tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29928447389656537622023-11-16T04:32:01.698+01:00From Birmie to GermyADVENTURES OF A MIDWESTERN FAMILY LIVING ABROADJen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-17423034885858946302014-11-24T18:22:00.000+01:002014-11-24T18:22:16.564+01:00Thanksgiving in Germany<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">This Thursday is the American holiday, Thanksgiving. And boy do we have a lot to be thankful for. Marky doesn't really understand this holiday as 1) he's four... and 2) he's lived most of his life in Germany so no day off of school and work, no morning of Christmas parades either in person or on TV, no big family celebrations. BUT, his brother has introduced him to the Peanuts Thanksgiving dvd. We are participating in our 3rd Thanksgiving potluck dinner this Thursday nigh</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">t at Peter's school (International School of Stuttgart) with other Americans and those of any other nationality who wish to join. Marky is insistent that he will eat buttered toast there - the highlight - like Snoopy prepared (along with popcorn and jelly beans) for the Peanuts feast! So I guess this mama will be bringing a few slices of buttered toast for Marky's plate. I will post photos of our international Thanksgiving Day celebration!</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-61068463247027411422014-11-10T23:17:00.000+01:002014-11-10T23:17:00.069+01:00Crickets chirping...I think we can all agree - if there are actually any "we" and not just "me" left at this point - that I am the world's worst blogger ever, in terms of actually writing my blog. I can't believe it's been almost *<i>seven months</i>* since I last wrote! I have composed about a thousand blogs in my head to you all only they never made to the computer. Anyways, I have decided to stop being such a lazy-ass and try to start my blog up again. If anything, as a sort of record of some of the many things we are doing and experiencing over here in Germany and other parts of Europe. I am going to begin a Year in Review, starting with the most recent experiences and going back to the beginning of 2014. By the time I write about most of the things I have stuck in my head, it will probably be close to Christmas and I will have come full circle. And then, maybe... just maybe... I will be able to start 2015 keeping a real blog up to date. Don't hold your breath. I wouldn't. ;)<br />
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<br />Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-4791676433097430722014-04-14T21:41:00.000+02:002014-04-14T21:41:07.102+02:00Birthday Suits in MunichPure awesomeness. Or not. Depends on your view. Literally. Ha!<br />
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We have seen people spread out on the grass in the buff sunbathing as we're driving along the roads here. And being nude or almost-nude is no big deal at the pools. The less, the better and no one is judging (highly un-American on both counts)! Sometimes I feel as if I'm wearing a wool blanket at the pool in my one-piece and the boys' American-styled swim shorts look more like pants compared to their counterparts in the water. It is not uncommon to see nudity in some context over here whether in ads, magazines, in person, etc. Many portrait studios show large images in their windows of loving couples... in the buff. Zoinks!<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/14/munich-urban-naked-zones_n_5146168.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/14/munich-urban-naked-zones_n_5146168.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063</a><br />
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-31423210625638968032014-03-16T12:27:00.000+01:002014-03-16T12:31:05.813+01:00Ooh La La... Paris!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the end of January, Mike told me he had *another* business trip. This coming right after trips to India and other parts of Germany in December and just returning from China in mid-January. I was *not* happy. But then... Mike said his meetings were on a Friday and how about we all go for a long weekend? HEL-LO! YES! YES! YES!<br />
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We left for the Hauptbahnhof (main train station, downtown Stuttgart) after picking up Peter from school on Thursday afternoon. From there we hopped a TGV train (French high-speed train) to Paris which is about a 3-1/2 hour ride. "Dinner" consisted of chocolate-chip scones (schokoladenwuppi) from a bakery in the train station accompanied with the grapes and carrots I thankfully brought to munch on... the only healthy aspect of our "meal" that night! I thought we'd have time for a better meal but, hey... junk food on a train is not the worst thing that can happen and it's all part of the last-minute adventure!<br />
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Now, our family has been to Paris before. We took a week-long vaca last summer and rented a cute apartment in the heart of Paris - the Marais district. Sounds extravagant and on lots of levels, it is. But after traveling around a bit I have learned that renting an apt can be much more economical than staying at a hotel and, with small children, we're not stuck with early bedtimes for all in a hotel room. (And no, we are not slaves to a strict bedtime schedule - especially on vacation - but things do go much smoother if we maintain some type of normal routine with the boys.) But I digress. Our week vacation last summer was wonderful but my camera pooped out and currently I have no photos of that trip which is why you all never saw a blog about it. While I really enjoyed the trip, it was hot (no A/C in most of Europe, especially in an apt ancient apt building) and we felt the need to go, go, go, see, see, see... which of course makes things less relaxing. So I was really excited to go back for a weekend with absolutely no agenda expect to just *be* in Paris. Not a bad deal. ;)<br />
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Side note: if you ever get the chance to visit Paris and want to look at apartments, I *highly* recommend this place. An American couple fell in love with Paris and now own a company that rents out places they have bought and rehabbed for visitors. They are very well-done, fabulous locations and trustworthy. We have used them twice now and I would use them again (and again!). <a href="http://cobblestoneparis.com/">http://cobblestoneparis.com</a><br />
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Friday, Mike left for his meetings and the boys and I lounged around our apartment. This was a different apt than we rented on our last trip but even closer to the Seine. The Centre Pompidou was literally a few steps away at the end of our street. I know our friends back home don't want to hear this but we basically have had no real winter weather here and it was in the low 40's on our trip and partly sunny. Merveilleux! (Wonderful!) The boys love the Pompidou because it looks cool. It's a modern art museum that has an "inside-out" look. It is covered with brightly colored tubes and ductwork and - the main attraction for the boys - an immense escalator system on one side. Since our street dead-ended at "The Pomp" as the kids and I call it (Peter has my bad habit of shortening names) the boys were dying to go inside and take a ride on the escalator. I thought, why not? Our only agenda was to relax and enjoy and take in the sights. And while I am not a huge fan of modern art I thought since we were there we might as well take in some exhibits. The boys might enjoy it and I like to keep an open mind and expose the kids to new and interesting things. So we took our escalator ride and went into an exhibit at the top with the intent to work our way down. HO-LY COW. The first exhibit featured "Surrealism and the Object". Translation: lots of really weird mannequin-ish parts - and by parts I mean the Nether Region - put together in strange and very graphic ways alongside paintings and drawings of said "parts". I was like... WTF?! I could not find an exit fast enough - especially after hearing moaning sounds coming from the direction of some film (I can only guess what was onscreen) being projected on a wall around the corner. Amazingly, neither boy (especially Peter, thank God!) seemed to really notice what was around them or maybe didn't know what to say. So off we went to the next level which seemed harmless enough. Until I realized that the boys wanted to get really up and close to the artwork and we were greeted by glares of stone-faced staff, seated all around the rooms to make sure no one is getting "up and close", as I'm frantically whisper-yelling, "Not so CLOSE! Stand BEHIND the line!", envisioning Warhols and Kandiskys falling off the wall to the ground. Sooo... then we just continued down, down, down the escalator for another fun ride (at this point I was like, "Screw opening the kids minds with art!") where we checked out a child-friendly Frida Kahlo exhibit and bummed around the museum shop.<br />
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From there we walked around the plaza outside the Hotel de Ville (actually the city hall and *not* a hotel), Notre Dame cathedral and then boarded a sightseeing boat that lets you hop on and off at various tourist destinations. The boat ride is an adventure in and of itself. It cruises down the Seine very slow and allows one to just relax and take in the beauty that is Paris. We got off at the Eiffel Tower and revisited an aquarium nearby. I am not going to give you a play-by-play of our trip and detailed descriptions of the sights as I did above (I thought it was a funny morning so had to share) but will let you just enjoy (I hope!) a few photos of our mini-vaca in Paris.<br />
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One note: I have heard people complain that Paris is crowded, dirty, smelly and that the people are extremely rude. Yes, it can be crowded. It is the number one visited place in entire world! Dirty and smelly? Well, some parts. The subways are efficient but extremely crowded, dirty and smelly for the most part. But think of how old this system is and the number of people who use it daily! As for the city itself, there were trash bins seemingly every few feet which were tended to very well. Rude French people? Hmm... sometimes, I'm sure. In general though I have found many Europeans (Italians excluded!) to be a lot more formal and reserved than we Americans are. A good tip I can offer is no matter where you go, learn a few words of the local language. It takes minutes and can easily be done from ones phone with Google Translate. Small niceties like, "Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, excuse me, sorry, have a nice day", etc. can go a long way. It doesn't matter that you can't speak the language proficiently. Make an effort and you will find an effort will usually be made for you in return.<br />
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My final word on Paris? Ooh la la! I love, love, LOVE Paris! In my eyes, everything is just beyond beautiful and I could walk endlessly around its streets just taking in everything about it. And of course, the baked goods and chocolate... thank God I like to walk because I definitely like to indulge in the French goodies!<br />
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(You can view below with my captions then click on a pict to see larger slideshow.)<br />
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Google Map of our location. As you can see, Pompidou is at the end of our</div>
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street and we are a short walk to Notre Dame and very close to the Louvre.</div>
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Our cute little apartment with one bedroom and sleeper sofa in the main room.</div>
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A few of the picts are from the Cobblestone website.</div>
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Centre Pompidou</div>
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Modern art. I don't get it. Peter said it was a haunted bicycle. Works for me!<br />
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The "Batobus" boat tour. We used this to get around as well as to just relax and take it all in.</div>
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Marky enjoying the return boat trip.</div>
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Hotel De Ville and square. There was an ice skating rink erected for the winter.</div>
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Last summer there was a sand volleyball court there. One of my faves.</div>
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Time for gelato.</div>
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The Notre Dame Cathedral. When I finally recover my summer photos, I will post even better picts from other angles. As you can imagine, everything is even more amazing in the summer.</div>
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Even the bridges are gorgeous. Several bridges with wire fencing have thousands of padlocks attached by tourists proclaiming their everlasting love to each other. I have seen this in other cities now too. Apparently, the French don't like this and have even tried to remove them at one point.</div>
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Mike suggested we put a ball and chain on one. Ever the romantic.</div>
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Musee D'Orsay. It was a train station renovated and opened in 1986</div>
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as a museum for Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.</div>
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I have not been inside any of the museums in Paris. The outside of the museums are</div>
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just amazing and maybe one day I'll get to venture in... preferably without kids.</div>
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The Eiffel Tour (La Tour Eiffel).</div>
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I have never had any burning desire to see the Eiffel Tower but once you see it in person, you can see why it's such a big deal. I think everyone must get a small thrill upon seeing it for the first time. Or maybe even every time. We had advanced tickets to go up the tower last summer but Peter woke up</div>
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sick that day, throwing up, so we didn't go. Which was actually fine with me as I hate heights.</div>
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We bummed around the "Eif" twice which accounts for the cloudy and sunny picts.</div>
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As we were sailing away, the lights came on and then the sparkly light show!</div>
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One of my absolute favorite views. Part of the Louvre as seen from the Seine. I have tons</div>
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of (outside) Louvre shots from the summer that I hope to recover. It is pretty amazing.</div>
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Random shots. The Holiday Inn across from the train station the day</div>
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of our departure. Even the freaking Holiday Inn is beautiful!</div>
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One picture that didn't go into the twilight zone from last summer.</div>
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We were at the Luxembourg Gardens is... get ready for it... amazing.</div>
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We rented large boats for the boys which they push with sticks and run around the fountain to</div>
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follow it and give it another push. This place is definitely a trip highlight, especially with kids.</div>
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(And yes, I am posing in a way to make myself appear as thin as possible! Ha!)</div>
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Until next time! Au revoir!</div>
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This past Saturday we took a day trip to Bad Urach. It is about 40 minutes south from our place here in Stuttgart-Möhringen. One of the main attractions is the beautiful Wasserfall (waterfall) in the Swabian Alb. After parking along a dirt road we walked along the Brühlbach stream for about 1.5 miles. We had a beautiful day for our little hike with the sun burning through the misty morning and sparkling on the clear water running in the stream. Peter liked walking along the very edge of the stream, occasionally stopping to dip his hand in the ice cold water. (The stream was along flat ground and extremely shallow in most parts. And yes, I did the mom thing and shouted, "Not too close! Step back, you'll fall in!") Marky liked picking up "special rocks" (gravel) to throw into the stream.<br />
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When we reached the bottom of the falls we realized that our pleasant walk was about to become a more strenuous hike. Beginning at the base of the falls is the climb up along steep stone steps interspersed with dirt trails. The waterfall itself falls 130 ft and then runs off over moss-covered rocks. Most of the hike is spent walking along the water with breathtaking views and the pretty sound of the water. As I said, the walk was very steep and it is hard to get this from the photos. There were benches here and there at small landings as well as logs and rocks you could perch upon. Peter was once again a great explorer and led the way. I was so proud of little Marky Moo who walked almost the entire trail himself! A big feat for such a peanut.<br />
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The top of the falls gives way to a large, flat wooded area with a small house serving the prerequisite German assortment of beer, wine, brats and pretzels. There is a little picnic area to enjoy a rest and treat after the hike as well as an area to build campfires if you wish to cook yourself. Along the top edge of the falls is a panoramic view of the valley. We can't wait to go back in the summer when the valley will be a lush green and the trails will be canopied by green-leaved trees. Also hoping to explore and hike a little more as there are ruins from a castle built in 1100 further up the mountain!<br />
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One final note: Mom is always right. Peter fell in the stream. But luckily, it was at the end of our hike as we were nearing the car. It was very shallow and as he stood up from dipping his hand in the water, he lost his balance and stepped forward into the stream so luckily he was only wet up to mid-calf. I couldn't help but laugh as he stood mid-stream yelling, "Moooooooom!" and I said, "Well, what are you just standing there for? Get out of the water already!" I think Marky was the most traumatized as the poor guy started bawling his eyes out when his big brother fell in. We did have a good ride home though as I thought to bring a change of clothes for both boys - just in case.<br />
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We purchased what promised to be some type of homemade braunschweiger (or at least this is what</div>
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we surmised with our limited Deutsch) and were served some nice bread, two rubbery gherkins and</div>
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a can-o-meat. It actually wasn't that bad. Then again, we were pretty hungry after our hike.</div>
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And you can't go wrong with the pretzels.</div>
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Marky, getting a little help on the way down.</div>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-9291582897542990882014-02-17T22:02:00.001+01:002014-02-17T22:02:59.328+01:00Coming soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-76139525350062458362014-01-26T22:19:00.002+01:002014-01-26T22:19:25.594+01:00Eating AmericanYesterday was a cold and grey day but we had a good time. First, we hung out and relaxed in our pj's and did not do much of anything in particular. Then around 3:30p our friends the Wamberas came by and we followed them in our car south to a place called Bebenhausen. No idea what this means. Tried to Google Translate and came up with nothing. We took about a 30 minute drive up and down and around windy roads through forest which was pretty and would be an extremely scenic drive if there had been sparkling snow or summery green. When we arrived at our destination, we were the only ones there. It is something of a nature park with hiking trails and the highlight - penned wild boars. Apparently they are indigenous to this area and our friend Thomas said his father routinely shoots them near his home and gets them butchered for food. (I politely declined offers to bring us wild boar meat on his next visit to his dad's.) Our friends had brought bags of dried pasta which we threw into the muddy pen and had fun watching the boars snuffle, snort and crunch up the noodles. Isabel said last time they brought old bread but the boars turned their noses up at it which is funny because they pretty much eat anything and everything. They saw another person feeding them dried pasta to the boars' great delight so remembered that for this outing. And while it was fun to see the boars up close, I would *not* want to have that fence disappear as they did scuffle and squeal and looked like they could be pretty ferocious. We walked around a little bit (to say we actually hiked would be extreme since in addition to Peter, who was the most adventurous, we had an almost 2-year old and two 3-year olds) and enjoyed the pretty scenery and fresh air.<br />
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After our short jaunt we got back into our toasty cars and followed Thomas to a great treat... a little restaurant serving "American" food called Route 66. I was highly skeptical I must say as so far most things proclaiming to be "American" here are SO not! I was happily proven wrong. The kitschy inside decor was mainly vintage looking Coca-Cola signs as well as signage for Budweiser and Miller beers, a map of Route 66 painted on a wall along with some wild west / cowboy paintings and one of Willie Nelson in his red/white/blue bandana. Our table had a canister of forks and knives wrapped in red, white and blue paper napkins with the Statue of Liberty printed on them. The wall on the far end of the small restaurant was a massive TV screen showing... European football (soccer to us Yanks). Oh well.<br />
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Now to the best part... FOOD! (Yes, it always seems to come down to food for me.) There were burgers, burgers and more burgers. And steaks. Lots and lots of steaks to choose from. And then potatoes in many different ways, "American"-style... not just french fries and no goopy German Kartoffelsalat (the delicious but over-served potato salad). The kids got chicken schnitzel (a thin, large, flat breaded chicken breast patty... so basically a gigantic chicken nugget in the kids' eyes) and fries while Isabel got the biggest, juiciest looking burger with bacon and cheese and Thomas, Mike and I got amazing looking steaks. I can *not* remember the last time I had a bonafide steak and this did not disappoint. It was so, so, sooooo delicious! (Think about Bill Murray in "What About Bob" making m-m-m-m noises while eating.) I also had a wonderful baked potato with sour cream. Might sound pretty bland or ordinary to you but buying US-grade steaks at the butcher over here is cost-prohibitive so this was a treat (at decent prices). Mike got "home-fried" potato slices done to crispy perfection with his meal and Thomas got the biggest steak I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, it looked like a hunk-o-cow sitting on his plate. You'll see in the picts. While the guys got pils (the good German kind, none of the watery American stuff), Isabel and I had Cokes in retro Coca-Cola glasses. They had older (70's?) American hits playing and it was just a fun time relaxing with friends over a much-needed taste of home. Doesn't have to be fancy to be good and it was fun eating "American" for a night.<br />
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Cover of the menu and a couple of inside pages. These were the more tame illustrations of the ladies, seemingly all pinup girls. I love on the menu cover, "an relaxed American atmosphere in typical US decoration." Really?!</div>
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Thomas' steak on left - as big as my head! Mine with peppercorn sauce. Picts don't look appetizing but it was all very delicious. And in case one had doubts that you were eating in an "Amerikanische" restaurant, everyone had American flags plunked into their meals.<br />
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Peter's class started off the holiday season with an Advent calendar. This was a super cute idea one of the moms came up with. Each number had a question for the class (i.e., What is snow? What is your favorite book? What do you eat when you celebrate?) and under each number a child's winter-themed drawing was revealed. It was a super fun way to have a mini-class discussion and each child got to have their artwork shown to the class in a very special way. Since the U.S. public schools highly frown upon anything like this, you could do a Winter Break Countdown calendar.</div>
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On 6 December, Sankt Nikolaus (Saint Nicholas) comes to visit the children at a special assembly which also includes skits put on by children in the fluent German class (Peter is in the beginner class). From Wikipedia... "In Roman Catholic areas of Southern Germany, such as Bavaria, <i>Sankt Nikolaus</i> still comes as a bishop with flowing white beard and bishop's miter and staff." Children leave a shoe or boot out the night before hoping that St. Nik fills it with goodies. The kids at Peter's school left a shoe or boot out in the hallway which they found filled upon returning to class after the assembly (with some help from us Room Moms!). They each received a clementine, some nuts in their shells and a small chocolate Santa. Our neighbor, Frau Kühner - who is like a German grandmother to the boys (Großmutter) - left two stockings "from St. Nikolaus" up against the patio door for the boys to find when we opened our blinds. It was filled with fresh fruits (apple, kiwi, clementine), nuts, lots of chocolates, a little stuffed Santa and a fresh sprig of pine. They also each received a small Lego toy provided by *this* St. Nik! Lucky boys! ;)</div>
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Our little entrance to our "row" house decorated for Christmas.</div>
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We bought our very first family *real* tree at the lot just a few blocks down the street from us (the community pool parking lot in the summer). Peter was *thrilled* to help pick it out and "strap it on top of the car"! Later we decorated it. You can see Marky mid-air, jumping up and down he is so excited to hang ornaments all by himself. The tree lights are a major pain though. For all the great engineers that come out of this country you think they could figure out how to make a decent strand of lights, eh? No. Long story short, they have no "end-to-end" connection so each strange strand must reach the outlet and plug in separately. Crazy! Good thing our American engineer figured out how to get all the strands while keeping his (most of) his sanity!</div>
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No tree is complete without a Polar Express train around it! Unfortunately, ours pooped out despite putting in new batteries but the boys happily pushed it around using man power. Since all of our holiday stuff is still home in Michigan we needed to buy a tree skirt. Which, of course, silly me... no one really uses here and are extremely hard to find. So I bought a holiday plaid tablecloth from IKEA and cut it and voila! (Thank you Pinterest!) I had fully intended to decorate the edges with beading or the like but as with most of my grand plans, it didn't happen. Which turned out OK because the train track would have covered it!</div>
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On the last day of school before vacation we attended an assembly to celebrate the holidays. There were many performances showcasing how some of the kids celebrate in their own respective countries. There was an African song with drum accompaniment, a Swedish St. Lucia ceremony, an Indian dance number and a reading about Hanukkah among the presentations. At the end, we all sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year" together. It was so nice (as well as informative) to see how people from all over the world celebrate in their own special way. It is interesting... here we are at a school with many diverse cultures and traditions and yet no one was offended if you said, "Merry Christmas". It is just taken for what it is... a wish of good tidings.</div>
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As I said, all of our holiday decorations are back in Michigan so we were without stockings. Again, hard to find! I found some inexpensive cable knit stockings and made little tags for them. Not as fancy as I was hoping to get but time constraints, laziness and lack of good craft items here (Michaels would be a wonderment here!) prevented me from making them any snazzier. I made my train crazy boys tags that were along the lines of a train ticket.</div>
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Peter getting into the spirit by reading The Polar Express to Marky.</div>
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Holiday baking German style. Many things, like butter, need to be weighed. There are no handy little sticks with tablespoons measured out. Also, they use Celsius and metric measures here. I do a lot of converting when baking and cooking! I do have a set of "American" measuring cups and spoons that come in handy when I can use them (like above).</div>
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Also, you can see how baking can be a pain without all the wonderful ingredients (and choices of those ingredients) we can buy easily at most stores in the U.S. Chocolate chips as we know them are non-existent here. Recently, tiny boxes of chocolate buttons appeared on the store shelves but they don't taste like good old Nestle Tollhouse and you need to buy a zillion boxes to make a batch of cookies. I put some next to a standard fork for size. Peanut butter is a *very* American item. You can find it here but the above size is the only one available. It is next to a 1 cup measuring cup so you can see the size. When I find it (there is only one brand I like), I buy out at least half the stash (they usually have about 8 when fully stocked). It's very funny that things considered "American" are almost always packaged with red, white and blue and stars and stripes. My PB is Barney's Best imported from New Jersey! The powder sugar comes in tiny boxes and is usually not very powdery. There is no brown sugar, corn syrup, red hot hearts, etc. The list could go on and on.</div>
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Bought a couple of gingerbread house kits at IKEA and the boys had a great time putting them together and decorating (or mostly eating the decorations as in Marky's case).</div>
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Peter loved getting Snoopy - his favorite gift - from Grandma B on Christmas Eve. We did Face Time with the grandmas so they could see the boys open their gifts. That was really nice.</div>
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Marky's favorite gift was a Bosch ("like Daddy!") car garage almost as tall as him!</div>
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And finally, the aftermath and getting all the trash sorted and squeezed into the correct tiny bins for our rare trash pickup. Zoinks!</div>
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Our friends, the Wamberas, had us over during the break to check out their tree... with *real* candles! I thought that was something people did before electricity but the tradition is alive and well here in Germany. Maybe that's why they don't bother making good electric light strands?</div>
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People here traditionally put up their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve morning. Then the Christkindl delivers presents to the children on Christmas Eve (while they are at church or in another room of the house). Christkindl is Christ Child although he is more like a little boy angel. (It's still confusing to me. At first I was like, "Wait! *Jesus* delivers presents?!" No.) Then the kids open their presents. Peter wanted to know why the German kids got to open their presents on Christmas Eve and we had to wait for Christmas morning since we're not in America. Obviously, he could care less about the different traditions... he just wanted his presents as early as he could get his mitts on them! The trees are traditionally taken down on the Epiphany (or the day after).</div>
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Me and Peter on New Years Eve, his first time staying up until midnight!</div>
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It was quite uneventful (no ball drop on TV since we are 6 hours ahead of you) until midnight when it looked and sounded as if every German in Stuttgart were lighting fireworks. Real fireworks. In our tiny little row house yards and streets. The air was completely smokey and smelled of sulfur. We watched the craziness from our upper balcony (also, it was safer there under the awning). I took lots of picts but none of them look like anything special. Apparently fireworks are sold only 2 days before New Years Eve and are legal to light them on New Years Eve between certain hours. Otherwise, it's illegal. Check out this link and press play on the photo... it's only a few seconds long. It will give you a *slight* idea of the craziness!</div>
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<a href="http://stationedingermany.com/living-in-germany/the-best-fireworks-show-in-the-world/">http://stationedingermany.com/living-in-germany/the-best-fireworks-show-in-the-world/</a></div>
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One more tidbit and then you can get off this crazy train...</div>
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Holiday shopping was soooo very strange here. The stores kept their normal wimpy business hours and were closed for many days over the holidays (including the grocery stores). The mall down the road from us (about 15 minutes) did have extended hours... they opened at their normal 10:00a time but stayed open an extra 2 hours until 10:00p... for 4 whole days. Whoopee Dee! If you are a last-minute shopper you would not fare well here!</div>
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Well, a couple of more posts to come about our holidays but I promise they will not be as long. We took two little day trips and I'll just post some pictures and a few tidbits about the trips.</div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta;">Frohes Neues Jahr!</span></b></div>
Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-53712052444555510892014-01-10T00:05:00.003+01:002014-01-10T00:05:45.979+01:00Stuttgart WeinachtsmarktTranslation: Stuttgart Christmas Market. Although I think "market" does not do this annual holiday event justice. It is definitely an experience and one pictures cannot completely capture but I will try. It is mind-numbingly enormous with hundreds of booths and thousands of people! The booths are wood and each have brilliantly decorated rooftops. I believe there is a competition for best decorated stall. But I could be wrong as everything was laid out almost exactly as it was last year, decorations and all. I briefly explained the Weinachtsmarkt in my last post so I won't rehash the explanation and let you check out Christmas in Stuttgart! (Sorry I didn't take any picts of the wood ornaments. They are amazing. Next year.) We went several times as it's just a short u-bahn ride away and a fun and easy thing to do. I went with Marky a couple of times while Peter was in school which is so much nicer as it is like a cattle call on the weekends and has very little traffic during the weekday mornings. One more thing... most of these picts are in the main square downtown... the Schlossplatz (Castle Square). Keep in mind, as with most everything around here, all was heavily bombed and most everything has been rebuilt (restored if anything was left). It is our favorite area and the prettiest. Come visit and we'll show you (hint hint)!<br />
<i><span style="color: #ea9999;">As always, click on photos below for larger images. (Do I need to keep saying this?)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #ea9999;">But you might want to do that after you scroll down as I type in info under many of the picts. (I need my cousin Breanne to give me a blogging tutorial when we see each other... she and her hubby Dave have recently moved to the UK... a cheap 1-hour plane ride away!) </span></i><br />
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The U-Bahn (pronounced Oooh Bahn) - commuter/subway trains. Nicest and cleanest</div>
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mode of transportation you could ask for! Our preferred choice of getting to downtown</div>
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Stuttgart as driving takes longer and it's very hard to find parking not to mention expensive.</div>
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The ice skating rinks have little penguin and elf characters with handles that the kids</div>
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hang on to and push around for balance. Brilliant! I don't know why we don't have these.</div>
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Weekend. Weekday. Same area, BIG difference!</div>
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Some of the stall rooftop decorations. These are giant versions of the</div>
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wood ornaments you can buy for home decor in many different sizes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYC1c_OQz5M9_VTjpCiZgZ2RFg0c0wY5wwJd8lW7OOtuKL-hNR4uHaKTFrYi5khs-YZvGlpTtQEmWD2NATBR6-ctBtmUuRuy3a39WO5Dq9dQv_DlcTOetvbks09LCVOvnso8JDrC5x2DJ/s1600/CAM00455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYC1c_OQz5M9_VTjpCiZgZ2RFg0c0wY5wwJd8lW7OOtuKL-hNR4uHaKTFrYi5khs-YZvGlpTtQEmWD2NATBR6-ctBtmUuRuy3a39WO5Dq9dQv_DlcTOetvbks09LCVOvnso8JDrC5x2DJ/s1600/CAM00455.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nIuyZxkNUKZIGdpo5ccTsVq0ioc2aiOFpSGwwsogEhm1vhGBCt6ntFAZ80k3tEIKvRGHSPlm647f4YAcj4bbI_ZEYUhlQIg8JH2Sf6jySVU1gymjirfs2jg4m_daWkWpcEJJSZntbgfS/s1600/CAM00456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nIuyZxkNUKZIGdpo5ccTsVq0ioc2aiOFpSGwwsogEhm1vhGBCt6ntFAZ80k3tEIKvRGHSPlm647f4YAcj4bbI_ZEYUhlQIg8JH2Sf6jySVU1gymjirfs2jg4m_daWkWpcEJJSZntbgfS/s1600/CAM00456.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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Pretty scenery on a beautiful day.</div>
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One of the highlights of a good Weinachtsmarkt is the food! Here are some of my faves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n4swbwaYiio-FNjRlbpKAaqK8gvWco_WHRdUTPqOfoLyZAtocl08BFfj84dMMJPw1pXunq3SdoEYQgEQjR6nfktVGOYSed2ZUGxdS82iVtkRTHqkG-1JynsNDVnAhgwrfRXwqCMWoE-r/s1600/CAM00465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n4swbwaYiio-FNjRlbpKAaqK8gvWco_WHRdUTPqOfoLyZAtocl08BFfj84dMMJPw1pXunq3SdoEYQgEQjR6nfktVGOYSed2ZUGxdS82iVtkRTHqkG-1JynsNDVnAhgwrfRXwqCMWoE-r/s1600/CAM00465.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio6tAdyKps4ga2BeNbCEgdtZaxSFCRdSiqpEuwyFsKzq0wvby9BFUvDsVEcqPGkNr9FFQ2QRgeMcWsJfEdUV2RbVQp9FKQK8Y9MKKz8gdRme5PbXYlwqdXfx5mZyCZqzRL4VuC4YTuh_A/s1600/CAM00466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio6tAdyKps4ga2BeNbCEgdtZaxSFCRdSiqpEuwyFsKzq0wvby9BFUvDsVEcqPGkNr9FFQ2QRgeMcWsJfEdUV2RbVQp9FKQK8Y9MKKz8gdRme5PbXYlwqdXfx5mZyCZqzRL4VuC4YTuh_A/s1600/CAM00466.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Chocolate dipped fruit kabobs. And for the first time I saw hot peppers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9GwF-Fn0N5HvXG8h6qIFy2Sz8uwprM03-iv9uIMfdfBwzKhf9e5_PYrgocS-k_V941FlQV_KS7b2yRbk2BHBTY4v7boTU3FTFRtmNlHCv8oPPjjzGsVMkIlTDuD6r4OlRUcNoX-lOd9y/s1600/CAM00506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9GwF-Fn0N5HvXG8h6qIFy2Sz8uwprM03-iv9uIMfdfBwzKhf9e5_PYrgocS-k_V941FlQV_KS7b2yRbk2BHBTY4v7boTU3FTFRtmNlHCv8oPPjjzGsVMkIlTDuD6r4OlRUcNoX-lOd9y/s1600/CAM00506.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtglEfHLrserrEIyLmxv36peaPksE8yABbXS5sD3zzmLiWSjU2Kn6pM9hL0Uy3bV6UE-LQJ1qPceFIaELhfQIrFwVhJMx2qUzKKTEsSvfjpYJW1wOCxTXusQEqwKneB1-mh9_34cvNJ37f/s1600/CAM00508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtglEfHLrserrEIyLmxv36peaPksE8yABbXS5sD3zzmLiWSjU2Kn6pM9hL0Uy3bV6UE-LQJ1qPceFIaELhfQIrFwVhJMx2qUzKKTEsSvfjpYJW1wOCxTXusQEqwKneB1-mh9_34cvNJ37f/s1600/CAM00508.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Crepes are big here and come with many kinds of fillings from fruit to ham, cheese and</div>
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my favorite... Nutella. A hot gooey delectable mess! Especially when Marky eats one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphMOh61HLeY1vCzt31tnjXXISIik5hS9aWYWB68-82jknvOKDWhmSavF9KGGDG_gQQXL8VFCv8Z11UzU0nDJyV0-FNQuasoZm9gXycyWl7sEhUUDrqnZBZ_HIMUN6LlJBPvGLbdPnIBRP/s1600/CAM00627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphMOh61HLeY1vCzt31tnjXXISIik5hS9aWYWB68-82jknvOKDWhmSavF9KGGDG_gQQXL8VFCv8Z11UzU0nDJyV0-FNQuasoZm9gXycyWl7sEhUUDrqnZBZ_HIMUN6LlJBPvGLbdPnIBRP/s1600/CAM00627.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Peter's favorite (and I'll admit I love it too)... Zuckerwatte (zoo-ker-vah-teh -</div>
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the "z" is almost like "ts" as in pizza) - fresh cotton candy. YUM!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uq1mOvTX8Bvg3kq8znvKkLPNTT8CukcesTNSTiTXVC32-NgORx2EsgJiBUfocidpyoZuxWoa3m1ZA2bIictkPKCr6SIIzIEon0Q2asORo5nyFuznraNwl67y5FaKEADCsQkM0PtJj1VW/s1600/CAM00463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uq1mOvTX8Bvg3kq8znvKkLPNTT8CukcesTNSTiTXVC32-NgORx2EsgJiBUfocidpyoZuxWoa3m1ZA2bIictkPKCr6SIIzIEon0Q2asORo5nyFuznraNwl67y5FaKEADCsQkM0PtJj1VW/s1600/CAM00463.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofxDxnzmJwLbVYLoobOSK3pBlVfrfn3PXlvt6cXELfB6J4w9eBupHytASe6OJ-dxCEcqv-_7QtBPwYIQ9tMu06jJt6VZw3dwjcY9f-SsiAvNEeVR6kWviBeKjLdrqS5FekVnc1AqTZxvy/s1600/CAM00464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofxDxnzmJwLbVYLoobOSK3pBlVfrfn3PXlvt6cXELfB6J4w9eBupHytASe6OJ-dxCEcqv-_7QtBPwYIQ9tMu06jJt6VZw3dwjcY9f-SsiAvNEeVR6kWviBeKjLdrqS5FekVnc1AqTZxvy/s1600/CAM00464.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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At almost every German festival you will see heart-shaped gingerbread cookies you can wear around</div>
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your neck. They all have different sayings written in frosting, most of them to do with the season. I</div>
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see people eating them but to me I think they're more decorative as they are hard and not very tasty.</div>
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Most festivals also have a variety of warm sugar-coated nuts. I love the almonds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIvA2RykNpJa7nf87vdjegUcIWy0lXP6LjGMCXP8ZqQB-90HZ5G8ufrzmky6a5yJ89xQ2VnRDGRrCHHj6UKdompuuR7o1GCiGgRnvw1fk7t_I6L4642yWauQ7ecftvmGjg3UG2D4L_X2x/s1600/CAM00460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIvA2RykNpJa7nf87vdjegUcIWy0lXP6LjGMCXP8ZqQB-90HZ5G8ufrzmky6a5yJ89xQ2VnRDGRrCHHj6UKdompuuR7o1GCiGgRnvw1fk7t_I6L4642yWauQ7ecftvmGjg3UG2D4L_X2x/s1600/CAM00460.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykisRrMbhWms1Pz1pN2Qf3bOQxRae3-5bKP3W4IjXuKunaanf0qGzjn82lVlhbmQjnepVpyrp3gLVmM5hPvGNNLAzkJWVPuqbaV3RkVelVQPdQJ5bfNKdbso76rO6LEvEa_vYletAaZX3/s1600/IMG_0694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykisRrMbhWms1Pz1pN2Qf3bOQxRae3-5bKP3W4IjXuKunaanf0qGzjn82lVlhbmQjnepVpyrp3gLVmM5hPvGNNLAzkJWVPuqbaV3RkVelVQPdQJ5bfNKdbso76rO6LEvEa_vYletAaZX3/s1600/IMG_0694.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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The mini steam locomotive at the Schlossplatz. My train nuts</div>
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(and I) rode this many times. Many, many, many times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJ65tmcexSQnUoYmZK0HZ4uhstebyDMRSwxGWPoCAkKc7YKAT0AIA0Ywc5sVPrY_uCAd-7cCfSweCqEDS7HiJAyQctKjYeuwv5iWQCGTVjwXMFE7nenVxocqbsbkB2RnyO4XriiVfd7oH/s1600/CAM00620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJ65tmcexSQnUoYmZK0HZ4uhstebyDMRSwxGWPoCAkKc7YKAT0AIA0Ywc5sVPrY_uCAd-7cCfSweCqEDS7HiJAyQctKjYeuwv5iWQCGTVjwXMFE7nenVxocqbsbkB2RnyO4XriiVfd7oH/s1600/CAM00620.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlkjYqxOG9qn7OeW9AtYsA8Gkf38cdjfpYCOVz6Wg0sS1ZBDz_xx9lEBgIG1RzIvNcP73Y5qmGNZhPoqlwgrr4Gx3qJX4MZ3isYvdinYh7WGY6AI_3GN4j27UCti0g82Lw7VrpNHFe0xd/s1600/CAM00621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlkjYqxOG9qn7OeW9AtYsA8Gkf38cdjfpYCOVz6Wg0sS1ZBDz_xx9lEBgIG1RzIvNcP73Y5qmGNZhPoqlwgrr4Gx3qJX4MZ3isYvdinYh7WGY6AI_3GN4j27UCti0g82Lw7VrpNHFe0xd/s1600/CAM00621.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Peter actually asked to go on the ferris wheel! He was so excited!</div>
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More food! Sauteed mushrooms, potatoes with peppers and my favorite</div>
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kurbis soup (pumpkin). Germany is not all sausage and kraut! And it is all so good!</div>
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Well, that's it for now. <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i>Stay tuned!</i></b></span> More about our holidays in Germany coming very soon!</div>
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A pict of the castle from the web. Our view from the car as we approached.</div>
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Inside the castle. This was the only area open to tourists.</div>
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Me with some castle greeters (very Cirque de Soleil as one friend commented!)</div>
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And my favorite wintertime treat here... hot chocolate!</div>
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It is sooo chocolatey and so rich it's almost like pudding.</div>
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Of course, being in Germany you can have it plain or with a shot</div>
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of Bailey's or - my favorite - Amaretto. </div>
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Our very good friends, the Wamberas...</div>
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Leonhard, Isabel, Thomas and Louise.</div>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-42297168573193701302013-12-06T12:32:00.001+01:002013-12-06T12:32:56.684+01:00It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!Wow! How is *that* for a title?! (Of course, in my mind it is being sung by Andy Williams who I think does the best version of this and Peter will agree. Love that he loves the classics!)<br />
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Well, I'm back! Really. Seriously! I know, you are thinking, "Yeaaah. She'll post one lousy blog and then come back *next summer* to give us a novel, promising more is coming." And you might be right. And, might not. Long story short (believe it!)... my ancient Mac died, my camera died (I lost all of my Paris pictures which I hope can be retrieved), Peter's camera - which I had confiscated for my own use after mine died - crapped out, I lost my cell phone, I've been busy, it's dark and I'm wearing sunglasses... you get the picture. (And if you didn't get the Blues Brothers reference... what can I say? There are sooo many good lines from that movie you are missing out on!)</div>
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ANYWAYS, it is DECEMBER ALREADY!!! Where in the world has this year gone? I am now armed with a trusty new Mac (hurrah!) and lots and lots of photos that are of questionable quality from my weenie phone (a lame replacement after losing my "good" phone) and am ready to share with you all some new posts about our time here in Germy.</div>
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SO... get ready! Lots of German festivals, castles, Paris (maybe) and a Year In Review. And maybe a New Year's Resolution to keep up with the blog... actually on the real live computer and not just in my head! ;)</div>
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Hope you all are having a happy holiday season so far! We'll "talk" soon!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marky and Peter - Cutest boys on the planet! (OK... I'm a bit biased.)</td></tr>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-70500209541861686182013-08-01T10:14:00.001+02:002013-08-01T10:16:43.164+02:00Happy Anniversary!!!Well, we made it! One whole year here in Germy. I have to admit, it did take a few months to get settled here but now things are going pretty well. It now feels like, "OMG! We only have 2 years left to go see this or go do that!" Of course, there are still "days". You know what I mean. We all have them and being in another country can sometimes amp up the ugh factor of those days.<br />
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Check back soon! I am <i>finally</i> going to post what we've been up to lately. I always think about our friends and family and think, "Oooh! I should tell them *this* on the blog!" But then I get busy, tired or lazy or all three and well, now it's been a month and a half since I last blogged. Oy.<br />
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Happy Anniversary to us! Fun posts to come... including our upcoming trip to PARIS! Ooh la la!<br />
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Big hugs to you all!Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-57943208897905342272013-06-12T00:33:00.000+02:002013-06-12T00:33:28.838+02:00PragueTwo weekends ago we took advantage of another long holiday weekend here in Germany (where *everything* shuts down, save for some restaurants, gas stations and the trains) and went to Prague, Czech Republic (where everything was open). Why, you ask? Well, why not?! It's a straight 5 hour drive from Stuttgart to Prague (like driving from Detroit to Chicago) and is supposed to be a beautiful city that fortunately escaped most of the bombing of WWII.<div>
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We rented a small apartment in the heart of Prague in the Old Town section, right in the middle of all the action. (Tip: check out Trip Advisor for "vacation rentals" instead of hotels. You can get a nice place for roughly the same price as a hotel room and probably even much cheaper. And with small children, it's a nice way to go so you're not stuck in a room with lights out at 8:00!) Our place was right next to a mall of all things. A real American-type mall! After a much longer trip than the 5 hours we planned, the boys were thrilled to see the Golden Arches of McDonalds right next to our place and that was our first Czech meal. Yippee. But, the boys were excellent on the car trip and - as Peter pointed out - it was his birthday so he should get to pick the place to eat. :) We had fun bumming around that evening and saw many American and UK type products and stores, unlike in Germy. It's funny the things that will give an expat a small thrill like seeing things that remind us of the comforts of home. I think there's alot more American and english stuff there as when the Iron Curtain fell (1989?) there was a great opportunity for companies to charge in and set up shop. Also, tourism is now Prague's largest source of income and they really do seem to cater to Americans and it was both strange and wonderful to hear so many American speakers in the crowds.</div>
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(As always, you can click on picts for a slideshow/larger)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BIG BOY PETER WHO IS NOW 8 YEARS OLD!!! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical european bathroom...<br />shower "hose" in tub, washer / dryer located in bathroom</td></tr>
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On our street / square facing the mall next to us. Not a bad setup! We had a rare moment of sunshine (just as it was time to get the kids to bed darnit!) on Friday night after returning from our friends' house so you can how beautiful things are with blue sky.</div>
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SO... what did we do in Prague? Not much. Or I should say, not nearly as much as I wanted. If you've seen the world news lately, many cities in the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria have had epic rainstorms and I swear I would not have been surprised if I saw the Ark floating thru the city. We arrived late Thursday afternoon and left on Sunday just before they closed the subways and many other things due to massive flooding. It was that bad.</div>
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But it wasn't a total loss. We saw friends we hadn't seen in years (he: American from Michigan she: Czech... we met years ago when we all lived in Chicago) who now live in Prague and met each others children. They had us over for a wonderful dinner on Friday night and we met up on Saturday evening for dinner at a train themed restaurant which the boys just loved. The boys also loved the electric trams that ran crazily thru the city as well as the subways which had some of the longest escalators leading down that we've ever seen! (As we have found in Germy, the trains/trams are the best way to get around!) We went to a model train museum (for the birthday boy who is ever the train nut) and despite the deluge of rain we walked thru Old Town Square and took a peek at the beginning of Charles Bridge. Even soaking wet in the rain I loved walking thru Prague. The city is beyond amazing and the pictures just can't do it justice. It is everything you would hope for as a tourist in an old european city. Cobblestone streets and amazing architecture, statues and breathtaking views at every turn. I will let my photos do the talking but... I definitely want a re-do! I would love to take a walking tour and learn some of the amazing history of this city. I am in love with Prague (as you can tell from my over-use of the word "amazing")! The boys would like to visit the zoo which is one of the top 10 zoos in the world!</div>
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Some views from Old Town Square...</div>
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Clock tower on the Old Town City Hall.</div>
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It has the world's 3rd oldest astronomical clock, dating back to 1410,</div>
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and is the oldest astronomical clock still working.</div>
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Entrance to the Charles Bridge (14th century) from Old Town side and closeup...</div>
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I would love to walk thru Mala Strana on the other side of the bridge...</div>
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We did not walk the bridge and had to turn back due to bad weather.</div>
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Above Mala Strana is Prague Castle which is the largest ancient castle in the world.</div>
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There are 30 statues on the bridge of saints and patron saints...</div>
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Buildings near the bridge....</div>
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The streets were lined with tons of souvenier shops. Many sold jewelry with</div>
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garnet gemstones, marionettes and Bohemian crystal. I have some of this crystal</div>
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I received as a wedding gift and would like to return to add to my collection! </div>
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Dining with friends at a train themed restaurant.</div>
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All beverages are delivered to your table via train!</div>
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The National Museum (as seen from car while leaving town... wah wah).</div>
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It is closed for 2-3 years (?) for renovations.</div>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-51073801655682120322013-05-08T22:47:00.002+02:002013-05-08T22:47:30.067+02:00Zurich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since I have not been stellar at keeping up with my blog as much as I'd like this year, I'm now going into overdrive and finally sharing some little adventures and everyday things here in Germy. So for the next few emails I may be going backwards, detailing a few happenings from our recent past here.</div>
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My mom - Grandma Sweetie - came to visit us over the Easter holiday break. Our first "real" visitor! We had a lot of fun despite the crummy weather we had most of her time here. Of course, her favorite part was devouring Peter and Marky as much as she could!</div>
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We did a few day trips with Grandma including one to Zurich, Switzerland! We drove there in under 3 hours. It is just amazing how close we are to so many fabulous destinations. Zurich was just beautiful! Unfortunately, almost the entire area was shut down due to the holiday Easter Monday. Who knew?! The europeans <i>LOVE</i> their holidays here (there are 4 in May alone!). While we all enjoy a day off of school and work, we do not love that almost everything closes on these days with the exception of gas stations, trains and a maybe a few restaurants. No grocery shopping... nothing! So was the case with our day in Zurich. First, we had a horrible meal of highly suspect "fish" and chips at a Nordsee in the main train station (fast food seafood is probably never a good idea). The rest of the time was spent walking up and down some main city streets oohing and aahing over the beauty that is Zurich. We walked down the famed Bahnhofstrasse past uber high-end boutiques and window shopped, strolled along Lake Zurich, took a short inner-city train ride around nowhere in particular and was able to go inside one of the amazing churches downtown. I definitely want to go back on a nice day when things are open for business! Not really to buy anything but just to take everything in and maybe do a scenic boat cruise on the lake. As you can imagine, Zurich is a world-class city with world-class prices to match! For example, a large soft pretzel that is typical around these parts for under 1.00€ is 5 francs there! Switzerland has not adopted the euro and still uses the Swiss Franc.</div>
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Here are some picts of our sightseeing trip to Zurich! Can't wait to go back! (Click on pict for larger view)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Swiss train station (Hauptbahnhof)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool fountain in front of Hauptbahnhof</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and I along Lake Zurich</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFocuTeUTGPOywi3sIkgKYregKkyj5HNGKfrRmEITGXqMYPRDpJnQNe1XBAQidP2X7H2MBRh9l2gdI1t9GXnO65aZtee6nPyVOyNcKOCRt4PFSwacWamtzTO-RhcD7_kQZXP50BKhHPda/s1600/IMG_8760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFocuTeUTGPOywi3sIkgKYregKkyj5HNGKfrRmEITGXqMYPRDpJnQNe1XBAQidP2X7H2MBRh9l2gdI1t9GXnO65aZtee6nPyVOyNcKOCRt4PFSwacWamtzTO-RhcD7_kQZXP50BKhHPda/s200/IMG_8760.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyv3nP7j_0ZzYSiTSJIHZQyMfSdvVAlmwY6kjhsovE2t5hdArLgbuTEZC7-JOTngZTTDDNU2Nmz2LbwBUJikvHnMqVfPLNuroCdFpbMMAxA14jt2qFyVaGYGoiYmVe9K5xVGV3vaBW7En/s1600/IMG_8762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyv3nP7j_0ZzYSiTSJIHZQyMfSdvVAlmwY6kjhsovE2t5hdArLgbuTEZC7-JOTngZTTDDNU2Nmz2LbwBUJikvHnMqVfPLNuroCdFpbMMAxA14jt2qFyVaGYGoiYmVe9K5xVGV3vaBW7En/s200/IMG_8762.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyePatxOPwoskOgNALagE5wYHzE-TxOqge1OMC2sX0QshyAkI_kOzsTkkrJfwwHRDLQAa69_hqrrS1El8UB1gMZTJiMES3QODLo2vqNgjD1filMkqsZW9u9syiQyP-zr4KegcvcJN2PbY/s1600/IMG_8748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyePatxOPwoskOgNALagE5wYHzE-TxOqge1OMC2sX0QshyAkI_kOzsTkkrJfwwHRDLQAa69_hqrrS1El8UB1gMZTJiMES3QODLo2vqNgjD1filMkqsZW9u9syiQyP-zr4KegcvcJN2PbY/s200/IMG_8748.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smaller train station with cool clock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhnd8609vkkNmWAuKI1RShL6KZM419hJ1SC3a9E6vp3OvAwT1oY9A6Nypn8y0HvCpkuy-hpte4pIvZTwkQZgN-ZkorBUVkxJl7W_fTzF5ejJBDxcbdswxByQFUF1hiTc36Ugnge6wdtOk/s1600/IMG_8755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhnd8609vkkNmWAuKI1RShL6KZM419hJ1SC3a9E6vp3OvAwT1oY9A6Nypn8y0HvCpkuy-hpte4pIvZTwkQZgN-ZkorBUVkxJl7W_fTzF5ejJBDxcbdswxByQFUF1hiTc36Ugnge6wdtOk/s200/IMG_8755.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, 'bitstream vera sans', clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">Grossmünster</span> (Great Church) - c. 1220<br />One of 3 major churches in the city.<br />The twin towers are one of Zurich's most recognized landmarks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcuGGaVXNkILG8jreQbjI64pATEBreKSYuSIl6k7Ai9dm7BxWrV5tIO_f0oQMriNYEdnc4oKv5hYylZBgzembWlHamfHVKgzDZRi_oNyyIZH5ZwlwmxaCGZlgWhxhPBB7rBn8UQPpv7Hj/s1600/IMG_8752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcuGGaVXNkILG8jreQbjI64pATEBreKSYuSIl6k7Ai9dm7BxWrV5tIO_f0oQMriNYEdnc4oKv5hYylZBgzembWlHamfHVKgzDZRi_oNyyIZH5ZwlwmxaCGZlgWhxhPBB7rBn8UQPpv7Hj/s200/IMG_8752.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Charlemagne on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, 'bitstream vera sans', clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">Grossmünster's southern tower.</span><br />This church was built on the site of a<br />Carolingian church commissioned by Charlemagne.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter (with new glasses!), Grandma Sweetie,<br />Marky and Mike in a lower level of Hauptbahnhof</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qjc4dLcywTgHUTuwIg3eI8QiGHYcRyu0CXFQwRci6PwjIRH9UJR1P0VOMJKdoULHunkpbaze3XrWIyO9wmfjWav8-8LBRvbLXnfll2WysathLe_XOyimW3za4So8T3Sac4YbQlwc1Uic/s1600/IMG_8769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qjc4dLcywTgHUTuwIg3eI8QiGHYcRyu0CXFQwRci6PwjIRH9UJR1P0VOMJKdoULHunkpbaze3XrWIyO9wmfjWav8-8LBRvbLXnfll2WysathLe_XOyimW3za4So8T3Sac4YbQlwc1Uic/s200/IMG_8769.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy pay toilets in Hauptbahnhof. Worth every franc!<br />Strangely, no separate men/women sides.<br />Also, lights above each stall door. Green = go in.<br />Yellow = just used / needs cleaning. Red = in use.<br />Yes, I am oddly fascinated with the European toilets.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZOwyAK6tjr3tTQFFrT35VK1HJms4APIH7UmDYw0jzGh6HO5mar1UUmvutdG3ULVbbMumdV3Lr9a_KUFx5vvS3RMCqh2gfij7SS5W74TUF-8UaSiunFRD5vlZN23YFytaHa2VaTTYxwl5/s1600/IMG_8771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZOwyAK6tjr3tTQFFrT35VK1HJms4APIH7UmDYw0jzGh6HO5mar1UUmvutdG3ULVbbMumdV3Lr9a_KUFx5vvS3RMCqh2gfij7SS5W74TUF-8UaSiunFRD5vlZN23YFytaHa2VaTTYxwl5/s200/IMG_8771.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter at the Hauptbahnhof showing off a Swiss train.<br /></td></tr>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-3203699572587714232013-04-29T23:15:00.001+02:002013-04-29T23:16:16.680+02:00FrühlingfestFrühlingfest translates to Spring Festival and is held every year in Stuttgart between the middle of April to the beginning of May. It's the largest spring festival in Europe! It's the "little sister" to Stuttgart's 3-week Fall Festival the Volksfest which is the 2nd largest beer fest in the world after Munich's Oktoberfest. Obviously, they LOVE their beer here in Germany! I have to say I am loving it too. It is rich in flavor and (watch out!) much stronger in alcoholic content than its American counterpart. (Bud Light is considered tap water here. Ha!) The festivals begin with the Lord Mayor of Stuttgart trying to tap the first barrel of beer with as few hits as possible.<br />
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The festival(s) consist of many beer tents which are open to all until about 5:00p when it turns adult-only. When I say beer tents (as they are called), the term is used very, very loosely. The "tents" are giant structures the size of football fields built specifically for the festivals and hold hundreds (thousands?). They feature stages at one end with live bands. Some tents have more german oom-pah-pah type stuff and some "good" tents, like the one I was in, features a huge soundstage with singers, dancers and musicians. They sing all kinds of stuff but mostly lots of stuff that the crowd can sway, sing and dance to including American classics like "Sweet Caroline", "We Are Family" and "YMCA". There were some german standards sung to which the crowd acted out all the parts, similar to a YMCA type thing only they were pretending to ride horses and waving. The beer tents are about 5,000 degrees inside, almost unbearably loud and if you are *not* wearing the traditional Dirndl or Lederhosen then you stand out like a sore thumb.</div>
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A group of 1st grade moms and I all met at the first night of Frühlingfest 2013 last Saturday for a very rare girls night out and yes, we all wore the traditional Dirndl. A dirndl is a type of Bavarian dress based on historic Alpine peasant wear. There are 3 parts to the dirndl... first, a cropped blouse with pouffy sleeves that shows various amounts of cleavage, depending on how chaste you are. There are a LOT of women who needed to "cover that up"!!! But I'm sure the men would disagree. Next is the actual dress. If you are younger (or have a "special" mirror in your house) and have nice gams to show off or are trying to attract the guys, you go with a shorter "mini" dirndl. The typical dress falls at or just below the knee. Then there are the floor-length versions which look more Little House on the Prairie to me. The 3rd part of the outfit is the apron which ties at the waist. You must be careful how you tie your apron as it dictates your "status" as follows:</div>
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- bow tie on right = married</div>
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- bow tie on left = single</div>
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- bow tie in back = widowed</div>
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Mike said, "Just don't tie it in the back!" Ha!</div>
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You can buy dirndls at a lot of places prior to the festivals (and year 'round at special dirndl shops) for various prices. They begin at around 99€ and go upwards in the thousands. Seriously! I went for the less-expensive option at a lower-end german clothing store where I got all 3 pieces for the price of 1 but still ended up with something nice looking. Since I will only wear it a few times here (for the twice yearly fests) and then *maybe* as a Halloween costume back in the States I thought it wouldn't pay to spend alot of money on it. Plus, you are bound to get beer spilled on your fabulous dirndl. If you are interested in seeing some pretty nice dirndls, visit this site <a href="http://www.krueger-dirndl.de/en/homepage/">http://www.krueger-dirndl.de/en/homepage/</a></div>
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One more thing on dirndls... typically, brighter colored dresses are worn for the spring fest and darker hues for the fall fest. Mine was more "fall-ish" but unless you buy 2 dirndls you are only "in season" for one fest. But trust me... everyone is drunk and nobody cares! ;)</div>
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OK... this is getting quite wordy so time to wrap it up (yeah, right!). My friends and I each paid 29€ in advance which got us a ticket to the "good" beer tent, seats at a table, 1/2 chicken and roll dinner and 3 beer tokens. Our "seats" were a space at one of the loooong picnic styled tables. You had to fight to maintain your seats as friends left for the bathroom (which was a loooong line). The chicken... the best I have ever had! The skin is crisp and super salty and just tastes like heaven. I was told they make it extra salty so that people will consume more beer (as if we need a reason). They must cook a million chickens and they are all perfectly done and steaming hot when you cut into them. The beer. Oh dear! The beer comes in LITRES. They are as big as my head. I had about a litre +1/4 or 1/2. Many were doing Jagermeister shots (obviously very popular here and sold in mini bottles at the store checkouts like gum or candy bars) and I very very wisely declined and stuck to my garbage-can-sized beers. A good tip: wear very comfortable, old shoes. Why, you ask? Well, everyone *stands* (precariously balances) on the bench seats of the picnic tables for hours while belting out tunes, dancing and drinking from gigantic glass mugs of beer. I thought I had comfy shoes on but ended up hobbling to the trains home due to my poor blistered feet. Also, as you can imagine, with everyone swinging around giant mugs-o-beer some is bound to get spilled. Well, alot gets spilled. And it ends up on the benches, the floor and your shoes. (And yes, as with every festival - indoor and out - and biergarten you get *real* glass mugs and dishes with real silverware! No red plastic Solo cups here... and no trash!) And BTW... to say, "Cheers!" here you say, "Prost!" (One more BTW... thanks to one "seasoned" mom who brought a giant trash bag to keep our coats dry in under the table!)</div>
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One more thing. This I'll bet you won't get from Rick Steves' european guides! The bathrooms. The germans are *brilliant* on this front. Wherever you go you need to carry pocket change for the WC (water closet - pronounced Vay-Say here) or Toilets (never "bathroom" over here. That's where you take a bath.) Even somewhere that holds hundreds and hundreds of drunken people, the toilets are exceptionally clean. You pay 50 cents euro to the attendant and walk in to a *clean* stall! There's someone constantly cleaning the toilets, sinks, floors, etc. As a person who absolutely *dreads* public restrooms I think 50 cents is well worth a clean potty! They have portable WC trailers at outdoor events too where you pay a few cents and get a clean private stall and sink. Can you imagine?! No germy, disgusting, sewer-smelling port-a-potty! Thank you Germany! :)</div>
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OK... on that bright note... here are the picts! I will definitely be attending the Girls Night Out for the Fall Volksfest! Stay tuned! :) (Click on picts for larger/slideshow)<br />
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<br />Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-25430595498744350702013-04-26T16:32:00.000+02:002013-04-26T16:32:06.073+02:00Something to RememberThis blog is primarily a place to share our european experiences with you. But after the tragedies in Boston I kept seeing this quote pop up and I think it's pretty wonderful and worth sharing. Something nice for adults and children alike. Hugs to you all!<div>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-40325962605533973252013-04-11T22:09:00.000+02:002013-04-11T22:09:10.019+02:00Helloooo!Can you believe it's almost the middle of April already?! I can't! Yes, I am still here in Germy. We are still alive! ;) For those of you who still actually take the time to check this blog... yes, there will be more postings. I keep thinking to write things and time gets away. Or I am too lazy. Or too tired. Or in a funk about being in Germy. Or busy enjoying Germy. Sometimes being an expat can definitely lead to a Jekyll and Hyde type sensation. One minute missing home and cursing the strange place that we find ourselves in and the next ooh-ing and aah-ing over it. Also, it's easy to feel very distanced from "home" in the U.S. and life there since "home" is now here and this is where life is for us now.<br />
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Anyways, lots to tell and as soon as I download picts from my camera I will be sharing some of our recent happenings here. And in the future I will try to post small updates, whether thrilling or not, instead of my usual every-3-month or so novels!<br />
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Hope you all are doing well and check back soon! New stuff to come! :) Much love!Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-77829634031536786192013-02-19T21:21:00.000+01:002013-02-19T21:21:22.558+01:00Fasching<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While most American children were celebrating Valentines Day in their classrooms last week, the German kids had the week off for Fasching. It seems they do celebrate Valentines here to a very small extent but it is only meant for adults, or "lovers" as I was told. (How can you not think of the SNL Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch skit?!) Back to Fasching though. What is it? Think along the lines of our Mardi Gras. While there are many historical events tied to Fasching it is predominantly a week-long celebration leading up to Lent. Traditionally, on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent), women may snip men's ties and kiss any men they choose passing by. The weekend before there are many celebrations in the form of carnivals, parades and the typically stoic Germans cut loose and dress in all forms of costume. The biggest festivities take place on the Monday or Tuesday before Ash Wednesday with people taking off work (many have the day off... Germans take their holidays seriously!). Whole downtowns of cities and villages are closed off to traffic and temporary markets are set up selling everything from beer, wine, sausages and tasty pastries such as the famous Berliners (big donuts filled with jam or other fabulous fillings) to souvenirs and traditional German wear such as lederhosen. The very first worldwide "carnival" was held in Cologne, Germany in 1823.</div>
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The boys and I were lucky to be invited to one such festivity last Tuesday in Leonberg. It is a city about 20 minutes north of us. They were hosting their 124th Pferdemarkt (Horse Market) and Fasching parade along with a carnival and horse & buggy competition. The streets were closed down and some areas were lined with horses to buy and sell. Most seemed like big sturdy work horses but there were also miniature ponies. The weather was pretty miserable but bad weather doesn't stop the hearty Germans from celebrating and it didn't stop us. We "braved" the weather for about an hour before the parade and sampled some yummy treats and watched some of the horse & buggy competition. Then we retreated to our friend's business (a pretty, old converted apartment) right on the corner of all the action, 2 stories up. Perfect view, warm & cozy and our hostess had lots of treats including Berliners and sparkling wine (sekt) for the adults.</div>
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Below are a few picts from our day. Peter got in the spirit and wore his NASA astronaut costume! Many of the photos are people dressed up as witches. I think traditionally people dressed in mask to scare away the "evil" winter spirits to usher in the spring. I think today these people (men & women) dressed as witches belong to wine clubs. Each village has their own club/society and wine and you can tell where they are from by their costumes. I am not sure at what age you may join but when you are younger you have no mask. You somehow earn it and then a hand-carved mask made especially for the occasion is bestowed upon you in a ceremony. I am not completely clear on all this and will have to confirm with a friend who may have more knowledge on this. Anyways, these witches were fascinating to see and many of them "scare" and chase some of the parade viewers along the sidelines and make mischief like messing up your hair or providing tiny cups of their wine for the adults and candy tossed to children.</div>
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A few picts are random of the brand new McDonalds built a few miles from us. Yippee! This was on Peter's "Vacation To-Do List" as a treat. Many of the McD's here have mini cafes inside, serving many types of coffee and espresso (Europeans *love* their coffee!) as well as various pastries all with real dishware. Also, many have various specials that are indicative of local cuisine. The Currywurst is some type of sausage/hot dog sliced up and served with a curry ketchup. This is extremely popular here and can be found at many stands serving sausages and pommes frites (french fries).<br />
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Also a random pict is Peter celebrating his first 100 days at school. I couldn't resist because he was so excited and he's just too cute!<br />
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Mike was out of the country for the 3rd week in a row so he missed our first Fasching. Apparently the Japanese don't realize the whole of Germany shuts down for this! ;) I am hoping the next vaca I report on will be a little more exciting with a family trip!<br />
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-64890663287900683702013-02-10T17:47:00.001+01:002013-02-10T17:49:02.051+01:00Wheeeeeee!We have a valley at the end of our street which, during the warmer months, is home to grazing cows, sheep and goats. On a good snow day, it's home to many families sledding down the steep hills. Yesterday was such a day and, while we did not have 2 feet of snow (or schnee as they say here) as did our Boston friends, we had plenty for some good runs. Everyone got in on the fun except for Marky who was happy just throwing snowballs and eating snow (hopefully no cow pies were hiding underneath!). This valley is literally steps away from our place and is about a 15 minute walk to the train station on the other side, including the walk thru the opposite neighborhood. Mike makes this walk to and from the train every day for work. The pictures don't do it justice but it really is very steep and very pretty. There are wonderful walking paths surrounding the valley and mini orchards. In the summer, if there is a breeze blowing our way, it smells like we are living on a farm. Eek! There is also a horse farm near the valley and it is not uncommon to see people riding horses on the pathways and up our street. Very surreal! Here's our first sledding adventure in Germy!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">(Click on picts to see larger slideshow.)</span></div>
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Dry run in the living room!</div>
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Looking down our street</div>
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Stairs at end of our street leading to valley.</div>
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Hmm... wonder why no one is using the wheelchair ramps?!</div>
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Sled hill - looking back at our neighborhood</div>
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These are genius and only 3 euro. Easy to carry!</div>
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All the kids have these and take them to school.</div>
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Sit on the scoop and hold the handle up with your</div>
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legs up off the ground. Easy stop - just put your feet down! </div>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-47475675090902458332013-02-07T14:15:00.003+01:002013-02-07T14:15:41.509+01:00The Fab, The Bad and The UGH-ly - List I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is where you will be like, "Thank GOD Jen did not choose to email us all this crap!" Yes, I will let you decide what to read, when you'd like to read it... or not.</div>
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For those who don't know, I am a List Girl. I have lists going all the time, on paper, and they are in various locations from my diaper bag (where everything but the kitchen sink truly does reside), to the car cupholders to the kitchen counter. I love my paper lists, some worn soft to where they are almost unreadable, and the satisfaction of crossing things off. I have no desire to use a list app or anything so technologically advanced. My lists help me keep my sanity and help my pea brain remember things.<br />
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One list I do online-only is usually called The Fab, The Bad and The Ugh-ly. I usually do this one with a group of girlfriends the day after some red carpet event - like the Oscars - where we review (trash!) the celebs in all their glory at the previous night's big event. You know, because we have any idea about fashion. But if Kelly Osbourne with purple-gray hair can be considered a Fashion Police gal, then so can I! But I digress.<br />
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I thought this list would be a great one to start here on my blog, giving you my opinion of the fab, the bad and the truly UGH-ly here in Germany. These are my opinions and perceptions only and may not be reality for everyone else here. But who cares about everyone else... you are here reading about US! ;) This list will pop up now and again to give you my "inside scoop" on all things here in Deutschland. It will be a far cry from Rick Steves' Europe but it might be a bit more entertaining. :)<br />
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So, here's LIST I - (don't worry, they all won't be this long in the future. This is a several-month compilation!)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">THE FAB</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>New friends. This is the most fab of all. I have been so fortunate to make friends from truly all over the world. We made several American friends at the hotel we stayed at the first month we were here. And Peter's international school has afforded me great opportunities for meeting friends and being a part of a wonderful community. I have found that there are so many of us in the same boat... away from home - wherever that may originally be - looking for someone to share experiences with in our new home. And many new German friends are more than happy to have us here and help us with our new surroundings!</li>
<li>Bakeries. If you think Starbucks locations are out of control in America, you should see the bakeries here. There's one literally every few steps you take as well as set up in many stores - grocery and otherwise. Fresh breads, pretzels and an assortment of delicious baked goodies wherever you go! Everything I've tried (and I've tried almost everything!) is wonderful. Maybe I should put this on my "bad" list as I am going to turn into Jabba the Hut soon if I don't gain some control of my eating here!</li>
<li>Beer and wine. So many varieties, most of which are sooo good. The grocery store has many aisles devoted to their booze and I still have no idea how to choose. But it's all dirt cheap (seriously! about 3-4 euro for a bottle of nice wine!) so no hurt in trying. Again... not great for the waistline here. Our fave: Ulmer Gold Ochsen Kellerbier naturtrüb. A great pils!</li>
<li>German food. Sometimes. The sausages, pretzels and german potato salad are fabulous but can get old fast for someone used to a more expanded diet. You get potato salad with just about everything. Mike and I ordered a big green salad to share and guess what was hiding underneath the lettuce?! I am not making this up.</li>
<li>Italian food. Mama mia I am in heaven! There are many bonafide Italian establishments here serving pizza and pasta. Most places are run by true Italians and the food is usually cheap and amazing. This I will miss when we move back!</li>
<li>Cheap food. I have to say while most everything else here is ungodly expensive with a 19% tax ($1.29 = 1.00 € ), most of the food and groceries are very reasonable if not cheap.</li>
<li>The scenery. Just breathtaking in this area for the most part. Many times when driving thru the country I hear Julie Andrews in my head singing, "The hills are alive with the Sound of Music!" And sometimes I sing this out loud, much to everyone's dismay.</li>
<li>Taking responsibility for oneself! What a notion! Coming from Sue Happy America to a place where you are expected to follow the rules and just use plain 'ol common sense is just a breath of fresh air I must say. There are not warnings stamped on every little thing (no Caution: coffee hot!) and no liability waivers to sign every time you want to do something! When in Germany, Use Your Noggin! I like it.</li>
<li>Public transportation. There are many types of trains running pretty much everywhere here and they are almost always on time. It does not cost much to ride and are the cleanest modes of transportation I've ever seen. Nary a gum wrapper or window smudge. No stale smell of urine. Truly a treat for getting around. And of course, Peter - who has been obsessed with trains before he could even speak in sentences - is in heaven as is little Mark who loves everything big brother does.</li>
<li>Walking! You think I'm joking but I'm not. For someone who can't run a block to save her life, I have to say I do enjoy walking. There are amazing pathways literally all around us, thru all the fields and cities here. You can walk or bike on them and I can't wait for it to warm up so Marky and I can get the baby jogger out and walk off some of those German baked goods! And actually there is a ton of walking to be done here since that's the best way to get to the trains and around the city. This is a very walk/bike friendly area. Peter has become quite the explorer and loves to lead the way!</li>
<li>Energy conservation. This is actually cool. Lights don't come on in the parking garage or some other areas until it senses motion. Escalators don't move until you walk up to use them. Pretty neat.</li>
<li>The Honor System! Germans on the whole seem to be quite the honest group. Crime is very low here and many things are done "on your honor" such as the train system. When you go to ride a train there are no guards, no turnstiles, etc. You are expected to purchase a ticket from the platform self-serve vending machines for your input destination. Once in a while, after the train starts moving, a plain-clothes agent will announce for everyone to show their tickets (or yearly pass). If you don't have one, you pay a hefty fine!</li>
<li>Crime. As I've said, the crime rate is very low here, especially violent crime. Young kids walk to school, ride the trains, busses, etc. all by themselves. Mothers do not hover over their children on the playgrounds. In general, people behave as they should and it is not acceptable to do otherwise. It definitely makes what we see in the American news seem so much worse. I don't know if we just got desensitized seeing it on our nightly news or if it's just living in a society where people "behave" for the most part but it is very different here and it feels good.</li>
</ul>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">THE BAD</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>TP - as in toilet paper. Comes on small, narrow roles and is very "sturdy". Think more of generic paper towels. No Charmin to squeeze here! But it comes in an amazing array of colors and prints. I will have to scan some and post online. Not comfy but it sure is pretty!</li>
<li>Food. As in lack of variety. While there are some wonderful foods here I do miss mexican (taco night was a staple in our house!) and beef. We don't eat alot of beef but when you don't have it at all, you want it. I would love a steak! They do have ground beef here. Usually it is mixed with pork. You can by it without, however what cow this is coming from I have no clue because it smells and tastes disgusting to me.</li>
<li>Our refrigerator. It is about the size of a good dorm-room fridge. I shop almost every day. This is also due in part to the fact that milk comes in small liter cartons and doesn't last very long. Also the fruits and veggies go bad fast and need to be consumed almost immediately. Our freezer can hold the equivalent of 6 little Lean Cuisines (if they even had stuff like that here). We are going to get a larger fridge/freezer for the basement.</li>
<li>Grocery shopping. It is both a wonderment and great disappointment and I can't imagine I will ever like doing it here. If you want variety, stay in the U.S. Unless we're talking about beer, wine, cheese and anything sausage / pork. Then you've got aisles of it! Seriously.</li>
<li>Grocery bagging - WE are the baggers! The lane clerk sits in a comfy chair while ringing items and unceremoniously throwing them down your way. All the while you (me) are frantically trying to bag everything before she is done and starts throwing the next guy's stuff at you. This is especially frazzling when a certain 2-year old decides he is "done" with sitting in the cart and a stoic German behind you is staring like you are mad.</li>
<li>Update on the above... got some great advice! Just throw the stuff back in the cart and bag it back at your car at your leisure. Genius! Definitely saves on the nerves. Plus I always forget my stupid bags in the car anyways.</li>
<li>Grocery Bags - bring your own or you will get charged 10-25 cent euro per bag you take. You are expected to bring your own reusable bags, hand-held baskets, whatever. I always keep a stash in my car. But should not be totally in the Bad List as it's great for the environment and seems silly to use so many plastic bags in supermarkets back home.</li>
<li>No Free Carts! Any store that has them will allow you to use them... for 1 euro. Insert your euro coin to unlock the cart. It is returned to you when you return the cart and lock it back into another. This ensures all carts are returned in a proper order and not left in the parking garage. No grabbing someone's cart when they're done unloading at their car or you're stealing their euro!</li>
<li>Customer Service. It is almost non-existent here. The Customer is always wrong, in the way and a real bother!</li>
<li>Travel by car. The bad part, people drive like maniacs. But not as bad as the Italians who are all Mario Andrettis on the road. Actually, I am getting used to this and have somewhat reverted back to my old road demon ways. Watch out folks!</li>
<li>Windows (and Patio Doors). As far as construction, I've never seen better. Completely air-tight. And most windows are large and let alot of light in. But now the Bad part. They have no screens! You can open it inwards at a slant so just the top is open. Or you can swing the window all the way open like a door. And they are like that *everywhere* including the top floors of hotels and office buildings! I was shocked when I saw this and also horrified when I saw Marky ambling over towards an open window several stories up when we first arrived. Now we are used to it and amazingly (knock on wood) we rarely see bugs in the house. Then again, we haven't been here a full summer yet. As far as safety... it's part of the "Fab" thing I like... responsibility for you and yours. (I know the Grandmas are dying when they read this one! Sorry! I promise I do keep an eye on the kids!)</li>
<li>Metal Window covers. Every window and patio door has this here. Think NYC shopkeepers. Each window has a pulley located next to it in the house. During the day, you roll up the "blinds". At night, you roll them down. It makes alot of noise. When we first moved here I would hear this strange rumbling sound off and on around dusk every night. It's the sound of everyone "rolling up the sidewalks" for the night as my friend Trish says. Or in this case, rolling down the blinds.</li>
</ul>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">THE UGH-LY</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>No A/C here! Almost anywhere including grocery stores, hotels... OUR HOUSE. When you are sweating outside and walk thru the automatic doors of a building you expect to go, "Aaaahhh! Lovely A/C!" Ah, nooo. Instead you walk into a wall of stifling humidity and feel all the air has been sucked out of the place. Most places have windows wide open which does pretty much nothing except let bugs in. See above for the deal about windows.</li>
<li>SMOKING! Ick! It is *everywhere* and I swear we'll all get lung cancer thru second-hand smoke! There is no longer smoking indoors but all the wonderful little outdoor patios are filled with smokers. Also people walk around, ride bikes, etc. while smoking. At IKEA there was a closed-off glass "house" area in the food court where people could sit inside and smoke with their meal. And they were *children* inside! Smoking definitely does not carry the stigma it does in the U.S. I see people pushing baby buggies, holding a child's hand, etc. while smoking. Terrible.</li>
<li>Toilets. If you think the TP is bad wait to you see the commode. It has almost no water in the bowl. Seriously, maybe like 6 tablespoons. There are 2 buttons on the back. One for a "small" flush and one for a "large" flush. This is to conserve water. But since there is no water in the bowl, sometimes you have to do a "large" flush 90 times to get the job done right. And how that is conserving water, I do not know.</li>
<li>Lines. Or lack thereof. This truly pushes my buttons. For a country of such rule-followers, that prides itself on being so orderly, I am always amazed at how freaking *rude* the Germans are when it comes to standing in a line. It just doesn't happen. Unless you're at the ATM or grocery. They are actually quite respectful at the ATM machines. At the grocery store if they have lanes sectioned, then they just have no choice but to be in a line. Otherwise, it is a giant free-for-all and it does not matter where you are - store, mall, elevator, etc. - you and your children *will* be bowled over by any and all Germans who wish to be served *at that minute*. In many ways over here, it is survival of the fittest!</li>
<li>Garbage. The Germans are absolute fanatics when it comes to recycling. It is second nature now, but we have to sort *everything* and put it in the proper bins. For anything glass, we have to take it to one of the neighborhood bins in the city. Luckily there is one a few blocks away in our neighborhood we can walk to on a nice day. As far as "regular" garbage... we have one tiny bin out by the curb that fits about 2-1/2 kitchen sized garbage bags. And they don't pick up often. For a family of four, one still in diapers which can fill up the trash quickly, this is a major pain! I end up putting filled trash bags in the garage and then placing them near the bin on trash morning. This is fine since it's cold out but I'm guessing that will be quite the stink when it's summer! Back home we had 2 recycling bins and two large trash bins that got picked up *weekly*.</li>
<li>Germany is a *terrible* place for disabled people, meaning those in wheelchairs or walkers, etc. There are lots of stairs everywhere with very few ramps built for wheelchair - or in my case, stroller! - access. In most places, they have 2 metal bars put over the stairs. This is the wheelchair (stroller) access. I call them "death ramps". They are placed apart so a wheel can fit on either side. This is the most horrifying thing I've ever seen as if you have a huge flight of steep stairs, how in the *world* are you supposed to go down or up the metal ramp in a wheelchair?! You would go *flying* down the ramp and there's no possible way you can make it up and would end up flying down backwards. With the stroller, I have to hold on with one hand on the stroller and the railing with the other. With the jogger, the same only I have that 3rd middle wheel I have to keep up off the stairs. Crazy! If both Mike and I are together, then we usually pick up the stroller or jogger and carry it with Marky in it. Or sometimes Marky will walk the stairs while I carry the folded carriage down. Also, many of the shops I've been into are tall and narrow with stairs leading to a second floor... and no elevator.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JH7nJPstbRKDgxA17epjZtr6hyphenhyphengobd_dFVh-loMqo2n7zq-W2kq-B4kf4DCXLpxYWcV83WUzKEZX0LRD2cgsFioPFPRrHPqjmKPToC27sMuFKWOXLx6qJ4dpfs6mB8LelVRmmDBAFrB0/s1600/ramp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JH7nJPstbRKDgxA17epjZtr6hyphenhyphengobd_dFVh-loMqo2n7zq-W2kq-B4kf4DCXLpxYWcV83WUzKEZX0LRD2cgsFioPFPRrHPqjmKPToC27sMuFKWOXLx6qJ4dpfs6mB8LelVRmmDBAFrB0/s320/ramp1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Metal ramp on left. Concrete ramp built in on right.</span></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>And last, but not least...</b></span> the truly truly TRULY ugh-ly... NO TARGET!!! Poor poor me. There is no such thing as one-stop-shopping here. Oh I miss my Target!</li>
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Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-19832644666866316262012-11-05T13:48:00.000+01:002012-11-05T13:48:31.997+01:00Take *that* GPS!Hurrah! I just got Marky and I home from the store - a 15-20 min expressway drive - *without GPS*!!! Woo hoooo! I know, I sound like a complete moron. But you come for a drive over here and you'll be congratulating me too! ;)<br />
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I am usually pretty good with directions but over here I am completely clueless and constantly disoriented. Nothing seems to be laid out on a grid. All roads are like - no pun intended - a pretzel. They go up, down, in and out of tunnels, around and around. You get the gist. There seems to be no true East/West, North/South. In fact, the highways usually don't state a direction. Instead of taking I-94 West or I-75 South, you drive towards a particular city destination. This can be especially confusing when you don't know the lay of the land. And the tunnels... you go in one way but there may be various outlets... which to choose?!<br />
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So far GPS has been my closest friend here. Or, Junie B. Jones as Peter calls "her", our GPS lady guide with a strange British accent. But I have to say I relish the small victories I have without Junie B. Some days it feels like I will never be without her here, that I will never ever ever figure out which way to go on my own. Other days, like today, I feel a small glimmer of hope. I just might be able to figure this big pretzel out!<br />
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Anyways, boring topic. Sorry. But that's my big news for today folks!<br />
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Visit me tomorrow where you can learn all about everyday stuff here in Germany. This past week I've been compiling a list. A very loooong list. I had bronchitis last week and am *finally* starting to get over it. Not being able to sleep great, I sat up and sipped hot tea and started my list of the Fab, the Bad and the UGH-ly here. So if you're bored and have time, stop by and read it. Or read it in small chunks so your eyes don't glaze over and fall out of your head!<br />
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Hope all are well and having a good driving day. With or without your GPS friend. :)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">(Here are a couple of picts that show typical roads and scenery in our immediate area. I pulled these from Yahoo Images but will post some of my own soon. Stuttgart is very beautiful... in a deep valley surrounded by office buildings and residences bizarrely intertwined with farms and vineyards. We are up from the valley, altitude level about 1400 ft.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxjtPevjleY3jECgrk05yNpKOWgItz6r94I_1rY-AI37DvviaD09Vy9nyo4hDv9A5JE7gbXq6xtBqHgrsMFgM0z0l1YWy6wEOROhkjdbRTi9VgaN_FEAHQuWzTCCPHdCauCpbp6Xz6Xp_/s1600/road3.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxjtPevjleY3jECgrk05yNpKOWgItz6r94I_1rY-AI37DvviaD09Vy9nyo4hDv9A5JE7gbXq6xtBqHgrsMFgM0z0l1YWy6wEOROhkjdbRTi9VgaN_FEAHQuWzTCCPHdCauCpbp6Xz6Xp_/s320/road3.tiff" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We live very close to the Stuttgart Airport. I was on these roads today.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-92114282657186009792012-11-01T14:45:00.001+01:002012-11-01T14:45:05.203+01:00Happy Halloween!Halloween in Germany is, hmmm... how should I word this... still developing. Most stores had a tiny - as in maybe one kiosk - display of Autumn/Halloween things like felt leaf cutouts, plastic fangs and maybe a few scary window clings and black capes. Halloween candy as we know it was pretty much non-existent as far as I could see. I had been told otherwise but then again, many people who are affiliated with the military have access to the Commissary on base which has all things American.<br />
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Peter did get a little bit of Halloween fun in at his Cub Scouts meeting on base Monday evening. It wasn't much but my sweet Pete made the most of it and had a fun time with his scout buddies. Thankfully, I brought his NASA astronaut costume from last year with us and he wore that and looked awesome, if I do say so myself.<br />
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I did buy some candy (don't think Costco here!) to have just in case. We were told that "the Germans" know where the Americans live and will come begging for candy. What gives us away? Our Target Halloween clings in the windows?! Well, we did get some trick-or-treaters. 4 to be exact. All together in the same group. Mike's coworker friend lives a couple buildings away and brought his 2 kids and 2 of their friends. They were all dressed up "scary" but I don't think they completely understood the premise. 2 kids had tiny plastic bags that looked like they could maybe hold 10 mini candy bars. The other 2 kids had nothing! Luckily, part of the Halloween goodies we received from the boys' grandmas had a few little bags so I gave those to the boys without.<br />
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So, as far as I can see Halloween is still very much an American holiday!<br />
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We *did* do something fall-ish and Halloween-ish this past weekend. We drove about 40 min north to the Ludwigsburg Palace. This is a gorgeous Baroque palace built around 1704 that amazingly survived WWII. Each year they have the world's largest Pumpkin Festival on their massive and beautiful garden grounds. There is a different theme every year - from the Jurassic era to creatures of the oceans. This year was a tad lame, in my opinion... it was all about Switzerland. I think the young ones (and me, I have to say!) would rather see dinos and whales built out of gourds. Anyways, they have around 500,000 pumpkins, 450 varieties and pumpkin-inspired tasty treats and drinks. Unfortunately, the weather was miserable. We had just gotten snow and the temps were just above freezing. We did have a good time despite this and hope to return next year, possibly earlier in the season with more fall-like weather. Also can't wait to tour the inside of the palace... a great winter "indoors" activity, as well as tour the fabulous gardens in the summer.<br />
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Below are some picts of our Fall adventures. If you click on one pict, I think a slideshow pops up on screen to allow you to flip thru them larger. :)<br />
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<br />Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-6838253245984958092012-10-27T22:52:00.001+02:002012-10-27T23:21:56.193+02:00I'm Dreaming of a White... Halloween?!There are few things that surprise me. Really and truly surprise me. But when I opened the blinds this morning I was amazed to see everything covered in white. It looked as if it had been snowing for some time and it hasn't stopped all day. Heavy, wet, "packing" snow. Last Saturday it was uncharacteristically in the 70's and I was actually too warm wearing jeans and a long sleeve T. What a change! Thank goodness we finally got our "real" car (a Ford Kuga - like the U.S. Ford Escape) after 3 months of a rental (things move slowly over here) that came equipped with mandatory snow tires. And it's an automatic! After struggling on some of the steep hills here with a manual trans I shudder to think what it would be like in the snow and ice! Well, without further ado... here's picts of the boys this morning in our backyard enjoying our first snowfall of the year in Germany!<br />
(I am just learning how to blog so bear with me on the crummy format!)<br />
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<br />Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2992844738965653762.post-66361035412141219592012-10-21T20:13:00.001+02:002012-10-27T23:37:36.808+02:00Adventures in Deutschland<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello friends and family!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This blog will attempt to give you a glimpse into our "adventures" in Germany. The fab, the bad and the ugh-ly. In case you didn't get the title "From Birmie to Germy"... it's a tongue-in-cheek reference to our hometown Birmingham, Michigan (or Birmie as my buddy Beth P calls it) and Germy... Germany. Mike coined the "From Birmie to Germy" phrase here which cracks me up.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought about doing the blog for a couple of reasons. One, to keep a journal of sorts of our time here in Deutschland. Two, to let you all check in on us if you like without my sending you all too-long, rambling emails and clogging up your inbox with picts.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please come back and visit us here on our blog. And, as always, the door is open! We have a large 3rd floor guest room with private bath and balcony. Sound luxurious here? You should see our fridge. If you've ever watched an episode of House Hunters International, you will know what I'm talking about.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We miss you all and hope this will be a place where we can connect occasionally.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much love,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jen, Mike, Peter and Mark :)</span></span></div>
Jen Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02977950883317105000noreply@blogger.com3