Introducing our newest addition!!!!!

We are very pleased to announce that we have adopted once again! We are the proud parents and siblings of a beautiful Caramel colored "Meerschweinchen". In our minds, we have had a Chocolate Lab named "Otto" for over 2 years, (yes, we have already named the dog that we don't even have - we are officially crazy). Sadly, we just can't have a dog over here. As much as we are out of town, it wouldn't be fair to him at all. But....when this little guy needed a family, we decided that we definitely could take him in! He is a 3 year old bundle of Caramel colored cuddle and is as frumpy as they come (which makes him extra cute!). Without any further ado...We are pleased to announce our newest addition:

                                                  Obie Charlie Rhodes

(by the way a "Meerschweinchen " is the German word for Guinea Pig - which is kind of funny because the exact translation is: Sea Pig. Yes - we are the proud parents and siblings of a Sea Pig :-))

Look at that face!!!!!

The kids are....

absolutely head over heels....

in love!!!!

And who wouldn't be...that face is irresistible :-)

A great little addition to our family :-)

Monte Kaolino

Our new friends invited us to go with them to one of the local attractions here. It is a well known activity park about 20 minutes from our house, called Monte Kaolino. They have all kinds of things to do; swimming, high ropes course, Segway tours, mini golf, beach volleyball, summer roller coaster etc. , but the main attraction is Sand Skiing. I have never seen anything like it - it is really cool! Basically, they turned the unusable sand from a Quarry into a huge Mountain for sand skiing, snowboarding and sledding.  People have been skiing on this "mountain" since the 1950's. We had a great day, and will definitely go back often. It is really fun seeing all that our new area has to offer!

Camden and I heading up on the Sommerrodelbahn (summer roller coaster)

This picture came out really cool - I love the clouds!!!

Bailey and Mia getting ready to head up!

Many turns throughout the way!

A fun water park with slides and diving boards...

We all climbed up to the top of the "Sand Mountain" 

It was a long way up!

The views were pretty!!!

Way above the trees!

Part of the water park...

At the top of the mountain, you could see where they still have a working Kaolino Rock Quarry. From what I understand, they use the rock to make porcelain...

Sledders heading down the hill.... Very cool!

School is out for the Summer!!!!!

I know it seems a little late, but we (today) are just beginning summer vacation! Mia's last day of school was yesterday, and I have to say it feels pretty darn nice to have her home (and to sleep in - even though I only slept in until 5:45 today, but just knowing I COULD sleep in, felt pretty good!). Mia was beyond happy yesterday. The German tradition is that on the last day, you get your "Zeugnis" (report card), and it is A BIG deal. In third grade, your report card is VERY important and is the beginning of deciding your future. After 4th grade, depending on your Zeugnis for 3rd and 4th grade, is when you are tracked into schools. Depending on your notes (grades), you will head off to different level schools.  The report card is very important!! She did very well, and being that her Mom and Dad can't really help too much (being that everything is in German), she especially makes us proud! It was extra cute yesterday too seeing the kids run out the door after the bell rang - what a great feeling to begin summer vacation! Some of the boys even belted out a popular soccer song - so funny!

We picked Mia up after school and went to a cafe to have breakfast (she got out of school at 9:30 am - basically enough time to get her Zeugnis and say goodbye to friends).  A fun little way to begin summer vacation. Here are some random photos of the last few weeks...

I forgot to add this one earlier... This is when Bailey and Camden were still in the U.S. and we were talking on Face Time. Bailey had just flown up to Maine after spending 3 weeks in South Carolina. It made me so happy to see how happy they were to see each other :-)

This is a funny one...Mia's school had a music concert. Each class sold something to raise money for a school in Africa (what a great lesson), anyway... Bryan and I laughed because the 4th graders sold "Non - Alcoholic Cocktails as their fundraiser - only in Germany :-) They were really yummy too!!! One thing that I especially liked too was the fact that the kids did everything (the kids made the drinks, took the orders, and handled the money - another reason German kids are so capable!!!)

Mia's class sold handmade greeting cards...

In 4th grade, all Germans take the bike test and receive their bike license. The 3rd graders had a beginning lesson though (the school even has bikes for all of the kids, so the only thing they have to bring is their helmet!) You can see Mia being all serious :-)

Before Bailey and Camden got home, Bryan Mia and I went for a long bike ride one day and discovered this cool water playground...

So grateful for bike riding - one of my favorite things!!!!

Their was a  Stonehenge type monument...

and caves to climb in ...

and a pirate ship to play on... and pond to swim in...

and a water wheel to gather water...

So happy to begin Summer Vacation!!!!

Welcome Home!!!

Bailey and Camden just got back from a month in the U.S. They had a fantastic time with their Grandparents and really enjoyed being spoiled for a month :-) Camden stayed in Maine with my parents and Bailey stayed in Hilton Head with Bryan's parents. They both had a great time! It is so nice to have them back though! Camden grew at least 3 inches and I think they both grew a lot just by being on their own (without us) for the month. Mia missed them like crazy too. With all of the change that we all have experienced, it was so nice for her to have her brother and sister home with her.

It was especially weird for them to come home to a new house and a new city. Really fun though and I keep hearing comments like, "I really like it here" - which is music to a Mother's ears (especially considering the fact that they had never been here - and it could be the exact opposite). On a side note, Mia is still struggling a bit - she had the best group of friends in Bamberg and naturally still misses them A LOT! Anyway, getting back to the Welcome home... It is so nice to have everyone under one roof once again and a full month left of summer vacation to boot! Welcome Home Bailey and Camden - We love you and missed you a ton!

Mia even made rings to tear off and count down the days until they  were home :-)

After the long flight - we saw lots of smiles!!!!

So nice to have them all together under one roof! :-) Oh - how we missed them!!!!

No matter how you look at it - this is just hillarious!!!!

Ok - You know I have lots of time on my hands to be blogging so much, but I couldn't help but share this one.... Mia and I were biking home yesterday from her friend's house when we saw the funniest thing. I probably wouldn't have even noticed it if Mia hadn't pointed it out. It is strange to me that for Mia, having lived here since she was 3, this would really stand out. It makes sense though, because it is not something she has really seen in her life - like I said, it didn't even phase me at all until she pointed it out. Before I go on, I have to try to put it in perspective... Imagine if you were on the road in the U.S. and saw this:

It would probably make you stop and look and smile - just because you know that is a Double Decker bus like they have in London. You have seen it in movies and on TV. Not something you see every day in the U.S - but pretty neat. Well, image if you had never been to the U.S., but watched American films and TV, and had seen this as you go down the road:

It would probably be pretty cool (kind of like us seeing a double decker bus). Like I said, I didn't even flinch at the sight of the school bus, but for Mia it was really cool (not having really seen many of them before). Here is where it gets REALLY funny... The Bus didn't say, "School Bus" on it, but instead said, "Party bus". It drove by us twice (we were riding around a big ring around the city). When I looked closer, you could see a bunch of streamers and you could faintly here music playing and the funniest part was that you could see kids around 10-12 years old running around the bus and dancing. After I told Bryan about it, he found this on the internet: http://www.amberger-partybus.de/

So... it is an American School Bus that they rent out for Parties. The bus drives around and there is a DJ and a Bar Tender (did I mention that as long as you aren't driving here, you can drink alcohol in a car?). The bus will even drive to places (as a limousine would) for special events. They also rent it out for kids birthdays (that is what we saw). It was truly one of the funniest things to see!

Prost - to the future!

So much has changed in the last few weeks and with Bailey and Camden gone and Mia still in school, I have had A LOT of time to reflect. It has been hard moving. Sometimes, I am just sad having to start over. We just left living in what has been my favorite city (so far) in the world. As I have tried to console Mia with the move and leaving her friends, I reminded her  (and had to remind myself too) that we never even knew "that Bamberg or those friends" existed, when we moved there 6 years ago. Looking forward now, we have no idea what friendships or experiences that we are in store for here, and that is pretty exciting! Hard - but exciting!  I was speaking to one of my very favorite people this week about colleges. She was saying that it is such a wonderful feeling knowing that there is a whole world waiting for her child with all new experiences and a full life ahead! I of course started to think about Bailey and her future in the same way, and shed a few tears. I read this article too, which made me think even more...


http://masedimburgo.com/2014/06/04/17-things-change-forever-live-abroad/


If we could have stayed in Bamberg forever, we would have. We even thought about trying to get jobs locally, but with Bailey and Camden's education (their German is good, but definitely not good enough for the university track), and also the Bryan would end up retiring about 10 years later (having started so late in the German system) than he would if he just stayed - which is definitely not worth it. Before I go on, I am reminded too of what my wise German friend (who has lived through unbelievable times) told me a few years ago: Your family is healthy, happy, and Bryan has a job - you are blessed and you need to stay positive and supportive and if you have to move, you have to move - Simple! 

 And so, we are here now. We have met a couple of people. Mia has her first invitation to a friends house today. We can finally find most things after the move (the only thing still missing is the bed skirt to our bed :-) and our entire future is ahead of us. I then reflected again on my friend and my conversation and then on the article and was reminded that we too still have our entire lives ahead of us. Our future is what we make it.

In trying to carry on the things we loved about Bamberg, we road bikes to school today. It is different riding bikes here, but there are some positives too - there are beautiful little paths through a park on the way to school. When Mia walked to school in Bamberg, she didn't see any "green" on the way. I also walked in and made an appointment to open up a new bank account (yes in Germany, you need a local branch - the banks aren't National, and yes, we have to wait 1 week for an appointment). What would have aggravated me 6 years ago (because I would have wanted to walk in and open the account right then and there and to not have to spend more than 20 minutes doing it - yes that instant gratification that we like), now I know and appreciate the differences about this culture (see # 9 and #11 on the list in the article).

After reflecting a bit the last few weeks, it is refreshing to know that we can keep all of the things and memories that we love about our past, but we also have plenty of new things heading our way and memories to be made - and that is pretty cool :-) Prost - to the future!!!!

World Cup Champions!!!!!!

It was a very exciting evening in Germany last night! For us, the game didn't start until 9:00pm. Before the game, we walked around the city a bit - it was fun seeing all of the anticipation! Mia was allowed to stay up and we had a little "viewing" at home. It was pretty cut throat, as no one scored during the normal play time and they had to go into extra time. Germany's Gotze scored and then they just had to keep the lead for the remaining time. Final Score 1 - 0 Deutschland!!!! I was so glad they didn't have to go into a penalty shootout because to me that is a horrible way to win or lose such a big event. It seems too simple! After the game, was when the real fun started around here. We could here nothing but horn honks and fireworks up until 1:00am. Definitely a fun experience to be part of the excitement.  2014 World Cup Champions!!! The U.S. might just have to bring it in 2018 :-)

Mia getting ready for the game (This picture cracks me up because she is so shy and sweet, but looks like a wild child in this photo :-)

One of the court yards we walked by - people getting ready to watch the game!

Everyone sporting their Germany Shirts...

Lots of Black, red and yellow to be seen - EVERYWHERE!

German Fans watching...

World Cup Champions!!!!!

1 :0 Deutschland!!!

Mia was extra excited because she has Mario Gotze in her card collection :-) 

The World Cup!

Our 4th of July was not your stereotypical 4th of July. Oh yes - There were flags and Fireworks, but not in celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, instead there were German Flags and Fireworks in celebration of the World Cup Game Victory on Friday. Then last night, Germany clinched their position to play in the Finals on Sunday - so exciting!!! The whole continent gets so into it, and I think it is an amazing way to bring the world together. The kids even trade cards at school, and it was so sweet because many  of Mia's friends would give her the American trading cards. She ended up with quite a little stack. Her most cherished card though, is Thomas Müller (from Germany). Our good friends are from Brazil, so they were crushed that Brazil lost last night - the son of our friend even shed some tears! So intense!!! We've been able to get together with friends for a lot of the games and it has been so much fun!!! 

German Pride - in Amberg (it is a very interesting side note - our friends told us that up until Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006, people would never carry, hang, or wave flags. Up until then, "German Pride" was something that the country was kind of taught not to have (because of their history). After that the 2006 World Cup though, you see a lot more German Pride!

This was after the win - people heading home...

I love these little kids on their "Laufrads" - bikes that have no wheels - adorable!!! A little Bayern Munich Fan :-)

Walking home from the public viewing - lots of German Colors to be seen!

Lots of flags too!

They even shut down the road...

On the way home, we saw this...what a comfy way to watch the game!

We even had a few fireworks to boot (you can see the smoky air)