While Cooper and I were in Augusta, we were constantly busy (both a good and bad thing). We had play dates, spent time with friends and family, watched Sesame Street, and thanks mostly to Ms. Daisy, my brother and sister-in-law, and my aunt we got a lot of work done. I have no idea how 7 weeks can't be enough, but it just wasn't. There were several people that we didn't get to see at all that we were really disappointed about and lots of people we only got to see once.
Peter finally joined us for the last 2 weeks, but there was a lot of conflict since pretty much every minute of each day was packed full. During his 2 weeks, we spent three days in Richmond, VA at the Weekend To Remember marriage retreat. This was really a fantastic conference that both Peter and I would recommend to anyone. My only regret would be that given all the things that we had packed into Peter's time in the US we really didn't feel that we had the time to relax and enjoy that weekend and that took away from our experience. One funny thing did come out of it, though. On the flight to Richmond, I looked down and saw that I forgot to put on my wedding rings and from that point on I knew that I would just feel really uncomfortable at a marriage conference without a wedding ring. I look while we rush through airports to see if I can find an inexpensive substitute and had no luck. When we arrived at the hotel we saw that we had a few hours to spare before the festivities began, so we headed down to the taxi stand with the intention of finding a mall or something similar to accomplish the task at hand. Here is our actual conversation with the taxi driver. Keep in mind we are in downtown Richmond, VA where there are lots of businesses and stores around.
Peter: We would like to go to a shopping area or mall. Is there something close by?
Driver: The big mall is about 45 minutes from here.
Me: We don't want to go that far. Is there a shopping area closer?
Driver: I know! I take you to Wal-Marts.
Me: Are there any nicer shops around?
Driver: You can find everything you need at the Wal-Marts. I always shop at the Wal-Marts.
After some thought, I figured that I could actually find a simple band at Wal-Mart and so we agreed and hopped in the van. The "Wal-Marts" was actually still a 25 minute drive away and we weren't convinced that this rackety van would make it that far, but we did make it and I did find a simple band. Peter and I even picked out an engagement ring knock-off to finish off the act. I was really hoping that Peter would get down on one knee and propose in the "Wal-Marts", but it didn't happen. Maybe for our 10 year anniversary?
The next weekend we went to Charleston, SC for Thanksgiving with my sister-in-law's family. We really had a great time there. We stayed in a really nice house right on the beach. Cooper got to see the ocean and walk on the beach for the first time (albeit it was pretty windy and chilly), Peter and Cooper flew a kite together, and Peter even got a few holes of golf in. April's dad brought along a little Craig Cat boat to take out into the intercoastal water areas. This little boat was great, and to give you an idea, when April and I were on the water we both said that we felt as if this little thing was the equivalent of a "golf cart". But let me tell you, it was the most amazing place to be that close to the water when we spotted a dolphin and it circled around and played right next to us. Pretty cool!
In all, Peter only had 5 days actually in Augusta and it just wasn't nearly enough time to pack everything in. So, I am really sorry to those of you that we didn't get to see much or that we didn't get to see at all. But mostly, I am sorry to Peter who just didn't get the vacation that he so desperately needed.
Pictures will be posted soon!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
More Mishaps . . . From Blue Bow Ties to Big Green Boots
Can anything else happen to poor little Cooper on our trip to the US? Cooper got his stiches off (Uncle Alan did it!) on Monday morning. Monday evening he was walking around chewing on a hairbrush (yes, this is a common pasttime that Cooper seems to enjoy). He ended up falling down and Aunt April picked him up crying next to the hairbrush. He cried for a pretty long time, and I checked his face and mouth thinking that maybe he had the brush still in his mouth and hurt that. He looked fine and I didn't see anything else wrong. He wanted me to hold him the rest of the evening and I did that. He was fine in the bathtub and slept OK that night. In the morning, he woke up as usual talking to himself in his bed. I thought it a little odd that he didn't stand up, but didn't think too much of it. As always I picked him up and started the morning with a diaper change. He started crying as I lifted his feet up. After some investigation Alan and I were able to determine that he had hurt a foot. Then it became obvious that he would not put the foot on the ground and would not attempt to walk on it. I gave it a day to make sure it wasn't anything minor, and then Alan was able to get us into the doctor on Wednesday. The doctor took an x-ray and sure enough Cooper has a small fracture and required a cast. I just can't believe all this has happened. The doctor stated that some kids walk in 30 minutes and some kids walk in 3 days, but they do figure out how to walk. Well, I pretty much knew that Cooper is cautious and wouldn't fall in the 30 minute category. Now it is Saturday (3 days) and he isn't even close. Considering how long it Cooper to learn to walk in the first place and how careful he is, it could still be a while before he gets it. So, back to crawling and carrying for us.
Other than that, we are really having a wonderful time here. I am starting to feel like I am running out of time, and there are still people that we haven't seen yet.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween, Ya'll
Cooper sure did enjoy Halloween here in Augusta. We borrowed an adorable costume from the Pond family, and Cooper was a dragon. April and I kept trying to teach him to ROAR, but Cooper wasn't interested in that. He was full of energy all day. After his afternoon nap, I got him into his costume and we went to visit Ms. Daisy and Granny Rogers. Then we headed over to a Halloween carnival at a local church. There Cooper enjoyed jumping on inflatables, running under a big colorful parachute, playing with balls, and riding little cars. He was all tired out after that and by the time trick-or-treaters came by the house he was asleep in his bed.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
If you think I look rough, you should see what I did to the other kid!!!
Well, we have had our first ever trip to the Emergency Room. Thank goodness Peter got us some insurance for foreign countries in case of emergencies while we were here. All I have to say is that he couldn’t have been in more caring hands when this occurred. We have been borrowing the most cool looking retro high chair so far. By retro, I mean this is the high chair that my sister in law, April, and her brother and sister used when they were little, so it is over 30 years old. It is still a great high chair, but lacks one new safety feature – a belt. And while some kids may not need this, Cooper definitely does. He has learned the phrase “sit down” while using this high chair because he loves to turn all around, stand up, and wiggle all around in this chair. He also loves to push with his feet against the tray, which does lock into place. Either Cooper is really strong or I didn’t have it locked in good enough, cause he kicked it right off and took a face dive to the floor. OUCH!!!
When I came in, Ms. Daisy was trying to stop the bleeding over Cooper’s left eye and calm his screams. In those situations all it takes is to be in mommy’s arms and the world is right again (motherhood is a powerful thing). After that Cooper was smiling and playing again, but he just wouldn’t let me clean off the cut. I waited a couple of hours, but it was still bleeding and after having my brother Alan who is a Physician Assistant take a look we decided to head to the ER in case stitches were needed. I’m glad we did, because that is exactly what was required. Cooper did great, and only screamed when we had to hold him down. Alan had the head, I took the arms and chest, April had a leg, and a med student had the other leg. It is really strange to watch a needle pierce your child’s face and see them sew up a cut. He got 3 stitches which I call his “blue bow ties”. Cooper looked 100% better after that, and when we got back home he was all smiles with Ms. Daisy. He went immediately to sleep when I laid him down, and I headed to Wal-Mart for a new portable high chair. (How much do I enjoy a 24 hour superstore? Immensely!)
Cooper gets mad at me when I have to clean the wound, but other than that he doesn’t even know it is there. But you can imagine the looks we get around town with his “blue bow ties” on his head. I think I have now told the story about 75 times.
Maybe this was Cooper’s way of letting me know that he wants to be Frankenstein for Halloween, what do you think?
When I came in, Ms. Daisy was trying to stop the bleeding over Cooper’s left eye and calm his screams. In those situations all it takes is to be in mommy’s arms and the world is right again (motherhood is a powerful thing). After that Cooper was smiling and playing again, but he just wouldn’t let me clean off the cut. I waited a couple of hours, but it was still bleeding and after having my brother Alan who is a Physician Assistant take a look we decided to head to the ER in case stitches were needed. I’m glad we did, because that is exactly what was required. Cooper did great, and only screamed when we had to hold him down. Alan had the head, I took the arms and chest, April had a leg, and a med student had the other leg. It is really strange to watch a needle pierce your child’s face and see them sew up a cut. He got 3 stitches which I call his “blue bow ties”. Cooper looked 100% better after that, and when we got back home he was all smiles with Ms. Daisy. He went immediately to sleep when I laid him down, and I headed to Wal-Mart for a new portable high chair. (How much do I enjoy a 24 hour superstore? Immensely!)
Cooper gets mad at me when I have to clean the wound, but other than that he doesn’t even know it is there. But you can imagine the looks we get around town with his “blue bow ties” on his head. I think I have now told the story about 75 times.
Maybe this was Cooper’s way of letting me know that he wants to be Frankenstein for Halloween, what do you think?
Adventures in Augusta
We’ve been in Augusta now for three full weeks and I can’t believe how fast the time is flying by. I guess I’ll start from the top beginning with our flight over.
The flight was very, very L-O-N-G. I was really wishing that Peter had come with me. We had to go through 2 full security checks to get to the gate, which was new for me. I just love how airport employees stand around and stare at a sweating mom with a carseat strapped to her back trying to unload everything onto the x-ray belt and keep a toddler from running in every direction. You know how Cooper likes to wander. Out of the 5 airport employees standing around doing nothing at each security checkpoint, you would think that one of them could at least lift a stroller or a bag onto the belt, but apparently they are simply paid to stand there and stare. Does that come with benefits? Once we got to the gate, Cooper was really thirsty and whiny (and of course you can't take any liquids in). There were no vending machines and there was no way that I could make it into the bathrooms with a large stroller, carseat on the back, carry on suitcase, and diaper bag (plus child). So, we went to the ONE place available to buy something to drink. The lady behind the counter refused to give us tap water so I was forced to buy apple juice. 0,3 liters for nearly 5 euros (for you Americans, that is a really small cup for nearly $10)!! I snapped and pretty much went off on her, which wasn't the most Christian thing to do, but it really was ridiculous. Boarding the flight was an absolute nightmare. Imagine carrying all that stuff and Cooper (since I had to leave the stroller at the door) down a very narrow aisle bumping and scraping everything and everyone on the way. There were literally 4 stewardesses standing there watching me with horrified faces and not a single one offered to take a bag. Finally a man behind me gave me a hand. Cooper was pretty good on the flight, but DID NOT SLEEP. In spite of his usual 4 hour naps during the day and early bedtime, which was while we were still in the air with a few hours to go, he only took a small 1 hour nap. The rest of the time he wanted to stand up in his carseat (he would start whining and turning into a scream when I would try to buckle him in). I had to keep him from pulling the lady's hair in front of us (who had already indicated to her husband in German her displeasure at being seated in front of a child). Once seated, before taxi and take-off, the couple immediately reclined all the way back and Cooper started kicking her seat. She called the stewardess over and told the stewardess that she would not be able to sleep with her seat moving like that. The stewardess asked her to put her seat in the upright position for the time being anyways. Cooper really enjoyed trotting down the aisles during the flight and wouldn't eat any of the food. So he basically just snacked all day on cheese, crackers, PB&J, etc. Somewhere in the 6th hour a migraine creeped in and by the last hour it was so bad I thought I was going to puke. I was literally looking for the barf bags on the plane (they weren't there which sent me into a slight panic).
But we did make it and I am so glad that is all behind me and that Peter will be on the return flight. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Cooper will sleep the entire length of the return flight. You know how that goes.
We are having a great time seeing friends and family. Being here makes me see what I am missing out on with everyone and makes me miss it all the more. We are having play dates with lots of friends every week, went to a pumpkin patch, spent some quality time with my Grandmother Rogers and other family, we’ve been spoiled rotten by our beloved Ms. Daisy (and I have a rounded waistline thanks to her delicious cooking), and Cooper is even attending Kindermusik again which is so great for him! But I think that by December I will be ready to get back to our house and normal routine.
I am not ready for a Bavarian winter yet, though. Peter says it might snow this week. Well, the sun is shining here and the fall weather this week has pushed us into wearing pants and long sleeves, however I still get to enjoy wearing flip flops during the day. How I hate to part with those! We still have a lot of people to see and several more weeks to enjoy. Stay tuned!
The flight was very, very L-O-N-G. I was really wishing that Peter had come with me. We had to go through 2 full security checks to get to the gate, which was new for me. I just love how airport employees stand around and stare at a sweating mom with a carseat strapped to her back trying to unload everything onto the x-ray belt and keep a toddler from running in every direction. You know how Cooper likes to wander. Out of the 5 airport employees standing around doing nothing at each security checkpoint, you would think that one of them could at least lift a stroller or a bag onto the belt, but apparently they are simply paid to stand there and stare. Does that come with benefits? Once we got to the gate, Cooper was really thirsty and whiny (and of course you can't take any liquids in). There were no vending machines and there was no way that I could make it into the bathrooms with a large stroller, carseat on the back, carry on suitcase, and diaper bag (plus child). So, we went to the ONE place available to buy something to drink. The lady behind the counter refused to give us tap water so I was forced to buy apple juice. 0,3 liters for nearly 5 euros (for you Americans, that is a really small cup for nearly $10)!! I snapped and pretty much went off on her, which wasn't the most Christian thing to do, but it really was ridiculous. Boarding the flight was an absolute nightmare. Imagine carrying all that stuff and Cooper (since I had to leave the stroller at the door) down a very narrow aisle bumping and scraping everything and everyone on the way. There were literally 4 stewardesses standing there watching me with horrified faces and not a single one offered to take a bag. Finally a man behind me gave me a hand. Cooper was pretty good on the flight, but DID NOT SLEEP. In spite of his usual 4 hour naps during the day and early bedtime, which was while we were still in the air with a few hours to go, he only took a small 1 hour nap. The rest of the time he wanted to stand up in his carseat (he would start whining and turning into a scream when I would try to buckle him in). I had to keep him from pulling the lady's hair in front of us (who had already indicated to her husband in German her displeasure at being seated in front of a child). Once seated, before taxi and take-off, the couple immediately reclined all the way back and Cooper started kicking her seat. She called the stewardess over and told the stewardess that she would not be able to sleep with her seat moving like that. The stewardess asked her to put her seat in the upright position for the time being anyways. Cooper really enjoyed trotting down the aisles during the flight and wouldn't eat any of the food. So he basically just snacked all day on cheese, crackers, PB&J, etc. Somewhere in the 6th hour a migraine creeped in and by the last hour it was so bad I thought I was going to puke. I was literally looking for the barf bags on the plane (they weren't there which sent me into a slight panic).
But we did make it and I am so glad that is all behind me and that Peter will be on the return flight. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Cooper will sleep the entire length of the return flight. You know how that goes.
We are having a great time seeing friends and family. Being here makes me see what I am missing out on with everyone and makes me miss it all the more. We are having play dates with lots of friends every week, went to a pumpkin patch, spent some quality time with my Grandmother Rogers and other family, we’ve been spoiled rotten by our beloved Ms. Daisy (and I have a rounded waistline thanks to her delicious cooking), and Cooper is even attending Kindermusik again which is so great for him! But I think that by December I will be ready to get back to our house and normal routine.
I am not ready for a Bavarian winter yet, though. Peter says it might snow this week. Well, the sun is shining here and the fall weather this week has pushed us into wearing pants and long sleeves, however I still get to enjoy wearing flip flops during the day. How I hate to part with those! We still have a lot of people to see and several more weeks to enjoy. Stay tuned!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Trips, Slides, and Pre-Shopping Lectures
So, looks like I am past due for an update. The visit with Christina, Jared and Tabitha was great. We saw Neuschwanstein castle (the one that Walt Disney modeled Cinderella's castle after), spent a day in Munich, enjoyed some great waterslides, visited a large lake called Chiemsee that contained a beautiful island with another castle modeled after Versailles in Paris and built by the same king that built Neuschwanstein. I really enjoyed driving through the Bavarian countryside, probably the only place that you will see cow crossing signs, and yes, we did have to stop for cows in the road . . . twice. Of course, I had to tear Tabitha and Jared off of the Wii Mario Kart game so that they could take in the sights!
Cooper is a wild man. He is walking everywhere and he is fast! Now that he is able, he wants to walk everywhere and the once novel and exciting grocery cart has apparently become a torturous restraint for this man on the move. We have a short conversation before we go into any store now and it goes a little something like this: "If you want to walk you have to hold mommy's hand and walk in the same direction as mommy. If you don't hold mommy's hand and don't look when mommy calls you, you will have to get back into the cart/stroller." Not that Cooper really comprehends it, but I have to inform him of the rules nonetheless. Sure enough as soon as he is down he refuses to hold mommy's hand and, if loose, breaks into a high-knee march/trot in the exact opposite direction of where we are going (usually accompanied by a high pitched squeal that must be intended for dogs hearing). At this point he is like a deaf horse with blinders, not even a turn, pause, or flinch when I yell his name. True to my word, this means that he has to go back into the cart/stroller at which point he performs what Jared calls the "limp kitty" pose. Letting his whole body go limp so that he flops around on the floor and although he weighs somewhere around 27 pounds, it feels more like 40. Then as we approach the cart/stroller, the thrashing and screaming starts. Birth control, anyone? Luckily he recovers quickly and this whole episode doesn't last long. Still though, makes me wonder what the upcoming 10 hour flight will be like.
Aside from strong-willed toddler shopping episodes, Cooper is a great little boy. In general, he listens when we tell him "no" and has started to enjoy handing us random objects in order to receive a big smile and a "Thank You". So, if you are idle in a room, you may end up with a collection of a pen, phone, remote control, socks, shoes, books, papers, DVDs, pillows, etc. all courtesy of a sweet little boy with a huge smile on his face. It's actually kind of fun until you have to put it all back. He is now tall enough to reach the light switches and controls for the floor heating in our house, so I am constantly going through the house turning off lights and checking to make sure the heat is set correctly. And I can't believe it, but today I noticed that he is tall enough to open the top kitchen drawers, stand on his tip toes and look at what is inside. His favorite thing to do in the living room is to climb onto the back of the sofa and stand up in the window sill. From here he can pull down the external window shades (it's a German thing) and he has now learned to open the window, which is actually a horribly dangerous skill considering the lengthy fall at risk. I've attached pictures at the bottom of the man in action. He is also skilled at opening and closing doors.
He still enjoys the slide and swing in the backyard, and when we are playing in the front driveway with the other little boys, he will sometimes decide that is where he wants to go. So he will walk over, open the gate, walk up the steep hill to the back and start pushing the swing back and forth. I was working in the yard on Sunday morning and Peter announced that Cooper was now capable of sliding on his own without us holding on. I skeptically asked, "Are you sure?" To which Peter set Cooper again at the top and sent the big boy on his way (unassisted). Cooper flops backward with legs flailing and flies in the air off the end of the slide right onto his butt on the grass. He gets up for another go, and Peter and I bust out laughing. No, Cooper is not quite ready to handle the slide without a little help.
Cooper and I will be flying October 8th back to our hometown and Peter will come over the week before Thanksgiving. We will return to Germany on December 1st. It's actually quite fun to tell folks here that I am going to be in the states for 7 weeks. I love my job! Can't wait to see you all!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Relationships
This has nothing to do with Cooper, but I will put it on here because it is important to me. I like to think that I am a happy person most of the time, and usually pretty lighthearted. I care about my friends and family, and I genuinely want the people I care about to be happy. Very seldom in my adult life have I had bad relationships. Most of my friends I have been friends with for several years, and as an adult I have learned that good friends are hard to find. The friends and family that I have now, I hope to have in my life for a very long time.
While I try to be honest with all, there are only a few people in my life with whom I can really express my deepest feelings. Peter would probably attest that this isn't always a good thing. I can be relentlessly intense, and sometimes don't hold back. I think that this is a result of seeing what secrets can do to a family and to relationships. I tell the truth, even when it hurts people. I don't think that this will ever change, and I am not sure that I want it to. If you are ever the recipient of this from me, you can be assured of a couple of things. You are among those that I hold closest and most dear. I wouldn't put the time, energy, and emotions to try to express myself this way if I didn't deeply love that person. There are some people, some relationships, with whom I cannot be satisfied with superficiality. If patterns hold true, I am only this way when I desperately want to make a relationship better and whole again.
It may not be the right way, but it is my way and I don't want it to be misunderstood.
While I try to be honest with all, there are only a few people in my life with whom I can really express my deepest feelings. Peter would probably attest that this isn't always a good thing. I can be relentlessly intense, and sometimes don't hold back. I think that this is a result of seeing what secrets can do to a family and to relationships. I tell the truth, even when it hurts people. I don't think that this will ever change, and I am not sure that I want it to. If you are ever the recipient of this from me, you can be assured of a couple of things. You are among those that I hold closest and most dear. I wouldn't put the time, energy, and emotions to try to express myself this way if I didn't deeply love that person. There are some people, some relationships, with whom I cannot be satisfied with superficiality. If patterns hold true, I am only this way when I desperately want to make a relationship better and whole again.
It may not be the right way, but it is my way and I don't want it to be misunderstood.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Neurotic behavior, anyone?
My friend, Kelly, put a quote on my facebook recently. I loved the quote, but more importantly, I love that someone saw something and was reminded of me. It just feels good. Anyways, here is the quote, and I must say that I am honored to be associated with it. It is so me!!!
"I'm not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?"
By the way, I am completely infatuated with facebook and have reconnected with so many old high school pals. If you aren't hooked yet, get hooked.
OK, so on to the neurotic stuff. I am sick sometimes, I know I am. I have all kinds of neurotic behaviors, some of which drive me and others crazy (like my list making, which I must do everyday, and if feeling especially neurotic, I make lists for Peter . . . and then I put little times beside each item of when they could potentially be completed . . . I do the same for myself and get so excited when I am ahead of schedule that I reward myself with a little piece of chocolate . . . LOVE the lists - I digress).
Some of my neurosis do make me laugh at myself, especially those that remind me of my mom as if they are a secret bond that we share or a personality trait imbedded in both of us. For example, I must completely use up an item before I can open another one. I hate to have more than one open jar of mayo in the fridge. It taunts me each time I open the fridge door. Peter gets a stern lecture when a new toothpaste or deoderant is opened before the last one has been thoroughly depleted. Can you imagine the "discussion" we had when we lived in our bigger house in Evans with lots of bathroom cabinets, and upon cleaning out said cabinets there were not 2, not 3, not 4, but 8 (gasp!!) partially used men's deoderants in various locations? My heart is racing just recalling the vision and I am feeling a little tense thinking about it. In fact, just last weekend we were at Peter's parents and upon using the last part of my deoderant, the stick came out, tumbled into the sink and broke into about 8 pieces. I actually picked them all up, mushed them into a ball, shoved it back onto the applicator and continued to use it until finished (with a few reshapings in between).
Now, I am not up to my cousin Melissa and aunt Brenda's standards when it comes to toothpaste (Melissa gathers all the very nearly empty toothpastes in the house and puts them in Brenda's bathroom, Brenda then cuts open the tubes to scrape out the rest . . I am not there *yet* but I am dully impressed with the notion). I do, however, have several tactics to getting my money's worth out of each tube. I squeeze from the bottom, then I use a toothbrush handle to scrape from the bottom up to push more remnants to the top. Then I rub the tube along the side of the sink or counter to make sure there isn't anything left. Then, I fold the tube to push out more. This continues for several uses until that doesn't produce anymore. After that I do the whole thing again, fold at the base, then fold the sides in from there. You can get at least 2 more uses out of the tube by doing this . . . and a couple of blisters on your fingers. But hey, I must be saving at least half a cent with each tube of toothpaste by doing this, right?
When it comes to shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, I use it till you have to stand it upside down. There it stands for at least a week, and only after I try three times without getting anything do I give up and throw it away; those are some bad hair days in there. There is also make-up. I hate buying make-up. I think it is way too expensive, and so I do plan to get my money's worth out of that as well. Just take a look at the current condition of my powder and blush at the moment. Mere crumbs, but I am convinced that there are still a good 10 uses out of them to go. Therefore, it would be just plain wasteful to throw them away. Never mind that I spend 5 additional minutes each day trying to gather up enough to apply to my face or that I have to use the end of a hair barrette to crush the little clumps into a fine powder to gather onto the sponge or brush, most of which ends up falling into the sink or onto the floor as I apply, which then means that I have to clean both more frequently. I simply cannot bring myself to throw them away and start with a fresh package.
I told you, I am sick. I didn't understand why mother got so upset when we opened a new ketchup bottle, but I totally get it now.
I would love to hear from you all about the crazy things you do. That would make me feel better. Otherwise tell me that it is OK to throw these things out and buy new, although I doubt I will believe you. 
Friday, August 8, 2008
Walking Toddler on the Loose and Adventures in Europe
The last month has been a fantastical whirlwind and I feel sometimes that I need to pinch myself since it is all such a stark contrast to our last year in the US. Not that our time in the US was bad, just so busy with no time for travelling or vacation. This time of year is gorgeous in Germany. Our front yard is a huge wheat field and the farmer started cutting it yesterday afternoon. His tractor is very big and very loud, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that when we went out to witness it, all the neighbors were out watching as well. Lots of big eyes from all the little boys as they waved to the farmer on his tractor. There are also tons of corn fields with crops of corn taller than I have ever seen, I am guessing more than double Peter's height. The weather is sunny and warm and has everything of summer that I love . . . swimming, summer dresses for me, Cooper's adorable exposed tummy, playing outside, walking barefoot, and the sound of crickets and frogs on a warm summer's night. I love it!
Alan, my brother, and April, my sister-in-law were here. We met in Paris, and there was quite a bit of confusion at the airport since it was necessary to take a bus or train to the hotel and it was just hard to figure out. Peter, Alan, and April were already at the hotel resting and I was antsy with anticipation at seeing familiar familial faces again and hear the old southern twang again. We spent 4 days in Paris touring around and had Rick Steve's Best of Europe book as our travel bible. While Rick did a great job pointing us in the right direction each day, we were greatly disappointed in one of his Restaraunt recommendations. Our first night we decided we would do it right in an authentic french restaurant, and we put our trust in ol' Rick. Don't ask why we were surprised that there wasn't any English on the menu, but we were. Walking in I saw a plate with a huge grey fish on it complete with scales, head, eyeballs, and tail. All I knew was that I did not want that. We tried our best to piece together things that sort of looked like words we recognized, and our waiter was no help but was really trying to push the fish. Peter got the fish, I got some sort of slop with I believe a meat in it, April got a dry chicken (the most appealing looking out of the three, but the fish supposedly tasted the best . . . I refused to try it), and Alan got a steak that was cooked so rare it bled all over the place and yet was so tough that a knife couldn't cut it so he jabbed it with his fork lifted it to his mouth and tried to knaw off a piece. We laughed so hard and the table next to us got a genuine chuckle as well. So, Rick didn't get it right on the food, but the laugh was almost worth it. Almost. The rest of Paris was filled with Eiffel tower, church's (not the chicken), a bike tour in which I literally nearly caused a huge accident and nearly my own life (the tour guide told us to DOMINATE and I complied), and even a free trip to Disney Paris courtesy of my hubby's job!
Peter was working in Paris the whole time at the Disney office there . . . or so he said. As Alan, April, and I were touring around, we were looking at the sunbathers along the river and spotted Peter in his speedo bikini pounding away on his laptop. We took a picture to prove that we saw him! That sneaky (and cheeky) fellow!
Next we were on to home base here in Isen, we spent a day in Munich on Mike's Bike Tours, which I have now done for what I believe would be the 7th time and if you visit Munich, this tour is highly recommended. After another day in Isen doing laundry, then we headed out for Prague. Now I am not a rookie travellor and I don't appreciate blonde jokes all that much (I now dye my hair brown), but I must say that I had my fill of blonde moments from the start of this little leg of our trip. There are three main rules to travelling:
1. Have passports
2. Take some money
3. Check reservations.
First off, Prague is in another country (Czech Republic) and passports are needed. Well, I had mine but little Cooper was just left out in the cold by his mommy. Luckily we didn't need the passports at anytime, so Cooper was allowed into the country with the rest of us. But after driving 4 hours, I was convinced that we would be turned away. Next up, we needed some lunch. We stop at McD's just past the border. They don't take credit card, we haven't changed any money yet to Czech Kronz, but luckily they take Euros! Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any Euros with me either! Ever seen the losers cleaning out the car and searching under the seats for some spare change at McD's? Yeah, well that was us. We got enough for each person to have a hamburger and had to live with that. Poor April had to split hers with Cooper. Finally, we made it to the hotel. Parking was a nightmare so I won't even go there. But upon arrival we learn that there is a problem with our reservation. It is for the next night! Oh, Amy. Seriously? The hotel was very nice to overbook themselves on our behalf, so I couldn't find the heart to complain about the giant hole in my bathroom cieling (big enough for a large manly criminal to come in during the night). The rest of Prague was rainy, and I was feeling pretty low that I destroyed the magic of Prague for Alan and April. This is the city that Peter and I find so romantic and wonderful. We missed out on a few major sights including the Golden Alley and Jewish Cemetery (if you ever go to Prague you must not miss these!!!) But they did get to see Old Town Square at night, which proved to be magical for Cooper as well. He sat back in his stroller eating ice cream, gazing, and laughing at the beautiful gothic buildings all lit up. Our second day in Prague ended with a very nice tour guide, a 70-something native of Prague who was very knowledgable and had 4 large hairs (2 black, 2 grey) protruding from the top of his nose (the top, people, not even the nostril!), but he enjoyed talking so much that after going more than an hour over the designated tour time (and he was more than an hour from finishing and it was raining) we had to cut it short and call it a day.
After our 2 eventful days in Prague we were glad to make it back to Isen, and to celebrate Peter's 33rd birthday and spend some down time. Although, our down time also consisted of a hike up a mountain with Uncle Alan carrying Cooper up, and Peter and I trading off with Cooper on the way down (Cooper loves his Deuter pack that he sits in, we highly recommend it!).
Then we set off for London, baby! A little scare beforehand given that Lufthansa was going on strike this very day, but we got lucky and made our flight with no problem. We were all glad to be in English speaking territory for some time. Highlights of London include the double decker tour bus (you've got to do it!), which comes with the most touristy complimentary ponchos if there should be sprinkles and yes, we wore them, even Alan. Also, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, traditional fish and chips in an English pub along the Thames, the Tower of London, etc. And you know I can't do London without a Broadway Musical! Alan and April flew back to the US from there and we came home. Whew! Now I am pooped!
But you know that I am always most excited to to write about my little man. I know I say it everytime, but he is just more and more amazing everyday. He is finally walking!!!!!! YAY!! Not constantly, since crawling is still the preferred and faster method for Coop, but he can walk all the way across the living room or kitchen and can change directions. He finds it a fun game now and a sure way to make mommy whoop and holler and jump up and down all while clapping. This he finds to be quite the worthy reward for his treacherous journey across the room. Then he will look around for more things to walk to and obtain more frantic cheers. Peter's sister and parents gifted us with a swing/slide set in the backyard and Cooper is all into that. He loves to slide and does it almost alone, but you know mommy has to keep holding onto that hand. He would rather do it himself. His favorite game is STILL peek-a-boo. This gets lots of shreiks, laughs, and squeals of delight, so he loves when I squat down low and push him in the swing, so that when he swings forward he goes over my head, and when he swings back, I re-appear. Pure ecstatic joy for him. He also loves going to the pool and is absolutely fearless around water, and there seems to be no end to his energy at the pool. He still takes naps (3-4 hours during the day) like a piece of cake, goes to bed at night at 7:30 like a dream, sleeps through the night and this morning didn't wake up till 9:45! Peter and I find ourselves saying at least 5 times a week, "He is such a great sleeper!". And he is, and I wouldn't trade those great ZZZZ's for anything, but is it silly that I actually miss him when he is sleeping? I mean, he is right there! Peter and I have a tradition everynight that we did from the time he was born, to go into his room before we go to bed ourselves and just peek at him, pull the cover up, and admire him. Those moments are the most precious for me. I just look at him and know how amazing he is, wonder how in the world we could create something like that, and I swear it looks like he is growing and changing before my eyes. He gets older every night!
Cooper's new thing that melts my heart is giving really tight hugs. And he does this to me about 100 times a day. Or if I am cooking in the kitchen, he will grab hold of my dress or shorts and walk along with me around the kitchen. He is such a delight and I am so blessed to have such a loving, lovable, happy, well-behaved little guy. I know my time is coming when he will have his not so wonderful moments, but I am revelling in the current days and these moments when clearly mommy hangs the moon!
Now we are getting back to normal, and also preparing for our next visitors. Tabitha, Jared, and Christina will be here soon and more adventures are sure to come our way. We hope that some of you others will take some time to come visit as well. Otherwise, it looks like Peter and I will be flying back to the US for a visit on October 8th and we will plan to see as many of you as possible then. I can't wait to see friends and family again. The one thing missing here for us is you all. Can't wait to get some Mexican with the North Augusta crowd, meet for lunch with my MCG folks, head to Harlem to see that undeniably beautiful spawn of the Sosebee's (she really is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen!), spend time with my old school friends and girlfriends, and let the family take a good gander at our handsome little man. You all are so missed, and even though I rave about our wonderful time here, it still isn't as good as having that great network of people around to laugh and talk about life with.
Take care, love and miss you all!
Alan, my brother, and April, my sister-in-law were here. We met in Paris, and there was quite a bit of confusion at the airport since it was necessary to take a bus or train to the hotel and it was just hard to figure out. Peter, Alan, and April were already at the hotel resting and I was antsy with anticipation at seeing familiar familial faces again and hear the old southern twang again. We spent 4 days in Paris touring around and had Rick Steve's Best of Europe book as our travel bible. While Rick did a great job pointing us in the right direction each day, we were greatly disappointed in one of his Restaraunt recommendations. Our first night we decided we would do it right in an authentic french restaurant, and we put our trust in ol' Rick. Don't ask why we were surprised that there wasn't any English on the menu, but we were. Walking in I saw a plate with a huge grey fish on it complete with scales, head, eyeballs, and tail. All I knew was that I did not want that. We tried our best to piece together things that sort of looked like words we recognized, and our waiter was no help but was really trying to push the fish. Peter got the fish, I got some sort of slop with I believe a meat in it, April got a dry chicken (the most appealing looking out of the three, but the fish supposedly tasted the best . . . I refused to try it), and Alan got a steak that was cooked so rare it bled all over the place and yet was so tough that a knife couldn't cut it so he jabbed it with his fork lifted it to his mouth and tried to knaw off a piece. We laughed so hard and the table next to us got a genuine chuckle as well. So, Rick didn't get it right on the food, but the laugh was almost worth it. Almost. The rest of Paris was filled with Eiffel tower, church's (not the chicken), a bike tour in which I literally nearly caused a huge accident and nearly my own life (the tour guide told us to DOMINATE and I complied), and even a free trip to Disney Paris courtesy of my hubby's job!
Peter was working in Paris the whole time at the Disney office there . . . or so he said. As Alan, April, and I were touring around, we were looking at the sunbathers along the river and spotted Peter in his speedo bikini pounding away on his laptop. We took a picture to prove that we saw him! That sneaky (and cheeky) fellow!
Next we were on to home base here in Isen, we spent a day in Munich on Mike's Bike Tours, which I have now done for what I believe would be the 7th time and if you visit Munich, this tour is highly recommended. After another day in Isen doing laundry, then we headed out for Prague. Now I am not a rookie travellor and I don't appreciate blonde jokes all that much (I now dye my hair brown), but I must say that I had my fill of blonde moments from the start of this little leg of our trip. There are three main rules to travelling:
1. Have passports
2. Take some money
3. Check reservations.
First off, Prague is in another country (Czech Republic) and passports are needed. Well, I had mine but little Cooper was just left out in the cold by his mommy. Luckily we didn't need the passports at anytime, so Cooper was allowed into the country with the rest of us. But after driving 4 hours, I was convinced that we would be turned away. Next up, we needed some lunch. We stop at McD's just past the border. They don't take credit card, we haven't changed any money yet to Czech Kronz, but luckily they take Euros! Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any Euros with me either! Ever seen the losers cleaning out the car and searching under the seats for some spare change at McD's? Yeah, well that was us. We got enough for each person to have a hamburger and had to live with that. Poor April had to split hers with Cooper. Finally, we made it to the hotel. Parking was a nightmare so I won't even go there. But upon arrival we learn that there is a problem with our reservation. It is for the next night! Oh, Amy. Seriously? The hotel was very nice to overbook themselves on our behalf, so I couldn't find the heart to complain about the giant hole in my bathroom cieling (big enough for a large manly criminal to come in during the night). The rest of Prague was rainy, and I was feeling pretty low that I destroyed the magic of Prague for Alan and April. This is the city that Peter and I find so romantic and wonderful. We missed out on a few major sights including the Golden Alley and Jewish Cemetery (if you ever go to Prague you must not miss these!!!) But they did get to see Old Town Square at night, which proved to be magical for Cooper as well. He sat back in his stroller eating ice cream, gazing, and laughing at the beautiful gothic buildings all lit up. Our second day in Prague ended with a very nice tour guide, a 70-something native of Prague who was very knowledgable and had 4 large hairs (2 black, 2 grey) protruding from the top of his nose (the top, people, not even the nostril!), but he enjoyed talking so much that after going more than an hour over the designated tour time (and he was more than an hour from finishing and it was raining) we had to cut it short and call it a day.
After our 2 eventful days in Prague we were glad to make it back to Isen, and to celebrate Peter's 33rd birthday and spend some down time. Although, our down time also consisted of a hike up a mountain with Uncle Alan carrying Cooper up, and Peter and I trading off with Cooper on the way down (Cooper loves his Deuter pack that he sits in, we highly recommend it!).
Then we set off for London, baby! A little scare beforehand given that Lufthansa was going on strike this very day, but we got lucky and made our flight with no problem. We were all glad to be in English speaking territory for some time. Highlights of London include the double decker tour bus (you've got to do it!), which comes with the most touristy complimentary ponchos if there should be sprinkles and yes, we wore them, even Alan. Also, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, traditional fish and chips in an English pub along the Thames, the Tower of London, etc. And you know I can't do London without a Broadway Musical! Alan and April flew back to the US from there and we came home. Whew! Now I am pooped!
But you know that I am always most excited to to write about my little man. I know I say it everytime, but he is just more and more amazing everyday. He is finally walking!!!!!! YAY!! Not constantly, since crawling is still the preferred and faster method for Coop, but he can walk all the way across the living room or kitchen and can change directions. He finds it a fun game now and a sure way to make mommy whoop and holler and jump up and down all while clapping. This he finds to be quite the worthy reward for his treacherous journey across the room. Then he will look around for more things to walk to and obtain more frantic cheers. Peter's sister and parents gifted us with a swing/slide set in the backyard and Cooper is all into that. He loves to slide and does it almost alone, but you know mommy has to keep holding onto that hand. He would rather do it himself. His favorite game is STILL peek-a-boo. This gets lots of shreiks, laughs, and squeals of delight, so he loves when I squat down low and push him in the swing, so that when he swings forward he goes over my head, and when he swings back, I re-appear. Pure ecstatic joy for him. He also loves going to the pool and is absolutely fearless around water, and there seems to be no end to his energy at the pool. He still takes naps (3-4 hours during the day) like a piece of cake, goes to bed at night at 7:30 like a dream, sleeps through the night and this morning didn't wake up till 9:45! Peter and I find ourselves saying at least 5 times a week, "He is such a great sleeper!". And he is, and I wouldn't trade those great ZZZZ's for anything, but is it silly that I actually miss him when he is sleeping? I mean, he is right there! Peter and I have a tradition everynight that we did from the time he was born, to go into his room before we go to bed ourselves and just peek at him, pull the cover up, and admire him. Those moments are the most precious for me. I just look at him and know how amazing he is, wonder how in the world we could create something like that, and I swear it looks like he is growing and changing before my eyes. He gets older every night!
Cooper's new thing that melts my heart is giving really tight hugs. And he does this to me about 100 times a day. Or if I am cooking in the kitchen, he will grab hold of my dress or shorts and walk along with me around the kitchen. He is such a delight and I am so blessed to have such a loving, lovable, happy, well-behaved little guy. I know my time is coming when he will have his not so wonderful moments, but I am revelling in the current days and these moments when clearly mommy hangs the moon!
Now we are getting back to normal, and also preparing for our next visitors. Tabitha, Jared, and Christina will be here soon and more adventures are sure to come our way. We hope that some of you others will take some time to come visit as well. Otherwise, it looks like Peter and I will be flying back to the US for a visit on October 8th and we will plan to see as many of you as possible then. I can't wait to see friends and family again. The one thing missing here for us is you all. Can't wait to get some Mexican with the North Augusta crowd, meet for lunch with my MCG folks, head to Harlem to see that undeniably beautiful spawn of the Sosebee's (she really is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen!), spend time with my old school friends and girlfriends, and let the family take a good gander at our handsome little man. You all are so missed, and even though I rave about our wonderful time here, it still isn't as good as having that great network of people around to laugh and talk about life with.
Take care, love and miss you all!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Still here . . . with the wind blowing through my hair on the Autobahn!
OK, so I did take quite a long break from writing, but it was only cause I was really waiting for some more silly experiences to write about and either I am getting used to things here or life on the farm just doesn't produce much drama. It's a little of both and I am quite pleased about it.
So, first updates then stories. Nothing new with me personally. I have a pretty good routine during the week of cleaning the house, cutting the grass, taking Cooper to the pool with other stay at home moms, and aerobics. There is a community center here that has aerobics classes that my neighbor and I attend and membership is only 46 euros per year. SO CHEAP!! It is great, and the classes aren't too bad. All in all, I am really enjoying mine and Cooper's new lifestyle. Unfortunately, Peter's work hasn't lifted any. In the last month he was only home for about a week. He just returned from a two and a half week trip to London/LA and he is back to the daily grind in the office today. He is working so hard and is so stressed that whenever he isn't working, he gets sick. Which takes away any fun time with hubby/daddy that we are craving. But Peter honestly feels that some things are changing in August, and his work life will ease up a little then. Guess I'll just have to work on my tan till then.
Cooper is a hoot. The man is going to eat me out of house and home, and he ain't but 17 months. This kid chows down. New interests include strawberries, grapes, chocolate, and yes, McD's Happy Meals. I know, I am a bad mom, but if you could see how skinny this child is, you would cave too. I am cooking things with heavy cream and giving him lots of high calorie foods to try to plump him up a little. But man, is he cute. We're still working on the walking. He is just so laid back and content that he sees no need to change from crawling. Our pediatrician isn't at all concerned since he has witnessed how strong Cooper is. The ped just says it will be a couple more weeks. Cooper loves to stand, and I make him walk holding my hand as much as possible. He can't be enticed to walk by the old method of coming to mommy or daddy. That just isn't exciting enough. But put the kid in front of a mirror and he'll take 6-7 steps no problem over and over. He loves to see himself in a mirror. He is also my little organizer, and always wants to make sure that all the drawers and cabinet doors are nicely shut. In his playroom, I often dump all the blocks out so that he can put them all back in the bin. And he has learned to put his toys in the basket at the end of bathtime. I am so proud that he is following his mommy's footsteps. I am just trying to decide at what age I should present him with his own label maker?
One piece of interesting news is that Cooper got his first real haircut (besides the mini cut that I let Uncle Al give him in Augusta). The interesting thing was that I wasn't there. I went shopping on Friday last week and let my neighbor who has 3 boys watch Cooper in the morning. She called me halfway through to let me know that 1. Cooper hadn't taken a nap yet and 2. She hoped I wouldn't be mad but she gave Cooper a haircut. Well, what could I say? No point in being mad, it certainly wouldn't bring any curls back. But it is short and although it is cute, I would have loved to have been there to see this rite of passage and take some pictures. The nice thing is that Cooper is now the spitting image of his dad, and it is really cute.
Kayla is just Kayla, and still afraid of life. Like her little brother she also loves her snacks, and I took her to the pet store to pick some out on her own. She was drawn to these 3 foot long "bones", or at least they looked like bones to me. They are called Ochsen Ziemer, so I figured that they must be from an ox. So I bought a package and gave her one when we got home. She scarfed all 3 feet down in about 5 minutes and seemed satisfied. When Peter got home and looked at the package he gave me a wry smile and asked me if I knew what they were. I told him that I figured they were some sort of bone from an ox. He proceeded to tell me that yes, they were from an ox, but no, they surely aren't bones. They are part of the PENIS!!!! I had to look it up myself and it is confirmed. I am completely disgusted, but Kayla doesn't seem to mind!
Peter's dad finally finished changing our VW Passat station wagon over to German standards. We just got it back and I am so happy to have a car with a decent engine. Even though it isn't really a "fast car" I have had a wonderful time on the autobahn in it. I have one rule that Peter and I both have to abide by on the road . . . anything over 100 mph requires TWO hands on the steering wheel. I don't usually go much faster than that with Cooper in the car, but it sure can make getting from point A to point B pretty exciting, not to mention faster! Without Cooper in the car, anything is fair game as long as we are careful. All I can say is that if any of you decide to come over, be sure to get an international drivers license, cause you just have to cut loose on the autobahn.
I guess that is about it for now. I am so psyched about the upcoming trips we have planned. Alan and April will be here in a couple of weeks and we will hit London, Paris, Prague, and some sights in Germany including a mountainous hike! Christina and Tabitha are still forming August plans for Germany and Ireland. And we will see you all when we are back in the US in October. We welcome anyone else who wants to make a trip over here!
Sorry I have been a dweeb in the e-mail department in the last month or so. I promise not to go so long next time. Please don't follow my suit and stop sending me e-mails as well. I love to hear from you all, and it really does make me feel closer to home. Let me know how you all are doing. Miss you all and can't wait to hear from you. Take care!
So, first updates then stories. Nothing new with me personally. I have a pretty good routine during the week of cleaning the house, cutting the grass, taking Cooper to the pool with other stay at home moms, and aerobics. There is a community center here that has aerobics classes that my neighbor and I attend and membership is only 46 euros per year. SO CHEAP!! It is great, and the classes aren't too bad. All in all, I am really enjoying mine and Cooper's new lifestyle. Unfortunately, Peter's work hasn't lifted any. In the last month he was only home for about a week. He just returned from a two and a half week trip to London/LA and he is back to the daily grind in the office today. He is working so hard and is so stressed that whenever he isn't working, he gets sick. Which takes away any fun time with hubby/daddy that we are craving. But Peter honestly feels that some things are changing in August, and his work life will ease up a little then. Guess I'll just have to work on my tan till then.
Cooper is a hoot. The man is going to eat me out of house and home, and he ain't but 17 months. This kid chows down. New interests include strawberries, grapes, chocolate, and yes, McD's Happy Meals. I know, I am a bad mom, but if you could see how skinny this child is, you would cave too. I am cooking things with heavy cream and giving him lots of high calorie foods to try to plump him up a little. But man, is he cute. We're still working on the walking. He is just so laid back and content that he sees no need to change from crawling. Our pediatrician isn't at all concerned since he has witnessed how strong Cooper is. The ped just says it will be a couple more weeks. Cooper loves to stand, and I make him walk holding my hand as much as possible. He can't be enticed to walk by the old method of coming to mommy or daddy. That just isn't exciting enough. But put the kid in front of a mirror and he'll take 6-7 steps no problem over and over. He loves to see himself in a mirror. He is also my little organizer, and always wants to make sure that all the drawers and cabinet doors are nicely shut. In his playroom, I often dump all the blocks out so that he can put them all back in the bin. And he has learned to put his toys in the basket at the end of bathtime. I am so proud that he is following his mommy's footsteps. I am just trying to decide at what age I should present him with his own label maker?
One piece of interesting news is that Cooper got his first real haircut (besides the mini cut that I let Uncle Al give him in Augusta). The interesting thing was that I wasn't there. I went shopping on Friday last week and let my neighbor who has 3 boys watch Cooper in the morning. She called me halfway through to let me know that 1. Cooper hadn't taken a nap yet and 2. She hoped I wouldn't be mad but she gave Cooper a haircut. Well, what could I say? No point in being mad, it certainly wouldn't bring any curls back. But it is short and although it is cute, I would have loved to have been there to see this rite of passage and take some pictures. The nice thing is that Cooper is now the spitting image of his dad, and it is really cute.
Kayla is just Kayla, and still afraid of life. Like her little brother she also loves her snacks, and I took her to the pet store to pick some out on her own. She was drawn to these 3 foot long "bones", or at least they looked like bones to me. They are called Ochsen Ziemer, so I figured that they must be from an ox. So I bought a package and gave her one when we got home. She scarfed all 3 feet down in about 5 minutes and seemed satisfied. When Peter got home and looked at the package he gave me a wry smile and asked me if I knew what they were. I told him that I figured they were some sort of bone from an ox. He proceeded to tell me that yes, they were from an ox, but no, they surely aren't bones. They are part of the PENIS!!!! I had to look it up myself and it is confirmed. I am completely disgusted, but Kayla doesn't seem to mind!
Peter's dad finally finished changing our VW Passat station wagon over to German standards. We just got it back and I am so happy to have a car with a decent engine. Even though it isn't really a "fast car" I have had a wonderful time on the autobahn in it. I have one rule that Peter and I both have to abide by on the road . . . anything over 100 mph requires TWO hands on the steering wheel. I don't usually go much faster than that with Cooper in the car, but it sure can make getting from point A to point B pretty exciting, not to mention faster! Without Cooper in the car, anything is fair game as long as we are careful. All I can say is that if any of you decide to come over, be sure to get an international drivers license, cause you just have to cut loose on the autobahn.
I guess that is about it for now. I am so psyched about the upcoming trips we have planned. Alan and April will be here in a couple of weeks and we will hit London, Paris, Prague, and some sights in Germany including a mountainous hike! Christina and Tabitha are still forming August plans for Germany and Ireland. And we will see you all when we are back in the US in October. We welcome anyone else who wants to make a trip over here!
Sorry I have been a dweeb in the e-mail department in the last month or so. I promise not to go so long next time. Please don't follow my suit and stop sending me e-mails as well. I love to hear from you all, and it really does make me feel closer to home. Let me know how you all are doing. Miss you all and can't wait to hear from you. Take care!
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