Memories for a lifetime!

It is hard to believe that we are now in the single digit countdown of this three year adventure of a lifetime!  It is hard to describe the emotions that have been flowing through my body for the past few weeks.  Although I am ready to be "home" and much closer to family, it is much harder than I had imagined for me to let go of this journey.  We had so many firsts as a family here in Europe and a little piece of my heart will always be "German"....So in effort to close this chapter on our lives I thought I would start with a little look back. 

The first stop, a review of my very first blog on this page.  Although this was written at a much different time and with a MUCH different outlook on this journey...the feelings I have now are almost exactly the same!

 I can't believe that December is already here. Normally, I could would be more than happy to turn the page on the calendar to see a couple of puppies in Santa hats, or a tree glistening in lights...but this year the feeling is much, much different. This year I feel like a leaf.....you know the last tiny leaf that clings to tree with all its might, hoping that it's fate is different than all the leaves that hung before it. Thinking that maybe if it holds on tight enough it will survive another year and escape the bitterness of the winter floor (Not that I would know anything about leaves falling, considering it has not even gotten cold enough for the leaves to change color here in good ol' Mississippi), but none the less that is the feeling I have. Not because of the changing of the seasons or the dropping of the temperatures, but because of the events that will be transpiring over the next month or so. I am attempting to hold on tight to each and every day and cherish my time here in the "tree" before I am let loose on this unexpected path. (That's right ladies and gentlemen....in less than 2 weeks we will be packing up our things and setting out on this 3 year adventure.  Although, I am taking a huge leap of faith by letting go of the branches, the truth is maybe blowing in the wind is where we are supposed to be. 

 

We have been able to make so many wonderful memories together that will stick with us for a lifetime.  But when I think back on the past three years the things that will stand out the most are.......

Visiting my first castle...I am pretty sure I felt like an actual princess that day!

Watching Landon ride the horses at Oktoberfest.  I have never seen a smile so big in my life!

Walking out onto a crowded bridge to get my first glimpse of Neuschwanstein.

Enjoying a day in Paris with my sisters...who would have thought that would ever happen!!

Trying to cook Easter dinner for 10 in my tiny German oven (the ham ended up on the grill)!

Watching the Eiffel tower light up while cruising the Seine river!

Being passed on the Autobahn by a mini van when you are doing over 85 MPH.

Catching crazy objects thrown from floats at the Fasching parade in Mainz. 

Drinking wine by the 1/2L at the world's largest wine festival in Bad Durkheim.

Turning the corner and being greeted by THE Coliseum in Rome.

Experiencing our first new years (and all the fireworks that go with it) in Germany.

Eating pork steaks straight from the roasting pig 3 years in a row at the Schwein fest!

Watching my husband try and eat the raw meat he ordered because he couldn't read the menu!

Trying my first "real" Italian pizza!!!!

Watching Nate snowboard in the Alpes.

Throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain.

Walking the wooden bridge in Lucerne Switzerland.

Visiting all of the amazing Christmas Markets!

Walking the beach (in the cold rain) in Barcelona...just to say we did!

Celebrating my Dad's birthday by throwing WAY to many authentic German brats on the grill!

Eating dinner like a knight at Cochem castle!

Walking through Anne Franks house in Amsterdam.

Eating Schnitzle mit pommes....and LOVING it.

Watching my new walker toddle along the cobblestones in Vienna because he had to do it himself!

Enjoying German Ice cream and sharing its goodness with all those we love!

Trying Escargot...more than once.

Wearing lederhosen with my loves!


And last but defiantly not least welcoming out precious little Landon into this world!...and having my mom by my side!


We have visited over 10 countries, explored some of the worlds greatest cities, played at some of the worlds largest festivals, tried tons of new foods, and took advantage of any and all opportunities that came our way!
 
Overall I have to say that I am proud of myself!  Proud of stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing this life I have been blessed with.  Proud of the things I have learned both about myself and this wonderful world.  And proud that I was able to share in new adventures with those that I love. 

Now that I have gotten a taste of Europe, you can be sure that we will be back (on vacation of course)!

Let the countdown begin!

Well...It is official!  We have less than 30 days left of our adventures here in Germany and the reality of moving back home is begging to set in.  Although I am ready to be closer to family and back to the comforts of "home" (aka Target, Hobby Lobby, and Fresh Tortillas), I am starting to get emotional about leaving our little home behind.  Germany will forever be the place where we became a family and it will always hold a special place in our hearts. We have had the chance to create sooo many wonderful experiences here and it is sad to see this chapter of our lives come to an end! 

So in effort to soak up all of the European culture possible in our final weeks we have been hitting up Christmas Markets like they are going out of style!!! So far this season we have traveled to 7 different ones and show no signs of slowing down!  In fact this week in less than 3 days we wondered through 3 different Christmas markets in 3 different Countries (Germany, Switzerland, and France!).  It is safe to say that Christmas in Germany is by far my favorite time of the year and something that will surely be missed state side.  There is no comparison to the European Christmas Spirit! 

And for those of you who are wondering about the specifics (although not too specific...you never know who is reading :)

• Our stuff is getting packed up and we are moving out of our house in less than 10 days time
• We will be spending Christmas in a hotel...but don't worry Landon has already talked to Santa about his situation!
• We will have one very long day of travel in Early Jan...wish me luck, two dogs and a toddler :P
• When we arrive Landon and I will be spending a little over 2 months in Carlsbad at my parents house while Nate attends a training in Mississippi!
• Omaha will welcome us home sometime in late March and we are going to attempt to buy our first house!
• All together this means my little family will be living out of suitcases for a MINIMUM of 4 months!

P.S. So for those of you who have Christmas/Birthday/Welcome Home/Just because you are wonderful Presents wrapped up and waiting to be shipped, send them to my parents house :)  We are now to the point where we will leave before our packages arrive!

P.P.S if any of our Germany friends are in the market for a Toyota Corolla, European Appliances, or tons of partially used cleaning supplies you know where to find me!

Back in a Dark Corner

Well....

We have been impatiently waiting.  We are now less than 2 months from leaving Germany and we still do not have official Orders.  Unfortunately the government and I vary differently on the amount of planning deemed necessary for a big move across the ocean (with a toddler mind you). This means that although we know that we will be free to fly home early January we still have no set dates, no plane tickets, no packing appointments, no car shipping,

This drives me crazy because I am a planner....

So in an effort to divert my attention (and since you haven't heard from me in a little while) I decided to educate you a little more on German food!!  Although we are lucky enough to get to grocery shop on base where we are privileged to the American staples I enjoy stepping out into the local markets and wondering the isles for new yummy treats.  It is obvious from one step in the door that Germans and Americans take very different approaches when it comes to both eating and shopping at home.  It is safe to say that Germans generally eat a much "fresher" diet and although there are dozens of items sold by the hundreds in German markets that I have never seen before, I thought you might find it interesting to take note of some of the common American items you would be hard pressed to find in Europe!

• Canned pumpkin
• Think of all of the easy pumpkin treats they are missing out on here...making pumpkin from scratch, NO THANK YOU)
• Blocks of Cream Cheese
• lets just say we found out the hard way that European "Cheese cake" is not really a desert...at least one that I would want to eat again
• Grape Jelly
• They have dozens of different types of jellies but for some reason Grape doesn't make the list.  Interesting considering the amount of grapes that our grown all around us!
• Root beer
• Boxed Macaroni and cheese
• American Candy Bars
• After all who needs Reese's cups when you have German Chocolate
• Mexican Food Items
• Nate likes to joke about the "Germex" served here in Germany.  We have tried several different Mexican restaurants but always leave disappointed.  Think cheese quesadillas topped with brown gravy...mmmm.  One thing I have learned, when in doubt go with the tacos :) 
• Chocolate Chips
• Again who needs little processed chips when you can have German Chocolate?
• Maple Syrup
• Black Beans
• Stuffing mix
• Graham Crackers
• Bagels
• Peanut butter 
• Although you CAN find it in almost any store, but Germans do not have nearly the same fondness for it as Americans
• Marshmallows
• Once again something you can find ....back in a dark corner
• Cornbread/cornmeal
• Pancake mix

The majority of the time no one thinks twice about this list.  After all if you want something American you go to base, if you want something German you go off base.  However, we recently attended a party to which I brought Sopapilla Cheesecake (If you have not had this it is AMAZING...check out the extremely simple recipe here! ).  After trying it a German friend brought over a pen and pad of paper and asked for the recipe.  After writing down the first three ingredients I quickly realized that it was definitely an ALL AMERICAN dish...although extremely simple for me to throw together it is going to require a lot of searching and planning on her part!

I have enjoyed German food 1,000x more than I ever thought I would!  I am going definitely going to miss both the food and the European culture that surrounds it... In fact I have already packed a box of non-perishable items to ship back with our house hold items so that I can make some of our favorite dishes when we settle into our new home! 

Oh...and since I have no food pics to share I thought I would let you in on these little gems

SOOO MUCH FUN!!

So I will be the first to admit that when my husband booked a non-refundable hotel room for Oktoberfest a few months ago I was a little less than thrilled.  After all taking an extremely independent toddler to the worlds largest party didn't really sound like my idea of a good time...but boy was I wrong!  So wrong in fact that after a full day at the fest. we decided to change our travel plans, wash our lederhosen at the hotel Laundromat, and head back out for day number two!

A few facts you should know....

• Oktoberfest is a 16 day celebration that ends on the first Monday in October...so in all actuality it could be called Septemberfest.

• During those 16 days over 7 million liters of beer (and 6 million chickens) are severed in extravagant beer tents*. It is mandatory that all beer served meet the traditional German beer laws and must be brewed within the city of Munich.

• We have to pause here so that I can let you in on the beer tent action!  There are 14 different beer tents which have made Oktoberfest their home.  Now when I say "tent" I don't mean a little pop up structure with a bar in the back.  I mean an extremely large (and by large I mean seats 10,000) building extravagantly decorated both inside and out and filled to the brim with action.  If you are lucky enough to find a seat (you literally have to stand at the ready for someone to stand up so you can cram into their tiny vacated place on a bench) you are immediately greeted by a beer maid who places a large (1/2 liter beer) in front of you.  You can then order a traditional Bavarian meal or simply sip and enjoy the fun.  The atmosphere inside these tents is really indescribable, there is non stop singing, dancing, laughing, drinking, and bustling of people.  It was so fun to watch the beer maidens running back and forth with arms full of 1/2 liter mugs (an extreme talent) listening to the German's Proust and sing both German and American songs!  We literally stood on tables and clinked glasses with those around us (even though I only indulged in a few sips of beer)!  SOO MUCH FUN! 

• Over 6 million people attend Oktoberfest every year
• Although the main attraction is the beer tents one can also find unlimited food stalls, fair rides, carnival games, parades, souvenir shops, live music, and car shows!
• We spent two days wondering the fair grounds and am still pretty sure we didn't see everything there was to see!

• Bavarians take their lederhosen seriously! 
•  My favorite part of the experience by far was getting dressed up with my little family and joining the locals.  It was so fun to see all of the fancy dresses, long socks, feathered hats, and plaid shirts!  All though at first we bought lederhosen as a sort of costume I have now realized that it is much more than that;  To Germans lederhosen is about pride!  Oh, and could my little Bavarian boy be any cuter?

I am sooo glad that we got to experience this little piece of German culture before we pack up and head home for good!  Oktoberfest in Munich is definitely something that I will not soon forget, but if I do we will always have the pictures (click here to see)!

Getting in the spirit!

 So, with only a little over 3 months left here in Deutschland (can you believe it) I have finally given in.  Tomorrow morning we are loading up the car and heading south ...to the home of THE OCTOBERFEST! 

To get in the spirit I thought I would let you in on some of the festivals we have already had the privilege of taking part in this fall! 

• In case you forgot, Germans take time to celebrate everything.  Once fall hits you can find a festival somewhere near you EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND!  Next to Christmas markets this has to be one of my favorite things about living here and something that I will surely miss.  No matter the size of the town or festival you head to you will find some of the best food, fun, and fellowship around
• Each festival has a theme.  Although generally the theme has to do with celebrating some kind of food or drink they also have fests to celebrate people and things.  We have attended festivals for everything from pumpkins to ash (yes...a festival to celebrate the burning of wood!)
• Most festivals are usually kicked off with a parade and include some kind of live music and bazaar shopping! 

Speyer Pretzel festival!  This was a new festival for us this year and if we were staying longer wouldn't be our last.  I am pretty sure that this festival was made for Landon!  Not only did he LOVE the pretzels (one of his favorite treats!) he also found a new love....for the rides!



Wittlich swine festival!  We have now been to this festival 3 times as it is one of Nate's favorites...and it is easy to see why! Each year this little village roasts hundreds of pig and makes sandwiches right from the spit (not exactly my cup of tea, but for my meat eater it is heaven!).  Pork sandwiches are not the only things on the menu though...how bout a cheese bratwurst wrapped in bacon?  Now doesn't that sound like heaven!


Bad Durkheim wine festival: biggest wine fest in the WORLD!  Now I know what most of you are thinking....a wine festival, you pay for a little wine glass and spend you time in lines waiting to get a sip of the good stuff at each booth.  Germany does things a little differently..... Each vender has their own glasses decorated exclusively for the event (which you can keep if you are willing to forgo a 2 euro deposit...which we have several times).  When I say glass I am not talking about a traditional American wine glass...I am talking about a half liter cup.  This means that after 2 "tastings" you have almost had an entire bottle of wine all to yourself!  Now, if you are someone who knows what they like feel free to buy a bottle and carry on!  For those who are looking to have fun but not tooo much...don't worry you can ask to have your wine mixed with carbonated water.  When I first saw this I knew it was the option for me...however when they say mixed with water they mean 90% wine 10% water, not exactly what I was expecting but hey, what the heck!

And a half dozen little festivals in between! 

Born to Stand out!

Since it has been so long, I thought I should start with a few truths before we really get going
1.  I have been thinking about writing another blog for at least 3 weeks but can't seem to come up with something worthy of your time.
2.  Experiences that would have certainly graced the pages just a few years ago now seem boring and ordinary.
3.  Now that the reality of returning state side has set in I am growing increasingly impatient with our European way of life......although I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience I AM JUST READY TO BE HOME ALREADY!

Ok....now that I got that off my chest I feel a little better about letting you into our reality once again!  Now, I know you are craving to hear about more fabulous adventures, and to be honest we have had quite a few since the last time we talked, but blogging about the delicious treats and jaw dropping sights just doesn't seem quite fair so instead I will let you in on part of our day to day life here on the other side of the pond.

Now, when you move overseas you are constantly reminded about fitting into your environment.  It is critical that you are not seen as an outsider, and for safety reasons you are not aloud to flaunt your American or military pride for everyone to see....I mean my over cautious husband won't even let me hang my "welcome" sign on the door because it is written in English instead of German (even though half the stuff they sell in the stores comes this way anyway).  But to be honest, no matter how hard we try to fit in with the locals there are just some things that seem to just give us away.....

Dead give away number one.... Our cars have little license plates.  For some reason our American spec cars do not come equipped with a large enough indention in the bumper for the traditional long European license plates.  To combat this problem the government has graciously adapted them to fit our vehicles....sounds smart when they are encouraging us to blend in right???

Number 2....we can be seen trying to load our arms with as many groceries as possible so that we only have to make one trip from the car after our weekly grocery run!  Germans are all about freshness and tend to make grocery runs daily.  Get behind a German at the local "grocery" store and you will often find 1 container of yogurt, enough meat for one meal,  a couple of pieces of fresh baked bread, and a bottle of wine or a six pack or too.  Call me crazy, but I would much rather spend an hour at the store once a week than 20 minutes on my way home from work EVERY day.  Although this does make the tiny kitchens and fridges seem reasonable. 

Give away number 3...We wear flip flops in public!  If it were up to me it would be warm enough outside to wear flip flops every day of the year, and I have no shame in wearing the plastic concoctions anywhere.  The Germans however wouldn't even wear them to garden. In the words of one of my German friends...."American's are lazy dressers."  And as I sit here in my t-shirt and yoga pants I have to think she might be on to something here :)

#4.  We are constantly running from bee's.  I have never in my life seen so many species of bees buzzing until we moved here.  To put it in perspective we can no longer open our windows after about 5p.m. because the two nests of hornets living on our roof will make their way to the light, and since bees are protected (under the animal cruelty laws) we have been told there is nothing we can do about it.  I am not sure if it is because they have grown up this way or because they realize that compared to a 1 inch bee they have the upper hand, but Germans just swat away the little buggers like flies....my family on the other hand can be seen running and ducking as if our lives depended on it....Although to be honest, I no longer tell people that I am allergic just so that I don't seem quite so crazy, and I think that is a step in the right direction don't you?

And the most embarrassing of them all......OUR DOGS ARE CRAZY!  I have never in my life seen so many well behaved four legged friends walking quietly beside their owners.  Due to this dogs are literally aloud everywhere; in restaurants, at the zoo, on trains, in stores....you get the gist.  We have never had the experience of running into someone who's dog begged at the table, barked at passing dogs, ran off, or even jumped up to greet you....our dogs on the other hand, do ALL of this!  It has gotten so bad that our neighbors will literally check to see if we are outside before choosing to take their little angels for a walk....EMBARRASING.   (the ironic thing...we have recently been informed that our neighbor of nearly 3 years is a retired dog trainer).

Although it is definitely important not to stand out on purpose it has become increasingly obvious that we are not "locals."  That being said our little village has been nothing but gracious to us and  seem to accept our brand of crazy.....that or I still don't know enough German for them to let me know how they really feel!!

Home of the Brave!

On the heals of our 4th Anniversary I thought I would take a break from the ordinary and let you in on something a little different this time. Although, I in no way consider to be an expert on the subject(after all we have yet to experience a deployment), I do believe that once you marry a military man you are automatically entered into a contract unlike any other.   So, without further a-do

Things I have learned being a military spouse:

• Patience is a virtue- and one that I am constantly working on.  For some reason when life altering situations are on the line the Government and I are on totally different pages.  Although I knew when I entered into the military life that we could be asked to move at anytime, what I wasn't prepared for as the amount of waiting and uncertainty that came along with these moves.  If you know me well you know that I like things to be VERY organized and I seem to stress about things that are out of my control.  I am still learning to relax, be patient and have faith that everything will eventually work it self out.

• Friendship is invaluable.  I have been lucky enough to have some of my best friends built into my family unit, but when you constantly have new people moving in and out of your life you come to realize just how much you cherish true friends.

• You have to make the most out of every situation.  Once you have come to grips that you really have no control over the direction your life takes at any given moment you realized that there is nothing better to do than enjoy the moment.  I have been given more once in a lifetime experiences living this journey than I can count and as long as we are lucky enough to have the opportunity to take advantage of new situations together as a family that is what I intend to do.  Although our situation may not always be ideal, sitting on the sidelines will only make it worse. 

Remember this little Gem!

• Take help when it is offered.  I pride myself on being very independent.  I would much rather bite the bullet than feel like I am putting someone else out.  However, as they say it takes a village, and when your family is literally half a world away sometimes you have to just let go and happily accept handouts :)

• You are never alone.  I don't think that there is anything out there quite like the military community.  No matter where you go there is ALWAYS someone who understands exactly what you are going though and will go out of their way to help in any way possible.  Military families share an instant bond which provides comfort in a lot of unknown situations. 

• Stress does not do a body good.  If you let your mind wonder there are a million things that can stress out a military wife on a daily basis.  Plans the government makes change on a DAILY basis, therefore my motto is.... if it is not 100% than I don't even want to know about it.  80% chance of a deployment- don't want to know about it. 75% chance of moving within the next 3 months- don't care. 10% chance of not having to work through the weekend- keep it to yourself.  Unless it is written in stone I have come to the realization that ignorance is bliss!

• God blessed the USA.  I grew up knowing that I was lucky to live in the States, but now I know what it really means to be PROUD to be an American.  When your heart walks out the door every mourning  laced up in combat boots Home of the Brave takes on a whole new meaning.  Knowing that your friends and family are the ones literally out there fighting for our freedom your heart becomes patterned in red, white, and blue.

In reality most days the military is nothing more than a job.  Nate goes to work in the morning and comes home at night just like everyone else.  Yes, he wears a uniform; yes, he can be called to deploy at any minute; and yes, we make sacrifices (but I don't know many families that don't), but on most days I wouldn't trade the privileges that come along with serving our country!!


***Ironically as I was writing this we got 100% verification that our next journey will be taking us to
 Omaha, NE!***