It seems I’ve been out of contact for quite some time and the past few weeks have been crazy.  One day Joe and I started talking about possibly moving to a new house.  It came up rather causally but as we started to think more about it we decided that it would be a good idea.  Our house was so large and old that I was having a hard time cleaning it, not to mention how hard it is to heat and cool with the 15 foot ceilings.  We also wanted to be closer to friends and the base since the baby is coming soon.  Well, within 2 weeks, we had decided to move, looked at 4 houses, decided on one, packed and moved.  It was crazy!  I felt like I was packing for a natural disaster, throwing things haphazardly in boxes.  Moving in 100 degree weather while 18 weeks pregnant is not the easiest thing to do.  I packed all I could and let the guys do the heavy lifting while my friends yelled at me when I even so much as picked up a broom.  We are currently settled in our new home and loving it.  It’s much smaller, which I am actually grateful for.  A 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with a large kitchen/great room and a gorgeous backyard.  While the boxes still loom, we’re getting slowly unpacked (since I can’t lift anything heavy) I only have pics of the outside of the house.  Oh, and the plus – central air (a rarity in Europe).  Our new landlord owns an HVAC company, how lucky are we?

The front of the house.  Don’t be fooled we don’t live in a dangerous neighborhood.  All the homes in La Ramira have gated/walled exteriors for safety and privacy.

The front yard, complete with turtle pond/fountain.  The owner’s daughter had 2 turtles so they left them in the pond for us.  They’re quite cute!  We named them Leonardo and Donatello, of course!

The back patio, a perfect spot for breakfast.  The door on the left leads to the pool bathroom/laundry room.  The sliding glass door leads into the kitchen/great room.

The pool and the backyard.  On the right and behind the wall at the back are fruit trees: apple, pear, peach, lemon, orange, plum, pomegranate, persimmon, grape and tomatoes. 

The BBQ area, perfect for outdoor entertaining!

We love our new house!  I love cooking without breaking a sweat, the pool is a welcome break to the 100+ degrees we’ve been having here and we’re close to all our friends.  Whenever you want to come visit let us know, we have a spare guest room waiting to be used.