tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11195854642463396422024-03-08T05:47:50.425+01:00Rickards in HungaryGary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-10770422452960296772014-02-01T00:20:00.001+01:002014-02-01T00:20:44.746+01:00Bike Ride in January<p><font color="#0000ff" size="3">I was so excited that we were able to bike up into the month of October and remember the day when I said it would be our last bike ride for the year.  Well, I had no idea what an unusually warm winter we would be having.</font></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Our family joined Gary in Slovakia when he taught in January.  We had less than a week before he left for his next teaching trip.  The high that Saturday was 50, so we decided to go for a bike ride (and figuring this would be it for a while).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u9rZe-hplZk/UuwvuQRLOnI/AAAAAAAAFXM/9tafG97h8Yk/s1600-h/IMG_8636%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_8636" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="IMG_8636" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-L4Vs9M7mUHc/UuwvuzpliAI/AAAAAAAAFXU/grMeL7mcPac/IMG_8636_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="315" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hzX4DbHCgEQ/UuwvvsRll_I/AAAAAAAAFXc/TVn7XDeffZo/s1600-h/IMG_8638%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_8638" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="IMG_8638" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-O1op-gcxSFc/UuwvwJCFD0I/AAAAAAAAFXk/Gyv9BazKjbI/IMG_8638_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a> <font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan taking a little break.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CWgPC68N1gM/Uuwvwyct0GI/AAAAAAAAFXs/qDVaj5KYPBo/s1600-h/IMG_8647%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_8647" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="IMG_8647" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7yXnrMWPOvc/UuwvxdHqApI/AAAAAAAAFX0/Hup6a9B8pgg/IMG_8647_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="320" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Biking on one of my favorite roads…one that was paved last summer and is very wide.  It’s probably the nicest road in our village (though, it’s not a main road at all).</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W8rMZwth8ng/UuwvyNRwcrI/AAAAAAAAFX8/e2mz0t2NrkQ/s1600-h/IMG_8656%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_8656" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="IMG_8656" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iw2V-Kc2Bv0/Uuwvy5PsQWI/AAAAAAAAFYE/5UxdLW2H9cc/IMG_8656_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="320" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan taking another break.  He doesn’t normally take several breaks, but for some reason wanted to on this day.  His bike is too small for him, so I think it’s actually harder for him to pedal with it this way.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-599903651005428232014-01-31T23:55:00.001+01:002014-01-31T23:55:29.631+01:00Building a Fort<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">The kids enjoy building forts and have done so in several different rooms of the house.  Here are some pictures from the beginning of January of them enjoying a fort in Ethan’s room.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VOxfHO3TRwE/Uuwp0pond7I/AAAAAAAAFWM/jHKzIdzvO5s/s1600-h/DSCN07403.jpg"><img title="DSCN0740" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0740" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Img75SrM7og/Uuwp1E3xVPI/AAAAAAAAFWU/2hCqlv4-_ZY/DSCN0740_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">I was a little big to enter the fort.  As you see Sienna is coming in via under the chair.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RO81lZRNJYk/Uuwp1goVW8I/AAAAAAAAFWc/mZQT-_EX9zI/s1600-h/DSCN07313.jpg"><img title="DSCN0731" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0731" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LxDiQvdnQUc/Uuwp2RNAaPI/AAAAAAAAFWk/2UpO-vObtsw/DSCN0731_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9KhJFNE4iZ0/Uuwp25a95-I/AAAAAAAAFWs/ZodCJS2h6X8/s1600-h/DSCN07354.jpg"><img title="DSCN0735" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0735" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PLf2jppZPFk/Uuwp3WXPBiI/AAAAAAAAFW0/mVe8ezplwfA/DSCN0735_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="330" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Lovin’ it!</font><img title="DSCN0744" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0744" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eseODF1mFKM/Uuwp34wEiCI/AAAAAAAAFW8/y3oZGeQ9D4A/DSCN0744_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="432" height="328" /></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-79974083477254696322014-01-21T22:35:00.001+01:002014-01-21T22:35:59.580+01:00Alumni BB Game<p><font color="#808040" size="3">Each December, after Christmas, ICSB (International Christian School of Budapest) has an alumni basketball game.  I have always enjoyed going especially to see the alumni.  It has been a bit different since having kids.  A number of years one of our kids needed to take a morning nap during that time, so Gary would stay home.  One or two years Ethan didn’t like the loud blow horn (which was actually unusually loud at those times).  Last year Gary needed to work to prepare for a course that he would teach a few days later.  But, this year our WHOLE family was actually able to go (possibly the first time since having kids)!</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iISWg4Jv99M/Ut7oK6BAyDI/AAAAAAAAFU8/eG2bh_kp7Uk/s1600-h/IMG_86093.jpg"><img title="IMG_8609" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8609" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GeNcIYECezM/Ut7oLoVjIaI/AAAAAAAAFVA/3eGI5CtKqd8/IMG_8609_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#808040" size="3">Sienna wasn’t interested in the game, but Ethan sat on my lap and watched about 3 quarters of the game.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KM3qICtmils/Ut7oMLFr7CI/AAAAAAAAFVI/HoRXkmBWFx0/s1600-h/IMG_86213.jpg"><img title="IMG_8621" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8621" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-maFaNKAvpCg/Ut7oMjYbtrI/AAAAAAAAFVQ/s83OaNMZ_go/IMG_8621_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#808040" size="3">Early on Sienna ended up going in a lounge area next to the gym to play with the “big girls” (who are in middle school).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-n1wWh-ZYVS0/Ut7oNED2j4I/AAAAAAAAFVc/ZKdHWgW9NTI/s1600-h/IMG_86163.jpg"><img title="IMG_8616" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8616" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-r9jrvFpvSNw/Ut7oNy-xqzI/AAAAAAAAFVk/fE27CfLq5co/IMG_8616_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="432" height="328" /></a><font color="#808040" size="3">After the 3rd quarter Ethan decided to join them for the remainder of the game.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VEATtg6rR8s/Ut7oOc8cPbI/AAAAAAAAFVs/Lhs-hG5D0AI/s1600-h/IMG_86184.jpg"><img title="IMG_8618" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8618" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oUkQzkJARfo/Ut7oPL0P6CI/AAAAAAAAFVw/l4oIT8RZHak/IMG_8618_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="323" /></a><font color="#808040" size="3">The kids both loved playing with Jessica and Nicole (who are twins) as well as Anna.</font><img title="IMG_8617" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8617" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QVj6mzWyJ8w/Ut7oPhoGZhI/AAAAAAAAFV8/6lrdUVzXBDE/IMG_8617_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="323" /><font color="#808040" size="3">And, as you see, all of the pictures are of the kids… not the alumni or ICSB kids.  Life is definitely different now.  Of course, I also realize that there probably isn’t anyone reading this blog who would like to see pictures of the current students or those who graduated in the last 4 years.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-33984852736743539642014-01-06T22:56:00.001+01:002014-01-06T22:56:47.090+01:00Christmas Day and Small World<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">We originally invited some families over for Christmas Day, but things were changed around and we went to the Beattys’ house.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SLFuSsL1dYs/UssmiR-FWUI/AAAAAAAAFTs/chib-j5sDnU/s1600-h/DSCN07183.jpg"><img title="DSCN0718" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0718" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-goDHIWrfN5k/UssmjEgd98I/AAAAAAAAFTw/8T5Bmsflrlw/DSCN0718_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="415" height="316" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">It’s amazing at how it is such a small world! Ben and Rachel are missionaries in Russia and came to Budapest to work on some visa and medical things.  Yulia knew Ben from many years ago and recognized him in a mall a few weeks ago in Budapest.  She and David invited him and his family to our church.  After church I walked by Rachel and was shocked to see her.  I asked what she was doing here and found out that she was the wife of the guy I had heard about from the Beattys.  Well, Rachel and I went through a mission training together in 2003 when she was heading overseas and I was changing to a different mission organization.  She and I were both in the same group for Eastern Europe.  And then the next year, she came to Budapest and went to church with me.  That is the last time we’ve seen or had any contact with each other.  Now, we are both married and each have two kids!</font>  </p> <p><img title="DSCN0678" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0678" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jRxYMh2D66o/UssmjhfQ_xI/AAAAAAAAFT4/qfdpyeVgO_s/DSCN0678_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="322" /><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Rachel and I saw each other several times over a week, but it was fun to continue to catch up on Christmas Day and for them to have a place to go on Christmas Day (versus the hotel apartment where they had been staying).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tY-xcfMwkXc/UssmkChvrdI/AAAAAAAAFUE/YZgkZpbt2xI/s1600-h/DSCN06693.jpg"><img title="DSCN0669" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0669" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lP70VXf_Z8c/Ussmk91ex6I/AAAAAAAAFUI/V3NpxCMSpQ8/DSCN0669_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="328" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Eight kids in all—two being girls.  I think they all had a great time playing together.</font>    </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZHMaP5tM6fA/UssmldGAVJI/AAAAAAAAFUU/PJx_0HG4PCo/s1600-h/DSCN07063.jpg"><img title="DSCN0706" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0706" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EYjQqWxtTkc/UssmmN16uBI/AAAAAAAAFUY/CcZVakcz2FQ/DSCN0706_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="416" height="316" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Singing Christmas songs</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--8L9Wvpx1JE/UssmmpAV9uI/AAAAAAAAFUk/hzoyRKnqDx0/s1600-h/DSCN07253.jpg"><img title="DSCN0725" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0725" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yCZKwT0v1s0/UssmnOPKYWI/AAAAAAAAFUs/U5IOUBbsSh0/DSCN0725_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="319" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">After singing the kids played hide and seek.  Ethan, Lana, and Sienna decided to hide in the dog’s cage.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-33009158417820641862014-01-04T21:52:00.001+01:002014-01-04T21:52:22.127+01:00Christmas Eve<p><font color="#008040" size="3">We invited several families over for Christmas Eve to have a Swiss meal called Raclette.  We actually met three of the people when they came to our house.  They were a single girl and her parents, all of whom teach at a school in Kenya.  They came to visit one of the single teachers from ICSB that we had invited over, so we extended the invitation to them as well.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lnbso8AZL_M/Ush0bD3esRI/AAAAAAAAFSU/v10Tjit1_TA/s1600-h/DSCN05273.jpg"><img title="DSCN0527" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0527" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-irP-5JDinnM/Ush0bx6nH8I/AAAAAAAAFSc/Ig3RXf_Fw9k/DSCN0527_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="319" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">We started off by singing Christmas carols.  Gary normally plays the guitar for us to sing, but one of our guests knew how to play the piano so we sang while she played the piano and the kids played instruments (Sienna is doing the sand blocks in the picture above).</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V0gp9Hu8mqs/Ush0ct5gIAI/AAAAAAAAFSk/T-2rxZQC03M/s1600-h/DSCN05454.jpg"><img title="DSCN0545" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0545" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1QzGxTH3DqA/Ush0dbOOVXI/AAAAAAAAFSs/BdSCV_zTk38/DSCN0545_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="323" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">This was the first time that we did raclette with other children, but I think it worked fine.  We borrowed a raclette grill from some friends since one wasn’t enough for a group this size.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YyuhJubZZD4/Ush0eNlXqiI/AAAAAAAAFS0/NBTlFcnVexk/s1600-h/DSCN05463.jpg"><img title="DSCN0546" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0546" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hu6Mm5FydtY/Ush0eoMxM5I/AAAAAAAAFS4/UCx9EhUla-A/DSCN0546_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="328" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">Ethan and Alister enjoyed sitting next to each other.  I was thankful that Ethan ate (which he often doesn’t when socializing interferes with eating).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mqQGkfkdKAM/Ush0fVNXhHI/AAAAAAAAFTE/jHFGJwOAm6I/s1600-h/DSCN05643.jpg"><img title="DSCN0564" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0564" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9Ys80S-_cIY/Ush0f7_KjNI/AAAAAAAAFTM/pf4dM4jFYjc/DSCN0564_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="556" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">After our guests left I tried to get pictures of the kids together.  They mostly wanted to goof off.  Ethan has a funny face in this picture above, but I love how it shows Sienna laughing at him.  He makes her laugh a lot.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pdwQWFwk4b8/Ush0gcgOrfI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/MoaU0yc1c74/s1600-h/DSCN05713.jpg"><img title="DSCN0571" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0571" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oZQXD22DbUE/Ush0hALyo8I/AAAAAAAAFTc/_zx5fPku2rk/DSCN0571_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="553" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">I love watching Ethan and Sienna play and laugh together.  I especially like it when I can get a decent picture of the two of them together smiling and looking at the camera at the same time.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-14392502014042299482014-01-01T23:41:00.001+01:002014-01-01T23:41:11.492+01:00Ethan Learning to Play Checkers<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Happy New Year!</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">We will see if I can keep up with the blog better in 2014 than I did in 2013, but I’m not really counting on it, especially since we will be in the States this spring.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">But, I will continue to post some things from December (since I’m normally a month behind and only did one post from December).</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">My associate pastor and his wife mailed Gary and me this Christmas checkers set our first Christmas.  This year, Ethan said that he wanted to learn how to play, so Gary taught him.</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GuZTuMWFOws/UsSZblZ_4RI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/yxBBOkSYlKw/s1600-h/DSCN0326%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN0326" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN0326" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5Jgv_DLNh1w/UsSZcHi66kI/AAAAAAAAFRE/DeKPFFXNQQc/DSCN0326_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Sienna was interested for a very short time.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ZAl1-n5oj8/UsSZc67om7I/AAAAAAAAFRM/o0mEBBzaTI4/s1600-h/DSCN0354%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN0354" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN0354" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yqcJ7moVXtI/UsSZdhEK8QI/AAAAAAAAFRU/ujqP8Z1_Ycg/DSCN0354_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="415" height="316" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">There have been several nights where Ethan wanted to play before bedtime.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aJ82SrXk0kI/UsSZeQZMZwI/AAAAAAAAFRc/6Yen0R4s9X0/s1600-h/DSCN0358%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN0358" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN0358" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oMs0TkWGaBE/UsSZfNMweQI/AAAAAAAAFRk/X47XMbTHqug/DSCN0358_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="328" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Now it’s become serious—the little chairs have been pulled out to play.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kAL4-48ZwUw/UsSZfmVgnYI/AAAAAAAAFRo/cKjpykagst8/s1600-h/DSCN0364%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN0364" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN0364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ldSBInw7XWo/UsSZgDlqzEI/AAAAAAAAFR0/Quf7derWu6I/DSCN0364_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" height="537" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Contemplating what move to make next</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-18a3nZPKD3o/UsSZghhiNmI/AAAAAAAAFR8/n4kJRgjE8bY/s1600-h/DSCN0368%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN0368" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN0368" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jY2fRy4gNts/UsSZhq1N9SI/AAAAAAAAFSA/Apx9Q9h8c8g/DSCN0368_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="407" height="536" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Happy about what he just did (even though he isn’t going to win this round).</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-65446601945679061022013-12-26T22:43:00.001+01:002013-12-26T22:43:47.458+01:00St. Nicolas Day<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">December 6th is Szent Mikulás (St. Nicolas) Day in Hungary.  This is the day that Hungary and most other European countries celebrate St. Nicolas.  I love it that he is separated from Christmas Day, and after the 6th there is no more Santa Claus.  In Hungary children put their boots out and wake to find sweets in them.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">I found out that the óvoda was going to have a St. Mikulás come on the 6th and do a celebration, so I asked if I could take pictures.  The teachers were excited about that and asked if they could have my pictures to put on the class website too.</font></p> <p><img title="DSCN0032" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0032" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jHk69DGdY-w/Uryi7ZkYTLI/AAAAAAAAFO8/1r03F4wUfl8/DSCN0032_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /><font color="#ff0000" size="3">St. Mikulás arrived to the children sitting in their chairs.  One of the teachers gave him a wrapped book.  </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zOblr2xORG4/Uryi8BDCvjI/AAAAAAAAFPE/vS7MruF0Vtc/s1600-h/DSCN00433.jpg"><img title="DSCN0043" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0043" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g9smYGDfmuA/Uryi8sgtBCI/AAAAAAAAFPM/BRC-1R5n-Uc/DSCN0043_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">He read from this book.  I have no idea what it was or what he was reading other than it was fairly long and there were things that the kids responded to.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hRfDqccLcmk/Uryi9QVqlPI/AAAAAAAAFPU/wBlnuIrOtvU/s1600-h/DSCN00873.jpg"><img title="DSCN0087" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0087" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jhWv8U-KYwI/Uryi9_04ZBI/AAAAAAAAFPc/a_EyE-iIpAA/DSCN0087_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Then, while St. Mikulás was there, some of the children played some different types of games and had some sayings that they did.  Ethan said that he hadn’t seen the children do these things before, so we were both pretty clueless.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PKNvdE9NPFo/Uryi-SCObAI/AAAAAAAAFPk/c_wDvS7bSUU/s1600-h/DSCN00944.jpg"><img title="DSCN0094" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0094" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JIU17tUpyQU/Uryi-7Ev2pI/AAAAAAAAFPs/hB0JFfqYtUE/DSCN0094_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" height="329" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4Fif3STLB7k/Uryi_9X7qBI/AAAAAAAAFP0/tMMXAr_XY2w/s1600-h/DSCN01213.jpg"><img title="DSCN0121" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0121" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fwerZ4ZKzG8/UryjAhBNx4I/AAAAAAAAFP4/TRW7SSSTeU8/DSCN0121_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">After the games each of the kids got to come get a present out of St.<strong> </strong>Mikulás’ bag.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MY9VgH-zal8/UryjBKJuAlI/AAAAAAAAFQE/wWQSq1azaps/s1600-h/DSCN01223.jpg"><img title="DSCN0122" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0122" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ssXCNu_fGZ4/UryjBlNlo6I/AAAAAAAAFQI/_bGWLIDkyUs/DSCN0122_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a>Unfortunately he called on Ethan to be the first kid to come get a present.  </font><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Normally, this would probably be exciting for a kid, but Ethan usually watches what the other kids do in order to know what to do himself.  He understood St. Mikulás telling him to come, so he did and he figured out to take a gift, but I could tell that he wasn’t real sure what was going on.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">After St. Mikulás left, the kids had a snack (which wasn’t the normal fruit, but sweet and salty things).</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xRhNbCBzsPM/UryjCZKHgxI/AAAAAAAAFQU/K84ksctUctk/s1600-h/DSCN02134.jpg"><img title="DSCN0213" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0213" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qf1fk_uuwg4/UryjDNoTLVI/AAAAAAAAFQc/-C890fMAclE/DSCN0213_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="416" height="544" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">I’m including a picture on here of the snack time because I think a few things concerning this are interesting in the Hungarian culture.  One is that the sweet foods and salty foods are always separated.  They aren’t put on a plate together.  Secondly, it’s just put in the middle of a table and the kids just reach for it (as you can see Ethan doing above) and eat it, instead of having their own plates.  And this way of doing things continues into elementary school from what friends have told me.  In fact when I have the women from my Body & Soul exercise class to my house for parties, they always stay in the kitchen standing around the food, even when it could be taken in the next room where they could sit.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kL8fFn7El5A/UryjDpZ9gCI/AAAAAAAAFQg/yAt_ix8KQw4/s1600-h/DSCN02303.jpg"><img title="DSCN0230" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN0230" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hbyY1x4nDgo/UryjESLbYdI/AAAAAAAAFQo/_P547MtmCww/DSCN0230_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="322" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">These are Ethan’s three teachers:  Eszter néni, Zsofi néni, and Andi néni.  Néni means aunt, but that is what is used at the end of all of the teachers’ names.  (In Hungarian, the names come before the titles.)  The two on the left are Ethan’s teachers.  They rotate each week with one working in the mornings and the other in the afternoons, and then they overlap from 11:00-1:00.  The one on the far right is probably best described as an aid.  She doesn’t do any of the teaching but helps the kids with certain things.  She is also the one who cuts up the fruit for snack, etc.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-37774484176403120682013-12-09T23:43:00.001+01:002013-12-09T23:43:33.481+01:00First Campfire<p><font color="#804040" size="3">We have a little fire pit-type thing in our yard that we’ve never used.  This summer we planned to build a campfire when we camped out in the tent.  However, we went to someone else’s house for a cookout that same night and didn’t get home until the kids’ bedtime, so it was too late to start a campfire at that point.  We decided that we would just do a campfire some other time even without camping, but just got around to it last month!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5Qdwsaxo3oI/UqZHepryKwI/AAAAAAAAFNU/Lli3nmqzP8Y/s1600-h/DSCN9548%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9548" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9548" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aspjutlnXYE/UqZHfNdIYmI/AAAAAAAAFNY/1aznxi7RXv8/DSCN9548_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="322" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">We invited the Beattys to join us for our first campfire (first for their kids too).</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sLY8xBTkra0/UqZHflog6iI/AAAAAAAAFNk/4avqvxdaR_Q/s1600-h/not%252520sure%252520what%252520they%252520think%252520about%252520the%252520fire%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="not sure what they think about the fire" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="not sure what they think about the fire" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AzNqctIyTHA/UqZHgBZ2jHI/AAAAAAAAFNs/UxRMU-Wvll4/not%252520sure%252520what%252520they%252520think%252520about%252520the%252520fire_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="507" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3"> Not sure what they think about the fire.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QugkIuKykjQ/UqZHg8F15bI/AAAAAAAAFNw/T1J_0zmRjD8/s1600-h/Sienna%252520is%252520still%252520thinking%25252C%252520but%252520Ethan%252520and%252520Evan%252520discovered%252520the%252520fun%252520of%252520a%252520fire%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Sienna is still thinking, but Ethan and Evan discovered the fun of a fire" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="Sienna is still thinking, but Ethan and Evan discovered the fun of a fire" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e8KHT2wz-pk/UqZHhhHou3I/AAAAAAAAFN4/xq1H0C3ULKI/Sienna%252520is%252520still%252520thinking%25252C%252520but%252520Ethan%252520and%252520Evan%252520discovered%252520the%252520fun%252520of%252520a%252520fire_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="391" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">Sienna is still thinking, but Ethan and Evan discovered the fun of fire.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ob8bBfg4GbA/UqZHiJ9at8I/AAAAAAAAFOA/-0JNG4eDAfM/s1600-h/DSCN9626%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9626" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9626" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9NbJJMl1N8M/UqZHiiM-E6I/AAAAAAAAFOM/alny3dC0VvM/DSCN9626_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="470" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">We found some marshmallows in a store here that was having an “American Days” sale for a week.  This was the kids’ first experience roasting marshmallows in a fire.  However, we gave Sienna a banana instead (as you can see in the picture above).</font>   </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NvtyKeREklE/UqZHjQDZsNI/AAAAAAAAFOU/q-QJsYZRU7o/s1600-h/DSCN9638%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9638" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9638" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eKCXRRuEzmo/UqZHkJMeHrI/AAAAAAAAFOc/cm4GNnjsi_M/DSCN9638_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="532" /></a> <font color="#804040" size="3">Ethan’s first taste of a marshmallow.  He ate one and a half.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sEIHMFDNMSE/UqZHkoK69cI/AAAAAAAAFOg/umCsaHnCRP4/s1600-h/DSCN9654%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9654" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9654" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qPe32HtDMD8/UqZHlIcy1jI/AAAAAAAAFOo/zDeqMOjU7M0/DSCN9654_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="407" height="310" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">We will definitely have to do this more often… after winter is over!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-69959287313242570742013-11-29T17:21:00.001+01:002013-11-29T17:21:20.112+01:00Mom’s (and Kid’s) Time<p><font color="#008000" size="3">There was no ovoda (preschool) the day after we returned from our church retreat, so I decided to invite some moms and kids over for a play time and tomato soup lunch.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ivuOji6gcIw/Upi-4hRZXTI/AAAAAAAAFL0/xHlAdGJ26WI/s1600-h/DSCN94043.jpg"><img title="DSCN9404" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9404" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w45xDfHP8YE/Upi-5cwPkaI/AAAAAAAAFL4/3HnUGr74FvA/DSCN9404_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kCUUjzW6cXc/Upi-5xfh_6I/AAAAAAAAFME/ABlJdlxY7Gw/s1600-h/DSCN93983.jpg"><img title="DSCN9398" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9398" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L_zZAbJshFM/Upi-6sy_q3I/AAAAAAAAFMM/1lCIK6HXG3g/DSCN9398_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="320" /></a><font color="#008000" size="3">I expected it to be much colder than it actually turned out.  Not that it has to be cold to have soup, but no one seemed to mind.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bXWaSMz3Trs/Upi-7RN1lxI/AAAAAAAAFMU/APPmqEdiGSY/s1600-h/DSCN94083.jpg"><img title="DSCN9408" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9408" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tpKoWno_5Do/Upi-74rHG3I/AAAAAAAAFMY/uXVQMYmaz5Y/DSCN9408_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#008000" size="3">Since it was so nice out I decided to try to use up some of the home-made popsicles that I had made this summer. </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JizPvIamzRs/Upi-8lEAtrI/AAAAAAAAFMk/O3qYpoX2QU0/s1600-h/DSCN94103.jpg"><img title="DSCN9410" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9410" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Cuwj8iju7fk/Upi-9YXWJYI/AAAAAAAAFMs/zGz_RVtKwf8/DSCN9410_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#008000" size="3">Sienna enjoying every bite of the blueberry, raspberry, yogurt popsicle.  And it even matched her shirt!</font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8LdhNgjWTxE/Upi--dSd_oI/AAAAAAAAFM0/qxGSaPfefrM/s1600-h/DSCN94152.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8LdhNgjWTxE/Upi--dSd_oI/AAAAAAAAFM8/Rf3ePo-K330/s1600-h/DSCN94153.jpg"><img title="DSCN9415" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9415" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--H3aonilmI0/Upi-_hT4L_I/AAAAAAAAFNE/KG_8BlfeqgE/DSCN9415_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="551" /></a><font color="#008000" size="3">The kids enjoyed using the Strellmans’ yard along with our yard to run around and play!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-55301849733871666372013-11-25T00:19:00.001+01:002013-11-25T00:19:42.247+01:00Church Retreat<p><font color="#000080" size="3">Our church here in Budapest had it’s 3rd retreat near the end of October.  We were glad for the opportunity to be able to attend, and even more glad that we didn’t have any responsibilities.  We were in charge of the other two church retreats, so it was a nice break.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">We went to the same location as last time, so the kids knew there would be a trampoline and looked forward to it.  As soon as we arrived they went straight to jump on it.</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o9f_w-Oc_Ko/UpKJZBPi0NI/AAAAAAAAFJs/byQv285PpyQ/s1600-h/Siennapreferredbeingonthetrampolinea%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Sienna preferred being on the trampoline alone..." style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Sienna preferred being on the trampoline alone..." src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-b4flAdduxY0/UpKJZ38O-nI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/OUEeO6sYGxI/Siennapreferredbeingonthetrampolinea.jpg?imgmax=800" width="397" height="523" /></a> <font color="#000080" size="3">Sienna preferred jumping on it alone as opposed to Ethan, who loved being on it with other kids (especially “big kids”).</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vPV6rAccC5A/UpKJag4M7TI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/aFgYW2f9d-k/s1600-h/DSCN93933.jpg"><img title="DSCN9393" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9393" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uOaWkfZerJc/UpKJbLldKvI/AAAAAAAAFKA/wHETW7zfBYo/DSCN9393_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a> <font color="#000080" size="3">Ethan is the one to the left in mid-air in the picture above.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dDGxfzPsTzY/UpKJbhZo3AI/AAAAAAAAFKM/OXEF9_t09dI/s1600-h/orinDaddysarms3.jpg"><img title="...or in Daddy's arms" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="...or in Daddy's arms" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2AcwqUHgfbQ/UpKJcT6sswI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/hLDNzdnXf48/orinDaddysarms_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="433" height="329" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Sienna was actually okay with others being on the trampoline jumping at the same time as long as she was being held.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">There were some animals that the kids enjoyed seeing.  You could buy food to feed them, and someone gave Ethan some to give to the animals.</font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ohgZwDqna_A/UpKJdEcMX-I/AAAAAAAAFKc/SYMZgTi79_k/s1600-h/DSCN93683.jpg"><img title="DSCN9368" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9368" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q8QKG4ewYWw/UpKJdmOvrNI/AAAAAAAAFKg/9yQjseWConw/DSCN9368_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="328" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WGI_7SBxQFI/UpKJeIzgZVI/AAAAAAAAFKs/tLNSFPhXeiU/s1600-h/DSCN93793.jpg"><img title="DSCN9379" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9379" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WGM50Xgn4k4/UpKJej8K_LI/AAAAAAAAFKw/0Ukn7cffBxs/DSCN9379_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="435" height="331" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Evidently, this ram has been fed by many children!</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fjSwni4HpRs/UpKJfXBZOlI/AAAAAAAAFK8/9wqoyHrCcGs/s1600-h/DSCN93823.jpg"><img title="DSCN9382" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9382" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9Abyo5n75co/UpKJgFgWFLI/AAAAAAAAFLE/MDGpsq-oxNA/DSCN9382_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" height="540" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">I just had to get a picture of Sienna with these other girls from our church since they were dressed so similar.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pKxhedtvMNI/UpKJhMYAyQI/AAAAAAAAFLM/o92hSytIccE/s1600-h/IMG_85003.jpg"><img title="IMG_8500" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8500" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KDZ2hCn0S-I/UpKJhglsoTI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/uDDqfmiTv2I/IMG_8500_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="325" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">The kids loved the pool.  The first time that Sienna was ever in a pool was this one at our last church retreat a year and a half ago.</font></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cv551qxiPKY/UpKJiakTAmI/AAAAAAAAFLY/eldicrzUUvI/s1600-h/IMG_85095.jpg"><img title="IMG_8509" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8509" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Sz5m9uEnFZY/UpKJizJiOmI/AAAAAAAAFLk/2H3WPYKORFw/IMG_8509_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" width="407" height="439" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Unfortunately we couldn’t fit all of the fun stuff into the free afternoon with Sienna’s nap time, but the kids still had a blast.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">We were so thankful that the weather was SO nice, especially to be up in the hills of Hungary at the end of October.  It rained some during the last retreat, and this time, the weather was just beautiful!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-88220661699653987012013-11-15T22:49:00.001+01:002013-11-15T22:49:04.503+01:00Holiday Hike<p><font color="#008040" size="3">October 23rd is a national holiday in Hungary, and we took advantage of the warm, beautiful weather to go for a hike. </font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wWwCSiXdX7E/UoaWsetRA6I/AAAAAAAAFIE/ZsgEzfH8msw/s1600-h/DSCN9308%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9308" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9308" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oawzQAD-jMs/UoaWtJc3fyI/AAAAAAAAFII/jo_ah8o9oq4/DSCN9308_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">We went to an area in the Buda hills that we haven’t been to since I was pregnant with Sienna.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FFdcy-xJD6o/UoaWtszTztI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/riSdf6Ylm54/s1600-h/DSCN9306%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9306" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9306" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bZeftSFC0H0/UoaWuMmx63I/AAAAAAAAFIY/LO-e70Ax5_s/DSCN9306_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">Sienna was in the backpack most of the time.  She probably will be too big for the backpack next summer, so this was most likely her last time to have a nice, comfy, effortless hike.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tjxRkj3kx8o/UoaWvN2IwyI/AAAAAAAAFIk/TuvaXKJvfUA/s1600-h/DSCN9319%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9319" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9319" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lAqEhDOqIuo/UoaWv6HrpdI/AAAAAAAAFIs/2L0LhCECBwU/DSCN9319_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="329" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">Enjoying lunch</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-glPVUWU2c0s/UoaWwpwG4GI/AAAAAAAAFI0/nmm5D-9Dnic/s1600-h/DSCN9328%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9328" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9328" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L0FiXE8XCMk/UoaWxMwrtVI/AAAAAAAAFI8/c86YbqgpylY/DSCN9328_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="554" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">On the way back we collected pine cones for decorating the house.  The best kind of decoration… free!</font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5ETlfAat2DI/UoaWxociYfI/AAAAAAAAFJA/VqfdCYNnBMM/s1600-h/DSCN9329%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9329" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9329" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zTpzDbsoaEs/UoaWyRDI8gI/AAAAAAAAFJM/QSFlpwJQrlg/DSCN9329_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="426" height="561" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xUvM6RDn2q8/UoaWzDVDeOI/AAAAAAAAFJU/DcgXNcN9UhI/s1600-h/DSCN9331%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9331" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9331" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-37wnaVVNvC8/UoaWzuWvVTI/AAAAAAAAFJc/sTER7ywvoV8/DSCN9331_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="433" height="329" /></a><font color="#008040" size="3">We were so thankful for the beautiful weather and chance to go for one last hike before cold weather set in.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-14431396925629323862013-11-12T23:06:00.001+01:002013-11-12T23:06:33.722+01:00Yearly Pumpkin Pictures<p><font color="#ff8000" size="3">We try to take pictures of the kids with the wheelbarrow and some pumpkins each fall.  We have typically done this in October each year.  It’s interesting to compare the dates and color of the leaves from one year to the next.  Unfortunately, we waited until all of the leaves were brown this year.  However, we took these pictures on the October 23rd holiday and did the same on a different year with there still being many yellow leaves.  So, you just never know.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s4tRy06rq1Y/UoKmVKTnBFI/AAAAAAAAFG8/SmRCGvABYSo/s1600-h/DSCN92133.jpg"><img title="DSCN9213" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9213" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xxe7clW8-L4/UoKmV2kYZJI/AAAAAAAAFHE/HPHtkYVk1K8/DSCN9213_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="413" height="544" /></a><font color="#ff8000" size="3">Ethan helping move pumpkins from the front porch to the side of the house.  Sienna tried too, but decided that the pumpkin was too heavy.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NEvRz6fapJw/UoKmWi8JkTI/AAAAAAAAFHM/5m2C2Beqzik/s1600-h/DSCN9221%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN9221" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN9221" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KPpEjmPCJWw/UoKmXCheKBI/AAAAAAAAFHU/AQFt_3OzK9g/DSCN9221_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="434" height="335" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SKEl2fYRLAg/UoKmXzBR5BI/AAAAAAAAFHc/OZCP4iEcXkE/s1600-h/DSCN92503.jpg"><img title="DSCN9250" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9250" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-buV_ietunh4/UoKmYW-V3SI/AAAAAAAAFHk/mbYJvlNRE7Q/DSCN9250_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="556" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eTrIhSnt0so/UoKmZTY_fxI/AAAAAAAAFHs/DOav7jNGmeo/s1600-h/DSCN92843.jpg"><img title="DSCN9284" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Z5S08mvoi3k/UoKmZx_UBnI/AAAAAAAAFH0/_zwoBqhLplQ/DSCN9284_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="325" /></a></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-19732935078528252212013-11-05T16:36:00.001+01:002013-11-05T16:36:03.781+01:00Beethoven Park<p><font color="#ff8040" size="3">Our neighbors spontaneously invited us to go to “Beethoven Park” with them one Saturday in October.  (We call it that because it has a museum in a chateau where Beethoven stayed for a time.) I’m not a very spontaneous person, and was actually sick, but decided to go since it was such a nice day and to just be with the kids.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff8040" size="3">Sienna and I had never been to Beethoven Park before.  When I was pregnant with her (and very sick) Gary took Ethan and his parents one afternoon when they were visiting.  It’s only about a 20-minute drive from our house, so it’s amazing that I’ve not been there in all of these years.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-82squ4zZnfE/UnkQQLM97aI/AAAAAAAAFFU/mOcHiHxLyiM/s1600-h/DSCN90953.jpg"><img title="DSCN9095" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9095" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FQzMK-nlRoo/UnkQQ2qYgQI/AAAAAAAAFFY/p-9WvMgI9j0/DSCN9095_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="320" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">It looks like Nathan and Ethan were “fishing”, but they were actually putting large leaves in the water and then using these sticks to move them around.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VkPGsFmBJDk/UnkQR4XyObI/AAAAAAAAFFk/fWjOFmUNTEY/s1600-h/DSCN91053.jpg"><img title="DSCN9105" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9105" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0vF50_lEnIE/UnkQSt34lsI/AAAAAAAAFFs/fy57dwcQwgE/DSCN9105_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">We  had a picnic lunch with the Strellmans in a nice, sunny spot by the pond and these huge, beautifully-colored trees behind us.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZRTCz-GWpAY/UnkQTWoC2xI/AAAAAAAAFF0/UJILUpO_4j8/s1600-h/DSCN91143.jpg"><img title="DSCN9114" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9114" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-m3-7ChUk9fQ/UnkQTwap2PI/AAAAAAAAFF4/XhdqyqBpVSk/DSCN9114_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="322" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">Everyone holding hands around one of the trees during our walk.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Xg8XVIO4764/UnkQU6Bft9I/AAAAAAAAFGE/jPtmCeQu63Y/s1600-h/DSCN91474.jpg"><img title="DSCN9147" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9147" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tzAM2bbVPZg/UnkQVSCDMWI/AAAAAAAAFGI/EnHZAcUeZ3E/DSCN9147_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="426" height="326" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">Another interesting find for the kids.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D7L83oto_KQ/UnkQWJXJabI/AAAAAAAAFGU/zhv7cimoBUs/s1600-h/DSCN91553.jpg"><img title="DSCN9155" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9155" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bq3Mx1_lAFg/UnkQW34a5lI/AAAAAAAAFGc/XVGi_Np8j0I/DSCN9155_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">Taking advantage of naturally pretty backgrounds</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3ffEzaqApDg/UnkQXhz88AI/AAAAAAAAFGk/S8FgnEqi4G0/s1600-h/DSCN91913.jpg"><img title="DSCN9191" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9191" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jXkwXz2oyP8/UnkQYCVS_VI/AAAAAAAAFGs/8ziavwRA9jQ/DSCN9191_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="413" height="543" /></a><font color="#ff8040" size="3">I was so thankful that we were spontaneous and joined the Strellmans.  We all had a good time and enjoyed a warm day in October as well as God’s beauty in creation.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-25212962074340280762013-11-01T15:33:00.001+01:002013-11-01T15:33:19.529+01:00Fun in the Leaves<p><font color="#804040" size="3">October is that time of year when the leaves from our maple tree fall to the ground.  The kids enjoyed playing in them last year, but even more so this year.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cBl11q7BdEA/UnO7jfCRKgI/AAAAAAAAFDw/djocUyzJfQI/s1600-h/DSCN89873.jpg"><img title="DSCN8987" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8987" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-juv1wu0IgnA/UnO7kJAr2GI/AAAAAAAAFD4/-tj-Ni6TBLA/DSCN8987_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">Our neighbors came over to “jump” into the excitement…</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1Z-Iruu8-Io/UnO7lJ0F7cI/AAAAAAAAFEA/PrcoMwsr6xM/s1600-h/DSCN90173.jpg"><img title="DSCN9017" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9017" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FrBuBAeJacE/UnO7l240g7I/AAAAAAAAFEI/1BNS43UMvqQ/DSCN9017_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="322" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">… and then took Gary down in the process.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3N99cOtXXvY/UnO7myilxRI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/h69Og4De9FY/s1600-h/DSCN90253.jpg"><img title="DSCN9025" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9025" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YoObUmB5x-Q/UnO7nu9ZAuI/AAAAAAAAFEY/2FTa6wWtbhE/DSCN9025_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="320" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">Covering Dad with leaves is always fun!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-STyDJ1VvoZ0/UnO7oiT0wgI/AAAAAAAAFEg/Po-3kdGy0Us/s1600-h/DSCN90353.jpg"><img title="DSCN9035" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9035" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fo4qZTtoAnw/UnO7prLE_cI/AAAAAAAAFEk/JzxJZ6hiZds/DSCN9035_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">And now it’s Sienna’s turn to be covered in leaves.</font></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EKjXi3R4DOY/UnO7qbRpxuI/AAAAAAAAFEw/KLYKZo5ItuQ/s1600-h/DSCN90433.jpg"><img title="DSCN9043" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN9043" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sA3DF-JruvM/UnO7rbJMAlI/AAAAAAAAFE8/AHX0A2bDE30/DSCN9043_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="318" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">Our favorite picture</font> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-68075686356063306122013-10-31T21:36:00.001+01:002013-10-31T21:36:19.419+01:00Bike Ride<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HwQoRSTzpzI/UnK_J-udOBI/AAAAAAAAFCY/8qajKUUSFA4/s1600-h/DSCN88754.jpg"><img title="DSCN8875" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8875" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0s4HYFepzAY/UnK_KrS18WI/AAAAAAAAFCc/acICBI-Fejk/DSCN8875_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" height="529" /></a> <font color="#000080" size="3">After Ethan realized that he could easily ride his bike without training wheels he constantly asked to ride his bike in front of our house.  This particular day he didn’t even take the time to put socks and shoes on; he just threw flip flops on and started riding.  I was hoping that none of our Hungarian neighbors were watching since it is a cultural no-no for him to be bare foot (or in flip flops) in cool weather.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CaLeZVpl8jM/UnK_LW6PttI/AAAAAAAAFCo/1zizDrwEBTo/s1600-h/IMG_84213.jpg"><img title="IMG_8421" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8421" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TNir89S-MUU/UnK_MNhI0UI/AAAAAAAAFCs/0BEuAOmSK1o/IMG_8421_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="319" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">The weekend after Ethan rode his bike without training wheels we decided to go for a bike ride.  Our neighbors, Ryan and Kevin, joined us for the ride.</font>  </p> <p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zPXm80fNldU/UnK_MyDfLjI/AAAAAAAAFC4/vmFwtgk-UCo/s1600-h/IMG_84333.jpg"><img title="IMG_8433" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8433" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZHU3fbaBT1U/UnK_Nxt2OEI/AAAAAAAAFC8/8_R35M0bviA/IMG_8433_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="319" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">This is the closest we got to a family picture on the ride.  We have a few without Kevin, but one of us is missing a head or something like that in the other pictures. :-)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k_y4yw7WIJw/UnK_Ot-VXKI/AAAAAAAAFDI/1Cii8S_geuY/s1600-h/IMG_84463.jpg"><img title="IMG_8446" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8446" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-r-dobBztADw/UnK_PLD21jI/AAAAAAAAFDM/le_rXHOetZA/IMG_8446_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Sienna enjoyed sitting back and going along for the ride.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgvDrAgNU1I/UnK_P_jR2JI/AAAAAAAAFDY/HZTpDSxdy78/s1600-h/IMG_84683.jpg"><img title="IMG_8468" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8468" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C6FGY1IA47k/UnK_QW66VtI/AAAAAAAAFDc/QDiUQuGoedg/IMG_8468_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="319" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Ethan is so happy that he can ride his bike like a big kid!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-37637002639074184562013-10-28T20:38:00.001+01:002013-10-28T20:38:57.759+01:00No Training Wheels<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Some Hungarians use training wheels on bikes when their children are young, but what seems to be the more common thing is to use something called a balance bike.  It is a bike without pedals.  Children use their feet to push off from the ground and stop, and they can hold their feet up which helps them learn to balance.  We bought a bike with training wheels from someone for Ethan last year but this summer we also borrowed a balance bike from a friend.  Ethan used both during the summer and I kept thinking he was more than ready to try his bike without training wheels.  However, we didn’t seem to have many opportunities to bike this summer, so we never took them off.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tqyKFh6i-kQ/Um69OtaB6MI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/Hz_UGAjzolk/s1600-h/DSCN88384.jpg"><img title="DSCN8838" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8838" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9gCcc4wSDf0/Um69Pft86vI/AAAAAAAAFBY/Xpv7dQ5NacY/DSCN8838_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="550" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Finally, in September we took the training wheels off.  We were going to drive to a nicely paved road in our area that was large and flat for Ethan to practice.  I was getting my camera and putting my shoes on when Gary walked in the house and said that Ethan was already riding the bike around the street.  Ethan basically just said he wanted to try, got on the bike and started riding it on his own!</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">So, unfortunately, we didn’t get to see (or take pictures of) Ethan riding the bike for the very first time without training wheels, but I did rush out of the house soon after to watch and get some pictures. </font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-72ypWOvMs80/Um69QRW2NuI/AAAAAAAAFBg/PmB0xxJWcbg/s1600-h/DSCN88474.jpg"><img title="DSCN8847" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8847" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wrEz08Gog6E/Um69Q__6oYI/AAAAAAAAFBo/ABb5PSxir9Q/DSCN8847_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="432" height="331" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gC0aw_g9ecs/Um69RmysmUI/AAAAAAAAFBw/Ck-cj9pJRv8/s1600-h/DSCN88513.jpg"><img title="DSCN8851" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8851" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yJ5EGBtZHfg/Um69SaN9y1I/AAAAAAAAFB4/fAl74kvhYnU/DSCN8851_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="413" height="544" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Sienna enjoyed riding the trike (passed down from Ethan) while he rode the bike.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R7OAC3_7vR0/Um69TOcunBI/AAAAAAAAFCA/yLKUzVRPYT4/s1600-h/DSCN88557.jpg"><img title="DSCN8855" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8855" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kjDMZg9HBSM/Um69T8_DqGI/AAAAAAAAFCI/TgdLf3ixTEI/DSCN8855_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="367" /></a></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-34145435254567389812013-10-22T16:10:00.001+02:002013-10-22T16:10:05.828+02:00Preschool Begins<p><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan began ovoda (the Hungarian word for preschool) near the end of September.  It started the beginning of the month, but they only want one new child to come each week.  He ended up being the last new child to begin for the first of the school year.  Other children will begin coming when they turn three (which is the age children start attending ovoda, though Ethan is four and a half).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1jWaWe4jZiQ/UmaHDs_F16I/AAAAAAAAE-4/r6e3g45q7uY/s1600-h/DSCN87743.jpg"><img title="DSCN8774" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8774" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yRh2BByJ1Ms/UmaHERTFVpI/AAAAAAAAE_A/4B37eJcuo6M/DSCN8774_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="545" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan in front of the ovoda.  Everyone calls it the blue container because it looks like a shipping container.  It’s actually the ugliest ovoda and has the smallest playground in our village, but we have heard wonderful things about the teachers in this ovoda and requested that he attend here.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XFmcQQ4UsuU/UmaHFDb4EMI/AAAAAAAAE_E/Cso7Ujk6kf4/s1600-h/DSCN87753.jpg"><img title="DSCN8775" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8775" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5m2vVU3z3x0/UmaHFheUgSI/AAAAAAAAE_Q/jrwXRpuJgjk/DSCN8775_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="555" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Each child keeps a toothbrush and cup to brush their teeth after lunch.  And, they each have their own hand towel!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qvMyoCPjQuk/UmaHGoyj-bI/AAAAAAAAE_U/aWfKrEGiXmg/s1600-h/DSCN87844.jpg"><img title="DSCN8784" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8784" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NnqO6C9UkmY/UmaHHMT_XoI/AAAAAAAAE_c/0w9kRSOqrIc/DSCN8784_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="324" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan’s class (called the sunshine group)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UJbTZu1b_D0/UmaHHyXuw8I/AAAAAAAAE_k/1qOVhCXyxzA/s1600-h/DSCN87903.jpg"><img title="DSCN8790" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8790" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RUZxZyZV0g0/UmaHIYI0qdI/AAAAAAAAE_s/IHi3NtY7GJg/DSCN8790_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="554" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Some kids eat breakfast at the ovoda.  It’s basically bread and drink such as children’s tea.  One teacher motioned for Ethan to come over and sit down on his first day.  In the picture above he is trying children’s tea for the first time.  He didn’t care for it.  Nor does he like eating the breakfast there.  At home he gets either eggs and cooked ham, cooked oatmeal, or pancakes every day along with fruit and homemade granola.  However, he is like his dad and enjoys having a long breakfast time, which isn’t possible anymore since he is supposed to be at the ovoda at 8:30.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0MTigklWgpY/UmaHJOWGmlI/AAAAAAAAE_4/Ct0p4nsohTw/s1600-h/DSCN88163.jpg"><img title="DSCN8816" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8816" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p2GLVCMDQOM/UmaHJp7q5AI/AAAAAAAAE_8/47thJwcA0H0/DSCN8816_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="322" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">During recess on his first day this little girl in the red coat, Vivi, started playing with Ethan.  They played together the rest of recess.  The next day she came over to him as soon as he arrived.  Ethan isn’t shy and just jumps in with playing with kids who don’t speak English, but I was still thankful that she took such initiative to play with him.</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6S_twqXuotk/UmaHKUFK5VI/AAAAAAAAFAI/BgVjSkqvgPc/s1600-h/DSCN88263.jpg"><img title="DSCN8826" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8826" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nSx-LGB5L-I/UmaHLIvRqPI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/79YAn9HwbAI/DSCN8826_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="3">One parent of a new child is supposed to stay for the first week to make sure the child is adjusting well, etc.  Gradually they are supposed to leave for 30 minutes, then  it builds up to one hour, etc. to help the child adjust.  Before Ethan began he asked us not to stay with him.  After being there for 30 minutes on the 2nd day, the teacher told me that I could leave for an hour or so and return during their recess (which is the last thing before lunch—and Ethan wasn’t going to begin until later in the week).  She told me to tell Ethan that I was leaving.  When I told him he asked if I could not come back.  The teacher ended up telling me that I didn’t need to come back at all the next day.  She was quite surprised at how quickly and well Ethan was doing, especially with not knowing the language.  I just told her that he loves people.</font></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rHCPaLyI9nU/UmaHL3QSXHI/AAAAAAAAFAY/v_AMrD7qycs/s1600-h/DSCN88304.jpg"><img title="DSCN8830" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8830" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uzIrg2GQCpU/UmaHMnZ-LfI/AAAAAAAAFAc/HR67bmk5prg/DSCN8830_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="316" /></a>  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AskLh3ypn0I/UmaHNeJuhxI/AAAAAAAAFAo/9VNSy-FETD8/s1600-h/HedgehogsEthanmadeovoda3.jpg"><img title="Hedgehogs Ethan made @ ovoda" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Hedgehogs Ethan made @ ovoda" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CODE4wNbl18/UmaHN3bSzrI/AAAAAAAAFAs/a1L7_tyHa9A/HedgehogsEthanmadeovoda_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Ethan’s first craft—a hedgehog, which I don’t think are found in the US, but are in Europe, and have even been in our backyard!</font></p> <p><font color="#0000ff" size="3">Each child has a symbol, and Ethan’s is a ball.  You may be able to see a ball drawn on the top, left potato in the picture above that shows it is Ethan’s.  There are balls like the one below on Ethan’s cubbyhole, where his hand towel hangs in the bathroom, etc.</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-89oCsPCakuY/UmaHOuAMQ3I/AAAAAAAAFA0/qIqKCBXUd2c/s1600-h/DSCN88963.jpg"><img title="DSCN8896" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN8896" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MDpL9R25LTI/UmaHO6jbUKI/AAAAAAAAFA8/mqY39pZlGQY/DSCN8896_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="318" /></a></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-81140752092437893992013-10-18T21:45:00.001+02:002013-10-18T21:45:14.560+02:00Hungarian Fire Truck<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">One Saturday in September there was a child safety time in the same town where Gary’s office is located.  We took the kids after Sienna’s nap to check it out.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SkP1Maf4GMk/UmGPsLsOvPI/AAAAAAAAE9g/W84tml6zY1o/s1600-h/DSCN79464.jpg"><img title="DSCN7946" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7946" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5lYUgfcQMEY/UmGPso-ZVPI/AAAAAAAAE9o/DR16kAT4R8E/DSCN7946_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="411" height="538" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">They had an ambulance and a fire truck where kids could go inside to look around.  Ethan and Sienna weren’t so interested in going in the ambulance, so we just got a picture outside of it. </font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">But the fire truck was a different story!</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DteO8hc2SNc/UmGPta2ti3I/AAAAAAAAE9s/pYfhv5iuCkU/s1600-h/DSCN79793.jpg"><img title="DSCN7979" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7979" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Cf64rAWKQxA/UmGPuAaPYrI/AAAAAAAAE94/o_oE4_GC8_Q/DSCN7979_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="550" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">They were letting kids climb up on top of the truck, so Ethan and Sienna were both able to go.  Gary had to be with Sienna since she was so young.</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-u61Mvk_30gU/UmGPulCeaqI/AAAAAAAAE98/TEzA93pWMic/s1600-h/DSCN79733.jpg"><img title="DSCN7973" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7973" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DX5FUtEWjkc/UmGPveOAbHI/AAAAAAAAE-I/VKsWWSLqIO8/DSCN7973_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="554" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">I found it interesting to see what was in the sides of the fire truck.  When going to the fire department in the States I don’t remember all of this kind of stuff.</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3Dyz5gGqPHs/UmGPwN1bm7I/AAAAAAAAE-Q/yh_3JdvdrEQ/s1600-h/DSCN79954.jpg"><img title="DSCN7995" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7995" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2J8QBGfDtx8/UmGPw5omPUI/AAAAAAAAE-U/Ll2TowQ6-8A/DSCN7995_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="323" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">I’m not sure if you can tell in this picture, but the hose is on the side of the truck, near the top.  There is a little red door sticking out that had all different kinds of axes, etc. attached to it.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zPMZQOs8c70/UmGPxQPFV2I/AAAAAAAAE-g/ZhzoOUHJLV0/s1600-h/DSCN79873.jpg"><img title="DSCN7987" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7987" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y9UteFyJf_M/UmGPyGPF8MI/AAAAAAAAE-o/bupDw12DK8Q/DSCN7987_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="556" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">And, like in the States, the kids got to try on a fireman’s helmet.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-61148070267393144642013-10-10T22:47:00.001+02:002013-10-10T22:47:09.855+02:00Beginning of the Year Fun<p><font color="#000080" size="3">Each September our mission has a cookout/pot luck meal for everyone to catch up some after being gone for the summer (many are in the US raising support each summer).  It’s also a time to introduce new people with the mission.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">For our kids it’s a time when they get to play with a lot of other kids, so they both love it.</font><img title="DSCN7906" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7906" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-okJV6dfACgU/UlcSJMtx_tI/AAAAAAAAE7g/0x6w3VxzqDA/DSCN7906_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="322" /><font color="#000080" size="3">Eventually the game of Duck, Duck, Goose that was being played in the picture above turned into lots of physical contact with the boys (not in a bad way). </font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XL0BGCYkSJE/UlcSJ5p3YfI/AAAAAAAAE7o/2Qxrdt-uMrk/s1600-h/DSCN78603.jpg"><img title="DSCN7860" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7860" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AqnRpz_b1vY/UlcSKr0Rr4I/AAAAAAAAE7w/4foMA41fwgc/DSCN7860_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" height="554" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Sienna getting her water balloon ready for a new game that involved a giant sling shot. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3qC3CgrKH8I/UlcSLN7UZoI/AAAAAAAAE74/wV67k9ZCEhc/s1600-h/teamcru0464.jpg"><img title="team&cru 046" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="team&cru 046" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pHAYQfgYZFk/UlcSLxWnfdI/AAAAAAAAE78/5GtLckzbfqE/teamcru046_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="612" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">All of the kids had a turn to sling a water balloon up in the air trying to hit a target on some rocks (we were in a rock quarry).</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bKI_-G7nFwU/UlcSMX5R3EI/AAAAAAAAE8I/qdxOZodrL4E/s1600-h/teamcru0473.jpg"><img title="team&cru 047" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="team&cru 047" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Nz5WmD8LJDc/UlcSNA7aL7I/AAAAAAAAE8Q/sfPPqDbMJ6U/teamcru047_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="417" height="613" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Ethan is so focused on the target!</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jLnarAfcE9A/UlcSNnWPMtI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/xih4d4Sr7U4/s1600-h/teamcru0493.jpg"><img title="team&cru 049" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="team&cru 049" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3-jJ8awikPQ/UlcSOdAbuiI/AAAAAAAAE8g/anb_2l7KM6s/teamcru049_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="609" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Gary had to help hold Sienna down while she pulled the sling shot back.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yKJmIgGCP9A/UlcSPARkiKI/AAAAAAAAE8o/M1KpVAkzd6I/s1600-h/teamcru0503.jpg"><img title="team&cru 050" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="team&cru 050" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NMTdb_nV-uw/UlcSP9tCV0I/AAAAAAAAE8w/qsQGzbpDcPg/teamcru050_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="632" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Sienna actually got it real close to the target.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bRGFmo6vkFg/UlcSQmYigUI/AAAAAAAAE84/slq-mFCFeNs/s1600-h/DSCN78663.jpg"><img title="DSCN7866" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7866" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tNfBn5jtMQ0/UlcSR2SlY8I/AAAAAAAAE9A/_Bgms7W1pHk/DSCN7866_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="564" /></a> <font color="#000080" size="3">Then some of the men took a turn.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FqeQAfX3j_E/UlcSSXSPp3I/AAAAAAAAE9I/_s-HdOqnUpI/s1600-h/DSCN78693.jpg"><img title="DSCN7869" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN7869" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QEzjEJ9rvaQ/UlcSTIh4DHI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/QQn8VkyF098/DSCN7869_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="426" height="561" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">Gary’s shot was the closest for a while, but then someone else got closer.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-11742428104713735392013-09-30T21:32:00.001+02:002013-09-30T21:32:43.529+02:00Backyard Camping<p><font color="#808080" size="3">We have wanted to camp with the kids in our backyard so that they will get used to it for us to do during our vacations in the future.</font></p> <p><font color="#808080" size="3">My tent is a two-person tent (which is for one person, or two people if they don’t want to move around much), so we borrowed one from some friends.  It was probably the biggest tent that Gary or I have ever slept in!</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2S-N9e_OTOA/UknRy4m8NBI/AAAAAAAAE6g/eAnS-0jxKec/s1600-h/DSCN7669%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN7669" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7669" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IXjJeELCMzU/UknRzdEm8iI/AAAAAAAAE6o/srMZPIShFMM/DSCN7669_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="432" height="331" /></a> </p> <p><font color="#808080" size="3">We went to someone else’s house for a cookout and didn’t return until it was already the kids’ bedtime, so unfortunately we didn’t get to do the campfire that we had planned.</font></p> <p><img title="DSCN7563" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7563" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xcl7gCfBQ0U/UknR0GgISfI/AAAAAAAAE6w/O7Gu_tASfjk/DSCN7563_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="322" /><font color="#808080" size="3">Heading out to the tent!  Sienna doesn’t look too happy here, but she was excited about sleeping in the tent.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dxYqnuYX_9A/UknR0hY_QRI/AAAAAAAAE64/oyWL4jVE1_I/s1600-h/DSCN7604%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN7604" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7604" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-idc95Ht8ZpY/UknR1fd9ptI/AAAAAAAAE7A/UxGYLGzcWLc/DSCN7604_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#808080" size="3">Reading by flashlight</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aKxHsjPfjSE/UknR11paXOI/AAAAAAAAE7I/9bG3aYvJPZM/s1600-h/DSCN7580%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN7580" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7580" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--HFtAtbkCj0/UknR2ebezEI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/cUOtHAV1u5Y/DSCN7580_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="550" /></a><font color="#808080" size="3">We bought Ethan’s sleeping bag in May from someone moving back to the States.  We didn’t have anything for Sienna, so used this sheet sleeping bag that a friend’s mom gave me as well as blankets.  It was the middle of August and was much colder than Gary and I expected for the night time.</font></p> <p><font color="#808080" size="3">We were all sleeping when Gary and I were woken at 11:00 by our neighbors coming out on their back porch laughing and being quite loud.  The next thing I knew there was very loud music playing on their back porch, just 20 feet away.  Gary and I both were shocked that the kids were sleeping through it.  So, we tried going back to sleep… without success.  Ethan woke at 1 am, we assumed either from being cold or by the party, which yes was still going.  After Sienna woke, Gary and I just decided that it was best to go inside.  From our experience when our neighbors have a party it goes into the early hours of the morning, so between Gary and the kids being cold and the music blaring into our yard we decided we would try again later (probably making sure that our neighbors weren’t planning to have a party first).</font></p> <p><font color="#808080" size="3">It was a fun first attempt at camping with the kids.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-29584866394585510452013-08-21T14:54:00.001+02:002013-08-21T14:54:00.136+02:00Caving for Our Anniversary<p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Gary and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on July 15th.  Often it seems that people like doing something special for their 5th, 10th, 15th, etc. anniversaries, but we broke the norm and decided to do something special for our 7th!</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">The couple who did our pre-marital counseling knew that we wanted to go caving and that there weren’t many kids around this summer to babysit, so they offered to watch our kids while we went.  And they told us to go out to eat afterward (thus, making it about a 6-7 hour babysitting day for them).  Al even brought a change of clothes, thinking that they would do some outdoor water activities.</font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">There was a place in the Buda hills in the city where you could go caving, so we made reservations for one Saturday (actually a few weeks after our anniversary).</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cRmY_tFii-k/UhS4Rh_1ceI/AAAAAAAAE4o/4D4iy8w93A0/s1600-h/IMG_81774.jpg"><img title="IMG_8177" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8177" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o1kTmAJ_tUM/UhS4SbB7WlI/AAAAAAAAE4w/mEX7eFgSfzY/IMG_8177_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" height="323" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">The cave was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  Considering that it was over 90 degrees outside, it felt great!  We had to wear overalls, and now I understand why!</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ijmnSXLd2aI/UhS4TFOpllI/AAAAAAAAE44/5vuW_vFFcZk/s1600-h/IMG_81843.jpg"><img title="IMG_8184" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Qm0FdJDeyN0/UhS4TjmTmFI/AAAAAAAAE5A/PhevATbw51w/IMG_8184_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">It was constantly climbing up and down rocks, crawling on our knees, stomachs, etc.</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p9MMcjtMzH0/UhS4UD8YAfI/AAAAAAAAE5I/BmZl9FuM5BM/s1600-h/IMG_81823.jpg"><img title="IMG_8182" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8182" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZyHNL2RjPek/UhS4UilDOFI/AAAAAAAAE5Q/uYVVsFASf1c/IMG_8182_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="318" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">You can’t really tell by this picture, but I’m having to lean against one rock with my back and hold myself there with my foot on another rock.  It had a crack/open space between the two.  Then I scooted down on my back and held myself between the two rocks, then reaching down with one leg could get a foothold in the rock.  Then I had to put one hand down where my foot was and kind of jump down to the ground.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tIqHREx8T5g/UhS4VYrBiJI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/I-_4IZTJ9qA/s1600-h/IMG_81863.jpg"><img title="IMG_8186" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8186" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jCVIm9xW7D0/UhS4WMq0a0I/AAAAAAAAE5g/_AtSVXHDhJE/IMG_8186_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="413" height="544" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">My camera didn’t take good pictures because of all of the dust particles in the air, but here everyone is having to climb up rocks and straddle them with one foot on different rocks half way up.</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PjS9b_cF_2s/UhS4WhhAJXI/AAAAAAAAE5o/nqzDRIhojdQ/s1600-h/IMG_81983.jpg"><img title="IMG_8198" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8198" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UQwS57ndwDw/UhS4XNJ7jkI/AAAAAAAAE5w/Pvgf0Mtd-YE/IMG_8198_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Not everyone made it through this hole (there was another way around it).  But Gary and I did, though not easily!</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZxfFmmxy_pk/UhS4Xwvlt2I/AAAAAAAAE54/Ab-2rw_QRGk/s1600-h/IMG_82003.jpg"><img title="IMG_8200" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8200" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pbhYWqMqjPA/UhS4YmDmadI/AAAAAAAAE58/YUyemu43p2M/IMG_8200_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="325" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-V-pgwZ-FrfM/UhS4ZK7TDxI/AAAAAAAAE6I/QQnNrHPPmwc/s1600-h/IMG_81673.jpg"><img title="IMG_8167" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8167" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u1cBlQc3Qg8/UhS4Zp_hWzI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/pOBU1WtuL6U/IMG_8167_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="325" /></a><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Thankful to be married to this man for these 7 years!  He is such a gift from God, and I wouldn’t want to be married to anyone else!</font> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-91625555410505782272013-08-17T22:39:00.001+02:002013-08-17T22:39:12.945+02:00Time in the City<p><font color="#804040" size="3">A former teacher from ICSB contacted me to ask if I could show someone around the city a little.  Her friend was from Pakistan and taking a class for one week in Budapest.  So we met this woman downtown after her class and showed her around some.  Neither Gary nor I have actually ever spent time talking with a Muslim woman who was fully covered, so we enjoyed our time talking with her. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4fOHRDPDAp4/Ug_fULdtHGI/AAAAAAAAE24/7mwnjM8upoA/s1600-h/DSCN65485.jpg"><img title="DSCN6548" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6548" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kGS0FI3hX9c/Ug_fU2e4H0I/AAAAAAAAE3A/eq35CITWeUk/DSCN6548_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="526" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">We took her first to the Covered Market, behind Ethan, so she could get some touristy things before they closed.  We brought dinner with us and ate outside while she shopped (she was fasting due to Ramadan.)</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iR5rI5LgIhM/Ug_fVpFLsOI/AAAAAAAAE3I/G8Nn9LxzsY0/s1600-h/DSCN65393.jpg"><img title="DSCN6539" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6539" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bm6P76nFsvs/Ug_fWdaSJVI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/unFrRk8z-f4/DSCN6539_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" height="325" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">We are rarely in the city, so the kids really enjoyed this time, especially getting to play in a small fountain across from the Covered Market.</font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W6UcW6SPpuw/Ug_fW6wzACI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/_F9coVPzwZY/s1600-h/DSCN65453.jpg"><img title="DSCN6545" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6545" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BMx1OrdkLYI/Ug_fXbS6-OI/AAAAAAAAE3g/JbL6XswDGvk/DSCN6545_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="558" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CZfGmc6xCgk/Ug_fXwTysuI/AAAAAAAAE3o/3Y2MHiDysUU/s1600-h/DSCN65492.jpg"></a></p> <p><font color="#804040" size="3">Afterward, we drove her to a few other places.  One of the places is my favorite view in the city, especially at night—the Citadella.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-X00YfDy_G7Q/Ug_fYp-akBI/AAAAAAAAE3w/cKnBODekG3g/s1600-h/DSCN65582.jpg"><img title="DSCN6571" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6571" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Va33kx9n3xY/Ug_fZXX1sEI/AAAAAAAAE34/FBGsbFQtgxk/DSCN65713.jpg?imgmax=800" width="416" height="316" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1af_oiVt2Tw/Ug_faKVCudI/AAAAAAAAE4A/Jdyx-5bB6hc/s1600-h/DSCN65663.jpg"><img title="DSCN6566" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6566" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GE-1-iYcP2w/Ug_farqi0QI/AAAAAAAAE4I/_SRrQjI53vA/DSCN6566_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="323" /></a> </a><font color="#804040" size="3">Since we were here last they added these blue telescope-type things.  Unfortunately, it made it difficult to take good pictures without including one.</font></p> <p><font color="#804040" size="3">We ended our time with showing her the parliament building from across the river. </font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ac9b1jT1Ud8/Ug_fbR-Rw2I/AAAAAAAAE4Q/U_RGeWSnouE/s1600-h/DSCN65783.jpg"><img title="DSCN6578" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6578" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3goO7osx7oI/Ug_fb6zBncI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/Iu53qRj6UjA/DSCN6578_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#804040" size="3">I’ve included a few “tourist”-type pictures in this post since I rarely do that for our own city and in case someone reading this hasn’t seen these.  I’m actually not even sure if my own mom has seen the parliament building during her visits!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-83121600103150640892013-08-14T20:44:00.001+02:002013-08-14T20:44:07.782+02:001st Time to Pool This Summer<p><font color="#0080c0" size="3">We hadn’t been to the pool yet this summer, so we decided to go the week before we took our vacation.  Actually, our plan this year was going to be to do several day trips, including the pool, since we were taking only a few days for vacation.  But, up until this point, we only did one thing.  One day of our vacation was going to be at a water park, so we knew we needed to expose the kids to a pool and deeper water before going.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vdAzho6w6w8/UgvP3TnBoYI/AAAAAAAAE1g/_ISktbwvuXE/s1600-h/IMG_81263.jpg"><img title="IMG_8126" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8126" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j9qP4kApItU/UgvP395XayI/AAAAAAAAE1o/akFF5QIiU8c/IMG_8126_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="322" /></a><font color="#0080c0" size="3">We got this swimming suit from a consignment shop in the States and realized that it’s probably not the best thing for Sienna at this age.  We thought the top being like this would be great and help her float, but it actually caused her to be forward, face in the water, a couple of times.  MANY of the little girls in Hungary don’t even wear a swim top; they only wear something on the bottom, so Sienna REALLY stood out wearing this.</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ljjKJPbkDc/UgvP48rZbgI/AAAAAAAAE1s/sr8Pnoprx_k/s1600-h/IMG_81294.jpg"><img title="IMG_8129" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8129" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UUe8eBfRGjM/UgvP5R1w7vI/AAAAAAAAE14/mVyPFhpMIkw/IMG_8129_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="423" height="323" /></a><font color="#0080c0" size="3">The Custers also joined us.  The kids played together some of the time.  I think William was trying to show Ethan how to fill this water gun with water.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cRGY6XVfvL0/UgvP6BxlqXI/AAAAAAAAE2A/Co02aYMHKvU/s1600-h/IMG_81423.jpg"><img title="IMG_8142" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8142" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1Gx8l_B9tn8/UgvP69TUCaI/AAAAAAAAE2I/c12WNsWlPYs/IMG_8142_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="322" /></a><font color="#0080c0" size="3">Since last summer, they have added this palm tree in the kiddie pool.  Ethan enjoyed shooting it with the water sprayer.</font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xcag7kc6rS4/UgvP7WvByGI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/g-MDdO1IbWg/s1600-h/IMG_81613.jpg"><img title="IMG_8161" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8161" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Hxlo18owtxE/UgvP8VqhAzI/AAAAAAAAE2Y/LSmbZwq6QV8/IMG_8161_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="560" /></a><font color="#0080c0" size="3">Ethan tried his goggles for the first time.  I’m actually not sure if he kept his eyes open or not when he did this.  But he was pretty proud of himself for putting his face in the water (which he doesn’t like to do).</font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zRLzOAqEU-8/UgvP8x4IZ9I/AAAAAAAAE2g/80xyC8PXtnY/s1600-h/IMG_81623.jpg"><img title="IMG_8162" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8162" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UN-4NOpNQrQ/UgvP9hDp0jI/AAAAAAAAE2o/mRnrFNBUoBw/IMG_8162_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="425" height="560" /></a><font color="#0080c0" size="3">I’m also not sure if I had the goggles tight enough to keep water out of his eyes.  I was never able to tighten my own goggles when I used to swim laps weekly.  I guess it’s about time that I figure this out!</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-89967209153497885152013-08-11T23:40:00.001+02:002013-08-11T23:40:12.111+02:00Sprinkler Time<p><font size="3">We don’t have a sprinkler (thus, we do have some brown grass), but the Strellmans have a sprinkler and have invited our kids to join their kids while playing in it.</font>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_Z2UuqxoEBI/UggEm0w3ERI/AAAAAAAAE0I/H2wMK1aNRKs/s1600-h/DSCN66813.jpg"><img title="DSCN6681" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6681" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-htiLKHasEEs/UggEnwAA9NI/AAAAAAAAE0Q/5f2YJyrGhls/DSCN6681_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="531" /></a> <font size="3">This was Ethan’s first time to play in the sprinkler.  He had a blast!</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0AHeIZ2NBOE/UggEos1t37I/AAAAAAAAE0Y/dYLTaGvJFUI/s1600-h/DSCN66873.jpg"><img title="DSCN6687" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6687" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gDAlCOgYcv0/UggEpuo7DMI/AAAAAAAAE0g/vQjF6slUgsY/DSCN6687_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" height="566" /></a>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F-RdFePYP5U/UggEqcK-YMI/AAAAAAAAE0o/JSN60rJSUBg/s1600-h/DSCN66823.jpg"><img title="DSCN6682" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6682" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oe82X2fgTpg/UggErAUVtPI/AAAAAAAAE0w/cCriyf93wIE/DSCN6682_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" height="562" /></a><font size="3">Sienna didn’t like it so much, so she ended up staying up on the porch watching the boys.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ITThAZwYvzc/UggEsNfIplI/AAAAAAAAE04/epyKqAhgu2Y/s1600-h/DSCN66963.jpg"><img title="DSCN6696" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6696" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MgkxOsTaX5c/UggEtBWXvsI/AAAAAAAAE1A/Fu7Nu0EDoB0/DSCN6696_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="328" /></a><font size="3">Kevin must have gotten bored and decided to just pick the sprinkler up and aim at people.  Ethan didn’t mind at all</font>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-O04Xc0mRC84/UggEt4zwKuI/AAAAAAAAE1I/nM5QZwY3xaM/s1600-h/DSCN66913.jpg"><img title="DSCN6691" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN6691" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8R9RGm8L0Wc/UggEusfC_pI/AAAAAAAAE1Q/3zX3C9rsATs/DSCN6691_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="413" height="544" /></a><font size="3">Ethan is blurry in this picture, but I still thought it was pretty cool looking.  The water almost looks like snow.</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119585464246339642.post-20144786705231369182013-08-09T21:39:00.001+02:002013-08-09T21:39:24.591+02:00New Neighbors<p><font color="#000080" size="3">The neighbors who lived behind us were from the States.  I actually taught their high school son when he was in first grade.  They moved back to the States in June, and some colleagues of ours moved into their house.  It’s actually a family that spent last Christmas with us.  They have 3 boys: one turns 3 next month, one just turned 5 and one just turned 8.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yvx8Wz7VOCo/UgVFXJSMFVI/AAAAAAAAEzQ/HqOJeu6Jz00/s1600-h/DSCN51713.jpg"><img title="DSCN5171" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSCN5171" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wQ_SNf2dRpk/UgVFX97rf2I/AAAAAAAAEzY/CsRwAZMYWEU/DSCN5171_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="318" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">We invited the boys over one day while their parents were moving things into their house.  I figured that it could be helpful, especially since they probably didn’t have toys unpacked yet to play with, etc.  This is probably one of the only times they have all played inside.</font>  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XjVqkJi_gdI/UgVFYtRnmxI/AAAAAAAAEzg/HF2CrQ3Djis/s1600-h/DSCN7472%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN7472" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7472" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Sm9U45w6zwg/UgVFZeK-iRI/AAAAAAAAEzo/hI-aiMInfi0/DSCN7472_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" height="552" /></a> <font color="#000080" size="3">Since they moved in I think our kids have wanted to play with them every day, as much as possible.  During breakfast, Ethan is already asking if they are outside.  We often have to ask our kids to come inside to eat lunch or get ready for bed.  It’s not like they are all outside ALL day long, but they kind of come and go throughout the day.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">This has been a very different experience for all of us (probably for the Strellmans too).  The other family had two adult children in the States and two high school students, so our kids were not so enthusiastic about going over to their house.  All houses in Hungary have fences around them, but we have a gate in the fence between our houses.  Our kids would go to their house to play on the swing set, but they never went anywhere else around the house.  Now we have to think about things that we never thought of before such as telling our kids not to walk out their front gate (to the street), not to pick up rocks and throw them (which they never did before, but have now started doing), etc.  I’m sure this will be a learning curve for us and the Strellmans with figuring out boundaries and what works best for each of our families.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_pI6RZvxHuk/UgVFaEHZ-ZI/AAAAAAAAEzw/DJXmUFPzvZA/s1600-h/DSCN7489%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSCN7489" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="DSCN7489" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9tX9zxTv3SM/UgVFaro96VI/AAAAAAAAEz4/ujKL4N-c9yg/DSCN7489_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="326" /></a><font color="#000080" size="3">I’m thankful that our kids have other kids so close that they can play with, and especially enjoy being outside with.  They play with some Hungarian children who are neighbors, but not as often.  It will be interesting to see how Sienna ends up doing with even more boys to play with now as she gets older (our team has 6 boys ages 11 and under and only one other girl who is 5 years older than Sienna).</font></p> Gary and Kim Rickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02045419303322057936noreply@blogger.com0