Flat Stanley

A couple weeks ago we participated in the Flat Stanley project.  It's a fun little project where a child sends out their "Flat Stanley" to someone in another part of the country (or world).  The recipients then take Stanley all around their town and take pictures of him enjoying the sights.  It was so much fun.  It really got us out of the house and adventuring.  Oh and our Flat Stanley came to us from Kings Mountain, North Carolina!

We pretended to be tourists and went around to quite a few of the Frankfurt area sights.  I thought you'd like to see where we went.

This is the train stop by our house.

Inside the S train.

At the playground on the "boat".

Another one at the playground.

We love these basket swing!

At the Eiserner Steg Bridge



It's also known as Frankfurt's Love Bridge.
Couples write their names and the date on a padlock, lock it on the bridge,
and toss the keys into the river. Yes, we are SO doing this.

View of the Main River from the bridge.

This is Romer.  It's the "town hall" of Frankfurt.

Just across from there is the "Fountain
of Justice".
I love this picture!

The Kaiserdom in the snow and wind.

Inside the Kaiserdom.

Family dinner with Flat Stanley at The Paulaner.
It's our favorite restaurant.

Inside MyZeil.  It's part of the main shopping
area.  The Zeil is considered "the Fifth Avenue
of Germany".

Outside the Senckenberg Naturmuseum.

Inside with the dinosaurs.

By the Bald Eagle.  Piper's Barbie had to
get in on the action too.

In the bug room at the Senckenberg.

Alte Oper
Yes, that is a fancy opera house.
No, we did not go in.

By the giant euro.
Frankfurt is a major financial hub in Europe.

By the new headquarters of the
European Central Bank.
Yes, this is the one by our house.

So there you have our adventures with Flat Stanley.  There were so many places we wanted to take him but we only had so much time.  The weather rarely cooperated but we hope he enjoyed himself anyway.

If you'd like to read about Flat Stanley (yes, there are books!) you can check it out here.  If you'd like to know more about the Flat Stanley Project you can do that here.  It was really fun to be a part of it!

JKFP

Birds

Our late afternoon adventure yesterday.

Not the best picture but essential to the story.

They were chased.  They were also videoed by strangers getting chased.  Fun times.

Mojo

I think I'm back.  Back from the edge of that awful darkness that completely smothered me for a couple months.  Like the clouds that smothered the sun.  I sure did take that sun for granted living in CO.  I wonder if I will anymore?  Will I ever be able to see the sun again and not think DAMN that's gorgeous?

I am different.  I am bright!  Maybe it's in the same way that the sun looks so much freaking brighter after months of clouds and rain.  I went through the worst depression of my life (worse than after Piper was born and that other thing) and I feel so great!  Is it just the light after the darkness?  Maybe.  But maybe it's one of those events that forever alters who you actually are.  And it makes you better.  Is this what a mid-life crisis feels like?  I feel like I should go out and buy a motorcycle.  Or maybe I'll just start enjoying the people around me instead. 

I am positively buzzing with goodness right now. Buzzing! I hope this drives me every day to be a better wife and a better mom and a better sister and a better aunt and a better daughter and a better friend. I feel like I haven't been giving anyone my best of anything. Nobody. Not even myself. Everybody just gets...meh. That is a crappy way to live.

I tell you, right now I wish I could bottle the way I feel (and I don't think it's just the vitamin D).

KISS MY ASS DEPRESSION!!  I've got my mojo back.

Kristin


p.s.  I heard yesterday that this was the darkest/gloomiest winter Germany has seen in close to 60 years!

Palmengarten in Winter

We went to the Palmengarten last week.  You may remember our first visit here and here.  While it's not quite as amazing in the winter outside... inside the greenhouses it's lovely.  Warm, humid, and smelling like dirt.  We met up with our friends Audra and Hollis to run around for the day.

Sweet Hollis offering to share a cracker.

Here is where Fisher learned first hand (ha ha) about cactus defense.   Yes, he touched one.  I remember him saying, "look at this furry one".  Then suddenly he says, "my hand is really itchy".  Upon closer inspection he had a bunch of super tiny prickers in his fingers.

We tried to get as many out as we could.  They were so tiny and hair like that I had a hard time being able to focus on them to grab hold.

After both moms had a turn I think we got most of them out.  I guess I should carry tweezers and duct tape in my bag at all times with this one.  (Or you know, he should just not touch them!  He knew what greenhouse we were in!)

Proud on the playground

It really was a lovely day even it if wasn't completely sunny.

These guys are everywhere!

Audra came up with an excellent photo shoot idea and the kids loved it.  Tossing leaves.

We had a super fun time prickers and all.  (I sure do hope he learned his lesson.)

JKFP