Gray: Grau

It's gray here.  Really gray.  Like- those vampires in Twilight should have come here instead of Forks, Washington cause I guaran-damn-tee you it's less sunny here- gray.  The lack of sunlight is very seriously jacking with my sunny disposition.  (Hence the not so frequent postings.  You don't really come here for crying.) 

Anyway, the kids and I went to our favorite (because it's close) playground today and played in the snow or in Piper's case ate snow and ice off playground equipment. 

We tend to make friends with older ladies and their
dogs.  This is Baloo.

We got new boots last night so our feet were warm and toasty.

We pretty much all have the blues or maybe the grays would be more accurate.  We could use your good thoughts or juju or prayers or whatever as this transition is still proving to be difficult.  And should any of you be blessed with the ability to change the weather... help a sister out!

JKFP

This German Life

“It must happen to us all…
We pack up what we've learned so far and leave the familiar behind.
No fun, that shearing separation,
but somewhere within,
we must dimly know that saying goodbye to safety
brings the only security we’ll ever know.”

- Richard Bach, Running from Safety: An Adventure of the Spirit

A favorite perch.

No, really.

I always end up humming the soundtrack to Mary Poppins
when they are up there.

The super cool construction project
going on out the window.

Our tree!  We made salt dough ornament,
pipe cleaner loops/shapes, we also knit up
 candy canes and garlands.

A favorite park right on the Main river.

He collected a LOT of corks after the craziest
New Years we've ever experienced.

He searched all over for "treasures".
He wondered the whole time how
people could throw away such useful stuff!

Look at that determination.

I love smiling eyes.

This is the building out our window
from the other side.  And what it's going
to be when it grows up.

It's right by the park too.

I came across that quote the other day and it perfectly said exactly what I needed to hear.  (I haven't read that book but I think this quote alone is enough land it on the "must read" list.)  It's been rough, this transition to our new life.  My sister gave me some excellent advice the other day.  Start out small and do one thing a week that scares the shit out of you.  Work your way up to doing one thing a day and by then you'll be comfortable and not scared anymore.  Sound advice!  We are at the point now where everyday is a little bit better and I'm very grateful for that.

This is a little glimpse into the last few weeks.  I hope I'll be back to posting a little more regularly now.  Love you guys and miss you all like crazy!

JKFP

Pipey is Four!

FOUR!  Can you believe that?  Seems like just yesterday....



She looks happy to be out!

Your birthday!

How tiny, cute and sweet are you?







Fast forward four years...

First thing birthday morning.

 

Opening her presents.

On her birthday she wanted to go to the Butterfly Pavilion again.  This time Johnny and Carly joined in the fun.

Petting starfish...gently.

Coloring with their new friend Gracie.

Fisher holding Rosie.
Piper was SO into Rosie this year!

Pipey's turn!

She kept going back to get a better look.
She even used the magnifying glass.

Fun with the giant praying mantis.

This is kind of a picture of all three.
Fisher's fingers, the top of Johnny's hat, and Pipey.

 

It's too bad that thing didn't have 3 holes.

Quick pic from her birthday party.
Photo bombed by Dave.

Miss Pipey is such a fun little combo of sweet, independent, loving, brave, smart, and most definitely fierce!  How lucky are we?

JKFP


p.s.  We leave for Germany tomorrow!!!  Our internet service will probably be spotty for a few weeks until we have wireless in the apartment.  Don't expect too much of me the first few weeks though.  Figure that no news is good news.

Thankful

You know what I'm thankful for?  I'm thankful for my sister.

Thank you....

- for watching my children for every possible doctor/dentist/hair appointment over the last two weeks.  (or the last few years)

- for loving my kids like they were your own (even when they act like turkeys).

- for talking me off that ledge after Fisher's dentist appointment from hell.  (don't ask...it really was that bad though.)

- for always (ALWAYS) having food ready when we walk in because you knew I would have forgotten to eat.

- for always feeding my kids even though they had eaten because "Aunt Carly's food is better".

- for going with us to drop off the chickens even though that meant you couldn't go to the grocery store.

- for telling me when an outfit makes my butt look big.

And that's just in the last two weeks.  I could not have survived them (or the last 31 years) without you.  You're my favorite.

This Moment: Wizard Chess

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

(I apologize for the iPod photos lately.  We're having technical difficulties.)

Random Italia

Here are the last "random" Italy pictures that didn't really need individual posts.  I figured we better get them out of the way before we go international full time.  Oh and along those lines, I got our tickets to Frankfurt.  We leave from Charlotte on Dec. 14th.  We'll probably leave CO sometime on or around Dec. 5th.  Anyway...Italy.

This was my lovely little book reading spot for 3 days while
James worked.

THAT is what I would eat for breakfast.  Dessert for breakfast?
I think so.

The church of San Lorenzo.
The old part.

The new part.

Cars would drive through any spot they
could squeeze.  You had to have nerves
of steel.

Just a pretty courtyard.

San Lorenzo (the new part) again.

The entrance.

Pre-Christian ruins under the church.
These were from 200 B.C.  Market stalls.
You can see the little nooks where they would display their wares.

The well in the courtyard between the old
and new parts.

Marble in the museum from the ruins.

This part here almost merited it's own post.  This, my friends, is the mall.  Yes.  The mall.  I had to get another CF card for my camera or I'd have missed this gem.

Extreme mosaic tile.

No really, a MALL.

This was actually right across the way from the camera shop.

Amazing mosaic.  Mind blowing.

Details. Details. Details.

Arches and more detail.

One relatively small area by one door.
Details.

I love architectural detail.  I wonder what it used to be before it was a mall.  I should research that.

The castle by the port.

Again with the amazing detail.

As snobby as this sounds, this was not the most impressive castle
we've seen.  It was on the rundown side.

Still...

In this courtyard (which I skillfully snapped around) they
were setting up a stage and chairs for some big concert that night.

I can see this becoming another tattoo someday.  Or you
know, a window in my real house one day.

Massively tall.  With important church types
buried in the floor.  Fancy.



This one struck me.  Just beautiful.

One day, on my real house, the windows will have these.

Ruins and skeletons underneath the floor.

Wow.  Just wow.

This one too.  My real house master bedroom ceiling?
That'll work.

Enormous helmet.

ipod view by James' apartment.

Another one.

Our view walking to dinner the first night.

Travel lessons I learned here...

1) Taxi drivers are worth it.  These people drive like no one I've ever seen.  It's an experience in itself.  And taking the bus (or train for that matter) sucks when you are short enough to be "armpit height" when everyone is holding the bar across the top.  In the summer.  They don't have air conditioning on those things.  I was on the train to Herculaneum with about 800 of my closest friends ....armpit height. 

2)  To visit Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mt. Vesuvius take an "official" English speaking tour.  We decided to just wing it and we missed a lot and didn't enjoy the benefit of the "fun facts" the tour guides give you.  Take the tour.  Really.

3)  Make sure you have plenty of time for those also.  We didn't have enough time at either dig site we visited and I want to go back someday for a more thorough trip.

4)  Ladies...always (ALWAYS) carry toilet paper in your bag.  Most of the public toilets I came across were a. filthy   b. hover toilets (no seats) and   c. they never have toilet paper. 

5)  Beware of theives but not to the point of never going anywhere or being afraid to take pictures.  James was always on high alert and never wanted me to take my camera anywhere.  The only time we had trouble with pick pockets was on the train (yes, the jam packed armpit one) and they tried to take his pocket knife.  I'm not saying they won't steal your camera - but it's easier for them to take a knife (or wallet) out of your pocket than a camera from around your neck.

6)  Pay for experiences not trinkets.  It was so much more memorable for us to have taken that trip to Capri than to have something to sit on the shelf.

7)  Have a really good time and always eat dessert!

K