Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Europe- Day 4

Can I just say,"PHEW!
What a day!"

I'm not even sure where yesterday ended and today began.
Apparently "jet lag" hit Liam 3 days behind everyone else.
He was up on and off most of 
all! night! long!

I don't think he went into his REM sleep at all.
Thus, I was up all. night. long. too.

All you parents out there know "up all night"
by NO MEANS equals sleeping in.

While Clint and I spent the morning and early afternoon exploring Fuessen, 
Liam looked like this...

I'm just hoping all of the napping today will HELP matters,
not make it worse tonight.
Optimism is key...
Or is it just plain naïvety?

Anyway, we had fun today. 
I love the charm of the smaller German towns.
People ride their bikes everywhere here.
No matter the business...they all look like they are out of a picture book.
Nothing is "modern" looking from the outside.
LOVE THAT!

Flowers are on every corner and border storefronts.
Today, we saw a man lift up scoot his massive terra-cotta pot to the side, 
pick weeds from the cobble stone beneath,
 and scoot it back.
Now that's what I call attention to detail!

We also visited the community cathedral.
It was one of the most amazing churches I've seen to date.

First off, I find it interesting that it was "modernized" to the Baroque style in the mid 1700's.
That just seems silly to say.

All of the pews were hand carved.

Clint and I decided that this seat was originally built for "sleepers,"
  but it probably used for "texters" today.

There were 8 confessionals!
Is that normal?  
All had hand carved!

The organ...
Let's just say it!
HOLY CRAP!
(Grandma, If you're reading this, I'm sorry for saying c.r.a.p., but it seemed necessary.)

The entire floor, much of the walls, 
and what seemed like 100 statues, 
were all made of marble.



Feeling very authentic in our VW Golf.
As we left for Salzberg, we realized that our GPS only works in Germany!
No big deal...
Lets just get "old-school" (lol) 
and use the google map directions we printed out before leaving MT...
OOOPS!!
They only get us to the city.  We forgot to type in the address of the hotel.
Well, let's just look on the city map...
Oh wait, we don't have one.
Map of Germany, then?
Nope...we don't own a SINGLE map OF GERMANY.
Have you heard of stores?
Well...seriously...
every place we tried was closed for their 12PM-2PM lunch.

Thank you Jesus for my husband who just happens to be an Eagle Scout.
We drove right to it...
Pretty much.

I don't know how on earth this happened.
Ask Clint and his magic powers!

One last thing...
we saw this, but figured a sleep deprived, squirmy, 18-month-old wouldn't do too well riding up a mountain, on a ski lift, with nothing to strap him into, or to hang onto.

We're such genius parents ;)
We'll be writing a book soon!

Tomorrow, Salzburg in it's full Glory!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Europe- Day 3

Today, we headed to Fussen, Germany.
This has been our FAVORITE DAY!
(except for right now when Liam can't sleep at 2.40 a.m.
Thus, late night blogging.)

Where am I?
Nebraska?
SO MUCH CORN!

Waiting to check into our room.

B&B for the night.

And, we're off!

We had a blast checking out the 2 castles here!
King Ludwig I and II's summer home...
Whoa!
We got to see 2 fully furnished floors of the castle.
(all original furnishings from the 1830's.)

Cheese.

Taking a break before castle #2.

Neuschwanstien...
(I have no clue if I spelled that right)
This is the castle Sleeping Beauty's castle was modeled after.
They also filmed part of Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang here.
LOVED IT!

2nd to last group of the day...
trying to keep Liam from falling apart...
Me: "What's out plan B in case of a meldtown?'
Clint: There is no plan B, just 30 minutes of hell!

Silly baby!

Liam was referred to as, 
"The cutest Aaron Rodgers I've ever seen."
Sporting #12 after a diaper mishap...
Too much Kischen :(

Let's go, Mama!

Liam loves "nosies."

Tomorrow:  More of Fussen, and then...Austria!
Goodbye Wagner...
H.E.L.L.O. Mozart!

Europe-Day 2

Before leaving Bayreuth, we wanted to stop and see the 
Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner museums. 
Unfortunately, the R.W. museum is under total construction 
and no one is allowed in.
Instead of crying in our milk we headed over to the Liszt house.  
It's a pretty small exhibit, but was really neat to see.
The exhibit is held in the house where died.

They had this cool little game for people to play...
What is it?
RockBand for Liszt music.
WHAT?!?!
That. is. A.W.E.S.O.M.E!

Leaving the museum and heading to Old-Town Nuremberg...

"Mom, I can walk up the castle stairs myself."

"Who cares if the steps aren't 'child-proof.' 
Let me live a little!  
It's not that high."

"Okay, okay...
I'll hold daddy's hand.
I wouldn't want him to fall and get hurt."

Liam got all he ever wanted from this trip...
A new "Da Boe."

Mmmmm....kirschen!

And we're happily dreaming about our new ball.

Well you can't go to Germany and not have a bier!

Actually, I could...
When it costs the same as water, I'll skip the bier and have the wasse!
I did try it...blech!
It tastes just as bad here :)
Cheers!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Europe- Day 1

Well, we made it!
After:
a 1 hour drive to the airport
21-ish hours of air/port time
1.5 hours gathering our belongings, renting a car, GPS (thank you modern-day technology) and correct currency, 
and a 2 hour drive to our first destination...
WE MADE IT!

Liam did GREAT AMAZING!
We can now say he is a world traveler at 18 months...
and one you would actually WANT to take with you :)
He has been a rockstar on this trip!
Like a good mother, 
I prepared about 20 activities for him to do on the plane.
Turns out the air vent and complimentary magazine were much more entertaining :)
Whatever...
Happy Baby = Happy Parents!!



2/3 plane rides Liam got his own seat!
$3 carseat=money well spent!
$2,000 lap infant=money WELL SAVED!

We drove to Oberwiesenthal, Germany for our first night.

We pretty much just ate and slept there.  

 How does liam like the trip so far?
He LOVES it!

View on our way to Zwickau, Germany.
The birth place of Robert Schumann.
(*insert music teacher sighing here*)

We also saw this...
Yes, we are immature, and had to take a picture of this sign!

LOVED THIS!
We got to see where he was born and the flat he grew up in!
PLUS!  Liam SLEPT, so we got to take our time and listen to the audio!  
Woohoo!



One of Liam's favorite activities...

...Stopping to smell the flowers :)

But what's even more fun?

Playing football with a German boy!

This was seriously the cutest thing EVER!


Bratwurst in Bayreuth, Germany.

We just happened to travel to Bayreuth on the weekend of their city festival.
These people on stilts kept bumping into people on purpose.
It was so funny seeing people's reactions. 
We followed them around for a while just to get in some quality people watching :)

Nap #2 in the stroller...
SOOOOO glad we brought the BOB.
Why were we thinking of not bringing it?

Nothing makes Liam happier than Lasagna...
After 2 solid days of eating snacks,
this was one happy boy!

We'll try to keep you somewhat posted over the next few weeks.
Keep checking back.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Houston, We have lift off!"

It has been a long time coming. 
Enjoy!




Just in time for exploring a new continent.
We leave for Germany on Friday!