Our local restaurant had asked me back in December if i could work New years Eve, it was a set menu so no need to take orders, having thought about it for a couple of weeks i agreed -once of course we confirmed the pay and hours needed. On New Years Eve the sun shone again and we leisured around the pool. This was soon interupted when the phone rang it was the bar asking if i could come now as they are behind with the prep! I like to help when i can so off i went. After a quick skip down the hill I arrived and was suprised to find a packed bar full of thristy and very noisy young men. This is not what i had expected. I had expected to prepare for the busy evening ahead, we even had a birthday party turn up and gladly they obliged food and drinks. I suppose they didn't want to turn away any business. Anyway, I tried to help behind the bar but with very little training you could say i was definitely thrown in the deep end. After a couple of hours I stressed that i must go home and change for the evening. I returned at 6.45 ready for the first arrivals, the bar was much quieter now and so enabled us to clean up ready for the night ahead. The evening went well and was actually much easier than the afternoon. Paul and the girls came along at 9pm and managed to stay to see the new year in and for the first time we did the 12 grapes and had a dance. I managed to escape just gone 1.30am but the bar was still busy. Walking home through the village it was clear from the booming bass coming from houses and other bars these night owls were far from done celebrating. After a long lay in I woke to find a message from the bar asking if i could come to work again! I managed to get there at 2pm and it was just as busy as the night before but no one had pre ordered and my lack of Spanish was a serious downfall as it was full of Spanish today. I found the day harder than New Years Eve but it was nice that Hildi and Manolo offered us all a meal after on them. We left at 6pm fed and watered and for me ready for bed!
On the last day of the Christmas school holidays we went to my Mums in Chilches for the day at the coast it was a much needed day of relaxation with a lovely home cooked meal.
The 6th of Jan was the Festival of the 3 kings in the day we (for the first time) we all walked along the Zafarraya pass, the views were spectacular and the almond trees are just starting to blossom. It was another lovely bright sunny day so we decided to have a BBQ in the afternoon. In the village the 3 Kings go on a trailer around the village and all the surrounding areas and when it finally returns at night they give presents and thousands of sweets to kids -we still have the bagful of sweets in the cupboard today. We were cautioned to take a carrier bag with us as there are aot of sweets and a tin hat as it can be painful! They were right on both subjects!! The Monday was another bank holiday which was a nice surprise.
The 10th of Jan soon rolled around which meant it was my birthday 
my Mum and Rob drove over and we went for Tapa in the village and on the Saturday night they returned again and we all went to Venta El Charco a Steak restaurant with the most amazing view of La Maroma and Lake Vinuela it had been recommended to us by Pepe the pool man when we arrived. We had a fantastic meal, one of the best steaks I've ever had washed down by a lovely glass of the house Rioja. 
The following day we once again went up to the Zafarraya pass it is called the pass as when you go through it you are in the Granada province not Malaga. We decided to walk a different route today and gladly we had prepared a picnic which of course we ate almost as soon as we got there we sat on the edge devouring our sandwiches with the most beautiful view on a very hot day.
After a 6 week gap we needed to make the long drive to stock up on Ted's food, so with Chloe's birthday looming I thought we'd squeeze in a trip to Primark in the shopping centre at Fuengirola. It was a bit tight on time as girls are only at school for 5 hours but we just managed it. The shopping centre was nice but the surrounding area was certainly an eye opener!
One of the things which is a constant problem is completing the paperwork to get everything legal here. The school have been asking for our Padron from the Town Hall but we cannot get this unless our girls have NIEs. We finally got a appointment at the local police station and went along with the girls only to be told that they need to see the girls Birth Certificates and they need them to have a Apostille and be translated!! I was soooo disapointed after waiting for this appointment and taking the girls out of school to be told we didn't have the right documents, I could have screamed! The lady did not understand my frustration and said its not a problem just get it done and come back. Easy for her to say she doesn't reliase how much it took just to get to this point. One word of advice for anyone else bringing children to Spain before you leave get their birth certificates a Apostille it will save you alot of time! The saga continues...
The weekend was much more joyful, the girls went to my Mum's for the weekend (their first time) Paul and I had a fantastic time, we enjoyed a variety of food and drink and the general slower pace where nobody was wanting anything of me. The girls equally had a briliant time and didn't have time to miss us.
We had another Fiesta in the village on Sunday 'San Sebastian' so of course the girls had another day off School on the Monday no complaints there!