Minnesota is Heaven, But Virginia is Home

So...it's my sister's 30th birthday today. And for some reason, I am experiencing writer's block. I'm sitting here, wishing that the words would pour forth. Words describing how important she is to me, how many times she has very nearly saved my life just by being there on those days when it seemed like there was no one else who cared. I wish that I could be there to tell her how much I appreciate the fact that she has been my friend, confidante, fashion consultant, therapist, personal trainer, conscience, and relationship expert (among others). I know it all sounds pretty rosy, and for the most part, it has been, but make no mistake: we've had plenty of arguments in 30 years. For example, she still claims that I threw one of her Barbie dolls out the car window on our trip to California in 1986. That's one of them. Or all the times she "borrowed" clothes out of my closet without quite getting permission. I'm certain there were many, many fights alo...

It was a beautiful day in Stuttgart today, sunny and high 50s. I packed up a little snack and the camera and we set off for a little hike. We didn't get too far because a certain member of the group spent a lot of time whining about how he couldn't possibly drag his tired little body another steeeeeeeppppppp ! The pictures are from a nice park that's just outside our main gate. As in Japan, the German parks are...how shall we say? A little less "how can we prevent ourselves from being sued?" and more "use at your own risk". Remember the rusty fire truck at the park in Zushi? Yeah. It was a real truck up on blocks that kids could climb all over. All those rusty, sharp parts. Predictably, Josiah loved it and both he and Annika loved the German park today. They loved it so much that we played for well over an hour, then dragged home and the little people slept for almost three hours. I think I'll call this park "Mommy's Little Helper...

Kitten, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that we were engaged on this date in 2002. Seems like I should remember such a momentous event. I certainly remember your oh-so-covert undercover operations to get the ring. Like having me pick out what I wanted on Blue Nile and pretending like maybe you'd order it at some point, then calling me a few nights later to ask my ring size. And then talking about where you thought we should have our reception. It's a good thing you're a sailor and not some secret agent... I'm sure it didn't help that once you hinted you'd made the purchase, I was gagging trying to keep from calling and asking you every 10 minutes if it had arrived. I was in Mankato and you were in St. Paul. You showed up on my doorstep one evening with your dog in tow and I pretended that I couldn't for the life of me figure out why in the world you were there, looking just a little flustered. Even Greta and Freddie were a little fluster...

This has been a busy week thus far. Yesterday, by chance, we ended up outside playing with Jen's kids, who then came upstairs and watched part of "Meet the Robinson's" with us. It's our new favorite-ist movie. For those of you who haven't seen it...it's Disney Pixar without the Pixar. And that = not as good as "Cars". It's OK, not great, just OK. Josiah and Annika love it and that's all that matters. Hans and I can find other things to do while they watch it. Playing, lunch and movie threw our schedule way out of whack (which was fine--it's good to mix it up sometimes), so naps weren't taken until after 2:00 p.m. I had to wake the kids up around 4:30 so that we could make our weekly pilgrimage to the exchange, where we purchased a lot of stuff that was only a little necessary. Like the second season of "Deadwood", which I intended to borrow from the library, but Hans forced me (by twisting my arm behind my back and jerki...

Here they are, in random order (as usual): The bunkbeds! Yay! The only good part of this room! Tres rustique, non? Josiah & Annika with Woody & Jessie Hotel at Disneyland Paris: $1,000 Hot dogs and Cokes at Disneyland Paris: $28 Souvenirs: $80 One picture of an overjoyed, awed child: Priceless Calamity Annie Annie, waiting patiently for Hans and Josiah at the shooting range There was no way I was paying money to buy such a stupid hat, but a picture is free! Ha--take that Disneyland!! It's a Small World (too small some days, if you know what I mean) Hans and Annie on the teacups It all looks so magical... Moments before we wearily dragged ourselves to the exit. I am chronicle-ing our misadventures on video tape. The sun shines...for four minutes. Josiah and Sully from "Monsters, Inc."

IF you don't mind a substandard hotel room, a continental breakfast lacking in anything but croissants, weather that can change with the drop of a hat, everyone and their three-year-olds chainsmoking while simultaneously pushing and barging into lines, and... Well, you all get the idea. I would love to be an optimist and say that we had a wonderful time. The truth is that I'm completely and unabashedly a pessimist. We had a semi-decent time. I give it 1-1/2 stars out of four. Where to start? The drive was not unbearable...we got a later start than had originally been planned (someone forgot to set an alarm)...the drive was actually lovely. The kids watched a movie and then fell asleep, leaving Hans and I to listen to music and admire the scenery of eastern France. While not as dramatic as Austria, France has its own sort of beauty. There was a man in a beret walking a poodle at the first gas station we stopped at...I almost took a picture. Almost. It was just too perfectly Fren...

That would be her Sioux name: Annika Sleeps with Junk In addition to demanding to sleep with a bevy of odd things, she sleeps in the most contorted positions: Let's see: dinosaurs? check koosh ball? check soccer ball? check VW Beetle? check Silver Nissan car? check Titi? But of course

We're off to Disneyland Paris tomorrow. Home by Saturday night, hopefully. If the characters don't go haywire from our camera flash and take us all hostage. Just a little Simpson's humor. As I've never driven from Stuttgart to Paris before, I can't really say how far it is. Mapquest says that it is around 380 miles. We'll see how it goes. It looks like a straight shot west, all autobahn driving. I would be nervous about driving in another foreign country, but we'll have Dora with us. The Navigon has been a godsend. I really wish we would have purchased one in Japan. I was also thinking the other day about how much better Japan would have been if we would have had my vehicle or a nicer vehicle. Having our personal vehicles in Germany has made such a difference. The van in Japan was unreliable at best, though it managed not to die while we were there...it may still be alive for all I know. I always worried just driving that thing from Ikego to Yo...

http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0107_volkswagen_microbus/index.html Thank HEAVENS Volkswagen has made a move into the minivan sector. I was afraid that I'd have to move into the Chrysler or Toyota line if we decided to expand this family any further. Volkswagen currently does not make any vehicle that seats more than five people. Well, unless you buy a Eurovan from a few years ago. Anyway...these are supposed to be available starting this fall. I can hardly wait!! Aren't they adorable?

On a lighter note, I did get both of my first Etsy purchases. I got my adorable new origami-paper necklace yesterday. I'm wearing it today. If it hadn't been so cold and rainy, I may have been able to get out more and wear something other than a parka, so that people could have seen it and complimented me on its uber-cuteness. And it is. Uber-cute. Genevieve saw it via the webcam. God bless the webcam. Also, today I got my two new handmade fabric bibs. They are gorgeous. I almost don't want to put them on the aforementioned food stuffer/gagger for fear the blueberries will stain the lovely fabrics. Both of them have adorable cotton fronts and super thick, absorbant, wonderfully soft chenille backs. I bought them because she has one other handmade bib that I adore. It snaps. Oh, you say, don't all bibs snap? Why no, they don't. And velcro blows. It gets un-sticky after three washes. Meaning, she can pull it off when she's tired of her bib, which i...

Ugh. It's another gray and rainy day in Stuttgart. Sigh. I am one of those people who are terribly affected by the weather. I can't make lemons out of lemonade, it's just who I am. I am not an optimist by any stretch of the imagination. Obviously. I can handle a gray day here and there, but anything longer than 48 hours and I start feeling as gray as the day. We have been so bored all day long. I mean, I can always find something for myself to do. Pedicure. Manicure. Cleaning the grubby grout around the kitchen cabinet baseboards with a Q-Tip. Washing clothes. Taking out the trash. Straightening up the amazing tangle of my underwear drawer (I think that my expensive bras are mating with my cheap Target bras...actually, that would be nice to get something middle-of-the-road). Picking up the couch cushions, the train tracks, the princess castle, the play food, the sippy cups that are lodged under the couch and behind the washing machine...all of these last few things, I could...

Hans had a medical appointment in Heidelberg today (there is another base there). He stopped by to visit Schloss Heidelberg while he was in town. These are the pictures... The largest keg in the world...the Giant Barrel of 1750, which could hold almost 60,000 gallons of wine (it's empty now) Bird's eye view of Heidelberg This bridge was built sometime prior to 1550, when? We don't know, exactly. But dang, that's old! The Powder Tower, blown up by the French in 1693 (sketched by Goethe and waxed-poetic upon by Twain) Dry moat with the Seldom Empty Tower (on corner)--called "seldom empty" because it was used as the schloss prison View of the ruins Friedrich Building Statues on the Friedrich Building Look at all these statues...heads everywhere. Crreeeeeepppyyy! OK, I didn't go, I stayed home so that Josiah could go to school today. So...I don't know much about this except that the pictures are amazing. Enjoy!

Here they are, in random order. They look best when enlarged (just double-click on them for anyone who didn't already know). Jesuitenkirche in Innsbruck and one little penitent entering the pew The Goldenes Dachl ( from DK's Austria: The symbol of Innsbruck, the Golden Roof is an oriel window added in 1500 by Maximilian I to Friedrich IV's former residence. It is covered with 2,657 gilded copper rooftiles.) Just in case anyone was curious. Zugspitze from our uber-room Tulips! Tulips! Donna, control yourself :) So you can get an idea of how excellently excellent Innsbruck might have been on a clear day. Possibly the prettiest McDonald's I have ever entered, and Hans, J & A crossing the street. My new favorite photo--someone computer-y tell me how to make this my masthead! All of the shop windows in Innsbruck had beautiful displays, many featuring Easter scenes. Just arrived at Edelweiss--freedom from the carseat! A view from the courtyard at Edelweiss Annie...