Everyday Life

A small note....the post below is similar to this one....however, Mike thought it relevant because some of the things were different....so, enjoy!


As Summer has come to an end, the holidays have been ramping up fast. We have just been so busy we can't even see straight. Joshua has school, homework, guitar, soccer, and Cub Scouts. Things will feel normal again once soccer season ends but needless to say we have just about no time for anything else. Last night was a "nothing" night and Mike and I literally did nothing. We could have carved the pumpkins but we just didn't have it in us. Mike's wrist has been killing him and he's got to get in to see the doctor.

The fabulous thing about our tour here in Germany is that there are many of the conveniences of America right here in our neighborhood. Friday is pizza night. I was making my own pizza. My mother gave me her pizza stones and I've been hooked on home made pizza ever since. There's something about a fresh crispy crust! Well, since our tour into the busy parenting life, making my own pizza is just not as enjoyable... I don't have the flippin' time! Thankfully, we have delivery! Yes, I can call one of two places in my area and order pizza. Something that is virtually impossible living in Japan (unless you know Japanese very well and like squid ink pizza :) Napoli and Taormina both deliver. They are pricier than the states but on a busy night it's worth it! I've done Napoli because it's easier (I can just order online) but I heard Taormina is really good. Just about every time we order at Napoli we also get a free bottle of wine. They also give out points.

Recently we also went to a Hockey game with Joshua's Cub Scout den. I can't say enough good things about the Scouts. This is Joshua's first year. Even though he's started late and had to catch up, his den has been completely supportive. The activities and field trips they plan have been great. Mike has mostly been taking him to everything because all the events seem to fall when Samuel needs a nap or should be in bed. However, we've all been able to attend the recent Rain Gutter Regatta and hockey game. Joshua earned first place in his den for the Rain Gutter Regatta; we were so proud. The Hockey game was in Zweibrücken about a 30 minute drive from our area. In Zweibrücken. there is an ice rink where one of the boys practices his figure skating and his dad is on a rec hockey team. Anyone PCSing here that is interested in keeping up ice sports, this is most likely the place to do it. Across from the rink is outlet stores. This being Sunday evening, I couldn't check them out but, it's something that really caught my attention. Here is a link to anyone interested in checking it out and filling me in if I don't blog about it soon: The Style Outlets. The hockey game was a lot of fun. Loud and cold sums it up. The last time I had been to a hockey game was in San Diego watching the Gulls play. Here they are the Zweibrücken Hornets. Click on the link and the schedule can be found on their webpage. Adults are 6 Euro and Kids are 5 Euro. We stayed for 3 periods and then took off. We knew it was time to go when Sam was laying on the sticky popcorn laden floor and knocking over drinks. The 3 year old was OK though and we didn't feel awkward or anxious about our kid behaving because it was a loud rowdy place anyways. Parking was easy too. A good family outing for sure. Just bundle up! It's cold inside!

Cleaning is my thing these days. Especially because I know that I'll be hosting the neighborhood Thanksgiving. Our neighbors will cook one turkey, and Mike and I are planning on doing our traditional deep fried bird. We started this in Japan when we didn't have an oven big enough for a turkey. Mike went out and bought a deep fryer and propane tank. We deep fried our first bird and haven't looked back since. It's the absolute best way! But, I am hosting and it should be interesting because well, I don't have much furniture or anything for that matter. I am completely depending on my neighbors who are much more abundant on this type of garage inventory. The one thing I can be sure of though is that our house is clean! Lately I've fallen in love with a German cleaning brand called Frosch. It was the smell that first snagged me in but now I appreciate the message of the brand as well. Environmentally friendly and natural. I've always kinda been a treehugger with my cleaning agents when I can (I'm also cheap). My main cleaning ingredients are vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. However, I really miss that chemical induced "clean" smell that major brands provide... this is where Frosch has helped me. Also, Ariel brand detergent has been my favorite... again for the smell but I'm going to try and move towards a more environmentally friendly brand there if I can as well.

Also, in preparation for company I am trying to cover my naked floors. Now when I was planning on moving here, I read that I should stock up on carpets before the move. I decided against it. I didn't know what size of a house we would have. I figured I could just by them here. That's #287 things I regret that I didn't do before moving here! Note to anyone out there planning to move here. BUY RUGS!! I can't stress it enough. The prices here are atrocious. For one large "cheap" carpet here it will cost you the same as a Pottery Barn rug... ladies, you know what I'm talking about! Rugs here are stupid expensive. I've been looking for good quality inexpensive rugs here and I'm at a loss. Ikea and Poco Domain are the inexpensive household goods. I might try Ikea again but Poco for rugs is not really my first choice. I'd love to buy some online... if only Pottery Barn would ship rugs here (Always with the Pottery Barn right?). But alas, most rugs will not ship through FPO/APO. So, I've been also hitting up Ramstein yard sales. I've had to be vigilant and patient but I've found some good deals there. I got two "oatmeal" type rugs for $35 and another semi nice 5x7 one for $50 (I had to bargain down that one from $100) Because I've got faux wood laminate and tile the echo in my 4 floor home is awesome and not the good kind of awesome. So, I've also been surfing Ramstein yard sales for plants. Another really inexpensive way to buffer the sound bounce.

Last night I took Joshua to get a hair cut... he was seriously in need. Mop top was an understatement. My favorite place to go for haircuts in Landstuhl hospital. The old school guy in there really does a great job. Unfortunately it was past 5:00 and I wasn't sure they would be open. So, I headed to Ramstein. I like Ramstein because of everything that's available there... I hate it because it's packed with people all the time and it's HUGE. We were headed to Ramstein when I hear on the radio that traffic was at a standstill because of an accident. I was close enough to the autobahn entrance headed towards Mannheim so I zipped onto the autobahn and headed to Vogelweh. I had no idea where a place was for him to get a hair cut. So, I went into the Moms shop. (AKA video rental shop) He told me to go to the shop right outside of the gate. The woman who owns the place used to have a place on base but didn't put in a low enough bid when they were opening up the new salon... so, she decided to open up right outside of the gate. Hollywood Beauty and Barbershop/ Day Spa was a nice place to go. They did a good job for Joshua and I was happy with them. The wait was not long at all in fact, I walked in and they took me. (Unlike Ramstein... arg) And, at 8.50 Euro the price was right. I'd definitely go back there.

Just an Update

Our family has been very busy the past few weeks. Ever since school started, it has been a whirlwind of activities. Joshua is enjoying his new school year and also has Cub Scouts, soccer and guitar lessons. Cub Scouts was something new this year. Ever since he had his birthday, he is fascinated by pocket knives. Mike and I really want to be able to get him a Swiss Army knife from Switzerland. I was also worried about a boy his age carrying around a knife!!! That's what kicked off the idea of Cub Scouts. The Cub Scouts teach about proper knife usage and drill into the boys' heads the safety rules. At Joshua's age, the boys are eligible to carry a knife. However, like us, most parents in the den are choosing to hold off on that one! Every week, he has Cub Scout homework. This includes push-ups, sit-ups, soft ball throw and long jump. He also must memorize the Cub Scout motto and learn the proper salute.

Soccer has been a joy. Joshua has a good time out there and the team has a good spirit for sure. Guitar lessons have proven to be a real asset to Joshua. His teacher is teaching him how to read sheet music (notes) tune his guitar and rhythm. This will definitely help him with his fine motor skills. Joshua has a bicycle obstacle course coming up for Scouts as well. This has motivated him to fine tune is biking skills. Everyday after school he hops on his bike for training. The other day, he took a curb to quickly and skinned his knee something fierce. Screaming and with blood running down his leg, I carried him up to the bathtub to "hose" him off with the shower head. The scrape was pretty bad and there were several shards of gravel that I had to wash out. I was a little worried and knocked on my friend's door to have her take a look. She said there was no need for stitches and even if there was it was too ragged of a scrape to actually stitch up. Assessing myself later, I realized that I hadn't really watched him as he went out and he was wearing shorts and Birkenstocks out to go bike riding. The very next day I went out and got him knee, elbow and wrist pads. I also updated my first aid kit that I noticed was expired.

An exciting event just happened recently. In second grade, Joshua had an assignment to write a letter to a member of the Obama family. Joshua chose to write the dog, Bo. Just recently, we received a letter back from the White House. Mrs. Obama wrote back to Joshua!!! The letterhead had the presidential seal and was hand signed by the First Lady herself. Enclosed was also a small picture of Bo with fun facts about him on the back. We are very proud for him and I'm working on getting this framed so he can hold onto it for a very long time.

All of these activities have kept us all very busy. Samuel's birthday is coming and Mike has been working very hard on a playhouse loft bed for him. We are all very excited but Mike especially has really enjoyed his first wood project. We are looking to make it fully equipped with a working door bell & magnetic wall.

Several weeks ago we were able to meet my very dear friend Nathalie in France to enjoy some time with her. She's currently living in Korea with her family however, she is French and was here to see her sister who just had her first baby. I'm so thankful to Nathalie's family for sharing the time that they had with her. Her Father lives about 3 hours from us in the country. He actually joked and said that there are more cows in his town than people. This was truly a great experience for our family. We had a late lunch; authentically French in just about every way. It was outdoors at a long table. Her father grilled wild boar (which he hunts himself), sausages, and pig intestine. It sounds totally gross but was just about the best thing on the platter. After the 1st course there was cheese... lots of cheese. About 12 different types. Bread and salad were served with the cheese, followed up by coffee and dessert. Made special was a Mirabelle pie/tart. Mirabelle are like a small yellow plum but are specific to this region of France. The kids were able to play together while the grownups ate and enjoyed wine and---what else? Champagne!

When we left Nathalie's father had us pick apples from his tree (which was so loaded with apples that he had sticks holding up the branches) also he gave us a jar of Mirabelle jam and walnuts. Needless to say, his generosity is much appreciated and I'm planning on making something to send him. A side note that made me laugh: Her father has buckets of fallen apples at the bottom of the tree. He leaves them there for the boars to eat. He sits outside early in the morning with his rifle and waits.....

Last night was our first time ordering pizza delivery. We ordered from Napoli down in town. We ordered Salami, Hawaiian style, and veggie for me, with a liter of Coke. The total was about 24 Euro so about $33. The sizing of the pizza is smaller than the States, so the medium and 2 family size pizzas looked like a small/personal size and 2 mediums. It was no bargain but hey we are in Europe. Just about nothing is cheap! It was good pizza. Mike said the Salami and cheese tasted like something from Italy. After looking at the webpage it looks like one of the guys that works there also drives the gelato truck through out neighborhood. Big plus to have a delivery service that I can actually order from without knowing German!

2 Castles and a Waffle please!

For my birthday everyone kept saying, "I hope you do something fun!" and "What are you doing today?" Well, my actual birthday was pretty uneventful, although really nice too. Joshua was in school and I met up with a good friend of mine, with Samuel, and we enjoyed the "Dyno Park" together (Otherwise known as the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau). This is a park in Kaiserslautern with indoor and outdoor garden exhibits, several playgrounds, a water play area, a small creek that runs through the park, a skate park, mini golf, and large dinosaurs throughout the pathway. Mike and I got a family season pass and it was totally worth it. For 35 Euro, a family of 4 can have a season pass to the place. I believe the regular price is around 15 Euro, so if we were to go 3-4 times we would more than make up for the cost. The season pass also gives families entry into the Japanese Garden. We haven't had a chance to check that one out. We've been told it's not very kid friendly, so we are waiting on a time where the kids are off doing something else. Right now, the Gartenschau has pumpkin exhibits portraying famous fairytales.

Mike got me something that had been on my wishlist for years... a stoneware breadbasket. It helps keep bread warm out of the oven. Also, a very very nice card. This Birthday weekend proved to be a blast.

It started off right at a neighborhood BBQ. Our house basically looks like apartment buildings on the outside. On the inside however, it's pretty impressive. The great thing about it looking like an apartment is that we are able to block off the driveways and enjoy a BBQ. The kids just brought out their favorite bike or scooter and had a great time until it just got too dark. Mike, being the wonderful husband that he is, made me a cake and had everyone sing happy birthday. He also had the admiration of every woman in the neighborhood.

We woke up and headed to a local castle in our area. Affectionately referred to in our household as "the Kusel Castle" but know by others as Burg Lichtenberg Castle. It's a beautiful castle that, for it's age, is still very well intact. There were about 4 weddings going on that day. At the Castle there is a restaurant, cafe, and museum. We didn't sample the food but we did enjoy the museum. The first floor was more interesting for the kids as it had a lot of taxidermy animals on display. The weather couldn't have been better and it was great to go out and enjoy it. We got home and had a lazy rest of our Saturday.

Sunday rolled around and it was proving to be a lazy one as well. I had just recently gotten a new publication of BlickwinKL. This magazine comes in our mail and is "the magazine for the American Community" or, at least that's what they say. It's an extremely helpful publication (albeit a little Christian leaning, but helpful nonetheless). The Blickwin usually has 5 articles and countless advertisements and calendars filled with events for the next 2 months. For anyone living in our region, I highly recommend going to their webpage and signing up for delivery if it isn't already being delivered. Near the back of the magazine was an article on the new Burg Nanstein Restaurant; Burschanke Nanstein. For readers who have been here a while, they will say there has always been a restaurant at the castle. However, just recently ownership was taken over by Paul Schmitt. Mr. Schmitt is a prominent guy in these parts and along with some bakeries also owns a lot of property in our neighborhood (including our building). He's trained as a German pastry chef. We walked down to the castle and enjoyed Chicken Stew with Spatzle. Joshua had Turkey Schnitzle and both boys enjoyed Pommes, or French Fries. The view is beautiful up there. They have ample outdoor and indoor seating as well. During the winter I can imagine enjoying a big beer by the fireside. The outdoor seating had the quintessential HUGE umbrellas that most German outdoor seating has. The restaurant also provides small blankets and bowls of water for a patron's favorite 4-legged canine friends. The kids got the wiggles but they were able to play in the surrounding area without bugging anyone. This gave Mike and me a chance to just enjoy the afternoon. The article in the Blickwin mentioned that many times there is wild game on the menu. I didn't see anything but I'm looking forward to going back and looking again for it. This place has special openings for big parties and also has a buffet for New Years. Since it's literally about a 5-10 minute walk from our house, this could be one of our haunts from now on.

On our way back home, I noticed that chestnuts were falling from the tree by the playground. I was pretty surprised since they shouldn't be ready for another month or so. It looked like just recently the tree had been cut/cleaned up. It made me wonder if it made the nuts go into hyper growth mode. At any rate, it got me pretty excited and I dragged Joshua out to gather chestnuts. I had never really done this before and for anyone who knows what a chestnut looks like, knows that the process can look daunting. The nut looks like a little porcupine. I wondered how one could safely gather them without poking their fingertips. However, after several Google searches, I could not find anything on it. There was a ton of information on how to roast them just not how to safely gather them. From what I gathered, most of them just fall out of their protective spikes. I did wear gloves and this protected me from the pokes. Most of them were already out of their spikes. We took home probably about 1000 grams (2 pounds) or so of nuts. My initial thought had been correct. The nuts had gone into hyper growth. It seems as though they were small and difficult to get out of their shell. I was able to roast about 200 grams and I also used another 200 grams to make Chestnut puree. Come to find out, this stuff can be very she she la la (another technical term would be fancy schmancy pants). Known to the French as Puree De Marrons, it can sell for 8 Euro a "tin" or as us Americans say a "can". It's used as a spread for bread or croissants, topper for ice cream, or ingredients in other recipes. I came across a cheesecake recipe that I'm very interested in trying.

Monday was Labor Day, an American holiday, so we took advantage of the day off by driving to Brussels, Belgium. Now, just about NOTHING is open on a Monday in Brussels. When I say nothing I mean all the museums and attractions. We made sure to check the schedules of places before we cemented out plans. It's about a 3.5 hour drive from where we live. We dragged ourselves out of the house at around 9:00, stopped at the ATM and for gas, and we were gone. Our first stop was the Grand Place - it was just as magnificent as the pictures. They were just cleaning up after a festival of some sort in the square, but to look at all the buildings was truly a treat. The detail of the sculptures with the gold paint accents was magnificent. The wind was strong that day and we were hungry for lunch. Joshua made a great suggestion for pizza and we stopped at one of the many restaurants near the square. Brussels apparently is famous for it's seafood options (Mussels and other shell fish). There were many many restaurants to choose from. I recommend doing a little research beforehand though; because of the variety and cost there is a high chance that one might experience a "dud" restaurant. We didn't do any research on eating, so we went with a safer option... pizza. Our dining experience was comfortable. As we ate we heard French, German and English being spoken. We sat outside for the view and ambiance. Unfortunately the clouds came out and the rain fallowed. The whole staff scrambled to get their patrons inside. Needless to say it was an adventure. Thankfully, the rain didn't last, like many of the rain storms here. When the sun peaked out again, we walked several blocks to Manneken Pis to get the quintessential photo. Next to the fountain, there are lots and lots of chocolate and waffle stores. I don't care who you are... if you're going to Belgium, you gotta get a waffle! Joshua and I went into a shop and ordered a Belgian waffle with whipped cream, strawberries and chocolate syrup on top. I mean, if I'm gonna have a waffle... I'm gonna have a waffle! A little funny side note, the vender, who was a teenage girl, almost burned the waffles and in a perfect French accent exclaimed "Sh*t!" I smiled and said, "I suppose that word is universal" the poor girl was so embarrassed and apologized over and over again. I had to repeatedly tell her, " it's OK". Joshua, Samuel and I shared this treat and it was very decadent to say the least. Belgian waffles seem to be sweeter than American breakfast waffles. I'd really love a recipe. Mike was able to stop in and get a sampler of 6 trappist beers that are available in Belgium. Since we were so close, we also went to see the Jeanneke Pis . Now, the link that I just inputted is to Wikipedia that doesn't even have a photo! Poor Jeanneke. I suppose that women's lib hasn't fully infiltrated wiki. I think it is a cute little tribute to the more famous Mannekin Pis.

After the enjoyment of waffles and a full visual display of children going potty, we headed to our car and on to our next destination; The Atomium. It was only about 5 kilometers from the Grand Place but because of the traffic, it took us about an hour to get there. Let's hear it for rush hour! Mike had a picture of himself at the Atomium. I thought it was kinda cool after I heard the story about it but I was unprepared for the actual size of it. It was huge! Next to the Atomium, there is also a park with miniatures of European sites. On warmer days, there is also a water park and a good sized playground. Today we were short on time so we took the elevator up the structure and enjoyed the view.

We got on the road around 6:30, expecting to have a 3.5 hour drive home. However we are rookies when it comes to the autobahn and historically we are magnets for traffic jams. This was a doosy of a STAU! I think it took us 2.5 hours to move 5-10 kilometers. The cause was a pile-up with a big rig involved. The stinker of traffic jams in foreign countries is that no traffic information is available to us on the radio (Because of our lack of Flemish, German, or French speaking or understanding skills). So, if we are stuck, we are stuck. Many times people turn off their cars and wait for hours. Our only hope of knowing what happened is if a fellow driver knows English and can tell us what happened and how long it will be. We didn't get home until after 11:00PM. As we drove by the pile up, we said a quick prayer for the people involved and throughout it all we said to ourselves that we weren't going to let this ruin our day. Which it didn't; it was still spectacular.

Our family did do the touristy stuff of Belgium. Nothing too phenomenal from a hardened travelers stand point. But, lets face it we are tourists!!!....and, we have a family so we are gonna do the touristy stuff and doggone it, it was really a blast!

*Most of the words or places have links. Click on the link for a better explanation. If there's something in here that may need a little more explaining or if there are questions about certain places... let us know! We can try and help. Plus, it will help other travelers with kids figure out the ins and outs of traveling in Europe with a family or, on their own. Like we did in our blog about Japan, we are providing our family & friends a window into our lives but also trying to help others in our position so, any other suggestions help us a lot!

8 Years Baby

Today is supposed to provide record-breaking heat for this time of the year. In fact, there is a heat advisory out. It's the perfect day to be icing a cake in no A/C! I'm making a rainbow cake... totally awesome! The link is not the exact recipe that I used, but the effect is the same (I didn't have gel color for the batter and I didn't use diet cake recipe... barf). For his party, he's got Dad making a Garfield cake.

This is beside the point, though. Today is Joshua's REAL birthday. He'll be having his party this weekend, but for today, he is all ours! Eight years old today and already acting like an 18 year old. He woke up late, walked down the stairs to see me in my pajamas belting out happy birthday while brushing my teeth. I was promptly met with rolling of the eyes and, "Mom, maybe you should wait until your done brushing your teeth?!" So I waited, put the toothbrush down and sang again. Thankfully for him my breath was minty fresh when I gave him a smack on the cheek. That's right, I'm gonna take kisses and hugs while I can still get them. Samuel wasn't up yet, so we took a moment to go through his baby book and talk about one of the most important days of our lives... when he came into our world.

7 has been great and 8 promises to be a big year as well. His room just says it all. It is the culmination of everything "Boy". Legos, K'nex, and comic books are the order of the day. He's got sports trophies, air show posters, and maps up on his wall. The most important quintessential boy decoration: glow in the dark stars and planets! What a fun age. He's got a real sense of humor about him and a loving giving personality. What more could I ask for?

He's off swimming with one of his friends today. No need staying with mom. :( Such is the life. Lasagna for dinner (It's Garfield's favorite).

Refocus!

It's been a while... hasn't it? Our family, since the beginning of summer, has been on a whirlwind adventure.

My littlest sister came to spend a week with us. Her high school French class organized a small group and she spent 2 weeks in France and Spain. My sister spent most of her time in the south of France and very much enjoyed the Basque region. At 15 years old, I can only imagine what a life changing trip this was for her. She also just could not stop talking about Paris during her time with us. It really made me smile to know how much she enjoyed her time. After her France and Spain trip, the school group went home while my sister came to see us. We were able to take a road trip to Neuschwanstein castle, Dachau, and Legoland.

Once her week was up with us, the boys and I packed up and took the same plane back to California with her. Upon arrival to Frankfurt airport and after hours of waiting we were told that our flight was canceled. After a crazy crazy evening of walking around the airport with a herd of 500 other travelers, we were taken to a hotel near the airport, spent the night and boarded our flight the next day. 12 hours in the air and we made it safe and mostly intact! My mother was there at San Fransisco to pick us up and we vegged out for the next day or two to get used to the time difference. The weather was another shocker. Coming for 50 degrees to 101 degrees can be tough. Actually, it felt pretty darn good... for the first few days.

During my time in Sacramento, I was able to spend some much needed time with family and friends. My girlfriend and her husband just opened a local restaurant in my old neighborhood and I cannot say enough great things about it. Truly truly an American dream story. I missed the grand opening of the Pocket Bistro. We moved to Germany right before it. I was so sad not to be able to be there. Jade is one of my closest friends. Our friendship has endured since second grade. She was my maid of honor. She's accomplished in her own right and manages her mother's office supply business. Her husband, Edmund has been in the restaurant business for 20 years. He decided to leave his job as a chef at Ruth Chris and open up his own restaurant. This was truly a dream of theirs. Many folks have this dream but few have enough guts to go for the glory. They have. The food is very good. I always knew Edmund could do steak and chicken but during this last visit, I found out that he and his team in the kitchen are phenomenal. The drinks are fantastic. This is really one of the only "full" bars in the Pocket/Greenhaven area. The neighborhood really needed this. The walls are decorated by paintings done by a local artist and they already have many regulars. One woman at the bar said that she has dreams about the ceviche! In short, I can not say enough good things about it all. They own a small business in the neighborhood where they live and their kids attend school. This is truly something to smile about. Even if I didn't know them and they were so close to my heart. Especially in these economic times.

After 2 weeks in California, the boys and I flew to Virginia to meet up with Mike and visit with his family. We had a layover in Minneapolis. We had a good 3 hours so the boys and I ate lunch at... where else?? Mickey D's. As I ordered ice cream, I heard someone shout "Nicki" behind me. I ignored it. It was a woman's voice and I was with my boys so I figured they weren't referring to me... then I heard it again. I turned around and who should be behind me but my neighbors from Germany! They too had a layover in Minneapolis at the same time but were on their way home after spending time with family in the Midwest. What a one in a million chance! I don't think the initial shock of seeing one another went away entirely. Our conversation was short and we were on our way.

Our stay in Virginia was fun but felt rushed, short, and limited. There simply wasn't enough time to do all of what we wanted to do and see everyone who we wanted to see. The trip was built around Mike's very good friend who was FINALLY getting married. Mike was in the wedding and it was gorgeous. Mike's other very close friend was in the wedding as well and sang two songs at the ceremony. He sang Con te Partiro and Ave Maria and it was, as always, a beautiful performance. Mike sings for the Sea Chanters in DC so, predictably, it was going to be perfection. I believe for Con te Partiro there wasn't a dry eye. He was also the best man for (my) Mike. I only wish we had him sing for us. I'm no expert but he was the closest thing to Andrea Bocelli that I had ever heard. Maybe at our vow renewal?

What could go better with a wedding than a Baptism... 2 sacraments in 2 days? Impossible you say? Not in our family! Mike's family pulled a few strings and we were able to have Samuel finally Baptized at St. Bridget's, Mike's old Church where he went to school and grew up in. Despite it being a rushed event, it was special. We were able to have the G0dparents in attendance, and some close friends. Samuel was his "spirited self" and kicked and screamed through the whole thing. Mike B., our "best man" and Sea Chanter took a video on his iPhone... all 17 minutes of screaming and flailing. I'm looking forward to getting a copy for sure.

10 days literally screamed by us and we were on our way "home" to Germany. No sooner had we arrived then I felt we had to hit the ground running. I'm starting to get Joshua ready for school and just today I had a Red Cross Orientation. I am looking to volunteer a bit during my time here. Our first winter was a tough one for me. I spent a lot of time feeling down. This Summer I decided to take preemptive action and find things to keep me busy. Volunteering with the Red Cross will help me look outside of myself a little bit. I'm in the air about what direction I should take. I have a feeling though, my heart is sending me to the moral side. Helping with our wounded warriors seems like it would be a truly rewarding experience for my spirit and something I could really only do while I'm here. To be able to really be there and play a small part for our soldiers, sailors, and airmen I think is too much of a blessing not to receive. So, wish us all luck as Autumn sets in. We are gonna need it as our calendars fill up!

Look what's hanging above my neighborhood this afternoon. After a summer of cold and rain, that's an impressive sight.

USA! USA! USA!

With credit to ESPN for the photo, I want to commend our USA Women's Soccer team for their triumphant comeback victory over Brazil. The US played a good portion of the game with only 10 players, due to a red card. Despite that, they made it out of regulation with a 1-1 tie, after a horrible call that gave Brazil two tries at a penalty kick... the first try was blocked, but the ref decided to give them a second try inexplicably. The second try went in and equalized the game at 1-1.

In overtime, Brazil quickly went up 2-1 over our shorthanded ladies. With about a minute left in OT, one of the Brazilians went down in an apparent injury. She wasted about 4 minutes of the game, then the stretchers came out and began carrying her off the field. Then as soon as she was off the field, she jumped off the stretcher and ran back in, and the ref only gave her a yellow card for wasting the time, instead of letting the US women punch her in the gut a few times. Finally, they announced that there'd be only 3 minutes of injury "extra" time added to the game. In the final minute of injury time, the US scored!!! (Tying the match at 2-2).

Next up, penalty kick phase. Our goalie blocked Brazil's third PK attempt, and we scored on all five of ours, winning the game.

Best. Comeback. Ever.

p.s. - in case you're wondering how this relates to Germany, the World Cup is being hosted here. The game was in Dresden.