First trip to thrift shop- new best friends!

So my sister, Jenny, left yesterday. We were all very sad to see her go. Her last week here didn't pan out like we had hoped as she was sick and there was a mcuh going on. We had hoped to go see the castle in Landstuhl, drive and see the windmills in the countryside on a sunny day (didn't have many of those while she was here), do a little shopping locally. But alas, all good things come to an end even when you don't want them to. Usually when my company leaves, no matter who it is or even if I was kinda ready for them to leave, I am always a bit depressed for a few days. I grew up in such a big, close family I like having lots of people around. I like being busy with family and friends. But this time I am quickly distracted by the moving process! I have much to do before my husband heads off to our next assignment. Then only a few more weeks till I get the household goods packed up and follow him. I made my first trip to the thrift shop to unload unwanted items today. They were very friendly and I didn't feel so lonely. In fact when I walked in I told them I would be their new best friend as I plan to make many trips there in the next 2 months! Question for my fellow military bloggers - how early do you start the moving/spring cleaning process? Just curious.

Fasching

Fasching was celebrated in the German schools this year! C decided to be a mouse... Aunt Jenny helped me brainstrom to bring this one together and sewed a nice long pink(the only color we had in house) tail to complete the outfit. She was mistaken for a cat a few times but enjoyed her costume.

J wanted at first to be a monkey but the morning I was going to go searching for ideas/resources he decided he wanted to be a Zauber, like Merlin the magician. He explained to me he needed a tall pointed hat, kinda like a birthday party hat, but with a blue moon and stars, and a cape and a magic stick. He always has very specific ideas. I figured I could get some poster board for his hat but actually found a real hat instead! Aunt Jenny did magic by adding the moon, stars and gold rope and J made his own magic wand at kindergarten. He was very pleased! I was glad Aunt Jenny was here to help!

Karlovy Vary

From Prague we traveled to Karlovy Vary a well known tourist city for it's spas and medicinal mineral waters. It was a quaint little place and I imagine busy in warmer seasons. We enjoyed walking and bought little drinking cups to taste the water that flows from fountains all around. The water was warm and salty. Not really refreshing, but worth the try just to say we did!

Prague

Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks you dear husbands for letting us go on this trip to Czech Republic! It was very cold but of course we enjoyed the time away and the interesting tour! Jenny bought some small art pieces or sale on this bridge!

I was able to find a etched glass with this clock in it at a little market we ran into while we were roaming on our own! We really had a nice time!

updates coming soon- lots to share

sorry for the delay here... we have been to Berlin, now in Italy, and am headed to Prague tomorrow. M has had her share of excitement on her own as well with Honors Drama Ensemble in Baumholder and Creative Connections in Oberweisel! Monday is Presidents Day and we will all be home again... will update the blog then... maybe... might just sleep all day! more soon.

( I did go ahead and put some drafts of back blogs (Berlin) on, no pics though as I left my camera cord at home so if your interested check back for those next week)

Venice

I got to spend the day walking here in Venice, where no cars are allowed and there are more canals then sidewalks! Very fun place to photograph but the light was not great till later in the day... I'll just post a few pictures!

Joey and I were here for a conference... he had meetings all day while I got to tour with the other wives. Much fun!

Creative Connections

Creative Connections is a Europewide DoDDS Schools event where they bring 150 top art students together in Oberwesel for a week of intensive training (which culminates in a presentation on Thursday evening). These students apply and compete for classes of 10-12 students for courses like oil pastels, sculpture, digital imagining, drawing, music composition, strings, garage band, show choir, dance etc. M is in the HS choir this year so applied for Show Choir and was selected. (Last year she was selected for the drama course, but this year they did not have drama). They performed a medley from Les Miserables and the song Defying Gravity from Wicked. Click on the link to actually see the performance! (When I posted the website was actually down so you may have to check back.) Her performance is at the end of Part 1.

(the only picture I have from the Wicked performance right now)

Creative Connections

Reu's Big Day

European Forces Swim League Championships

J took R early for warm ups. The rest of us arrived not too long before R's race!

Reu is in the orange cap! This picture is zoomed in. The next one is the actual view we had. This was a huge place with a really nice pool! That morning R told his daddy..."Thanks for bringing me to this dad. It is really fun to be a part of it!"

Reu ended up 10th in his age group for the 50 free for the entire league of swimmers. He was a little dissappointed he didn't get a medal, in fact he didn't even swim his qualifying time. He had been sick with a bad cold and didn't make it to practise all the week before. The pool was also so big and intimidating. But it was a wonderful experience and being 1oth in the league was nothing to sneeze at... we were really proud. Then between races this is what the kids did to pass the time before the relays.
Reuben was in two relays. The first one he was the anchor and they won their heat. The second relay they came in second! We then made our trip back home. We ended up moving our luggage seven times that day and we wondered if the train was the best idea at that point! This picture was taken out the window of the train...the end of another wonderful trip.

Berlin Day 2

R and J went to the opening ceremonies of the championships early in the morning but then R didn't have an event so we spent the rest of the day touring! Yeh! We started by going to see a larger part of the Berlin wall then we seen in a different part of the city the day before! From here we headed to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (but took no pictures inside) which everyone but little J enjoyed. But we did purchase a piece of the Berlin wall which they claimed was authentic. The kids absolutely insisted we have a piece, so they could take it to school to show their friends!! Then we were off to an art museum, Gemaldie Gallerie. We really didn't know how long the kids would last in an art museum but wanted to give it try for Aunt Jenny's sake. They were captivated! The audio/headsets were free and they had stools you carried around to sat on while you listened. J and C thought it was great. I wish I had a picture of one of my boys sitting there admiring the art but we left our camaras in the locker below. We took these pictures below on our way to past the Postdam Platz as we headed to the Reichstag.
Up in the glass dome at the Reichstag.
Brandenburg Gate at night!
On our bike tour the guide pointed out that there are three different men on the lights in Berlin. So throughout the day I tried to capture each one. Here they are. This is the East Berlin man.
This is the Euroman.This is the West Berlin Man.
When the wall came down they began to replace all the ones that were there with the Euro guy but the people didn't like that. So all were put back, but they are all mixed up. You'll find the west guy in the east and the east guy in the west ! Just a funny tidbit!

I think we wore A Jenny out, honestly, we were all very tired.

Fat Tire Bike Tour- Berlin

There were many ways to see this city but we decided (because Berlin is flat and it was recommeneded by a friend) to take the Fat Tire Bike tour. We figured this was the best way to see a lot while keeping the kids engaged and it worked. We did not hear "my feet hurt" or "another train?" the whole trip (or at least not till the next day). We rode for about 4 hours but never more than about 15 mins at at time. We saw more sights than I can list here but here are the highlights. The extra Bike was for our tour guide Francis.

Red Town Hall

Marx and Engels Platz

Brandenburg Gate

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Checkpoint Charlie

Reichstag (Parliament House)
Bebelplatz (site of the Nazi book burning)

Berlin Wall

Russian War Memorial

Museum Island

....just to name a few... we saw so much more!

Berlin- Here we come (with everything but toothbrushes!)

Since it is against our religion to travel with any less than the perfect number - 7, and Mary had a couple drama commitments and opportunities and could not come with us, we had my sister come join us... just kidding... well Mary had commitments, but my sister came on her own accord although we were happy to have the extra eyes and arms on the trip!! We left for Berlin on the 3:05 train! One small suitcase (although one suitcase was full of food/snacks and a few games for watching the swim meet) and one backpack per person!

Here is Joey and his prefered way of travel... the DEUTCHBAHN is the way to go!! The moment we arrived at the Bahnhof one of the boys remembered they forgot their toothbrush... then the other remembered and then I remembered I didn't get C and J's either!! So Joey ran across the street (we had 10 mins to spare) and purchased 4 toothbrushes cheap!!! Thanks dear! We're off!

Honors Drama Ensemble

M was selected as one of the top 25 students europe Dodea schoolswide to attend this Drama Ensemble. She performed St Cecilia in the "Second Nun's Tale" from The Cantebury Tales. She was so excited she got to "die". (we were in Berlin) The cast and Mr Stanton the director.