Our Family

By Chrissie.  

Business Trips

 Lately, we have been the benefactors of business.  I've seen both my brother Bryan and brother-in-law Eric all because of lovely business trips.  Even though the time was short, we had a great time. 

With Bryan we went along the Rhine river and visited some old towns that were backed by hills draped with wine vineyards-truly nostalgic. Unfortunately, all the shops were closed for the month of January.  However, we still got a little bite at the local bakeries so all was well.      

 Below is the Altes haus, "old house."  A medieval timber framed house from 1300s.

 Cathedral in Köln.  

 Roman catholic church that began construction in the 1200s and finished in the 1800s.  It's a great representation of Gothic churches and quite magnificent.  I was bummed I could not get better pictures of the inside.  The stained glass windows were remarkable and the organ was enormous.  And it claims to have the Three Magis' bones. 

We met Eric in Berlin where we had dinner at the KaDeWe.  The second largest department store in Europe (Harrods in London is the first).  And oh the food was delicious.  They had this food area that was something similar to an American food court but also nothing like an American food court.  There was at least a hundred different little open bar type restaurants (seafood, sushi, french, italian, etc) where you would choose your meal and they cooked it then and there right in front of you.  

Jane is typically terrified of strangers, especially men.  However, she LOVED uncle Eric.  She immediately asked him to hold her, hold her hand, and assist her in every way possible.  She even gave him a kiss, which she doesn't give away easily (even to her Dad).   

Jane's Birthday

(Chrissie created this fabulous sign for Jane's birthday.  Jane loves horses.  Chrissie was so detailed in her drawing.  Notice the horse is jumping over a "pole."  Since being in Germany, Chrissie is getting to know all about horses.  The one jumping is a Hannoverian, our favorite, and even the hair is in correct competition form)

Jane turned TWO on January 9th.  

Chrissie nicknamed Jane, "Millie."  Originally, I thought it to be some German word that one called little children because Chrissie speaks to Jane in German. However, Chrissie informed me otherwise. It comes from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."  A movies she watched nine months ago and somehow remembers the name. 

Recently Jane has attached herself to the color blue.  And with it has come a very particular little girl.  She wants everything blue.  The bowl she eats from must be blue, the bib she wears must be blue, typically she is wearing something with the color blue,  anytime she colors she always chooses the blue pencil.  So, naturally, we threw her a birthday party that was everything blue.  

As for now, Jane reminds of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Every time I see her fresh out of the tub I think of the line in the book when Pa says to Laura, because she is so small, "Where's my little half-pint of sweet cider half drunk up?"  Jane is so petite but she is tough and feisty.  She has had more injuries to the face than Matthew and Chrissie combined.  Jane definitely has an older brother and knows how to hold her own.  She can be very sweet and tender but watch out!  She will hold onto a toy for dear life despite her brother's pulls and tugs on it.  Her vocabulary has taken off recently and she says both German and English words but mostly English. Her most said word is STOP (now I wonder who she says that to...matthew perhaps).  Despite Jane's small size she loves meat and picks it out of soups, pasta, and pizzas.

Jane only wanted to eat the blue m&ms off the cake. 

Now this is Jane's outfit of choice-her blue pajamas.  

Jane chose this outfit for church: blue dress, with her blue pajama bottoms, blue socks, and her blue boots.  I even tempted her with a blue bow but that was a no go.    

Adventures in Bavaria

Our time in Bavaria was spent visiting castles, the Black Forest, Salzburg, charming towns, and scenic drives.  It was so fun to be with family during the holidays and I loved that my brother and his family stayed for two weeks.  We did sight seeing during the day and in the evening when all was quiet the adults had dessert and played games.  

Salzburg, Austria

Lederhosen and Dirndls: Rick and I went to a trachten warehouse in Salzburg, which had great deals on lederhosen and dirndls.  Matthew wore his lederhosen everyday...and Chrissie wore her dirndl.  In fact our landlady loved seeing it so much, she asked to take pictures of them.   

The Black Forest

 Bad Tolz