Denial

can be is such a happy place, until . . .

~ I don't own a full length mirror, in fact the mirror I use is pretty much good for seeing only what a headshot would show and the lighting is bad. This might explain a lot to anyone who sees me with regularity. Now you know. But when pregnant, I find this hugely beneficial to my daily mental health! When I do actually get full length passing glimpses of myself in glass doors or what not, I get a good laugh because breaking into tears in public is too much effort. Especially if it's one of the two days I did my makeup that week, hence being in public!

~ A dear friend is moving soon and it's a good thing she had me calendar regular get-togethers leading up to her departure so I'm not as big of a remorseful basket case as I could be in a few weeks!

~ I recently checked out a BBC series called "Muzzy" for the kids from the library. It was highly recommended on a homeschooling blog I read sometimes. It's a cartoon that's used in schools often for language learning and so I got the one in German. McKay will sit and translate the German one for us and it's been amazing to see how much he's absorbed at his school although I've rarely heard him speak German to his friends or teachers beyond a word or two. I was telling him tonight how smart he was and that he could try to speak more German to his friends and teachers since he knew so much - more than anyone in our family and could learn so much more by trying more. He just looked at me and said, "Yeah, I can do it cuz I'm smarter than you." He's already been correcting my accent recently when I've been listening to and having to repeat phrases aloud. Mr. Smarty Pants!

~ Everyone in this house is ready to potty train Morgan except me. For heaven's sake, she told Easton she needed to use the toilet and he started helping her to the bathroom so I had to take over. I'm just not ready until our next trip is over because it's a burden I'm unable to hand over to anyone while I'm off galavanting. However, Morgan has now shown she can do it and I'm all for celebrating the moment . . . but I will totally be buying more diapers tomorrow to restock the depleted supply.

~ What's one more cookie to a pregnant lady anyhow. Expandomatic pants are your friend and you can't tell me any different!

~ Preparing to leave my home and babies for eight days didn't have me scrambling to pack the night before. No, it had me obsessed with going on a family bike ride and ice cream stop so that if something happened to me and Ryan, our kids would have a fun family memory of our last evening together. The hills of our surroundings are nothing like the flat landscape of our blissful Netherlands family ride and my bike seat had me feeling it for many days to follow! Did I mention I'm six months pregnant?! And at one point Easton was in tears refusing to go on the hills were too much. The packing scramble happened in the three hours before we left the following day. I really don't know how Ryan puts up with me! I think it might be my enchiladas, but many days I'm truly stumped.

~ While taking one of my kids to a friend's house to apologize for and return his first ever stolen goods, my friend's kids got home from their school bus upset. Her son had been treated very badly on the bus and kids had been watching some really bad R rated movies on their portable electronics. It was just the latest for them but I was suddenly very grateful we have to drive Easton to and from school -- no matter how many naps my younger kids will be woken from or not be put down for even though my sanity takes a beating.

~ The kids are fascinated with my growing belly, especially the belly button spread. While laughing at my button, McKay noticed a few of my silvery stretch marks around my button and he asked what they were. I told him it's where the skin has had to stretch a lot to let the baby grow, but that that particular one was from him when he was in my tummy. Usually delighted by any feeling of power he has over us, he totally surprised me when his eyes got real big and he asked if it hurt me and he kissed it.

~ Walking some ruins and villages in Greece showed me I am sufficiently pregnant enough to be a bit tipsy. I can't just hike to the top of the Acropolis and not be huffing, puffing and snapping at a kind husband asking a simple question about my preferences because my prego clothes don't breathe and "I got hot!" When I thought going up was a challenge, going down proved far more precarious than planned since my body and feet didn't communicate well. Balance, what's that? I hope it comes back!

~ Easton's almost ready to lose one of his top front teeth. He will enter that cute and awkward stage of in-be-tween and I'm not ready. Every time I look at that loose tooth that Ryan desperately has wanted to pull for over a week now, I send that tooth some serious happy thoughts to hang in there for this momma who wants her baby to never grow up.

~ Eating out sounds so nice because I won't have to cook or clean it up. But having to sit up and eat properly over my plate on a table with a belly in the way makes me wish I could be reclining on cushions, hand fed by servants if I'm going to bother with the whole business.

~ While on our last trip, Ryan and I were eating and actually having a conversation because there were no children demanding our attention. We got talking about world affairs and Brazil at one point. Ryan was expounding on it's government and economy during the time of his mission and how it's been changing when I did the math. It's almost been 20 years since he was there! That totally knocked our socks off! Ahhh, seems like only yesterday . . .

I've always joked with Ryan about how he lives in his own little reality but I'm finding that more and more I'm really the one who is in need of a reality check! But I love my bubble.

Greek Island of Santorini

We took the 8 hour ferry to the island of Santorini. You can also fly into Santorini’s tiny airport or take a faster 5 hour ferry. It left first thing in the morning and Ryan’s nose for navigation once again saved our bacon! We got right on the metro strait to the harbor no problem but then once at the harbor we weren’t sure which direction to go. There were a number of ferries and they weren’t well signed/marked. You essentially had to walk up the boat to read it’s electronic reader board or have a numbered harbor map. Not a good scenario in a time crunch.

We hiked up all the stairs in the ferry to get what we thought would be a nice scenic spot up top within the glass enclosure to enjoy the ride. Once the ferry got going, it sure was cold and windy up there! After an hour or two of reading and shivering, I decided to go indoors and see if I could find somewhere to thaw. Ryan joined me later. Even though the ferry was very big, everyone was still off-balance as they moved about the boat. It was real odd to be running into things with the boat shifting under my feet! Guess my sea legs aren’t up to par. Ryan got restless just sitting for 8 hours, that's not his cup of tea!

When we arrived at Santorini docks below central Fira, we snagged a bus up to the main bus stop. Then we discovered that the next bus south to Akrotiri where our B&B was located wasn’t for another hour and a half so Ryan astutely grabbed a cab. We heard from fellow travelers at breakfast the next morning that they had waited for the bus and it had dropped them a good mile down the winding hill of our B&B which they had no idea how to get to. I still haven’t figured out how they found the B&B!

Even though it was probably 60 degrees, Ryan had to try the pool. There was an Australian couple at the pool and he let Ryan know it was not for the faint of heart, but in Ryan went! Ryan didn’t last long and then we were off to find food. Wouldn’t you know we found a Mexican restaurant and that sounded good?! Senor Zorbas – had a beautiful view, a yummy chicken chimichunga with fresh sides and Ryan’s favorite dish ended up being the spicy chili and virgin pina coloda. We ate there another couple times before the end of our stay since we haven’t found a decent Mexican joint in Stuttgart yet.

Apanemo B&B, Akrotiri was a quiet, very friendly and helpful B&B with a fantastic view of the Caldera. Breakfast consisted of choices of fresh breads and spreads, deli meat and cheese, as well as fresh plain Greek yogurt that we drizzled with honey and sliced canned peaches. By now we were getting a real taste for that Greek yogurt although this stuff had a stronger flavor than the Athens hotel buffet. Our room was very spartan and comfortable, but not inspiring for a romantic getaway. The individual beds were about the size of a good-sized cot and we joked about me falling off when I did my prego midnight rollovers. Good thing they were low to the ground! We loved having our private terrace with a beautiful view of the Caldera. Here's the Caldera (crater), an active volcano.

I think the island of Santorini could be adequately enjoyed in 24 hours. Ryan liked that we spent 4 days there and what we did. [My internal travel clock still operates on a four-day getaway maximum. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a mom or if it’s just me.] Here’s my suggestion: Arrive by air or by sea and get to Oia {pronounced Ee-yah} to take your time meandering and taking pictures of the amazing views, enjoy the sunset with 1,000 strangers and grab a nice evening dessert or meal at some terrace restaurant with a great view. If you have a good chunk of another day to play, it’s fun to rent a car to drive around the island and see all the beaches and villages. Lots of tourists chose to rent 4-wheelers to see portions of the island. I know the beaches on the eastern coast of the island cater to the party and dancing scene which a friend said her and her husband really enjoyed, but that's not us so it wasn’t on our itinerary.

Santorini is on many cruise itineraries and there were usually 3 liners in the Caldera each day. It was interesting to see these fat sitting ducks trying to stay in one spot while their patrons enjoyed the sights.

Cruise ships use a separate dock than we came into. The cruise day trippers have three choices up the cliffside: pay to ride a funicular car up, pay to ride one of these donkeys up the switchback path, or hoof it behind the donkey train and enjoy their rear view and stench.

Southern coast of Santorini.

These tiny Greek Orthodox churches with manicured rock and shrub gardens dotted the island.

Pregnant profile 26 weeks.

A strong wind blew in with us for a few days and hampered our desire to sit and soak up the sun so we drove around the island and beach hopped. The Perissa and Kamari beach fronts were still grooming themselves for high season manicuring the sand, painting tables and chairs, and repairing thatched umbrellas. It was kind of nice to see them quiet and peaceful with less skin. The small pebbles of this beach were not my favorite for a leisure stroll! Ouch!

A mansion home with a lot of land. Check out the evergreen tree with the branches' needles pointing up like they defy gravity and soak up as much of that direct sunlight as possible.

Oia [pronounced Ee-ya]

I told Ryan I really hoped this trip would be an actual vacation and he delivered! We got some good sun without being in sweltering heat and crowds. I read two books on this trip alone! We got massages and pedicures – yup, Ryan too! It was his first pedicure. As the ladies set to work scrubbing and pruning our ragged feet, Ryan had serious misgivings. "This is considered relaxing?!" he kept saying. But then he got a darn good massage and was a whole new man. We've got a convert folks!

We spent a lot of time in Oia. It's so picturesque that you want to stop and take pictures every couple of steps. There's a main pedestrian lane lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants with fabulous views. Here's one of our favorites because of the beautiful terrace view, kind jovial proprietor, sweet young waiter and simple good food.

Ryan's kantaifi, a sweet nut and honey treat.

White-washers were very busy keeping the stark white of the village gleaming.

Northern tip of Oia with the classic windmill.

Dusk looking from Oia to Fira.

We really pampered ourselves the last day by staying in a cave apartment in Oia with our own terrace jacuzzi. It was a nice private alcove out of the wind so we actually sunbathed and just relaxed for an entire afternoon. It was lovely! I have to say, by the end, my fingernails and hands regained a youthful glow again. Who knew such a break from my daily routines of dish and diaper duty could work such miracles!

But all good things must come to an end. The man we rented a car from in Akrotiri gave us a ride back to the docks to catch the 5 hour ferry to Athens. In the 15 minute ride, he gave us an earful of his thoughts on Greece and the EU and specifically Greece's relationship with Germany. Essentially, he said the EU is great for the strong economies and devastating for the smaller economies where locally-owned shops die as the bigger consumer chains from stronger economies take root. For instance, all the grocers and so forth. No more occupying armies like times past, the EU meant economic imperialism to him. There were a lot of unfinished homes and buildings on Santorini due to the world economic crisis. This island's economy is based on tourism and a smidge of agricultural products - cherry tomatoes, honey, wine, olive oil. It was interesting hearing his perspective.

And then to Athens to catch the New Acropolis Museum before our flight home . . .

Athens, Greece

View of the Acropolis' Parthenon from the roof of our hotel.

When our long-sought Mediterranean cruise’s pregnancy policy derailed our spring vacation plans, Ryan quickly set about planning a trip to Greece to replace it. We left Easton with his best friend from school while McKay and Morgan were at their cousins.

We came perilously close to missing our flight because of a 2 ½ hour stau on the autobahn between Stuttgart and Munich. Instead of taking the usual 2 hours to get to Munich, it took us 4 ½ hours! But as Ryan likes to say of the experience, “The autobahn was almost the reason we missed our flight, but it’s also the reason we made our flight!” Ryan doesn’t usually need a reason to speed down the autobahn, but it’s no fun to watch the clock ticking with so much ground to cover! Tamsyn graciously met us at the airport so we could hand over our van and children before sprinting to our flight that happened to have a short delay. PHEW! She’s always saving our bacon or feeding us well!

Our two hour flight to Athens allowed us to watch almost all of the 1964 Anthony Quinn classic, “Zorba the Greek.” It was fun to have that frame of reference throughout our trip with all the touristy clichés we came across. We took the train into Athens’ Monastiraki neighborhood at the northern base of the looming Acropolis to find our digs at the Plaka Hotel. What a great location near all the big sights we wanted to see, a great selection of restaurants, the trendy old Flea and antique market, a tasty breakfast buffet, and safe atmosphere!

Ryan does such a good job finding our accommodations! He reads reviews on tripadvisor and checks it against booking.com’s ratings and prices for these European destinations. When it’s just him and I we like to stay in hotels or B&Bs with a good breakfast. Then we waddle out for the day of site seeing only needing an afternoon snack and a hearty dinner.

Acropolis view from the ancient city at it's base, the Agora.

We spent the first day (Mother’s Day) at the ancient Acropolis with the infamous Parthenon followed by the Agora. The Parthenon was the temple built to Athena, their warrior goddess in Athens' hey day 'round bout 500B.C. We never figured out why, but the sites were totally free! YAHOO! I hadn’t previously realized that Mother’s Day is internationally observed, but the morning BBC news educated me and perhaps that's why sites were free. On the metro to the Acropolis, an older woman with her teenage daughter began chatting with me. At parting, she wished to share a traditional Greek saying to expectant mothers with me. She said it first in Greek and then translated it as, “Happy Freedom!” How fun is that?! A singer at our restaurant that evening said it another way, “Happy Liberation!” If there’s a succinct equivalent in English, I have yet to hear it and love it as much!

As we made the walk up to the Acropolis (from this lower vantage point at the base near the ancient theater to up and around the other ancient theater to the ancient main gate), I quickly discovered the warm sun and breeze were nice, but “I got HOT!” And not a little too cranky Ryan assured me. Oops! The combination of maternity over-the-belly panel pants and undergarment layers simply didn’t breath well together and carrying the baby uphill over some uneven paths just didn’t bring out my happy side. Ugh. My balance also isn’t so good these days and I had to constantly concentrate on where I was walking. I really didn’t plan my wardrobe well on this trip! I thought these pants would stay up better than my low rise pants that I’m always having to hitch up. I joked to Ryan that suspenders really needed to come into fashion for pregnant ladies. Oh, imagine how horrible that would look! Good grief! You’d think by now I’d have the maternity clothes thing down, but I didn’t account for an entire day of clear blue skies and the amount of direct sunshine really warming us up. Germany’s not so much like that!

Ryan scooted over to Mars Hill while my buffet-fed self waddled off to find water, a bathroom and cool off. We joined up to finish our ascent up the Acropolis through the main gate and admire the artistic and historical significance of where we stood. The columns were so beautiful!

Such amazing craftsmanship!

These ladies' hair and dress were each unique and I loved staring at the real ones in the New Acropolis museum.

The mighty Parthenon

Nerd Alert - My usual posture onsite with my trusty friend, the Rick Steves guidebook.

There was a symphony playing between the Acropolis and Mars Hill and a great soloist who sang Carmen. Then we headed down to the Agora - the ancient city where the people worked and lived.

Afterwards we headed back to the hotel for a little siesta before the surprise Skype call Ryan had lined up with the kids. What fun! The calls didn’t last long because they had more entertaining live diversions than a computer screen. But so fun to see them in all their craziness having fun too! I love my little people!

We had made dinner reservations at the Geros Toy Moria on the “restaurant steps” because we’d heard good things about the food and traditional Greek live music and dancing. The food was nothing special, but the music and dancing was fun! Some happy drunks nearby liked to holler “Oopa!” and one of the singers gave me some fresh little rosettes, wishing me a “Happy Liberation!” We ate fresh bread and butter, our first ever stuffed grape leaves (lamb, lemon, rice, garlic), and an empanada sort of appetizer. Ryan had bacon-wrapped shrimp while I had chicken souvlaki (chicken and peppers shish kebab) with rice and peas, carrots, potatoes. Ryan also tried their baklava for dessert and real fresh lemonade – unsweetened! Oiy!

Athens, Day 2-

The second day found us hitting the buffet breakfast late to enjoy some scrambled eggs, deli cheese and ham, mini croissants, hot chocolate, and fresh greek yogurt that we topped with honey and sliced peaches.

We made our way to the New Acropolis Museum at the base of the Acropolis but found it was closed on Mondays. It’d been a toss-up anyhow, so we simply headed to the Nat’l Archeology Museum and got a chance to navigate a less-than-direct way there. The museum didn’t open until 1:30 so we settled in at a café for a simple snack to bide our time in more comfy sofa chairs than the stone benches of the museum courtyard. I had the most delicious chocolate soufflé (lava cakes) a la mode! YUM! Apparently they're a common menu dessert because I had plenty more the rest of the week wherever we were!

The museum had a nice collection that our Rick Steves book led us through in a methodical portrayal of the evolution of statuary art from Archaic blocky to Hellenistic very-real-to-life statues. The Romans conquered the Greeks before Christ's birth but fell in love with their culture and arts. We saw a lot of burial treasures which had us both reflecting on what we really do take with us into the next life. It’s so interesting to see that societies really don’t change over time and the pursuit of material things is universal. Our rather Spartan apartment furnishings will never be mistaken for treasures, but our growing family of little munchkins and these opportunities to travel and learn about the world sure feel like the right path for us!

After the museum, we decided to walk back to our hotel’s neighborhood to get a feel for the city. Ryan’s radar didn’t fail us and as always he found a great bakery to try an assortment of baklavas which he absolutely loved. Not overly sweet, but fresh and nutty. Many wet wipes were required! Our walk took us down to Syntagma square which is the hub of modern Athens and it was interesting to learn that German king was installed here for a time and built his palaces whose grand expense angered the subjects. We watched the ---- saw the Parliament, old mansions converted into swanky hotels, and the high end shopping boulevard are there. We saw some great chocolate shops and I made Ryan suffer through a few kid’s clothing shops.

We stopped in at a tiny Byzantine church and realized it was just a block from our hotel. Our bodies had been walking at this point for 7+ hours and needed some R&R. I grabbed us some Starbucks hot chocolate (Ryan’s vacation staple sweet) and some more food from a favorite shop nearby to eat in our pjs in our room. I got the greek version of bruschetta and a chicken souvlaki wrapped in flat bread/pita with lettuce and tzitzaki (cucumber, garlic yogurt dip). Ryan was still full from all his sweets but devoured the spicy roasted pepper feta dip with flat bread. We headed to bed wicked early so we'd make it out the door in time for our 8 hour boat ride to the island of Santorini the next morning!

{Insert four days on Santorini Island detailed in the next post. But for the purpose of archiving, I’m putting the final day in Athens here.}

We returned to the Plaka Hotel for our last night and enjoyed the buffet breakfast one last time before catching the New Acropolis Museum at the base of the Acropolis. It opened just last year or two. We’re glad we’d seen the other major museum first. The new Acropolis Museum is beautiful, but seemed rather lacking in substance comparatively - except for the top level’s exhibit and movie. It really is true that you see most of Greece’s impressive ancient treasures in the national capitals of more recent powers! Greece actually built this museum with room to house some of those treasures in hopes that some will be returned. Ya hear that Rome, Spain, Paris, London, and Berlin? Especially you, London! They’ve got a big beef with you and your late Lord Eglin!

That said, I really enjoyed the movie about the Parthenon and the way the museum recreated its dimensions to scale on the museum’s top level and displayed remaining reliefs of their pantheon of Gods, the annual festival’s procession, and glorified battles. It gave me a better appreciation for what the Parthenon would have looked like back then.

And then we flew home uneventfully to collect our babies and kiss all over them! It was so classic to see Morgan ecstatically greet Easton! Oh she loves her oldest brother! From her seat which he had to pass entering the van, she stretched out her arms for hugs and kisses. He was too tired to appreciate her joy, but Ryan and I just soaked it up for him, totally in love with our family. While I fumbled to unlock our apartment, Easton pulled his cold and shivering brother, McKay, close to him and wrapped him in his coat with him. The super sweetness lasted a few days as we were all so happy to be together again!

Guten Wochenende!

What a nice, beautiful Saturday we had!

Ryan's had his car in the shop most of this week so we've all had to be out the door early to get everyone where they needed to be. It was so great to enjoy leisurely sleeping in before heading to McKay's last t-ball game of the season.

He always pulls his hat down and makes his ears stick out, it's so adorable!

This kid loves being in a uniform!

McKay enjoyed trying t-ball this spring. He had a nice coach who would play tag with the kids on the playground after practice. There were 14 kids on his team and each game consisted of two innings where everyone got to hit once. In the field, McKay always ended up scooting up near the pitcher's mound to be able to scramble after the ball. He liked playing in the dirt but didn't like all the standing around with direct sun beating down on him. These little kids are just too cute to watch but I will not miss a few smokin' screaming parents that henpecked their lil' boys. Yikes!

Easton endured the games, today enjoying a free comic book from the library.

This boy loves to read anywhere, anytime!

Morgan liked shelling peanuts and getting some lovin' from her Daddy!

She's such a tease!

We headed home for some lunch and I took a nice long nap. Oh I love a good Saturday nap! A thunderstorm blew in and when I woke up it was a gorgeous sunny evening. Ryan proposed we head to a simple little Italian beirgarten nearby and it was great to eat outside and let the kids play. They played tag, sat and watched birds, and enjoyed some fun Ring-Around-the-Rosies.

Bird watching.

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, right?

Ryan had the chance to hit the road with some buddies this weekend but decided on a day with his munchkins instead. I love, love, love this man! A friend's kid at church today asked his mom if Brother Carter got old! She was puzzled until she saw Ryan's new beard he grew while we were in Greece. We're going with "distinguised," not "old"! Look at that young flawless, sun-kissed skin and salt-n-pepper hair. I'm so lucky!

P.S. We've recently heard it looks pretty certain we're here for at least another year with Ryan's contract. YAHOO! I'm soooo glad I won't be moving right after having a baby again!

Morgan's Toddler 2's

Morgan is 2 1/2 and has us all wrapped around her finger! She's definitely trying to assert her independence and sheer will power more often than I am prepared to battle with but it's fun to see her vocabulary and interests growing each day!

Riding her "osee" on the rocky road.

While the kids are at school, Morgan lines up all the animals and babies in the house and has them talk to each other, rides in the stroller or baby-backpack, or take naps all wrapped up in blanket beds she makes for them. She likes to play with Legos too and help me cook. She's not fond of cleanup time or bathtime most recently and will stamp her foot and throw an arm down in defiance with a serious down-brow scowl. The only way I was able to trim her nails last night was to promise to paint her toes and fingers. A friend had done it to her a month ago and so I gave it a try one other time. This time however, she was so good at sitting still it was amazing to me. She adeptly straddles being girly and tomboy with ease - prefers pink anything when given a choice but runs to keep up with the boys in all their games and wanderings.

She has been trying to give up naps by singing the time away. Her aunt Tamsyn got some video last week of her singing over and over, "Mommy, Daddy a come" and variations of that at the top of her lungs. She's often singing little things she makes up with her limited vocabulary but we sure get a kick out of it in the car, at bedtime, or while she's off playing in her room alone. The best is when she's dancing to it too!

The kids are excited for the baby to come and will hug, kiss and even talk to my belly a little each day. Morgan tried to show the baby her picture from FHE the other night by putting it under my shirt. No serious public flashings to report yet, but I've still got three months left!

Morgan's favorite things to eat are berries, oatmeal, eggs, yogurt and peanuts or sometimes carrots and cucumbers. She always have to sit and have cereal with the boys in the morning, but usually only sips the milk out. Grrr. This also means she needs a different breakfast meal. When given something she likes, she'll immediately say, "I 'av-a-mr afa dis, wite a Mom?" translates to "I'll have more after this, right Mom?" But if she doesn't like what I offer . . .

Doing Battle

"I hun-we, Mom!" is her anthem. I give her two choices which she screams at me for and I walk away telling her no food until she says sorry and picks one of those choices. Right now it is my most aggravating repeated battle with her every day. She'll finally give in and make a selection within ten minutes and sometimes the tantrum goes on that long or she loses interest and goes to play. My favorite is when she'll be an angel in a waiting room until I'm just sitting down to talk to a doctor and she'll start her tantrum in that moment. ARGH! Where did my angel go?!

She hates being in her car seat and is always wiggling out or undoing the top buckle of the harness. Her other power trip is to take off her shoes and refuse to put them back on. She knows how to put them on for the most part and I have to talk myself off a ledge and remind myself she's only 2 and hungry/tired during our usual car outings to the school or practices.

Greetings and Partings!

For Easton, she says "Bye, See-See" and then puckers up for her kiss which he is always so sweet to give her. For "a-Kay", it's the same ritual.The boys have to pass her car seat on the way out so she's always assured her parting kiss which is just adorable! When she's reunited with one of her brothers, she runs to him and hollers his name before she puckers up again for her kiss whether it's in front of his class, school or just in the van. And people giggle at her spirited greetings every time. So fun!

When Ryan leaves for work in the morning she says, "Bye Daddy, a-snuggew me a' home?" ensuring he promises to snuggle her when he gets home. The boys can't compete with that cuteness and isn't that why 2 yr olds are so adorable?! They all have to get their snuggle/tickle time in with Dad each night or their day is incomplete. It usually buys me time finishing dinner rather uninterrupted so I can't complain any!

Our FHE attempts haven't been so hot recently but I had an idea last Sunday. I wanted the boys to listen to the prophet's talk about temples. Ryan was a little leery since it was 20 minutes long, but I had a plan. I gave everyone a blank note card and said they had to tally each time President Monson said the word "temple." I promised them an M&M for each one. Well I didn't quite calculate that right, but Ryan's chocolate chip cookies for FHE treat came to the rescue. If you do this one, be prepared to shell out over 60 whatevers for each mention of the word temples! The boys sat in rapt attention for the entire talk, anxiously making their tallies. It was fun to watch them flinch with each mention of temples and they even captured some of the message as we discussed it briefly afterwards.

I'm so grateful for General Conference and modern technology that allows to me to catch what I missed and review on demand - so many inspired messages to help me become a better me! I loved so many of the talks, but I think my favorites are Elder Holland's about what Conference is all about and then theme of Being and Doing as the Savior would for others.

Elder Robbins' "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be"

Elder Uchtdorf 's "Waiting on the Road to Damascus"

Bishop Burton's "The Sanctifying Work of Welfare"

Elder Eyring's "Opportunities to Do Good" and many more.

I know the days I forget myself and work to serve my family and others in love are days I am happiest. And on that note I go to clean bathrooms! yeah.

Fun with Cousins

We had a number of adventures on Easter break with the cousins. Easton had a partial week of school that first week the cousins were here so all the attention after school was a bit overwhelming for him. Good thing the weather cooperated and I could send them out to play! Easton, Lizzie and McKay would head out for bike rides on the "rocky road" below our house. Miles hated to not be a part of it most of the time, but he did enjoy having the yard and playroom to himself as did Morgan so it worked out. We had playdates and tball practice at the park to keep us busy.

One day we went to Sensapolis with Easton's school. It's a huge indoor playland with a castle, life-size space ship, and other attractions. The kids lasted 5 hours without skipping a beat before I was worn out! Oh the protestations!

On a glorious 73 degree day, we met school friends at Sindelfingen's Klosterhalle park where the waterworks had been turned on. The kids climbed the rope towers and then played with the water pump and sand to create dams, canals, and waterfalls for an entire afternoon. I wish I had pictures of them enjoying a day at the park with friends all reveling in their youth!

Instead of taking this zoo to the zoo as planned on Tuesday, we trekked into the woods in hopes of finding a great park I'd heard had a zipline. The Waldspielplatz. We came across a site with a handful of lean-tos which the kids authoritatively said were left by the Indians long ago. Haha!

If we'd only chosen the road to the right when we initially set out, we'd have been there in 10 minutes. I loved the walk with Morgan's hunt for sticks and stones, McKay treasured solid piece of wood shaped as a gun, Miles arming himself with a long stick in each hand to fight off bad guys, Easton keeping us on a timer for how long we'd pursue each path before going back, and Lizzie second-guessing the entire excursion - she doesn't like to feel like she's wandering aimlessly. I know the feeling! After forty minutes and a few tears, we finally found the park and it was hours of fun!

Ah, that's my guy!

The kickback could be fierce, but the big kids loved it!

I'm not sure why, but they liked the ramp better than the actual slide on the other side.

I love that good old fashioned merry-go-rounds are in just about every park here.

It so reminds me of my childhood.

How's that for a teeter totter? Awesome!

And now for the little ones' tutorial on how to shell and eat a peanut.

Step 1: Select your nut.

Step 2: Determine it's weakest side. Facial contortions make this easier.

Step 3: Sing to your nut if necessary. It may need wooing.

Step 4: Crack the lil' thing open and show it who's boss 'round here!

Step 5: Eat it and grin! Them's good nuts!

Step 6: Wear some for later.

Step 7: Share your secrets with the ones you love.

We finished the week with more park visits and a trip to Jolos Kinderwelt, an indoor bouncy gym with school friends. Between lots of good weather and excursions, this was one exhausted crowd, both young and old!