March 23rd, 2017

Here’s a big hodge-podge of memories from the end of January through the beginning of March to give you glimpses into what we’ve been up too!

Medals…both boys received medals this past winter!

S played in a soccer tournament at the end of January. His team got split into two teams that both competed. Every child received a medal for participation. He was so proud and excited to earn his first medal in fussball!

 

 

E placed second in his division at the Cub Scouts Pine Wood Derby at the beginning of February. He built a car with his Daddy, a first for the two of them! His is the silver blur on the tracks in the pictures below!

 

 

Our little glass cleaner!

Valentine’s Day…The boys got crafty this year as they wrote out their own valentines for their classmates and added stickers and candy. I was so proud of their hard work and how LONG they sat at the table to get the job done!

On the evening of Valentine’s Day, the boys brought me home flowers and then joined their Daddy in preparing me a wonderful dinner! E helped cook while S was in charge of decorating the table. They were so excited to call me into the kitchen when everything was ready! For dessert, we enjoyed the homemade cookies Momo sent. I loved every minute of it!

 

Stylin’…One of S’s new things is having his hair styled. He loves it when his Daddy makes it stand up!

25+25+25+25=100!…E had to do a 100’s project for the One Hundredth Day of School. He needed to have a theme, one hundred objects and show a mathematical pattern. He picked “100 Ways to Travel.” In a large box, he had 25 cars, 25 airplanes, 25 trains and 25 pairs of feet (Lego and Playmobil people). Our European travels provided some frame-work!

Weekend in Paris!

I am so grateful for my two dear friends in our village! I have mentioned Amy and Clara here on the blog before. They have become fast friends, kindred spirits and are at the core of our community. In February, with our husband’s blessings and incredible help, we took a Ladies’ Trip to Paris over a three-day weekend. Our group dynamic worked out even better than we could have hoped. We lingered in book stores, churches and cafés, walked the artist square in Montmartre, navigated public transportation, saw the sights and enjoyed some of the best chocolate eclairs. We never ran out of things to talk about and stayed up late into the night getting to know each other better and sharing our stories. Thankfully, Amy found us a fantastic breakfast place around the corner from our apartment that served good coffee and a delicious green-energy drink to wake us up in the morning!

 

 

 

 

We walked into Tiffany & Co. on the Champs Elysees. On one of the walls, we found a letter from Audrey Hepburn to Tiffany. For those of you who have seen “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” you would enjoy what Ms. Hepburn had to say.

 

Riding the Trails…S and I took a bike ride one Sunday afternoon on one of the many trails around our village while Daddy and E were at Scouts. We appreciate the value German’s put on nature!

 

A Force to be Reckoned With…here’s S with his little buddy J. I love how they still enjoy dressing up in costumes!

Celebrating Fasching at the International Tea…on Tuesday afternoons we join other internationals in our village for a time to connect, learn about German culture and eat some delicious, home-made treats. The Mennonite Church sponsors the tea. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, many of the Germans were dressed up to celebrate the end of Fasching. This carnival season starts on the 11th day of November at exactly 11minutes after 11am and ends at the stroke of midnight on Shroud Tuesday – often referred to as Fat Tuesday. It was fun to learn more about this tradition!

Dr. Seuss’s Birthday…the boys’ school celebrated with an evening of fun, games, a story reenactment and even green eggs and ham! E’s teacher from last year dressed up as the Cat in the Hat. The boys LOVE her!! We are really hoping S will get her next year.

 

Below is S with his kindergarten teacher. He scored BIG time!!! How I wish E got her when he first started school. Thankfully, we like E’s teacher this year too (pictured below in the blue shirt as we acted out the book, Ten Apples on Top).

 

Trains and Automobiles…we took the train downtown the first Saturday in May to meet up with a new friend of ours. The boys found a German newspaper on the train that kept their interest for the ride. As we were walking to a park, we passed a green VW Bug. It reminded me of stories my parents told about my Mami driving a green VW Bug when they lived in Germany!

 

Our Wolf…E had an award ceremony/potluck dinner for his Cub Scout Troop on March 5th. He received his Bobcat badge after demonstrating his understanding of Scouting’s core values alongside other requirements. He also earned some other patches. E and his Daddy participated in a special “fireside” pinning of his Bobcat badge which enables E to move through the Cub Scout ranks. As a second grader, he is currently a Wolf.

 

 

Love Sent in a Package…the boys both received handmade hats from their Momo in their favorite colors! She made fourteen hats for the younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her incredible labor of love arrived in a box full of treats for my Birthday. We were all loved on!  Thanks Momo!

 

Our lives are getting busier as we continue to get more connected and engaged! Now we are moving into a season of visitors. More on that in the next few posts!

Tschüss! (“bye” in German)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 21st, 2017

Happy Spring! We are kicking off this new season with a rainy day. This isn’t a huge surprise for us here in Germany. However, we have been spoiled with some lovely sunshine the past couple of weeks so we really can’t complain. Besides, a rainy day is perfect for some afternoon snuggles on the couch with grandparents! What a gift it is to have my parents visiting us this week. =)

 

So, are you a little curious about the title of this post? It comes from this candle that I found at the grocery store to celebrate Mein Mann’s birthday this year…back on January 22nd. (Yep, still catching up here on the blog!)

“44, Sexy wie nie!” I like how the Germans celebrate Birthdays! I couldn’t agree more…forty-four is looking good on my hubby!

 

We had a little gift opening in the morning before heading to church where the Birthday Boy got a hearty rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung to him by our church family. He spent his afternoon playing with the boys and then attending a Cub Scouts meeting with E.

 

While Daddy and E were at their Scout’s meeting, S and I had a date at our Eis cafe around the corner.

 

In the evening, we continued the celebration. Some of our dear friends who live in our village came over to join us.  We got three different kinds of pie for all to enjoy!

 

Reflecting back on the day, there were sweet glimpses into Mein Mann’s priorities…faith, family, and friends. How deeply grateful I am to have such an incredible man alongside the boys and I! He is truly OUR GIFT!!!

I wonder what next year’s candle will say?!

Cheers!

 

March 6th, 2016

Burano and Murano are two, separate series of islands connected by bridges. They are found in the Northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. Murano is famous for its glass-making and Burano for its lace and colorful houses. These two islands are a treat for the eyes!  We used most of our second day in Venice exploring these northern gems.

To reach the islands, we took a Vaporetto (a water bus) from our neighborhood “bus” stop. We waited on the dock until the right boat pulled up. The boats go in different directions so you need to be attentive to the direction and route you want to take. What a unique and fun way to travel…especially for two, young boys!

 

 

Our first stop was the island of Murano, famous for its glass making. Due to the risk of fires, all the glass makers in Venice were moved to Murano in 1291 and have prospered there ever since. We went to a free, glass making demonstration at one of the studios shortly after we reached the island. We learned how glass makers start off as apprentices for about ten years to learn the trade. If at that point, they show talent, they are selected to continue to refine their skills, work and eventually become a master glass maker. The host spoke in multiple languages. The presentation was both informative and entertaining. We watched glass jars and animals form before our eyes!

 

 

To demonstrate how hot the glass still is after its been sculpted, the host held a piece of paper against a newly sculpted horse. The paper immediately went up in flames!

 

Afterwards, we walked around the island.

 

 

We spotted a statue of a lion holding an open book on a pillar near a bridge. This became a game for us over the weekend. The lion represents St. Mark and the open book is indicative of a time of peace. We also found lions with closed books which signaled a time of war. The boys became very adept at finding and interpreting these sculptures. We also kept our eyes out for other works of art too.

  

We eventually found our way to another water bus dock and caught a Vaporetto to Burano. We bundled up as we stood on the deck to take it all in. There were heated cabin areas to ride in but the views weren’t the same!

 

How I love getting to travel with Mein Mann!

Burano is perhaps the most colorful place we have been to thus far! According to legend, its homes were painted in bright colors for the resident fishermen to find their houses in foggy conditions after a long voyage at sea. Fishing is Burano’s traditional industry. It’s also known for its lace that dates back to the 16th Century when the women of the island began making lace with needles. This handmade process is time-consuming and thus VERY expensive.

 

 

Walking around Burano was a like being in a Crayola Crayon box of 64 colors! What a visual treat! The boys and I stood against the blue house (below) for a picture. Seconds later, the gentleman who lived there walked up, smiled at us and walked in. hee-hee =)

 

 

Colors, colors EVERYWHERE!

 

 

 

After strolling through the neighborhoods, we asked a shopkeeper if she could recommend a good place for us to have lunch. She told us where all the locals go. We were thankful to get a table!

We headed back to the main island of Venice as the sun was setting in the sky…beautiful!

 

We walked the lively streets back to our apartment, stopping for a couple of fun souvenirs for the boys.

Since we made a purchase, I asked if I could take pictures in the mask store and the shop owner happily agreed. The walls were covered!

 

On Monday morning, we packed up and took our last Vaporetto ride to catch our bus (one that drives on roads) to the airport.

 

 

Our trip was short but memorable!

 

Ciao Italy! We hope to see you again soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 5th, 2017

Happy March dear family and friends! I can’t believe Spring is just around the corner. We are kicking off the opening of our B&B at the end of this upcoming week with the arrival of our first guest…Aunt Grace! A week later, my parents fly in! We are excited to see extended family again!!!

Back in January, when we were in the throes of winter, we enjoyed a quick weekend trip to Venice. We got an incredible deal on Ryanair allowing the four of us to fly for under 100 Euros! Of course, we later figured out why you can fly to Venice so cheap in January…it is COLD!!!! However, Venice is still beautiful and charming…

 

 

…just layer up in January!

 

Our trip started off with an “extended stay” at the airport as we waited out a regional snowstorm for about seven hours…not the most ideal way to kick things off but we were grateful we still got to go. After we landed at the Treviso Airport, we caught a bus to Venice and then rode the Vaporetto (a water bus) to the neighborhood where our apartment was. Navigating public transportation is always an adventure!

 

We were pleasantly surprised when we heard Mein Mann’s name called out as we stepped off the boat. The woman who owned the apartment we were renting decided to meet us there, instead of the apartment as we had initially planned. She walked us to our weekend home-away-from-home and spent time explaining the neighborhood and the ins and out of our apartment. She was so kind and we were relieved to be cared for after the craziness of our travels. We lost a day of sight-seeing but we made it!

The historic centre of Venice is made up of islets and canals in the shape of a fish. It is divided into six districts, called sestieri. We stayed in Cannaregio where most of Venice’s actual residents reside. This quiet neighborhood was away from the more crowded, tourist hot spots yet had easy access to the water buses. Our apartment sat along a canal with a beautiful church nearby.

 

 

 

With the gift of a full day to see the sites of Venice, we layered up (long johns and all) and ventured out. Here are our highlights…

The Rialto Market

 

We enjoyed walking around the various food stalls where Venetians have come for their daily supplies of fish, vegetables and fruit since 1097. The boys enjoyed the incredible variety of seafood on display. When some of the stall keepers saw the look of amazement on the boys’ faces, they brought out a shark for the boys to hold for a photo-op! The Italians love children and are often so gracious in their treatment and interactions with families.

Birarria La Corte-Lunch Break!

This pizzeria in an old brewery in Campo San Polo made for a great pitstop to warm up and get refueled for the afternoon.

The Rialto Bridge

 

This marble bridge was completed in 1591 and is the oldest of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal of Venice. Without anchors in the middle, this single span bridge is considered an architectural marvel of the Renaissance Period. There is actually shops on the bridge! Its one of the most popular tourist spots and thus VERY crowded…even in the off-season. The view down the Grand Canal makes it worth the crossing!

Riding in a Gondola

 

This thirty-minute ride through the small canals was our splurge of the trip. The ride was so peaceful as we glided past homes, businesses, historical buildings (like Marco Polo’s childhood home pictured below), hotels, and more. Our gondolier shared interesting tidbits about Venice, his trade and his family. We enjoyed this memorable ride with the added bonus of warm blankets!

 

 

 

Libreria Alta Aqua-“Library of High Water”

 

This eclectic bookstore is a must-see for book lovers! The entire collection of books is kept safe from flood waters by being stored in bathtubs, water-proof containers and even a full-size gondola. We enjoyed perusing the different rooms that are literally stacked wall-to-wall with books, magazines, maps and more. Outside, you are invited to climb the book steps to enjoy the view of the canal. Inside, a friendly cat greets you at the check-out. Purr-fect! =)

 

 

Piazza San Marco…Pigeons!

 

Though we were surrounded by some amazing architecture, the pigeons were the highlight of this piazza for the boys and will be remembered for years to come! We were amazed by the sheer volume of birds found here. Out of curiosity, we followed the crowds to the center where birds were landing on folks with outstretched arms. We quickly found ourselves becoming pigeon perches! Men approached us and poured bird seed in our hands to encourage our avian friends and then insisted on payment. What?!! It turns out it’s actually illegal to feed the pigeons. Police quickly shooed the birdseed men away with their presence as they did their rounds through the piazza. I was just grateful we didn’t need to clean off any bird poop. Please pass the hand sanitizer!!!!

 

 

Sunset over Venice

 

We watched the sun make its slow descent towards the horizon as we made our way to our water bus station and rode back to our neighborhood for the night. The boys worked on putting together evening entertainment as we prepared dinner back in our apartment. They put on a play about a gondolier and a cat…of course!

 

Buona Notte! (Good Night in Italian)