A real update.

Ok, so more typing less photos in this one. A little update about what has happened recently and what's coming up!

Over Thanksgiving weekend we traveled to Greece with our friend Derrek to visit his friend Susan, she teaches at an English school there. We spent most of Thanksgiving in several airports, but arrived in Greece late that night. Friday morning we headed to Meteora, on Saturday to Delphi, and Sunday back to Athens to catch our flight. It was not what I had in mind when I thought about visiting Greece (heeeello Greek Isles!) but it was nice.

We arrived back in Germany around 11pm, headed home, grabbed our stuff and drove west to Ramstein to catch a flight to the states. Mother Nature had another plan though, she wanted snow and what she wants, she usually gets. On Wednesday we finally caught a flight and were East Coast bound!

We spent a week in Virginia and a week in Michigan rounding out a short trip to Niagara Falls (and checked Canada off Anna's list - I'm sure she will go back).

We arrived back in Germany just in time to celebrate Christmas! But with the jet lag and snow we skipped out on the Christmas Markets. :(

Tomorrow we're off for our annual Christmas/New Years trip to Garmisch. We joked about how we weren't going this year - then our friends Pam and Chris mentioned at Christmas dinner how they had gotten an apartment and wanted to know if we wanted to join them! HELLLOOO YES!! So ...somehow tomorrow we're going to cram 3 people, 2 dogs, and ski gear into the VW. The true test of the VW! I think it's finally time to order the missing brackets for our Thule rack.
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Happy New Year all! I will TRY to get some photos loaded and some blogging down on the road. :D

Greece Part 2

Look! I found a photo of ME! The skirt - the monasteries require women to wear skirts, so they rent them, for a small fee of a few euro.


Anna and Brian seeing the sights


About the time we were ready to head out of town - the sun came out!


Off to Delphi. You can read all about the town of Delphi, the oracle, and the temple of Apollo riiight HERE


Our hotel


The oracle








Tired baby Anna on the flight home:

whatnot x2

baths are the best thing ever!

Christmas and whatnot.

Talking to Great Grandma Van on Skype


My first born


I got this Dad


Let me show you how to do it


It has a dishwasher




...and the snow begins. (this is what we had leftover from the snow while we were in the states - plus 2 days of melting)


I have style...I have grace


seriously..stop laughing mom


Opening Oma's advent calendar gift of the day: Bubbles!


I use everything as a phone these days


Cookies from Erika (Ohhhhh sooooo gooooooood)


someone decided she wants a pacifier


soo...she found the top to one of her sippy cups






She's already figured out the part that makes noise. Of course.


Making dinner...like Mommy

snow day

We have just over a foot of snow on the ground here. We're expected more tomorrow and on New Years Day - with cloudy and cold days ahead it doesn't look like our snow is going anywhere for awhile. :D













NO MORE SNOW I WANT TO TAKE A NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP

Greece

Greece was ok. It wasn't our best vacation. We rode in the car ...a LOT. Not so much fun for an eleven month old. We had one really nice day...and I have no pictures of myself b/c my dear sweet husband never takes any of me.

Can you find our sweet baby girl?


Our first full day was spent in Meteora, which you can read all about HERE . I love Wikipedia. I had never heard of Meteora and had no desire to go there, but it was very interesting, beautiful and well worth the visit.

Eat your heart out Pottery Barn, wagon wheels for everybody! (Really it's just what they stored their wine in. Yes, just like Germany the monks are known for their beer and wine.





The view from our hotel room.