New addition

We picked out this cute little guy for an early Christmas present for tthe kids.

His name is Patches Bob!

Donuts for deploying soldiers.

I helped the PTSA put on a donuts for deploying soldiers at the school.

It gave all the parenst who are getting ready to deploy a chance to come hang out

with their kids, walk the school, and sit in the class rooms.

Halloween 2009

Parker's pumkin

Sarriahs pumkin

Wonder woman

Darth

This year we had to stay home because the FLU fairy came to visit Parker, so we had our own little party here at home. Costumes included!

We carved pumkins, ate lots of candy, made cookies, and pizza, watched movies, and cuddled up on the couch.

Block leave

Parnach Gorge

Trav took a week off so we went to Garmisch to stay at the lovely Edelweiss Lodge and do a little hiking.

Leutascher Geisterklamm(Spirit Gorge) Leutasch Austria

The falls colors were so beautiful and we were able to spend good quality time together with out TV's, video games or any other distractions. It was so nice!!!

The pics are small but if you click on them you should be able to get a bigger view.

Exploring Ansbach.

Church(Kirche)

Rathaus

We took a short self guided tour of Ansbach. It really is a beautiful town.

They have a few festivals every year so I am sure you will see more of this place.

Come inside!

Here are a few pic's of the inside of our house.....more to come very very soon.

The Family room

Kitchen

View out kitchen the window

Lean your head to the left..... 2nd half of Parkers room..... The man cave.

1st half of Parkers room

Ok so for the most part I have the house in pretty good working order. We are having a blast in this big ol creeky house. You cant take a simple step with out creeking.

Welcome home to us!

We have successfully moved! YAY!

We have had a few hitches but for the most part we love

Love love our new home.

We live on a beautiful busy little street.

Our in house doctor is so wonderful!

The landlord is so very nice but we dont speak

each others language very well.

I am promising to really try working on my

Deutch.

The kids are in school, they moved almost seemlessly.

They have new friends, lovely teachers.

I dont think they really miss Mannheim at all.

They adore riding the bus to school!

Our only pain in the neck at the moment is ...... we

dont have a stove/oven yet,

and we dont know yet when we will get it

so I am putting my crock pot to some good use!!!!!

Good crock pot recipes needed!!!!!

I will be posting videos of our house as soon as I complete the decor.

Hopefully I will be done by this weekend.

I love and miss you all!!!

Our castle.

A few photos of our new house.

Our Beer cellar...... we will use it for motorcycle storage.

from the back

The side yard

Our street

The house!

More photos to come.........

Wine fest in Bad Durkheim

Ahhhhhhhhh. They won a game and got new teeth.

Tatter's and sour krout. Pretty good.

Dumpfelnudle(I'm sure that is spelled very wrong)

End of first trip.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Trip

Kim, Jamey, and I.

Trav and Sean

We went twice this year. Once with Laura and the kids and once with Kim and Sean. Our 2 great friends who we miss dearly.......

The fest's here are so much fun. The second time we went it was to EAT. Yum!!!! The best food is always at the fest's!

Amsterdam, Bruges, brussels.

Back to Amsterdam and I have to say I enjoyed it just as much this time as I did the first time!



Oh the things you can find in Amsterdam.......

Yes this is a urinal..... yes it is outside, and yes everyone uses them.

Do you see how crooked the houses are?!

Its a fun relaxing place to go. Its not that there is alot to do and see here, its just fun to be there and be a part of the city.

I had never heard of Bruges until Laura planned a trip there. I love Europe for this reason..... everycity is filled with beauty and everycity is different. Bruges was a beautiful city with great stuff to see and wonderful Chocolate to eat! Yummy. I'm so happy you do your research Laura. I would have hated to miss Bruges.

The main square

This is a michelangelo piece. Modona and child.


Pictures dont do it justice.


This was a very active swan. Watch out.... he bites!!!!




The clock tower.

Brussels is a BIG city! Our hotel was in perfect walking distance to see all the sites.

Its the capital of Belgium, and the home of the European Union. We saw as much as we could but after we got home and I really researched it, I would like to go back and hit the things we missed. We didnt have a lot of time to spend here.

Cathedral Saint Michel

Snails!!!!! YUMMY!

Manneken Pis

Grand Place

Wonderful, beautiful places!!!!!!