Friday, September 30, 2011

Penny Market



On the outer edge of village a new Penny Mart opened. The new one is in a better location, and very spacious. It's like a very mini grocery store. We can get fresh fruits and veggies, toilet paper, wine, as well as Guinea pig food. I will be shopping there as much as I can.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Opened House



Strange, but true: Naomi had school on a Saturday. She did get to sleep in a little bit, but had to be there at 8:30. Her school had an opened house, or "a day with an opened door". There were all kinds of activities going on in the school. She took the little boys on a little tour and did a few stations with them. There was freshly made apple juice, a stand of things the kids had made for sale and honey that the bees at the school made. Hard to believe that next year Eyan will be there too.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Pow-Wow



Once everyone is sitting down and has been served we begin our Pow-Wow. What is a Pow-Wow? Pow is something that was bad about your day, something that was disagreeable, and a Wow is something good, exciting, or funny.


For awhile we were going from youngest to oldest, but now we are starting with Dad, and making our way down the line.


Here is our Pow-Wow today: (Martin is out of town)



Mine: My Pow it that our dryer won't be fixed until Monday, and my Wow is that I got out the fall decorations.


Naomi: Pow is that there was a pop quiz in Science, and her Wow was that her teacher was really nice today.


Eyan: Wow was that he got to go to the farm and pick up milk, his Pow was that the little baby kittens ran away and he didn't get to hold them.


Silus: Wow was that he got to build a Lego airplane on the computer and then build it with Legos. Pow was the first thing he built didn't work.


Toben: Sang a song for us for his Pow-Wow. It's a German song about going on the train. Some nights he does it, and other nights he changes it up, but he still participates in his own little 3 year old way.


Have a Pow-Wow at your dinner table tonight!

Special thanks to Lisa Barnett, who shared her family tradition with us. We miss your beautiful family!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Ranting....and Raving


A little ranting and raving, just because you see all of the beautiful pictures, but I also want you to see..... it's not perfect and there are things about being overseas that are annoying.


1. I hate that no one calls us, with the one exception of my sister Trisha, and occasionally my mom. I know that adding 8 hours to the time, and by that time we are sleeping, and that all those numbers can be confusing, but really?!


2. I HATE that I can't read all the school papers. This week even I accidentally threw away an important paper for Naomi's school. I did a quick look, and tossed it. I can ask my Naomi most of the time, but it's annoying not being able to just read a school paper.


3. I MISS blue skies, I really do think that I got depressed over the summer from no sunshine and gray skies.


4. I HATE THE PX! Screaming kids running all over the place, never the size that I need, takes FOREVER to walk from one side of the store to the other, AND they never have what I am looking for. I miss Target. A lot.

5. I hate that it takes forever for things to get here. I ordered books over a month ago, and am still waiting! AND I hate it when companies won't ship to our military post office box!


6. I hate that there are so many little bases and that there is a different base for the hospital, commissary, dentist, mail, work, and even the library.


Laundry, dishes and cranky children, a messy house, and me.

I just want the picture to be clear.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Friday, September 9, 2011

2 Years Later.....

We have been in Germany for two years! I can't believe that the time has gone so fast. We miss family, but feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity. We don't travel nearly as much as we had hoped, it's so expensive, and still stressful with young kids, but we enjoy the everyday life here. We have wonderful neighbors who we have parties with and just hang out in the front and talk.









Martin is now working at Ramstein Air force Base, he is working as a trainer and is on a 9-5 schedule. He has had the opportunity to travel for training, and has been learning more about radars. He is currently working on a new family portrait, it is AMAZING. I will post a picture as soon as it's done.








In May I completed 8 months of an intensive German course. Jetzt kann ich deutsch sprechen. Once a moth I get together with a bunch of great ladies and discuss a book, AKA Twisted Sisters book club. I am still active in my local quilt guild, as well as an Art Quilt group. I purchased a Longarm Quilting Machine, and am practicing on any quilt that I can get my hands on.









All 4 kids are fluent in German and speak German to each other. We are continually impressed with there skills, and are very proud of them.






Naomi is now in the big school in the next village, she is making great grades and her German is impeccable! This week her class had a three day, two night stay in the forest. She had a great time and made lots of memories. She has a few electives this year one of which is Bee Keeping!















Eyan is 9. He is in 4th grade and loves playing outside, roller blading, and hanging out with his friends. He loves pestering anyone he gets near, as well as playing jokes on others.











Silus went into first grade this year, so he is at the same school as Eyan. He is excited about learning to read, he plays "Ninja" on a regular basis, and LOVES Legos.











Toben is now 3. He has been practicing dressing himself and putting on his own shoes. He loves going to the indoor swimming pool, playing with Silus and being read to.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Kerve






Last weekend we had a little town Carnival.




All of the kindergarten kids had a little float that sprayed water, and threw candy. Toben had a blast throwing candy at all the old ladies and after about half way began handing the candy since the older people couldn't bend down and reach it.












Eyan walked with the grade school, and also threw candy. They had decorated a wagon with pictures of each kid holding a book. They were there promoting the new library.















At the end of the parade we stopped at the Carnival. We played games, ate brots, and drank beer. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Monday, September 5, 2011

School Lunch




Silus is a very picky eater. He doesn't like potatoes, onions, garlic, anything with sauce, and the list goes on and on and on. At school there is a hot lunch, and I decided to have a date with Silus and see if he could be persuaded to eat there. He ate the salad, and got a plate of Lasagna, and that's as far as we made it. I don't think he'll try it again. But, that's OK I don't mind packing a Peanut butter sandwich everyday.

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