While we Waited.......

Sam is back from Africa he visited Mali, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti......and of course brought back a collection of photos for you to feast your eyes upon..... The next few posts will be picture heavy This is all Samuel's work.......... We start with Mali

These are hotels in the city district in Bamako Mali

The rainy season had just finished so there is a lot of water and green scenery right now.

Sam was flying over a lot of the countryside and was able to view mountains, rivers and of course many of the out lying villages in the area.

The Sum of Our Parts.

I often say " I am more than the sum of my parts"... in reference to I am a person outside of Sam's wife, T,H P or S's Mom, or more than an "ordinary" housewife.... Which for those of you out there who are "ordinary" housewives you realize what I mean because there is nothing "ordinary" about us..... Sometimes I have been known to cry, scream, or utter these words 10 times a day..... or in response to some person who thinks I am just an "ordinary" housewife. However for the first time ever I have had to  actually stand back and accept that for once in my life...... I actually am the sum of our parts..... The movers arrived late on Thanksgiving day with our final crate. Yes, that elusive crate that was left behind in America.... I won't utter the choice words I have at the moment about that..... The crate the famous crate that has been mentioned in e-mails, phone calls, this blog and much to the dismay of any poor soul who would let me ramble about the thing..... The crate full of our computer, my shirts, the vacuum cleaner,our desk,T's box spring, H's foot board, the kids bistro kitchen, and...finally the parts. Yes for 2 months and 22 days the crate holding our parts has been on the move. 2 months and 22 days of pining away for this final crate. The parts box held everything we needed to put our beds together, our desk together, our computer ( with my resume) The computer I hate to admit I have come to need daily...... all of the really important stuff to finally settle into our new foreign home. Our hopes of being settled finally were hanging , hinging, resting on this final crate. In under 2 hours it was unloaded and delivered ( I don't think I have ever been so happy to see my vacuum cleaner) The crate was empty and it was all here. After waiting  and waiting I have to admit I about cried. There in one small and I mean small rubbermaid were all of the parts our house needed to be whole.....the sum total of six ziploc bags and a small tote..... Some how in the 2 months and 22 days it took to arrive this silly little box of parts and bags had become larger than life, as if it was so large my whole life hung on it. Symbolically of course. I was disappointed that I had allowed myself to get so wrapped up in the box of parts. However as an "ordinary" housewife without her computer, vacuum cleaner, shirts, and desk ( where all of my super powers are stored); I was wanting that box because H actually cried his bed wasn't here, P & S reminded me daily that their toy bistro wasn't where it was "suppose" to be and T complained his desk chair wasn't here. So for 2 months and 22 days of my life I actually was the sum of our parts......which happily are here where they belong..... Thanks to Sam's early arrival home we all have beds put together, I have the desk ( with my secret stash of superpowers) our computer is where is should be...and finally my carpets are clean. I will have to live with the knowledge that six ziploc bags and a bunch of nuts and bolts are what hold my house together somedays.....in the life of an "ordinary" housewife.

A Gallery Affair.....

I had a wonderful opportunity to accompany Sam on one of his assignments for work. I rarely have the opportunity to accompany him as he is usually in far off places. There was a wonderful exhibit at a delightful art gallery in Zuffenhausen. The gallery is inside and old Tithe barn for the town. Zuffenhausen is famously home to the Porsche factory and Museum, it is part of the greater Stuttgart area. Zuffenhausen also has vineyards, mostly red wines, and many cultural offerings in art, theater and cultural museums. The event was a joint art exhibit between American and German artist. 

I met the mayor of Zuffenhaussen ( very nice gentleman) There were lovely speeches by the General for AFRICOM ( hence Sam's presence), the mayor, the artists, and the director of the cultural center. I sampled more of Gerany's famous Brezel ( soft pretzel's) Zuffenhausen's red wines, and gazed upon unique and varried art work.

 I also had a chance to snap a picture of Sam at work.....shhhhhh don't tell him:)....... Sorry it is so dark....

working photographers are so elusive to catch while capturing the moment....Gallery exhibit's on opening night here are reassuringly like gallery opening's in America..... People, art, and wine all go well together.

Since We Last "Talked"

Since last we met....... The movers have come... On Thanksgiving 3 hours late......

Our computer is here ( YEAH !!!!!) The last of the boxes delievered..... The sum of our parts have been collected......

We have started saying 3 word sentences..... 

including "my hello kitty" Which is our favorite dress in the world..... 

We have started to wear big boy underwear during the day.....

 potty training is ongoing......

We have cleaned and swept the house...

to get ready for our stuff. 

We have taken baths....

and of course washed our babies( because the best way to wash a baby is under the faucet right :)......... 

We have been social and gone to a fellow 2 year old's party

 ( 10 days until the twins hit 2) 

We have run errands....

and stayed busy doing the usual stuff. 

I have made 24 pilgrim hats for a birthday treat.....

 T had his 11th birthday.......

We have played with toys....

We have waited patiently for Sam to come home and our stuff to arrive.... Sam has come and gone to Africa...... (see future posts for wild and exotic pictures).......Thanksgiving was celebrated...on the day after but still the turkey was here.....well 4 live here always but the kind for dinner was invited today.

Missing ,Loving, Learning....

Missing....
Target, Hallmark, Signs I can read easily without thinking, dried currents, friends, family and loved ones, and my computer no more posts until either our computer comes via missing crate...or Sam comes back from Africa with the laptop....

Loving.....
New adventures everyday is exoctic, the ability to travel to new places in a few hours, fresh different foods, the open markets, the city trains, the windows, new friends and fun people.

Learning.....
To read street signs, food labels, warnings, advertisements, clothes sizes, shoe sizes, lots of common every day words ( I now have the German vocabulary of a two year old)

More Flashback Fun.... Or Wishful Thinking....

In the hope that the movers find and deliver our missing crate this week. I am posting the pictures from our first shipment of household goods complete with snow and conveyor belt.....



please , please let our stuff come........ soon !

Flashback to Halloween

I am a tad bit behind...... But everyone needs a flashback now and then right? Trick or Treat was fun we open the base to the local community so German kids who normally don't celebrate Halloween came they were adorable. My kids loved having Dad home ( first Halloween in three years) We had a dragon fly,

a shark,
Spiderman and Dracula........Spiderman and Dracula had to wear reflective vests ( per base rules) It added to the design I think .....
We might not have had pumpkins but, I made treats again for the boys. This year instead of 65 eyeball cupcakes I was assigned fruit. The eyes have it again with eyeball apples..... and only 35 this year.... Here's looking at you :)

And Then Came The Couches.....

The new couches have already become the stuff of legends and I admit I wanted it that way. The couches have become such a comical and silly saga it is almost ridiculous. They also symbolize how the little stuff gets in the way of the big stuff. Sam and I have never owned a new couch.... odd yes.... why you ask? Well I am very glad that you asked. Sam and I have never been able to agree on a couch. The first set we owned Sam had before we met..... And after 2 of the four kids it was time for them to go...... plus we were in a move that weight was an issue and they were huge. Next 2 free couches..... very uncomfortable..... but extremely useful.......Then there was the folding couch oh yes the folding couch. During our stay in New York Sam and I bought a folding leather and wood couch, yes it was horribly uncomfortable and as strange as it sounds. Sam and I had figured we would shop and find a couch in New York that we liked. We shopped, we hunted, and we sat on, tested, viewed, and pondered at least 12 couches....... In 10 months we still had the folding couch. Then another move and 2 more kids we had another used couch we bought from friends who were moving..... just to avoid the folding couch from New York. Again Sam and I thought we would shop, ponder, and hunt for a new couch....... Two deployments and 2 and 1/2 years later we sold the "party couches" as they came to be known. Horribly uncomfortable and the topic of comic conversation of the visitors that came to see us in California. They were great for late night feedings for the twins. When we sold them the sale price came into dispute Sam wanted more I wanted them gone...... They again became a topic of conversation for several days. Now we have moved to Germany and it was time to be serious about a couch. I mean after all we are grown -ups and we need some sense of style. We have nothing to sit on and we have three years before we move so there is no excuse....... It became a quest, a challenge.... a new mission impossible.........We started with the want ads.... after all I am sure there are many friends with the same weight issues with a move just in reverse....... Oh yes there were beige couches (Sam was thrilled he loves Beige) ...(Heather was frightened four kids and beige plus yuck how boring)..... Now you see why finding a couch can be a challenge.... The many couches listed were at least 3 hours away...... (Sam thought sure why not)...(Heather thought I am not driving 3 hours for another uncomfortable couch in a color I hate)....... See the saga of years is still alive and well......... Finally the voice of reason came to roost.... ( Our trip 2 hours north and to France didn't produce a couch and Sam figured that maybe 3 hours for a couch was far)....... Then there were three trips to IKEA to sit on very firm square couches that were low to the floor.....(see giant 6'3 Sam try to get up from a low couch)...... Then there were the trips to Moma a German furniture store...... (see even lower couches and even more square couches, and then there was the couch with the giant elephant.... and of course the one that couch that had no arms) There was the nicest German store clerk who greeted us and eagerly spoke English and asked what couches were like in America..... He couldn't imagine why we asked if there were couches higher off the floor. German couches we have encountered have about 2 inches of clearance from the ground and that is considered elevated. Then there were three more beautiful German furniture stores.....With more low couches, missing arms....I think armless is this seasons style..... Then of course there are the couches with metal rings around the firm cushions........ Hysterical laughing ensued at one store when Heather needed help out of a very very deep couch....... it could have been a bed the German /English language exchange was pretty funny also........Then there was the bright blue bean couch.......There were trips to the PX to see way over priced couches in very scary colors that even Heather and her affinity for color had to shun her eyes from....... Finally one rainy Veteran’s day Sam and Heather left for the PX vowing not to return until a couch had been found..... I was thrilled that Sam agreed if we didn't "love" the couch I could sell it before we left citing weight as the issue before the move.....With "Get out of Jail Free" card I felt better about seeking a couch. Sam felt better having pinned Heather down to a color close to beige and comfortable pillows.......We walked in and right in the middle of the walkway was a beautiful couch and loveseat. What good fortune!..... It had a neutral sage/beige tone to please Sam. It had curved arms to please Heather with color pillows and wood detail.......Finally a couch we could live with...and it was on sale........it was the last one and it had been found in the warehouse just that morning..... YEAH !!!!!! Way to many years, too many conversations and many driving hours searching. A couch had been procured!!!!!! Now the rain outside was coming down in sheets........ We had the Sequoia emptied and seat free but would our beloved Sequoia hold a couch? Bubble wrapped couches, 550 cord....and Sam and Heather in the rain we discovered that a loveseat will fit in the Sequoia (so does a full mattress and box spring as well as 4 kids 3 adults and 14 pieces of luggage) The long couch had to go on top of the Sequoia on the roof rack ( it may hold alot but a regular couch and a loveseat is a bit much to fit inside)..... double bubble wrapped......... A one hour drive home through the winding streets of Stuttgart with many stares and odd looks we arrived home in the dark with couches, and yes it was still raining...... Now for those of you who have seen Sam and I in person.... Sam 6'3 Heather 5'1..... We have moved a lot of furniture together. A typical and lmost common conversation while moving... Sam to Heather " lift it up it is like you are dragging it on the floor" Heather to Sam " I am lifting it up it is at my waist I'm not that tall ...you need to go first" Sam to Heather "lift it up, and move faster" Heather to Sam " I am squished, it is lifted up I am short"........ Yes it looks as silly in person....and yes inevitably it is a very heavy very tall piece of furniture we are trying to maneuver up stairs or in some strange and odd corner. Now add darkness, rain and a concrete stairwell that is three flights to our front door..... this equals argument......... I know more Heather math just like 4 kids touching the sides +1 tent= Mom sleeping in a puddle...... 2 couches+ rain+ stairs+ a short wife+ darkness= argument....... Math aside Sam and I made it to the top with the loveseat..... and yes the typical " Heather lift it up " conversation happened.... I had it at my shoulders..... At least after all this time I have learned to make him go up the stairs first so I don't end up getting pushed with the furniture :)....... I pleaded and begged and convinced a neighbor to help Sam with the long couch..... I am a smart girl who loves her husband and would like to stay married..... Finally without further adieu the couches make their debut and the couch saga has hopefully been put to rest.... now maybe we could tackle the tube of toothpaste debate...... drum roll please.........
The New couches that finally Sam and Heather could agree upon......... comfortable stylish and full of color...... the 4 kids sat on them first.:) I'll have to take a picture in three years.....

More Views of Stuttgart

This past saturday H and I found ourselves wandering around the Schlossplatz area at our favorite market.
Today's list.... Lemons, parsley, kolarobie, and maybe a truffle or two Oh and 2 ties for Sam's upcoming trip.......
My favorite view of the city is the view from Stuttgart-Degerloch.
Degerloch is one of the many communities that make up the city of Stuttgart and it is situated at the top of the city.
The views overlooking the city are breathtaking on a sunny day, and almost equally spectacular on a cloudy day. Lucky for me this area is only a mile or two from where we live and anytime we have to go into the downtown area we either get to drive this route or see it from the U bahn.


Other sights featured are part of the Marian platz.
Marian platz is at the bottom of the mountain where the Zachke begins on the way to Degerloch.
The old palace is adjacent to the New palace in the pedestrian area new the market.
I find the old palace while not as flashey as the new palace to be equaly beautiful. The old palace has walkways and hidden treasures to see, with gradure that is simple and yet elegant.




Finally I couldn't help but feature this art work from the Rathaus where the saturday market is held. Well the market is in the square in front , but the courthouse has many hidden charms inside it's doors as you can see.