How has it been a year?

How has it been a year since my last post?  There have been lots of reasons... life, travel, school, kids, new uninterest in blogs, but the main reason is because I have been receiving so many hits on my travel adventures.  I'm not going to take them off of this blog, but I will copy them over to my new blog "We're German Now" located at http://weregermannow.blogspot.com.  Any new travel adventures will be posted over there.  I'll put a message on here pointing you over there.

And now I'll be posting just personal, family and church stuff here.

Love you all. And for those who still read blogs, I truly <3 p="" you.="">Christy

Our Trip Downtown-OLD

One of my favorite places to go is our downtown area.  If you didn't know, in Germany (and I don't have a specific place to back my information up, it's just something I've noticed) every town, including the smaller villages, have a church in the center of town and then town is built around it.  In the bigger metro areas, the churches are bigger.  Downtown Wiesbaden is one of the bigger cities.  

When I first arrived here I was scared to go Downtown. I knew nothing. But then my friend Lindsey and I started a group called the Out & About Group where we toured new areas with our friends.  Many were just as nervous and so it was great to have Lindsey, who had lived here for quite a few years already, show us around. I fell in love and vowed to visit as much as possible to get to know the downtown area.

Nowadays I am proud to say I can draw a map of Downtown Wiesbaden with my eyes closed.  I love it down there and go as much as I can. I have figured out shortcuts, and I have my favorite stores I love to frequent.  

Butler's is one of them.  These are some pictures of their Christmas 2012 seasonal line.  They had me at sweater designed candles and beautiful furry throw blankets. It's like a mix between Pottery Barn and Pier 1 Imports. If I've ever sent you a package, guaranteed there's probably been something from this store.

There are some fun things walking around the downtown area.  You don't see many random weird people though. I was used to that in California but occasionally you'd see  a crippled person begging for money or a gypsy, but not often. This guy really freaked me out. I couldn't understand what he was doing.  He kind of looked like a pedophile making balloons for kids. He didn't look German, and his whole outfit was just so random. Nothing fit a good stereotype of anything. I was so confused.

There's always a trip to Vapiano's when we go to Wiesbaden. It's a walk-up-and-order place but they make your pasta dish right in front of you, the pizza is made when you order it and the spices (as you can see from the picture) are handpicked right when you order them.  It's so fresh and healthy and my family loves it, even Spencer who is a very picky eater.

One of the other stores we always go into is the Lego store.  Julia introduced it to him when she was babysitting him over the summer and everytime we go to "Downtown Beesebottom" (as he calls it), we have to go in there. It becomes quite expensive so he plays with some of the toys there and walks out with a small item.

So if you ever come into town, one of the first places we'll go is Downtown Beesebottom and I'll introduce you to the beauty and wonder I get to live among on a daily basis.

Just so you all know

It may look like I haven't blogged in awhile but in reality I did a ton of blogging and have no reordered all the old posts to their proper dates. I'm going to try to do a few recent posts now. :) I just don't know where to start.  :)  Lucky you, there may be some really short posts coming up soon. :)

Mr. Mopman

This is Mr. Mopman. 

I don't know his name, but I sure know his face.  Spencer and Brian do too.  He's become a non-speaking, late-night, familiar-faced friend.

Some days, as a family, we have late nights.  You see, with the age difference between my 13-year-olds and my 4-year-old, they have differing schedules with the multitude of differing activities each are involved in.  So, when Spencer gets home from "Afternoon School" at 3:00 p.m., I sometimes make him take a late nap knowing that we are going to be out late. We are usually picking up the girls from their soccer practice or church group or volleyball practice or from the movies with their friends.  

Most of the time, Spencer and I are rushing out the door at a time too early to be carrying around hot dinners for everyone, so we grab turkey and cheese and crackers and fruit and when things finally settle down for the night, we go to the Army Base Food Court (kind of like a mall food court) where there is a Taco Bell, Subway, Burger King, Anthony's Pizza, Baskin-Robbins and Popeye's Chicken (ya, not the most healthy of foods, but come on.  We all have THOSE nights).  We usually arrive about 30 minutes before closing time which means Mr. Mopman is already starting on Section 1 of putting up chairs to then mop the entire thing.  

I've never heard Mr. Mopman say a single word. I think he's a bit shy.  He just smiles and laughs while Spencer runs around the area he is trying to mop.  Spencer is a silly boy, "acting" like he's going to step on the newly mopped area (after already learning from a previous experience that he can't run on the clean part so we know he's just playing).  Mr. Mopman just laughs, which only encourages Spencer. When I ask if it's all right, Mr. Mopman just nods and laughs.

It becomes a "game" that goes on while we're trying to order our food.  

Spencer's entertained.  We're fine with it.  

One night we came in and Mr. Mopman was close to being finished with Section 1 (I think Section 2 happens after closing time, cuz we've never seen it cleaned).  It had been an unusually warm Spring day and we all know Spencer becomes Sweaty Boy if he has his shoes on on a warm day. So I figured no harm in letting him take his shoes off, especially since the floor had just been mopped and there were only two other families in the entire place.  

I definitely recognized one of the families sitting down, but thought nothing of it.  I didn't especially like the mom, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not trying to be unfairly judgmental or mean, I just try to stay away from people who have already shown their true character is mean and toxic. One meeting with this woman, Toxic Lady, you know she's a bitter, mean woman.  Her entire face shows it.  I just stay away. 

The first time I met her was at X&X's first volleyball game.  There were a lot of girls (45) on the team, including her daughter, so there were a lot of parents I didn't know.  Much to my surprise as it was Xanthe's next turn to serve and I was feeling a surge of pride for her doing so well, I hear this scratchy, nasty voice behind me yelling very loud and absurdly mean things directly TO and ABOUT Xanthe.  "We don't want HER to serve!!! She missed it last time!!! Get her off the court!!!" 

I about lost it. Xanthe was only doing an extra serve because one of the other players had chickened out and Xanthe was the Co-Captain on the court, thus in charge of keeping the game going (since there were four other games going on at the time... the main Coach couldn't be at every game at once, so the Captains and Co-Captains helped in this area).  And Xanthe had served 5 great serves, but the rules of that specific game (we were playing a German team with different rules) after 5 good serves, it automatically goes to the other team.  

But Toxic Lady didn't care.  She just continued to yell where Xanthe could hear. I could tell it was starting to fluster Xanthe and Xanthe was close to tears (even though trying not to show it). After the game, she confirmed that it had really hurt her feelings and tripped her up for the rest of the day.  Especially being her first game, it made her lose a lot of self-confidence that she had tried hard to build since it was only her first year of playing volleyball.

But it wasn't just Xanthe that this lady was yelling at.  Toxic Lady continued to yell at every player on the court.  

I was livid. I didn't know her name so I snuck (sneaked?) pictures of her. But never fear, I went to complain right away.  I found out, though, that before I even got there, 4 other parents had already beat me to it.  Toxic Lady was soon given some pretty strong restrictions on how close she could sit from the court before being banned from the games completely.  

It didn't end though.  I heard her at other games too.  Complaining about this, complaining about that.  "Why do we have to stay here so long?  You're not even playing (to her daughter). That girl needs to get OFF the court. That one should be kicked off the team. " etc., etc. Her own daughter proceeded to yell at her to "just leave! I didn't want you here anyway."

So that's the backstory.

Back to Mr. Mopman.

While Spencer was running around, I was talking to my friend, Jenni, who had met up with Brian and me after delivering cupcakes to a mutual friend.  We then ran into another acquaintance who was about ready to pop (have her baby.  No seriously, she was walking to get labor started).  I was watching Spencer out of the corner of my eye, as was Brian.  He was nearby, chasing and running away from Mr. Mopman who, Brian assured me (from previous late nights there too), loves to play this game with Spencer.

Jenni went and sat down while I continued to talk to Pregnant Friend, order food and wait.  While waiting, I said goodbye to Pregnant Friend and saw that Spencer was looking down at the bucket of mop water.  He was clearly intrigued.  So, I proceeded to walk over and show him how it worked--- what the different compartments were for, why they put water on both sides, what the handle was for, etc., after, of course, asking Mr. Mopman if it was okay.  

He just nodded.  And laughed.  And stopped his work to watch.

I said, "This is the clean water where the second mophead is soaking so when "he" (clearly not knowing Mr. Mopman's name and not about to call him Mr. Mopman in front of him) is finished with the dirty mopping he can do a clean mop."

"What's that yucky water?" asked Spencer.

"That's the dirty water he squeezes out after he's done mopping the dirt off the floor.  See! He puts it in here and pushes the handle down to squeeze the water out." (I proceeded to show him without there being any mophead in the mop-bucket-squeezer-ma-bob).

Mr. Mopman then got involved.  He took off the mophead from the one he was using and dipped it in the dirty water, then put it in the mop-bucket-squeezer-ma-bob.  He showed Spencer (without words, remember) how to push the handle down really hard to squeeze all the water out.  I then helped Spencer push it down by himself, something Spencer was clearly happy he had done, AND learned how to use.

When I came to sit down next to Jenni, my back was toward "Toxic Lady" and Jenni was directly facing her only about two tables away, clearly within earshot.  Jenni had this funny look on her face, but I had no idea why so I pointed out that I knew her, "Oh boy. Do you see this lady behind us with her entire family? She's the one that was being so mean to Xanthe at her first volleyball game."  Jenni's look then changed to a "WHAT JUST HAPPENED" on her face.  

"Christy, that lady just sat for 10 minutes ripping you apart.  "What kind of mother would let her child run around like that AND without shoes on.  I feel so sorry for that kid.  At least put some dang shoes on the kid even if you're not watching him! That's just so gross! Oh my gosh she is going to let him touch that mop water (clearly narrating every move of Spencer's)!  Seriously! Someone needs to say something!  That mom is letting her child bother a man while he's just trying to do his work! Let the man work, people! I can't believe this!!! I swear. The people who are even allowed to have kids... " And on and on and on."  (obviously I'm paraphrasing. I wasn't there so I don't remember the exact words, but this was close to what Jenni reenacted for me.)

"She didn't know I knew you so I just sat and listened not knowing what to do at that point. Give myself away and stick up for you? or just let it pass?  Then all of a sudden Spencer comes running up to me saying, 'Hi Jenni!' Mine and that lady's eyes both met and she looked like a deer in headlights.  I looked at her and said, (and I'm paraphrasing) 'That's my good friend you're ripping on. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop.'  Christy, what just happened?!"

I just laughed.  Not even offended in the least bit.  My side of the story was a bit more positive.

"Jenn, such a difference in ways to parent.  When I was over showing Spencer the mop bucket, there was a mother of a cute family sitting a little ways away.  They were close enough for me to hear them.  I was so happy when I heard the mom say, 'Wow, what a great mom to actually show him how that thing works.  Most parents would probably yell at their kid to 'get away from that, don't touch that, stop bugging him.'  But she didn't. She just patiently showed him.  That's super impressive.' "

Yes, I believe after hearing that compliment, nothing anyone could say, especially it being their own silly negative judgments of my parenting, could kill my happiness, at least not for awhile.  There are moments where you question whether you're doing the right thing as a parent. But then there are moments that give you that small pat on the back that you're doing just fine.  

This was the latter, and I was a little bit proud of myself.  

In the Funk

I know I've sort of been blasting this blog with a lot of "memory" posts from the holidays.  I want to write more, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately.  Not a depression, but not "on-top-of-the-world" feeling. I keep trying to force myself out of it, then I realize I need to just process through it, and then I get impatient so I try to force myself out of it.  Vicious cycle.  I know many of you are aware I have fibromyalgia so that adds to all the self-sabotaging thoughts that go through my days where I feel a little "down under."

I'm definitely not blogging this as a downer for anyone, I seriously promise that.  I'm just trying to be real and hoping that this might be a way to force myself out of it.  By acknowledging it. I know that not many "random" people read my blog, mostly my family and friends, so I know it's safe to post this.  And I know most all of you have been through times like this-- The feeling of being weighed down by big questions like-"what does my life mean/what am I accomplishing with my life", to the smaller questions and/or criticisms of "why didn't I work out again?!/why can't I do something simple like keep my house clean?/and why did I cheat on my diet AGAIN?!".

Honestly, I'm not writing this to fish for positive reinforcement (even though I love that all of you love me... I definitely know I'm loved), I actually am afraid to post this because I'm embarrassed that anyone will feel that I'm doing that.  I am just writing this to be real... and let you know why my posts have been more of a family journal when I promised myself I would do more writing... because sometimes the simple task of hitting "Publish" on a post-- that is full of a slew of pictures I have just spent an hour sorting through, is a simple, yet invigorating feeling of accomplishment for a day of feeling unaccomplished, it is something outside of my To Do List, and something to zone away on without thinking about real life. So forgive me if I keep posting away.  I may come out of my funk soon.  If anything, I'd love to hear if any of you can relate.

Instagram-MARCH

Another month gone by! Here we are on March! Wow!  

Part of my plans for the Instagram posts are it gives you a glimpse as to future posts that have more pictures that go along with it. Some don't have more than just the Instagram picture though. This is sort of like a precursor to longer posts later on.

We've switched jobs. Xanthe Villa is on culinary skills this week aka learning to cook. Today was breading chicken and homemade marinara sauce for Chicken Parmigiana. (continuation of February Instagram thread with teaching kids to clean.)

Gettin ready for a new week. New room check off signs to help girls remember how to accomplish their chores. (teaching my children life skills.)

This is Spencer's new favorite movie. He walks around the house singing "This is Halloween, this is Halloween" over and over. A boy after my own heart.

Seeing this flower bed made me really happy today. First flowers I've seen in a long time.

me: Took the girls for a sports physical and came out with all three getting unexpected shots. Spencer was very concerned with the "hole in my leg."

nsteimle: Ow. Did you let them pick out a prize??

me: Ya. Treats from the shoppette.  It's like 7-11.

me: Another day at OT. He begs to go here.
nsteimle: That is a sweet picture of him looking up.
kirstynberrett: That was always Alta's favorite swing. :)
ruthylou: I want to get that for my house.
me: ruthylou-I have a friend who had someone hang one for her boy. I know so many kids who love this swing. We really need one here.

me: Success

Somebody got a big boy bed!!! He spent about an hour and a half just laying in it this afternoon watching shows on the iPad and playing trains on it. Xoe's not too happy we stole her top bunk.  There's a lot of wood, but his other walls are white and light blue. But yes he has two wood-paneled walls and the ceiling goes diagonally upward. Good thing his floors are light color otherwise I would feel like it was too much from the 70's.

Not an instragram picture- Spencer painting pictures for James' birthday. This one is Percy but he painted the James train for Uncle @jiggityjames.

Starting our Easter Countdown. We're about 4 days late but you know. It's all good.  There are little daily devotionals and each one is numbered ready to print.

me:  Breakfast of champions-French toast with butter syrup
#i never make hot breakfast during the week
#kids on bus usually at 6:55
#it must be terra nova testing this week

heshela: Whip cream is a must

me: heshela-absolutely. He has to have whip cream on everything, especially sprayed into his mouth like his awesome grampa has taught him. :)

me: Blast from the past! Was sorting pics and came across this.  Anyone remmeber whne I had a tiny ounce of "cool" (or at least I thought so.) :) wooow.

amelialyon: Wow. Look at those frosted tips!
ruthylou: What year was this?!

me: I think 2004 ruthylou. You helped with this shoot. I think you even took the pics.  amelialyon-classic, huh?

Xoe's Instagram pic-Decorating cakes for Young Women's

Taking advantage of this amazing day.

Takin a Springtime stroll with dad.

Building train tracks on the driveway. Why not? We gotta spend every moment out in the sun when we got it.

Sunbathing!

We might have a lefty!

me:  Hey now... No one be jealous of my cool state-of-the art juicer. I've had this thing for probably 15 years. ruthylou and bethlamb-do you remember this? We got it at the same time as getting a breadmaker at a flea market many, many years ago.  It totally still works. Booyah. Now I Just need me a heavy duty one to put whole fruits in like the trend is nowadays.

kristynberrett: We have a fancy one, but we use our $8 one from Walmart way more.

Just bought this. It has brought light into my life and is basically a piece of Brillo pad. Thank you Fuzz-A-Way.

me: Spencer joining yoga poses with me.
heathermegan: haha, he's better than me!

me: For a boy who hates vegetables, do these count as eating some? Hehe.

ruthylou: Hmmm, Have you tried smoothies with veggies in it?

me: He won't drink smoothies. Ugh. I've been hiding veggies in food from Deceptively Delicious.

ruthylou: That works.

This makes me sooooo happy!

me:  Spencer's new sheets and tent for his bed. Hope it helps with his sleeping.

ruthylou: Tell me about the tent!!!

me: ruthylou-It's at Ikea and it just hooks to the sides. It blocks out all the sensory input for Spencer so he can settle down easier. We've actually been using it for a few days, just posted cuz we got new sheets. He actually really loves the tent. A woman in my ward and our OT suggested it.

Gettin ready for warmer weather.

Perfect Sunday family bicycle ride weather. Have I mentioned how much I love Spring?

Takin one of the team. My bicycle tire is out of commission so he traded me halfway through and took a turn on one of the girls' pink bikes.

Found an awesome nature reserve in back of the forest behind our house. Right passed the horse stables. It was getting dark so I couldn't take many more pictures of the bridge and pond and climbing wall and playground. I'll take more another day. Definitely going to be a regular spot.

Another day at OT. This kid about has a heart attack when he knows it's time for "Ergoma." He counts down the days. This slide helps with his sensory.

In motion.

me: Spencer way excited for "Big Boy" preschool. He got moved to the afternoon class because he has made such huge developments in his speech. I'm actually going to admit because I'm not a morning person I love this afternoon school. I'm gonna be so much more productive this way. Oh and he got new shoes. Booyah!

jiggityjamesg: That jacket is gangster!
linzortiz: He looks adorable!
ambuhrley: So cute! What a stud! And congrats on the developments. That's huge!

me: jiggityjames- We've had that jacket for almost two years and almost didn't buy it cuz I thought it wouldn't be comfortable and he wouldn't want to wear it. He has preferred it over every sweater, jacket, sweatshirt. Haha he wears it with everything! It's so awesome huh? He's stylin!

Spending some time just lying in the sun in the backyard. The cool air mixed with the warm sun is my perfect weather. I may set up shop out here. I wish you could see the climbing rose bushes but this picture doesn't do it justice.

My peony bush getting ready to bloom. I wait for this every year. In about one week every bud will open and unfold backwards to reveal a bright pink flower 4 times the size of this bud. It make sme really happy.  I swear this picture was in focus when I took it.

kristynberrett: I love peonies!!
Misty Wolf: I, too, share a love for these flowers as my grandma used to have them from the time I was very young. Every time I come across or catch a whiff of them, it always brings back a flood of memories.
kerstin engelhart: You should take a picture each day and then you could make a flipbook.

me: Getting ready for my song in Women at the Well.

ambuhrley: What for? Looks fun!
fizerella: Haha! You looked so awesome! And - sounded so fabulous!
heathermegan: Cutie!

me: As you did fizerella! Splendid job. I was so proud of everyone. It's hard getting up to sing but everyone did great!

me: ambuhrley-Our ward put on a program based on the Women at the Well CD bible story for the Relief Society church celebration. It turned out really nice. I had fun dressing up, can you tell? Xoe and Xanthe sang too. they did awesome.

ambuhrley: Did you record it? Put it on your blog.

me: ambuhrley-I didn't record it. I was the only one there with a camera and even then it felt awkward taking pictures. Xoe got some good ones of the food and one of the whole set. I also got a couple of the girls singing with the Young Women. I'll put them on the blog.

Stay tuned for all the fun March events elaborated on with future posts!