Wald und Wiese (germ.) - forest and ....

Just down the parking lot between two houses is a overgrown way into fields open with no fences. There used to be nothing but fields when I grew up all the way back to the forest, now one side has another set of houses, but you still can see all the way back to the forest. The grass is grown higher as Soren is tall in some spots.

These pictures were taken on one of the few warmer days at the beginning of our stay here. After that it was almost always raining and cold. The last two days are the first two warm days again and we finally could use some of our summer clothes. If it should stay warm or at least dry then we might make a stroll through all those fields to the forest. Luckily here it's a state forest and not all private, so you are allowed to use all the the trails between the fields and there are not fences and gates as far as I could see and remember - as in Texas.

Motorrad (germ.) - motorcycle (engl.)

It was Daddy's idea! The little motorcycle. Soren is crazy about it. Speeding on it. And that all with one horse power or one Soren power.

- I know that any of our three kids would be thrilled to have a motorized vehicle from three wheelers, four wheeler or just two, but I do believe it doesn't harm them using their own energy to power and move and still have fun.

So while Soren is cruising on his motorcycle up and down the road or on the back my bicycle fitted with seat and helmet for him, the girls are using the bikes and scooters to get around here. Chiara is racing everywhere while Bella is way slower and carefully.

Eiskrem (germ.) - ice cream (engl.)

Can we truly still count how often one of us or all of us already ended up back at one of the italian ice cream places? I don't think so. Today the girls, Karin and me were in town and we sampled Chocolate and Maracuja flavor. And Bella for sure regretted choosing gummibears instead of icecream.

A few days Leland and me took Soren in town and he got ice cream there for the first time. Yes, we are eating ice cream almost everytime. It is soooooo good. And 80 cents for a scoop.

White Chocolate, Tiramisu and Joghurt Flavor that time. LOL

Look at him. He got a cone, but no he can't eat from it and lick it, he needs a spoon before even trying it.

But he LOVED the icecream.

P.S.

The Guinness and the Kilkenny at the Irish Pub does taste good, too, but only for the grown ups and it's nice to have a kids free evening. We went out in that pub almost 15 years ago, too.

Papa (germ.) - Daddy (engl.)

He is here.

Finally after six months gone.

After three days of travel through three countries.

For two short weeks.

And he brought Soren a little camel.

Soren is all smiles with Daddy.

The kids stayed here and slept in when I picked Leland up from the airport in Frankfurt. Getting up at 3.30 am still with jetlag and driving for 2.5 hours was enough for me to get to the airport. But it was a beautiful drive so early in the morning, picture worth, but there was no way I would have stopped. I couldn't wait to see Leland again, even I had to wait an hour at the airport after arriving their until he finally stepped through out the doors.

Geburtstag (germ.) - birthday (engl.)

June, 12 2009 - our baby boy turned 2.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOREN!

He is really not a baby anymore, since a long time, but will always be the baby of the family.He already is such a big boy with the size of almost a three year old, smart as a button, talking NOT, but silly and goofy and twisting everybody around his little finger. He knows how to get what he wants and more. He actually does listen pretty good most the time, sometimes not, but he is two, so it is expected.


Chiara helped blwoing out the candle a little more as wanted, but he was more fascinated as blowing. He could keep practising for the day when Dad was there, too, so wait and see how he did do then. Soren loved the cake anyway of course eatinf with a fork because you can NOT eat with your fingers.


By now Soren is also expert in unwrapping gifts even he first was ready to hand his presents out, but by now he knows how to rup of the papers fast even once a while he needs help with the ties. Believe me you hardly ever use gift bags in Germany but you use lots of tape and ties with knots and knots and ribbons.




Of course Karin stopped by with birthday wishes and hugs and kisses.

Now all that was missing was Daddy. He already left Iraq and was waiting in Kuwait for more flight information to Germany. We finally got his arrival time and airport. He was flying to Bahrain and then to Frankfurt and ready for pick up there at 6.40 the next morning.

So he would made it by Texas time for Soren's birthday ignoring the time difference.

Kätzchen (germ.) - kitten (engl.)

Look at it! Look again. Can you really resist it?

None of us could. Luckily there were two left. But believe me by the time we left our friends house those two kittens must have been drop dead tired, not been able to move or lift one more paw after dealing all the time with my kids who are in love with them. But aren't they just too adorable?



This little one was picked up the following day, the little tiger is still left. Hard to understand he is so much cuter. If he would stay that small we would take him in a heartbeat, but customs wouldn't like us neither our two big cats.

Ansbach - Altstadtfest - Eisessen - Bummeln (in german)

and in englisch - 'Ansbach - Altstadtfest - ice cream - shopping'

Shortly after we arrived here we went into town to shop for Soren's birthday present. We easily could have just gone to a toy store but we are in Germany and so you have to enjoy the shopping besides the just "the shopping". So after strolling through the toy store and walking through the mall we went the old downtown of Ansbach where just the "Altstadtfest" started out with benches, food and music everywhere. We got to eat our first italian icecream. Yummy. Do you want to know all the flavours we picked. From chocholate, smurf (lol), banana, lemon, melon, yoghurt, ......... there are so many more and we have to go so often more that we can try all the others they are just delicioso. The fest was going on for days til late in the night believe late late not just 10 or 11 pm. I picked Leland up from the Frankfurt airport two days later and drove through the town by 4 am and people were walking home.

The girls enjoyed the fist fair rides while Soren slept through all the noise and music in the stroller.

And YES, Ansbach does have lots of MODERN and UGLY sculptures. I got told they actually get paid for putting them for a year. Let's see how many of them we find. But we can try to make them fun. The will get them weird remarks as soon as Leland gets to see them.

The girls tested out all the circus equipment that was available for kids in the mall. The bells were easy. Riding a one wheeled bike was not, neither walking on wooded poles, no clue how you call it in English, so use you imagination.

Soren tested the toybox thoroughly. He fits in. Just as in the bedroom wardrobe. As in the kitchen cabinet. As behind the couch. If it will hold for long no idea, but for right now he gave the toys a box and is watching German KIKA TV.

Regenwurm(germ.) - earthworm(engl.)

Rubberboots. Dirt. Work. Weed picking. And all three of mine screamed
'Me, Me, Me!' helping in Opa and Oma's garden.

Can you believe it? I had the view from upstairs.

Goofy and silly as always.

Exploring what's crawling in the ground once, twice and again and again.

'Earthworms, she really wanted to buy some to take home. Thankfully, for once I agree with customs restrictions about import restrictions of living things!'



Bella kept helping till the end, if she want s to keep weed eating the is more yard work and geardening to do in Karin's garden. Plus picking strawberries. Her mom already made us strawberry pie yesterday. Yummy. Two days in a row fresh homemade strawberry pie.

germany day one

Our arrival was a rainy day for most of it, not all, but besides that were were all pretty tired , the kids did get some sleep on the trip, I didn't but everone got a bed here. Soren decided he needs to find his own on his own.

Killeen - Dallas - Frankfurt(Germany)

We made IT!

To DALLAS.

Soren as on his first plane trip from Killeen to Dallas trying desprately to get rid of his seat belt, having neither snacks nor toys handy after both carry ons were taken from us before we even entered the plane but Chiara still thought we were flight on a "big" plane. Yeah 3 seats in a row is a big plane. Just wait until you see the next plane with 9 seats in a row and how many rows?

We had plenty of time in Dallas for lunch and play time and time to wait for the plane to arrive and to meet Anja and her kids at the gates. What a surprise for the girls! They didn't believe their eyes. We thought it would keep the girls busy on the trips having friends there. We were so wrong. The big kids were just busy by themselves, the two little ones had a blast together, especially sitting right behind each other. By pure luck - because we booked a month apart and hardly believed our eyes when we got our boarding passes out. So Sophia and Soren already walked hand in hand to the airplane, absolutely adorable and shared snacks and toys and seats for more as nine hours expect for the times either one of them finally crashed and slept.

And we made it to FRANKFURT with all our luggage

on a absolutely totally beautiful rainy day.

the last day of school ...

was on Friday. Three days ago. It took a few days to download the pictures from the camera and I am only doing it right now at 1.38 in the morning because I need to make a backup of my computer before packing my laptop and my camera into the carry on.

But Friday was FINALLY the last day of school. Not the last day of getting up early. But close to. Soren carried for the last time this school year one of his sister's backpack's to the bus stops.


Do you remember this post Just Picture IT? It didn't change, till the last day. Even one the last day Mr. Jim, the girl's busdriver waved to Soren. And while walking back to the house the highschool bus came along and stopped for Soren, Mr. J. opened the door, waved to Soren and said "Have a nice summer!" before he closed the door again and continued the last few feet to the busstops to let the boys get on the bus.

One difference - I did bring the camera once.

Chiara & Mrs. Chaney, her Kindergarden teacher

Isabell & Mrs. Chapman, her 2nd Grd. Teacher

And of course the last school day pictures with friends can't be missing.

SCHOOL IS OUT!

And now I finish up packing because our countdown is down to 1.

Tomorrow about this time we will be in Germany, just landed. That tells you that I should get the last few items packed, get to bed to catch the sleep I never get before travelling because believe I am dreading to fly with my three rugrats big and small. It is a long flight from Dallas to Frankfurt, but breakfast will be good and we arrive at breakfast time even there won't be much of a nighttime. LOL