they grow up so fast!

Okay, I'm not quite ready to burst into a chorus of "Sunrise, sunset" just yet, but our kiddos have hit a couple of milestones this week.

Charlotte had her first school pictures.

Yeah, I goofed it with the dirty pink boots. If I'd known her feet were going to be in the picture, she'd be wearing her black patent leather Mary Janes. Oh well, I kinda like seeing the muddy boots since she wore them to school each day for months. The German Kindergarteners go out to play EVERY day- rain or shine, and these boots kept her feet dry and warm.

We recently had Charlotte's class over to play for a morning... 18 kids and 2 teachers! I was really impressed by how Charlotte behaved with her friends. I was most happy to see how kind and compassionate she is. There is one girl in her class with special needs, who doesn't speak, and Charlotte took extra care to make sure she had things to play with and had fun. Likewise there is one other non-German speaker in her class (from Poland,) that her teachers told me Charlotte has befriended. These two girls can't really talk to each other, but walked around holding hands, playing, and laughing together. I am extremely proud of my sweet girl. :)

And then there's Super-Tobs.

Toby has kept me very busy this week with potty training. He has given many indications that he was ready for this step, and I have been procrastinating because, oh I dunno... I'm pregnant and preparing to move back to the US?!? However, he would not be deterred and we have spent a lot of this week in the bathroom. He has done really, really well! He loves getting a happy face on his potty chart and earning rewards like stickers, chocolate, and balloons. He even got himself out of the tub one evening and peed in his potty independently. Looks like we'll be shopping for big boy underwear tomorrow! (And maybe I'll even get a break from diapers until the baby is born in August? I can't even describe my excitement at that thought.)

road trip- part 3

The last few days of our trip we really slowed the pace down and enjoyed Austria.

(Sorry if the spacing is weird, the computer was fighting with me.)

Charlotte proclaimed Hallstatt to be "better than all those other places" and Rob and I really had to agree. It was so nice to be in a small town after so much city touring. This is the MAIN road through Hallstatt. I know the photo is blurry, but I had to show you this road. We (and by that I mean Rob) drove our minivan down this road. Insanity.

The entire town is clinging to a mountain on the edge of a lake.

Gorgeous.


Just one more view of Hallstatt.
We only stayed here for lunch and some much needed fresh mountain air, but it was a highlight of our week.

Then it was time for the last stop on our road trip- Salzburg, Austria.

This is our one and only family photo from the trip.

Mirabelle Gardens with the Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background.

Doesn't it just make you want to sing, "Do, a deer?" (The Von Trapp family was from here, and they filmed parts of the Sound of Music movie here.)

Charlotte and Toby knock on the door to see if anyone is home at the Mozart Geburtshaus.

Rob and I found this museum interesting, but the kids only liked the little violin, and getting to watch bits of opera on TV screens.

The Salzburg Cathedral.

It's kinda like a Cadbury creme egg-- It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside was delicious! It would have been incredible to hear Mozart perform here as a young boy.

One teeny little part of the ceiling inside the Salzburg Cathedral.

I had every intention of us attending a marionette show while in Austria, but it didn't happen. (Combination of cost and length of performances, told us it was really not for kids.) Our kids posing in a cut-out will have to suffice.

Toby listening to the "children's tour" of Hohensalzburg Fortress. (I listened for a minute of it, and it was really boring, but he liked holding his own "phone.") Also, notice his Spongebob watch? He got that in a kid's meal like a year ago and wears it almost every day now because it is "just like daddy's." :)

"The hills are alive...."

So, here's a fabulous thing that happened. I really talked up the FUN-icular ride to the fortress to the kids. So of course, it was closed for repairs. So the four of us hiked up the extremely steep hill (with no stroller) to the fortress. (Allen, do you remember how steep this was back in 2004? ) After touring the fortress, we headed out (per Rick Steve's advice, and with a map) to walk around the top of the hill; planning to head down to the parking deck at the other end of the trail. This would have been great, if that route down the hill hadn't also been closed. So we made a big loop, stopped for an ice cream (which we totally had earned at this point,) and made the best of it by picking flowers and singing songs. It was not the plan, but it was a quiet and nice way to end our sightseeing. :)

One last photo shout-out from Rob to a special sister.

And that wraps up our road trip blogging!

Hope you have enjoyed seeing some of our photos. ;)

road trip- part 2

On to Budapest!

The Great Synagogue in Budapest.

Hungary's Parliament building.

The Great Market Hall.

This was one of our favorite spots in Budapest. We browsed crazy meat, gorgeous veggies, and incredible assortments of paprika.

Toby joining Hungary's top dogs in Heroes Square.

This is a reproduction of a Transylvanian castle in the city park. A lot of "original" historical buildings in these countries were damaged or destroyed by the Nazis or the Communists. I gotta tell ya, by the time we visited Budapest our enthusiasm was waning. We were pooped. Big dirty cities, tricky metro systems, and Hungarian was the most challenging language to decipher of all. It was a struggle.

Must be time to move on to Vienna!

Rob and the kiddos in front of Hofburg Palace.

This is one of the few appearances of our stroller on this trip. Mostly, we made the kids walk... part of that was because we backed over the stroller with the minivan on the first day of the trip and it was kinda broken for the rest of the trip. It has been laid to rest since we got home.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is just gorgeous. I love that colorful tiled roof!

Inside St. Stephens.

This is a photo shout out-- you know who you are. ;)

We toured the royal apartments of Hofburg Palace. This is part of the silver museum there. There are about 40 rooms full of dishes. It's insane. Charlotte and I were fascinated by the Empress Sissi. We both agreed with her love of ice cream, but her vanity and 3 hours a day spent on doing her hair were what convinced Charlotte that princess life was not for her.

The Opera House in Vienna.

We toured inside the opera house, but several of my photos did not turn out very well. I have never been to an opera house before, and thought it was very impressive. Rob was apparently feeling inspired by the surroundings as well, as he began singing the marriage of Figaro on our way out. :)

ROAD TRIP!

One day while looking at a map of Europe, I had the "brilliant" idea that we should drive a loop around Eastern Europe and see some of the cities that we might not have a chance to again. The plan grew and grew until it included 7 cities in 8 days. We covered nearly 1500 miles and spent about 23 hours in the car. Here's our route if you're curious. And now for the photos-- I promise to share only the highlights, or this could go on forever. ;)

Our first pit-stop was Nuremberg, Germany. We strolled the old town for just an hour or so and then grabbed some lunch. (Note: Throughout this trip there were many WWII and Communist memorials and museums that Rob and I normally would have been very interested in seeing... however, with 2 small children, we could not possibly go to places like the "Nazi Documentation Center" or the "House of Terror." I'm sure you can understand.)

Rob and I liked the Nuremberger-- 3 little brats on a roll with senf (mustard.) They say in Nuremberg that it's not the size of the sausage, but the flavor that counts. Yum.

After lunch, it was on to Prague.

Charlotte and Toby in front of the chapel at Prague Castle.

Charlotte enjoyed trying on some princess-wear... but a few days, and a few castles, later she told me that she definitely does not want to be a princess. Me neither. She's a smart girl.

On the Charles Bridge with Castle Hill behind us.

There are statues lining both sides of the bridge, and I kept Charlotte entertained on the walk by making up stories about each of them. She walked pretty much this entire trip!

Downtown Prague is very picturesque.

I love the towers with all the mini-turrets.

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, dating back to the 1400s. There may be as many as 10,000 people buried here, as the graves are stacked on top of one another due to limited space. We also visited the Old New Synagogue-- completed in 1270, and Europe's oldest active synagogue. (No photos allowed inside.)

Castle Hill at sunset.

I think our favorite meal of the trip was at Colosseum Pizza in Prague. We thought it would be an "easy out" with the kids, but it totally surprised us. There was a guy playing guitar, candlelit tables, and best of all- a kid's corner! Our kids played while Rob and I had a lovely dinner.

The next morning we headed out to Bratislava, Slovakia.

The old town was teeny, tiny and very cute. They have several of these humorous statues around that the kids thought were fantastic.

We strolled to Michael's Gate (built around 1270) and had lunch in an Irish Pub.

Say "cheese."

Is that a UFO behind me?

No it's just a goofy example of Communist era bridge architecture.

We were told by a friend that we HAD to stop in Kaffee Mayer in Bratislava and have a piece of cake. This was Charlotte's choice-- and she LOVED it. :)

the ABCs of Toby

Affectionate- Toby loves his mom. He loves his dad. He loves his sister. He loves his froggy 'Guy.' He loves his doll baby 'Lisa.' You get the idea. :)

Boy- He is 100% male. From leaping off the couch to torturing his older sister.

Cuddly- "Tuddle me mom." One of my favorite things to hear.

Daddy's boy- He watches everything Rob does and does his best to imitate him.

Eater- He ate 4 pancakes and a yogurt for breakfast yesterday and would have had more if we hadn't cut him off.

Forgiving- He will hug his sister and accept her apology 2 seconds after she shoves him down.

Giggler- His big belly laugh often takes people by surprise, since he is otherwise pretty mellow. (see Quiet.)

Handsome- and perhaps a little vain, since I tell him how handsome he is every single day.

Impatient- He is 2 and a half after all.

Jumper- He will attempt to jump off of anything... preferably into someone's arms, but not necessarily. (see Boy.)

Kissable. :x

Laid back- It's true. My little man likes to be carried, cuddled, and lounge around whenever possible. He is not stressed out-- ever.

Mechanically minded- Toby excels at doing things with his hands. Building, taking apart, working the DVD player, getting dressed. He's a hand-eye coordination whiz. (see Puzzle man.)

Not nocturnal- Thankfully, Toby sleeps from about 7 pm to 7 am. No matter what time zone we drop him into.

Obstinate- What can I say? He comes by it honestly.

Puzzle man- He will sit and do puzzles for hours... the more challenging the better.

Quiet- He doesn't say a lot, but when he does talk, it is because he has something worth saying.

Runner- I can't wait to have a yard for Toby to play in. As it is, I have him run laps in our house to burn off some of his energy. (see Boy.)

Stud- He's already a lady's man. ;) We're going to be in big trouble one day. (see Affectionate.)

Traveler- He is ready to go, anytime, anywhere. We are soon going to add 4 countries to the list of places he has been in his short life... and the fun part is he LOVES it.

Understanding- Toby is surprisingly empathetic and aware/considerate of other people's feelings.

Violence abhoring- He rarely (not never) resorts to violence. Even when I think he ought to sometimes. (Like defending himself against a tyrannical older sister.)

Water lover- Whether in the bathtub, the pool, or the ocean. He loves getting wet.

Xenophobic- Not really. I just couldn't think of any other x adjectives.

Yummy- At least I threaten to eat him all up on a regular basis, so he seems like he would be yummy.

Zen- see Laid back.

a Charlotte story in 3 parts

Morning:

Rob is getting Charlotte dressed and can't locate clean underwear for her so he asks her to wear Toby's Lightning McQueen underoos. (He isn't really wearing them yet anyway, but I like to be ready in case he decides to potty train one day.) Charlotte points out that they are for boys and they are "kinda funny," but okay, she'll wear them.

Afternoon:

Charlotte is at a birthday party for a girl in her Kindergarten class. I take her to the bathroom and notice her interesting underwear.
Me: What are you wearing?!
C: Lightning McQueen panties.
Me: Do you know those are Toby's?
C: Daddy put them on me this morning.
Me: [laughing] Okay.

Evening:

Rob is getting Charlotte ready for her bath.
C: Daddy, I don't want to wear these panties again. They scare Mommy.
R: They scare her??
C: Yeah, they scared her and then she laughed at me.

Note: I was not SCARED, just surprised. Good heavenly days.

a video valentine

It's a little early... but enjoy! ;)

The point is MUTE

Okay folks,

Thanks to a nasty case of strep throat and a very scary German doctor... "YOU, don't talk. You don't whisper. Or you will permanently damage your vocal chords." I have been rendered mute for the weekend. But I can still type! Bwa hahaaha. So here is what I have learned in the first 24 hours of my silence.

1. When Rob insisted he had to go to work for the afternoon I felt panicked. And sure enough, within 10 minutes Charlotte had woken up from her nap crying (she is also sick, but with an ear infection) and was asking for more medicine- which I didn't know when she had last taken and couldn't call Rob to ask. So I just shook my head 'no' and put in a movie and we cuddled up until Toby woke up to play with her. The afternoon ended up being okay.

2. Charlotte is a smart cookie. She immediately understood that I would not be talking and has done her best to interpret my guesstures and baby sign language and has repeatedly told Toby 'Mommy can't talk about it!' She has been extra cooperative and just keeps telling me, 'I love you mom' which I appreciate immensely.

3. I feel a bit like Lassie. 'What is it girl? The old barn burned down and Timmy fell in the well?' Unless I actually go get paper and pen to tell Rob something, we go through a 'conversation' like this every fifteen minutes or so...

Me: holds up two fingers

Rob: 'Two.'

Me: Points to pancake recipe

Rob: 'Double it?'

Me: Thumbs up!

4. I had no idea I liked chamomille tea this much. I have gone through 3 pots all by myself.

5. Rob is wonderful. He has cooked, cleaned, and chidcared his heart out the past few days and it has not gone unnoticed. He is currently at the grocery store with BOTH of the kids... an activity I know he does not adore, but that he volunteered to do so I could rest and relax. I love him.... and I would shout it from the rooftops, if I were allowed to speak. ;)

highlights from Paris

This past weekend I went to Paris with two of my fellow mommy girlfriends here in Germany. It was the FIRST time I have gone somewhere overnight without my kiddos! We had a great time, ate LOTS of food, and packed a million things into 2 1/2 days. Here are just a few of my favorite moments.

Sitting by the Eiffel Tower on a quiet Saturday morning.

Though this was my third time in Paris, there were still a lot of firsts to experience. We toured the Rodin Museum, which I loved. This is his "Cathedrale"-- a man's and a woman's hand just touching, with Harmony in the background. (We also went to the Musee d'Orsay and the Louvre.)

Oh the food! We had crepes with Nutella (my favorite European vacation treat.) We also dined at a FANCY French restaurant, and gorged ourselves on french pastries... see below.

Bring on the French pastries!!!

However, I'll pass on the stinky cheese.

Julie, Aubrey, and Harmony are....

Mommies on a mission!

Another first for me was visiting Shakespeare & Co. bookstore.

It's an English language bookstore near Notre Dame that I have almost-but-not-quite made it to on my last trips here. It has a rich history, and made my bibliophile heart sing. ;) I picked up a book for Rob called Translation is a love affair, and one for myself of Jack Kerouac's poetry. I could happily spend a day just hanging around here.

Aubrey finds one of many little nooks to read in.

We took a quick trip out to Versailles to admire the decadence and demise of the French monarchy. Aubrey and Harmony in the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

We also squeezed in a visit to Napoleon's Tomb and the Army Museum before heading to the airport, which was a first for me. All I have to say about that is... the French sure thought highly of Napoleon to bury him like this.

In the Army museum... now THAT'S a gun.

Overall Paris was exciting, and exhausting. I am glad that I went, but I am also very glad to be back home with my family. :)