Friday, August 26, 2011

Dinosaurs!

We ventured to the Godwana Praehistorium with some friends the other day and wow! That place was awesome! Life size moving dinosaurs however- including of course the fearsome T-Rex eating a Triceratops. The girls were less than wild about that one.
Had to take a shot of this. You walk in and on your right is the admission stand and on your left? A coffee bar complete with Bitburger Beer on tap! Ha!

A gorgeous Argentinosaurus skeleton. If you've never stood under one, it's worth putting on your bucket list.  Gives you some serious size perspective.

Big A took this one :)

At the end of the exhibit there is a GIANT play area complete with a section for little beans!

This is the "head" of the play area.

I really couldn't capture it properly, but Big A's eyes were like saucers when we went in! And, there's a sitting are so you can have a cappucino and a shokobrod  while you watch your kids play!

And as you walk out the only exit? There's the ice cream truck. It was out of our hands. We had to have some!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Reitschule!

Big A has had a few animal passions over her whopping 5 years, and the latest of these is horses. Of course, it would be almost strange for a 5 year old girl not to worship them, right? And part of my coercing/encouraging/bribing for the move to Germany was horse riding lessons if we could find some. Not only did we find some, but they are wonderful! And they speak  a little English ;) The Reitschule Sonnehof! So once a week the 3 of us ladies head to the school to watch Big A ride and count down the months till Little A can join in. Yes, they take 3 year olds and yes, they told my 2.5 year old that already. Thanks. Every week, "When Adri big 'nuff? Ride horsies! 3! Be 3! Ride horsies with Annysisterlies! [that's how she says it-crack me up]"
A little reverse cam action.

Another parent there with far superior photo talents took a few shots for me!

How cute?!

She is so happy on those horses, it's indescribable.

And fearless- just calmly riding along, like she's been doing it for years!


Adriana sitting up on what looks like gymnastics equipment to me- watching the big girls.

 We finally made it Equiva to pick up the necessary fashions for riding and I asked if I might have a few shots of her while they were all still clean? Not only did I get a few shots, but my tiny little girl has apparently been reading Vogue while I wasn't looking! All these poses she came up with on her own!



Wednesday, August 24, 2011

All Broked Up!

I've been remiss in posting, but I have a really good excuse! Due to a shark attack/bar fight/bear fight (still working on the perfect story) I have a fractured foot bone. On the upside, the hubby is getting a great chance to appreciate all I do around here! On the downside, he's not exactly loving it. Soon I'll have a great big shoe to add to my fashion repertoire as well, joys! So here are some photos from this month!

Our burdened plum tree- I feel for it. This is what I look like in my 3rd trimester- weighed down! Yummy Damson Plums. I need to find a recipe to preserve some!

I just love this photo. It happened because she refused to turn around for the photo, but in  the end I love it! This is Big A in front of our now less burdened apple tree.

It was finally nice and hot so we could play in the pool! A little sissy snug first :) I just got Lil' A's swim suit (she calls it her swim dress!) from Boden. I just love that store! GREAT swimsuit! Even easy to get on!

It rained and rained and then was sunny the other day so we went to the park down the road and  there were Dandelions galore! When I told the girls they could pick all they wanted, they went right to work!

I HATE spinning. They love it.


Okay, this is just me bragging right here. She asked to help assemble the tables and by the time we were through she was doing a table herself! Nice!

"Stop taking pictures Mom!"

Happiness is: coloring on (seemingly) forbidden things.

This one kills me! J is trying to fix Lil' A's boot- but will she relinquish the slide? Absolutely not!

I'm not sure it's possible for a 2 year old to give anything less than  an extreme smile.

Paintbrushes are Bush League. I use my fingers.

Playing in our newly tidied yard (read: goodbye blackberry bushes!)

Our house from the yard.

I have a confession: I daydream about being a food photographer,  and  I'm really, really not very good at it. However, these berries came out fabulous! So now I'm 1 for 200! Woohoo! I made a fabulous flaugnarde with a world of currents they neighbor brought me and some blueberries.

Alright, I'm a little caught up! I'll post some pictures of Big A's horse riding lessons soon!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Koblenz and the surprise fest!

We braved Ikea this past Saturday, and braved is the word-who knew?, to outfit the girls room and hopefully find a couch we both like. Word of wisdom- don't go to Ikea on Saturday. Ever. Take a weekday off, use your vacation hours, whatever, and go on a Tuesday. That was insane. And this is in Germany! For those of you who haven't been-it's obviously enormous, so they put arrows to take you through the "right" direction. Now in America, those arrows would be suggestions and I'll damn well go wherever I want. In Germany they are all about rules and systems, you follow the arrows. I can only imagine what that would have been like with people not following the arrows! Combine all this with 2 tired kids and 1 husband who hates shopping.  By the grace of God alone, in no jest, did we make it out of there with anything at all. I will say though, we had a lovely lunch! Swedish meatballs and beer- what a great shopping break! And they have this awesome family section where you eat around this little circus tent looking thing and your kids go bonkers in said tent while you sit, drink your beer, and watch them vibrate with energy. Love it. Very family friendly place. Even "family" parking spots- so your kids can open their doors without your running to make sure they don't hit the other car!
So we get through all this and we're still married ;) and have a kid's bedroom set (all in our car- it's mind boggling that a whole entire bunk bed can fit in that box) and have to try and hit the shopping district as my better half has lost his shoes in the bottom of a lake in another country. Roll Call. We find a "mall" and it turns out it's next to an open air spot so we hit the latter, and not only find shoes in 30 minutes (record time for the hubby), but also find a pair for me on clearance (yay!) AND a surprise festival! I have no idea what we were celebrating, but that was fun! Wait till you see the photo of the hubby's dinner, ha! They had fresh fried fish that was huge on a little, tiny bun! I don't even like fish and that was pretty good! Had to take a photo. And it was bachelorette/bachelor party night apparently so that added to the fun. It was a wonderful evening and so made up for the insanity of Ikea!
I did get the girls' room almost all finished, it will be when their bookshelf and Boon Bag get here, and I find a bigger rug, so I'll take pictures soon. Their little bunk beds are too cute!
This is the Family Parking spot. Why aren't these everywhere??
Beautiful church on our walk to the shopping area.
Can you see the pirate looking ladies? They're a bachelorette party with basket of liquor and you pay a euro to take a shot with the bride to be!


One posing, one pissed. It was a long day.

Really neat Noah's Ark fountain. I should have taken a better photo to show the dove with the wig and the mammary glands on the front!


Turns out the wheeled turtle was a little wet. Not so sure about that.

Walking/shopping area. This photo really doesn't capture the beauty. Germany makes me want to learn to take better photos.

Can you see the bright colored business in the back? There is a man on a ladder, with  what looks like an inflatable cross on his back (with flames!) and he does a flip off the front of the ladder, lands on his back (inflaty thingy) and bounces up! Ha!


How could one not take a photo of this fish "sandwich"??

Bachelor party: I bought a banana for a euro.  Big A loved it, little A was horrified!

The beautiful area where someone was apparently hilarious. The crowd was in stitches about whatever this comedian was saying. May have helped that the beer was flowing freely.

This photo does no justice! This statue represents the last 2000 year of Koblenz. Incredible.

Gorgeous church at night.