Here's What We Did: 2014!

We're so happy that you found our page! We tried to write a newsletter but were struggling to fit everything on one page and keep the pictures looking good, so we decided to take the Christmas family update into the 21st Century! Here we will post some pictures from our year.... get comfy, there are lots of them!

SPRING

Azora's first houseguest

Azora has spent most of her life so far hanging out with older boys. She seems to love the cars, trains and boisterous activities but it was wonderful having Lovely Ella to stay. The girls played gentle games together and read books, went to the beach, and lunches with their Mummies. Bliss

Azora and Ella

Ziggy plays football (soccer)

It was an up and down experience, the best part of which for all of us was the guarantee of seeing the Dammrichs once a week. The Soccer/Football aspect of it was somewhat less of a success, with Ziggy preferring to sit on the sidelines sipping apple juice while the grown ups tried to gossip.

Listening to Coach Lauren

Getting ready to score a goal

Juice break

Learning the next drill

They loved the songs and games

GOAL!!!

Pitch invasion!!!

Thomas the Tank Engine chugs in to South Florida for the day

Ziggy had a blast!

Meeting the Fat Controller aka Sir Topham Hatt

Ziggy the Train Engineer

There he is!! There he is!!

Pea has her wisdom teeth removed

No pictures, nothing much to say. All four teeth gone. The drugs were fun tho!

Ziggy starts frequenting the hair salon

After trying to keep him still with the tv, raisins, chocolates and various other bribes, Pea was forced to admit defeat and hand the hair trimming duties over to someone else. And she hasn't looked back!

Ready to go

That tickles!!

SUMMER

Azora's FIRST birthday

It's whizzed by but we celebrated by having cake for breakfast

We got up early to decorate and set out her presents

Happy little lady with her birthday crown and goodies

Group photo with the self timer

Taking her brownie cake very seriously!

Christening

Drawing inspiration from David and Anne's wedding, we had Ziggy and Azora christened at Firle Church and a wonderful celebration afterwards at Beddingham.

All together outside the church

Such a wonderful moment- all of us reaching forwards and touching Ziggy as he sits on the font receiving the blessing.

Girls in the church

Azora with her Godmothers - Emma and Sophie

Cousins playing together. Not throwing stones in the pond. No no no

Anne's beautiful christening cake

Ziggy and Godfather Barney

Ziggy with Godfather Adam

Happy

With my best step brother, Mark

First Steps and Cousin Chaos

The day after the Christening, Azora dazzled and delighted us all by taking her first REAL steps in her cousin's kitchen while we were all having lunch. Such a special moment made all the more memorable due to everyone being there to witness it with us
After the lunch both she and Ziggy had the time of their lives playing with their cousins. Ziggy STILL talks about it!

Auntie Mel's delicious and healthy raw cacao brownie!

Hair styled by Grace

Mayhem, but wonderful to see them all playing so happily

Ziggy having a blast with Oscar's trains

All together!

British Day Trips

We took a couple of day trips around the place to catch up with friends and do some touristy things

The Brighton Wheel

Waaaay up high above the seafront

Riding a teeny tiny train on the beach

.... and a bigger real train on the Bluebell Railway

Learning about coupling from a real train expert

Wiltshire - England at it's best on a beautiful sunny day

Old Abbey Farm, visiting Lucy

Ziggy's dreams came true when he sat in a big digger!

Wonderful to catch up after so long xxx

Fly-by visit with Sharon and Vicki in London

A freezy fresh walk along the clifftops by Beachy Head with the Abuelos

Before warming up with a pub lunch!

Hi-jinx with the Burgoynes

Ziggy working off his lunch on the trampoline! They both slept SO well in the car afterwards!

Azora starts Pre-School

This was a big day for all of us, but we had the reassurance that her teachers were the same that Ziggy had and he was nearby to comfort her if needed. That said, she settled in really well, really quickly

Both in matching uniforms for the first time

Ziggy gives her a tour of the Cherry Blossom highlights

Settling in to her classroom. Where are the snacks?

Ziggy turns 3!

Wow, how did this happen so fast?? He had a cake party with his class at Cherry Blossom on Friday, presents on Saturday and a slice of cake and singalong at the Cheesecake Factory after his football/soccer class on Sunday! Way to stretch it out!!

Ziggy at the head of the table

Azora joins in the fun!

Hugs with lovely Miss Elsys

Peekaboo - I'm THREE!

Wow, look at all these presents!!

Of ALL the gifts, this one, Tidmouth Sheds, from his doting Abuelos, is his absolute favourite!

Surprise and amazement when he voluntarily and unpromted shares his birthday cheesecake with his sister!

4th July

We celebrated Independence Day this year with a barbecue on the pool deck of our building and watched fireworks with friends in the evening from the comfort of our balcony

Pre-lunch trip to Museum Park

First s'more (English readers - this is a biscuit sandwich with chocolate and toasted marshmallows. Delicious

Happy 4th buddy!

Fireworks over the bay

Back to Europe!

In August we were given a somewhat unexpected but wonderful opportunity to travel back to England, so we grabbed it enthusiastically with both hands and also went to Switzerland to catch up with Al, Becca and Finley, after a very long time. By sheer luck, the dates we had chosen to be in England coincided with Tasha, Mick, Jan and Gabriel visiting as well, so combined with our other siblings and parents who already live there, we were able to see EVERYONE - a truly special feat and one we are so grateful for - for having the time to catch up with everyone in person for a change.

Switzerland

Loving the swiss train!

Uncle Alan! Uncle Alan! Meeting up at Aigle train station!

Staggeringly beautiful views

Story time with Auntie Becca

Finley escorted us up his mountain in a cable car. He was an excellent tourguide and showed us all the points of interest along the way

Ahhhh, Caillou - little darling puppy. We all fell in love with him, but Azora fell hardest and had a hard time saying goodbye

Not like the playgrounds in Miami

All aboard!!

London

Top deck of the number 11 bus - Ziggy was delighted (almost as much as Pea!)

Azora's sleepover with Harry Hatcher - ooooh err!

Second Generation Sibtonites barbecue in Wandworth

Entranced by the planes at the Science Museum

In Hamleys - England's most famous toy shop and missing all the funss

Tickles with Uncle Rufus at the Mess in Knightsbridge

Up to no good in the Mess

Lunch at Wagamamas for old time's sake with Ed

Pigeon chasing in Coven Garden after a trip to the Transport Museum

Country kids

Evening jog enjoying the cool air and marveling at the views

Walking in the sheep field at Beddingham.

Raystede Animal Sanctuary - HORSE!!

Fearlessly feeding goats at Raystede

Picking peaches at Beddingham

Digging up mole hills - this activity kept her occupied for HOURS!

Gordon-Deans together!

Not Miami temperatures! Softie!

Loving the great outdoors

Baguette battle with Godmother Camilla

Sheep!

Blackberry picking. We picked the hedgerows bare every evening and still they wanted more. Even eating the yellow and red 'black'berries, such was their appetite!

Enjoying the beautiful garden. Ziggy took to catching bees with his bare hands. Yes, you read that right. Bees

Aubaine, Ziggy loves you!

Eastbourne Escapades

This was one of the best parts of the whole trip - we agreed to meet everyone in the shopping center, and as soon as Ziggy saw Oscar, he bolted over to him and gave him the most enormous hug. So touching to see such affection!

Playing cars with his cousins - too much fun!

Pub lunch - Azora is not sharing her bread. No no no !

Marcos and Clive catching some rays in East Grinstead

Wowwww, look at the planes! Grace points out the Red Arrows to Azora at the Eastbourne Air Show

Back on the BlueBell Railway

Loving the worn out upholstery

Having a great time running up and down the carriages

English views at their best rolling past our train window on the way to East Grinstead

Snack time

Oh god! WHO gave her a KitKat??

AUTUMN

Launching HPB Eleven

After 14 years of working for an agency, Marcos decided to start his own one. HPB Eleven officially opened its doors for business on September 1st. The concept is nice and simple - the way marketing should be. HPB stands for Helping People Buy; the fundamental purpose of all marketing. And Eleven, because only 11% of marketing is ever remembered, so the promise is to always deliver fresh, evocative and compelling work that falls into that 11%. HPB Eleven is currently taking on clients in the Miami / Florida area!! www.hpbeleven.com

Water Babies

The summer months are notoriously tough in Miami. The temperature stays about the same year round, but from late May to October, the humidity makes for a very hostile outdoor environment. Fortunately we all love the water so spent as much time as we could in swimming pools or the beach cooling down as much as we could. They are now both excellent in and under the water and also had a riot building sandcastles on the beach with us. Here are some picture highlights from the year

Floating solo

Outrunning the waves

More cautious

Rearranging the beach

Poolside selftimer

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Water baby

Jumping in to the water - his absolutely favourite thing to do

Afternoon swim with his buddy Enrique

AUTUMN

Daddy and Anne visit Miami

This much-anticipated visit was a blast. They surprised the kids at school, we rode speedboats, dressed up for Halloween, saw some dolphins in the bay (not an everyday occurrence!), saw Tom and Sue McNeill in Palm Beach and got Daddy to buy some proper running shoes (more of an achievement than it might sound).

Ziggy greets David and Anne at the Aiport in his PJs with a dolphin balloon

Azora gets the surprise of her life the next day when her 'Grandan' comes to pick her up from school!

Walking home together

Speedboating around Biscayne Bay

Showering the kids with water during a pool party

Dolphin in the bay - a (fairly) rare treat for the out-of-towners!

Palm Beach lunch with Tom and Sue McNeill

Halloween

We visited a pumpkin patch for the first time and the kids got REALLY excited about their costumes and didn't want to take them off in the weeks leading up to Halloween
Pea also got excited and went to the effort of taking her Cleopatra wig to the hairdresser for adjustments to get the best look for the night!
Daddy and Anne did not disappoint and good-naturedly dressed up as pirates for the evening. Lots of fun!

The pumpkins are not for eating!!

Pumpkin patch

Azora the bumblebee arrives at school

Buzz Lightyear and Buzz Lightyear!! Dress up day at school

Kids Halloween party in our building

Grownups party in our building

Pirate, Pirate lady, Cleopatra and Pharoah

WINTER

Turks and Caicos

Ahhh, Turks and Caicos... this place is paradise, we had another wonderful action packed week. The kids loved the kids programme and the adults loved the beaches, snorkeling, food, drink and sun and waterslides. Such happy memories!