Garmisch Holiday, December 2008

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Winter Holiday

Steven went on leave and we needed downtime - so off to Garmisch to the Edelweiss Resort we went...
Probably wouldn't have been my first choice for our last vacation as a whole family this year, but it was one of those places the kids and I have been that Steven hasn't and so it's where HE wanted to go...

We originally had a second trip to London arranged, but with my knee injury - slushing around on foot in rain, snow, sleet, and ice going from place to place and using the underground - didn't seem like the healthiest thing to do.

Edelweiss was beautiful! Lots of snow and it continued on through the week. The Resort was decked out for Christmas - so perfect! We couldn't have asked for anything more...
Finally! We got to rest - sleep in late, go swimming, hang out in the jacuzzi, and play in the snow. We ate too much, shopped too much, and enjoyed the scenery. We took a horse drawn carriage ride thru Garmisch one night and got a chance to see some of the older neighborhoods and all the Christmas lights downtown. Steven even got to go to the Spa and get a much needed massage...

The day before we left, we took the train up to Zugspitze. Steven hadn't ever been there either, and Twinz and Mom had only seen it during the summer...
The train up during Winter is a different journey - no scenic stops. It was also VERY crowded with skiers - I thought it was neat that they use racks to hang their skis on the OUTSIDE of the train. We arrived at Sonnen Alpine with several dozen skiers and snowboarders. Where during the Summer - it was all walking trails and you could explore - NOW it was one big slope and we had to watch out to keep from getting skied over...

It was SO, breathtakingly beautiful! A world of snowy peaks as far as the eyes could see... We walked around , but kept sinking into the snow. Needed to take some pics because I wanted one as our Christmas card. I approached the first skier that looked friendly and asked "Sprechen sie English?" and got a "Nyet! Russky..."and a big smile.
Um ok...New one for me. Time to try sign language...she got it and even managed to take 2 pictures for us. Luckily, Steven has worked with enough Slavic troops that he was able to thank her in Russian and say Goodbye...

I didn't like the pictures she took all that much, though, so later I approached a lady who had ridden the train up with us ("Sprechen sie Deutsch"? THIS time...) - she DIDN'T speak German, but she was from Cyprus and spoke perfect English. She also took good pictures and I was able to return the favor.

We stayed for quite a while climbing,playing, sliding,and freezing...Then we took the cable car up to the peak. It was a great view of all the ski action going on down below! Once we got up top - we grabbed some postcards to send from the peak and then went up the stairs to go outside...

HOLY. WOW!
You could barely get the door open because of the wind - Bryan Colby actually got trapped when the door slammed back on him. It was SO cold and SO windy - you couldn't take a breath. Kailey weighs next to nothing and we were kind of afraid we'd lose her...

BUT- the VIEW! INCREDIBLE....We had only been up there when it was cloudy and this day? Not a cloud ANYWHERE....There's just no words to accurately describe it - thank goodness for photos. Literally? It felt like we were on top of the world. We spent time on both the German and Austrian side...
Finally, half-frozen, we went downstairs to the cafe for Cake and Cocoa...yum! Then it was time to catch the cable car (from the peak this time) for the descent back down to the car . As usual, a breathtaking view, only this time with the lake frozen and sunset as well...

Tired and half frozen, we went back to the hotel for dinner and more time in the pool,watched TV, and just enjoyed a peaceful last night. The next morning, we enjoyed our last buffet breakfast, checked out, and headed off downtown to shop and enjoy the Christmas Markt...

Which was tiny and disappointing. But we had a GREAT time shopping elsewhere in town! I found Kailey's Christmas dress at this neat store that had a slide the kids could use to get from the main floor to the children's section - it ended in a ball pit. Unfortunately, it started to rain and we got soaked a long way from where we parked the car. So we were all kind of miserable. We were hungry by then to and the only place open for dinner was Pizza Hut. The pizza was 'ick' but the place was warm and dry and that's what mattered...

We left and drove down thru Innsbruck, Austria. It was dark - but beautiful. One of the most scenic drives we've ever done.
We took that route to Stuttgart for a wedding we had been invited to.

The plan was to blog the details of THAT nightmare - but - I have already told this story SO many times - I just can't anymore.
The ending to the story is that we spent almost a thousand dollars to go stay in Stuttgart overnight in the worst hotel ever, plus expenses for special wedding clothes and what not....and
DID. NOT. GO. TO. THE. WEDDING....

Just spent a miserable night and drove home the next day.

And that's how we ended our Winter vacation!

Time flies...

When you're on the "Crazy Train...aka "Our life"!

Poor Steve! Guy comes home and literally drops right into the schedule that the Twinz and I keep...and he's tired! Turns out it's a bit much for him...

He got home at 2AM that morning and hasn't hardly slept since. The Boy Scout Regatta ( Colby won at least 1 race!), Kailey's dance rehearsals, then the dance recital, karate, school, then basketball, re-integration, back to work, Thanksgiving,etc, etc....

BUT - in a few days we're off to Garmisch for a winter holiday, so he can sleep then!

From my side of the house - I got a WHITE Thanksgiving! Wahoo!!! I have been waiting forever for the snow, it seems. It's so beautiful!!! We had our fabulous dinner at Cindy's and that weekend - we were invited over to our next-door neighbor's for some social time. It was SO great! They are very nice and it was great to finally meet them.

Kailey's recital went really well, snow and all. I only took a few pics, because the lighting on stage was out, so you couldn't really see...
There were professional pics done - and they are breathtaking! But no disc available so I can't put them up, just yet.

Maybe soon!

Thanksgiving

NORMALLY? My LEAST favorite holiday....
However, Steven just got home and Twinz wanted to have a 'family' dinner like on TV and the movies.
OK. FINE. I bought all the ingredients for their favorite foods.

Then my friend Cindy invited us to come over and have dinner at her house. WAHOO! That was a first...I didn't think Steven would go for it, but he was excited, so that was the plan. I told Cindy I would get the turkey if she would cook it - I would cook the rest.

Only... I got sick. REALLY, really sick...well Kailey got it first, then Bryan Colby. I was hoping it would pass me by - I can handle almost anything except vomiting and nausea. No luck. I not only got it - it stayed for a few days.
Thanksgiving morning - I told Steven how to cook some of the easier dishes, and he prepared to take the Twinz and go to Cindy's alone...
Later on, I had an energy spurt and some domestic demon took over - so I got up, went downstairs, and ended up cooking the rest of the food.

We made it to Cindy's, although JUST in time for dinner and had a WONDERFUL time! I didn't eat anything, but noone minded. Twinz ate enough for about 4 people! I DID swipe one of Cindy's addictive chocolate brownies...Couldn't help myself - they're to die for!

After dinner, we took Twinz and went to see Madagascar 2 - if anything it was even funnier than the first. The perfect end to a pretty good day...
Steven home safe, wonderful time with new friends - we are very blessed indeed.

Now, if only I just felt better.
:(

Welcome Home!

Photos from the night Steven (finally!) made it home. YES - they are on the blurry side...In my defense, even the image stabilizer couldn't handle how badly I was shaking!
LOL...

There's no place like home...

...and Steven is HOME!

it took FOREVER...

We left when we were originally supposed to. Got there a bit early. The buses were late. Made the kids sit in the dark in a parking lot to wait for them, not because we necessarily thought we could see him or he could see us - but because at THAT point - we would know he was actually HERE and how long a wait we would have before we could see him.

Vs. - just going to the meeting place and waiting and not knowing. Bryan was FURIOUS! He did NOT want to be wait in the car. About the time I decided to kill him and dump his body in the pond - we saw flashing lights and tall headlights coming at us through the fog.

THEY had ARRIVED! Relief, and tears, and adrenaline kicked in all at once. The only way to describe Bryan and Kailey was awed. They just had no idea it would be like that. And Bryan was glad we had waited...

We arrived at the meeting place after midnight and hung out until one of our neighbors made the announcement we had been waiting for - "Here they are!". The doors opened and in they came.

As usual - I had no idea which one was Steven - he looks the same as 85% of his co-workers. Usually, I just sit back and wait for him to find me...Not this time.
They came straight in, and when they turned to face us - he was right THERE! Directly in front of me , in the front row, not 5 ft. away....He looked up, directly into my eyes, and smiled! He NEVER smiles in formation...

And the Twinz went wild!!! Daddy was HOME!
Then. He was ours.

We got home just around 2 AM. I'm here at the computer while Father and Son are trying to build a wooden boat, without the necessary tools, for a Boy Scout race very early in the morning. Kailey has gone to bed, reluctantly, but tired. She also has dance rehearsal very early, but she knows she will get her "Daddy time" before the next time she has to go to bed...

We are all exhausted, but I think, for tonight, if we ever get to bed? It might not be a sleepless night at all.....

Can't. Take. Much. Mooore.......

AGH!!!!!

This whole "hurry up and wait" thing is just ridiculous...Even the 82nd wasn't THIS bad.

FIRST - the call came "Wheels Up - home in a few hours" - wahoo!
Stay up all night, panicking, getting ready...

THEN - the next call "bad weather, flight diverted to another country. Be here early in the morning..." Geezz...., but OK. More time to get stuff done and get some sleep.
(Could have slept later, except Bryan Colby woke up at O-dark-30 , came running into my room angry and screaming "You didn't go get Daddy!!! Why'd you leave Daddy!?!?!" Yes. I DID explain it to him at midnight when I woke him up, had him walk 2 floors up to go to the bathroom, change his clothes, and go to bed...)

NEXT morning - another call "Wheels up - they are IN the air! Home by lunchtime - be here". Um...sure. Good news, finally, and I have a bit more time to get a few things done...

Got myself squared away and dressed, got the kids dressed - which was NOT easy with Bryan Colby hollering " My Daddy's coming home" and bouncing off the walls. Was moving right along and about to walk out the door...

When the phone rang. Again - "Yeah, they never made it off the ground. Still in that country. Stand by indefinately, we may ,or may not let you know when to be here..."

Huh? Seriously? Now what was I supposed to do? I actually had a handful of errands that I needed to get done - but didn't want to get stuck too far away, just in case....Couldn't finish cleaning because I didn't want to get dirty. Didn't even feed the kids lunch until very late because I didn't want to have to get them undressed...

VERY....FRUSTRATING...

Then HE called...My heart smiled. He was in Germany ( finally!), but very far away to the North and they had to wait for transportation back down here. This was going to take several hours, but he hoped to be home by tonight. Yeeessss.....

Finally. THE phone call. They were leaving, be ready to meet up with them by 11:30 PM...

Thank You, Lord!!! It's almost over...

Not getting it done...

So tonight was the LAST night of craziness in my schedule with no Daddy help.

It was going to be tricky, time wise, but I had the schedule squared away down to the minute. The best laid plans....

Kids did not go to school, had to leave early for dance class because I had forgotten that I needed to bring food for Book Club. Thought I'd just grab it all during dance class...
ONLY - our Commissary isn't open on Wednsdays! UGH!!!

Had to book it Graf. to their comissary, which kind of worked out because I needed balloons for "homecoming" and Steven needed some new jeans that fit. Cool.

It would have been. If the Jeep had not decided to blow UP on me just as I got thru the checkpoint!!! Here I was - Kailey was in Vilseck and her class was only an hour, I was 30 minutes away in Graf. (with Bryan), the car is steaming/smoking and dead, I had NO cell. phone, no purse, and NO contact numbers...

*sniff*

I was rescued by a cute, young SGT who is a mechanic. He loaned me his phone, and kept me sane while I tried to figure out the game plan...He looked at my car, he followed me to the Car Care Center to drop it off, he took me to the rental place to try and get another car ( they were closed) and then helped me deal with the Car Care Center...

MY HERO!

I am a blessed girl. I just happened to have the numbers of a woman whose daughters are in Kailey's dance class. I also happened to have PTSA sign-in papers with this one number of a person who could help me out in Vilseck by calling another friend in the Book Club to give her a "heads up"....Did I mention that we only meet once a month and not only should I provide food as one of the facilitators, but I also had the keys to the bldg. where we meet?

AND! One of the spouses from Steven's work just happened to be coming thru THAT gate a bit behind me and stayed to help out. She THEN drove me to Vilseck just in time for my Book Club meeting....where my Angel friend, Nancy, agreed to get me and the kids home ....Also, My Book Club girls were just what I needed to soothe my stressed out soul. I knew they would....

The next morning my Angel neighbor, Natalie, took me back in to Post so I could get a rental - very nice, loaded Mercedes that I am quickly getting addicted to...Unfortunately, it took most of the day to get it all taken care of and so - another day lost.

I don't even CARE about the Jeep at this point!

Soon!

The Daddy will be home soon!!!

We are ready, house is NOT...Weeks of being unable to walk have left this house looking like a condemned building with vagrants living in it...
Not quite what I wanted my Boyo to come home to.

Not quite what ANYONE should come home to, really, but especially not after one of these vacations.

I have so much I have GOT to get done - so why I am I blogging?

Tschuss!

German Dr.'s are funny...

Who knew?

SO. After a summer of ignoring the injuries pretty successfully, I finally gave in to the ever increasing pain in my knee and went to the clinic. The clinic gave me something to help deal with the pain and referred me to a German Ortho/Trauma surgeon at a local hospital.

Very nice guy - for an Orthopod/Trauma God. Personable, friendly - doesn't spend much time with his American counterparts, apparently. Anyway... He sent me for tests to see what was causing me all this trouble, before we schedule me for surgery.

Yeah, right! Like I have time for that. I told him right away surgery wasn't happening until at least January because my schedule between now and then was just too busy. I think he thought I was being funny! No...

So the tests came in - bony debris and necrosis behind the patella and small tears along the ACL and inner meniscus. The ACL , if given a chance, can heal on it's own. The meniscus can't be fixed and won't heal, and the debris and necrosis could only be "washed out" with saline. The surgery would probably put me in more pain for awhile.

No thanks! So this Dr. has agreed to let me try and heal on my own. I now have referrals for pain management, physical therapy, and a brace. Which the U.S. Dr.'s will get around to getting for me...sometime.
The funny part? Herr Doktor says." And so - you must REST to heal. This you can do. You must do no running, no walking, no stairs. Just stay down for a few weeks - maybe by Christmas".

HA! Ha,ha,ha,ha,......Yeah. Let's see....between the 2 steep, narrow stair cases in my HOUSE, and the fact that, on-post, even HANDICAP parking is nowhere near the entrance to ANYWHERE - that's just NOT gonna happen! Even if my well-meaning husband DID say he would take care of everything, so I could stay in bed....Someday....IF and WHEN he ever gets home.....
BUT - it was a good idea, anyway.

Trick or Treat!!!

In our German neighborhood it's not just the classic greeting - they mean it!

The kids had the day off school for a teacher workday, so we got to hang out, decorate the 'yard', and carve pumpkins. This was the first year that Bryan and Kailey ACTUALLY carved their pumpkins themselves and I have to say - they did a REALLY good job! Very impressed. Now , if only they would learn to scoop the 'ick' out themselves as well - Mom would be even happier....

It took them weeks of on-line browsing to pick out costumes. Kailey - Miss "I don't do scary costumes or go in stores where scary costumes might be present" picked out a mummy costume, of all things. And Bryan picked a really neat "Man-eating Shark". Both were great. Bryan had a hard time keeping the shark mouth covering on because he was hot. Kailey's seemed too 'generic' so I spent the night before soaking real bandages in black tea to wrap her up a but more. They ended up trying to come unwrapped and trailing her - but somehow it made her seem even more authentic..

We put our candy out in a painted Halloween tub and as soon as it got dark, we caught up with our neighbors and off we went. Here in Auerbach - we have 30 townhouses that are American housing in a really nice, affluent, German neighborhood. Mom decided Twinz didn't need to explore this time and so we only went to our military neighbors houses.

The Germans LOVE Halloween, especially when there are American houses to go to because they like our candy better, according to a friend. We got swamped with kids! Little ones, Big ones....The little ones are precious - they get dressed up and try their English out. They are very polite and say 'danke'. The big ones? not so much....

The older kids don't wear costumes except for a rare few, one of who just put a party bag on his head. They carry around large tote bags for candy and watch carefully to see what and how much you put in. One boy didn't like the candy I had in my hand so he waited until I dropped it in his bag, to reach over and take more out of my candy tub....

They rarely said "danke" - just "tschuss" ( goodbye) if they felt like it.

One thing that was a first for me and it took me a bit to figure it out was the odd smell that began after a while...It was incense. Many of the kids carried it with them as they went around. I'm guessing it is a custom along the lines of warding off evil spirits, maybe?

Then the night became kind of scary...

My neighbors had warned me that the local kids "trick" the houses if you are not home or just don't answer the door - toothpaste, soap, eggs on doors and windows. This night they added throwing canned goods at houses and lighting firecrackers and "Black Betty's" and throwing them.

One kid threw a lit one at a door just before Bryan and Kailey got to it - they didn't even notice it lit on the grund, but Kailey walked right over it just about the time I remembered that the cloth bandages attached to her body , trailing on the ground - were flammable...

Her guardian Angels were on duty,though, so it was all good.

The noise was frightening for the little ones and very often you would hear crying and screaming as some would go off...

...and I can only imagine what the reactions were to the firecrackers going off in the neighborhood of 28 men who, in the past 2 weeks ,returned from 15 months in a combat zone...

I didn't turn out the lights or quit answering the door until almost 10 PM and made sure it had been quiet for awhile, first....Still, the next day my neighbor Jason said he ran off some boys who were trying to set fire to some decorative pumpkins I had put out next to the driveway.

Geeezzzzz......

Bryan Colby

I haven't posted too much about the kids lately. About how they are doing individually, at any rate...

Bryan is struggling here, a bit. He's very angry...I don't know. He says he likes it here, but he acts out constantly. Oh! My boy is still very sweet and loving.Good in heart and kind. He just gets easily frustrated.. Sometimes, I think he's just too msart for his own good and a childs''life" bores him...

He hasn't made any real friends, but then, he never does. He's content to just be in Kailey's world and that is enough for him. Unfortunately, the kids in his class don't get that and so he is "different" to them. Not good for a 3rd Grade boy who just wants to be left alone.

Bryan played soccer again this season, but Kailey didn't - so his heart wasn't in it. He likes karate pretty well, but it's competition with Kailey and so he gets easily frustrated. He's very good, he just doesn't realize it...

He is a Bear Scout this year - his 1st year in Boy Scouts ( finally!). His own thing that he gets to do that doesn't involve his sister. He loves, loves, LOVES his Den-master, Bryan, and I think that has a lot to do with it. That and Den-master Karin lets them play with food and do crafts!

He is doing OK in school. His grades are pretty good - he's finally started learning cursive and as I suspected - he's much better at that than regular writing. He loves science and computers. He is a genius on the computer...He's SO smart - he doesn't even know it. Very math, science, and engineering orientated.

My biggest concern for him, right now, is how tired Bryan always is. He falls asleep everytime he stops moving - in the car, at Kailey's dance classes, and as soon as he settles down at night. I have done everything I can to make sure his nighttime rest is "good sleep", but it doesn't seem to matter.

Soccer season is over and basketball season doesn't start until December. So he's got a little break in there. Daddy will be home sooner, rather than later now, and he will also be the coach for Bryan and Kailey.

Scouts will just be a "Daddy/Bryan" thing, so we're looking forward to that for them.

I hope that is all Bry needs - his Daddy home for awhile.

It's just been too long...

Kailey

As always - the "blooms where she's planted" twin.

She is doing really well. This Fall - she is in her 5th year of Girl Scouts, 2nd season of cheerleading, 7th year of dance ( lyrical and jazz), and starting her yellow belt level of Shotokan karate. When Daddy gets home - she will begin her 2nd season of basketball.

We've been told for a long time what a talented and graceful dancer she is - her current instructor says she seems to have a feel for choreography as well. This must also carry over into her karate - her Sensei says she is so natural in her skill and abilities, that she is almost "Asian" in her movements...

Kailey never complains about being in Germany. I know she misses her friends, especially Mia, and her life back Stateside - but she rarely mentions it. She is pretty much content to just grab whatever privacy and quiet she can get - and read a book. Or five...

She has made many new friends...Her "Best" friend however, is Hannah. They are joined at the hip - or at least they would be if Kailey was just a bit taller! They have the same class at school and are in karate together. I say I have triplets now, because they are always together.

She is still very sweet, funny, and smart. The Type A personality continues, but Mom is learning to adapt - at least one of us has it together! The thing I am most proud of, though, is her natural empathy for others and the way she with younger children. More than one parent has come up to me and said how much their children love and admire Kailey for being so good to them. She's like everybody's big sister...and quite the leader!

School is going really well for Kailey this year. She is in a regular classroom and loving it. The class is behind still, and she can't "work up" like she could in Multi-age last year, HOWEVER she has been selected for the Gifted Program at school this year and is just thrilled with her teacher and the classes...Hopefully, she will keep up with the stateside schools thru that venue.

Puberty is rearing it's ugly head for her - VERY early. She seems to be adjusting OK - just more emotional than usual for now. Lots of physical changes going on for her also, but she is choosing to ignore it all - and that's just fine by me. Daddy and I are NOT ready!

Otherwise - all is well in Kailey's world!

The Karate Kids

FINALLY got their yellow belts. They are SO proud!!!

They had tested a while back, but Sensei had ordered the wrong ones, so they had kind of a long wait, for a kid.

I am thrilled for them. They worked hard and gave it their all - they deserved it. It has also done a lot for their personalities as well. I can tell they are WAY more confident than they had been...

Way to go Bryan and Kailey!

Welcome Home ?

It's about that time...

The ones on vacation will be coming back soon. Some are due any day now. We are all getting ready - finishing up "To Do" lists, making everything look nice, preparing the areas for arrival, and hitting the gyms and diets like fiends so WE look good as well...

The Boy and Girl Scouts are doing their part - they made posters, then they tied yellow ribbons one afternoon and spent a Saturday morning putting them up on light posts...

The next day - we decorated the work spaces.

I still have a TON of stuff here at home to get done and it's gonna be crazy!

Not too much longer now....

Bye-bye corn...

...hello kits, sheep, and snakes?!

Fall arrived with a vengence, very early and more Winter-ish than Fall, but hey! I love the cold, dreary days, so I'm a happy girl!

After a few nights of freeze and frost, our farmer decided to harvest the corn - probably a wise move on his part since many of the other corn fields look as if they were totally destroyed by the frost...

I watched them all day - it was kind of sad, but thrilling as well... As previously blogged, the kids and I had enjoyed watching it grow all summer. To go from bare field to towering stalks was sort of the story of our summer and a bizarre analogy of our lives and Steven's current vacation - he left at the start of the summer, we grew and explored in separate locations, and now THIS separation is coming, finally, to an end...

I think we are ready.

And there have been more new experiences in our rural lives out here -

A lady had told me the story one night of how her cat had been molested that afternoon by a baby fox in her yard on Post. The VERY next afternoon - I saw several of them myself, 1 darted across the road in front of me and the others have been out here near the fields and forests - they are so CUTE! They have small-ish bodies, but these HUGE bushy tails bigger than their bodies. They have small heads with pointy ears and very large eyes...

Then I started hearing the snake stories - I guess the weather has confused them and so they are looking to hibernate and these cozy little houses of ours must seem like a good idea...not poisonous, but 1 totally freaked a neighbor out - in her house where her baby was on the floor and my Natalie, next door, came out to one on her doormat...Uh? Natalie? Just where DID that ONE slither off to, anyways?

Last week, I kept hearing geese honking all day and night - I wonder where they were coming from? I hadn't seen any livestock other than horses out HERE? Until a few days later, when I was in the bathroom and heard a dog barking and very loud BAAH's.... SERIOUSLY! There was a herd of sheep AND a shepherd AND an actual sheep dog crossing the furthest field to the forest...

It was SO cool!!! I took pics , but they were pretty far away - the kids couldn't even see them.

I'm SUCH a city girl!.....LOL :D

Hate and Discontent

Everybody is angry around here...

It's that time in a long situation where they have given all of themselves that they can - and now they are tired and anxious and have reached their "putting up with crap" point. But still have a bit to go until total relief.

One girl I talked to called it "bitch" month...and that seems pretty accurate.

It's hard for me. I have some complaints from when we first got here, but pretty much - all is going well and I'm over it. I have 2.5 yrs left here and will be with the angry people for just a short time, but I will also be here with the people in charge for the rest of our time. I was fairly content, loneliness aside, being anonymous I realize.

'Cause now? People know me and since I'm new? They want to vent and warn and can't do it to the people they know. Great! Just great....only I don't really want to hear any of this. Really. I LIKE making my own judgements and DON'T want to hear about everybody...I can listen and be careful, but pretty much I just like to find out for myself....never have been one to learn from other's mistakes...

Now - I just stay sick at my stomach and wonder just what the heck we have gotten ourselves into...Hopefully, homecoming will heal most wounds and then mostly everyone is moving Stateside. Hopefully. I am now trying to avoid most of the people - I just don't want to listen to it. I can't FIX anything and I just want to stay in my content little world and wait until it's our turn to be involved.

OK. Now I have had my little snit and all is good!

Crazier Days....

And so it begins -

Karate, dance classes, cheerleading/football games, soccer season, Bear Scouts/Brownie Scouts, FRG, PTSA, VCSC, Stamp Club, Book Club....

Finally! After 6 mos of not much to do - I have my crazy life back. Yes, this means I have over-volunteered myself, yet again, and the kids have more activities than they know what to do with.

Yea!!!

I am tired, but loving it. I think people assume I am complaining when I mention our schedule - but really, I'm not. It's my life and it's how I like it. My sense of purpose - my "job" if you will...

It DOES mean that I am never home anymore and the majority of my time is spent in Vilseck, but you know what? There are PEOPLE in Vilseck - who TALK to me. Kids for my children to interact with...vs. the horrible, aching, loneliness that is Auerbach.
I'm talking "beat your head against the wall and just want to SCREAM out loud" loneliness... and boredom.

And I don't really even like to socialize all that much, so it's kind of odd... but it was still very depressing all summer.

All is MUCH better now!

:D

Cub Scout Camp Out

Ha! Yeah, yeah - I did it!

I actually had a great time...

So, you know camping is just not my thing. My parents were creatures of comfort and that's just the way it was - nice hotels at either the beach or the mountains. We DID spend a lot of time outdoors at the Lake - but again, we owned a nice house on the water...and because it was a house made of wood - I thought THAT was roughing it!

I enjoy being outdoors - just can't sleep there. ( OK - I can't sleep anywhere, really, but at least indoors I can stay awake in comfort!). Steven and the kids LOVE to go camping. I have even been known to go along a time or two... I just prefer nice hotels with maid service and a spa...

Luckily for me - the Girl Scouts have "Mommy and Me" weekends in nice cabins. They save the tent stuff for Daddy/Daughter weekends.

When I got the email saying the Cub Scouts were going for an overnight - BEFORE the Daddy got back - I just thought my head was going to pop off. MAN! No way was I going to let Bry miss out, but I SO didn't think I was up to it.

Well, apparently - I WAS. I didn't get lost getting us there. I got the tent up really quickly ( seriously? the only part I couldn't figure out and that the manufacturer did not include a diagram of was called a "guyline". Go figure...turns out it wasn't necessary either....HA!), I had everything we needed to be squared away, and I wasn't miserable...mostly ...

The boys had a ton of fun - they hiked and defended a "leprechaun" village. They learned flag etiquette, and helped cook our meals. We had a large campfire where they made yummy desserts, and the adults chatted while the boys played with Lumo Sticks....also,Bryan earned his "whittling chip" so that he can have a pocket knife at Camp-outs....( um yeah...we'll just see about that..).

The camping spot was just perfect and the day was gorgeous out....the only downside was the cold. And I mean, COLD, as in "Stupid Cold"....The day WAS really GORGEOUS - comfortable cool, not windy, tons of sun,Fall smells....but as soon as that sun went down? The clouds came in and the temperature dropped - quickly! I thought it was going to be perfect sleeping temperature - you know how I LOVE the cold!

Wrong. wrong, wrong, wrong......THIS cold was not good - the sleeping bag was broken, so it wasn't much help -I ended up in thermals, sweats, 2 prs of socks, 3 shirts ( 1 thermal), my jacket, AND wrapped in a fleece blanket -and I COULD NOT get warm enough to fall asleep. Also, the tent was not cool weather rated - so while it was getting wet outside? We were getting wet inside 'cause our body heat was turning to moisture and making everything damp...

I think it was the MOST miserable, sleepless night of my life. I was so grateful when morning came so we could get up. Bryan got woke up by the big boys outside and some of the other campers, but apparently the people near us didn't appreciate US being up, I guess...

Whatever. Turns out "Perfect" Scout Mom's aren't morning people, it would seem. Maybe they just needed coffee - who knows? I was just smug in my knowledge that I was in a pretty good mood, while THEY were not...Guess they are not better at this than me after all...:D

The Scout leaders made pancakes for breakfast, we all packed up , then it was time for devotional and home.

We had a great time, but we were ready to go!

Bryan's Scout leader, who is just precious, wants to do one for our Den in the Spring, with Dad's and "comfort" items - Oh YEAH! With comfort items and my own personal cuddle-buddy - I can't wait!!

9/11 "Lest We Forget"...

I feel so rotten. I forgot. Today, of all days, I forgot...

I didn't mean to - I had planned to discuss it with Twinz. I wanted to remind them before they left for school this morning, but I was back home and on the Internet before I remembered

The reason I wanted to talk with them about it was because the last 2 anniversaries, we were at Oak Mtn. and they never mentioned it to the kids at that school. That was just one of the many frustrations about being our kind of family "out of our element", you could say. The repercussions of that day continue to impact our particular way of life and will, in a huge way, for many more years to come.

I can't believe I forgot.

So, after school we went to eat before our busy evening and the Anniversary Memorials were being broadcast on the TV's overhead. Kailey said she knew what that was about and proceeded to talk about how the Japanese were our friends now ( don't ask - I'm not REAL sure?). Bryan , of course, felt the need to argue with her, even though his teacher hadn't discussed it at all. He did know more facts than she did - they just weren't the right ones...

I have been waiting for this for 7 years, I guess. Oh, we talk about it off and on when we have to explain certain things once again.They know 9/11 has to do with Afghanistan, Iraq and why 'Uncle Buddy' died. They have been to museums that had huge ,full displays showing everything - but it has been awhile. Now, I believe they are old enough to understand and know most of the details...

And I Just. Couldn't. DO. It.....I choked. Or got choked up rather. I'd start to correct or explain and then something on that big TV would catch my attention and my eyes would burn and my throat would catch. I just couldn't say anything...except, "Later - we'll talk later".

Only later never came. Home late - straight to bed.

I'm sorry. I'm SO, so sorry. I have now done the thing that I always blame the rest of the world for doing - Forgetting. And in my life - how that's even possible is beyond me. But I did.

Baby, Marisa, Buddy, all the rest...I'll do better - I promise.

Faaaaarm living is the Liiiife for me......

NOT!

There are some things I have learned to appreciate - the open space, the beautiful flowers,the deep ,emerald green carpets of grass on the hills... the smell of that freshly cut grass, and the wheat even. I am also surprised how much the growing of corn fascinates us. All summer we have gotten excited as those stalks have just gotten taller and bigger!

(Bryan thinks we have the smartest farmer in the world because our wheat and barley got harvested before the other farmers, and "our" corn is taller and growing faster than the ones out near Vilseck...)

BUT mostly? I can appreciate that we get to experience this, just for now, with the knowledge that it is temporary and we never have to do it again....

I hope. 'Cause then there's the downside to bountiful grains and emerald fields of grass - the fertilizer. Heavy, copious amounts of liquid chicken excrement that saturates the very air we breathe and everything around us...Not just once or twice a year like the rutabega farmers in Schweinfurt - oh no!

EVERYTIME they cut that grass, or plow that field, or it rains heavy, or the moon is pretty...whatever. All the time. Due to no air conditioning here - all windows must stay open all the time. Therefore, there is no escape. It makes everything reek! and causes our lungs to hurt, our noses to swell up and our eyes to water.

It also ruins perfectly good mornings...Nothing makes me happier and more refreshed than to end another sleepless night with the smell of cool, damp, fresh air coming in the window....Until it is shortly followed by the smell of wet manure and you start to gag...

Oh well! 2.5 yrs to go right?

Kids Spur Ride