Thanksgiving

Thank you Roe Family for visiting for Thanksgiving! This was the first time I hosted Thanksgiving. It was wonderful. The food left room for improvement, but we had a wonderful time with family. We also introduced Thanksgiving to our neighbors. Kaddy could not get over how much food I made for so few people. I don't think the German's enjoy left-overs as much as we do! What a wonderful day!

Long time no post!

Sorry it has been so long. Life got in the way.



I will post our latest adventure and then work backwards, so the next few post will be out of order.



Our friends the Soukup's just left. They drove in from England and we spend a few great days at Garmisch. Scooter was not able to make the trip, and he was very missed.

We spent a day in Munich. We also took a day to wander around Garmish. The mountains were beautiful and the weather was perfect.



Joel pointed out that he and I have been taking trips together for 10 years now! This trip with our children was a big change from our college day trips. Back in the day we traveled a little lighter! I can't believe Joel has two kids! I can't believe I have two kids. I guess things change after 10 years.



Thank you Soukup family for making the trip. It was great to spend time with you. We loved getting to know Tessa and Taylor. Your family is wonderful. I hope Germany was worth the trip. We'll make the trip next time!

First Day of School

Ryleigh started Kindergarten in August. She went twice a week for the month of August and started going everyday in September. She is the only American in the school. When she started she could say danke and bitte, but that was about it. Now she can count to funf(5) and sometimes she makes it to zehn(10). She will sometimes uses Spanish numbers. I didn't know she could count in Spanish. I guess we have Dora and Sesame Street to thank for the Spanish. She is working on learning her colors. Her favorite color to say is gelb (yellow). I don't think she has learned pink or purple yet. Ryleigh's teacher can speak English, but is really trying to get Ry to use Deutch. It has been a very positive experience. Ryleigh still plays alone, but doesn't mind. The other kinden have been very nice and try to include her. Ryleigh came home one day, I asked if she played with her friends. She said she did, but they just don't listen to her! I told her they don't speak English, if she wants them to listen she needs to speak German. "But why don't they speak English, Mom? They really should know English!" The school also teaches French. Her teachers told me yesterday they think French is just a little too much for Ryleigh. I guess she goes crazy during her French lesson! I don't know if I can blame her, two new languages would be a bit much for me!

My idea of walking her to and from school is still a good idea, just doesn't happen. If I walk with Jylian in the stroller, it takes me 15 minutes. But it takes over 30 for Ryleigh. We have to stop and discover everything. Sometimes we have to stop at the park and that adds to the walk. Now that it is 40 degrees in the morning, it makes it even harder to get motivated to walk. Oh well, the drive is short.

Today Ryleigh has her first (erste) field trip (wandertag). The class is walking to the next town of Esch. They will see how to make apple juice (apfelsaft). Then they get to take the bus back to school! Ryleigh is most excited about the bus. I am a little worried about the walk, but I am sure she will do fine.

Jylian doesn't enjoy being at home while Ryleigh is gone. Jyli's highlight is getting to pick her favorite big sis up from school. Jylian will go around the house looking in rooms trying to see Ryleigh, it is way too cute.

I cannot believe how old she is, where did the time go? I really hope it doesn't go this fast with Jyli!

My girls are getting so BIG!

Here are few updates. I will add pictures later, sorry.

JYLIAN REESE

Today Jylian is 9 months. I don't know where the time went. We have done so much in the last nine months. 9 months ago today Scooter and I made our little trip to the CU hospital in Aurora, Colorado. After my scheduled c-section we had a very little, beautiful baby girl. All was well until she lost all that weight. Then we had to force feed her for weeks until she started gaining again. I am so glad those days are gone. We headed to Layton Utah to send Daddy back to Korea. A few weeks after that we were packing up and off to Alabambi! We spent 5 weeks in a one room TLF. What great family bonding! On our way to Arizona we spent a week in SA, TX to say goodbye to family. We enjoyed our 6 weeks in Phoenix and then set off to visit the Roe family in California. From San Fran we jumped on a plane, flew over the water and then we were in Germany! Now we have been here for almost 5 months. What a busy 9 months, but at least we are busy as a family.
Well, now she is all over the place and into everything. She bugs her sister and her dog. She is a very good little sister! Last night she had her first real meal. She had pot roast with the rest of us. She had potaotes and carrots and a huge serving of BEEF. I think she may have out eaten Ryleigh. Wow, if it is "big kid" food she can't get enough. She may be a good eaten after all!
She knows what she wants. We have a small window of time to meet her expectations, if we fail she lets us know. She is most happy when Ryleigh is in the room. When Ryleigh is at school it is a sad time for Jylian. The best part of the day is picking Ry up from school. Jylian almost jumps out of my arms to grab her sister. I love seeing how sweet they are to eachother. I hope it lasts, but I won't hold my breath. Jyli talks all the time, just like her sister. We don't like quiet around here! Fun times ahead!

RYLEIGH ALEXIS

Ryleigh is getting bigger by the minute. She usually announces this after every meal. She is getting bigger and older so she can get married. Her wedding day is just around the corner. She is getting married at her cousin Jess' wedding in October. It is a little upsetting that Jess is not going to marry Ryleigh, I guess Jess would rather be married to Reed. I hope Ryleigh is OK with that on October 11th!
Ryleigh started German Kindergarten this month and will go everyday in September. She loves going to school and thinks she can go by herself. Everyday she tries to learn German. She can count to five in German now. I don't think it will take long. She is the only American in the school. We'll see how it goes the next few months. She will also start dance in September. She is so excited.
Well Ryleigh has proven time and time again that love has no language. Ryleigh seems to really like these German boys. It doesn't matter where we are, she is always flirting with the boys. We went to the Klausen soccer game this weekend. Ryleigh joined the kids and ran off to play in the forrest. Her friend Elise was the head of the gang. Ryleigh followed her all over, until she met Heinrick. When it was time to go, Elise told us that Ryleigh was with her "boyfriend." That didn't take long. He doesn't speak English and she doesn't speak German. It doesn't matter. I am so thankful she is only 3, I don't think I will be able to handle her when she is 16. I will let her have fun now!
I envy Ryleigh right now. She has a forrest as her playground. So much space to play and discover. The children in our village have been awesome. They include her even though they don't understand her. She sounds different, dresses different, and has parents who are different, but they still include her. What a life! What an experience!
Last night Scooter, Ryleigh and Cyclone took off to the forrest to collect wild blackberries. Scooter said Ry was great at picking out the good ones. Tonight we will have ice cream with blackberries. They are so good, they don't even need sugar!

Well that is enough for now.

Trier

Here are the last of the pictures from Sam and Lynn's visit. We visited Trier on their last day in Germany. At the end of our Trier day, they jumped on a trained and headed south to Italy. We had a great time. Thanks again for the visit!

Bernkastel

Friday we spent the day in Bernkastel. This village dates back to the Renaissance. We started the day with a one hour cruise along the Mosel River. We then walked along the picturesque streets. The day ended at Vinothek. This place has 135 wines from the Mosel Valley. For a small fee you can go to the stone cellar and taste every wine if you so choose. Yet another beautiful day. I think Lynn and Sam brought the sunshine with them. I don't believe I will ever see such a beautiful day while walking through Bernkastel. On the drive home, I found myself to be the only one still awake. I don't think ending the day with massive wine tasting helped keep my passengers awake! Sammy agreed with me that Bernkastel looks just the way it is suppose to look. A perfect little German town. Another great day!

Festung Ehrenbreitstein

"Established as a fortification by the Romans between ten and eight BC, this fortress overlooks the spot where the Mosel converges the Rhein River. Ehrenbreitstein, formerly the strongest fortress in Europe, second only to Gibraltar, shares with the latter the distinction of being one of the largest fortresses ever to be hewn into solid rock. It is the only major piece of architecture of historical and artistic rank built in the Rhineland under Prussian rule." At different points of history the Archbishops of Trier chose to keep valuable relics in this fortress. The relics were the skull of St. matthew and The Holy Robe.

We had a great time seeing this part of history. There was no information in English, so what I wrote is all we really know about this site. History takes on a whole new meaning when you can see a place like this.

This was the last stop of our first full day of sightseeing with Sammy and Lynn. It was a "beautiful day."