What we want to say.......

http://www.gypsygirlsguide.com/2008/10/i_wanted_to_tell_you.html

http://moroccanmaryam.typepad.com/my_marrakesh/2008/10/marrakech-and-telling-you-what-i-wanted-to-tell-you.html

Sometimes the path to our dreams is messy and chaotic..... sometimes we take detours or despair. I know on the way to the things that I hold dear all of these things have happened .....and some day's I think if I wrote what I wanted to, you would all flee from this blog...... But in the end I think we all see in each other that part of ourselves that has been in the same spot. I know this move has challenged every thought about living overseas and the adventure's that await. Of course no car no stuff has hindered the process.....4 kids......distance to places...... But I am a rookie in the first inning. Some day's I feel on track to accomplishing my goals.....then I will have a set back that will remind me how far I have to go..... I say no matter what we all are trying our best. Today I learned how to get a link on this blog..... next step to have it in one word. I opened this blog up to be on google.... the control freak let a little control go. This was my biggest "free fall" of the day. I found out how to post music to my entries !!!! Because we all know that sometimes pictures and words say it all........ My garden is growing.... I have to survive the winter.

Discover undefined!

Does the Tooth Fairy pay in Euro or Dollars?

Since we have moved to Germany T has lost 3 teeth. One tooth came out our first week here in the hotel. Of course there were many questions about her finding the tooth. The kids didn't ask at all but I said to Sam does the tooth fairy pay in Euro or Dollar? Of course as an adult I would hope she paid in Euro.... the exchange is better. Alas the Mom side of me won out and paid in Dollar because for T it felt more like home...and he knows what a dollar is. We hadn't covered the "new" money situation yet. T was very excited that just one week later he lost another tooth. The tooth fairy came and paid in Dollars again too. Finally, 1 and 1/2 weeks later a third tooth fell out. Of course by this time all the kids were happy to gather round and oh and ah over the "icky" blood. Giggles abound, and of course the third time was when the Euro/Dollar question came out. H was hoping for a Euro for T ( he has figured out that they have a 2 Euro coin and he knows he likes these). T however hoped that the fairy paid in dollar since he knew what to do with that. The fairy once again came in dollar form.....although the tooth fairy has to be honest at this point she is cleaned out of dollars...and has more Euro. It is a busy season for the tooth fairy here. Happily T has 3 new adult teeth he loves to show to anyone who will look. It is hard to believe that T will almost be done loosing teeth...... I can't believe he is that old.

The Pumpkin Festival Ludwigsburg

Ludwigsburg Pumkin Festival was the perfect fall outing. Fall is here, colorful leaves, crisp breezes, and pumpkins !
Ludwigsburg is a town that is part of greater Stuttgart in the northren area of the city. The palace in the towns center is absoultly gorgeous.

On the grounds of the palace every year they hold a pumpkin festival. The German word for pumpkin is Kurbis, which a very kind German woman taught me while I was looking for the festival.
They select a theme and thousands of pumpkins become sculptural works of art revolving around the theme. This year's theme was To The Stars.

There were aliens, spaceships, zodiac signs (they all have constelations) and other famous celestial bodies.


The palace grounds are very expansive, there are floral gardens with fountains
a beautiful rose garden, natural area with educational challenges and learning stations,
as well as the story book gardens for children with rides and sculptures depicting famous fairytales.




Within the storybook garden there is even an area to feed/visit with goats,
something that the kids really liked. T & H of course are seasoned goat visitors, however this shaggy goat was a first for P & S. S thought that this goat was a dog and kept calling "puppy ( or poppy as she says) and petting it rigously. P just chatted away to the goat making faces and inching closer to sneak in a quick pet before running off. I have a feeling this goat is so used to kids nothing would phase him, he never moved other than minor adjustments despite all the kids.
The pumpkin sculptures are woven into the palace grounds beautifully.
Different weekends feature different activities; the weekend we visited was the heaviest pumpkin contest.
I couldn't believe how big some of the pumpkins were, it took a fork lift to move the contestents into place.
Wandering the breathtaking gardens on a beautiful sunny fall day is a perfect family outing.
It helped work out the cage craze the kids have felt being confined to home. There was a hay loft for kids to play in and roll around, as well as a large playground.
While wandering through the exhibits on the boardwalk there are small stands to see pumpkin carving,
shops for fall items like pumkins, and food stands to sample some pumpkin treats.
Food was completly centered around the pumpkin, there was pumkin soup which was delicious and P's favorite. Our family sampled the pumpkin rice vegatable dish, which was S's favorite with chucks of stewed pumpkin. Then the pumpkin spagetti which was a favorite with T & H. For desert, pumpkin filled struedel, freshly made it was so delicious. Sam and I even ventured to try pumpkin sparkling wine....which was more readily availible than water or juice. One of the things we are adapting to, water of any kind is hard to find out and about. However beer and wine can be purchased anywhere at anytime.
Ludwigsburg is beautiful and I know we'll make another trip to explore the gardens again, and see about the tour of the inside of the palace !
Happy Halloween !!!!! While there were gourds and unusual pumpkins galore at the festival
we have yet to get pumpkins to carve hopefully by Halloween we will have those pictures for you!

A Life Well Lived

This past week My Uncle Passed away. It has taken me a week of reflection to decide to post something about it here on my blog. My Uncle was a kind and thoughtful person with a fabulous sense of humor. I know so many times when I was young he was a calming force that helped me reflect and move forward with many endeavors. My Uncle was battling Cancer like so many others world wide. Someday I hope there is a cure. I know just this month several friends have lost family members to cancer as well. My Uncle was someone I feel lucky to have known and even luckier to have been related to. Uncle Bob helped others encouraged friends and family and was just a kind person. I will miss him greatly. I couldn't go back to the US for the funeral which is hard, but I knew when I left that I wouldn't be able to. One of the down sides to military life. I have heard from friends and family and thanks to everyone the distance didn't seem so far. I wanted to dedicate a post to him and his family. To let them all know that they are loved and thought of everyday. I hope in the coming months that all those close to my Uncle find peace and comfort. My Uncle's life was short but a life well lived. My love to everyone.

Not so Far Away

This poem is featured on Rachael's blog ( see other blogs) I couldn't resist posting it here. I really like it. Some days things seem strange it reminds me I have a home all over and through all of those I have met and shared any part of my life. Thank you to all of my friends and family.

The Military Wife When she was a girl, her dreams were bold, as bold as her fine, free gaze; And every gift of grace and mind was hers in her younger days. When she was a girl, a golden girl, with a soul as fine as fire. She could outshine the brightest jewel that a rich man's love might buy her. Yes hers could have been the glittering path through a careless, carefree life. But she fell in love with a soldier, so she became a military wife. Away from the home of her childhood she marched at her husband's side. For she chose a wide and winding road when she became a bride. And sometimes the road was a hard one, so different from what she had planned; And sometimes she wept for the home she had left as she lay in a foreign land; And sometimes her steps would grow weary as she followed the drum and the fife; But she set about making the world her home because she was a military wife. She learned to build a hearth for them wherever her man was sent; And she knelt to plant a garden every time he pitched their tent. Yes, she always planted a garden though she never saw it grow, For she knew before the flowers came that she would have to go. But she left each garden gladly though it cut her like a knife, For she hoped it might bring some comfort to another military wife. To the hardships in her married life she brought one simple truth, A promise that once was spoken in the ancient words of Ruth:" Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Thy people shall be my people and thy God shall be my God." She shared his joys and sorrows as they made their way through life, For she was proud to love a soldier and to be a military wife. She bore the weight of worrying what fate might hold in store; And the wordless fear of waiting when her soldier went to war; And the nights that she spent fearing that her waiting was in vain; And the pain of wanting someone she might never hold again. But she bore his children gladly through uncertainty and strife, And they never heard her crying for she was a military wife. She raised a military family with the faith her love had taught her; And she gave the pride she had inside to her son and to her daughter; And she taught them to love freedom and to know what it was worth, As they helped her plant her gardens in the corners of the earth. And she never wished for better than the road they marched through life. Because she was as much a soldier as she was a military wife. – Author Unknown

Drama, Drama, Drama....

Today we had our first visit to an international hospital....... Yes S cut her litttle tiny pinky finger on a can from the garbage..... How you ask? well, as you know with twins anything is possible. I was making dinner , we still only have 1 pot and no microwave so cooking is a bit of a challenge I have been using canned green beans. I opened them put them in the pan and threw the can away. P being the industrous boy he is went fished it out and and handed it to his sister ( he often likes to help her take the wrap for his ideas) Because he saw me coming to take it away and in the 10 steps to them she stuck her fingers in and pulled out the lid slicing open her finger..... Blood everywhere...... P is crying S is crying and H is being so helpful in recounting the story for me....despite the fact I witnessed the whole thing..... 6 paper towels later her little pinky finger was still bleeding.... despite my best efforts and her two older brothers T & H playing out a scene. They were bickering over whether she would loose her finger, how much blood she had and would it run out, and could we take pictures..... Boys :)....... oh and meanwhile P is dragging out paper ,crayons, and anything else to bring to her..... while the spagetti was boiling over on the stove. I mean could it have been any crazier. Thankfully a wonderful nieghbor drove us to the hospital. Thank you Jessica in Germany !!!! Sam came home to blood all over kids going crazy and me racing out the door. If you haven't been to a German hospital.... they have 6-7 different Emergency rooms that are specific to your ailment ( thank goodness they have pictures) It is very quiet... S mind you was cool calm and quiet the whole time what a trooper. The Doctor saw us right away. Of course he spoke German...and alittle English. I had along the hospital booklet they gave us at orientation on common hospital phrases in 5 languages. I must have looked really funny flipping through the pages trying to understand the Doctor. They give you questions but, no words to answer so it is even funnier. They were very direct and he put stuff on her bandaged her and sent us on our way in less than 10 minutes. The cut was on the underside of the joint so no stitches just this glue stuff and a bandage. I had one funny moment I was trying to ask about stitches and I was pointing out that in her cut WARNING GRAPHIC>>>> you could see her fat cells from her finger... try that with a language barrier! He must have thought I was asking what it was because he said to me " no worries it is feet"..... I had to stifle a laugh that S has feet in her finger..... Of course I knew what he meant and I am sure when I say things in German I am just as funny. S snacked the whole time at the hospital and was fine. When we came home all the boys were anxious to see her finger. S now holds not only the record for being the youngest to go to the ER ( she was 3 weeks old) She now holds it for the most number of trips ( 4 total) and now she has the crown for doing it in a foriegn country. Sam teases me all the time that she inherited my clumsiness...which is slightly true but 3 of the 4 visits were related to injuries she aquired with the help of her brothers. I thought I was supose to be in the ER with the boys more not my girl? I am happy to report that S is fine and after 3 days her bandage will come off..and I'm sure her "feet" in her finger will be fine.

Out and About in Stuttgart

This coming Monday will mark the start of our 4th week here in Germany. I can hardly believe it is 4 weeks already. Some days it feels longer and other days thankful less.
The newness of life here has not worn off. There are challenges with not having our stuff and our car yet. This week I thought I might loose my mind if either our car or stuff didn't arrive ASAP..... then by Saturday when the sun was shining and we found out our immediate shipment would be here on Monday life seemed slightly bearable:)......
Germany is beautiful and the people I have encountered have been kind and helpful...... other than a few gate guards.... I look forward to all of the adventures we have ahead. I have had the privilege of adventuring in the city several times.
I have about a 15 minute walk to the nearest U Bahn station ( city cable car/train) The yellow "train" is a U Bahn see here.
from there it takes about 1 hour to get to downtown or to the Schlossplatz...which is "new palace plaza)

In this area there are what seems like a million shops and stores. Ranging from the local small shops to the chain stores to designer stores. There will be H & M, Hugo Boss, Gucci, and then local German shops all in a one block radius.
On saturdays the Rathaus ( city hall) square comes alive with an open air farmers market and one block over is an indoor farmers market.

I LOVE to go to the Schlossplatz and to all the stores and markets. Here P, S, & H are all enjoying the sun and the fountain. P loved the fountain and cheered YEAH !!! every few seconds.
My german is expanding...... however don't get to excited I am learning the names of things and buildings.....This picture below is of chestnuts....before they are roasted I guess they are fuzzy. I had never seen a whole chestnut before. They are kinda cute.
which is an improvement. This week in my never ending quest to find dried currents for the kids and I ( something we all miss from the states.. for eating and baking) I learned that a current is called a Johanissberen in German......and many German woman have stared at me oddly when I seek them dried ( you can find them all over fresh) Fresh is good I love them fresh but for baking not so much. Today at the market an kind elderly woman looked at me and broke into english....." oh no dear you eat them fresh not dried"......so my guess is this is not a common thing here... I can find many fresh Johanissberen to eat !!! Blueberries by the way are called Hiedleberen.........S took a liking to the baskets of eggs and tried to "hug" the eggs. Yes I gently pried them from her hands whew close call....
I have learned to say excuse me.. hello, goodbye thank you please..... etc. I am progressing slowly. I love the H & M store..... I know it is not German but I still love it and they thankfully have a huge kids section...... of course it is priced in Euro.
I love a fish shop they have the best lox sandwhiches..... there is a 4 story German toy store that has the coolest toys.... shhh don't tell the kids it is a favorite of mine too !!!......
Here in this main area there is the New palace, the old palace ( pictured above it adjacent to the new one) and other government buildings ( this is the state capital of Baden-Wittenberg)......
across from the palace the new one.... ( schlossplatz) is the oldest Kafe in the city... the Kafe used to deliever coffee to the King.....when they still had one.......
Last weekend was the end of Volkfest here so they had "rides" and other things in the schlossplatz. Although here in Stuttgart they have the second largest Oktober festival in Germany, the main celebration in in another area of town so this was a secondary celebration.

T & H went rock climbing...... they had fun. Today I shopped the market and found all kinds of good things to eat..... including a "new" food. I ate fresh figs.... I have only ever eaten dried figs so to try them fresh was a new experience. They are delicious by the way.... expensive but good..... ( 5 Euro for 8) But worth every cent ! I hope to go to the city at least once a week but I really must venture out too. This week was my turn for German culture class. Sam & I have to take this for in-processing. It is fun you have one day where they take you on the city trains to teach you how to use them.
Our teacher took us to the Zachke which is a cog wheel car "bus" up to the top of the mountain..... the view of the city is amazing !!!! I cant' wait to take the kids..... The stop by train is actually only 3-4 stops from us. Sam went 2 weeks ago and spent a lot of time in the city center. I hope you enjoy the pictures I will post more this week. Because I am seriously behind..... Wait until you see pictures from last weeks adventure to Kurbis festival ( Kurbis is pumpkin in German) The kids loved it and the palace gardens were endless.....

P.S. Check this post out from another blog. Maryam talks about blogging in very eloquent words....and sums it up.
http://stephanielevy.blogspot.com/2008/10/morrocan-maryam-artists-who-blog.html