January in a nutshell

We couldn't stay put during Christmas Break so we decided to drive 7 hrs to Auschwitz Poland.  Then to Krakow, then back to Germany via Freiberg and Dresden and then home again.  Yeah, we are pretty much crazy and like to do things last minute.  

Auschwitz was a very humbling, saddening experience.  While there it started snowing, which made it all the more real and sorrowful.  What took place here was awful! But we cannot forget what took place here, no matter how awful it was and is to reflect on it.  All over the camp are these words:

"Nations who forget their own history are sentenced to live it again"

AUSCHWITZ

KRAKOW 

Krakow was a really neat city, we were so impressed! The bus system was probably the most expensive we have ever taken in Europe but still a cool city.  The food was awesome, our kids loved the dumplings.  At one point I had a beet stew with dumplings in it and it was like I was in the movie Ratatouille, except I was taken back to when I was little visiting my Grandma's house on the farm in Canada.  I still dream about this beet stew, it was delicious!  Plus I really miss my Grandparents and visiting their farm and playing kick the can with my cousins.  Anyway, we wandered around the city in the evening, and then in the morning visited the Palace.  A short visit but pretty neat.

DRESDEN

Back in Germany again and loving how cheap the public transit system is!  Here the kids are playing a new version of the 'quiet game'.  I think we were trying to get them to stare at a certain color the longest ... or a letter.  Miles and I were laughing so hard!  I love how competitive our kids are!  Anything to keep them quiet.   

@ HOME

My little man is seriously into everything these days!  I cannot tell you how many times he turns on the dishwasher in a day, or turns it off for that matter.  Here he dumped out his little bag of Cheerios and is eating them off the floor.  What is a little dirt with a Cheerio?!  Cause, lets be honest, do you really think I mop my floors all that often with this little busy body around?!

Yup, now he is emptying the toy basket and climbing in - why not?

SLEDDING IN AUSTRIA

Some friends invited us to go sledding in Austria with them.  Now, this is not your typical sledding trip.  This particular sledding is extreme!  You buy a ski lift ticket, rent a sled (or bring your own from home if you are Austrian) and take the ski lift up the mountain for 10 minutes.  Once up on the mountain you sit on your sled, try to steer back and forth while going down steep switch backs.  Did I mention they are the old fashion wooden sleds?  As you are going down the mountain the Austrians are zipping past you going super fast trying not to run into you!  It takes you at least 20 to 30 minutes to get down the mountain.  IT WAS AWESOME!!!  I had Anika in front of me so I couldn't really rest my legs and it was killing my legs to hold them up, steer, or brake the entire run.  Anika was a riot!  We only made it down twice but the first run was the best.  She sat in front of me and over and over she kept telling me to go faster and how shocked she was that I didn't tell her how fun it was going to be.  The second run she was not so enthusiastic.  Instead, she kept telling me to slow down and screamed at me that she was freezing and that her feet were wet.  Hence only the two runs.  We then headed back to the hotel and jumped on the beds.  When we got home the next day all of us had tons of bruises all over our bodies to prove that we had a blast!  It was a great to experience an Austrian style sledding trip!

This is the view from our hotel room.  Gorgeous right?!  We parked our car at the hotel parking lot, checked in, then walked for 5 minutes to the ski lift.  Man, I love Austria!

MORE @ HOME

This little boy makes our family so happy!  I don't know what we would do without him, he is such a joy to have around and such a cutie!

Here is just a little taste of our little spit-fire!  Don't you just love her choice of attire - a fancy velvet shirt with a feather collar and tights.  Yup, those are just plain tights.  She wore it all day too.  Oh, and that is Nutella all over her cheeks.  I am such a great mom.