Looking for Green in February

Even though it is still a few months away, this is about the point of winter where I get anxious for spring to make its appearance. Cold and snow is fun in December--even festive! But, by the end of January, I have had my fill--and trying to stay pleasant and productive while plodding through until the sun's light and warmth return is a constant challenge. This past couple of weeks we have actually all been healthy, and I have been able to resume my daily walks. There have even been a couple of days where the pale winter sun has peeked out from behind the clouds.


With all these thoughts in mind, I made it my mission to keep my eyes peeled for signs of spring--sunshine, blue sky, and anything green! Even moss and lichen make me feel more hopeful. As Dickon would say, "It's wick!" And it gives me hope--spring IS on it's way!

Trees with mossy green legwarmers (hmmm...make that trunkwarmers)

Sunshine and green at the same time--what a splendid surprise!

Wild strawberries hiding under the leaves.


The first signs of snowdrops and/or crocuses!


Here comes the sun!

Miracles Never Cease

Can you believe it? I am actually posting to my blog! It's not that nothing has happened since September--it's that so much has happened I never know where to start. But, after a bit of gentle prodding (thanks Casey! :) I thought it would be better to do something than nothing.

So, here are the highlights of what we have been up to since my last posting:

Kids started school--Sarah goes to the Otto-Hahn Gymnasium (college-track Jr./Sr. High), and hasn't been late for the train once! Madeline and Emma are in 3rd and 4th grade at the Friedrich Kammerer Schule here in Ehningen (which they walk to rain or shine). Kira has a blast at the Kindergarten (what we would call preschool) at the end of our street.

We celebrated 4 birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, St. Nikolaus Day, St. Martin's Day, the 4 Advents, our 12th Wedding Anniversary, Christmas, and New Years.

During the above celebrations we ate way too much chocolate, candy, and food in general--but we aren't really complaining.

We have been busy, busy, busy in our Tübingen ward, where Chuck started his second year as Bishop, and I work in the Primary.

The kids have been constantly slogging through WAY too much homework (just ask them).

We went on a New Year's trip to the very Eastern edge of Germany. After enjoying a few lovely, relaxing days in Forst with our friends, the Gäblers, we headed south to the resort town of Oybin. There we stayed in a rustic and cozy vacation home and played games and went sledding to our hearts' content. We also popped into Poland and the Czech Republic (just to say we've been there) and took a ride on an old narrow gauge steam train. It was the perfect way to start the New Year--only problem was that we had to come home and jump back into work and school again.

Here are a few photos from our trip:


Dinner at the Gäblers'--with Papa, Mutti, Omi, and Yvonne.













Sledding with Yvonne.
















Go, Madeline!

















The water tower in Forst.

















Haus Isabelle on the outside...


















....and on the inside.








We had lots of snow and there was a fantastic sledding hill just across the street!
















Racing down the hill!



















The train from Oybin to Zittau and back.









The Czech border...about 100 yards up the road.

























Heading into Poland.













A power plant in Poland. I'd never seen so many reactors in one place before. As we left the area, we noticed that just a few miles away, on the German side, there was a big field of wind turbines. It was an amazing contrast.














Castle ruins above Oybin.



















A frosty sign post.










Sarah and Chuck walked a half an hour up the road to this tower...and spent five exhilarating minutes sledding back down. "The BEST sledding run, EVER!" (according to Sarah, anyway).












Some shots out the window at our winter wonderland.