Sticker Book

For the past 2 or 3 months a grocery store here called Interspar has given away stickers when you buy groceries.  The stickers are different underwater animals, etc., and there is a book that you can buy for about $2.00 to put the stickers in.  It’s probably one of the best marketing ideas that I’ve seen in Hungary.  All the young children want their parents to shop at this store so they can get stickers to put in a book.  Evidently they do this once a year, but this is the first time Ethan has been into it.Gary helping Ethan sort stickers.  We had a few people who gave Ethan their stickers.Ethan was thrilled every time he got a sticker that he still needed in his book.  As he got close to filling his book he had so many other stickers that we ended up getting a second book.  Working on these books kept him busy, and he could look at the stickers and know if he needed them or not.  Near the end of the time, we began trading stickers with a few other kids.

Children’s Railway

There is a children’s railway in Budapest.  Gary took his parents and Ethan on it when they visited once when I was pregnant with Sienna (and home sick).  I went on it once back in 2003.  Our friends, the Parks, had never been on it or hiking in the Buda hills before, so we decided to take them before they move back to Korea.This was the engine that pulled our train.

Ethan and Sienna both enjoyed riding on the train and looking out the window.Lunch and playground break

Ethan standing in the picture like he is a part of the Park family.  He liked being around Hyun Seo (standing next to him) throughout the day.

View from the top of the tower

Cuties!

Ethan had his head out of the train window most of the ride back.The tracks mostly go through a wooded area.  There are several different places where you can get off of the train and then go on hiking trails.  

It was a long day, but I think everyone had fun!

Hooray for Spring

Hooray for Springtime!  It has been a long winter this year.  We had snow the beginning of April, and we are ending April with a record high (for the month) of 83 degrees.

The interesting thing is that the spring flowers bloomed much later than normal, and the flowers that usually bloom in June have already bloomed.  They say not to plant flowers, etc. here until the beginning or middle of May, but it’s been so warm, I’ve seen lots of flowers planted already.  I don’t get sun screen out until May because it’s not necessary, but have already gotten sun burnt!

I thought this was quite the funny picture.  I think Sienna was getting tired of me taking so many pictures.

Despite the warm weather Ethan still wanted to wear his “new” Buzz Light year outfit.  We bought this from someone who is moving back to the States.  I figured that I’d better give it to him now before he outgrows it.

Ethan and Sienna playing with pogs.  If you don’t know what they are you can google them. :-)  I think I’ve had these since high school or maybe early college.  Mine are a Christian version.  They were a fad in the ‘80s and early 90’s.  I’m not sure why I’ve kept them all of these years, but I’m glad because my kids sure enjoy playing with them.

A rare thing for us:  a family picture with both kids smiling and looking at the camera!