Oktoberfest

I now it's been a while since I posted last....my bad!!!  Life kinda gets in the way!! I wanted to share our adventure to the "real" Oktoberfest with ya! So we decide to take the train. It's ends up being a 2 & a half hour ride & it was so packed our whole group - 4 guys, 3 girls, & 2 children + a stroller- had to stand the entire ride & we just so happened to be crowded by the bathroom so that was really nice - NOT. We should have known from this that our day was not going to go as planned. haha & boy do we have stories to tell about the train ride, from a stinky guy and about 15 people crammed into a space meant for 5 or so to the many people who decided they should squeeze through our group to get to the bathroom. & believe me they have no idea what personal space is either.



After that painful ride there we were so happy to finally arrive in Munich! We started our 15 min walk from the train station & it felt like we were in New York, so many cars & people trying to cross roads to get where they were going! Finally we start seeing people dressed in their lederhosen and dirndls so w know we are close. The crowds were overwhelming! We find a tent & we went in to find a bathroom and a seat.

As you can see, finding a seat in the tents for our group was impossible! So off we go, & by this time the guys just wanted a beer and we all wanted food!!! And then we find out you have to be seated somewhere to get served beer so the hunt was on!! After looking for a seat for what seemed like forever we found 2 tables near each other that would hold our group & although we had to b separated we were just happy to sit.

 

And probably the best time we had was when we met ^this^ guy and his friends from Australia. They were so fun! They traveled all this way just for Oktoberfest. After a couple of hours of just sitting we decided to leave our table which we knew we would never see again :o(  to go check out other things. This is when it all went to hell.  ^this^ girl gets lost in the crowd and has no phone and no one can find her. It was terrible! Although we tried to look for her it seemed impossible and it was, we never saw her the rest of the day or night. [she ended up catching a train  & made it back safe-thank goodness] but the guys we were with didn't really know her and they [including my husband] wanted to do something fun so we went off to try to enjoy the rest of the day.

                                        Me & the hubs!!! Love making memories with him!

                                           I love this guy [^Corey^] he is so much fun!!

I was upset I missed my opportunity to get a pic on the Ferris wheel Corey made my whole night by capturing this shot from the top of a roller coaster him and the guys went on!!! Beautiful don't you think!!

Overall the rides and well everything was over priced, we had to elbow our way through the crowds, and the lines for the bathrooms were never ending. Although we did make some good memories there I would never want to suffer through that again!

Gazuntite

I have spent the last 4 days being a nurse, entertainer, cook, and maid as the husband has been home on quarters after oral surgery. I am so beyond thrilled to say he is feeling much better today!!! Now we get to enjoy the weekend before he goes back to work Monday!

We had planned to hit up Oktoberfest this weekend [b/c it's def something we have to see] but we heard that it is better to not go on the weekends b/c the crowds are over 250,000 people! I couldn't imagine being around that many people let alone that many drunk people. So we decided to wait till next weekend since it is Columbus Day they chances of him being off the Friday before are very good. Crossed fingers here!!! I am excited to get to experience the real Oktoberfest even though I am not a beer drinker! So i think we will just spend this weekend with friends, maybe a dinner date, and some driving around!

I learned an interesting fact today that i thought I would share.....  Many Americans will say gazuntite instead of bless you when someone sneezes thinking it means the same thing. But, it actually is the German word meaning health. Many centuries ago in Germany they were stricken by the bubonic plague. So people started saying gazuntite after a person sneezed because they were wishing health upon themselves b/c it meant they were probably going to get the plaque.

It's been a while!!

Since the hubs has been home I feel like it's been a roller coaster of up & downs with this unit, his schedule, and this crazy life of ours!!! The current world situation has not made things any easier for us either. Always concerned that he may be deployed at any moment if things don't start to calm down!! I was so looking forward to the holiday season so we will have some time together but now that time is threatened by the attacks on all the U.S. Embassy's and every other crazy thing popping off around the world. Everyday that he goes to work or every evening when his phone rings I find myself anxious to hear if there is an news about a possible deployment?!?!? The weekends are such a relief for me!

I am happy to report it is officially the season of Fall, which is one I have never really experienced being from Texas!!! The temperatures are high 50's or low 60's during the day & in the high 30's at night! The leaves are starting to change and it feels so great!! I think this may be my favorite season [besides the fact that it's football season.... Go, Cowboys....  :o/ ]!!

On a positive note however, tomorrow we are going to get our passports!!! I am so excited to get them in  & to begin traveling outside of Germany!! [even though there are still SOOOO many places in Germany we have not explored yet] I just hope that everything goes as planned with his schedule and the Karen's will be here to travel with us in December!!!

Cross your fingers for us that all goes as planned!!!! I will be crossing mine!!! :o)

Peace Out Friends!!

This unit clearly ran by men?!?!? AHHHHH

Just sharing with you my frustrations from the last week!! VENTING!!!

The hubs finally returned from deployment [at 1 a.m.]  on Thurs. the 6th. As he as being released, command instructed them to report for duty at noon the same day to leave for Field training but insisted they would be home for dinner that evening. At around 2pm, I get a call saying they decided to stay overnight in the field. And command gave all the guys 20 minutes to go pack overnight gear. [seeing as we live 20 minutes away from post, that wasn't happening] So my hubs said he would tough it out! [Which he has no problem doing, but I was highly irritated]. After class that evening I came home to a lonely house, a lil sad, again!!! But I was so tired from the prior 2 nights of excitement I almost did not care. This was the 1st night in a long time that I was asleep by 11. After just few short hours of sleep, I was awoken at 2 a.m. by an constant nagging buzzing.... yep, my phone. I groggily answer [ & if you know me, u know how much I love my uninterrupted sleep!!] & it's my husbands [annoying @ 2 am] cheerful voice saying I could come pick him up [now] b/c they were done!! All I could say was "are you fucking serious?!?!?!?" So I got dressed and angrily started my 20 min drive to post. As I am turning a corner in the town of Vilseck radio blaring [to stay awake] I pass a Polizei [German police] & then  see them whip around and turn on their screaming red lights & I hurriedly pull to the side of the road. So.... officially I have been stopped by the German police!!! Thank goodness I wasn't speeding [like normal] probably b/c I was so tired. They asked me why I am out so late & my response was "the stupid Army decided to release my husband in the middle of the damn night", they responded back with "ooohhh, well, have a good night." Right?!?!? So I finally get there & get the husband & his gear all loaded up & then wouldn't you know it he's trying to introduce me to soldiers.... OhHellNO!!! I was not havin' any of that, I couldn't even remember if I brushed my hair!! Well, needless to say when we got home around 2:45, I had gotten a 2nd wind, so there I was 3am cooking supper for the hubs. Not Ideal!!! My sleep schedule is all kinds of messed up!!

I learned 2 things from this.... 1) This unit does not have their shit together at all!! & 2) WE NEED A 2ND CAR!!!

But, the hubs has officially been home for 3 full days now. They ended up getting Fri off, probably as an apology for the unit being so fucking stupid!!!! We were able to get some stuff done, he got to eat all of his requested meals, & we even went out with some friends!!! Back to the world of smoke breath, biting nails, putting stuff where it doesn't belong & leaving messes EVERYWHERE for me to clean up! Ahhhhh, life as an Army Wife.

& back to the field he goes in 2 days..... it never ends!!

The Day Has Come!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, the day is here!!! In a little over 2 hours I get to see my husband again!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing better than a homecoming!! I think us Army Wives are lucky in that we get to experience the butterflies [like we probably all had in the beginning of our relationships] every time they come home from being gone for a long time. It's the greatest feelin and far out weighs the feelings of sorrow from when they leave!!!

The hardest part about today is the waiting. I have been up all day, cleaned everything left to clean, laundered everything I own, finished all my school work [including the most artistic drawing of the bloods passage through the heart and lungs]. LOL The cooler ready to b packed for the guys, by request of my husband!!! & after all that I still have hours left to kill. I told myself I would not start to get ready until 10 pm!! Its been sooooo hard. Let me tell ya, if these Gemans believed in stores being open past 7 I would so b shopping to kill some time!!! Well, it's officially 10:03 pm, his arrival is scheduled for midnight, so time to start getting ready!!!!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

Last weekend was my trip to the chocolate factory and a fortress in Kronach! It was ah-mazing! Well actually the chocolate wasn't the greatest it was the town & fortress that blew my mind!!! It was beautiful with such rich stories! I had a great time!

My favorite part of he tour was going trough the secret underground tunnels. I was 1st in line so I had to lead the group into the pitch black tunnels. The tour guide gave us candles to light the way but that wasn't working for me. It really just let me see my hand in front of me & nothing else. I blew that sucker out & put the flashlight on my phone on...much better.

As we were walking through the tunnels I had a creepy feeling like you would get at a haunted house during Halloween,like someone was going to jump out & scare the living day out of s. When I got home I noticed a picture I took in the tunnel & I swear it is a ghost.

 

To the left there is my breath b/c it was cold.... but straight ahead, sort of blue, I'm convinced it's a ghost!! What do you think??!?!

 

 

 

I think it is officially fall here in Germany. The leaves are starting to change color and the temperatures are getting cooler. This is probably my favorite time of year!!! I am excited to see fall happen before my eyes instead of just hearing about it like we normally do in Texas. LOL

 

Yesterday I celebrated the 1st anniversary of my 29th Birthday!!!! ;o) I was afraid I would spend the day alone, like so many days since the husband has been gone. But, my friends surprised me and took me out to dinner. They had balloons, flowers, and CAKE!!!! It was really great, the dinner was soo nice & I am sooooo happy to have found some friends that really wanted to make my day special......

 

& I am super excited my hubby will be home in just a few days!!!!! I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!

 

Things are fallin into place!

 

I am so happy!

 

:o)

 

What a Good Feeling

Well, my 1st week of Biology is over!! Not a bad start! My instructor is pretty cool even though she's not the best I've ever had. Totally had a class full of lost people tonight [with that deer in the headlight look]. Nobody understood her way of teaching. She totally had to reteach things like 3 or 4 times for us to actually grasp what she was saying. We will see Tuesday how much I actually got when we have out 1st test?!?!? I can not believe I am back in the world of studying. I got this, don't worry!!! :o) Now a day off before my 8-5 class on Saturday! Whew!!

A couple more days & we will be in the single digits for my husbands return!!!!!! I am definitely ready to see his face [even if it will be for less than a day b4 he leaves again]!!! Even though he absolutely drives me crazy & frustrates me so so much I love that man w/all my heart!

Yesterday, I made a cake for a friends birthday! He is one of the guys in the hubs unit & the friend I went to the pub with a few times. After an extremely long and frustrating day in the field I was able to talk to him to let him know I was delivering his cake early & I wouldn't see him. Since it was after midnight I was able to tell him Happy Birthday & his reaction almost broke my heart! After the long and almost unbearable day he had my birthday greeting almost brought him to tears! You just never know how the little things you do for someone can make such an impact!  :o)

Crockpot Chicken Tacos! Yum!

Since I start school this week I decided to make something yummy so I will have leftovers to eat during the week! This recipe was easy-peasy & oh so good! I kept seeing it on Pinterest so I decided to finally try it out! So glad I did! i know it will become a favorite in our house....can't wait to make it for the hubs!

Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Serves: ~12 people

1 envelope Taco Seasoning
6 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 16-ounce jar Salsa (I used Newman's Own)

Dump everything into a crock pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. You do not need to add any water to the taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, shredded cheese and/or sour cream. This is very versatile and can be used for enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, or even in taco soup.

Enjoy!

Was ist Los?!?!? Or what's going on?!?!?!

Countdown has made it to the teens!!!!!!!!!! I am soooo ready to see his face!!! It has been frustrating trying to talk to him on Skype, were 8 times out of 10 one of us will sound like a robot and you catch every few words! The connection is just so bad!

School starts on Monday!!! I am so excited to be going back, I am not so pumped about my 1st class being biology though!!!! Oh Well, let's get it started so we can hurry & finish!!!!!! So I'll be going Monday & Wednesday nights to class & next Sat I will have a 1 time class from 9am-5 pm. Definitely not ready for that one.....

But on the 26th [my hunnies b-day] I am going on a trip to LAUENSTEIN CHOCOLATE FACTORY and the town of Kronach. KRONACH IS SURROUNDED BY A NEARLY COMPLETE CITY WALL AND GERMANY'S BIGGEST MEDIEVAL FORTRESS, FESTUNG ROSENBURG. I am so pumped!! & kinda bummed the husband won't be here for the trip. I won''t totally be alone though, a new friend I met in my German class is going too. :o)  I know next week will fly by & b4 I know it the hubs will be coming home!!!!

Lately, I have been in a crafty mood. Went on a hunt for canvas' & wouldn't you know it was a German holiday & all stores were closed! :o( Bummer! Oh well, I have other things I can do until I can make it back to the shops! Besides trying out new recipes I'm attempting to make a lil piece of art that reminds me of home..... this is where I've gotten so far

The plan is to frame it with road maps of important places!!! Next, I'll need to find the perfect frame!!! <3 that TX pride!!!!

Rants & Raves!!!

Well, we are officially in the 20's for the countdown!!! So ready for that man of mine to b home!! Of course I got sad news at the FRG meeting last night!! The only reason he is coming home early is so he can go out to the field for 2 weeks. UGH! So.... I get him for a day & then he's gone again. Once he's home, I'll have him for 3 weeks & then, BAM, he will be gone again....for a month!! The army really knows how to suck the fun outta life!!! & they get told they get to take leave from 12/15-01/03 but get this, they will be on QRF [Quick Reaction Force] status so they should be ready to deploy anywhere in less than 72 hours! So.... it's ok for us since we r not going back to the states for the holidays but those that r have to b ready to fly back at a moments notice if they get called out. & all of this just to deploy again next summer. It seems like too much!! Sometimes I think I might not make it but then I hear the screams of other Army Wives dealing with the same [or worse] things saying find ur big girl panties & put them the F%*# on!!!! & that is what I will do!! Until he's home again!

On the up side, I found this really cool blog that is full of cute ideas for date nights, gifts, & recipes. It also has advice & tips for family & marriage! This will definitely come in handy in the future. So glad I found it & will share with you!!  http://www.thedatingdivas.com/

Another great find was http://epubbud.com/ . I have been reading books from this site on my Kindle Fire for free! I love it! They don't have every book I have searched for but they are continuously updating the site. Check it out! I think I have read more these past few months than I have in my whole life!!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I heard about this cauliflower crust for a while now but I have been a lil scared to try it!! Today though, I got the courage!!

I'm so happy I did, I loved it!!! It definitely doesn't taste like a "normal" pizza crust but surprisingly didn't taste like cauliflower either! The one problem I find is that while it’s not impossible to pick up a piece and eat with your hands, it’s much easier to use a fork. But definitely gives us a pizza fix but much healthier!

Try it & see what you think.....


INGREDIENTS

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)
pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings* [I used mushrooms, spinach & tomatoes]

DIRECTIONS

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes (some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you may need to reduce this cooking time). There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.
One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Enjoy!
*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.



I can not wait to make this when the hubs gets home! I know he will never believe that the crust is cauliflower!!!!

Count down has begun...

Officially LESS than 40 days till the hubby returns!!!!!!!!! I am super stoked!!! I am hoping the time passes quickly!!! I am sending my last box to him [his kinda b-day box] next week!!! & I'm more than hoping the Army doesn't decide they need him there any longer than they said!!!! But thats what the life brings... u never know what actually will happen until its happening!!! It would be nice though if he came home early for our birthdays!!! I was really hoping to go all out this year since we will both be turning the big dirty 30!!!! Looks like that won't be happening!!! Luckily, my b-day falls on a Friday so at least I will have plans to go to the pub in Parkstein w/a couple of friends.

After a few days of having problems with the online site for University of Maryland I finally registered for classes today. I am taking a LIBS class which is just 1 credit but needed to graduate & then to my surprise the Math class I was dreading registering for was full so I had to settle on human biology! Equally as bad!!! I'm nervous about the classes but hopefully the term will fly by & I can move on to Sociology classes!!

Yesterday, I finally got my car all legal. The final process was putting on the new tires & an oil change. I started my day at 6:30 so I could be the 1st one in line & still they didn't finish until 9:45. Then went to Graf to get the inspection day & after waiting 2more hours.... PASSED!!!! Yes! After that I had to go up to registration to get new license plates. And the waiting continues.... when I pulled my number 29, I looked up to realized they were calling #96. After another hour & a half finally they called me in to give me my plates. Of course, they wanted to see my power of attorney which I had left in the dang car!!! Luckily they remember seeing me the last 5 times I had been in there in the last month so they let me slide!!! Then I have the pleasure to go down & put on the new plates [which is definitely something I would consider mans work]. I had no screw driver but did have the husbands knife in the car so I put the back plate on & said screw it on the front. I threw it in the dash & went home!!! When I got home & started putting on the plates, I realized the holes the guy punched in the plate didn't quite match the holes in the car. So..... I screwed 1 screw in and the other well, I rigged it in this little clippy thing so now it's crooked but it's on & will wait until the hubs returns to get fixed properly. I am over doing my mans jobs around the house!!! But soon..... I will have him home & all will be well!!!

Officially in College.....again!!

Monday I applied & today I registered. So I am officially a student of the University of Maryland, Europe!! Since it's been so long since I finished my Associates I lost a few credits. But I'm gonna do it!!! This time I will finish!!! 43 more credits to earn my Bachelor's degree..... 77 already done! I got a long road ahead of me, but it is for the best. I am sad I have to take a math class. My math is at about a 5th grade level. But, somehow I have to do it. Hopefully my calculator will help me through! LOL

Good things are happening all around. The husband has started studying for the board. He is hoping to get his E6 in the next 6-8 months. I am super proud of him, all his hard work, & motivation. Of course, with the Army, everything is subject to change so it may not come that easy or fast but I know he will get it soon!!!

Today I had an appt at the auto care center for them to fix a couple of things so our car will pass inspection. So the way they do it is 1st come 1st serve. They say to drop the car between 730 & 8 a.m. I surely wasn't excited by this news. What happened to making an appt and showing up at your appt time?!?!?! After just 3 hours of sleep, I woke  up and raced to get to the car center by 715.Ugh, wouldn't you know it 4 people had beaten me there. After awkwardly waiting in the waiting room with some creepy guy & a mom and her 3 children [all under the age of 4] I was sooo read to get outta there. Finally, at 11:00 my car was finished. That seemed like the longest wait of my life. Good thing they sold Dr. Pepper there or I might not have made it. Then I came home to nap....needless to say I will be up allll night! Why do I do this to myself?!?!?!?

Oh well..... later peeps,I'm off to watch some Sons of Anarchy [my new love Jax]

boring around here

Life has not been too exciting round here lately! I have watched every season of every episode of every show that I'd ever thought about being interested in. I have read more in the last few months than I probably ever have b4. The house is clean [if u don't count the attic]. lol I catch up on fb, e-mails, & pinterest everyday so I know what everyone is up to. {sad, I know} .......

Luckily, I have some things coming up that make me oh so happy!!! BAKING!!! Well, a new friend is having a baby shower Saturday & has asked me to host [since her hostess just recently PCS'ed] & make cupcakes & soda pop brownies! A lil nervous about hosting since there will b some people there I don't know but I'm sure I will do fine!!

A few days ago our FRG leader asked me to head up a new program getting FRG members to bake a cake or cupcakes to deliver to our singe soldier in our unit. I am super pumped about this program b/c I love Birthdays, I love baking, & I couldn't imagine being young, single, alone & so far from home on special days like B-days!!! I really am hopeful that this program is a hit.

Recently, I stumbled upon a great recipe for marshmallow fondant. Normally, I would not use fondant b/c it tastes gross like a gummy nothing. & although it makes cakes so much prettier I was totally against it, but I don't think you could go wrong with this recipe of marshmallows, vanilla and sugar!! Yum! I can not wait to try it this!!! I am making it soon!!! :o)

.....language class tomorrow!!! The highlight of the week so far unless you count this weeks episode of Army Wives or True Blood. lol N E WAYS..... Homework complete, I can now spell my name & say my handy[cell phone] number..... in German, of course!!! GO ME!

around town

I went out around the big ol' village of Hirshau to check out the produce at the local grocery store. Of course I wanted to attempt some German while I was there. That was an epic fail. It is really intimidating to try and speak a new language in front of strangers. All I got out of my mouth was "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" or do u speak English. The lady answered back nein or no, so I shrugged my shoulders and we went about our way. After I left, I was so mad at myself b/c I can ask for help in German & I can say do u have, when clearly I wanted to find something I didn't see. UGH! Next time, I will do it!!!!! Well, I came across a few things I have never seen b4. Of course I snapped a pic to share with you.....

They are gooseberries. I did not buy any to try though I should have. Have you ever tried these??

Then onto yellow kiwis. I have never seen them b4 in the states. I had to try them. These were more sweet than the typical tangy green kiwi. I liked them lots.

This was from the frozen section. I was kinda amazed and a lot of grossed out when I saw you could buy frozen sushi & snails. EWWWW!

Well it's definitely always an adventure, even at the local grocery store, you never know what you may find. lol

Line Dancing with the Germans

Our friends introduced us to a pub in the cute lil village of Parkstein. It's definitely where the hubs likes to hangout and it is much better than the loud night clubs that many people around here prefer. The people we have met there are awesome! Every Friday night a line dancing group comes out from Weiden to do "their thang!" Well last night, I decided to participate. I got Danny to video for me b/c I know a few people who would love to see it!! lol enjoy [but don't laugh too much]

oh, how i have missed u

So, I noticed I have been a bit neglectful to my dear blog in he last week. :o(   So much has happened. I finished my Welcome to Bavaria class. It was amazing & I left the class [sad it was over] but feeling much more knowledgeable about the area I am in and even feeling a bit better about my language skills. I still have tons of work to do if I plan on learning Deutsch but I am doing pretty dang good. Next week I will start the language class. I'm ready to get through the 1st part of it b/c I have the #, colors, & greetings down packed & I do pretty well at the food part. That was top priority so I could make my way though the grocery stores on the economy!

On Monday I had to get our car inspected so we can get rid of these ugly red temporary licence plates that get me weird stares as I drive through these villages everyday. After waiting in line for 2 hours the guys have to break for lunch & wouldn't you know the last car they take at 1130 is the car in front of me. UGH. So an hour later they finally ask me to pull through & all that time wasted to just find out our car failed. As the guy is going through all the things that failed.... the handbrake, the tires, the lights, the stickers, & even the first aid kit we had was wrong. I just stare at the guy like a deer in the headlights. Except for the 1st aid kit and stickers I had no idea what he was trying to tell me. So finally he filled out a paper and said just take this to any car place and give it to them. & still not knowing what exactly I needed to pass inspection I did just that, went to the car care center on post  they understand all he had wrote & fit me in at the next date available....... July, 24th. Well thank goodness it was this year huh?!?! It is times like these when I want to scream * F  * YOU * DEPLOYMENT!!!!! ;o)

One good thing [& there aren't many] about the hubs being gone is that there is no junk food in the house that temps me (well, except my good friend Dr. Pepper). I've been trying to cut out processed foods & eat a lil better. This has led me to eating many more salads. It is always great to find a new recipe that gives these salads a lil kick. I thought I would share this one. Since it's just me eating this, I didn't mix the dressing with the salad so it will keep longer (but here is a pic of what it looks like when you mix it). Enjoy!

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
Dressing:

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:

• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
• 1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well. [I just loaded it all in my Ninja (food processor) & a few spins of the blade later, wha-la, salad dressing yum]
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Tip: Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad.
Yield: 4 Servings Servings Size: Approx 2 1/2 cups

Nutritional Information
Calories: 249, Fat: 8.2g, Saturated fat: 2.8g, Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g, Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g, Protein: 23.3g, Carbohydrate: 25.1g, Fiber: 7g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Iron: 2.2mg, Sodium: 650mg, Calcium: 106mg WWPP 6

Adapted from Cooking Light AUGUST 2006

D Day

Sad day! :o(  The husband deployed today! I know I can do this short deployment b/c I've done 2 others that were much longer. I just hate goodbyes. I tried to hint to him about what my favorite character from the book 50 Shades of Grey always says.... "Laters, baby" Since I do not like goodbye instead he comes at me with "see you laters." He said " I knew I got the laters right." lol Thats my husband?!?!?!? Well, at least he made me giggle in spite of my tears!!!

This week I am enrolled in a 4 day long class called - Welcome to Bavaria. It has been a great experience. I have started learning German but was afraid I sounded dumb so I never wanted to share with anyone. After one day of lerning German phrases and numbers in the class I realize how good Im actually doing and how I don't sound as bad as I thought. 2 more days to go and we are actually going to use our skills when the instructor takes us to the town of Weiden. I'm really pumped b/c the hubs & I  haven't had a chance to visit Weiden yet.

Well, I had an incredibly early wake up this a.m. to get to the unit to drop the hubs off. So early bedtime it is for me!!! Laters!

So....

When I first moved here I had a conversation with my sister about the strip clubs here. We wondered how you'd give the girls money? Normally in America a dollar is what you would "throw" at the girls [or stuff in various places] but here in Germany the 1 Euro is a coin. So we laughed thinking do they throw the coins at the girls, do the girls dance around with fanny packs trying to catch the coins. lol It was definitely something we laughed about for a while. Still makes me laugh when I think about it. But, anyways, while we were out the other night I told this story to a guy in the hubby's unit & after he laughed about it he pulled out his wallet.....

So he says you would buy these with Euro to give to the dancers & they would cash them in later. & his girlfriend wasn't to happy to see these in his wallet but I was happy he had them to show me. lol

The last 4 days our guys played 7 softball games. Poor guys, they were all sore &/or injured!!! They played so hard & have come so far from where they were when they began the season.

                                                              I <3 these guys!!

But sad that my hubby & a couple others can not continue the season b/c they deploy soon!!! That team was the best thing that happened for me since we arrived here. It gave me a chance to meet some pretty cool army wives. If he would not have joined that team I would probably still be sitting in our house alone not knowing anyone. I'll continue to support out team b/c they need my crazy mad yelling skills. :o)

So today was a sad day. Packing his bags for the deployments always gets to me. I love that he always gets me to help though. It is fun to watch him cram things into the bags, he even shoves his foot in there to push everything down so he can cram more crap into the already full bag. Without his Army learned packing skills I wouldn't do vacation & traveling very well. :o) So now his bags are packed & he's ready to go..... but I'm not ready at all!!!!

Softball, softball, softball!!!!! So much, I might scream!!!! lol Game last night (which they won), double header tonight, & then a tournament Fri, Sat, & Sun!!! WOW!!! Then, sadly, next week he deploys!!!! :o(  Totally bummed he's leaving so soon after arriving. I feel like we just barely got settled into a routine!!! On the up side, I am scheduled for a 4 day Welcome to Bavaria class next week & in July I will start an introduction to German class. So I am happy to at least have some opportunities to do some things while he is gone!!! So much going on now, will have to chk in later!

a lil line dancing in Germany!

We got invited to a small lil pub in a town called Parkenstein. It was about 20 minutes away & decided it would b cool to go. The pub was located right next door to an elementary school and we later found out the the pub served the kids lunch everyday. I thought that was really weird. But whatever. When we were driving uphill to the town, I noticed a small church on a very tall hill so immediately I asked if we could drive up there.

By drive I meant walk. lol So after about 400 steps we finally reached the top. Although I was outta breath & just being that high in elevation it kinda just took your breath away. But the view was so worth it. It was beautiful.

So after the long walk down the very steep hill the husband says " it was definitely time to drink a beer." So back to the pub we go. It was a quaint lil place not too many people so it as just our speed.

Even though I had not planned on drinking I couldn't resist this drink being served in tiny ice cream cones covered in chocolate. MMMMM It was so good and they told me it was egg nog but it was unlike any eggnog Ive ever tasted. I actually really loved this stuff. So after 1 lil tiny shot, I gave the lady a thumbs up & she filled my glass again. After that one I ate my chocolate cone & that was how you told them you were satisfied.

They pub hosts a group of people who come every Friday night from Weiden to do some line dancing. If my phone hadn't died I would definitely have some pics or videos to show you. It was awesome. It was unlike any line dancing I've ever seen. The people sped up every song & I swear had a different dance for every song. I didn't have any liquid courage to get out on the dance floor so I just watched but it was pretty cool. Well, minus the crazy skinny kid in his too tight jeans, weird cowboy hat, & his boots that he stomped entirely too much. The one thing that I did find weird about their line dancing was all the clapping. Entirely too freaking much!! lol

After the line dancers left we sat around a table w/our 2 new friends, Danny & his girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, which I thought was too funny not to share. lol We just called her Jenny though. & Jenny's uncle Roland. He was definitely a character. He spoke little English but we had almost a 3 hour conversation with him. Though Jenny translated a little it was the best conversation we'd had with a German speaking person. We were teaching him English words & between him and Jenny we learned quite a few words in German. However, the one that stands out to us the most is scheisse taje which translates to shit bag. Its a term often used by these army men we are around. lol

So during the conversation we are talking about counting using your fingers. So if I as an American try to tell a German 3 by using my pointer, middle, & ring fingers they really have no idea what I'm trying to say. They count by using the thumb as 1, pointer finger as 2, middle finger as 3 & so on.... Well, my point in telling you this is because I have found myself trying to translate a "thumbs up" to many Germans & after 2 months I realize I have been walking around telling people "1" instead. This surely gave everyone in the bar a good laugh when Jenny translated this all to them. Especially since they noticed me giving a thumbs up to the lady who served me eggnog  earlier in the evening which resulted in her pouring me another shot. Yep, a good thing to know. I can only imagine how stupid I've looked in the past giving waiters a thumbs up after many a dinners here. LOL at myself!!! hehe

I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST!!!!!!

The day started out early. 7:00 & I was up & getting ready to go. I had to sit in on a 3 hour drivers course b4 I could take my test. When the instructor finally handed out the test, I read the 1st question & immediately thought "Oh Shit" I don't know this. I thought the same thing after reading question 2, 3, & 4!!! At that moment I knew I was doomed!!! But luckily, as I went on they started to look more familiar. And after 20 min I was done. The second one to turn in my test. As the instructor starts grading it, I see him mark [in bright red ink] X, X, X, X,  again I think "Oh Shit"!!! (This brought me back to sitting in Mrs. Hlavinkas classroom, Junior year , when I got the news I failed my 1st ever drivers test after the long agonizing weeks in Drivers Ed!!!) However, to my surprise, I was wrong. I only missed 5 more after that. Could miss 15 to pass. Which meant I was in the clear. YAY!!!! $10 later and I was officially legal to drive in Germany. The day only got better when we were able to finally pick up our car and return the tiny little rental car we have been driving the past 2 months. :o) & I drove us home & despite a lil freak out in the traffic circle did amazing!!!! :o)

Driving in Germany

So, it's been super great to have the hubs home from the field. & was sooooo excited to get the news that our car was here. The hubs was actually off yesterday & we went to Graf [30 min away] to get the car....just to find our that we have to get license plates for it 1st from the vehicle registration office. & yep, just our luck they were closed!!!! So we are still in the small little rental car where every time he shifts into 5th gear he jams his fist [around the shifter thing] into my thigh!! UGH! Just 3 more days of this & we will get our car on Monday!!!! I also go in Monday to take my drivers test. So, needless to say all I have been doing is studying!!!! Some things are so frustrating!!!! .....

Here is an example of my frustrations. The ? asks...... Which 2 cars must yield. I would say 1 & 3......WRONG!!!!

It's 2 & 3. Let me tell you how much I hope I do not come across this scenario in real life. I might as well hang a sign in the car that says sorry, I'm American & clearly can't drive!!!!

So not only do you need to learn how to drive on the road with other cars & trucks, you also have to know about trolleys, buses, cyclists [b/c there r tons of them], horse & buggies & also........

Yep, that's right. Men pulling carts!!!! Really people!?!?!?! This ? asks in what order do they proceed. The answer would be 1-3-2, so it's not difficult but it is amusing!!! :o)

So today we ventured into Nuremberg to go to IKEA! It was a fun trip & it made the hubs happy b/c he wanted to check out one of the Masonic Lodges there in Furth. After following the GPS to a dead end & having to ask a person who clearly didn't speak English very well, we finally made it to the Lodge. Man, it was a gorgeous site....

The pic really never does these places justice. The stone work was amazing! But after taking this pic we walked around back to see the bldg up close because they were having some kind of event here b/c everyone we saw was dressed to the T's. When we walked back around the front we noticed that everyone had went inside so I made the husband walk up closer to get a close shot & then a nice young man starts walking up to us. We try to get some info out of him about the bldg & he politely says how beautiful it is then rushes us out & locks the gates behind us. So, yea he pretty much kicked our ass outta there. I'm sure he & maybe some of the guest inside were thinking "crazy Americans". lol

Bleh!!! :o/

The hubs is in the field for the next few days! Which sux for him b/c it is super chilly [for summer n e ways] & I know wherever he is right now hes complaining. lol & it sux for me too being stuck in this house w/o a car. Bleh!! So not much going on today. Besides yelling at the cat to shut-up [b/c she constantly meows & paws at the door even after going outside] the only time I talked today was when mom called!!! :o) The highlight of my day!!! Well, .....besides the e-mail I received from 1 of the besties!!!! Well, now Imma go lay in bed & read my kindle till I fall asleep....... then repeat this day all over again tomorrow!!! Just another day in this crazy army wife life of mine!!!! Later Ya'll

Parmesan Tilapia

We had a pleasant rainy day just hanging out & watching movies. Even though I did not want to cook tonight, I like to make a good Sunday night dinner for the hubs to start his week off right. So, I tried a new recipe tonight! & it was fabulous. We have been trying to eat more fish & the hubs loves talapia. I don't mind it but I really wanted to find a recipe that would have me wanting more. & this people, is the recipe!!! It is from All Recipes.  I'm sure you could use other fish & I saw comments that people take out the mayo & substitute it with other things to make it healthier. But really, you should try it!!!!

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. I like to sprinkle the fillets with salt, pepper, and a little Cajun seasoning for some kick. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish. This yields 4 servings.

 

 Well, hope you all have a great week. Come back & visit sometime ;o)

Dachau & Munich Day Trip

The one subject in history that I have actually had an interest in since Jr. High was hearing the stories of the victims of the Holocaust. That was one thing I knew I wanted to see while we are in Germany. Only a couple hours away lies the site of one of the largest concentration camps in Europe & one of the only ones that existed throughout the entire 12 years during the Nazi rule. Needless to say, our trip today to Dachau's memorial site of the concentration camp was a somber experience.

The gate we walked through as we entered the camp. In English it translates "Work hard & you will be set free" Can you imagine what the people thought as they entered this camp through this same gate?!?!?!?

One of the 32 barracks. They were meant to house 6,500 prisoners total but estimated over 40,000 prisoners at one time.

This is where it really hit me. I couldn't believe that they let people walk through the gas chamber. It seems so unreal but for so many this was the last room they ever saw. No words can really describe the feeling you get when you enter a room like this.

NEVER AGAIN! You got that right!!!

Well after this experience, we needed to do something a lil more uplifting! We decided to visit Munich since it was only minutes away from Dachau. We didn't have much time to explore and the husbands fractured foot was killing him by this time, so we decided to do a city tour on a double Decker bus.

Yes, as you can tell, my hubby can not take good pics. & unfortunately I forgot my camera today so all of my pics are from my cell phone. Thank goodness the battery was fully charged!!! & I was sad that I couldn't get great pics from the top of the bus, but I'll still share some! :o)

One of the 3 gates into the town. King Maximilian from the 19th century took out the bridges to the town & constructed 3 huge gates to enter the town through. This was in order to control trade & increase money for the town. There were soooo many people out today. I have never seen so many bicycles!!!!!! Idk if I got any pics of the massive amounts of bicycles parked outside every building.

Part of the market place. Just so cute!

Most of the buildings here are just gorgeous. This one is the town hall.

Well, all in all our trip was great. We dad a blast hanging out just the 2 of us. We conquered the autobahn where people were flying by us & we even got some good Mexican food in Munich. We were super pumped. We really thought our days of good mexican food were over for a while. & the best part of my day..... which had us laughing for 10 or 15 minutes...... as we were leaving the town, trying to navigate through some pretty crazy streets & tunnels I am admiring the nice views, the trees & flowers, the ponds, the fountains, and the.....NAKED PEOPLE!! Yep, I almost didn't believe my own eyes, as we were leaving the town on a pretty busy freeway, I look to my right & I see naked old guy butt walking around & about 5 ft from him big naked boobs laying on the ground tanning, I guess [& a couple other less tragic nudes in the background].  I was dying & we were laughing so hard. I'm sure you could just imagine the face I made as I was telling the husband to turn the car around so I could take a pic. I wanted to share that with the whole world.

Well, I learned something new today. The sirens went off in town & immediately I think we are having bad weather. I look outside & it doesn't look like a bad storm was coming so I'm thinking.... WTH are the sirens for. So yes, I admit it, I was slightly freaked out. Even though our landlords started their vacations today I decided to call. I asked her what the sirens are & I could tell although she speaks English, had no idea what I was asking her. So, I tried again with the word alarm instead of siren. She then goes on to tell me she could be home in 20 minutes. UGH! Finally, she understood [I could tell by the way she giggled at me] & explained the sirens meant that there was a fire or bad accident and that's how they called the fire dept from the other communities!!! Well, now I know. LOL

On another note, we found the best Italian restaurant today [w/real food & not just ice cream, lol]. I never thought I would get pasta w/tomato sauce, ham, and peas & think I would enjoy it. But.... It was fantabulous!!! Pino Pizzeria..... probably the best place we have eaten at since we arrived in Germany & the plus side....the delivery boy is just a delish as the food. LOL

Nite all. :o)

Random Thoughts

Oh Man! I'm feeling a bit random today!!!! My thoughts are all over the place!!! I'm sure you will realize that shortly! The weather here is crazy!!!! 2 days ago I wanted to throw myself on the coolness of the hardwood floors in front of the fan because I was dying with no a.c. It was soooo HOT! & last nights storms brought incredible cool weather. Today is definitely a hoodie & jeans kinda day!!! Burr!!! :o)

So, our landlords just came up to inform us that they would be gone for a week. They are going sailing!! Ahhh doesn't that sound great! I know it made the husband drool a lil [jealous] I really want to know what that man does for a living!!! Or if we fund his vacations with our $1400+ rent?!?!?!?!? lol Oh well, while they are gone, this is the perfect time for me to teach Bella how to get back up onto the balcony from their backyard [since we do not have "garden" access] instead of having to go downstairs every night to let her in the front door.

We r currently brainstorming ideas for our weekend!!! I'm hoping for a day trip & the hubs wants to stay the weekend somewhere?!?!? Decisions, decisions?!?!?!? All I know is that the car has a full tank of gas and both my cameras are charging!! lol :o) I will let you all know what we decide on!!!

I just realized today is June 1, & the husband deploys this month!!!!! :o(   Gotta get in as much as we can before he leaves! I still can't believe he is actually leaving after being in Germany such a short time!!! [Haven't even hit the 2 month mark yet] Well, I guess this just proves what being an army wife is all about!!! Being strong even when you don't want to be! I'm sure you'll be hearing much more about this deployment as the time gets closer. I guess, for now, it still seems a little unreal. I'm sure it will hit me harder as the time gets closer! Until then we will keep on truckin! Top priority: Study for my driving test so I won't be stuck here while he is gone!!! I CAN DO IT!!!!! ;o)

Castle Trip

Yesterday we went on a day trip with MWR. Our day started at 3a.m. We had to meet the bus in Vilseck at 4 then we had a 5 hour bus ride to get to the 2 castles!!! About halfway there the amusing bus driver, Allen, announced we would stop and have breakfast at the U.S. Embassy....

Yep, McDonald's in Germany!! We were equally happy to see that familiar ol' sign. Although it was similar it definitely had some qualities that stood out. You could self order inside instead of having to talk to the people at the counter & oh how I loved the McCafe. Besides the coffee, I heard was amazing they had lattes, frappes, & fancy cakes, muffins, cookies, pastries, & brownies. YUM! & satisfied w/breakfast & still a lil sleepy, we were back on the road again.

As soon as we started seeing mountains in the background, I started getting excited!!!! :o) I was completely amazed by the stories, the castles in the mountains, and the breath taking views.

Of course as we pull up to the parking lot for the buses, we see the quaint little town, and then look up at the 2 castles in the mountains. At first I looked up amazed at the sight and then I realized that somehow I was going to have to walk up that mountain. :o( AHHHHH!!! The walk up isn't so bad, it helped that I stopped a lot to take pictures. lol & of course the 2 friends we made that are in their 70's & have had spine & knee surgery helped me to not complain a bit!!!! I was certainly proud of that couple, they were troopers!!!

It seems like wherever we go I seem to had issues with the food &/or the bathroom. This time it was both. So, I never quite know what to order from these German restaurants. This time, I thought meatloaf..... "You can't go wrong with meatloaf?" right?!?!? WRONG!!!! Meatloaf here is exactly what they say a loaf of meat, but what kind of meat, IDK?!?!?!? It was a cross between spam & vienna sausages, gross!!! So, the hubby begrudgingly switched meals with me [b/c he'll eat anything]. So bratwurst for me it was. lol Oh the bathroom, UGH,  of course they make you pay to even enter the bathroom. This time it was 30 cent euro. But u had to have 3 ten cent coins. Of course, nobody ever seemed to have that & soon the change machine was out. We then had to backtrack to any store that may be willing to help. Finally, I get my 3 coins to enter the bathroom after a slight panic realize there is no paper in the stall. & to make matters worse they do not have stall like america where you could ask the lady next to u. I literally had to go out to another stall, inform the german speaking people what I was doing after I got weird stares, & cut in front of the 30 or so people waiting for 1 of the 3 stalls. OH MY!

Well, all in all, our day way fabulous. As tired as I was from the early wake up, little sleep, and all the walking uphill the memory of seeing these sights will stick with me forever. It was amazing and pictures will never capture the true beauty. If you ever get the chance, this is one place I would say you need to see!!! Awesome!

Memorial Day Weekend! It is exciting that many get time of work & get to spend a nice long weekend with the ones they love! However, so few people really think about what this holiday means. It's all to real for us Army Wives and our families. It's a day to honor the men & women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Did you know that Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day [after the civil war] and was a day established for the nation to honor war victims by decorating their gravestones. May was chosen as the month because flowers would be in bloom all over the country by this time. It wasn't until after WWI that it was changed to Memorial Day to honor all war victims. In all my 29 years, this is the 1st time I have heard that. I thought that was interesting & had to share my new found knowledge. :o)

We have a pretty busy weekend planned ourselves. BBQ w/new army friends last night and again tomorrow. Trip planned with the MWR [Morale, Welfare, & Recreation] group here on post to go to a castle [which I am STOKED about] & a "honey do" list for my soldier that I know he can't wait to tackle. hehe

So, on this Memorial Day weekend have fun, enjoy your day off, and REMEMBER OUR FALLEN HEROES!!!!!!

Stuffed Zucchini

Shopping at the commissary the other day, I ran across ROUND zucchini. I have a strange love for zucchini so I had to have them! I really didn't even know they existed [thanks mom for filling me in after all these years] ;o) So today I wanted to try a spin on stuffed zucchini. I pretty much just combined 2 recipes. Took a lil from some & left out a lil from another. Well, it turned out fabulous. The hubs even loved it [even though he swears he doesn't like zucchini]. lol & clearly not the best pic. But I still had to share. I'll share with you my recipe too.

4-6 zucchini

1lb hamburger

1 small onion chopped

1 small tomato
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
seasoning of your choice [I use my infamous garlic pepper, our staple]
shredded Monterrey jack or cheddar to sprinkle on top

Start by spooning out the inside of the zucchini and then chopping it into small pieces along with the tomato & set it aside. Brown hamburger & add onions. After the hamburger & onions are done, drain any grease & mix with squash & tomato. Add seasoning of your choice, parmesan cheese & sour cream. Mix together then stuff back into shells. Sprinkle with a lil shredded cheese & bake at 350 for 30-40 min. YUM!


And of course after we ate, it's about 8pm. The hubs informs me that I should make something because his softball team is all getting together for dinner after the game tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up....after the stores are closed & with no way to get to the store b4 the game 2 morrow. I'll b brainstorming all night. Later peeps!!

This new German washer & dryer of our might just be the death of me. lol. I know one day I will get the hang of it. The dryer was the 1st problem. After the "maintenance" man hooked it up, he pretty much threw the manuals at us & left. All was good until the dryer just wouldn't tun on one day. My husband, the brains, figured out there was no hose to let the water out so the water must be going somewhere. Yep, a completely full water reservoir. Problem #1....Solved!!!!

So, today I started a load of clothes & when I came to check on them F13 flashed on the screen. Of course, the washer was the only appliance that was missing the English version of the instructions. So, for the 4th or 5th time, I sit with the instructions in one hand and my German translator app on my phone in the other. I figure our there is a residual water "thing" going on under the washer. So, I open it [slowly mind u] & BAM.....water everywhere! After almost a min of water pouring out, I'm thinking this can't b normal?!?!?!? I finish & attempt to start the washer again. Well, now I know what F13 is all about & it seems to b working fine, for the time being!

The Adventure Begins

So, I begged my hubby to re-enlist for Germany & much to my surprise, he did!! Now, he would consider himself more of a tropical person so I know his choice was strictly for me! We have been here in Germany for a month and 4 days. Although stressful at times, this has been the greatest and most exciting adventure I have ever had. The views are breathtaking and I fell in love with this country the moment I stepped off the plane.

This is one of my favorite pics, taken from the castle in medival old town of  Nerenberg. It was one of our first weekend trips after arriving in Germany. I was amazed we made it safely after having to figure out taxi's & train rides to & from all on our own. But, we made it & survived to tell about it. & let me just tell you, I have never walked so much in my life. I can not wait for our car to get shipped here! Now, the husband is driving a rental car after finally passing his drivers test after 1 failed attempt [I still have yet to take mine]. The very first day of driving the car, we ended up on a bicycle/pedestrian path. Those paths are huge & the car was so tiny....the husband was so mad, but my navigation skills have improved tons since then. :o)