Musings of a not so normal life...

Slacker!! Part 3

2010-06-27T20:03:00.004+02:00

Ahhh...then we come to May. The time of field trips and class parties...

Here is Kaitlin rock climbing with her Girl Scout troop.

And A.J. at the zoo.

Slacker!! Part 2

2010-06-27T17:24:00.007+02:00

Then, we went on a little trip...

***blogger is not letting me upload the slideshows of my trips to Berlin and Prague. I will try again another day (or month)***

There was Berlin:

Then there was shopping in Poland for pottery. Here is my loot:

We also did some sightseeing, but were soon on our way to the next stop.

Prague!!!

Slacker!! Part 1

2010-06-27T16:59:00.004+02:00

So, since I last posted we've had Easter. Of course, my kids looked super cute! There were also a lot of Easter markets to be visited-because I "needed" the hand painted Easter eggs that Germany has.

Horseback Riding

2010-03-07T21:36:00.003+01:00

This past week the kids started on a new adventure-horseback riding! We're going to a horse stable not too far from us. Before they ride the horses they have to brush them, clean their hooves and then help saddle and harness them. Then they go to the arena to practice riding. Right now, it's one on one lessons for them-which is really awesome. They practice riding, and afterwards they help unsaddle the horses and then feed them. It's a great opportunity for them to learn riding AND how to take care of the horses.

Disney Paris

2010-02-21T19:24:00.011+01:00

This last month we took a little trip to EuroDisney. It was everything I expected and MORE! We had so much fun! We stayed at one of the Disney hotels so we were in walking distance of the park. We rode rides, drank hot chocolate, and just had a complete blast for three FULL days! And we were introduced to a whole new world-pin trading! The kids had so much fun trading and collecting the pins.

Christmas!

2010-02-21T19:06:00.005+01:00

Just a few pictures from Christmas.

Kaitlin's Birthday

2010-02-21T18:44:00.004+01:00

Soooo...it's been awhile since I've updated this. Anyway, back to the subject of Kaitlin's birthday. On her birthday we had cupcakes and she opened her presents from us. She was so excited to get a camera from us!

We celebrated a few days afterwards this year. There was a big snow storm that day, but it didn't keep anyone away. We did her party at the post movie theater. We watched The Princess and the Frog. The kids also were given a tour of the movie theater, and learned how the movies are shown on the big screen. Everyone had a good time, and there was no clean up for mom:)

Venice

2009-12-10T18:23:00.002+01:00

Our final day in Italy we spent in Venice. The goal was to ride a gondola! The weather was a little chilly, but not too bad. We drove to Venice, and then wandered around looking for St. Mark's Square. We found it, and then found a gondola. We didn't know if they would even take us out, because the sea was really choppy, but they took us. We got in. I was a little nervous because we kept tipping from side to side, but once we got into the canals it was ok. We rode around on the tourist route, and our gondolier even sang to us! When we got back to the sea it was a little rocky again (I was hanging on for dear life, hoping we wouldn't tip) After that we went to Hard Rock Cafe, again. We walked around some more, did a little shopping and then headed back to our motel.

Rome

2009-12-10T17:48:00.002+01:00

We headed over to Rome to spend Thanksgiving. My cousin Rachel joined us there. We arrived Thanksgiving Day and went for dinner that night. Jamie told the people that owned the resteraunt to "make us happy" I'm not completely sure if we were happy, but they sure were when we paid our bill. After we ate we walked back to our apartment, and had dessert at the Gelataria acroos the street.

The next day we got up and went to the Vatican. We wanted to see the Sistine Chapel (which we did, after walking through A LOT of the Vatican) The guard there kept saying, "SHHHH! NO PHOTOS" in a really nasally voice. He was actually louder than all the people that were in there. After that we took the subway to see some Baths--we didn't get to see them because they were under construction. So, then we went to the Spanish Steps. After that we called it a night, and headed home. We took the two hour route from the subway, instead of the ten minute one...and stopped at the Gelataria.

On our final day in Rome we went to the Coloseum. First though, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. I like going to the Hard Rock in Europe because the bathrooms are always clean and the toliets have seats. After being in Europe for a few years, those are really important to me. After lunch we went to the Colloseum, then saw the Palantine Hill (ruins). After that we walked through the Jewish Ghetto (that is not a ghetto anymore, but it used to be a flooded area that they forced the Jews to live in) all the way to the Pantheon. And then we walked the ten minutes home....that changed to ten more minutes every ten minutes. Confused yet?

Italy!

2009-12-10T17:11:00.003+01:00

We went to Italy for several days this past month. Since we went and saw so much, I will do several posts.

Our first stop was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We went and pretended to hold it up, and walked around Pisa some. We also had pizza in Pisa for lunch. After lunch we headed over to the medieval walled city of Lucca. We did some walking (on top of the wall) and just checking out the town.

The second day we went to Cinque de Terre, or The Five Villages. We hiked the paths between some of the villages, and rode the train the rest of them. There were gorgeous views of the ocean, and yummy Italian gelato!

The third day we went to Florence. The sole purpose of that trip was to see Michealangelo's David. We accomplished that, but unfortunately photos are not allowed in the museum. We also had lunch there and walked through the outdoor markets.

Party Party!

2009-10-22T22:20:00.002+02:00

We celebrated A.J.'s birthday last weekend. He FINALLY had a birthday party that was more than just us. We invited a lot of friends over. We had around 30 people over. A.J. had a BLAST! He loved his Transformer cake, and opening presents. In fact, the next day he asked if we could have another birthday party next week. I said no, we only have birthday parties once a year. He said it doesn't have to be a birthday party-just a PRESENT party. I still said no-so let's not let him in on the idea of an unbirthday party.

Happy Birthday A.J.!!!

2009-10-03T14:15:00.005+02:00

A.J. turned 6 this past week. We will be having a party for him later this month. I made cupcakes for his kindergarten class, and he FINALLY got the talking Optimus Prime he has been wanting!

A.J.'s First Day of Kindergarten

2009-09-08T16:25:00.007+02:00

Awww....it went so fast. My baby is in kindergarten now! Today when I took A.J. to school he gave me a big wave and a big smile and walked in without a backward glance! When I picked him up I asked him how school went and he gave me a two thumbs up.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-08T16:13:00.003+02:00

This past weekend we did a little trip to the Netherlands. We live pretty close-it's about a 4 1/2 drive to the town we like to stay in. On Sunday we headed over to Amsterdam. It's a beautiful city, pretty much built in circles around the canals. While we were there we went to the red light district (it was noon when we went-I'm pretty sure it's a completely different atmosphere at night than during the day) The kids were so enthralled with the swans in the canal that they completely missed the prostitutes in the windows. (Thank God!) We went on a boat ride around Amsterdam, too. The last thing we did was visit the Anne Frank House. Another sobering moment, a reminder of the atrocities that happened here. It was incredible to see the tiny space where the Frank family and another family hid.

On Monday we went to Kinderdijk on our way home. It's a cute little village of windmills. There are 19 windmills, and they have one that is working. When you go inside of it they show how the Dutch lived in their windmills. The rooms were so tiny-maybe my apartment isn't so bad after all...the kids had a blast climbing all the way to the top of the windmill, on the narrow steep steps. I wouldn't have wanted to go down them in the dark!

Kaitlin's First Day of School

2009-08-31T12:10:00.003+02:00

How is it possible that my little girl is in 4th grade already????

Luxembourg and Bastogne

2009-08-30T16:49:00.005+02:00

Last weekend we took a little drive through Luxembourg and Belgium. We visited the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. It is very sobering walking through and seeing all the white crosses. Especially when you think about how young most of the men were, and the fact that they gave their lives that others would have freedom. After that we drove to Bastogne, where the Battle of the Bulge was fought. The story of the battle was engraved on the walls of the memorial. It was a fascinating battle. The countryside of Belgium reminded me of the Midwest, too. Most of the time when you're driving through European villages they are just so cute and old fashioned. In Belgium I felt like I was back home in Iowa there for a little bit.

Summer is almost over...

2009-08-04T17:28:00.002+02:00

and I haven't been posting updates. My mom and Aunt Marian were here at the beginning of the summer. Mom came before school let out, and Marian came at the end of the summer. We did A LOT of running and sightseeing while they were here. We went to Paris of the 4th of July and did a few day trips in between. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed having company:)

Jamie had surgery last week to repair the damage to the nerves in his arm. He is on leave until next week. We go back on Tuesday for a follow up.

We probably won't have any exciting trips or pictures for the rest of the summer. Our excitement now consists of going to the Macaroni Grill (just opened last month!) and Chili's, and I know that's just not too exciting for those of you that live near yummy restaurants. But for us....ahhhh it is a treat to go there!

Graduation Day

2009-06-11T21:20:00.004+02:00

It's finally happened. After years of hoping and praying A.J. has finally graduated PRE-SCHOOL! Ha ha! Yesterday was A.J.'s preschool graduation. His school went all out. They had an outer space theme, complete with planets and a rocket ship. They sang a song about blasting off to kindergarten, and were given diplomas. It was absolutely fantastic! We really enjoyed the whole program, and I only cried a little (at graduation anyway)

Opening Night!

2009-05-29T12:03:00.003+02:00

Last night was the opening night for Kaitlin's current play, Our Town. Once again, the cast did amazing (especially Kaitlin, although I am a little biased) We're not allowed to video (copy write laws) or take pictures (theater rules) but I did get a photo of Kaitlin after the show with her flowers. Here she is:

So, I've been slacking...

2009-05-18T12:20:00.005+02:00

I have a good reason (other than that I am a huge procrastinator!) We have been so busy, with soccer, theater, and just life!

Anyway, two weeks ago we had beautiful weather, and no extra activities so we did a little sightseeing over the weekend. On Saturday we headed over to Cologne. We went to the cathedral there, and the chocolate factory.

Then on Sunday we headed over to Ronnenburg Castle for a Medieval Festival. The kids were able to bake bread over an open fire, and watch some knights sword fighting, and even saw a peacock!

Dreamland Everlasting: "Be careful what you wish for"

2009-04-26T18:25:00.007+02:00

Kaitlin has been involved in SKIES (School of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration, and Skill) theater classes here at Wiesbaden since last summer. This last session, the kids actually wrote and then performed a play. They performed it on Sat. April, 25, and did a FANTASTIC job! We were impressed at the ideas they took and made a play out of. There are three sisters, Katrina, Kaitlin, and Christina. Kaitlin doesn't believe in dreamland, and that night the good fairy comes in to send all the girls to Dreamland, but gets into a fight with the witch. The fairy manages to send Kaitlin and Christina to Dreamland, but the witch sends Katrina to the Land of Nightmares. It is up to the other two girls to rescue her, with the help of a necklace given to them by the queen of Dreamland. The girls rescue their sister, and then wake up and think it's all a dream, except Christina still has the necklace (which their mother thinks makes her feel like a queen while wearing it) And then, their babysitter shows up, and she looks just like the witch from the Land of Nightmares, and the girls run away screaming-and that is how it ends. It was really entertaining and fun to watch.

It's Soccer Time!

2009-04-19T13:35:00.007+02:00

A.J. chose to play soccer this spring. He is having a lot of fun doing it, and is actually pretty good. His first game was Friday night. The kids did a fantastic job, and the parents had a good time reminding them which way to go, and to stay on the field.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:48:00.006+02:00

Here in Germany we have had fantastic weather this week! In the upper 60's, lower 70's. Remember how cold it was last year, Krista? Here are a few pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits.

Today Kaitlin was really proud of herself-in her Sunday School class her teacher asked her to tell back what she had just said-as far as Jesus being in the tomb. Kaitlin proceeded to tell her the entire Easter story. Her teacher was impressed with her, too, because her favorite part was when Mary went to tell the disciples that Jesus wasn't there anymore, not just ending the story when Mary discovered the tomb was empty. A.J.'s comment on Sunday School-we learned about Jesus again.

Trier

2009-04-04T15:10:00.010+02:00

On Friday we headed to Trier. Trier is one of the oldest, if not the oldest cities in Germany. It is built on the ruins of what the Roman's built. The original gate, called the Porta Nigra is still there. It is called the Porta Nigra (or the black gate) because as time passed the stones turned black (even before there was smog-imagine!) There are also ruins of an Imperial Bath house, and amphitheater. Then, there are the palaces-such as the Electoral Palace, and the churches that the Germans built. It was a nice place to visit. It is laid out so that everything is walking distance-however, the amphitheater is a LONG walk from the hauptmarkt-just in case you were wondering. The kids' favorite part of the day was playing at the bath house. The tunnels are still there, so they ran around in the tunnels, pretending to be adventurers. It's also a neat place to hide and scare the people you are with...not that Jamie and I did that to the kids...or the kids to us.

The pictures: upper left, the Porta Nigra. The kids at the bath house, the kids and I in front of St. Peter's Fountain, Jamie and the kids in front of part of the original wall the Romans built. A.J. is sitting up in a window of the wall.

The Easter Market

2009-03-29T21:57:00.003+02:00

Today we headed downtown to check out the Easter Market (or Ostermarkt) I had so many people tell me last year about the Easter Market. They raved about the shopping-especially the hand painted eggs. Unfortunately, last year by the time I found out about them, they were all over. We found out yesterday that the markets for our town (and pretty much our entire area) were this weekend, with today being the last day. We headed down, and it was amazing! There were all kinds of little booths set up-there was a whole side of the market devoted to fabric. Then, the next section was cars. Jamie took the time to sit in a brand new BMW (as opposed to his 20 year old one) that is worth close to $100,000! I can't imagine spending that much on a car! By the way, he said it was INCREDIBLY comfortable. Then, we headed to the part I liked...all the little vendor shops. It was crazy busy, as you'll be able to see in the pictures. There was also a marching band that just randomly marched around playing. I also was able to find some of the beautiful eggs. Check them out!

The Wedding

2009-03-28T11:29:00.003+01:00

I know, I know. I'm late on this. But, here are some pictures of Krista's wedding. We were able to go back to the States for almost two weeks, and had a wonderful time while we were there!

We might not...

2009-03-09T06:29:00.005+01:00

On Thursday Jamie and I took A.J. and my niece Alandria to lunch. We were sitting at Carlos O'Kelly's and one of them (I can't remember which one) said, "We might not always be family" and the other one said, "Yeah, we might not always be family" then the first one said, "But we'll always be friends" and the second one agreed. They have been so cute, playing together since we arrived, and so funny!

Fasching!

2009-02-21T22:13:00.003+01:00

Fasching is celebrated in Germany, starting Nov. 11. The celebration is suspended during the Christmas season, but it begins again after the New Year. The major part of "carnival" begins the week before Lent. It is a time of celebrating, before the fasting for Lent begins. Most towns and villages have parades and parties. Today we went to the parade in Mainz Kastel-it is one of the milder parades (we were told it would be rated PG compared to many of the other parades) The participants of the parade call out "Helau!" and the children call it back to have candy and toys thrown at them. The Army also has a float in this parade-you will see it in the pictures. Enjoy the pictures!

Happy Birthday Jamie!

2009-02-13T21:15:00.005+01:00

Happy Birthday Jamie! Today was a training holiday, so Jamie even had the day off to relax. We went to dinner, and then to the Valentine Dance at Kaitlin's school. Although, we think that it should have been called the Valentine's Track Meet, with the way the kids were running around. Afterwards, we came home and enjoyed some cake and ice cream. I made him a Valentine's Funfetti cake. I used my Pampered Chef rice cooker that I make the molten chocolate cake in. It turned out cute...but just a little bit of advice. We ate it hot, and the candles MELTED in it. (Yes, Jamie you were partially right) It was pretty funny, Jamie came out and wanted to know what was up with the candles, because they were falling over. I pulled them out, and there was wax in the cake, and the wicks were about all that were left, lol. We put the long side of the wicks up, and I wondered if the cake was going to catch fire. I had only put four on, because I was afraid if I put as many as his age it would take the whole house up:)

Happy Birthday Baby-I LOVE YOU!

Just The Two of Us

2009-02-01T13:35:00.005+01:00

There isn't much to say about this photo. We had a Military Police Dining Out to go to. It was a formal event-an excuse to get all dressed up:) It was more of a celebration than anything, that our MP's returned from Iraq without any casualties. And that is a HUGE thing to celebrate. I just wanted to share a picture of us--and Jamie in his mess dress uniform. We also received the monogrammed wine glasses that are given at every MP event. The monogramming is the same picture as the one on the program. Underneath the picture it says OIF 07-09, Iron MP.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T19:07:00.004+01:00

This year for New Year's we decided to do the same old same old. HA! We headed to Paris for a few days. We took a bus trip, and left Monday night around 11:30 p.m. We drove all night and arrived in Paris Tuesday morning. We had breakfast, and then about an hour to clean up and we headed out for the day. First we went to Notre Dame. It was absolutely beautiful. Then we drove up to an area where you could take pictures of the Eiffel Tower. That evening we had an authentic French dinner. New Year's Eve day we headed out and went to Versailles, and then the Louvre. That evening we had another traditional French dinner and then went to the Champs Elysee for New Year's Eve. The bus picked us back up around 12:45 a.m. Then, on New Year's Day we went up into the Eiffel Tower and took a boat tour of the Seine River.

On New Year's Eve when the year changed over to 2009 the Eiffel Tower lit up like it was sparkling, and there were some fireworks. It was really cool.

The pictures are Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Versailles, and the Louvre. I don't have pictures of New Year's Eve, or up in the Eiffel Tower because my camera battery died on New Year's Eve Day. I had taken a transformer for my hair dryer, curling iron, and camera battery, but the transformer blew on the first day...(you read that right, I really had no way of fixing my hair the whole time! Lucky Jamie, he has such a low maintenance wife, lol) We found a place that had a disposable camera, but I still have to get the film developed...going back to the good old days:) Hopefully, they turned out nice, and I will post them later.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T10:51:00.001+01:00

We hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Christmas.

What happened to the last 9 years?

2008-12-26T10:26:00.004+01:00

On December 15 Kaitlin turned 9. WHAT?!?!?!?! I can't believe how grown up she is getting. We celebrated with a dinner out, and cake and ice cream. Her gift from us was a Gotz doll, a German doll.

It was 9 years ago that Kaitlin was brought into our lives. I went to the doctor on the 14th (she was due the 6th) to see when they would induce me-they were talking about waiting until December 20th, and I was really upset because I wanted to be in Iowa for Christmas. Well, that day when they did the ultrasound they realized that I didn't have enough amniotic fluid to sustain her and she would be in distress if they didn't act fast. So, they started inducing. Twenty-four hours later she was finally born! 6lbs, 9 oz-a tiny beautiful little girl. We were released from the hospital the afternoon of the 17th, Jamie and I went home and packed our car and headed out to Iowa on the morning of the 19th. (We were stationed at Ft. Stewart, GA) Craziness!

She's a star!

2008-12-26T10:21:00.003+01:00

I know, I know, I'm behind on this...
So, Kaitlin performed in her play, "It's a Wonderful Life" She did a FANTASTIC job. The entire cast did, but I think Kaitlin did the best-I'm a little partial. She actually played several parts-young Violet, Janey Bailey, a newspaper boy, and one of the Martini girls. (the Martini family was one of the ones that George Bailey helped to buy their own home.) We were so excited that Jamie was able to be there on opening night (that was the day he arrived super early, lol) She just got into acting this summer while he was in Iraq, so this was the first time he was able to see her perform. It was a beautiful play, and we are so proud of our little girl!

It is finally OVER!

2008-12-09T17:20:00.007+01:00

439 days, 62.71, 14.63 months, 1.2 years. That is how long Jamie spent in Iraq. Wow! That's a long time! And in case you're wondering, I had an excel program that kept track for me, because you know I would miss something somewhere in there if I had to keep track of it manually.

Last Wednesday (Dec. 3) we woke up to snow. It was so pretty! And falling so quickly. A.J. and I took Kaitlin to school (after I checked my email for the hundredth time-I was waiting for our FRG to contact me and tell me that Jamie was on the way) Then, A.J. and I headed for the airfield so that he could go to school. The traffic was so bad it took us a half an hour to go maybe 2 miles. We were right at the exit that I could get off and come back on post the back way so we headed home. By then I had an email from the FRG letting me know that Jamie was in Kuwait! I was on pins and needles all day waiting for the next email. That evening I had an email telling me that Jamie was on his way to Germany and would be here the next morning at 5 A.M. I also had a phone call. We were warned that there were weather warnings, that it was supposed to snow all night and there was a danger of black ice in the morning. I decided that we would leave for the airfield around 3:30 AM. That would give me plenty of time to get there if it was too icy. I finally went to bed around midnight, and was back up around 2:45 (I overslept! I wanted to be up at 2) Then around 3 AM I received another phone call telling me that the reunion ceremony had been moved up to 4:15 AM! We rushed around getting ready and were out the door by 3:45. The roads were clear and DRY. We arrived at the gym, and sat down. It turned out to be a great spot, because as the guys marched in they turned RIGHT IN FRONT of us, so we saw Jamie right away. There were a few speeches, and then FALL OUT! And it was over. This deployment seemed like it would never end, and just like that we were through!

Thanks to everyone that has emailed, called and sent packages to all of us. We appreciate and love you all.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T20:57:00.003+01:00

It's Official

2008-10-21T12:24:00.002+02:00

Well, it's official...I am the mother to a drama queen. We have suspected it for a long time, but this past weekend it was confirmed. Kaitlin tried out for the community (yes COMMUNITY, not school) Christmas play. They are doing "It's a Wonderful Life" She was up against 10-15 other little girls for one of two parts...and she is IN!!!!! She plays the part of young Violet. She is just over the moon excited about this. In a few years you can all say "I knew her when..."

Twelve Years Ago

2008-10-19T15:13:00.007+02:00

October is one of my favorite months...the weather is nice-not too hot and not too cold. The leaves are changing colors, and it is beautiful. Oh, and on a Saturday afternoon twelve years ago I married the love of my life. Who would have guessed how much our lives would change? We were college students when we married, and now twelve years later he is an officer in the Army and we live in Europe. Who knew? I remember our first anniversary. We were at Ft. Lewis, WA. We were so broke we rented a room (yes, a ROOM, lol) from a lady. On our anniversary we took a trip to the beach with one of our housemates, and he treated us to dinner at Denny's. Good times:)

No matter where we are, if we are separated or together you have my heart Jamie. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, and watching our children grow up, and spoiling our grandchildren. I love you with every ounce of my being.

My "Baby" is five!

2008-10-02T16:55:00.005+02:00

Five years ago Jamie and I headed to the hospital, excited, and as for me, ready to get that baby out of me! After a relatively short labor Alexander James was born. His lungs were collapsed so he was flown to the University of Missouri Hospital-the closest hospital with a NICU. During his stay there the nurses called him their "monster baby" He was born a week overdue, and was 8 lbs-he was a monster compared to the other babies! Now, five years later he's still a little monster...although not in size.

Monday night during bedtime A.J. asked me if we could go to Cinnbon for caramel milkshakes (caramel chillatas) After making him say Cinnbon about five times (it was soooo cute!) I agreed. Wednesday morning A.J. took goody bags to school for all of his friends, and on the way home we got a caramel milkshake. Later that afternoon, he opened his presents. He got a helicopter rescue set with a helicopter, boat, and rescue divers and a set of German emergency vehicles. The emergency vehicles have sirens-and I think that Rachel might want one so she can always remember the LOVELY sound of European sirens, lol. We went to Anthony's Pizza for dinner (buy one get one free night!) and had some cake afterwards.

Day 6

2008-09-21T19:28:00.004+02:00

This was our last day of sightseeing. We didn't have any firm plans. We had decided that if it was clear out we were going to go up the Zugsptize (the highest point in Germany) if not, we were going to see Swarovski Crystal World over in Austria. It was a very cloudy day, so off to Austria we went. Words cannot describe the crystal museum. It was absolutely amazing. The pictures don't even do it justice. There isn't much to say about it, just that it was beautiful. Afterwards we went and ate lunch at an Austrian restaurant. It was interesting...and yummy!
The next morning we got up and headed home. We were able to see so many neat and beautiful places, and made some wonderful memories.

The pictures: driving through Austria (the clouds were so low we were almost driving through them) out in front of Crystal World, pictures of the museum, then Jamie and the kids after loading the car.

Day 5

2008-09-21T18:38:00.005+02:00

We woke up to another sunny day on our fifth day. (Quite amazing, here in Germany, lol) We were scheduled to go on a tour called Cake By The Lake. It was another half day tour, so we slept in, had a nice breakfast and then headed over to the PX to pick up a few things. (There is an Army base there, too) We met up with our group and started our walk-it was a little more than a walk, but not really a hike. We saw some paragliders when we first started out, and walked right by their landing site. On our way to the lake we stopped by and saw the bobsled run from the 1936 Winter Olympics. We were able to go inside the bobsled shed and see the bobsleds that the Germans used. We also got to meet the Captain of the team that won the gold in 1952. The kids were also able to sit in the bobsled that the Germans used when they won the gold that year. Then we went on to the lake. It was absolutely beautiful. We were surrounded by mountains, right by a lake. There is a restaurant there that we went to and had cake (thus, Cake by the Lake) The cake was really good, too! Afterwards we walked back down, and just as we arrived back at the lodge, it started to rain. That evening we went on a buggy ride through Garmisch. It was a lot of fun!

The pictures: The bobsled run, paragliders, the kids in the winning bobsled, the lake and the restaurant we stopped at, all four of us, Jamie and the kids in the buggy. I don't know what happened that the pics are all out of order...but at least they're on there:)

Day 4

2008-09-21T18:05:00.004+02:00

Our fourth day was an easy day. We had signed up for Bavarian Brotzeit Tour. Just so you know, brotzeit means snack in German. The tour didn't leave until almost 10, so we slept in and enjoyed a nice breakfast. Once again it was a BEAUTIFUL day out-it was very warm for this time of year, and we really enjoyed it. Our first stop was a cheese factory where they showed us the process for making cheese. We were able to see them make cheese and we got to try some. Jamie and I have decided that we are too used to Kraft, lol. Right next door to the the cheese factory was KLOSTER Ettal...yes you read that right KLOSTER!!!! A Kloster is a monastery or convent, and we were also told can also mean covanent. The Kloster Ettal is a monastery, and the monks there make their own bier (beer, lol) and liquor. We were able to go inside the Basilica, and it was very elaborate in the paintings and statues. After arriving back at the motel Jamie and the kids went down to the pool, and I did my favorite....LAUNDRY! Then we went to a Mexican restaraunt downtown, it was really good!

The pictures: The kids getting to pretend to milk a cow, check out the backs of the folding chairs, a couple of street signs, the basilica, the kids and I, the kids at Sausalito's.

Day 3

2008-09-21T17:01:00.005+02:00

For our third day we were on the waiting list for a bus tour to Munich. I really enjoy going on the bus tours because the tour guide knows little things about wherever you happen to be going-the stuff that's not in the tour books. They told us our best bet was to show and, and see if there were any no-shows, so we did. One of us could have gone, and we didn't think they were too excited about taking A.J. so we went back to our room. We looked over one of the books I had with me, and decided we were going to just go to Munich on our own. We walked to the bahnhof (train station) and got a ticket. We were able to get a family pass for 29 euro round trip. We jumped on the train and looked at my book some more. We decided we really wanted to see the glockenspiel and the Bavarian crown jewels. We thought both kids would like the glockenspiel, and that Kaitlin would really enjoy the jewels. When we arrived in Munich we pulled out the maps so we could figure out how the get to the Marienplatz where the glockenspiel was. The glockenspiel is a clock that when it strikes 11 and 12 (and during the summer months 5) shows a joust with a duke and his wife watching. There are also some people that dance. Interesting fact, the glockenspiel is located in the new Town Hall (rathaus), a building that survived the bombing and was the US headquarters in 1945. (All this info is from Rick Steve's book Germany and Austria 2007-very cool book and very interesting!) We were able to find it just as the clock struck 12. It was so very cool! Afterwards we ate lunch at the Ratskeller-in the cellar of the town hall. It was so good! A.J. and I ordered brats, and Jamie and Kaitlin were jealous. Then we headed over to the Residenz, and went through the part of the museum that held the crown jewels. The workmanship on the jewels was amazing! Afterwards we walked around Munich for a little bit and then headed back to the train. The kids were hot (yes, it was another beautiful day!)tired and thirsty. We jumped back on the train and made it back to Garmisch...and made the kids walk back to the motel, lol. They slept really well that night!

The pictures: The kids walking to the train station, the glockenspiel, just a bunch of bikes at a subway station-they were like this everywhere, and unlocked most of the time!, the Residenz, just some cool buildings downtown, the kids drinking their slushy drinks, Jamie and I on the train.

Day 2

2008-09-19T15:31:00.005+02:00

On the second day the lodge wasn't sponsoring any trips that we were interested in (ok, we would like to go on the Three Country Tour, but it's mostly just driving through three countries and we didn't think the kids would really enjoy that, lol) So, we decided to sleep in and then explore Garmisch. When we woke up it was chilly, gray and rainy so we bundled up and and headed out. By lunch time, though, the sun came out and it really warmed up. It was so nice! Garmisch is a Bavarian vacation type town. It's really beautiful. You are surrounded by the mountains, and the houses are in the traditional Bavarian style. (We found out it is actually a law that your houses have to follow the old style, even down to the floor plan) We had fun just walking around downtown, and going into the little shops. A.J. got some polizei cars-Jamie thought he needed them, lol. We went to and Italian Eis (ice cream) specialty shop to eat. Check out the "spaghetti" ice cream in the pictures! OK, here's what's in the pictures: A.J. in front of the George C. Marshall Center, some Bavarian houses, A.J. and Kaitlin with their Mickey Mouse ice cream, the spaghetti ice cream, downtown Garmisch, the last two are the view from our room.

Day 1

2008-09-17T15:03:00.004+02:00

We woke up the first morning to a gray, rainy day. We had arrived the evening before, after driving up through the Alps in the rain (it was tiring to me, and I was just riding, lol) and scheduled a tour to go see Linderhof Palace. Linderhof is one of the palaces of "Mad" King Ludwig II. The more we learn about Ludwig, the more Jamie and I think that he really was mad, lol. Anyway, we headed out to the palace. It is amazing how ornate everything is in the palace, especially considering the technology that was (or was not) available. We weren't allowed to take pictures of the interior, and it was pouring rain, so we didn't get very many of the outside. For more info on this palace you can go here: http://www.schloesser-bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/li_schl.htm. Anway, we went through the tour. It was absolutely beautiful, just about everything (window frames, crown moldings, the walls) were gilded in gold. We also walked through the gardens, and saw a tea house that was originally in France that Ludwig convinced his grandfather to get him. There was also a man made cave. Ludwig liked to go into this cave and have shows put on for him. It was really cool being in the cave-it was pretty realistic. On the way home we stopped and Oberammergau-a little town known for it's wood carvings and Passion Play. It had a pretty interesting history, too. You can read more about it here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberammergau

Our Vacation

2008-09-17T15:00:00.001+02:00

OK, we've been home for a few days now, and I think we're mostly recovered. If nothing else the laundry is done, lol. Anyway, I will post details by the day. We went sightseeing six different days, so instead of cramming it all in one, I will do six different posts. Enjoy:)

The First Day of School...

2008-08-25T18:16:00.000+02:00

It's here, the first day of school. The day when the backpacks are still clean, the shoes are not scuffed, and the pencils don't have bite marks in them. Everything begins again, and it is all shiny and new. Both of the kids started school today. Kaitlin is in third grade now-she thinks it feels weird, and wishes that she was still in second. I've told her it's because it's something new, and once she's used to it, it will be fine. She was excited to find out that two of her friends are in her class. A.J. is in preschool. He was a little disappointed that his friend Zach was not in his class anymore. Zach PCS'ed (that's Permanent Change of Station for you "civilian" folks, lol) this summer. He is excited to have his teacher Ms. Tabby again. In fact, there was a little meltdown last week, because we didn't think that he had gotten into Ms. Tabby's class. He was telling me today he has "lots of NEW friends now."

The Drama Queen and the Master Of Cool

2008-08-20T17:28:00.000+02:00

This summer Kaitlin has been involved in Children's Theater. Each session was two weeks, meeting Monday through Friday for four hours. At the end, they put on a play at the Amelia Earhart Playhouse. She had a really good time, and I think she has found her calling. I was impressed with how well their teacher put the plays together, because they didn't have quite the turnout that they were expecting. Kaitlin is the second from the right in this picture (your right, not hers:)

And then there is A.J....he found these shorts in his closet. He wears them two or three times a week, because, in his words, he is the "master of cool" when he has them on. hmmm....he has started picking out his own clothes and if I try and get him to change them he informs me that he has to be "cool". Already, my coolness factor has gone down in his opinion, I thought I had a few more years before that happened, but here it is.

You want me to put my feet WHERE?

2008-07-17T13:29:00.000+02:00

I know it may come as a shock to you, but Germany does not celebrate Independence Day. So, this last 4th of July we decided to take advantage of one of our host country's outdoor activities and visited a barefoot walking path. I had never heard of anything like this, but I imagined walking through fields of grass, carrying my shoes and bag. My neighbor warned we might get dirty, but honestly I didn't really think we would. I did dress the kids in dark colors, just in case. We arrived in Bad Sobernheim, after a nice little drive through the country. Someone recommended I leave my bag in the car and take a euro for a locker for my shoes. I went ahead and followed their advice, and thank goodness I did. The first thing we walked through was like a little channel-of MUD. All the way up to my knees. We walked through, with some complaining from the kids about how it felt on their toes. Then we walked on some cobblestones. All in all, we walked over several different textures like gravel and bricks, and some things like balance beams, through a river, and finally across a rope bridge. I must say that it wasn't anything like I expected. We never did walk through fields of grass. On a dirt path, but not the grass I expected. I guess that is the adventure of living in another country. So, who wants to join us for our next barefoot walking tour?

The Beginning

2008-07-16T22:40:00.000+02:00

To begin with-I've been inspired by my sister in law Charlene's blog. I've thought of doing something like this-in fact I started one when we lived in Maryland, but it was mostly pictures and not stories of what is going on in our lives. Since we are now living in Europe, I thought what better time to begin? This way I can share our experiences with all of my family and friends. Enjoy:)