Bosnia's World Cup Schedule

Photo courtesy of: Sportskeeda

It should come as no surprise that the Howards will be cheering for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup.  Not only is the team good, but national pride in the Dragons, a team made up of Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs, could go a long way towards healing and unification in a country still divided by ethnic lines.  Here is the schedule for the BiH Dragons.  Please tune in and help us cheer them on!  Idi Bosni!

Sunday, 6/15 at 6 p.m. EST, vs. Argentina (ESPN)
Saturday, 6/21 at 6 p.m. EST, vs. Nigeria (ESPN)
Wednesday, 6/25, at 3 p.m. EST, vs. Iran (ESPN2)

If you can't watch live, you can get updates here: Bosnia's FIFA homepage

a beach day

While in Bradenton, we took the opportunity to hit the beach on nearby Anna Maria Island.  It was a gorgeous day, but very windy, so Sam and I needed an extra layer while hanging out in the shade.  Liam had a blast chasing the seagulls and playing in the sand and Gulf.  We enjoyed our morning very much!

Jet lag remedies

Jet lag is no joke.  Anyone who has ever had to experience it (by traveling across time zones OR working the night shift every other two weeks, right Dad?), knows that it can be grueling to adjust.  One of the best methods for us is to get outside and get some sun when we start fading.  GG and Grandpa's pool proved to be VERY good at helping us get over the 6 hour time difference from Sarajevo!  And having GG and Grandpa around to play may have been the best remedy of all!

Mother's Day in FL

As most of you know, our time in Sarajevo has ended.  We left our home of two years the day before Mother's Day to fly to FL to relax and spend time with family before beginning our next tour in Jerusalem.  I will write a special "Goodbye, Sarajevo" post later, when I can process all the emotions we felt during that time, but for now, let's skip ahead to happier times.

After a full 24 hours of travel door to door, it was nice to get some rest and awake to the Florida sunshine at GG and Grandpa's house.  Grandma Sally made the trip down from The Villages to visit with us, and that was a real treat.  Many of you know that Walter and Sally Childs used to live in my hometown, even attending the church my family attended, so our families have known each other a LONG time, despite the fact that Geoff and I really didn't meet until many years later in Virginia Beach.  It was wonderful to see her, and the boys enjoyed their great-grandmother very much!  Thanks for making the trip, Grandma Sally!

Sammy and Grandma Sally shared some smiles and giggles.

Liam got to hear Rhymes for Kindly Children, a book older than his GG!

Four generations

5 months old!

Sammy boy is now 5 months old.  We can hardly believe it.  He is growing so quickly and learning so much.  Current stats:

Height: 26 inches (50%)

Weight: 17 pounds (75%)

Accomplishments: Constant smiling, rolling from back to front,
"scooching" an inch or two, talking "Ahooo" and "Ga,"
riding his first ride--It's a Small World at Disney World, 

teething, and laughing at big brother.

He is such a happy baby!  We adore him!

Our last trip, part 2

After two nights in Bled, we departed for the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana.  Slovenia is not a large country, about the size of New Jersey, so it was not a long drive.  The rain held off while we set out to explore the city.  Simply put, it is charming.  The center of the city is a pedestrian only zone, and walkways lined with cafes and shops are on both side of the Ljubljanica River.  It really struck me how fortunate Slovenia was to only have had a 10-day-war when they decided to declare independence from Yugoslavia.  Sarajevo has the potential to be a charming river city as well, but a 4 year siege really did its damage on the infrastructure.

While walking along the river, we ran into some friends from Sarajevo who recommended a good restaurant, where we sat outside and enjoyed an amazing lunch complete with black truffles from Istria.  After lunch, we took a mini-tram up to the castle above the city, where we got a lovely view of the city below.  After the castle, we headed back into the city to get a peak at the famous dragons, the symbol of Ljubljana.  We then went back to the hotel, so Sam could nap, and so that Liam and Geoff could check out the hotel pool.  After a nice break, we ventured out to dinner and returned to the restaurant where we had lunch. Some might call that a cop out, but lunch was so impressive, we wanted to go back!  Geoff ordered the duck, and it was one of the best things I have ever tasted.

We thoroughly enjoyed Ljubljana.  Geoff and I hope very much to return to Slovenia one day.  It just might be my favorite country visited during our two years here, and let's NOT forget that I am a serious Anglophile who got to go to London twice during that time.  It's a huge compliment to Slovenia.

 The Ljubljana Castle above the city

 MMMMMM...candy!

 At the castle

 The view from the castle

Ljubljana's dragons

Our last trip, part 1

For our last European excursion, we decided to revisit Lake Bled, Slovenia and to tour Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia for the first time.  We decided on Ljubljana after debating such destinations as Venice, Trieste, and Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.  But our limited amount of time, it being Easter weekend, and having two kids in tow made us choose Ljubljana.  It was a VERY good call.  But more on Ljubljana in the next post.  This one focuses on Bled.

We drove the almost 8 hours to Bled in one fell swoop, stopping every 3 hours or so to feed Sam.  Both boys did amazingly well, and we were not surprised by that.  They are the best travelers in the family.  We had to drive through some snow and quite a bit of rain, but by the time we reached Bled, the rain was behind us, and we could finally relax and enjoy the charms of Slovenia.

The views from our room were lovely!

Here is Castle Bled above the lake and the snowy-peaked Alps beyond.

And here is the island and its church.

Dinner #1 = SEAFOOD!  A delicious seafood risotto, some calamari, 

and a pan-seared John Dory.

The next morning dawned clear.

 So we began our 30 minute hike to the castle.

Once at the top, we toured Castle Bled and its museum.

 The monk in charge of the wine cellar let Liam hold a sword.

 The views from the castle were impressive.

Here's a nice family shot.

 Dinner #2 = traditional Slavic fare at Gostilna Union Bled.  

Gostilnas have to follow strict rules and get approval to receive this special label.

That's our dinner over the coals!

 And finally, our post dinner eye candy.

After the boys fell asleep, 

Geoff and I enjoyed some Slovenian wine while taking in these sights.