Our Sunday

The boys stayed home from church, still recuperating. Naomi's church class got bags of playdough, and she asked and was allowed to bring an extra bag home for Gabe. (Sweet of her! Or perhaps it was so Gabe wouldn't beg for part of hers...we'll take it either way!)  Anyway, Naomi molded two birds, complete with tail feathers and nests!

Here is Andrew, moments after getting numbing eardrops. He's supposed to lay still. :)

Solution: that infamous explorer and her fellow conspirator, the monkey. Yes, our son is head over heels for Dora. It kept a 2 year-old's head on a pillow for a few minutes, anyway!

And if you noticed Andrew is wearing the same clothes as in yesterday's post, be kind in your thoughts. We're just happy we haven't chucked him out the window from all the crying!

Andrew Turns 2!

Today our Andrew Frederick turned 2 years old! Unfortunately, he's pretty fussy from the ear infections and we've had a few rough days. 

It worked out, though...he loved his presents, to the tune of dancing and shrieking about them.

And when a mom is too tired and frazzled and emotionally spent to prepare festivities, Chili's will provide your child with dessert, a scary song (think small 2 year old surrounded by tall adults loudly clapping and screeching a strange song - TERRIFYING!) and balloons. Instant party!

Day of Doubles!

Two sweet boys visited the doctor today.

TWO double ear infections (the doctor expressed amazement at how bad the infections were!).

Two copays ($35 each) paid and to be paid again in 10 days for the recheck.

Two prescriptions apiece (sinus infections, also).

And two suckers, which put smiles back on their faces!

Sometimes this is the only way a mama can squish some exercise into the schedule! 

My kids love hopscotch!

Hair!

Naomi was home with the sniffles today, and we had a great time together! (My selective memory allows me to skip over Gabe throwing up and Andrew screaming a lot because he has a cold and isn't sleeping well.)

We even stopped by the salon and got Naomi's hair trimmed. (That was BEFORE the vomit and screaming episodes...I'm ambitious, but not insane!) She got a couple inches taken off. Naomi LOVES being pampered!

Family Movie Night

Last month I read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" to Naomi and Gabe, and tonight we're watching the movie, complete with cheers and occasional raucous laughter at slapstick!

Sock Hop!

We attended a crazy sock hop on Saturday. Even Andrew loved it and trotted around to the music!

Gabe is sporting his favorite socks, green with spiderwebs and sparkly spiders on them. Be not surprised if, on Sundays, you catch a glimpse of green between the hem of his church pants and the tops of his shoes.

AND...sometimes all you get when taking pictures are outtakes!

Friday Doin's with the Gabe-man!

The Rest of Us!

And what did the rest of us do on that first day of school?? Well...Andrew feasted on watermelon cubes covered in chocolate pudding (his own concoction!) and Gabe discovered that my phone's camera can take pictures out either side.

First Day of School!

Naomi's first day of 1st grade was on Monday, and she's enjoyed this week! We were unsure what time to expect the bus that first morning, though, and so were quite early. We were out there waiting at least 20 minutes, and Naomi, being ever dramatic, alternated between excitement and despair that the bus would NEVER. COME!!

Birthday Fun in the Rain!

Kids' sky hike and miniature golf in ridiculously humid weather followed up with a ride on the train to enjoy the shade and perhaps catch a few wisps of breeze = adventure.

Getting absolutely soaked by rain on the way to the car and skipping/puddle-splashing/singing rain songs while everyone else huddled under shelter = what made it a most fun and memorable birthday morning!

Builder Man

Gabe's our builder!

He likes to play Jenga the conventional way, but he's thrilled when the tower falls over and he gets to build free form. In fact, partway through the game, he usually commanderes the pile of "already removed" blocks and begins construction. Then, as each block is removed from the Jenga tower, he eagerly claims it for his project!

The Church Parking Lot!

The kids absolutely love riding bikes in the church parking lot. This time they even raced with Naomi on foot and Gabe on bike. Andrew trotted around, begged for (and got!) rides on both bikes, and played in the bushes.

Summer Reading!

Turning in summer reading charts and selecting their prizes!

Gabe selected one about Henry and his huge dog Mudge (I was previously unfamiliar with these characters, but we liked the book). Naomi chose one that compared great white sharks to killer whales...not what I GUESSED she would choose, but both kids were fascinated by it!

Cow Appreciation Day 2012!

Continuing the tradition!

Flying High with Dad!

A Sunday Morning Moment!

Andrew often grabs a book, backs right up to me and plops in my lap. On Sunday morning, he thrilled Naomi by plopping in HER lap! And it thrilled this mama to see some quiet group kissin' and gigglin' over books!

And...the picture to accompany the previous post!

Toddler Bed!

Andy's trying out the toddler bed right now. He's thrilled about it, but I see no signs yet of him thinking about actually falling asleep in it!

Andrew!

Andy has some...quirks, shall we call them? Tucking his ears in (either ear!) and munching fruit through the peels are all in a day's work for this boy!

New Pajamas!

4th of July Festivities!

We actually didn't get pictures of most of our Independence Day activities...but we're big on fire safety, as you can see!

We are proud to be American, and I love teaching my children the significance of our country's symbols, the history of our country and how to be respectful of the flag and the people who have served our country. Happy 4th of July!

Back in the swing of things!

I'm back in the swing of things and thrilled about it! Our activity of the day? Washing the van with water squirters! Perhaps not very efficient...or effective...but filled with laughter!

A few tidbits...

I'll get Matt's input later, but here are a few things I'll want to remember about our trip:

1. You pay 50 cents for bathrooms in public areas.

2. You pay for water at restaurants, and in Germany, water was more expensive than beer.

3. It is vital to look for "niet" when reading train schedules...that means the train is NOT stopping in the listed city!

4. When you pay to have your clothes washed and dried, you have NOT paid for them to be folded. They will be stuffed into your bag and quite wrinkled if you don't pick them up in a short amount of time.

5. Shopkeepers in Noordwijck are most generous with their city maps and helping you figure out how to get back to your hotel.

6. Your spouse will be impressed with how much of the city you covered on foot, despite you not having any idea where you were until the aforementioned shopkeeper helped you figure it out.

7. Ice cream/gelato/sorbet portions are small.

8. My hair devices did not work, so I (mostly) embraced the short hair sticking out all over style.

9. My wonderful parents urged us to go and came to stay with the kids while we headed over to Europe. When we left, the boys were both fighting colds. A few days after we left, my parents turned up in the Urgent Care with strep throat! I felt so terrible (but they probably felt worse!). Thank you for suffering through that for us, Mom and Dad!!

10. My wonderful friends who were a few time zones away and responded to my pleas to help my parents. Thank you for easing my mind and my parents' load!!

Schloss Neuschwanstein

This castle was incredibly beautiful! Construction was immediately stopped when Ludwig died (under suspicious circumstances), but the parts that were completed are breathtaking.

It's Sleeping Beauty's castle! 

Schloss Hohenschwangou

The "orange" castle, or Hohenschwangou. Matt spent the better part of this day being entertained by my efforts to pronounce the name correctly.

 

This was the castle in which King Ludwig II grew up. 

The entire fountain was supported all the way around by lions. 

There were swans aplenty as well. They were associated with the area and so were integrated into the castle design, even down to swan chandeliers and door handles.