The new Mini

This is by far the greatest thing I have done for myself.  I LOVE this car and have hardly owned it a week.  We drove to Ramstien Sunday night (after the wine walk and yes, EVERYONE but the pregnant driver slept!) 

We purchased it from a sweet familythat had 3 girls and were PCSing to Japan.  Bummer for them, but lucky for us!  Its a 2009 Hondo Odyssey and they put all kinds of great options in it.  My favorite is the automatic doors (I haven't opened a door other than my own since we bought it)  Nick's favorite is the DVD player.  Shane's favorite is being able to climb insdie himself!!  What a big boy!  Chris's favorite - he doesn't have to drive it cause I love it so much!

The happiest mother!

Thanks to my husband!  I cannot wait for our first trip - I might even say yes to camping - but don't be surprised if you find me sleeping in the mini!

Walking and wining

A sunday wine walk in the nearby town of Esslingen.  It was one of those german days taht starts beautiful!!  Check out the view as we start the walk.

Here is our rowdy groupd of guys.  I want to note - in this photo, Blake is in the baby Bjorn - that changes...

and the sweet ladies!

This is stop #3  We decided to sit down and enjoy the wine.  Sweet smiles from Lundy and Diane

Think we are too loud?

What kind of face do you make when you are 21 weeks pregnant on a wine walk?

Yup!

Truth be told, I was testing Brian's smile function on his camera.  He says it won't take a photp unless you are smilling....hmmmm

On with the wine trek

Now here some the clouds and boy did it cool off!  Good thing we were all ready!

If you are still tracking - Blake is still in the baby bjorn

As we all busted out our jackets - we dig into our pockets as we haven't worn jackets in a while and you NEVER know what's in the pockets.  Farrah found tissues and this hat!  Guess its Brian's knight in shining armor hat =)

What a cute couple - Farrah and brian of coruse...  and yup, I have my trusty water bottle.

The beautiful vineyard!

REALLY SMALL grapes.  Looks like they have some 'aging' to do

Diane can't resist a good pose!  Even if outta the potty

Yup, Blake is BACK in the baby Bjorn.....  now, somehow my photos got erased - It is NOT because I had too much wine.  I think my 2' monster (and budding photographer) is resposble.  BUT I had an AWESOME photo of Diane carrying Blake while Wayne had a bottle of wine in the baby Bjorn - It was my favorite photo and I hope to someday re-create it!

What a beautiful day with buddies - we had babysitters for the little ones.  On the way home, Brian and I talked about paying them extra to take care of Chris and Farrah!  The kids were easier at that point!  We are glad that everyone had a blast.

A Friday the 13th Farewell - how appropriate

On Friday night we corralled all our best buddies at our favorite local beer garden for some hugs and toasts. It was a BEAUTIFUL sunny day - the perfect type for kicking back and toasting with some of the largest beers around =) Looks like Farrah is giving Natalie a run for her money!

 

Ms. Melody - our sweet first grade teacher - bet her students really think she's hot stuff when catches a ride with her hubby wearing this helmet. I just couldn't fit the helmet with her personality - so I had to capture a photo.

Babies, Babies, Babies - here are our newest additions Peter and Blake. Since we all arrived in 2009 - we have had Beau, Macy, Shane, Madeline, Blake, Peter and now a few more brewing - there really is something in the water!

Great shot of Brian in the playground

The kids all happily found a spot to play.  Shane was loaded with sand by the time he came home - can you find him in his cammo hat - he is hiding....  Nick has his baseball cap on too.

Cheers - or shall I say Prost

Here are all the families that we will be saving good bye to. Kelly is headed to Turkey, Lundy to Beijing, Chad & Angela to Arizona, Wayne & Diane to Florida, Amy & Darion to Michigan (her son is standing in for her hubby Rick who already started his tour in kyrgyzstan), Ashley & Sean to Georgia, Farrah & Brian to California. Whew, really too many good byes!

Here are all the ladies that make living here way more fun we are missing a few - Heidi & Suzanne ducked in late - Lindsey is touring New Zealand, Jen and Kristen are in the states just to name a few..... Stacie and Whitner were a little too nervous to pop in quite yet - its coming ladies!

I'm cheesy, I know, but I wrote a goodbye poem and didn't hardly cry (cause i didn't look at anyone....) bet you thought I would list it here - think again!! I love this photo since it looks like Lundy might be wiping a tear while Farrah is laughing away at something hopefully witty!

hands down my favorite comment of the night that I promise NEVER to forget.  Diane walked up saying - 'gosh, I could babysit this Diet Mountain Dew all night' as looked at her and she said ' that's the phrase right, babysit???'  'Oh wait, its nurse!!  Yes,.... !' so Diane and so why we love her!

Some more fun photos of some great folks - it surely got chilly when the sun finally opted to go down

Here are the boys schemeing up their next adventure

Guess its time to call it a night

So that is the second step in the farewell process (the first being the - notification stage - )  the final stage being the ride to the airport - the hardest but yet most treasure stage to many. 

I will always treasure Chelcy's insistance to be the one to take us to the airport.  We both sat across from eachother stomaching a yummy airport sandwhich, trying to muster a good bye without the timeline of return, tears streaming - its therapy right??  Well that is coming.  The McCulloughs will thankfully move in with us on the 23rd so those days will be amazing and will surely go fast.  However, they board that big plane to the USA on June 1st.  Turning the calendar on that final day is something I only wish I could put the brakes on... so until than....

Mr. Independant

Teaching independance often means sacrificing fashion.

Lately Nick has been doing a fabulous job of dressing himself and it is often the chuckle I need in the morning. Today was an absolute best.

Try #1 - Spiderman shirt (check), plaid shorts (my favorite part of his outfit) missing underwear -

Try #2 - underwear on, plaid shorts now backwards (didn't notice this until we got to kindergarden - so he switched it there) Missing socks.

Try #3 - and it sure is a charm - added bright blue soccer socks!!



So off to school goes my crime fighting, preppy soccer boy! I bet he feels great (not because he forgot his underwear, remember, I corrected that part! ha!)
 
On a side note - I sent this photo with a quick email to my folks as I thought the outfit was hysterical.  My mother who has been teaching for 20+ years wrote back saying 'tell me you fixed this'  now wouldn't that just ruin the spirit of independance??  Here's hoping I won't still be saying that at 15 and thankfully he wasn't headed to high school!! 
 
He walked in the kindergarden door only to be greated by Maximillian in a Hulk T Shirt (which he promply told them in German that his brother wears the hulk T Shirt) and Finn in Spiderman.  In Nick's mind - he was a success!!

Cheers to Mother's day

We had a Mother's day celebration week and wanted to share some fun photos of some amazing mothers!!

This is our Post-Mops meeting at the bowling alley - we get to have extended play time at the cleanest playground on base (so clean that we have to wait 10 minutes before we can go in)  I couldn't think of more wonderful ladies to share the afternoon with. 

I must also give kudos to our photographer - Eve!!

Here is the whole crew.  Chicken Nuggets anyone? 

Farrah and I were husbandless all week - so we did just about everything together that we possibly could.

On Thursday Nick has T-Ball practice, so Tate joined him.  The coach even let him play on his team.  Both boys loved it - meanwhile on a swing set near by.....

Friday, I got to celebrate Mother's Day at Nick's kindergarden.  They say a sweet song in German (I have the words for later translation) but it was such a treat to hear him singing along in German.

That afternoon we enjoyed a yummy picnic lunch with Shannon on her daughter Erin

Saturday we hit a fest in Farrah's town.  Honestly, I would call it an expo.  They were displaying tractors, window treatments, house materials and colors - and of course brats and beer!!  We must go!! 

Natalie, Lundy, Farrah and I were all husbandless - Diane wanted to enjoy some friend time so she left her husband at home!!  How lucky we all like each other so much that packing the kids in the car (sometimes waking them from naps) it totally worth the social time for moms and kids!.

Here are some 'go carters' Eve, Vivian and Nick 

Gotta wonder if this is the chariot Cassey has in mind when planning her wedding with Tate - Guess Nick is the best man! 

Shane, not sure you are old enough to drive that thing! 

Smiles from everyone! 

Here is the crew of little ones that we strolled to the fest with.  4 different modes of transportation! 

Ah, Sunday morning - mother's day!!  Chris flew home from Molsworth landing at 10PM Saturday night.  Just in time!!  He woke up with the boys and made breakfast, yum yum.  I was thrilled to receive some of the best london tee for mother's day and a sweet card from Nick. 

Next onto my garden - my favorite gift is always 'time'.  I had Chris, Nick and Shane's time working on the garden 

I have a feeling this might be the best it will look all season.  Good luck to the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, lettuce, zuchinni, and basil - Nick asked if we were going to open a Commisary at our house - big plans little one 

After the garden was complete we cleaned up and walked to the cafe for a smoked salmon brunch!  Now you can really say YUM.

In this photo I finally captured Shane's red nose.  On Thursday he took a bit of a digger while riding his tractor.  Its healing pretty good - but boy does he get some funny looks.

Every celebration deserves ice cream - even Mother's day! 

Finally got a quick photo of me and my boys - love how big Shane looks.

Nick loves to help Shane go down the big slides - what a sweet big brother.  Chris took a photo of me sliding too - needless to say, no one needs to see that!! 

Gotta love these two - one more of them cooking up!! 

Happy Mother's day to all the wonderful mothers out there.  Chris and I were fortunate to be able to chat with the two most important mother's in our lives - its a good time to say thanks for everything they have done to raise us to where we are today - it never stops! and for that, we are thankful! 

We love you MOM!

I also updated a few blogs with photos from the McCulloughs - so check out the garmisch weekend, Spring weekend (let me know if you all start singing that song.....)  and a few in our belguim beer tour blog too (they always take better photos!)