Hey, lets go climb 'that'

This is the view that I get almost daily.  As I drive down our hill into Eschenbach to and from school I see that tower on the hilltop there.  Mile and I always say, "Hey, we should really go and climb that with the kids, they would love it".  This past week we actually did it and yes indeed the kids loved it.  It was a perfect climb for the kids and it was absolutely beautiful!  I love that I live here!

Spring Has Arrived

I am so excited Spring is finally here!  

The kids get to play outside, the flowers that bloom make everything so pretty, the air smells so fresh, the rain storms at night make our room smell so good when we go to sleep, the lightening storms are awesome (I miss lightening storms, WA didn't have those), and did I mention the kids get to play outside?!  I love it!

Isn't this cute?  This was our post dinner walk/bike ride right before bed.  

The Beginning to the End

I have to document this!  My baby was not impressed with cereal ... rice cereal or oatmeal cereal.  I mean, seriously NOT impressed.  It was so hard to get him to eat!  For 2 weeks straight I was practically force feeding him ... I'm not exaggerating when I say that I would stick my finger in his mouth, twist it, and force the food in his mouth.  It was frustrating to say the least.

I kind of gave up because it was getting so hard.  I basically caved in to a 6 month old and ended up mixing in a little cereal into baby food (veggies or fruit) and tried that.  Guess what?  My baby ate it, in fact he gobbled it up!  At least he is eating a little iron, right!!!

A visit to the Flossenburg Concentration Camp

I tried to go and see this while my parents were still in town but it was the day we were suppose to leave to Paris and for some reason I read the hours wrong and I thought it was closed.  Turned out it WASN'T closed but since we had so much to do before our trip it wouldn't have worked out.

Anyway, here is the Flossenburg Concentration Camp in Bavaria
For the official website go HERE
and for more information go HERE or HERE

I was expecting this small concentration camp but I was completely wrong.  My goodness, this place was huge!  It felt like it was in the middle of nowhere too.  The museum was put together wonderfully, and  I was quite impressed with the manner of how it was displayed.  It was a solemn experience ... maybe a little too graphic for the kids, but something they need to know about and will eventually learn in school.

Visiting my Dad's old stomping ground!

First stop -- Versailles

I love this picture of my parents!  Are they cute?!

My little collector - I think she came out of this garden with 2 lb. of rocks in her pockets!

On top of the FREEZING COLD Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame

Notre Dame from across the river (& in the back)

My blue-eyed baby bear!

My spunky little girl!

The Metro is awesome in Paris!  Seriously so convenient and totally user friendly!

Sacre-Coeur

Sainte-Chapelle 

A-mazing!

Above: Venus de Milo (this picture is to document how CRAZY crowded it was)

Below: Nike

Yeah - I kind of love this painting! I was one happy girl here!

On top of the Arch de Triumph - I love the thumbs up by my little sweetheart!

Self-Portrait

Rodin Museum

Above & Below: Inside where Napoleon is buried - pretty impressive for someone who was exiled

Above: I'm such a rebel!!  Oh, Yeah!  This little gem is inside the Museum d'Orsay.  It's the Little Dancer by Degas and I LOVE her!  I was seriously so excited!  I took her picture and got in trouble for doing so.

The Opera House

Mom with her new scarf and Dad with his handsome smile

Touring around Germany with Grandma & Grandpa

I really need to watch Miles more when we are out and about.  Miles was working the week I took my parents around and I felt lost almost the entire time.  Miles seriously has a built in GPS in his head and I didn't realize how much I counted on that until I took my parents touring.  Regardless of feeling like an inadequate tour guide I think we still had fun though!

Nuremberg

The Rathaus in Amberg - don't you just love those stairs?!

Amberg city center (the Rathaus is behind us to the left).  St. Martin's church is in the background.  The kids have really enjoyed the water fountains in the cities lately (they have been turned off and boarded up for winter).

The Old Palace in Bayreuth

On the old Bridge in Regensburg

2 Big Events

Both sets of grandparents flew out for two special events in our family ... Paige's Baptism & Kenneths Baby Blessing.  Paige was so excited that they were coming just for her and felt so important and Kenneth is now the oldest baby of ours at the time they received their blessing but was perfect.

Thank you Grandma's & Grandpa's for traveling across the world for our family!!  We Love You!!