A year in pictures 2012: Week 13

Friday 23 March

Didn't take a good shot today. But I did take this picture of David wearing Chinese PJ's from his Aunt Tricia.

Sunday 25 March

Today we had a BBQ to say goodbye to Deanna and her family. I miss her. And her laugh.

Monday 26 March

"Hey Culligan man!"

Tuesday 27 March

Spring!

Wednesday 28 March

David found the powdered sugar.

Thursday 29 March

I found this message written on my bulletin board. It is from my daughter to her deployed dad.

I can't erase it. Yet. 

Neighborhood BBQ and goodbye

I love my friends and neighbors on Bayernstraße! I love that we get together to celebrate holidays and events. But this one is less fun... Saying goodbye to Deanna and her family is killing me. I will miss you friend!

A year in pictures 2012: Week 12

Friday 16 March

Jump-rope!

But I can't stop thinking "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Saturday 17 March

St. Patty's green eggs and pancakes.

And according to TJ, he is wearing an Indiana Jones hat. I don't seem to remember the felt. Or the feather...

Sunday 18 March

These full-sized paper people line the wall down my stairs to the basement. We made them months and months ago. I haven't had the heart to take them down yet. We traced each kid onto huge butcher-block paper. So they are actual size. Then each kid (except David) colored it to look like him/herself.

More than once these faces have startled me while I was walking the stairs in the dark.

Monday 19 March

Cooking eggs.

Tuesday 20 March

I went to visit Inge in Nuremberg again. She took me on a tour of the area where she grew up. This gravestone marks the location of her ancestors burial place.

The words on the bottom are in German. It says something to this effect (this is NOT an exact translation): 

I lie here facing East and rest until my Savior comes for me.

Thursday 22 March

The sun looked huge on the horizon. But I didn't catch it in time.

Goodbye sun. Until tomorrow.

Good news

I have posted on the private blog: http://erickinthearmy.blogspot.com/

Osterbrunnen - A Bavarian Tradition

In northern Bavaria, each little town decorates their well or fountain with hand-painted eggs. They do it a few weeks before Easter Sunday. The decorated fountains are called Osterbrunnen.

It was such a treat to happen upon this one being decorated today in a neighborhood outside of Nuremberg:

A year in pictures 2012: Week 11

Saturday 10 March

This morning we took a shuttle from Dover to Baltimore. We are flying out of BWI on the Patriot Express. Notice we have a guest with us? This Flat Stanley is traveling with us from Grantsville, Utah.

Sunday 11 March

Sleeping on a passenger plane is not nearly as easy as sleeping on a cargo plane. But the food is better!

Sunday 11 March

Obviously, I did not take this picture. But I wanted to post a picture of our new friends. With me is Inge and Melvin. I met them while we were in Dover. They split the shuttle to BWI with us and flew to Germany on the same flight. They were headed for Nuremberg, and I happened to be driving by, so they rode with me and my kids. These are great people. I'm glad to know them.

Tuesday 13 March

This is what jet-lag looks like.

Tuesday 13 March

And again.

Thursday 15 March

Today the boys and I drove back to Nuremberg to spend some time with Inge and Melvin. Inge's mother passed away less than a year ago. She and her husband came to Germany to collect items from her mother's house before it sells later this month.

Here are Inge and TJ at the grave site.

Thursday 15 March

Cemeteries are peaceful.

Thursday 15 March

Today was the first day back to school for Joey and Bailey. They were sure tired. But not too tired to play outside and enjoy the sun.

A year in pictures 2012: Week 10

Friday 2 March

It snowed in Washington! Good thing we had our coats and snow pants. Grandma W. got out sleds and inner tubes, and my kids had a ball!

Maybe Friday. Maybe Saturday?

I came down to bed to find TJ asleep in the pack-n-play with David. Turns out that David had struggled to go to sleep tonight, so TJ climbed in to comfort him. Good brother.

Saturday 3 March

This is my cousin Sherilyn and her husband Joel. They were in a Road Show tonight at the church. A Road Show is like a mini play or a skit. Sherilyn fit into her own wedding dress for it. She's amazing! I wish I could fit into my wedding dress.... hmmm. New goal!

Sunday 4 March

After church, the kids went outside to play. They loved climbing this giant tree in the yard. I went out to do a mini photo shoot. This was my favorite shot. Not the best quality, but it shows my kids' personalities at their truest.

Monday 5 March

Washington. Rain.

Monday 5 March

David is finally warming up to Harry. Not sure what TJ "Suave" (pronounced swa-vay) is doing.

Tuesday 6 March

Look at that tongue!

At the airport. A space-A flight with a possibility of going through to Germany is finally scheduled. So we got on it. Grandpa W. kept David entertained while we waited to check our luggage and board the plane.

Wednesday 7 March

Dover, DE 4:00am. The flight on to Germany did not take any passengers. We went to the nursery and crashed 'til noon.

Thursday 8 March

A flight left Dover today for Germany. We didn't get on it. Not enough seats. This family playing with my kids did. My kids were still happy and upbeat. They are learning to enjoy the adventure of Space-A.

**What I did not photograph, but want to remember: In the days following R&R, a flood of sickness exploded through our family. It was the same puking nastiness that TJ, Erick, and David experienced the week prior. I got sick while traveling to Washington. Joey got sick after we arrived. Grandma D (age 92) got sick. My Dad got sick. Grandpa D (age 93) got sick. And my mom (although she denies it) got sick. 

I'm so grateful for the time we had in Washington to recuperate before our long voyage home.

A year in pictures 2012: Week 9

Friday 24 February

Finally, all of my kids made it to Disneyland at the same time. To read about this perfect day, click here.

I didn't take any pictures of the drive back to Utah on Saturday. And the only pictures I took on Sunday I posted here.

Monday 27 February

This is a horrible picture. But it's the only one I have for the day. Erick and I are standing in front of the airport. It's time for Erick to go back to work. In Afghanistan. 

I had such an amazing time with him. Love you babe!

Tuesday 28 February

We are on our way back to Washington State with Grandma and Grandpa W. Bailey had a potty emergency. Good thing we found an emergency potty.

Tuesday 28 February Again

Tonight my kids sang German songs to Grandma and Grandpa D. Then TJ started singing a train song that he sings at his Kindergarten. Along with the song, everyone including Grandma W made a train and choo-choo-ed around the room.

Wednesday 29 February

These are Snow Geese. My parents took us on a drive to see them. There are times of the year when there are so many of them, you can't see the ground. It looks like the fields are covered in snow. 

Wednesday 29 February (I think)

Any guesses?

Fried oysters. 

Uncle Lynn and my cousin Sherilyn made them for us for dinner tonight. Topped with Aunt Sharon's homemade tartar sauce. Amazing!

Thursday 1 March

We went to the Bishop's Store House to visit Grandma and Grandpa W. They volunteer here weekly. The boys loved playing in the warehouse.