Super Bowl Weekend and Castle Lichtenstein

Superbowl is many things for many Americans - but for those of us living in Germany - it really means a LATE night. The kick off is 12:30AM! Yikes. Well - embrace it right?? We were lucky to have super super friends who were able to spend the night with us. Shane and Macy were out by 10, Nick and Tate were down at 11, Farrah made it until 3 and Chris, Brian and I saw it til the bitter end at 4:30 - Great game. Our hearts go out to you Peyton Manning! You will be back, promise!Shane is showing off his new cuddle suit from Oma Sue - warm as a bug in a rug!As far as Shane developments. He is still waking up 2-3 times a night. You would think his bellie is full -but maybe its time to move to the next level. We started with Carrots - YUM YUM. He actually ate them pretty well. The second time the spoon came close to his mouth he opened up! I was thrilled and I guess he is ready.

He is sitting better in the bumbo and loves the walker and excersauser. Its almost impossible to capture a Shane photo without getting a few extra chin rolls.

Here's Shane's lady friend Macy - She is teaching him how to sit up - obviously, he is having non of the lesson.

On the Saturday before Superbowl Chris and I went exploring. We need a few awesome easy day trips for when our friends and family come!

This is the Litchenstien castle. Its beautiful. They say at one time it was use as the back drop for sleeping beauty. Its only 40 minutes from us. It has a huge beer garden and ropes course (random, I know)
The castle is just amazing. Draw bridge and everything! Here you go friends and family, one more reason to visit the Leadbetters!We had lunch at the castle (I am still in search of the Swabian pork pot - this one was close...) Nick and Shane held hands threw dinner.

Back to Shane - yes, we still have those baby blues. No rolling over yet, but we think his bellie is prohibiting it (not adding to momentum)

Remember I sad he loved the excersauser??
Did you see this one coming? Nick has the same photo in a Jumperoo. its amusing just watching him as he runs outta batteries and just falls asleep.

Good night all!

From the bowling alley to Sensapolis

It was the weekend of the birthday parties! We started out with Eve's party on Saturday night at the Panzer bowling alley. She turned 5(featured in pink!) There were quite a few munchkins enjoying the evening together. I am surprised there wasn't a bowling ball on the foot incident.

As you have seen before - Nick LOVES to bowl. Well..... he really just loves watching the ball come back through the shoot. but hey, its entertainment right??This photo is hilarious - Farrah is trying to organize chaos, Brian is amusing Macy and I am loving the cake - Yum Yum!
Sunday we expirienced Sensapolis. Its a HUGE indoor play ground. Darion turned 13 and was super excited about the ropes course. Of course Tate and Nick could get enough of the ball room.

At one point I caught the two munchkins steeling the ammunition (foam balls for the air pressure gun) from a german kid. Of course Tate and nick thought he was a rude german - even stuff like that gets lost in translation!

This was a difficult photo to capture - but they LOVED the slide. Needless to say, the photo opt ended with me getting my ankles hit by the munchkins!

Climbing to exhaustion

Now sure if you can appreciate how high up this ropes course is..... I would say 50+ feet. Brian went up with Darion. Darion started first and absolutely raced through the course. Brain was left wondering why he was up there for moral support as he was the one behind!

Shane decided to strip down for the event - it was warm in there. They had quite a few slides in the space ship that Chris and I tried. They were very steep and caused me to scream a few times - it was really just to tell Nick I was coming...... ya right!

Yippee Snow!

We have snow and are totally loving it. It makes everything a little slower and a little cozier. Plus I just love putting Nick in snow pants. We found a hill around our neighborhood. It was rather steep and blazing our own trail meant snow in the face for Nick (which he totally hated) The Germans LOVE the wood sleds. Funny since I thought they were only meant for decoration!

The all terain stroller

Back from a morning of sledding and snuggling on the couch

Yeah - two smiles!

Today Tate came over - we bundled them both out and sent them outside. They stayed out there MUCH longer than we thought they would. The dad's even went out there and built them a fort! The mom's stayed in with the little ones sipping leaded coffee - yum yum!

I thought this little video was too cute. Nick came home from Kindergarden and just wanted to make tracks in the snow while he kept his hands warm in his snow pants.

Nick or Shane??

I was going through some photos or Shane and I couldn't get over how much I thought he looked like Nick. I have a feeling in a few years these baby pictures will be difficult to decipher...

Some snow and Shane's photo shoot

We did a little photo shoot with Shane after baths tonight. This is what we came up with. Surely not going professional anytime soon. Just be thankful that he can naturaly cute =) Strategically blocking the important parts!

Check out that Buda Bellie

Serious Shane

Is it a kiss or a Headlock?

Dad loves photo shoots =)

Sweet Baby (looks JUST like Nick!)

Saturday morning we woke up to about 2 "of snow. It made everything look beautiful! We Nick tried out back and took out his sled and skiis. Needless to say, we do need a bigger hill.

My family in Germany

We just had a wonderful two weeks with my family in Germany. Jason, Riley and my dad arrived Friday morning while Stacie and my mom came a day later. During their stay we checked out all the Christmas Markets, celebrated with Santa. found all the best beer joints, toured Salzburg singing the hills are alive =) Chris took a crew out to Munich as well as St. Anton one day and Stacie, Jason, Chris and I ventured out for New Years while the munchkins stayed with the Grandparents.

It was a wonderful holiday and one that went by way too fast. We have a million photos but I selected a few fun ones.Santa ate my cookies and left just a little bite!
Christmas Dinner - Goose and steak yum yum!!

Smilin' Riley! This is a beautiful dress that my mom found in the attic recently. Apparently there are photos of myself and my sister in this very same dress.

Nick and I made bird seed ornaments - Pauli wished herself a Merry Christmas as she tried to pull out and consume all the ornaments. Guess the birds will go hungry.

Its Stocking time - Santa was good to all of us!
Trains, Trains and more Trains - Merry Christmas Nick!

Merry Christmas from the munchkins! They were all bathed - can you smell the Johnson & Johnson?

Shane is almost ready for the Bumbo - we are just afraid he will 'grow out of it' before he is able to use it!

Making Cookies for Santa (yup, the photos are outta order, but that's life right?)

Matchbox car heaven!

Even Pauli needed a little 'pacifying' here and there...

Chatting time

On Sunday Chris took Stacie and Jason to Munich. They went right by the Glockespeil staight for the Haufbrau house - They called me at 5:45 saying they were leaving the HB house for more exploring. Good thing they hit the important place first!

Best beer around!

Chris and Jason's new friends

On Wednesday - the same crew headed out to St. Anton Austria. A favorite skiing location of our past. It rained during the entire drive and changed to snow 15 minutes away from the resort. Perfect!

Who's gonna be sore tomorrow??

Snow flakes and all - what a beautiful day!

And we leave you with a photo of our furture skier. For now we are practicing in the house and around the back yard. But most importantly we make sure he is dressed in all the correct attire. PJs are a MUST