Almost 2, It's time for a Dirndl

Ellie will be 2 this Saturday so we're taking her to Disneyland in Paris this weekend. I just love this girl and I know she will love it!

Before we get out of town, I thought I should get some 2 year old pictures in her new dirndl. (Which I found in Garmish at a 2nd hand store- got to love that! Some nice ones can be over 80 euro out here which is about 120 dollars and I got it for 1/4 the cost- love great deals.) I wish we could have taken them in Southern Bavaria, but I settled for Bamberg (for now) at the rose gardens outside the Residence. I'll try to get more professional ones later, but I figured with our great camera these would work for now. So here is my little Miss Bavaria.

This was unprovoked she wanted sit like this for the picture. Don't know where she gets that from.....

Mostly Wonderful Pictures

Just stopping to get some gas on our way to Neuschwanstien. Yes, I said this was at a gas station:)

Bonz and I at Castle Heidelberg

Ellie is WILD, Linderhof Castle

Man it's great here

Getting big, this was at about 19 weeks and I'm 22 now so I need to update this mug.

Prague, Radiohead, etc, etc.

The Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and New town taken from Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge looking into Old Town

Looking out to toward the Opera House

View from the Castle into town- "New Prague"

Saint Vitus Cathedral outside

St. Vitus inside- simply put, the most amazing cathedral I've ever been in.

St. Vitus spires

Old town Prague Tyn spires

The Oldest Synagogue

Executioners Square

The Opera House

Radiohead Concert

The stage set up was wild really liked it

Thom rock'in it

The Good King Wenceslas looked out

Prague was the most wonderful city we have ever been to. My friend Bonnie was able to come out and we got sold out Radiohead tickets before the trip, to make this one of the most spectacular adventures to date.

I think Prague wins best city ever for many reasons. Everything is within close proximity and transportation is cheap and easy to use. It is very clean compared to other big cities. And there are a good variety of things to see, all of which are spectacular, stunning, mindblowing...... etc. My favorite memory is looking out from Charles Bridge at night onto the water glowing with the lights from both sides of spiring hills and city, in the back ground a 1930s type band was playing and I felt like I was in a dream. Seriously, put this city on a must visit before any other city in Europe list. We were lucky to have someone watch Ellie for us and I think that made all the difference too:) Can't wait to go back.

Hypnobirthing

I have to say, I've been totally intrigued with this movement ever since my first conversation about it with a good friend of mine over 2 years ago. I've had friends do it and I also watched a dateline or something to that effect and was quite impressed, but I've been skeptical because I have had a ton of preconceived notions about birthing and hello, I've been through it! BUT I have been reading the book "Hypnobirthing, The Mongan method" ( I believe it's the 3rd edition) and it's done nothing less that change my life and totally open my mind to birthing, strengthen my testimony and  give me a new sense of confidence about the whole process. And I know this is bold, but I think that it could be an interesting book for any reader needing to deal with stress in a better way. I feel totally empowered and better able to cope with having a baby in Germany! Totally recommend this book!!

Stone Martens, House Spiders and Wasps OH MY!!

So, we have had our fair share of vermin this summer.

Last month we came home from California to find a good size wasp nest outside, right by the kitchen window. These guys managed to find a way inside the wall and make it home. Oh, and did I mention that the German government lists wasps as a protected species? Very cool and predicable... so we couldn't call an exterminator! The good news is that we were able to kill them ourselves and they are all gone!! Thank goodness!! I hate wasps!!

Last week we had a surprise visitor leave animal prints all over our car and then we found out that he got in ate some wires in the car and made a home for himself as well!! Turns out it was this cute guy--a stone marten. It'll be an easy fix--we just have to get a marten shocking device and some new wires. HA. I have NO idea what makes these guys drawn to car engines.




So, last night Andrew and I were in horror reading about this guy:




YES, that is a bird!!! We vowed never to go to Australia after that. As if microscopic killer jellyfish in their oceans wasn't enough to keep us away. So this morning, right after reading about that horrifying spider, Andrew was putting on his army costume and a German "house spider" ran up his pants up to his neck!!! EWWW !! I guess these spiders are pretty common here, but it was a little smaller than my HAND and the freakiest "house spider" I have ever seen. Spiders suck so bad.