It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

With our first Thanksgiving abroad past us we have set our sites on the next holiday.....CHRISTMAS!  Always a crowd favorite in our house but also easy to get in the spirit as this week was the start of the German Christmas Markets & many abroad, I'm sure.  Can't wait to see the local Christmas Markets. There are MANY.  We'll have to take that one year by year.  Top on our list this year is Stuttgart's market right in downtown.   This is where they do all there "festing" & in Germany.....they are always festing.  And we finally had our, much anticipated, first snow fall.  It was gorgeous to drive the tree lined streets today of bare branches covered in a few inches of snow.

Unfortunately Kirk was out of town for work on an exercise this Thanksgiving.  But with his profession it is not uncommon for him to be gone for the holidays.   We always miss him, and more each year as the kids get older & more aware.   We are very fortunate in our military community to have gracious offers for dinner or get togethers so we are never alone.  

 Tonight we broke out the fake tree & decorations.  A break from our Washington tradition of going out & cutting a tree with Kirk...sigh...so sad, but I'll say I don't miss the mess & the watering.  Burning a pine scented candle for the effect.  I love the traditions of Christmas with the family.  How excited the kids get & more involved they are in the tree decorating & how they "know" Christmas isn't about Santa completely but they still believe?! Amazing with their ages.  All though I'm not sure that Alex isn't believing this year out of sheer necessity & the fear that maybe he won't get presents under the tree if he doesn't.  Ha,ha!  (That's not the case but his age. ) Even if Kirk couldn't be here I loved decorating the tree with my two favorite little people.  

Later this month we head to the Bavarian Alps!! And I know I'm ready for the Christmas Markets & some gluwhein:-)  

Stockings hung on the ...wall ...with care.  And appropriately next to the "Home is Where the Navy Sends you".  We can even adapt where to put the stockings.   No  fireplace this year in base housing.

My best (cutest) two helper Elves!!

Salzburg Austria

This week we took a two night three day trip to Salzburg Austria.  It is on the border of Germany/Austria & about a four hour drive.  What a magical place!  I never imagined that we could get in the car & drive to another country as if we were in the US & driving to another state?  The Bavarian countryside makes it a beautiful drive with hills dotted with little towns & castles.  We thoroughly enjoyed our trip in Salzburg.  Home & birth place to Mozart & made popular in the states by the movie The Sound of Music.  I did not subject the kids & Kirk to the Sound of Music tour but we did arrive for the beginning of the Christmas Markets in the old town & they were troopers.  I was so excited to purchase some of my first european decor for christmas & have my first gluwhein (hot mulled wine) of the season!  We all had such a fantastic time.

I have this thing for old doors over here

Inside the dome of the Cathedral/Dom

Streets of old town

View of altstadt/old town from Festung Hohensalzburg fortress

Bavarian Alps

At the Fortress

Birthplace of Mozart

Grounds of Schloss Mirabella looking up to the fortress

Burial place of Mozart's Family

Christmas Markets!

Haus Der Natur/ Natural History Museum

Metamorphosis!

METAMORPHOSIS - Biology . a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the adult butterfly. Compare complete metamorphosis. I love the change of the seasons.    Especially when you are in a new place & you feel like you take in every detail, like a child seeing something for the first time.  Every time I walk around here I feel the same way.  I'm struck by the beauty that surrounds us.  Sitting up here on a hill, north of a major city but surrounded by gorgeous vineyards  & the Neckar River that lies below.  I always see people young & old walking their dogs, riding their bikes or just walking & taking in the scenery.  Occasionally I have the stranger that will talk with me, usually prompted by Reggie our dog.  Of course not being fluent in German & just knowing the basics I have no idea what they are saying to me & mostly I nod & smile.  But sometimes I'll attempt to chat in my broken German & find the person that does speak english (most usually do) & have a conversation which is very nice.  We have had some breaks of gorgeous weather in the last week.  Today was mid '60's, sunny & very beautiful!  What an amazing gift before the winter that is about to set in.  We have such similar weather to Whidbey Island, Washington.  Aside from missing the ocean & slightly warmer temps here in the summer(being inland) it does get dark, gray & gloomy, that can be beautiful in it's own way but when the sun shines it's truly God's country.  It's very neat because the Germans take their "volksmarching" (hiking) walking & outdoor activities very seriously.  There are walking paths EVERYWHERE.  We've loved exploring them.  I just wanted to share some pics I took from this summer & now the late fall to show the metamorphosis outside Robinson Barracks.

Vineyard looking down @ the Neckar River & Bad Canstatt late August

Before the harvest

Looking down at the Neckar River & Bad Canstatt mid November

Post Harvest

A day trip to Heidelberg Germany

On this Veterans Day we are very grateful for the service & sacrifice that our veterans have made for this  country both present & future.  We are truly "Home of the Free because of the Brave". We reflect on that everyday, not just Veterans Day.   Thank you!  We are also grateful that Kirk (our service member/veteran)  could have a day off work, the rain held off & we could explore a new area.  About an hour north/west of us is Heidelberg Germany.  A very neat town that sits on the Neckar River & is known for it's Schloss (castle) that sits on a hill above the town.  The Schloss is partly in ruins & currently being renovated to maintain what is left standing.  We enjoyed a yummy lunch in altstadt (or old town) & it was so nice that on a week day (& the cooling weather) we could avoid the crowds.  

The old bridge & Pepper Pots leading across the Neckar with the Schloss above

Looking up from altstadt (old town)

Shew!  314 steps to the top

Kirk in the kids in the castle courtyard

Looking down on St. Peters Church (Peterskirche) & altstadt

View from Belvedere Terrace at the Schloss

Heading back down (much easier than up)

Ludwigsburg Schloss & Pumpkin Festival

Starting in September there is a Pumpkin Festival & Fairy Tale Gardens in Ludwigsburg Germany about 10 minutes north of where we live in Stuttgart.  It is held at the Ludwigsburg Schloss (or Castle/Palace) which is not your traditional Schloss, it's more referred to as a Residence Schloss & is baroque in style.  We have been to Ludwigsburg a few times & it is such a quaint town. We love Ludwigsburg!  The Schloss grounds & gardens are very beautiful & can be visited year round but around the fall season the Festival starts.  In one area they have pumpkins made into pretty much anything you can think of on display.  In an older section of the grounds, where there is an old tower,  they have the Fairy Tale/Magic Gardens where they have moving displays of most any traditional  Grimms Fairy Tales....Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty....it was very neat.  We had gorgeous weather & the kids had a wonderful time.  Can't wait to go back next year!

Standing in Front of the old Tower

What can they make with pumpkins....apparently anything!

Inner Courtyard of the Schloss

Ludwigsburg Schloss/Palace

Posing with the pumpkins

PRAGUE!!

Early October our first 'trip' in Europe was Prague....what can you say about Prague, I don't think enough.  Stunning architecture, wonderfully preserved history, friendly people.  It was amazing & I can't say enough about the city.  It was about  a 4 1/2 drive from Stuttgart.  Very surreal realizing you are driving into the Czech Republic & seeing a city that before 1989 was behind the curtain of communism & not viewed before but yet untouched by the wars.  We hope to go back to Prague a few times before we leave Europe.  It will always be in our top favorites.

Wenceslas Square

Old Town square

Astronomical Clock

One of scenes on the Charles Bridge

Prague castle complex, the largest in the world

Arriving in Stuttgart Germany

We left Seattle Washington on August 2nd & arrived in Germany on the 3rd (Brynn's 7th birthday).  We've been in Germany for about 3 months now & had some really fun experiences.  We've also adjusted to many things....time difference, language, culture.  Overall it's been a lot of fun but not without it's challenges.  Here are a few pics to catch you up to speed...

Day 3 Jet lag finally sets in.  Asleep at 4pm through the night.

Summerfest downtown Stuttgart

First day of school

Black Forest Triberg Germany.  Tallest waterfall in Germany

Baroque Festival Ludwigsburg Germany

Walking through the vineyards outside of base