Fruhlingsfest (Springfest)

Today, I attended the Springfest in Stuttgart with Veronica and Kailyn. The USO offered a free ride, free meal, and free drink. And I can not pass up free. Plus, the chicken we ate was the best meal I have had in a long time. We each got half of a rotisserie chicken, a roll, and choice of beer or pop. It saved us about 20 euro per person. Kailyn was able to enjoy a few rides and we tried out a few different snacks. We now know to never get a milkshake again. It was milk blended with an itty bit of icecream. So, basically I drank chocolate milk. It was very sad because I really wanted a true milkshake. Now, I will add Dairy Queen to my list of places I need to go in June or July.

12 weeks

April is half over, so I thought it's about time I updated our lives. We are expecting a new addition on October 30, 2008!!! I am 12 weeks along and doing very well. No vomiting, a little nausea that is easily fixed with food in the stomach, and I think I have officially passed the extremely tired phase. In Germany they do ultrasounds at every appointment. This is our second picture, the first was an itty bitty blob. We hope to find out the gender at our 16 week appointment, or at least before I travel to the USA for the summer. It was excitng to see a the baby moving inside me and to see it's little feet, hands etc. Andrew was able to make it to the first appointment, but is gone until my return from the USA. He is "being all that he can be" and getting tired in the process. I am able to talk to him via email and phone, as well as, mail, much more often than I ever anticipated. I have been keeping busy napping and baking. Today, is the last day of my Spring Break : ( , I spent the whole break being lazy and socializing a bit with my friends. I am on the countdown for the school year to end. Thursday will be 8 weeks left, but 7 weeks for me because I am taking the last week off to travel with my folks to Northern Germany. We are checking out the area where my mom's ancestors are from. Plus we are going on a day trip prior to, to the Black Forest, and a Memorial Day weekend trip to Brussels, London, and Amsterdam. My folks are traveling a bit more without me while I am at work. I'm still not sure if I will work for the first 6 weeks of the school year or just stay home straight through until the baby is born. It all depends on how huge I am and how I am feeling. Although I admit, no matter how much I would like a little extra money, I can not wait until I have a good reason not to work.
Below is a pic of the ultrasound. The head is the big lump on the left hand side, the body is in the middle, and the feet are merged with the umbilical cord and the body. It was hard to get a good picture, the baby kept moving.

March

March has flown by! We have been laying low this weekend. The weather has been snowy/rainy for the last 4 days. I took a sick day on Friday to spend the day with Andrew, he has a 4 day weekend. The schools don't observe religious holidays, in turn we get to work. I spent most of the day being lazy, but did run a few errands, made caramel rolls, and made chex mix. Today, I am making deviled eggs to take to our friends house for Easter. There is a egg hunt today on base, but I don't think I will venture out in the guck.
Andrew is due to leave sometime this coming week or next, and my folks arrive May 16. So, yes, I will be counting the days until I have someone to share my home with. He will be back about the time I get back from the USA. I finally bought a ticket. I will fly back the USA with my folks in June. I'm looking forward to getting some shopping in. Prices off base keep getting worse, I think the exchange rate is now $1= 0.61E, which means im paying about 50% more for an item, including food. Which truly angers me!!!

Paris

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe
Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe Paris (total tourists)

Notre Dame Cathedral

Paris

Dinner at a French Restaurant

LouvreBoat Cruise on the Seine River
Perfume Museum

Palace of Versailles

Ettal/ Garmisch, Germany/ Innsbruck, Austria

Andrew's folks arrived on Feb. 28th, I was able to take Thursday, Friday and Monday off to travel a bit with them....and Andrew had Friday and Monday. Thursday we took care of IDs and checked out the bases. Friday we ran a few errands and Saturday we headed south. On the way we stopped in the town of Ettal at a beautiful Abbey.



After we continued to Garmisch. Garmisch is the location of a military base, as well as, a very nice military hotel (Edelweiss Lodge and Resort). We enjoyed a several great meals at the hotel and in the area and Andrew's folks checked out the surrounding neighborhood on foot. The next day we took a drive into Austria to see Innsbruck and the mountains. Unfortunately, it was Sunday and basically everything was closed. But the mountains were great and we had a nice stroll along a river.



On the way home we were able to see a ski jump from the Olympics.
We headed home on Monday, but were able to stop at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. Andrew and his folks took a trip up the tower. And we enjoyed lunch at the bottom.

Andrew's folks are headed on a tour to downtown Stuttgart tomorrow. They will experience a German meal, watch a video on Stuttgart, and see all the historic landmarks. Thursday they are headed to two castles in Germany, Hohenzollern and Sigmaringen. Friday nite, late, we are all headed to Paris for the weekend.