February

I began my second job today, respite care for exceptional family members of deployable soldiers. So, we went bowling yesterday (free games, $1.50 shoes) for 3 hours. It was a long three hours, but it is GREAT money. I think I will be working with one family for 6-9 hours a week. It's nice to have a new time filler and make money on top of it. Andrew has been traveling off and on since he's been back. His folks arrive on the 28th for a couple of weeks. We hope to travel to several places with them on the weekends and to send them to a few during the week. It will be great to see them!! It's been quite a while. Hopefully, we can avoid illness with this round of guests.

Tubingen Fasching Parade

The Curtis' and we went to a parade today. Last year, with the USO is where I met Veronica and Kailyn. The men joined us this time. We ate at a Italian Restaurant and watched the VERY VERY LONG parade (98 groups). I felt the masks were better at the parade I went to last year. The masks frightened Kailyn and in turn the people felt bad and gave her lots of candy. The men were ready to leave halfway through, but they signed on for the trip which meant staying for the whole thing. It was a nice day, no rain, no wind, and light coats.

Glockenspiel/ Deutsches Museum of Technology & Science

The glockenspiel bell tower has figures that come out and dance at 11am and noon during the winter and in the summer they also come out at 5pm. It is quite pretty and it definately brings out the tourists, but it is very very long. We watched for a bit then hit the souvenier shops.

The Tech and Science Museum was huge. We all enjoyed it and could have spent days there if we had read all of the descriptions.

Olympic Stadium-Munich/Hotel

After Dachau, we headed to our hotel. Next, we parted ways....Andrew and I headed to the Olympic Stadium via car and G J and H took the train downtown. Andrew couldn't wait to check out the site of the 1972 Munich Olympic Massacre and to see if scenes from the movie were accurate. After the stadium we met the Parickas downtown for a pretzel and beer at the Hofbrauhaus (famous beer hall). Tomorrow, we are headed back downtown all via train to see the glockenspiel and to go to the technical museum.

Dachau-Munich

Words can not describe this experience. Above are a few pics of what we saw, but the true meaning is the feeling and the horrible unbelievable pain that took place here.

New Year 2008!!

Happy New Year!!! Mine was spent on the floor of the bathroom with Hayden. We rested between bouts of throwing up :( Hayden began the flu for us all.... 3 hours before G and J were scheduled to leave for Paris, Hayden threw up all over G and our couch! We insisted that they go on to Paris. The first night in Paris G got the flu, then the day after that I got it, then Andrew, and Joey finally decided to join in the fun the night before they flew back to the US. Thank goodness we have a microfiber couch! It was the hardest experience I have had with a child. Not being able to comfort him because I felt as bad as he did and not being able to give him the food that he felt he wanted. I felt like a failure. But I gues what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
This is my second illness this year. The last time was congestion of the sinuses etc. which turned into something bacterial and required antiobiotics, actifed, tylenol, and cough syrup (all free from the clinic :) ).

Rothenburg Walled City (Wuerttemberg)

We took another trip today....we visited Rothenburg. It has a stone wall surrounding the whole city. The town was spared in WWII. It was a fun day wondering around all of the old buildings and streets. We enjoyed some treats at the bakery and a yummy Chinese lunch. Rothenburg is the town you see in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when they are in the glass elevator.