Sunday, October 31, 2010

No Candy For Me

The house is crazy dark and has been since about 5:30pm. I'm home alone (well, with a sleeping baby, so she doesn't totally count) while Bo takes a much needed break and plays soccer with the guys. I've been catching up on my new fav blog.

To our surprise, today was daylight savings- fall back. So tonight when I put Katy Jo to bed, her room was already dark. I had to turn on a little light and this of course caused a whole new glow to her fun room. So she just had to look all around instead of eating. So precious.

I've been sick, really sick. Last friday I caught a cold and just when I thought, "Oh, poor Bo, he can't breathe through his nose and he is sick, but I'm feeling better,"... well, then I got sick again! And this time it's in my chest. I've been having trouble sleeping just because the wheezing and coughing keep me up. It's awful. I'm a bit out of sorts with being sick, taking naps and now the time change.

If it wasn't for my aMaZING husband, I don't know how I would survive. These past two days have been a major bummer since we had to cancel our plans to visit Bern for the long weekend. Instead of chilling with Kristen and Seth, Bo has been taking care of me. Yes, that means breakfast in bed. Actually, let me back up. When Katy Jo wakes up at 7am, Bo brings her to me to feed her, and then these last two days, he has taken our adorable but loud, squealing baby out to the living room and plays with her while I catch some more z's. So wonderful. Bo has been making all the meals, bringing me tea (and occasionally ice cream), and basically just doing everything in his power to help me get better. I am so thankful for him! He is the best!

Looking forward to next year, when we are most likely in the States and can participate in the fun of dressing Katy Jo up for Halloween and yes... one day trick or treating. :) We did put her hand-me-down costume on today just for laughs.

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Mommy Notes

For all of you out there just dying to know what Katy Jo's been up to, this post is for you.

First of all, the main thing our little almost five-month old does is squeal. She is getting louder and louder. I'm sure she knows it's obnoxious because sometimes she screams really loud and then looks over at me anxious to see my reaction. Ha! I usually just smile because I enjoy all her cute little noises.

In the last couple of weeks, Katy Jo has learned to grab things - all things - really well. She now pulls on hair, her canopy above the rocking chair, and anything within her reach. I just love that she can hold things now. The other day, she sat up on the kitchen counter (in her Bumbo, of course) and I let her hold a measuring cup so she could feel like she was really baking with her mama.

And finally, her main other activity is simply examining her surroundings. She spends a lot of time looking around at everything as if she's about to play that game where you remove an object and then guess what's gone. She stares at everything. I'm certain that she likes her room because there is so much for her to take in.


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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Let The Countdown Begin...

In less than two months I will be enjoying my peanuts and cranberry juice on my flight back HOME for a whole lotta...





silliness with Bonnie
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and all together, sister bonding
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and right up there with family time is my mom's traditional Christmas Eve spread. Which I've always looked forward to helping with and... well, eating. Some of my best Christmas time memories are of this night. It's when, after attending the Christmas Eve service, we all come together to prepare a pretty spectacular array of finger foods and we open the gifts from our Aunt Mary. Its perfectly wonderful. For the past two years I've missed it.
So... again, I say, let the countdown begin...

to the Christmas Eve spread...
Christmas Eve Dinner

to playing with my nieces...
Doll House

to eating homemade Christmas cookies...
Cookies

to taking a family portrait...
The family



Its coming, its coming... that time of year that words cannot explain. I have past memories of not being able to sleep at night for the excitement of gift opening was too much to contain. Oh and the Cinnabons (now Crepes?) and stockings.

These days the excitement lies in knowing that soon all my family will be together. And it will be good.


Friday, October 15, 2010

Bath Time

Here she is...



Notice how much hair she has lost



Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Kitchen Window Gazebo

So there's this little tiny gazebo I can see from my kitchen window... it's there when I get up in the morning and boil water for coffee, it's there in the evenings when I give Katy Jo her bath and it's there when I'm spying on the neighbors across the street. It's always there and it looks so cute and I just know there must be an amazing view from up there on that hill...

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I even got out my other lens so I could see it a bit better


and then last week I decided to check it out on one of my walks...
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yeah, the view was... hmm, well, it was pretty amazing...

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I sat up there in that little gazebo and thanked God for my life and all the beauty in it...

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and then I tried to find my house down there...


When I got home, I told Katy Jo all about it, of course.

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Monday, October 4, 2010

Soak'n It Up

Lately everything just seems right.

We are beyond thankful to be here in Germany for one more year. Because I know it is our last, I am seeing it in a whole new light. Fall has arrived and it is gorgeous, breathtaking really. Like nothing I've ever seen before. The sun was out this past weekend making it even more divine. I know we are headed into the holiday season, which I love, but I am not a huge fan of winter in Germany. I love snow, and I even love bundling up occassionaly. But when you don't see the sun for months at a time, it does something to your soul, especially to this southern girl's soul.

So... lately every time the sun is shining, I've been begging Bo to come outside with me. This weekend he did. We started it off in St.Louis, just a hop over the border into France. I took Bo to a bruschetta stand I had found with my friend Sharon. Mom, you should be proud of me- I'm finally eating tomatoes. From there, we made a quick stop at the Dreilanderbrucke, which means "three lands bridge" because you can see three countries- Germany, France and Switzerland. On Saturday, we scoped out a neighboring village's craft market. And after church on Sunday, we soaked up more sun on a lovely hike. The view of our little Kandern was amazing. Autumn has to be the best season ever, especially in Germany. Any one want to visit?

Tomato Brucshetta
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A beautiful hotel in St.Louis
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My Bo and Katy Jo on the Dreilanderbrucke
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Being silly
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Styling in her Alsacian dress

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A little angel
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This is the village of Holtzen, where the craft market took place
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Interesting things to look at
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I like the cellar door
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Do you see the storch?
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Perfect time for a nap
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The baby bjorn was a success
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How beautiful
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These apples were made into juice right before my eyes
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Making zwiebelkuche- a sort of delicious onion and bacon pizzaDSC_0062

Still strapped in.
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But, oh so cute.
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Mommy's treat
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Perfect little house
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The Cemetery
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The view from our hike
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Hope you have sunscreen on Katy Jo
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Love her!
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