In March of 2017, four of my dearest friends came to stay with us in Spain and we had an awesome 8 days!!

We started by picking up the girls in Seville and showing them all around the beautiful town that we have grown to love. We took horse drawn carriage rides, ate paella, drank tinto, and watched them adapt to the culture all around them.

Once we got back to our town of El Puerto, I took the girls down to the local beach just to dip their toes in the sand and water and have some relaxing time together! We danced along the beach, goofed off as always and just enjoyed our time together!!

The girls and I went on a bodega tour in the town of Jerez de la Frontera. It is a fairly newer bodega being around for only about 15 years which was so refreshing seeing how excited they still are about their products and the process of developing new wines. We got to see the entire process from picking to fermentation and then enjoyed some tapas and wine sampling. It was a great little girls day while the kids were at school and Jayson was working. Katie and Lindsay were definitely in their element while Me Ali and Stacy were just trying not to do something wrong etiquette wise lol.

We walked around the little town of Rota one day as well. We went inside the old castle that is now City Hall. We were allowed up on the rooftop (which was even a first for Jayson and I) which gave us beautiful views of the city and ocean. We showed them inside the old Catholic church in town and the magnificent detail that is inside these cathedrals. Tapas, tinto, and of course lots of good conversation and laughter made for a pretty great day. We went back that night for a night out on the town and lets just say…. it was a FUN night and I don’t think Rota knew what hit it lol

We made the short trip up to Ronda, Spain which was also a first for our little family. We enjoyed an amazing 4 course meal with 180 degree views of the vast countryside below. We walked the town, looked out over the gorge and onto the Puente Nuevo bridge that towers above it all.  It was such a relaxing and serene day which was just what we needed.

We had another relaxing day where we went to have fish pedicures done in another local town called Sanlucar, We had champagne and chocolates while fish ate at our feet and just sat and gossiped and caught up. We grabbed take out Chinese food on the way home and enjoyed a night in at our house.

Our final night with the girls was spent horse back riding on the beach of El Puerto. Our horses had crazy names and I’m pretty sure our guides thought we were all nuts, but we had a great time! It was cold and windy that evening but the views of the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean were breathtaking.

This picture cracks me up!!!! I could not have timed this photo any better lol

I have to state that it ended up being one of two weeks in March where the African winds were very strong and the temperature had dropped a lot lower than normal. I had planned things for each day they were here so that they would get to see as much as possible in the short time they were here, but mother nature had other plans. I had planned a trip to Tangier, Morocco and Gibraltar, UK as well so that the girls could say they visited not only several cities, but three countries on two continents while they were here, but with high winds and a little rain, the ferry rides were shut down and our plans were canceled. We made the best of the days and the weather though!!

I laughed soooo hard in that week, felt like I was 22 again at times, remembered very quickly that these friendships are ones I will cherish forever and the memories and inside jokes from this trip will always stick with us!

These two photos sum up that week sooooo well…..

My kids LOVED having the girls here. They bonded with them so much and I loved finally getting to see this since we have always lived away from my friends.

The pure joy on their faces at the fact that it is legal to take wine to go and walk around the streets of town just enjoying your drink haha.

Love you girls so stinkin’ much! We are so very grateful that you came all that way to see us and experience this adventure in our lives with us. We had a blast…. now COME BACK!!!!