Miles Away

A bloggy love shout out

2010-03-01T07:45:00.006+01:00

I have to give a shout out to a fabulously funny mom whom I actually know in blog-land!! She has a great outlook on life and really made my day this morning when I read her blog Hausfrau4now.

I have already been a Mom-zilla with the kids before they left at 7 AM. Hmmm...7 AM.....could THAT have been the reason? Anyway, Lauren has been really frustrating with her lack of listening and concern when she is asked to do something (like, say...clean her room). I walked in this morning to see a huge pile of clothes on her extra bed (she has twin beds), cups, bowls, water bottles, kleenex (both new and used--ewww), Barbies, Reeses candy...you name it piled on her desk. Well, it all went in the trash can and can be retrieved (if necessary) when she gets home from school. If not? Well, we will have a few less Barbies and fashion clothing to move this summer. I think I am going to get back to that book , "Children Who Do Too Little" by Patricia Sprinkle. She even has a website!

I thought we had a glimpse of spring this weekend, but then a mini hurricane blew through Sunday, and a dusting of snow occurred this morning in the nearby village where the kids go to school. So I guess we will have a few more weekends to get some house projects done. Where did all of this stuff come from?!?! Oh yeah-five kids and a tired, solo parenting mom who moved us the last time while hubby was still relaxing...I mean deployed in Crete. It's catch up time!

Household 6 Diva : Army Wife, Mommy, and Me: Active Duty Military? Win a Sony Touch Reader for Valentine's Day!

2010-01-18T13:38:00.000+01:00

Household 6 Diva : Army Wife, Mommy, and Me: Active Duty Military? Win a Sony Touch Reader for Valentine's Day!

At the Moment

2009-11-24T10:13:00.014+01:00

The holidays are quickly approaching and I have been debating for quite a while just how to get back into blogging. I have gone over many "in-my-head" blog posts to play catch up. My friend Raegan keeps checking on me to see if I have updated, and the guilt is getting to me :). I love that she is so dedicated!! I needed that gentle push, I guess.

I have decided to just start where we are at the moment and play catch up as I go.

I wish that I could say that since my last post we have been all of these exciting places and doing wonderful things. Well, not so much. Allen returned home in late September after almost six months of a deployment to the United Arab Emirates. Since that day we have been quietly getting settled into family life again. Allen started a new job that he seems to be happy with most days. We have finished the fall sports season with three kids participating in soccer and cheerleading. Ashlyn started middle school and all of the adventures associated with that! (I personally disliked middle school and all of the drama and insecurities that pre-teens have). That is another post...

Speaking of that particular girl.....she happens to be celebrating her 12th birthday today! This sweet baby was not due until mid-December, but decided that she needed to make her debut early. I think mommy was ready since I had been on bed rest for a week with pre-eclampsia. We brought her home the day before Thanksgiving and we were so unprepared! Suddenly we had grandparents arriving from all over Texas to see Ashlyn. We were dealing with the joys and dramas of new parenthood and a holiday. I also remember that my husband and my dad went to HEB to buy a Thanksgiving dinner package and Allen didn't have enough in the checking bank account to buy it! My dad happily obliged. What an embarrassing moment. We had been so busy with the new baby that we had not kept up with reality. It still feels that way somedays.

Ashlyn is such a vibrant and caring person. She is very mature and smart beyond words. She loves to be a girly-girl, but can also participate in sports activities.

Ashlyn with her teacher after a ballet performance at age 4; RAF Mildenhall, UK.

This was taken by Magic Moments photographers in the UK at age 3.

I know that Ashlyn will continue to make an impression upon others with her creativity and love for life. Several years ago she was featured in the local Beck Row paper for winning a contest for a suncream vendor. The winning funds were presented to her school and put to use for playground renovations!

Happy birthday sweet girl! I have loved you since you were that little baby placed in my arms. I love the person that you are becoming, and I am sooooo looking foward to the exciting years ahead.

90% Complete

2009-09-10T11:11:00.004+02:00

I was jamming along with Queensryche, Lady Gaga and Linkin Park yesterday at the gym. Upon reaching the 3.5 mile point (yes!) on the elliptical, a message popped up "90% complete". It was good timing. I had my eye on the bored two-year-old escaping once again from the gated play area. It occurred to me: This deployment for all of us is 90% complete as well ("YES!"). I started thinking about all of the little jobs around the house that I wanted to get done before he gets home and how I was going to make time to get them done while still keeping up with the kids' activities. As anxiety set in, I began pondering, "Who has had the easier job?".

Allen left in early May for a fun-filled summer opportunity with promises of lots of heat and sand should a sand castle building desire strike him. He has not had an eventful summer and often refers to his days as being similar to those of "Groundhog Day". I wish that he had been able to see more of the Middle East-the landscape and its people.

We have managed fairly well here at home. Sleepovers, friends, Vacation Bible School, fests, and picnics have filled our days. We have also kept busy with family visiting and glorious trips to Paris, Garmisch/Austria, Luxembourg, Riems, Trier, and Bernkastel-Kues. I feel somewhat guilty that he was not able to join us, but knowing that this is our last full summer in Europe...we needed to see some places!

It is hard being the only parent. It seems to be a time when everything breaks....or needs to be cleaned out...or up. I've had to be the "bug manager". I've had to get a part changed on the van and change out headlight bulbs. I've taken out the trash/recycle items.....mowed the grass that was knee high. I've cleaned out storage containers and still *sigh* need to clean out more before we pack up next summer. I've wiped noses and taken care of summer coughs. I've read books, helped with homework, colored Lightening McQueen pages and cleaned up Play-doh. But, I've been able to get the hugs, the kisses, the early morning wake ups....and don't forget the spilled cereal......

So, yes, I have definitely had the harder part physically to take care of five children and a house-and myself. However, I have been with them for all of the glorious summer events, smiles...and trips.

I have the memories.

We've been climbing the walls and staying busy

2009-08-14T12:34:00.004+02:00

Lauren (9) almost to the top!

We went to the new Outdoor Recreation Center at the Kaiserslautern Military Center. Yes-government dollars hard at work! The kids had a blast getting into the gear and climbing the walls, as compared to making me climb the walls!
Ashlyn (11)
Ryan (4)
Nicholas (6) is almost to the top on the far wall. Whoop!

It's hard work chasing your brothers and sisters around all week~even if you're Batman.

What are the odds?

2009-07-06T23:27:00.003+02:00

In a house with five children, you would expect to have a few lonely socks that were needing a friend. I have a box on my washer that holds the single socks looking for a mate that I clean out every so often. Obviously it has been a while.

Look! Unbelievable!!! (I'm sure my mom would cringe about now).

What are the odds that we would have this many socks?????

And why do we own this many socks??? These are just the ones looking for a friend!?!

We have just recently stopped wearing many socks because warmer weather (finally) has meant warmer feet and less sock necessity. I guess I thought the matching sock would turn up in the next load. Crazy thinking.

I did end up doing some match making and some socks were reunited. Sadly, many were subjected to my tyranny and went into the trash bin.

To make myself feel better about throwing away all of those socks (because you KNOW I will find them someday behind a bed, in the toy box, in a bag, behind the dryer, in the LEG0S....)-

I bought these.

Peonies are one of my favorites. I remember my Mema having them in her garden. How can they not brighten your day?

T-Ball

2009-07-05T11:24:00.004+02:00

Nicholas had a great T-ball season. This is the second year that he has played, so next year will be coach pitch. The season only lasts 6-7 weeks, but we were constantly second-guessing the weather and getting rained out several times. Nicholas had #6 this year, and last year apparently . Initially this very traumatic since it's all about the number, right??

He had some pretty good hits this season, one of the best being after his dad left. We wish Daddy had been there to see it! A double! In T-ball world, that is great when it goes into the outfield on its own (i.e. somebody doesn't kick it out there).

All little brothers must play in the dirt while waiting for the game to end. It's in the rules. I checked.
At the end of the season there must be a cookout with sticky cupcakes. You must eat two. Again, I checked the rules.

A trophy=happiness. Whatever happened to all of my trophies from my childhood?? Probably in the attic at my dad's house, just waiting for me to retrieve them someday. Eeeek.

Summer, already???

2009-06-22T17:31:00.001+02:00

It seems like yesterday we were welcoming spring! Ryan's kindergarten class had a Fruhlingfest in April to welcome spring. They sang songs (in German) and wore flower hats. They tied these little ribbons on a tree as a sign of the upcoming spring days. On a side note, I volunteered to bring a cake to share. In the UK the American cakes and cake mixes would sell quickly at school events because the British cakes tend to be dense and not as sweet. Interpret this as not very tasty. I'm sorry to admit this, but I did not like the cakes in the UK. There were many, many other things that I liked though!! Okay-anyway----I thought that bringing cupcakes would be a hit. Only several people took the cupcakes and here is why~~~You should have seen the cakes that people brought!! They were gorgeous! They had these fancy designs and cream frostings. I had to ask if they were store-made. That's how fabulous they were~they put my cupcakes to shame, even if my cupcakes had the cute caterpillar icing decors on them and were stacked nicely on the cupcake stand. They didn't stand a chance.

We experienced the longest day of the year yesterday, although we didn't see much sun! It was a strange weather day where the sun would be out, then cloudy, then rain and wind, sunshine, cloud, etc. We have had a mild spring/summer so far in Germany. You just never know about the weather from day to day! It makes planning ahead for outing and clothing very difficult!! There have been several days that were warm enough to swim outside in the pool or play in the water, but most have been mild with sun/clouds.

Now that it is finally summer, we are planning on spending more time here.

Or doing this.

Admiring these.

Hopefully we can do more of this!!

Or maybe just doing this.

You never know where you will find us this season.

My other half

2009-06-21T17:09:00.005+02:00

I wouldn't have five children if it weren't for my wonderful husband. Except for the obvious reasons, I just could not do it without his daily help and support. He is a loving and fun dad-sometimes finding humor in a situation when I am thoroughly annoyed. After working long days, he often comes home and helps with dinner, dishes, after school activities, homework-you name it. He is always ahead of the game when it comes to gift giving occasions-never skimping or forgetting. He doesn't even mind if I buy myself flowers frequently- for no occasion at all.

Before we got married we discussed having children, but I do not think that the number five was ever part of the equation. We had no idea how our lives would change and be enriched by these vivacious little people.

Today we are celebrating him, even though he is stationed far away in a desert location. Maybe he is building sandcastles today? The kids talked with him briefly today since we had used up most of our hour earlier in the week. They sang "Happy Father's Day" with the birthday tune.

Before he left he mentioned that one of the things that he would miss the most is having them run and hug his legs when he came in the door after work. I am beginning to really miss that, too.

Burg Eltz

2009-06-17T15:24:00.003+02:00

Last month I embarked on a road trip with two other moms and twelve kids (!!!) to a place between Trier and Koblenz to see this:

Isn't it magnificent!!
This is a medieval castle nestled above the Moselle River. It has been owned by three branches of the same family for 33 generations. You can read more about the history here or here . This is the view that you get as you leave the car park and walk down the path. It was a steep 800 meters down to the castle along a curvy road (and a fun walk uphill. Eeeek.)

We stopped to take a few pictures and climb up some rocks.

This is the long road leading to the castle. Scenic, yes?
This is the view from that window in the wall. It is a long way down!!

After lunch, we went inside for a tour of some parts of the castle. viewed the treasury, and had ice cream. There were some very interesting features in the castle like the dragon around the water drain pipe, the non-bolted spears and weapons in the weapons room (the two-year-olds discovered this, surprisingly).
Here is the (loose) weaponry. Eek. Wouldn't that be fun to have "the child" who pulls down the weapons as the guide is speaking?? I'm so fortunate that we noticed. Several months ago, we were "shushed" during our Cochem tour by the guide because Logan was whining. Blah.The following pictures were taken inside the courtyard. Apparently a family (or is it two) still reside in the castle. Cool, yet I believe it would get old dealing with all of the tourists.

Next, we had ice cream (eis). We don't have any pictures of this. I was either enjoying my own chocolate cone and talking with the moms, or I was wiping multiple sweet, sticky faces and fingers.

Since the kids had behaved (erhem, most of the time, really) we went down to the river to play in the stream. They loved it!! The little boys stood there throwing rocks, both small and large into the water. We realized it was fruitless to tell them to stop when this 70-ish German man rolled up his trousers, waded out and threw some rocks with his granddaughter. We laughed about it, even with the nice German man, who did speak some English. The girls were more adventurous and waded further along the stream.

The day ended with a stop at a McDonald's in Trier where we took up residence for quite a while so the kids played at the playground and moms chatted. We stayed out way past bedtime, but it was worth it!

As we left McDonald's I noticed this right next to McDonald's and thought it was ironic, yet a marketable idea. McFit is a fitness place where you have the option of paying by the hour or month. I guess you can eat your Hamburger Royale (i.e. Quarter Ponder) and work it off next door!?! Has this idea made it to the USA? I have been away too long to know.

Give a dancer some props

2009-06-16T21:35:00.003+02:00

If you give a dancer some props, she will put on a great smile and perform in a fabulous show!

Lauren ended the year of her hip-hop class with the recital a few weeks ago. I am just now getting the pictures uploaded, so bear with me. She generally liked the class, and I thought it fit her perfectly. In the past, she has taken both tap and ballet classes and did well, but they may not have been her thing. She is definitely my spunky child and can get away with a bit of flair. I loved many of the gorgeous ballet and traditional costumes that other girls were wearing, but I thought that this was cute on Lauren.

There were two performances (we were the second-yes!) and it was standing room only! When we arrived there were seats, but you know how people can be-sitting on the ends, using their stuff to reserve the seat, etc. I'm not sure that the boys would have sat for that length of time anyway. The theatre seats are just too fun to sit in- up, down, up, down. Everything seemed to flow well, thanks to the staff, which happened to include a fellow blogger. I am very thankful that Casey didn't give my rambunctious boys the "stink eye" during the performance, even though they were fighting over a drink and snacks for what seemed to me like the entire performance. Logan has this loud, piercing whine when he doesn't get his way. I usually ignore it, but when we are in public and trying to maintain a nice family presentation....sometimes I do whatever to appease him. I am sure that I will pay for it later. I'm just doing what works, right?
Lauren was really surprised to get flowers from her adoring fans, (i.e. her family and her BFF), who came along to cheer her on! That made it all the more fun!

I felt some sadness because I have a feeling that my days of have girly recitals are coming to a close. I have enjoyed them these past years. I participated in dance and sports when I was young, so I know how interests change. My girls just seem to have other interests like cheer leading, swimming, gymnastics and friends. I hope that dance will continue, but if not, I will support them and be inwardly sad.

The brothers were given some props after the show and considered putting together a rock band. Negotiations are still ongoing.
Speaking of negotiations, this is a super cute photo and story. Nicholas had only a few pictures of children from his class. I never seem to take them when I have been visiting his school. Maybe because I am running after Logan in Kindergarten Heaven? So when we saw one of his cute classmates was performing I saw a photo op and couldn't pass it up. I gave her one of the flowers that we had and told her that she did a wonderful performance, and asked if she would take a picture with Nick.

From the first day of school I have remembered her because she reminds us so much of one of Nick's first girl friends who lived in England with us. They have known each other since they were two and four-months old. Anyway. Here is the resulting picture. After I pried Nicholas off the floor, he reluctantly agreed. He seems to like her and now I have proof. The face is priceless.

While I was staying busy

2009-06-15T23:11:00.004+02:00

...this happened.My oldest graduated from 6th grade last week! I am speechless. How could this happen? When did my little baby decide that it was okay to do this?? She received awards for A- Honor Roll this quarter, A/B- Honor Roll for the year, The President's Gold Academic Award, and some others that I cannot remember. I mentioned the big ones, right?

She graciously accepted her awards and flowers, took glam photos with her BFF friends, celebrated with a class BBQ (dunking booth included), and went merrily on her way to Middle School.

More drama to follow.

That is one thing of which I am sure.

Busy!

2009-06-06T20:13:00.003+02:00

I am so, so sorry about the lack of posting. I actually have several posts in the drafts that need some tweaking. My excuse? Ummm..busy???

I have been single parenting at the busiest time of the year. In the past weeks we have had numerous baseball and softball practice and games, dance rehearsals and recitals, end of school year events, and

Life in General.

Factor in the destructive behavior of the two-year-old (?!?!?!), the whiny four-year-old (nothing new), and the drama of the others........

My dishwasher also decided that the pump had had it and I have been at the mercy of my landlord during the repair phase. I have been told that a replacement will be installed tomorrow until mine is repaired. Really, washing the massive amount of dishes that I have in a single 12x12 sink is getting very old. Very old. Dishwater hands? Got those too.

We have another pre-teen staying with us while her parents have a restful holiday after her dad returned from a year in Iraq. It has been nice having an extra pair of hands!

I am hoping that Sunday will be a low key day and I can get more pictures and posts uploaded.

You do what you gotta do

2009-05-12T21:53:00.003+02:00

I was doing dinner on my own tonight. I wanted a simple cook and clean-up experience, so I went with my "stand-by" of cheese-eggs in wheat tortillas and sliced fruit. Since I completely wanted to avoid the CHA-OS that has been a reoccurring dinner event, I found myself doing the following:

I made some cinnamon rolls (the pop-up kind---eeekk---HATE opening them) and proclaimed that ANY bad behavior, complaining or lack of eating dinner would result in NO cinnamon roll. Nada. Not even a smidgen of icing.

It worked.

As parents, we try not to give sweets as a reward, but I had a feeling this would be the golden ticket.

After dinner, my daughter and I cleaned up the table while my oldest son helped his brother get into his pyjamas. I then told the boys that they could watch 10-15 minutes of SB (the square, yellow guy), while I folded laundry.

Yep. Used it as a babysitter.

A book was read and bedtime was a breeze.

Chaos contained.
Success.
No guilt.whatsoever.

Cleaning out the old blog posts

2009-05-12T17:33:00.005+02:00

Easter 2009

I saw this draft in my posting list.

I have no idea why it is still sitting there, un-posted.

I guess things have been super busy lately! These are some of those "jiggler" eggs that we made and some egg nest cookies that I found in a German store. For the record, the cookies are super cute but have a strange coconut flavor and very hard candies. Needless to say, they just looked pretty. Even the kids wouldn't eat them-and that's saying a lot!
Lauren just had to find a caterpillar while she was in her nice dress.

I love the girls in these dresses!! You just might see Ashlyn's dress again for her "moving up" 6th-grade graduation ceremony. We'll see.

Nicholas loves hanging out with his dad! They are either getting along or egging each other on....
This is the only basket photo that I could manage before they were opened!!
Logan had a fuzzy monkey in his basket. This kid climbs on everything and figures out any type of gadget~hence the name "Monkey".
When you are one of five kids in a competition such as an egg hunt where a golden egg and candy are involved, you need to move fast!

Bwhahahaha! That Easter Bunny even placed an egg high on the tree branch! Ryan jumped for a little while until someone finally shook the branch.
Logan must sample all chocolate before he can continue his searching.

Lauren found some treat eggs among our egg tree in the back garden. You see these plastic eggs hung on trees and bushes all around our German town. This is actually a living tree that we had several Christmas' ago. It seems to be doing well, despite the fact that we neglected to water it after Christmas and Allen let it fall from the third floor window so we wouldn't have needles on four flights of stairs!

Okay, I saw another old blog post that I need to add soon. So embarrassing-I can't believe it.

Picture perfect

2009-05-08T21:08:00.006+02:00

http://shaunamaness.squarespace.com/shauna-maness-photography/2009/5/7/miles-kiddos.html

I love seeing these pictures of the kids! We tempted fate last week on a rainy day and had a photo shoot near a local field. Shauna spent so much time getting to know the kids and took tons of shots! She is so talented and fun. We have been blessed to know her. Maybe our paths will cross again some day in Texas. I can't wait to see the rest. This is just a preview.

Now we return to regularly scheduled baseball games and practices, softball games and practices, appointments, school activities, laundry, hip-hop dance class, youth group...........be back soon.

Frohe Ostern!

2009-04-19T22:30:00.007+02:00

Egg Hunts at Ramstein......

The Easter Bunny made an appearance.
Golden egg #1

Golden egg#2!!!

No golden egg. Apparently some girl tackled Ashlyn and grabbed it!
Easter cookies....

and colored eggs.

Keukenhof Gardens

2009-04-10T16:55:00.009+02:00

Lauren and I hopped on a bus full of mothers and kids (except the bus drivers) at 3 a.m. last weekend and went to see these.

And hop on water among the swans.

Bougainvillea reminds me of Mexico!
Look how large these are on the right, as compared to the regular tulips on the left.
The yellow ones are called "World Peace". I'll take 2o million dozen, please.

The "Holland Queen" above. We drove six hours to see "Dallas"......tulip, (below) that is. I love the feathery pink quality.

I am not sure why I wanted a picture of me when I had been up all night and had just one small cup of coffee to keep me going!

A local farmhouse near the garden perimeter. Wouldn't that be a nice view!

Where's Waldo? Erhm..Lauren.
The entrance to Keukenhof Gardens-The Netherlands. Yes, the French flag does look similar, just vertical.

I won't bore or entertain you with the bus details just yet. I will say that I am always amazed at the "group phenomenon" or lack of conformity in a group activity.

We did get to eat these for breakfast with bread and butter. Chocolate for breakfast?!? When in Holland.......

Full

2009-03-27T21:39:00.001+01:00

The sky is full of clouds.
My calendar is full of school-related/social papers to add to its contents.
The laundry basket is full of clothes to be put away; the washer and dryer are also full.
My head is full of sinus drainage.
My head is full of ideas that I want to accomplish/visit/try.
My "To-Do" list is full of tasks to clean out, organize, complete, call.....
Our weekend is full of activities--Trier Ostermarkt, parent sport meetings, donation sorting (clothes).
My library bag is full of overdue books to be returned.
My inbox is still full-mainly spam.

My patience with the whiny two-year-old and busy four-year-old is empty. My days of free childcare are numbered. It's time to start making a plan.

Right under our nose

2009-03-26T16:42:00.009+01:00

I mentioned quite a while ago that we wanted to explore Burg Nanstein. Since it is located in the nearby town of Lanstuhl, it would only make sense that we would check it out soon upon moving here, right? Not so. We had to live here at least a year and a half before seeing it! And can I tell you how many times we have driven past this location??? Hundreds.

This castle was built in 1162, and is associated with the Sickingen family. Nanstein is known for an elaborate siege during the Knight's Revolt in 1523. Restoration work continues throughout the castle as we saw new buildings, ladders, etc. scattered around. This is not really the tourist season, so we were lucky that it was open! Many attractions are closed November -March or April because of the poor weather.

We basically spent part of the afternoon exploring the rooms of the castle. I like trying to guess a room's purpose and look for little holes along the walls. These were often used to throw things out onto enemies (tar, rubbish, boiling water, etc). Dungeons and privy's (toilet) are also fun to find, too. There were not many people out exploring on a gloomy Sunday afternoon. That tends to be the day for walking here in Deutschland. Stores are closed-not much else to do!

Logan has to have a snack while we are out. Somebody had the grand idea of bringing small boxes of Smarties. These are not the sweet/tart discs that I enjoyed when I was young. These are miniature, brightly colored chocolate pieces-very similar to M&M@s, but slightly fruity. Very yummy, in my opinion.

Lots of fun arches and architecture.

The "tween" uniform. Hoodie from "store of the moment", skinny leg jeans and Convers@e shoes.

The view of Landstuhl below.
Crazy for taking kids out on a gloomy Sunday afternoon instead of enjoying naps? Probably.

Snail Crossing??

2009-03-25T14:00:00.000+01:00

I saw this posted in a parking area recently.

I'm not sure exactly what it means....but I will be looking out for slow moving snails.

Where I left off

2009-03-24T12:34:00.009+01:00

I honestly had no idea as I loaded Logan's birthday pictures a few months ago and left it unedited (crazy blog wouldn't let me move the pictures and kept deleting pictures/text), that I would take such a loooooooong hiatus from blogging.

I've missed it.

I've missed reading people's updates and little peeks into their lives. Funny sayings and events-I've missed you, too.

I have found myself adopting a different life away from my green laptop. I have stopped coming up with blog events, titles and pictures. It was strange from the life I had been living this past year.

Even now, as I type I can see that this will take baby steps to get back into this groove ~where I left my blog hanging. Logan has emptied out the fridge magnet basket at my side and smeared peanut butter from his face on my arm (ewww); the dryer cycle has finished; and there is a basket from my kitchen that I need to clear out on my other side. I am pretty positive that most of the school correspondence in it is now outdated. *Sigh* I am surrounded by things to pick up and sort in the next hour before I venture out into the drizzle and get the kids from school.

Just to give you a glimpse of what we have been doing, here are a few pictures from the past month. I visited Metz, France with a friend and her kids on a recent Sunday. It rained pretty much all day, but in Europe you cannot let that stop you! If you waited for a nice, sunny day---you might not see much of anything. Besides, the sun, clouds and rain are fleeting~sometimes. Allen stayed home with most of the kids. I say most since Lauren was snowboarding in France for the day with a neighbor and her son. Allen's only request is that I bring back some fresh bread from the patisserie. Most stores are closed in Germany on Sunday, so it was a nice break to get away to France. My friend, Jennifer and I made a nice discovery of a rose jam from the crepe vendor in Place de Jacque. It is an unusual sweet, rose-infused syrup. Nice on scones, pancakes, ice cream.........who would have thought?!? Funny story about the french bread: I told Nicholas that I went to France to get the bread that we enjoyed with pasta the next day. A few days ago I went to the local backerie to get some bread for dinner. I returned after 10-15 minutes and Nicholas asked me "How did you get the bread so fast??". He was asssuming that you always have to go to France to get french bread. If we could all be so lucky.

The "Rose Window" inside the cathedral.
Cathedral front entrance adorned with many saints.Some men's fashion that were questionable. Who knows? This might be the next big trend.
Cobbled, narrow streets are so lovely!

A nice sample of gateau in a patisserie window
It was dark in the cathedral, but this is a very ornate confessional inside.
Metz Cathedral. I love that lamp in the right-hand corner.

Logan on his special day

2009-01-10T17:08:00.005+01:00

Logan received an "Elmo Live" for his birthday. He loves him! Elmo is very animated and tells stories, sings, sits down, and makes silly noises. Ugh. This is such a cute picture of Logan with Elmo, but the mis-matched pants are a disaster! Logan apparently got his jeans dirty and some fashion challenged soul put Thomas the Train pajamas on him in preparation for bed. *sigh*.
Logan also received a fun tool kit from our newly discovered local store "Ernstings Family". Different name-cute things! Usually I am the good mom who bakes a cool cake. Not so for this occasion. I think after the holidays I just am not in the mood to bake. I bought these plain cupcakes at the commissary and decorated them.
What else could we fit into the day? Well, Allen had a minor day surgery and Nicholas had a 50's theme dance at his school. We ate Chinese after we picked up Daddy. The picture is a few down-I can't get the pictures to move around. Arghh!

Logan started off his day with a pain au chocolate from the local bakery. Yes~he did go to the store in his pajamas. Every morning we go to the bus and Ryan's school in pajamas (him, not me) because I just can't get six people dressed, fed and out the door by seven. Something had to give! Here is Logan with Super Grover. My friend Jill gave him to me years ago. I love him. Until now, he has only made rare appearances and generally hides out in my hope chest. Okay-I finally updated, somewhat. For some reason these pictures won't move, and several have been delated in the correction process.

Christmas Tag

2008-12-19T22:21:00.006+01:00

I wasn't tagged, but I read this on Hilary's blog, "My Own Little Circus" and thought it would be fun and easy--it was!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bag? I love wrapping paper and ribbons, but when time is short-the bag will have to do.

2. When do you put the tree up? Ryan has a birthday in early December, so we usually wait until after that and begin Christmas decorations..so usually the 8th or 9th. We put it up on the 14th this year.

3. When do you take the tree down? Since we are late putting it up, we have waited until January 5th or 6th. Logan has a birthday soon after that, so we try and get decorations put away before his celebrations.

4. Eggnog?? Love, love, love it. The hips? Not so much.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember getting a Tender Love doll that I loved ( I am dating myself!), a Barbie bedroom fold-out carry box and a stereo with cassette player (hehe) in seventh grade.

6. Hardest person to buy for?? Parents. We have been getting them regional foods and gifts because they are quite happy with what they have at the moment.

7. Easiest person to buy for? Lauren. She has a great list----And an alternative list.

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes-three of them. I have one that my mom gave me from my childhood, a Little Pe@ple one, and a handmade one from a Polish Christian Mission. I love them.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? I have honestly been so irresponsible in this department the past few years. I used the "Baby due" and "moving excuse"in past years. This year I am going for the "trying to update addresses" and "procrastination" excuse. I will get them out-it is a matter of when. I love getting pictures and updates from others though.

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? Hmmm.. I remember an itchy nightshirt from my Mema when I was little.

11. Favorite Christmas movie? The Holiday, National Lampoon Christmas (is that the name?), Love Actually.

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I like to get things here and there throughout the year, but the bulk of it is done October through December.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmmm...don't remember. If I did, hopefully someone didn't notice it?!?

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? We make decorated sugar cookies every year. I also loove chocolate covered pretzels.

15. Lights on the tree? Yes. Lots and lots of white ones-no twinkling allowed. :)

16. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night (Celene Dion-oh my...brings tears to my eyes every time), Do You Hear What I Hear, What Child is This, Carol of the Bells, Little Drummer Boy (love the movie).

17. Least favorite Christmas song? A Wonderful Christmas Time, the George Michael one that I hear every year.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? No family here=no traveling. I'm sure we will have lots of catching up to do in several years. Next year we really want to go somewhere and have a simple holiday. Switzerland or Garmisch, Germany come to mind as choices.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Always.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A homemade angel doll with ribons cascading from her feet down the tree.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We have been known to open pajamas on Christmas Eve before church, but I haven't bought any this year!?! Hmmm....

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The days are short and so is my patience. I want this to be a special time for my kids. I have fond memories of this season, and want the same for them.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I have British history theme--Henry VIII, his wives, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Scottish crown and Prince Albert and Victoria ornaments intermingled with other traditional ornaments. The past two years we had the "pretty tree" with snowflakes, pearl ornaments, red jewel garland....but this year I let the kids add some more of their ornaments that we have collected over the years. I think I want two trees every year-one pretty and one sentimental/kid friendly.

24. Favorite Christmas dinner? Spiral ham with Shannon's mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots and baked bread. Some kind of apple cobbler is a bonus.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A drama free, kids-listening, calm and loving day/evening.

I'm back!

2008-12-19T16:04:00.004+01:00

After a very long, unscheduled blog break....I am working on several posts. It's amazing how the last eighteen days have flown by! I have been checking blogs, leaving some comments and updating Faceb@@k, but the thought of a long post has been daunting.

Yikes! I have ideas swimming in my head and photos hanging out on the flash drive. Besides the normal day-to-day mundane tasks of laundry, school runs, after school activities, cleaning, blah, blah---here are some of the things we have been doing:

celebrating two birthdays and planning another in a few weeks!
celebrating St. Nicholas Day
having pictures with Santa Claus
attending the annual squadron Holiday party
ice skating, lasagna and sleepover with friends
buying and trimming the tree
Christmas markets
a visit from a friend in the UK with their sweet baby
school Christmas music production

Here are some things that we/I am still working on:

holiday/Christmas cards
wrapping gifts
mailing boxes of gifts
finishing Logan's stocking
I am sure there are other things that I am completely blocking out!

Be back soon! Promise.

Dear Mr. Weatherman

2008-12-01T11:52:00.002+01:00

Dear Mr. Weatherman,

It is a busy time of year for you, I know. I need you to understand something. I am a Texas girl, you see. I am used to snow falling and lasting maybe......five hours......not two weeks!!! You have to understand that we live on a very steep and slippery hill. I watch the experienced German drivers sliding around on the hill, and I know better to let my Texas icy weather driving skills get the better of me. I really do not enjoy sliding up and down hills with a car full of kids squealing. Honestly.

And speaking of kids, my children must despise any sort of winter gear because it takes forever to get gloves, hats, coats and scarves assembled in the morning. This is just time that we don't have to spare, you see. All of the aforementioned gear is then taken off immediately as the car starts to move, and relocated and donned again when we reach our destination. Extra time...are you seeing the trend here?? These crazy kids actually toss gloves and hats everywhere so that we often are missing items mid-journey. These items are supposed to last us all winter, and we already are missing quite a few things. It takes time to locate these things-- time we don't have. So, mis-matched gloves it is.

Speaking of time, I just don't have those extra ten minutes before seven a.m. to de-ice the car. Can we limit the ice, rain and fog a bit? Come'on...it's just December 1st. Ya Know??? Give us a break.

We decided to walk to the bus stop this morning, but our experienced German bus driver was running a tad bit early. Obviously our slipping down the hill did not increase our speed...so we missed the bus. That is not a great way to start the week, I tell you.

I am asking that you consider toning the weather down just a little and letting us ease into this winter state-of-mind. I certainly could use the time to gain better patience, driving skills and just readjust my schedule a bit so we can make it on time, safely.

No need to respond, just help out if you would.

Sincerely,
A Busy Household

Early blessings

2008-11-25T14:36:00.009+01:00

Yesterday we celebrated Ashlyn's eleventh birthday. She had a great day at school with a lunchtime chorus of "Happy Birthday" and ended the day with takeaway Chinese and doughnuts. She is continuing the celebrations today by bringing cupcakes to her youth group after school.

I was thinking about the day that I became a mom for the first time, eleven years ago. I had been on bed rest for exactly a week with unexpected complications when my water broke. Allen, who had been up all night finishing his thesis, was not excited about having to come home from work and take me to the hospital. He just wanted sleep!

After determining that my directionally challenged girl was breech, a C-section was scheduled. Several hours later I was resting in the recovery room when Allen brought my newly bundled baby girl to me. He told me, "I called my grandma and told her the name was Ashlyn. I hope that's okay". What matters???? I was somebody's mom. It was overwhelming. I looked at this new life and just could not believe that I had been chosen to care for her. I love those first hours as you gaze at a new baby straight from Heaven.

My friend Melody later told me that she had seen Allen in the nursery with Ashlyn as the nurse bathed and examined her. She said that she wished that she had her camera because the look of pride on his face was priceless. I am so glad that I have that memory. I couldn't be there to see all of those firsts because I was medicated, but I can imagine it. A good memory that I have of the surgery is being completely toasty warm. Strange memory, but it was a feeling that even your inner core was warm and comfortable. Karma? Medication? Warm blankets? I don't know, but it was nice.

Many of my memories of the time immediately following her birth are fuzzy since I must have had a good dose of drugs, but I do remember that. I also remember seeing the first pictures of me holding Ashlyn. I love looking at them, but I also wonder why nobody removed the temperature strip on my forehead (from surgery). I didn't even know it was there, but I'm sure others saw it. I guess we just get caught up in the moment!

We brought Ashlyn home from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving that year. It was entirely unexpected! She was due exactly two weeks before Christmas, so I was pretty much planning a Christmas baby. Early blessings it was. We were, as you can guess, not ready for Thanksgiving that year. My family drove up from three cities to see us and H.E@.B. was a big help with the trimmings!

Big news!

2008-11-20T22:06:00.004+01:00

Well, on the scale of big news issues in other households, this might not be so big. But in our household, this is great news!

Ta-da! I.have.found.a.babysitter.

Yes. After living here for 14 months and exploring various avenues of teenagers, I have finally found one. The best part is that she is no longer a teenager. Yep. A true adult! She is one of the younger teachers at Ryan's school who was interested in watching the kids when I asked at the school.

She came over yesterday evening to meet the kids and to find out more about each others' families. She is German, but she knows English fairly well (hey, I can understand her). She received her education with children and was really great with the kids. This also makes me worry less if something were to happen while we were away. We would have a certified teacher who knows the area/language and can get the appropriate help.

This gives us such options-dinner, movies, holiday parties-yay!

I often remind my husband that moving is very traumatic for women because we have to find new:

hairdressers
gynecologists (honestly, right?)
babysitters

These are very important people in women's lives (at least this one), and we can't get just anybody to do the job. I hate, hate, hate leaving my old ones and asking around until you find someone that you can trust. By then, it's time to move again!!!

Not having family around and moving frequently means that you need to make adjustments and find means to help your family. For us, living further away from the primary military (and thus english-speaking) community has limited us in finding childcare. We just don't want to drive the children to places and create a late night. We have discovered that late nights=chaotic mornings. Blech.

I do have a cousin serving in the Air Force who lives about 30-40 minutes away, but his deployment and the distance have limited that option of asking family to help. I know he and his wife would be more than willing to help though!

The only down side is that our new sitter mentioned that she lives at home currently, but plans to move to Kaiserslautern at some time. She will continue to work in our town though. I am just hoping that the long commute doesn't take her away from us.

Now, with my husband being away the past few weeks, I need some "Me Time". Now I can go to a girls' event with some friends this weekend. It is much deserved.

My new mantra

2008-11-18T00:34:00.005+01:00

" She believed she could
So she did. "

(In the lateness of the evening, I didn't give credit where it is due. I saw this on a Hallmark item recently. A coaster maybe? Love it! )

Monsters and their spooky castle- a sneak peek

2008-11-17T22:45:00.009+01:00

I am finally able to access them! Whoo hoo!

It's late, so I will just post a few of our pictures of Frankenstein Castle in Darmstadt (ummm...yeah, from October) and provide details later!

Keep in mind that this was "Family Day" and kids were encouraged to come. I seriously wonder how scary things are on Halloween night!! These guys looked pretty real....and tall....and eerie.

The pin face and white-face monster were really creepy. The kids didn't seem to mind them very much though. Is that a good or bad thing?

This picture is just because.

Logan and I waited a while while the kids tried out the "burning stake".

It's the little things

2008-11-15T16:08:00.003+01:00

It's been a chaotic weekend, and it's only Saturday afternoon. Today has been a flurry of laundry, sorting, whining, kids running, baths, drama because the planned sleepover friend now cannot come tonight, toys scattered, gloomy weather, headache, Wii supplies everywhere, torn books, what are we having for dinner worries.

In the midst of all of this I wiped my baby's hands and face after he had yogurt. I usually just do the quick scrub and wipe around the face without really noticing. Today I really looked. Looked at his big blue eyes, the long eyelashes, the smooth skin, the smile looking back at me.

I'm glad that I did. I really needed that.

St. Martin's Day or Martinstag

2008-11-11T22:37:00.007+01:00

St. Martin is a cherished man who was a Roman soldier in the 4th century who later became a monk and led a simple life. He cut his cloak in half to provide a beggar with warmth during a snowstorm. In Germany, on the eve or on November 11th, children celebrate this man's generosity by making paper lanterns and parading through the streets singing songs about him. It is implied that the children are also singing for treats, similar to a Halloween tradition.

Last night we met at Ryan's school and watched a brief presentation by the school children (in German, of course) on St. Martin. The school children had made these amazing brightly colored lanterns-suns, owls, penguins, multi-colored. They were beautiful!

We then lit our paper lanterns with these little electric light wands and followed the parade through the town. Every so often the band that accompanied us would stop and play a song. It was amazing how the townspeople all gathered around and watched-taking pictures and singing along. Watching others seems to be a popular pastime here. I like that the pace of life is slower here.

We returned to the school and stood around the bonfire and ate pretzels and bratwurst. They were also serving hot Gluwein and a "kinderpunch" (a warm , fruity drink).

St. Martin's day is also associated with goose (ugh-not a fan) and the beginning of the fasching season. Let the fasching begin!

(Of course, I cannot get our pictures to upload. I will post them when possible. I found some other online images-you get the idea).

The business of being organized

2008-11-11T10:58:00.007+01:00

Not that I am anywhere near this state of mind, but is there such a thing as being too organized? I think there are definitely so many tools that one can use to help get organized, that you can easily get overwhelmed. Consider just one aspect of organization: calendars.

I am guilty of having too many calendars! I have a large "More Time Moms" one in the kitchen that all of the kids can look at to see what is going on in our household for the day/week/month. Nicholas especially likes to use this one. He often tells me the dates and what is going on :).

I also have a purse "Whomi" calendar where I write down things while I am out and about, or appointments as I make them outside the home. I like this one because it saves me having to have papers with this information collecting in my purse.

Here is where it gets crazy, I also have a desk calendar that I write most of my plans, birthdays, addresses, weekly lists, etc. Nobody really references this but me. I love this one because I usually get a ME one. I think I want to get a fun one like Paris or London themed one for 2009. I just can't give this one up.

And last but not least, I have an online calendar with Cozi. This is a great site! You are able to post pictures, an online journal, make lists, use the color-coded calendar, etc. I can't give this one up either. I just like looking at what is going on in this easy to read calendar. The colored dots are simple to see that daughter #1 has things planned most days, every week. Sigh.

The obvious problem is making sure that what is written on one calendar--is written on the others. Double scheduling or forgotten events have happened! This is where a personal secretary would be great for every family. Keep up with appointments---return correspondence---file necessary paperwork. I digress.

I opened my pantry, and what do I see?? Two computer printed calendars that I occasionally list household chores and menu plans. This is so I can see when I needed to change sheets, wash windows, washed pillow covers, etc. I can also plan ahead sometimes and have items for a particular meal ready, if it's on the calendar, that is.

Too much?!? Stop me now.

As I am looking ahead for Christmas gifts, I am considering getting Ashlyn, Lauren and maybe Nicholas a planner/calendar. Am I creating planning monsters? Ashlyn and Lauren have had planners before, but they are not dedicated users of them. Not yet. We'll see when I am finished with them. Bwahahahah.

I miss these guys

2008-11-09T22:07:00.005+01:00

These are two cute little guys that used to reside in my house. These pictures were taken in February 2007, when Ryan was barely two and Logan was five weeks.

Ryan was such a sweet little person. He has a great smile and knows how to use it to his advantage. "Yes, I know I have just unrolled the whole roll of toilet paper.....but I am so cute. Here, let me hug you and remind you!". That was then.

Since school started we have earlier mornings, and he is such a grump. He takes a daily nap and we try to get him to bed early, but he is still an unpleasant little person. There is whining when he didn't want that cereal...or bowl...or somebody gave him a funny look...or called him that. Eeeek!

Logan. What can I say? He was peacefully sleeping in the five week picture. The boy does not stop until his head hits the bed for nap or bedtime. I love this age with the hugs, the sweet words and phrases, cute expressions, the new abilities to make things work....but I live for those moments when he is contained in his bed and not moving.

I miss these guys. I think I didn't relish the time when they were sweet and sleeping. I guess I was busy.....with life. I was making other plans. Or whatever.

I know many moms that feel this way. Maybe that is what being a grandparent is all about-taking the time to relish and embrace the true childhood.

**I am still working on posting our monster castle experience, Halloween and anything else of picture importance. I have uploaded them, but cannot figure out the storage system that my husband has set up. Bear with me until my computer nerd can remind me how to find the picture files again. Sheesh.

My mantra

2008-11-07T16:26:00.001+01:00

"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week"

~Spanish proverb

That's just fine, because I plan on putting my feet up this weekend!

The paper solution

2008-11-06T20:55:00.005+01:00

Squash a kindergartner...save a tree!

I'm not really advocating to harm a little person.

However, this is the amount of papers that my own kindergartner brought home in one day. And there are millions more like him-bringing home a tree a day of worksheets, art, etc. Okay, it wasn't exactly a tree, but I did count eleven papers. And that doesn't count the packet of homework sheets that arrived in his folder as well!

I love seeing his work, but I just wonder-how much is too much?

I took this next picture to exemplify kindergartner logic. It seems that he was missing a sticker from the teacher for some particular reason, so he came up with his own solution. He added his own pumpkin sticker.

Never mind that it obviously doesn't match the teacher's stickers.

**I did notice a few days later that the sticker had been removed at school. Hehe.

***Side note-I don't know what's going on with the square haircut look. We had it cute short so that we could give it that "rustled" look, but apparently if you don't do that daily you get the "square" look. Ugh.

This is what I am lovin' today

2008-11-04T22:06:00.003+01:00

I loved the fact that I could get some quick shopping done at the local German supermarket (on a much smaller scale) and have it home and unpacked by 8:15 a.m. You see, if I waited to go to the commissary on base, I would have to wait until it opens a few hours later. Then you factor in the 30 minute drive each way...you get the picture.

I picked up some washing detergent, apples, yogurt, brotchen (rolls), cafe au lait, butter and spatzle. I bagged it quickly (you have to bag your own stuff with your own bag--very quickly or you get "the look") and Logan and I were done. He was happy that the lady at the bakery gave him a brezel (pretzel). Maybe she felt sorry for him because he was still in his jammies. I just can't manage to get six people up, dressed, fed and out the door by 7:05, so something had to give.

I love the fact that I had the patience and finally found my debit card. It has been missing for five days, but I have checked my account online frequently and notified my bank. Cancelling the card would have meant filling out a new form, faxing it, waiting for a new card, blah, blah. Apparently it was hiding out with my gas ration folder. I guess that is the last place I used it.

I love the fact that tomorrow will be the beginning of the end of the election speculation. A lot of big decisions are being made today, and I trust that the person chosen will lead our nation to the best of their ability. This day doesn't have as much meaning for me as far as the true "voting" feeling though. It just doesn't have that same effect on you when you fill in the papers and put it in the postbox.

I am also ecstatic that I found this cool gadget that will allow me to have unlimited phone minutes with my family for free (okay-there is an annual very low fee, but no biggie!). Friends can also call me at a US number. No more mis-dialed numbers and panic when a foreign-speaking person answers. I shudder when I think of the money spent on long distance (and postage) these past nine years.

L-L-L-Legoland

2008-11-03T13:02:00.000+01:00

Obviously, we have made the trek to Legoland in the past. Here are the girls in front of Legoland Windsor in 2001.

Ashlyn got her first taste of speed-and a drivers license!

Fast-forward to 2008-adding three more kids. This is Logan at the beginning of the day. I took this picture because I also have one of the stroller, and all of it's effects at the end of the trip. There is quite a difference! I have just a few pictures to post because, well, the computer is being stingy with sharing pictures from the folder at the moment.
Ashlyn and Ryan decided to try the pulley ride. Unsuspecting Ashlyn soon learned that Ryan was not about to pull his own weight! Smart Boy.

This time we saw many beautiful sights in Germany made of thousands of legos. We made mental notes of fabulous places to visit. Here is Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. It is quite a sight. We have been to visit it twice, and I suspect that we will see it again when we have guests visit.
What would a trip Europe be without posing with the Beckhams? Oh wait, they are in the US now, right?!?I added this picture because we were in this HUGE park with so many things to see, and Logan was standing in the middle of the walkway, playing with a leaf...and eventually became inteterested in the drain. I'm not sure that I will ever understand the mind of a male. I will try and post as the computer allows. I have several other posts, but I am getting a message stating that it could not make contact with Blogger-saving and publishing may fail". This has got to be a conspiracy.

Oh bother!

2008-10-30T23:04:00.003+01:00

Sorry about the lack of posting...or pictures!! I have tried, honestly! Our router keeps disconnecting me from the main computer! I type something and click to review...offline. *Sigh*.

I was able to upload a few pictures, but now the folder is unavailable.....argh! Hopefully it will behave itself.....(insert stomping and fist waving). I just need the "computer guy" (i.e. husband) to have a few hours to fix it, but activities and daily life keep interfering.

Six Seis Sechs Seven Siete Sieben Sept

2008-10-28T11:33:00.004+01:00

I was tagged by Anne at "Anne's Blog" do a "Six" Meme, and by Hilary at "My Own Little Circus" to do a "Seven" meme. Ever the multi-tasker, I am combining these. Nah-nah-nah-na-nan-nah!

Here are the rules of the meme:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on the blog.

3. Write six (or seven)random things about yourself.

4. Tag six (or seven)people at the end of your post.

5. Let each person know they have been tagged

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

7. Uh-oh. Make up your own rule.

I cannot, most days, leave the house a mess (or the kitchen at night before I go to bed). This generally results in late nights and being late, which I don't enjoy. My husband is always questioning, "Why are you picking up toys or flufffing pillows before we leave? Who's going to see it?". Ugh.
I am quite a germ-a-phobe. I believe that this stems from working in hospitals and watching MRSA work its way down the hall. That and watching so many people walk of of restrooms without washing the hands! Ugh. My kids wash their hands immediately upon returning home because I know school is a germ playground-that and the bus that brings them home.
I have traveled in fourteen countries: Belgium, Scotland, England, Crete, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg , Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Mexico, and Wales. We are planning a trip to the Netherlands in the spring, and hopefully the Czech Republic and Italy (again) before we leave. No wonder I feel so out of place! I have no home :(.
I have a love for magazines! I have a hard time parting with them. It seems that I think I will have time to pull out useful recipes, decorating ideas, articles, etc. My favorites are Real Simple, Country Living, Southern Living, Oprah, Martha Stewart ( wink, wink Mamaneena) and Nick Jr. (great kid party ideas, crafts and recipes).
When I was a child we had animals as pets-doves, rabbits, parakeets, dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, lizards (my brother), turtles (again-my brother)......but I refuse to let my kids get a pet. I know they are fun and that they teach important lessons, but I just can't convince myself that I will have the time and patience for another thing to care for....
I have never baked a turkey. Shameful! I know. I have always been blessed to have friends or a husband who take on this monumental task. Maybe it's something about touching the raw bird.....
I have a pet peeve of almost used-up items....almost empty tubes of toothpaste, one piece of bread in the bag, the sliver of soap, only bubbles left in the shampoo bottle, one candy in the dish, one storage bag left....use it up already!! :D

There you have it-random things from the top o'my head. These are late, but at least I followed through! I am not tagging anyone-play along if you wish or leave a random comment about you or your day.

Great Giveaways!

2008-10-25T11:11:00.002+02:00

I am not the "giver-awayer", but Allison at "Life in Germany" has found some fancy, true-to-life, German Christmas decorations that she is Giving away!! So, head over there and have a look!

Just guess

2008-10-25T00:47:00.003+02:00

Guess where we are going this weekend?

Clues: it is not too far away; it is a very Halloween-ish place; monsters run amuck here!

Leave a comment and de-lurk! You know that you want to!?! Besides, I am interested in the variety of ideas. We just might think it is a great idea!

Leaves!

2008-10-24T00:06:00.009+02:00

We found a great park with tons of leaves! I will post more later. This is the fifth time I have uploaded and lost them. Oh! If you are on our Christmas card list...don't look too closely. You just might see them again :D

Finally!

2008-10-22T10:45:00.005+02:00

This past week has been a blur of activity. Besides the normal school and after school activities, we have had a day off (Colombus Day) to recover from the Legoland weekend adventure. I was part of a group hosting a baby shower for a very deserving mother expecting her fifth baby. We had a great morning of fantastic food, interesting chat, ahhhing over baby clothing, and fun friends. Before we knew it we had to rush off to collect children, have sports photographs and attend the Fall Festival at the school.

Ashlyn had a game (cheering) on Saturday, and then the rest of the weekend was spent cleaning out our third floor storage room. We have been putting it off since we moved in, and the situation was deteriorating, quickly. Nothing is so humbling as watching every single item that you own being crammed into crates (for an overseas move), and then now getting rid of so many items in the storage room that you are wondering why you have moved, stored, and kept these items as long as you have!!! There are children's clothes galore. Now that it has been cleared out --the storage room looks so much better! You can actually walk in! I now need to sort out the clothing for selling, donating, tossing, etc. Blech.

Today is catch up day...laundry, blogging, e-mails, housework. Logan is happily playing with blocks and I am finishing an episode of Lost in Austen. I also planned on finishing another post with some pictures and putting up Legoland pictures, but have a roadblock. Since installing a new router for the upstairs computer, the stored pictures are unaccessible. Aaccckk! That will have to wait, I guess.

Overheard during the car trip

2008-10-13T22:00:00.002+02:00

It took us quite a while to get to Legoland. We encountered quite a bit of constructiuon in multiple areas along the autobahn, but thankfully did not have the six kilometer (at least) staus (traffic jam) that we viewed on the opposite side of the motorway.

During that time we made multiple bathroom stops, passed out goldfish crackers, small packets of Haribo gummy bears, and water.

Lauren soon noticed that Nick had saved over her Imagine Teacher DS game.
Lauren : "Nick! I can't believe that you did that! I am going to write in my journal that you are a bad boy!"
Nicholas: "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" (As if this has some bearing on his future).

Ryan "Dad, it's lunchtime and we haven't had lunch yet! All we have had is goldfish and water". We are such mean, uncaring parents, aren't we? How dare we starve our kids as we take them on a Legoland adventure, when we would love to take a trip to a warm, sandy beach....sans offspring?

Nick, after asking every two minutes, "How many minutes until we get there?"......and being told about two hours......replies, "I think I am going to say it will be ten minutes since I like that number better".

Yeah, if it only worked that way!

We are home, unpacked, and ready to begin the work/school week. We will post pictures soon!

Holiday plans

2008-10-12T21:26:00.000+02:00

I hope that everyone is enjoying their long weekend and that you have fun no matter if your plans include a fun location or just staying at home. One friend of ours even had a sweet baby boy over the weekend!

While some we know are visiting places like thisor this ........

We can be found here. I guess that comes with the territory when you have kids. You have to visit these places every so often and spend lots of euros on foam swords, low nutrition meals, bags of sweets and pictures!

Boy Heaven

2008-10-09T23:52:00.007+02:00

I got a glimpse of boy heaven this week. We ventured out on a gray day to a pumpkin patch near Landstuhl with our MOPS group. I was as prepared as I could be-wellies, those cool matschhose for Logan, coats, my big IKEA bag to carry pumpkins and muddy gear, euros, umbrellas, snacks and camera.

We were immediately greeted by the farm cows. They wanted to know if we had snacks-and could we share. We decided that the small bag of pretzels would not last long, so we declined and went straight for the patch. Keep in mind that it has been raining quite a bit recently. The pumpkin patch was ooey gooey with fresh, cold mud. The boys immediately began picking up all of the pumpkins and trying to stack them. It was a good thing that Logan was covered from shoulder to toes in rain gear since he spent much of the time laying on his back like a turtle with his boots tangled in the vine saying "tuck! tuck!" ("stuck" in 20 month-old language).

After shelling out ten euros for five semi-small pumpkins, and putting our goods back in the van, the group

loaded onto a trailer that was being pulled by a tractor. How cool is that for boys? We stood in the back (30+ people) and made the 400 meter trip (or so) to the farm. Logan screamed loudly at first, but was happy to try and open the gate as we drove. I didn't take a picture of the tractor since I was afraid it would leave us if I took too long.

At the farm we were able to check out the cool tractors, the farm dogs, the cows in the barn, the chickens, the pigs, the geese and more mud. Oh, and lots of animal poo. Good times. Logan was not afraid at all. He explored all venues, whether he was invited or not. Ryan was more hesitant, but when he finally touched the cow, he was not amused. "Mom! it snotted on me!". Sure enough-----a big thick string-y thing.

Surprisingly, I had no wipes, so we made do with a piece of hay and went on. Secretly, I was thinking "Eww, eww, eww", but I didn't want him to dwell on it.

This is where the photo experience ends. Of course, as with any photo op, the camera batteries died.

We rode the bumpy trailer back after a while and tried to de-mud before getting in the van. Daddy just cleaned the whole car, so I didn't want to leave too much evidence.

We bought lunch and went home for a nap. What better way for boys to enjoy the morning? Outside with mud, animals and gooey stuff. Mommy didn't even freak out with the grubbiness of it all.

I put the pumpkins out on the front step. I still haven't washed the mud off of them. Since we don't have a hose outside, I am hoping that future rain will do the job. If not, they will remain "all natural" until the BCD (BIG carving day).

Overheard at our house

2008-10-07T22:30:00.002+02:00

A conversation took place in the basement where my husband was painting Ashlyn's furniture. Since he was able to hear the commotion (kids yelling, me yelling at the kids, kids arguing and whining, etc.) above him. I am not quite sure why he asked-

Husband-"Is everything o.k. up there?"

Me- "No, the kids are so loud and crazy this afternoon. I am never giving Nick a Cinnabon again if he is going to act crazy like this."

(The box of Cinnabons were calling my name last week. We had them for breakfast. They were so yummy! We eat them maybe once a year, and now I know why.... Evil Cinnabons).

Husband- "Do you ever feel like you are in over your head?"

Me- "Um, yes-daily." (insert *sigh* and aggravated facial expression here)

Husband- "Well, at least we know they will move out some day, but that will be a long time from now".

Me -"Yeeeeaaah, okay....thanks for the encouraging words".

Autumn Adventures

2008-10-06T22:05:00.009+02:00

Here are some fun things that we have enjoyed this season:

Watching the fog cover the hills. Isn't that beautiful!?!
Participating in the Breast Cancer 5K Walk! Cheerleading!!!
Choosing the perfect pumpkin
Visiting a local pumpkin patch
Playing at the farm Getting to know nature

Picking apples in your back garden
Deciding which apples are okay to eatEnjoying the outdoors!
Meeting my new friend! :)
Decorating the house for autumn. Here is my German bread bowl that I found at the bazaar for my birthday! I love the stuffed pumpkins also-they have the best cinnamon scent.

Enjoying the living room decor

Here is the entryway table. Can you see the sled that I found at the bazaar? It is actually one from a German kindergarten (Southeast area). Supposedly the children can actually use this when it snows!

Sampling the sweets and lebkuchen hearts at the Herbstmarkt (fall fair)
Having fun on the rides at the fall fair
Playing in the town fountains before they are turned off for winter!
Going back to school (or starting school)! !!

Begging to ride this huge ride at the herbstmarkt. Uh, no.

Today

2008-10-02T22:31:00.007+02:00

I don't know if I have shared this, but because of our location, our children attend an army community school. This has given us a different view of military life. As an Air Force family, we have experienced few deployments, and when my husband has been away it is usually for air shows or training.

The army families experince very long 15-month deployments and they are often working in very volatile areas. When many troops left for a deployment this year I knew this day would come. Ashlyn came home with news that a first-grader at her school learned that their dad was killed today. We don't know this child, but my heart aches still. I also hate that my children have to experience this. I want to shield them from this sadness that their school community is experiencing, but this is a part of life. I just have to accept it.

It still stinks.

Please keep their family, as well as the many others in your thoughts and prayers.

A good way to incorporate exercise

2008-09-30T15:30:00.003+02:00

One thing I am really impressed with about Europe-----

the way that everybody walks-everywhere! The villages, towns and cities have incorporated sidewalks along most neighborhoods, streets and in the town center. Unlike the U.S., the stores are generally clustered in an area where you can park in a semi-large parking lot (okay-the HUGE lots that you see in the U.S. are rarely seen here) and walk. I really like that idea because I like to just get the kids out of /in the car as few times as necessary.

There are also bus stops everywhere. I usually don't take the bus, because I have a fear of getting transported to some unknown area and then it will take forever to get back home. Hmmm....do you think that this has happened before? :)

For example, today the weather is rainy, windy and high 40's. You think that might deter some from walking outside. Uh, no. I spotted so many school kids, elderly people, mothers, etc. walking in town as I went about my day. They were all bundled up and carrying umbrellas as they were walking along the streets and hills.

In the UK I would even see elderly people on bicycles fairly often! I think that is just fantastic! I don't see as many elderly people on bicycles here, but there are many steep hills here that challenge the experienced riders. I do, however, see many elderly people walking here to the shops. I think part of the reason is the steep expense of owning a car here!

There are some days that we walk to Ryan's school and the kid's bus stop. I wish that we walked most days. It is about a mile walk to Ryan's school, and about a half mile to the bus stop. This would save gas usage, incorporate exercise into our day, and allow the kids to use up some spent energy. The main reason is that many days I just don't have the time that it takes to walk. Sad excuse, eh? I just need to get ready a few minutes earlier so I can walk and get that extra exercise.

Why is it that it just seems so much easier to jump in the car? Why is this part of the "American thinking"? I really hope that we can change this attitude in this household.

Hey you!

2008-09-28T15:21:00.003+02:00

You---- my only stay-at home friend. Can you stop emptying out books, paper, toys and other such items?

I'd like to know ---when do you have time to make a tornado trip throughout my house since you are constantly in the pantry self-serving the crackers, cereal and sweets? The only time that you are not exploring is when you lay that blond head down to sleep (and nap-thank God!).

Oh yeah, you do sit still for a book occasionally. How many times do we have to read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and The Gruffalo?

And can you stop looking so cute while you are wrecking havoc?

The battle

2008-09-23T11:37:00.008+02:00

Us: 0
Stomach Bug: 4

Thaaaats right. The bug that I have been hearing about-the one that has been making its way around the elementary school for the past several weeks made an ugly appearance. At our house, nonetheless.

Nick was sick on several occasions the day before my birthday, thus changing some weekend plans-most importantly my day trip to Metz.

I had to pick Ashlyn up from school yesterday after several calls from the school nurse. The curvy road home was making me veer-r-r-ry nervous.

Allen fell victim yesterday evening. This guy never stays home sick from work! Today was an exception.

Ryan was sick after he woke up for school this morning. Oh no! Does this mean that I have to get a note from the krankenhaus (a doctor at a German hospital) before he returns? I thought I heard that fact during the translation session-not that could look it up again.

I am thinking that making my favorite spinach brownies (relax----just a spinach bake cut into squares for kid appeal) for dinner yesterday was not such a great idea.

We definitely are usually lucky with these bugs. I hear about them and say a quick prayer-knock on wood-and all of those things to ward them away. I am also the hand washing dictator after school. Those backpacks and jackets hit the hooks and the reminders to wash well begin. I guess this was way beyond my control!

Allen and I were talking today that this definitely is a down-side of a larger family. It's scary to think that the washing, resting and cleaning up could last-gulp-weeks! The thought of chasing a toddler around to make sure he doesn't go near the rugs or furniture is frightening. Logan is the one that really scares me.

Lauren and I made a pact this morning that we would not get this bug. I hope she can keep her part of the deal.

Shhhhh!

2008-09-19T10:32:00.007+02:00

Somebody has one of those monumental birthdays.

You know the ones. The ones that you just don't look forward to, but you know that you just have to take a breath and accept it?

Today she is thinking about how her mom felt-those many years ago when she met her little baby girl. And how her aunt felt when she met her little baby boy. And how her Mema felt to finally have a granddaughter. And how her other Mema felt to have a red-headed granddaughter.

Today, she's forgetting the new piles of laundry from the throwing up 5-year-old and going shopping at a bazaar and playing with her kids. She's also planning a trip to France this weekend to explore new places. Because that is what she does best.

But that doesn't mean that she's excited about this birthday.

Not one little bit.

Birthday season has begun

2008-09-16T11:30:00.004+02:00

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be an event planner like Julie on The Love Boat. Do you remember that show? Planning parties and events for seven is not quite what I imagined, but it is what God had in store for me.

We began with Allen's a few weeks ago. His is the first of seven birthdays within the next seven months. Arghh! The day began a little later than we anticipated since we were caught up in a stau or traffic jam caused by a peaceful demonstration and lots of polizei along the route. We drove around the town of Cochem, where they were having a weinfestival. We hiked up the hill to the castle and spent the rest of the day at Schloss Cochem; we had lunch at the restaurant there, took in the scenery along the Mosel River, and had yellow cake with chocolate frosting when we arrived home. I'm sure he had his heart set on McDonald's, but it just didn't happen.

Happy birthday Honey!!

Did I mention that we are moving?

2008-09-10T12:01:00.009+02:00

We saw a great place a few weekends ago. Should we make the big move?

So, what do you think? It has great architecture and views. The fabulous dining room has plenty of space for our family, plus some!The antiques are well cared for.
It has large fireplaces and light fixtures. Just think-the money we could save on gas and electric! The view of the Mosel River, and all of its vineyards is breathtaking.It has a mermaid light fixture that you rub (her red belly) for good luck. Yeah, sorta creepy but unusual. It has a treasure chest stored there full of (chocolate/ "schokolade" ) coins! Can you see it in the dark background?
It has unusual external features.People who drive shiny expensive cars would visit. We could even hire it out for weddings! Isn't this bride beautiful in the gardens?

We'll take it! Where do we sign?

Here is a link with more photos of the town and surrounding areas of Cochem. We noticed that they were having many wine fests in the small villages as we drove home. It is becoming that festival time of year.

We are currently taking donations, and then we can talk with the people at Schloss Cochem and make them an offer that they can't refuse!

And then there was one

2008-09-09T23:48:00.002+02:00

Almost all of my babies are out of the house today. Yep, for the past few weeks they have been playing at school; meeting new friends; exploring new things.

This was the last one to leave. He just hopped on the bus and didn't look back! I even went to visit him on his first day to take some pictures after I returned his sister to school from an eye appointment. He was agreeable to take a few pictures, and then he was ready for me to leave. I think he was also afraid that he would have to go home.

I am left with this one. This is the adventurous one. He lives, loves and plays ferociously.

Even at this sweet age.

We have been busy recently with appointments and other random things, so I am not quite sure what to do with this new block of time! I have BIG PLANS for it though! I forsee trips to the library, commissary, lunch outings, a semi-uncluttered day at home, home projects, event planning.....need I say more!?! I can actually read a book with him, or my own book and not worry what is going on in the depths of the household.

A very good question

2008-09-02T13:58:00.003+02:00

Nicholas has become quite the philosopher lately. He asked me this yesterday, as we were walking to the commissary for some food essentials.

"Mom, why didn't God give you five or six hands, like an octopus?" (never mind the fact that an octopus has eight tentacles-we'll address that with him later).

My response : "Hmmm...I've often wondered that myself. That would be very useful sometimes for me. "

I could use another one of those hands right now. I sat down to update and catch up on blogs, but now it's time to get the kids from school! I will get the pictures and updates out later today!

Another good question: is anyone else having trouble with spellcheck on Blogger? Mine is not working! I need that extra help so that I can post quickly. Any suggestions?

The monkey

2008-08-28T08:12:00.002+02:00

We have been having the most random conversations as we have been walking down the hill to Ryan's Kindergarten this week.

Nick: Mom, can I be a monkey someday?
Me: What do you mean-act like a monkey?
Nick: No, I want to be a monkey.
Me: Okaaaaay-how are you going to do that?
Nick: I know how you do that! You have to eat, like, 18 bananas a day!

Great. I can't wait to see how this turns out.

Don't you wish you lived here?

2008-08-27T17:46:00.002+02:00

Isn't it gorgeous?!?

Can't you just picture yourself relaxing in the garden here?

This is not my house, but I wish that it was! It belongs to a friend who lives in a neighboring town. There is a small sign near the entry stating when the house was built, almost 200 years ago, I believe. The gorgeous leaves are a reminder that soon all of Germany will be an array of color!

School Prep

2008-08-27T16:40:00.001+02:00

I have felt guilty this week about not posting new information, keeping up with e-mails or catching up on other blogs. After skimming through my Bloglines and Google Reader, it seems like many people are taking a break too! Whew!

We have been enjoying the last of the summer days, even though the temperatures seem to indicate autumn is coming soon. The range of temperatures has been 45-75 degrees lately. Our indoor/outdoor temperature gauge decided to freak out and says it is 6 degrees farenheit outside. So not true. We really depend on this item since we can't tell one day to the next what the temperature is, and how we need to dress.

We also have been getting ready for school. Ryan started school last week, although it was a few weeks later than his classmates. The German schools have a year-round sysytem, but a shorter school day. I had him start later since we were away for a good part of the summer break, and I also needed time to get his things for school. There was also a need for me to put off an early morning as long as possible!

I miss the days of getting the kids ready for British schools. School supplies were really not needed. The schools provided basic writing notebooks and paper, pencils, colors, paints, and the first writing pen. We had to purchase any other needed pens. We basically purchased school uniforms that consisted of grey trousers, dresses and skirts, black shoes, white or grey socks or tights, and the school sweater or "jumper" with the school emblem. The students also needed a P.E. kit, a small school bag (again with school emblem) and a water bottle. Easy!

Here is a picture that I found of the girls first day of school in 2004. How cute are those uniforms?

For the oldest three, I have been collecting the usual school supply list of folders, paper, markers, crayons, pencils, etc. I know that we will have to purchase classroom items (paper towels, tissues, etc) after we receive that list from the homeroom teachers.

Ryan's list for school has been completely different. First, there was the daunting task of filling out the long school information packet. I posted about it here. My landlord's wife helped me. She said that it was long and complicated, even for a native speaker. He has needed several items that required searching various stores on the economy. Here are the items that Ryan needs to begin school:

pyjamas (they change into these for naptime)
house shoes (I think they wear these a good part of the day?)
athletic shoes
change of clothing
nappies/diapers with mulchsachs (disposable bags for the stinky ones)
suncream and hat (summertime)
wellies/boots
matschhose "mud clothing" (these are neat-they completely cover the lower half to keep kids dry and warm outside)
a bag with breakfast items each morning
a sports bag with shorts, shirt, socks for gym
a small blanket for naps
two photos (classroom birthday calendar and his cubby)
toothbrush and paste

It's a good thing that he has his own hook and storage shelves for all of these items. It feels like he will be moving in! His teacher told me today that he is already picking up on the language as he has been asking for help and saying greetings in German.

The girls started school this week, and Nicholas will start Kindergarten next week. We have several orientations and teacher meetings this week in the Kindergarten building. Nick can't wait (and neither can I!!!).

Fighting for computer time

2008-08-26T16:29:00.002+02:00

I have been trying to catch up on both posting and reading others' blogs. I can see by the lack of posts that many of us are either caught up in the last days of summer, or getting ready for school. I happen to be doing both. Multi-tasking....you gotta love it!

I am also negotiating computer time with kids and DH. The kids seem to have their current games loaded on this computer, and DH is studying most evenings and weekends for his upcoming promotional test. Please, Dell, do not delay my computer shipment any longer!! I would really like to finish some incomplete posts!

Well, we are off to cheer leading practice! It happens to be at the gym. It's time to dust off those trainers!

I do love all things Halloween

2008-08-16T14:12:00.007+02:00

Aaahhhh-just looking at the image is creepy.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I love the decor, the weather, pumpkins, the scents, costumes, candy, and the fun experience of being something else for the evening. The one part of the holiday that I do not enjoy are spiders. Blech. The little daddy-long-legs or small spiders-o.k., but the BIG, FAST RUNNING, LONG-LEG SPIDERS---no way!

I have noticed that summers are a spider-spotting time in Europe. They like to come in during that time, and they don't always leave. We do leave our windows open (no screens), and that is the perfect opportunity for unwanted guests. You can imagine my fear and disgust several evenings ago when I noticed a big, hairy spider on the wall behind my bedside table as I was getting ready to go to bed. Ugh. I tried to get him with a shoe, but he was too quick and raced under the bed! And yes, many times I do trap them and throw them outside. However, if it is a big one that is delaying bedtime-no symapthies. Sorry spider!

I searched and searched under and behind the bed with a flashlight for the next 30+ minutes. No luck. I then made my husband look for him. No luck. I relunctantly went to bed after carefully searching all bedcovers, pillows and the headboard. I didn't want any surprises. I'm not sure that I really slept that night as I frequently kept opening my eyes and making sure that he wasn't sitting on the bed with me.

Taunting me.

My imagination started to get busy. I killed a big one in the bathroom window last week-was this one avenging his friend? Did he have other friends? Would one be hiding in my shoes-clothes-magazines when I least expected it?

The suspence was killing me.

Last week Ryan was crying at naptime saying that a spider was on his bed. I checked and saw nothing. He started crying again and this time I found him inside the pillowcase. Eeekk! After two nights of carefully checking pillows and around the bed, I felt more sympathy for Ryan being afraid.

My husband doesn't understand the fear of bugs. I'm not really afraid of many bugs-just big spiders and roaches. Where I grew up in Texas, they are huge and they fly towrds you! AAAhhhhh!

I also despise flies.

Now my oldest daughter freaks out when she sees a bug, and it seems that Ryan is not keen on sleeping with them.

Hopefully...just maybe, I haven't turned the other kids to this fear of bugs and arachnids.

I just wish the bugs and other leggy creatures would stay outside where they belong. We would both be much happier that way.

Go speed racer....

2008-08-16T01:50:00.008+02:00

Move over Mach 5, we are on the track! Last month we had a great time in Texas at a putt-putt golf and racing kart center. The kids had never experienced either, so it was double fun. The yellow banana car was so, so slow, and was even back-firing. And how do we even know that it was the car back-firing? :) I think this was the first time I have been in a go-kart since, well, high school.

My cousin and uncle even joined in on the fun. Being the Texans that they are, they were even courteous drivers. Our family, being used to fast and crazy driving in european conditions, were a little competetive.

My husband is the avid golfer, so he tried teaching the correct techniques, until we realized that we needed to move a little quicker since there were groups of other players lining up behind us.

My mom and Ashlyn even arrived after a little impromptu square dancing event (hehe) and played. My cousin and I even had to retrieve balls from the water that diverted from the course. Sadly, we have to admit that we were the ones that hit them so off course.

I think Lauren and Nicholas are dueling to get the ball in first. Do you notice that Ryan is in most of the pictures? That boy does not stop moving.
Does the hat and dry landscape give away our location? Do you see the dark clouds on the left that threatened to ruin our fun? They failed to deliver. My mom!

I have a new laundry assistant

2008-08-12T12:23:00.005+02:00

Side note: I am trying to upload a current picture of this new assistant, and spellcheck--neither is working on Blogger today!?! This Blogger has been very mischievious lately! I will add as it allows.)

Meet Lauren, who will be my new laundry assistant for the next weeks. You see, this chick thinks that she is smarter than her Mama. Lauren loves to play Barbies, Ello, Polly Pocket, and Sims. She loves these activities so much that she will go to all lengths to squeeze in more time to do them. When she is asked to put away her laundry and clean up her room, she takes any and all shortcuts.

This mama is onto her game. I keep finding both clean and dirty laundry (mixed together) in many, many places in her room-under the bed, squished between the mattress and headboards, in boxes under her bed, stuffed in her wardrobe, and even rolled inside the rooms of her dollhouse!

If you have seen the piles of laundry that can accumulate around this house by seven people, you can understand how frustrating it can be to find once clean clothes rolled with dirty ones, now wrinkled, and meshed with dust bunnies hiding under the bed!!

So now she has the wonderful, first-hand opportunity to see just how much time and effort it takes to do laundry. Our european washer takes almost 2 hours per load, and the dryer requires extra tasks of emptying out the water pan extracted from the clothes. Then the laundry needs to be carried among three floors, put away, etc.

I think it will be nice to have a personal helper for the upcoming weeks! With school starting soon, we have been trying to get some last things put together, repaired, updated, cleaned out and organized, decorated, etc.

I hope this works.

Zoo Adventures

2008-08-10T21:22:00.002+02:00

We have had a busy week with a visit from some friends from Holland, so I thought I would just quickly post some pictures from our summer trip to the U.S. At this rate, it will be next summer before I get all of them posted!

We spent a day at the Cinncinati Zoo on a warm (no, actually hot and muggy) day. We have a tradition of riding the train around the park first, so we can get a feel for the area, and decide where we want to go first. The boys loved the train, especially waving at the people waiting at the crossings. After the train ride, we followed the typical journeys through the park to see and learn about the animals. We bought tickets for a 4-D movie (cool air!) about the Earth. The 4-D part involved wearing the cool glasses, sprays of water, a poke in the back of the seat, and loud puffs of air. I'm not sure why this was necessary, but it made it 4-D instead of 3-D, right? It was a BBC production, and it really seemed pretty good. I can use the word seemed, because everytime the puffs of air or water appeared, Logan screamed. For anyone who has not heard him scream-it's an eye-opening experinece. He would then settle pretty quickly, but it would happen again. I was just at the point where I was going to take him out of the auditorium when the movie was over.

It was then that I received THE EYE from a mother with her school age girls in front of us. OOOPS. I guess I waited too long. She loudly asked her girls if they could hear it, because she couldn't hear it with the baby screaming. She then proceeded to walk up to the front, and complain (near us, as we were getting our stroller) that she wanted a refund because she couldn't hear it. "Hmmm...it must be nice to be so perfect and have such perfect kids," I thought. I really do regret not taking him out sooner. I just didn't think the sounds would be so frequent! I usually would be more aware of his screaming, but maybe I am just becoming immune to them, or the heat was getting to me. The cool air was just too tempting, maybe. Nonetheless, I lost all regret whan I saw how hateful this woman was being. I didn't let it ruin our day though.

We celebrated with ice cream cones.
It was much cooler in the bamboo forest area! Ahhh...Nick wanted me to take a picture of the peacock, but I cannot remember why...

Great grandmothers are grrrreat!

2008-08-03T16:00:00.004+02:00

A certain great-grandmother had a birthday several days ago. I tried to post this earlier, but Blogger would only allow the images to upload-no text. Crazy! I wanted to tell her "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" and wish her a fun day. We had such fun on the days that we spent with her on vacation. She has a great laugh, and loves hugging on the kids. She has lots of grandkids, so I am amazed that she can keep them straight! She gave Ashlyn some crafy items like buttons and sewing necessities, which Ashlyn is anxious to try out. She also gave Ashlyn a quilted pillow, which she absolutely LOVES!! Ashlyn sleeps with this pillow, and was even sad when we packed it in her suitcase while we traveled. I didn't want "plane germs" on it, and so she eventually agreed. Here is a picture of Grandma Elizabeth with her kids. We couldn't get all of them to look or be still at the same time-so this was the best one :).

I really like this picture of Logan at Grandma's house sitting on his great-great (I think) grandma's chair! She remembers her grandmother snapping beans in this chair. I wonder how many grandchildren this chair has held?

Grandma and Ashlyn with her favorite pillow. What a great momento!

Computer issues

2008-07-31T17:19:00.002+02:00

I have a post in progress.....I promise.....but the silly blogger won't let me do anything to the post but upload two pictures and type a title!?! Arghh!

Add that to the fact that the laptop is out of order since the LAN card-thingy will no longer work....AND I am now in the 3rd floor in 90 + degrees heat...and my head is getting kinda light :). It makes you wish for a new laptop, some A/C, and some more patience.

DH has ordered a new laptop to replace the dying dinosaur that we own.....no hope for A/C...not that we could afford to cool this house with the expensive energy costs here! All I need to work on now is the patience.....

But I just can't wait.

Fooled again

2008-07-25T01:00:00.000+02:00

I went to a store called Hela this past weekend. This is a variety store that sells all kinds of home items (like Home Depot), but it also has various decorating items (like Target and Hobby Lobby). I purchased some plant items, and Ashlyn looked in the pet center (uhm-no way, sister!).

A day of unpacking and shopping called for something chocolate. This particular store also happens to have a bakery on the way out. Perfect!

I arrived home and inspected this delish cookie. It is an oblong butter cookie with a filling! It even has chocolate sprinkles on the top and along the filling. Yum.

Wait! Fooled again! It's not chocolate! It's hazelnut!?! Don't get me wrong. Hazelnut is good, but when you are expecting chocolate and get something else-blech. This happens all of the time to me and Lauren (my other chocolate lover) at the bakeries. We choose a "chocolate" cookie or pastry and find out (usually later at home) that it is the infamous hazelnut or a spice-cookie-thing that seems to be the norm around Germany. I think they call it lebkuchen. Again-good, but not chocolate.

Sometimes a moment calls for a good chocolate, and nothing else.

Well, o.k. Twist my arm and I will eat it-but I won't like it.

How to transition

2008-07-24T23:56:00.002+02:00

Just what is the best way to transition from a month-long vacation in a different time zone (and country) and get back into your daily normal routine?

I'm pretty sure that the obscenely late hours and obsessive organization is not the way to go. I have cleaned out closets, drawers, cabinets, the laundry room, the bathroom-you name it. Maybe I am just getting prepared for the many boxes o' stuff that I just had to buy and ship here.

I think the other obsession of playing online computer games is detrimental as well. What gives?

Enrolling several kids in a week-long adventure camp (learning about China/Olympics and animals!!) will ensure early morning rising next week and a better "routine"-don't ya think?

I will let you know.

If I am still functioning, that is.

There's nothing like a wedding

2008-07-22T22:28:00.005+02:00

A wedding is a good excuse to get together with family. We attended a beautiful ceremony and reception for one of Allen's family members while in Indiana. The church was packed, and the queues at the reception were endless. I guess anybody who was anybody was there! There was a chocolate fountain, strawberries, an ice sculpture, and fancy hors d ' oeuvres.

Ashlyn and I had to see a close-up of the cake. Isn't it beautiful? It was yummy, too. Wedding cake ranks at the top of my list of desserts. We didn't taste the grooms cake. I am not sure if they even cut the cake, but it looked amazing!
Nicholas stole an opportunity to sit with grandma. It's aways good to have an extra pair of hands when you are at a formal affair with the kids, right? I completely agree.
The hotel had a very nice view of the Ohio River. The boys kept running around outside, and I kept wondering if there was a trail that they would find and tumble down by the river. Hmmmm....better not to know.

A rare family shot with the river behind us.

Sis-tahs! Does it get any better?!?
I'm not quite sure what Ryan was doing in this picture. The disheveled shirt and face would indicate it was toward the end of the evening......
It was a great opportunity to see quite a bit of people at the same time, thus saving us lots of running around visiting so many people. The kids were reasonable well behaved, and it is always fun to get dressed up! I think if I had planned ahead and brought some more comfortable shoes, it would have been a perfect evening. Somehow, the heels put a damper on the evening, and some blisters, too! Beauty does have a price.

Summer fun

2008-07-21T09:16:00.005+02:00

How do you keep cool on a hot day? The water play area at the park! I think this is a fantastic idea. The kids just had to push a button to re-start the water since it only worked in 10-minute increments (to avoid wasting water).

Water flowed from pipes and showers-it poured from buckets -it spray in streams across the play area-they could even spray it at each other. They had a blast!

The best part is that it was free! We discovered it when we played at the park in a small town in Texas.

We weren't really prepared to play in the water that day, but eh. The kids were soaked, and complained when they had to ride home in their underwear. I think the intense heat dried them off, and then a coke float at Sonic eased their complaints.

That is what summer is all about.

By the way, it is only 54 degrees here this morning in Germany. Maybe this will be the only water experience we have this month!

Aren't they luv-ely?

2008-07-21T09:02:00.005+02:00

My girls had such a great time with their cousins during our visit. They were inseparable! They were always together chatting, painting nails, playing SIMS, doing hair, dancing, and other girlie stuff. They even dressed up in Japanese kimonos and had a picture session.

I wish that we had more time to spend with them, but time was against us! We hope that they can come and visit us next year!

We made it

2008-07-18T23:07:00.005+02:00

Just so you know-we made it home! The trip home was pretty uneventful, except we sat on the tarmac in Houston in a hot 747 for over three hours while the hydraulic system was being repaired. Comforting, eh? I don't know why they didn't cool the back of the plane, or why the flight attendants didn't take it upon themselves to serve some drinks while we waited-arghh!!! I was joking with the kids that those in First Class on the upper level were probably getting ice cream sundaes while we waited (remember that Seinfeld episode?). It was probably true.

Sorry about the lack of posting. It was hard to visit everyone and then finagle some time on their computer, too. Pedicures, shopping, museum visiting, seeing the Texas State Capital and my fav UT campus, eating, hugging friends and family, playing, go-carting, feeding mosquitoes, miniature golfing, seeing the county fair, playing outside, mailing boxes to ourselves, swimming and sleeping took a priority this past month. We also spent quite a bit of time on the road driving around everywhere! We clocked over 2000 miles on that van rental!!!

Allen is upstairs right now uploading pictures. What a guy!

Updates are coming. Promise.

Jet lag hit me earlier....maybe it will come back and I can sleep well tonight. See ya soon.

This is crazy

2008-07-06T07:00:00.002+02:00

I know this is crazy, but even at my mother's house I find myself wiping off the counters and putting the last bit of dishes away before I retire for the night. Am I crazy or what? I am supposed to be on vacation!?! To honor the tradition of "vacation", I declare that I will sleep in until noon, not touch the laundry, read all day and enjoy that fabulous orange cream slush from Sonic that I tried the other day all.by.myself. Yum.

Oh yeah, I forgot. I have kids.

FYI. Sonic has a website with great drink ideas. But, do not, repeat DO NOT, look at the nutritional information. I just had a peak and about died when I saw how the dreamy, creamy slush drink racks up on carbs, fat, sugar, and calories.

I'm so, so glad I don't live near one all of the time.

Howdy from Texas

2008-07-03T08:51:00.004+02:00

Hello to all-this is just a quick post to let you know that we made the 1000+ mile trip from Indiana to Texas! We stayed in Tulsa along the way and had a great trip. Thank God for dvd players and colored goldfish crackers! We will be celebrating Independence Day here in the dry Texas heat, and then we will go to visit my dad and my brother and his family.

The kids spent the day at the water park with Poppy and DH. I think they are going to an amusement park tomorrow, and we are planning to make some July 4th shaped cookies for a cookout on Friday.

I will try and find the cable and post some pictures. Have a happy and safe holiday!

Planes, transits and minivans

2008-06-26T04:40:00.005+02:00

The travel summary:

3-transit rides
2-planes
1-crowded minivan

22-hours (from our door to the in-laws door). Sigh.

We are in the US! If we don't melt, we just might make it to the next link of our trip!

It was a long, grueling trans-Atlantic trip, where we made some enemies with our crying baby. Eh, oh well. It was warm on the flight and 9 hours is a long time to be cooped up. We did all that we could do, but our patience wore out.

We only had a little over an hour between flights, but we were doing great with collecting luggage , going through immigration and customs, re-checking the luggage, and taking a tram to the next terminal at Chicago O' Hare airport until we came to a screeching halt in the looooong security line.......and then missed our connecting flight. Bummer. They initially told us that we would have to take a flight in the morning!?! What? No way. They managed to get us onto the next flight and we were on our merry way a few hours later. A white minivan greeted us for our next journey to get to the In-Laws house. It was late, but they waited up and made the kids a snack.

We are now visiting the grandparents and having a great time. The kids love playing outside with the balls, golf clubs and bats under the trees. Grandma is getting fit chasing after them, too.

We also spent a day with great-grandma. It was so nice seeing her smiling face, getting hugs, and sharing stories. If I have half of her energy at ninety-one-----I will be thankful. She loved seeing the kids-some of them she met for the first time! She sparked Ashlyn's interest in sewing, so hopefully she will have some nice creations in the future. I am just not into sewing, and I don't even pretend that I want to be. I love other creative projects, but sewing is just not one of them. My mema would be disappointed, I know.

We have also managed to spend a day shopping at T@@rget and Old N@@vy , two stores whom I have only had the pleasure of seeing online. It was great to see them in person again! The girls were actually excited about visiting W-mart also! They cannot remember going to one when they were little. Hehe. It's the little things, right!?!

Today we went to the county fair. It was a fairly warm day, but the kids had a great time on the rides. I think their favorites were the haunted house and the sack slide. Logan even rode the carousel and the tea cups. He loved it and kept saying "whoa-whoa". We had a DQ on the way home to cool-off...... it was another first for them.

We have a visit to the Cincinnati Zoo and a wedding before we leave for our next leg of the trip. I hope this post wasn't too spacey. I think maybe the humidity is clouding my thinking. That, and jet-lag! I miss corresponding with many of you! I will do my best to catch up and comment, but forgive me if I don't in a timely manner. I will try and post some pictures, but that also means finding the cable amid the luggage. Aack!

Not much new here

2008-06-17T22:36:00.005+02:00

Okay, not much is going on here but errands, packing, cooking, cleaning, rinse off kids, and repeat.

With this week being looong days of sunlight, that means I can get loads done, right?
Seriously, the sun is coming up at 4:40-ish A.M., and stays up until 10:00. That gives me ample time to get things done! So, here I am at 10:40 P.M.at night still doing laundry, checking blogs, and making a long (er) to-do list for tomorrow. And shouldn't I be doing that super-thick kindergarten packet? Absolutely. There it still sits on the kitchen island. It occasionally makes me feel guilty for not finishing it-but then I get over it.

On a funny note: we were at the commissary picking up a few things today and Nick pushed Ryan down and called him a "Cry Baby". I told him that he was not allowed to play Wii when we got home (add this to the other bothersome things he was doing to others-he deserved losing it). We were telling Daddy tonight why he couldn't play the Wii (they like to play a game of golf in the evenings), and he corrected me. "No mom, I didn't just call him a baby. I called him a cry baby". I guess it was worth it to lose the Wii privilege.

Just trying to fit in

2008-06-14T19:25:00.002+02:00

We occasionally have bouts where we try and fit in with the locals. I had one such occasion this week when I had to attend a parent's information night at Ryan's kindergarten, where he will start at the local school in the fall. I have hopes that he will pick up the language quickly and be our family translator when we go to restaurants ;). I knew that one of Ryan's class teachers would be there, and she speaks English (ahh, yes).

The school is only a mile away, but it is located in the town, along steep hills and twisted, narrow streets. Even with the GPS, I managed to miss a turn, ending up on a one-way street, barely missing being side-swiped by a car since I forgot to yield to the right as I glanced back at my missed turn. Argh! I then had to go along the one-way street through the whole town and start again. All of this resulted in me walking in the school doors at 6:05. Germans are famous for being timely, and they were true to form on this occasion. So I walked in....the late American. Ugh. They were friendly though and I had to say my name and my son's information out of turn, being the late one.

I then politely sat through a 30-minute information session given by the Head Teacher. I think I did a great job of looking interested, even though I had no idea what was being said. Sure, I heard some familiar words like May/English/music/October/weekdays, etc., but I didn't know the context. This is a really nice school that offers different themes each day, along with music lessons, swimming (and English lessons, LOL). They can eat breakfast at school, and a hot lunch is eaten together as a class. After the session we broke up into groups and went over paperwork with the teachers.

Two hours after I left, I returned home with a 30-page information packet with pages to complete and return to the school--all of it in German. The teacher did go over it with me, and I made some side notes, but it is going to take me hours to look up words so that I can answer questions and fill out papers (some of it redundant). Help!?!

I am debating whether to ask my next-door neighbor to help me translate, and it can be completed much quicker. It all depends on our level of "noisiness" this weekend. If we are noisy, she might not be so willing to help.

Those days are coming

2008-06-13T18:52:00.002+02:00

A few days ago the phone rang and a young boy told me his name and asked to speak to my ten-year-old daughter. What? Who is this guy? Surely not?!?

I asked her later about the call and she said he was just asking about a test. It was the last week of school! What are the chances that a test is scheduled?

This evening the phone rang again, but before I could answer it, it was quickly picked up on the third floor, by someone in "The Princess Suite". (There really is a two-bedroom area up there with a separate bath for the "princess", as I sometimes graciously and frustratingly call her).

Hmmm...I need to do some more investigating. I'm really not ready for my daughter to receive calls from boys for anything other than school related work. School is over for the year, by the way. It's time for some quick intervention.

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts

2008-06-12T23:42:00.005+02:00

I'm just feeling thoughtful after viewing a documentary on BBC , "Blood, Sweat and T-shirts". You can check out a more detailed synopsis here , but it basically involves allowing young, spoilt adults who either enjoy or are interested in fashion to see just where clothing originates, and the processes involved. This show exposes the harsh realities of extremely poor labor conditions, third world labor and fair trade, and child labor.

The participants actually travel to countries that manufacturer clothing for both High Street (high end) and discount clothing stores in the UK and U.S. They live and work in the workers' conditions, and see what happens at the low end of the totem pole in the fashion industry. You can read about some of their experiences here. It is truly amazing and sad, to put it lightly, the conditions that workers experience. The cotton fields, cotton factory, sewing factories....they are indescribable. However, it is also emphasized how important these jobs are to the livelihood of the people. It's just a vicious cycle.

I think Martin Buttle's opinion of the issues of ethical trade are very relevant. So, where am I going with this?

I enjoy fashion, shopping and finding cute, affordable clothing for me and my family, as do many others. I sometimes note the country of origin as I look at washing instructions, but never really gave it a second thought. Now I am feeling a bit of guilt for supporting this economy without really being educated in this whole process.

It also emphasizes a silly fact about me. Whenever I buy clothes, I always wash them before wearing. I have had some questionable looks when I am OCD and insist on washing items first. I mean, why would a woman who has loads of washing already just add more? Sometimes one of my daughters will beg to wear it sooner, but I usually refuse. I believed that there were chemicals that were on the clothes that needed to be removed in the wash. After viewing this program, and seeing the unsanitary factory conditions and dirty workers' hands......uh, no way are clothes going on a body before they are washed. Remember-these factories produced clothes for both cheap and expensive brands/stores. Reassuring, eh?

What is the solution? I really have no clear answers. I only have more questions and concerns. I believe that one of the young participants stated that she couldn't condone the conditions, but also couldn't condemn them either since the workers depended on those jobs to maintain their life-as difficult and sad as it existed.

Just something I am thinking about.
I'm feeling a little more appreciative for my life.
Thanks, BBC for this thread and insightful program.

Just a thought

2008-06-12T18:49:00.002+02:00

If you are in a recipe rut....like us.....consider this idea. Lately, some of our favorite recipes have come from the back of a product! We absolutely love the "Parmesan Crusted Chicken" recipe on the jar of Hellmann's mayonnaise. It's so simple and tender! The other fav that has graced our table is the "Classic Baked Ziti" on the Mueller's ziti box. The great part is that you can pick up the ingredients while you are at the store. This is a "no-brainer" for us parents who just want to get into/out of the store in as little time as needed.

Now that my darlings are out of school as of today, and summer vacation has started. I need sanity-saving methods, like NOW.

Any ideas are always welcome. Anytime.

It was bound to happen sooner or later

2008-06-12T08:12:00.008+02:00

If you haven't noticed, I seem to have a bunch of, well, crap, to deal with lately. Either that or I am just letting it get to me.

Well, as I probably stated before, we live in a "majority" of our house. It used to have five apartments, but has been converted to a single house, well mainly. When we signed the lease the landlord was using 3 ground floor rooms for his office and storage area. He has acquired nearby houses that he is renovating, and needed a place to keep materials and where his workers can congregate. Fine. It didn't occur to us to ask him if the area would ever be anything other than offices, like someones apartment. Big mistake.

About six weeks ago he was working in the next door apartment. This was evident by the loud hammering and drilling that echoed throughout the house. The walls are cement-ish/stucco, and the tile floors do nothing for sound absorption. You can hear a Lego or Hot Wheels car being dropped on the third floor, from the ground (or first) floor. It can be frustrating some days to maintain a sense of quiet (see previous post). Anyway, he then told us that he was renting the apartment to a girl who was having a baby in the fall. Her mother lived nearby, and wanted a place where she could stay and still be near family. Did our landlord even consider the implications of having a person share a house with seven people? Especially an older house that has poor acoustics? No. He has a hearing loss and I really doubt that he could hear sounds around the house. So, we have had a "next door neighbor" since last month. You can see where this is going, right? I can occasionally hear sounds, but not much from her side.

Yesterday morning the boys were being annoying with fighting and just being loud. Logan has been teething and has been needing frequent diaper changes as a result. In other words-it was a prime time to share some complaints with me.

I was busy with those issues when someone knocks on the door. This young woman said something in German, and then asked me (in German) if I spoke German-to which I replied "no". She then explains to me that every morning at 6 a.m. she hears a "boom" on the floor and then stomping on the floor, and that she is having a baby and that she needs to sleep.

Sleep? What is that? Does she not realize that the end of blissful sleep as she knows it is coming to an end?

I basically apologized to her, and told her that Nicholas (who has the room above her) gets up around 7 a.m., but I didn't know about the stomping. I did tell her that we can hear all sounds throughout the house-even small sounds, and that I didn't think there was much to be done. I told her that we would never have rented a house that had common walls because we were a bigger family with small children. I told her that I was frustrated with our landlord because he told us that space was his office, and changed his mind (why miss out on a money-making opportunity?). So, we would try to be more quiet in the morning. The conversation basically ended at that, and I don't think she was that happy. It was frustrating that she was complaining about normal every day noises, not loud shrieking and "kids playing" noises.

I called the housing office after she left just to see if we would be able to get on-base housing if this continues to be an issue. I was told that the wait was 24-months for 4-5 bedroom housing (wait....that's how much time we have left here!), and that it would be the stairwell-type housing where we would have the fourth floor. Back to square-one since that would be the same living situation. Can I just add that it will be so nice to own a house again and not deal with all of this?

Yes, we could get lots of thick area rugs (for $400.00 + each!-no thanks), but we don't want to supply that for all 9 rooms. We have smaller rugs, but they are mainly for decoration.

I then saw her later in the day and talked with her again. I think she was happier about it, and realized that the house just echos everyday sounds. She seemed nice, at least. After observing Nick get out of bed-he does make a thump when he gets out of bed. He does have a high bed and this is to be expected. I listened to Ryan this morning walking across the floor in his bare feet and I could hear his footsteps. I can imagine that they also can be heard down below in her apartment. I'm not sure what we can do other than constantly remind them to tiptoe in the morning, and don't play with toys, or drop things, or well.....basically live in our house. There is also the reverse issue that she will have a crying newborn in the fall, which she can't do much about. How many times will we hear that during the night?

This irritates me because we moved further away from Allen's work so we could have a bigger house-one that we could live in comfortably. Today, I feel like a prisoner in my house. If I want to yell up the stairs, I can't. Or play music loudly (her room is next door to the family room area), or watch a movie at night with loud sound. Part of me feels like a brat and I want to make noise just for spite-and the fact that we were living here-in a house-not a duplex. I feel like I will always be telling the kids not to drop toys or run on the second floor, because that is above her. How do we solve this? Allen says to just live in the house. He says noises at 7 a.m. are much better than stomping at 5:30 a.m., and that there are other outside street noises at 7 a.m., too. His idea is that we are just making normal sounds and not super loud screaming and playing (well, only occasionally). I just feel bad that she has to live with our noise, even if it is just normal living sounds of a family of seven. Maybe I really should have a word with the landlord, but I don't really have a solution-just frustration. I know that many people here live in "stairwell housing" and deal with this daily. I now know how frustrating it can be for others, but we pay extra money for our housing, extra money for utilities, and drive a longer distance (with gas being so expensive!) to live without having to worry about it.

Until now.

I'll just add this to the list of issues going on lately. I'm glad that we're getting away soon. Oh yeah! I told our neighbor that we were going away on holiday, but that the landlord and workers would be here repairing some water damage on the third floor and tiling our stairs while we are gone. It seems even then she won't get a break.

UK Summary

2008-06-11T10:11:00.002+02:00

O.K., before things get busy and I forget-here is a quick post on our trip a few weekends ago. If I can sum it up in one word : Bittersweet.

In case you are wondering....I have no pictures. Not one. That camera sat in the bottom of my bag and saw the light of day when we arrived back at Frankfurt.

It was nice to be back again, it sometimes felt like we had never left in some ways. I had to drive on one occasion, and I just stayed on the left side of the road as if it was was an everyday event. Not having my own transportation was difficult. There were some places that I wanted to go, and things that I wanted to do, but didn't want others to have to transport me around everywhere. Renting a car is expensive, and you always run the risk of getting a manual. So-driving on the left side of the road, sitting on the right side of the car, and shifting with your left hand. Uh, no thanks :).

We stayed in the base temporary lodging facility. Nice and spacious. Nice price also. Our friends who were moving were staying there, so it was convenient. We had a nice visit with them, and helped them get the last minute things boxed up and mailed, and packed. It was sad to see them go. We're hoping to take a Space Available flight to see them sometime-just whenever I am feeling flexible, because you really need flexibility and patience to fly that method.

The area around Mildenhall, UK was not as pretty as I remembered it. The area is definitely changing with lots of new houses popping up. It seems like more "neighborhoods" are appearing, where usually you see houses scattered along the village streets. I believe that the area where we are in Germany is definitely prettier. Mildenhall is pretty much rural, and flat, but familiar-comfortable. We went to Cambridge and Bury St. Edmunds for some shopping. It was nice to see them again!

I did get to see some friends briefly, but thought I would have more time to talk with them. Oh well. The long weekend went by quickly! The weather was typical England weather-cool, cloudy, some rain, and bits of sunshine. At least you can always count on that!

Mother-Daughter Tea

2008-06-08T17:21:00.005+02:00

I love all things tea. Several weekends ago we attended a great afternoon get together hosted by our local Girl Scouts. The room was decorated with brightly colored lanterns, balloons, teapots and flowers. We enjoyed small sandwiches, fruit, scones with jam, petit fours, tea and lemonade. Why, oh why didn't I take any pictures of the room? It was held at the Reinlander Club at Baumholder. I can only post several pictures of the girls because I just wasn't able to take pictures much of the time. I was part of the planning committee, so I was busy with check-in and registration at the beginning of the event, and then it didn't occur to me to take pictures after that because the girls were busy with craft activities-a flower pot and paper flowers.

I left looking glamorous and arrived a little early at the event to help with the final decorations. After setting up the room the previous afternoon, we just had some easy last minute preparation, right? Not so. We had stopped at the local nursery to pick up some gerbera daisies for the greeting table and the day was starting to get windy and warm. I carried those it and set those up. Well, it just so happened that the girl who had volunteered to pick up the balloons forgot, and another girl and I had to drive a short distance to pick them up. So, after cramming 150 balloons in our cars, we had to get back and quickly place them in the dining hall. The room was a little warm sans air-conditioning, and humidity was not helping my curly hair. After sitting at the front of the room with registration (and sadly the furthest from the windows/doors and thus cool air), I just wasn't in the mood to be in pictures. I thought these were cute of the girls, though. They had a great time with their friends and were a super help to pack up my teapots that were being used as centerpieces. We arrived home and I took off my 3-inch wedge heels. Ahhh....what was I thinking anyway?

Greetings from Japan?

2008-06-07T12:16:00.006+02:00

update: My SIL actually left a reply! Yeah! I see that she had to create a profile to do that, so maybe, just maybe, she will have a fun blog that we can visit too! She is all organized and creative like that. If she will send me a computer photo, I will add it to my blog so people can see my gorgeous nieces and their adventures in Japan this summer. I also corrected my Japan visit date. I originally put 2005. Maybe I was thinking 1995 and put 2005. Crazy. We went there in 1994, although it doesn't seem that long ago! Thanks for reminding me !

I can see from the traffic flow on the side that my sister-in-law and her family from Japan have been viewing my blog. Konnichiwa! My nieces and my SIL go to Japan every summer to see her family. They are cutting their visit short this year to see us in Texas-yeah! I cannot wait to see them and let the girl cousins just be girls together. They are such smart and gorgeous girls, and they are growing up so quickly and I am missing it. I won't use their names or post a picture until I get their permission. Maybe they can even send me an updated picture on the computer?

My father and I went to Japan in April 1994 to see my brother and my SIL get married. My brother was stationed there with the Navy. They had a beautiful wedding ceremony with the traditional Japanese customs. Having been married several months earlier on a US territory, this was the fancy part! K changed her dress three times during the ceremony-she wore both a red and white kimono, and then a traditional wedding dress. I think I remember her telling me that she rented the dresses, which I think is a great idea. I know it's nice to have a dress for sentimental reasons, but do you really need it stored in that acid free box at your mother's house? I also remember that the food was so ornate and beautiful. My dad tried everything, but I was less adventurous. The bridal cake was about 7 layers high, but I soon figured out that it was fake! They had a small piece in the back that they cut and fed each other. Just an adaption of a western tradition, I guess. So, I was of course saddened that wedding cake was not served. Wedding cake is one of my all-time favorite cakes! The ceremony was beautiful, and I feel so privileged to have attended.

K and her parents were so hospitable while we were there in Japan. We visited many beautiful gardens, shrines, tea houses, a natural spa/hotel, Tokyo, Kyoto and the cherry blossoms and a theme park that had people-size world attractions (the pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, etc). I didn't really plan on writing this post, but seeing their cyber visit reminded me of the great times that I had while in Japan. I have been dreaming of California sushi (hint, hint). It has always been a dream of mine to return to Japan with the kids so they can experience it as well.

Turn up the volume

2008-06-06T23:06:00.003+02:00

As I have mentioned before, I have been told numerous times that my children are so well behaved, and that I make mothering look easy--blah, blah, blah. What people have failed to mention is just how noisy this crew can be!! I am constantly saying throughout the day "Please use an inside voice" and "O.K., how far away from you am standing??" (usually right next to the child). The volume of each child is loud in itself, but when you combine the five together-it can be deafening. A mixture of girls giggling and sometimes taunting each other, boys laughing and making silly sounds, and a baby babbling and shrieking. It's enough to use in lieu of water torture.

Dinnertime can become a circus of singing, laughing, and talking over another with my reminders to lower the volume until I eventually raise my voice over everyone. I really hate that. Why does it have to be that way? It seems that some days they don't think that I mean business until I turn up the volume-then we have total silence. That's not fun either!

It would be nice to find a "happy medium" volume that we are all comfortable with-oh, maybe in the next nine years. While considering our upcoming trans-Atlantic trip, it makes me nervous to have to deal with the thought of yelling at the kids during the long flight. Some people tell me-"Well, you have five kids-what do you expect?". I know that having five kids can be chaotic and noisy sometimes, but the whole world doesn't have to be aware of your presence at all times. I have a feeling that the grandparents and relatives will be so happy to meet and love on this wonderful crew, but that they will breathe a sigh of relief and just listen.to.the.silence. when we leave. Hmmmm....unless Allen and I escape amidst all of the chaos. Chances are, they wouldn't even hear our escape.

Now you see 'em

2008-06-05T23:24:00.005+02:00

and now you don't! I really can't believe that I forgot to post this sooner! I am such a slacker-forgetful mom.

Lauren had braces put on March 5th. Her teeth were getting that crowded, snaggly, expensive-needing-braces look. The dental clinic on base agreed to put them on her, with a plan of four to six months to straighten those babies. We were so thankful since I have heard that getting into the orthodontic program is hard, and we wanted to get this taken care of while it is free overseas (well, not really free...it is part of our benefits).

She was so excited to get them. She really didn't experience much pain since she only had them placed on four front teeth. She thought that the best part was choosing the colors-she chose red in March and light blue in April. I didn't get a picture of the red, but they were easier to see.

After April, Lauren didn't get to make another color choice since those teeth had straightened and braces were no longer required! We felt so blessed that we had probably saved thousands of dollars by this two-month investment. Lauren had them removed in early May. What a fabulous smile!
Since I just haven't made it to the third floor to upload more pictures, let's see what other cute pictures I have overlooked! I'll have a look soon....details to follow.....

We're back!

2008-06-03T08:26:00.002+02:00

We made it back with just a little more luggage than we left. (The two boxes that we mailed to ourselves should be arriving soon. Hehe.) It was really a struggle to travel with only carry on items. We flew with an airline that charged quite a bit for check-in items, so we decided to do without. It also charged us to check-in at the counter! It was free online, but we couldn't check-in online since we do not have EU passports. With the liquid and weight restrictions, it definitely takes some patience and planning. I had my new hair product confiscated at Stanstead-boo hoo. I had meant to mail it, but forgot. The kids are such good travelers, so that made the trip enjoyable.

I will try and write more about our trip, but it was so nice to be back in the UK. I really miss being able to read signs, understand the radio news, and shop at familiar places. We stocked up on some cute clothes! I had missed my trips to Next, Matalan and H & M. There was also a cute store called The Pumpkin Patch. We think it might also be a store in the U.S. Allen just requested that I bring back some Walker's Sweet Thai Chili crisps (potato chips). The store only had one bag-they must be popular.

We had a nice time with our friends, but just didn't have time to see many people! It definitely is different when you don't have your own transportation. My friend Tasha had a BBQ with a bouncy castle and fabulous dips. One was made from Tastefully Simple's blueberry dip-it was so good! I haven't heard of this company-I need to check it out!

O.K., so I will post more later. I have some laundry and suitcases waiting for my attention. My little man is awake (the monitor tells me) and I need to cuddle with him. He did well with Daddy, but his Mommy really missed him. He still is not drinking milk from a cup, but we are working on it.

Auf Wiedersehen Deutchland, Hello Mother England!

2008-05-29T11:22:00.003+02:00

We are jetting away for a long weekend in the UK! The three oldest kids and I just had to take advantage of some great rates. I am so happy to see old friends, visit some sorely missed shops, and pick up some items that we just can't do without. We have to say goodbye to some great friends who are relocating to Delaware (just a space-A plane trip from Ramstein!). We will post some pictures and events when we return. I think the fact that I won't touch a diaper or stroller for the entire weekend is so worth the trip. Cheers!

More cute photos

2008-05-27T22:57:00.004+02:00

I couldn't resist! I love these photos that Tammy took! Logan is the only one who has

really changed (he is 4 months in these).

At a loss

2008-05-27T16:49:00.006+02:00

Whenever I sit down lately to post, it seems that my mind is just a bunch of clutter and I just can't seem to finish thoughts in a fluid manner. Spring fever? Perhaps. The weather has definitely taken a turn to the warm side. Just last month we had snow, and it is staying in the 70's with predicted 80's later in the week. I just hope the house stays cool-A/C is not common here and fans just blow hot air. Blech. I hate, hate to be hot-but I digress.

I have checked various blogs and websites this week, and have enjoyed being on the sidelines this week. When I was in college I would find myself visiting the library the week of finals as a way to be sidetracked and avoid what I really needed to be doing (umm, like studying?). Strangely enough, my bedside table has been collecting an assortment of books the past weeks. Do I detect a trand here? Maybe my thoughts are so jumbled since life is jumbled by running around most days with errands, appointments, meetings, and parties. The rest of the days are spent catching up on things that were left undone since we've been out. Just how have we spent the last week!?! I can't believe that it has been a week since I posted any type of info. Here is a rundown of some events:

passport renewal
medical appointments and new eyeglass purchase!
preschool screening and OT consult for Nick
re visitation of perspective local kindergartens for Ryan
end of year party for Girl Scout Troop (cupcakes required)
shopping for last minute items and send off of oldest daughter to Barcelona
Mother-Daughter Girl Scout Tea (Can I just say how much I love teas?!?)
Allen and I celebrated our anniversary!
a mild stomach bug that has kept Logan feeling icky for a week; Lauren had it a few days; Allen one day; and me for a morning (whew!). I had innocently avoided those diaper changes, as DH finally commented. Darn, I was hoping that he wasn't keeping track. We have an upcoming plane trip to the UK, and I am hoping that it has gone on it's merry way. (Nobody wants to be sick mid-air :(. )
scheduling plane and van reservations for upcoming US trip
the unpacking of spring/summer clothes since it has finally warmed up! Of course it then means piles of laundry to be washed (even though I washed before I stored it in bins...crazy...I know). I won't even go into the winter clothes that need to be sorted into keep/toss/donate.....they were just placed in the storage room for "another day" :).

It seems like we have been doing more, but I can't come up with anything relevant right now. I am now in the process of mentally packing for the weekend trip. Since we are only taking a carry-on bag with severe weight and size limits, it is taking more planning than I would like. I am a confessed "over-packer", and it's so hard to change. As soon as I don't have something, I will wish I did. It's a sickness.

New photo

2008-05-26T22:16:00.003+02:00

I added this photo quickly before I need to pick up Ashlyn. She has been away since Thursday evening enjoying Barcelona, Spain. I have not been to Spain, so I am excited to hear all about it! She went with her Girl Scout troop. It was at least a 12-hour trip! Ugh. I know she will be tired, but happy to be home.

There is a new title photo that my friend Tammy from T. L. Brown Photography has sent me to download from her files. She took these in the Abbey Gardens in Bury St. Edmund a year ago. The day started out rainy and cold, but soon warmed up and the kids had a blast running around. Tammy now has her site up and running-check it out here! She currently lives near Ely in the UK, but is relocating this summer to Ohio. She does a fabulous job, and spends so much individual time with your family-it's amazing. Thanks Tammy!

It's that time of day

2008-05-19T14:45:00.002+02:00

where my house (on a day like today) transforms from a quiet, me-time, boys-napping one to a noisy-snack negotiating-homework helping-school paper signing and review-chatting household.

The girls are due home any minute.

I am bracing myself.

Computer time is over.

Self sufficiency

2008-05-19T10:57:00.005+02:00

Recently I was putting away laundry and came downstairs to find this:And this:

Since it was lunchtime, I obviously had been slacking in my mommy duties and failed to provide food for my guys.

No worries!

They can fend for themselves and even select a variety of foods, if you can overlook the fact that they are in the wrong food category. It's good to know that they are self sufficient and don't need my assistance all of the time. You can see that the fruit basket was also within reach, but waffle cookies were much more tempting. I'm also glad to know that the sweet tooth gene lives on!Disclaimer: Please excuse the mess of our pantry. Since it is our only cabinet for food items, except for a very skinny cabinet that holds cans, teas, packets, etc.....it's always a work in progress! It doesn't help that I have many helpers that explore and reorganize it daily. Really....all I wanted for Christmas was a cabinet lock. Honestly. I am longing for the day when I have a locking walk-in pantry....and closets instead of wardrobes.

Spring cleaning-the blog way

2008-05-19T10:21:00.000+02:00

I did it again. After searching through some websites, I came upon some interesting blogs and added, yet some more, blogs to my "bookmarks". This list is growing and I really need to sort through them and toss out those that initially looked interesting and are now less than spectacular, somehow organize those that are worth visiting, and file those that I frequent often. Any ideas? This is a whole new problem. I like to organize, but this is uncharted territory.

Wish me luck

2008-05-15T11:50:00.002+02:00

Update: Whoo Hoo! False alarm. The big bad lady's door was closed today! We had a super friendly dietitian instead. We will overlook the fact that they were having computer and printing issues, thus taking for-eeever and making me late in all other errands....resulting in a late pick-up of the girls after school. But what else is new in my time-keeping flaws? It is a characteristic that I am continuously working on. And you thought I had it all together, didn't you?

I have an appointment today with an office I am not particularly happy with lately (a current trend). At the last appointment I was going over some paperwork with this woman and she told my boys two or three times to be quiet. Now, I really don't mind if somebody corrects my kids if they are really misbehaving, honestly. On this occasion they were sitting at a little table in the room playing with blocks and cars. They were using a louder voice than I would have liked, but they weren't running around, screaming or similar behaviors. I have seen them way more active-believe me. The first time she said it I felt slightly embarrassed- maybe I just wasn't paying attention? When she told them several other times, I was becoming frustrated. Logan was also corrected for pulling at a poster on her wall (attached with Velcro), and trying to walk behind her desk while I was signing paperwork. He's one.

This is an appointment where bringing your children is required-all of them young. Why would I willingly bring them if I have to sit through paperwork? So, why isn't this a more "kid friendly" environment? Why isn't there an area where they can play while parents talk with the professional?

I do not allow my children to run wild through the offices, but when I am there for over an hour discussing and looking at paperwork, and there are signs everywhere "No food or drink"--and it's past 2:00 p.m.....well, we are going to have some issues. I thought the boys were doing well in those circumstances. The problem is that I felt myself getting frustrated at my kids for not meeting her expectations. I also totally stopped listening at the end, and missed some important bits of knowledge (future procedures).

While I was there, I considered gathering my things and going, but I didn't for a silly reason. I had unpacked things from my bag for the kids and we had coats/hats/etc. and it just wouldn't have made a "smooth exit". Make sense? If I could have just picked up my purse and taken their hands...we would have left after telling her that I could tell that we were inconveniencing her. Or something else cleverly stated.

This time I am better prepared. I won't feel the pressure. If we do get the same woman (which we may not), I will respond appropriately if she wrongly corrects them. I am going to really, really warn them before we go in...and reward them immensely when we walk out. Go me!

Why is it

2008-05-14T22:12:00.002+02:00

.....that a toddler can spot the tiny drop of oatmeal that you dropped among the fifty-odd Kix on the tray and smear it before you can wipe it away?

...that your three-year-old steps on your flip-flop for the umteenth-million time and the flip part comes off the flop....at the hospital...30 + minutes from home...and you still have another appointment? I tell you what you do-you buy some super glue at the shopette-glue it-stand innocently in an inactive hallway for it to dry and wear it like a no-class momma (after you have casually unstuck it from the floor and put a napkin beneath your foot so it wouldn't stick to the flop). It was a frustrating-inconvenient-craaazy solution, but I am glad that I am giggling about it now. :)

.....that the fifth child seems to learn things so much quicker than the others....even though you don't want him to?

.....that kids sleep in on a day when you need to get going (and waking kids is painful for me ).

.....that a scheduled trip to visit to London to visit friends makes your life seem so much brighter? (Yay!!!)

Thoughts on Aging

2008-05-14T16:08:00.008+02:00

These thoughts have been heard around our house lately:

Nicholas: "Mom, when I am fifty-five I will be all grown up".

Ryan : (I asked him if he was going to be a dad some day) "I just want to be me, Ryan, a little boy".

Cute :)

Mothering

2008-05-13T13:22:00.007+02:00

I may edit or delete this post, depending how I feel after the frustration cloud disappears. This is just how things are going, and I know that my rose-coloured world has been thorny as of late.

I had a lovely day on Sunday. I had a beautiful flower bouquet and some very nice cards. DH and kids made pancakes in the morning, and the afternoon included a nap, reading, shared Nintendo DS gaming, talking to my mom and a laundry party where everyone was invited! I know that laundry is not every one's ideas of fun, but the baskets to be put away were severely overflowing. I knew that I would be out on Monday, so I just didn't want to look at it in the corner of my room another day. Before we had this house I vowed that laundry would not be deposited in my room. I just hate that idea. However, since our room is the size of two rooms, it just happens to be the "laundry sort and distribute center". So be it. It's only temporary, eh?

So anyway, just over a week ago, in a rant, I told DH that I would not be celebrating Mother's Day. Part of the non-celebration that I was talking about was not attending a Mother's Day brunch at the Enlisted Club. It would have cost us about $80.00 for our family, with three children free. Insane.

I just haven't felt very positive about mothering lately. It's not a certain thing, it's just a whole bunch of frustrations that keep adding up. For example, today I spent some time catching up on the computer since I have not really been on it since Saturday a.m. During that time, despite numerous verbal requests and get-up and check incidents, this is what I found when I came out of the world-wide fog and surveyed my house.

Logan has also been tearing pages from magazines and spreading them on the floor. Some haven't been read yet. Ironically, one is the recent "Parents" copy.
The potty seat, normally located in the bathroom should a three-year-old have an "ah'ha" moment, is now conveniently located on my coffee table. Sweet.
There are shredded bits of toilet paper located in the downstairs bath and hallway. I cannot understand the recent obsession with toilet paper, wipes, and tissues with the two youngest, but it is getting old- fast.
Wii paraphernalia strung about the living room. Brand new, might I add.
A carton of milk taken from the fridge, left on the floor.
Various plastic cups retrieved from a kitchen storage bin are on the floor.
The usual assortment of toys (when did they have time for these?).
Several couch pillows laying around on the floor. Ask my husband-I HATE this. I swifter very often, but I don't like my pillows used as toys since there are many other toys. Maybe I just need to invest in some cheap pillows that the boys can throw on the floor. They probably will get carted upstairs, though.
The bathroom pump soap is sitting on the coffee table, thankfully unscathed.
Ryan closed the door on Logan, who is now crying.
The smell of a poopy diaper is beckoning me.

Add this to the recent lying episodes with the girls (about silly things, like sneaking a snack or whether they were on the computer before finishing a task); the stuffing of clean laundry with dirty laundry, on the wardrobe floor, or of all places...in a dollhouse; and bickering. If you have seen my laundry stack-and my mom is doing a very loud head nod at this moment, it is understandable just why this is so frustrating.

There' s also the finding tons of wipes that Ryan is using to clean (I guess) and stuffs under the coffee table, his wardrobe, and his dresser. No wonder that I am always refilling the wipe box. I think he does this on days when he doesn't nap and plays in his room instead.

A bottle of pulpy orange juice was left on the table yesterday within Logan's reach. I heard it fall and turned the corner to see him sitting in the middle of it------splashing.

Logan is also infamous for his ear-piercing shriek. These emit from his mouth when he is happy, playing, mad, tired, hungry, etc. We are teaching him to sign "please", and "more", and this has replaced the unpleasant sound somewhat. He has just been a very loud baby from day one. When we tell him "no screaming" or give him "the look", he just screams louder. Do you remember seeing families with a child like this? We remember seeing them and being thankful for our quieter kids. We have now become one of "them".

And can I add that Nick pointed out to me several weeks ago, with a smirk, that I have a "big belly". Mother's like to be reminded of this, don't they? He wanted to know why. I explained part of it was from having him and his siblings, and the surgeries to have them. We also talked about how he knew that it wasn't a kind thing to say, and why would he want to say something like that to mommy. I just was finding it hard to feel the love for this little man for a while. I'm over it. I think.

Many times I have heard people tell me that I make being a mother look so easy. I really don't know where they get that. I am a good mother, I know that, but it doesn't come easy. I love my children tremendously and I am thankful that my husband has a job that allows me to spend time with them. I know that God has entrusted these kids to me and that He knows that I will love them. I need to remember this on these days (or weeks) when I just want to disappear to a tropical place. I try to make things fun for them and I am teaching them to think of others. It's just sometimes I just don't feel like mothering.

Now, having said that, Häagen-Dazs and I are going to contemplate this mothering business some more. I wouldn't want to disappoint Nicholas and lose the belly.