. I drove an hour to Philly and caught a flight to Manchester. STILL, I wasnt't home. Mom was there to pick me up and drive me the last 2 hours home to our spot on the mountain in good 'ol Maine. PHEW! So good to finally be at my destination. I cannot believe that coming up the steep driveway to the house, there are still patches of dirty springtime snow left over from the once tall banks that were there this winter!

Anyway, upon our arrival home, my mother, already inside the house, told me that she had my Maine photo of the day. You see, apparently the cats or dogs (or both???) were so excited to have me coming home that they pulled together and left me a traditional welcome gift. How thoughtful?! It was placed neatly, well, SEMIneatly in its gift bowl on the kitchen table. I bet they were grateful in the morning when my mom put the doggy door in for them. It was the ONLY way their plans of surprising me wouldn't be spoiled!
Poor bird. I told my mom to make sure it was dead. She tried to comfort me by telling me that it was probably dead when they brought it in the house. She was lying. Let's be honest, my UNH crime scene investigating friends, if this doesn't scream "signs of a struggle," I don't know what does.
I was grateful for the VERY generous traditional welcome gift, but we just went ahead and disposed of it when they weren't looking. :)