The Archer's

Have you missed seeing

2012-01-15T05:49:00.003+01:00

These cute little faces? So sorry to have kept you waiting...
Happy new year!

eating is always an adventure....

Happy New Year!

And Merry Christmas!

Family greetings with Thomas Jefferson!

And we still are getting beach days!

I love sleeping headlocks!

Nitrous makes a happy girl...

winter swimming fun!

♥

and from afar... Switzerland on Christmas Day. Wish we were there...

cuteness ♥

2011-12-13T02:01:00.000+01:00

Just driving the basket mom...

"Get in my belly"

Hair cut time?

Driving the box...

Gingerbread making at school

Sad...

2011-11-26T20:45:00.000+01:00

You know that lump you get in your throat just before you turn into a sobbing snotty mess? It's been with me all weekend and the glassy-tear filled eyes too. I can't believe that soon he'll be gone. Yes, I know that he's coming back, and yes I know that it's only 6 months, but the lump won't go away. I keep hoping that we're going to get a phone call this weekend and they're going to say, 'Whoops, our bad, he doesn't have to go...', so far the phone hasn't been ringing. I guess I will just sit around and watch as these suitcases fill themselves and wish I was going too.....

lil pilgrim ❤

2011-11-22T16:38:00.001+01:00

My favorite girl is learning about our beginnings. Isn't she cute?!

2011-11-07T08:31:00.001+01:00

I hope this isn't my new mantra for the next 6 months...

How do like them apples?!

2011-11-05T18:58:00.001+01:00

Wednesday I received the news that my best friend is to be deployed for the next six months- and he's leaving in a week. Now that a few days have passed and my emotions are off the roller coaster I can put it in print. There's so much that's going to be missed: holidays, birthdays, vacations... I wasn't prepared at all. And I don't know how to prepare the kids for this either. We will just have to show daddy how much we love him in this last week he has with us.

:(

2011-11-03T13:02:00.001+01:00

My heart is cracking and there is nothing I can do about it. Some days are harder than others when uncle Sam has his say...

Trick or treat?

2011-11-01T14:07:00.002+01:00

How about a treat. Look how cute these guys are!

He was not too thrilled about the costume...

He did enjoy the spoils the costume brought~

The sweaty mess at the end of the adventure!

Getting ready to Halloween!

2011-10-31T05:30:00.002+01:00

Today we performed surgery. We did a couple lobotomies, gut removal and a few instances of corrective reconstruction. (we as in the kids and I- for some odd reason my husband doesn't like the smell of pumpkin) (not even in pie!) do you want to see our work?

Makings

2011-10-31T05:24:00.002+01:00

I've been busy living my dream... My dream to homestead... Well almost living it anyway. This past week I've tried my hand at making sourdough bread, sour kraut, regular white bread (my sourdough was all whole wheat and a bit tough to chew) and Halloween cookies. Unfortunately I didn't grow any of the food I made, but hopefully one day I will. For now, I practice:

Pumkining

2011-10-21T20:47:00.001+02:00

Hooray for fall! Hooray for pretty leaves and globes of orange dotting the landscape. Hooray mostly for cooler weather! Whew, it's been hot here in Virginia these past few months. Not that I'm complaining- 31/2 years in northern Germany will make anyone appreciate the sun. I am appreciating every season here though, and by far my favorite is fall. There's so much to see and do, places to go and holidays to celebrate.
In anticipation of Halloween (or as the schools like to call it: Fall Festival) W's class was invited out to the pumpkin patch. There the kids were treated to a short lesson in animal husbandry, a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch, a choice of a pumpkin in a field so large it would make any decision difficult and a picnic at a playground! As little brother is attached to my hip at all times (well, except when it's dangerous, then he thinks he can go off by himself) he was able to attend the field trip too with his chaperon mom. It's good to have connections when you're two. Here are the photos of our outing, happy fall, y'all!

hay ride

choosing is sooooo difficult!

although for some people, the choice was easy.

Geeze mom, do I have to carry this all the way back?!

more hay riding

If you're interested, here's where we went: http://www.belmontpumpkinfarm.com/

Summers in Virginia

2011-08-17T03:27:00.002+02:00

Summer 2011

Snow cone tongue

buckets at the beach

nekked 4 wheeling

loving the cats

Visitors from Germany

Sandy toes

Hope for green things

meeting new friends

sunsets

playgrounds

sweaty brows

toothy smiles

sailing with dad

relaxing with mom

the most handsome man ever...

taking it all in

teaching little brother things he needs to know

killing me with those eyes

don't mess with my breakfast

tea parties with new friends

snuggles in the shade

packages from Germany

can't stop eating...

watermelon as big as your head

talking to apa (grandpapa)

hairy chins

busch gardens

fun where ever we go

fun at home too

rocking the euro short

learning to swim like a fish

catching her first fish! (on a $9.99 Barbie fishing pole no less)

eating the fruits of her labor

homemade ice cream

sampling

consuming

♥Pretty♥ <---- check out my girl!

What have you been doing with your summer?

Second time around

2011-08-17T02:58:00.000+02:00

I know this is late coming, but it is what it is.

TWO! It's been two years that our boy has been been enhancing our lives. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. He is such a little boy too- full of grins and mischief. His favorite things are cars and boats. Especially boats on the water. Every time we drive by a boat or water, he makes sure that everyone in the car is aware of this by yelling enthusiastically WATER! BOAT! WATER! WATER! BOAT! -His dad has taken to driving out of the way to avoid circumstances where we might encounter these things.

because why would you need a fork?!

gifts from afar

Don't you want this guy working your lawn mower?!

Cars cakelets

they be good!

He's not all boats and cars though- he's a stunt man. I like to think he's pretending he's a cannon ball when he hurls himself into pools, not that he's deliberately trying to turn my hair grey. He loves his sister and asks where Itney is when she's not around. Books are becoming a favorite too- as long as they're filled with cars. Or boats.

All in all, two has been pretty fun. Our boy is growing into a lovely little person, and I'm excited to see where the next year takes us.

Home again, home again....

2011-04-22T15:44:00.000+02:00

We've found a home again! Mid-May we get to move in and make it ours... I'm so excited! Here are pictures from the current owners:

guest room

Family room with wood stove!

Yes, the pool table will be staying here...

Lots of plants in the front

Guest toilet

Looking from the family room into the kitchen

kitchen

greenhouse! (there are 3 additional storage sheds) with a large garden

Children's bathroom

Office

Front porch

back patio

Master bedroom

kitchen

And the front of the house!

Come for a visit... we are already loving Virginia!

It all happens at five!

2011-04-22T15:21:00.000+02:00

Or so I'm told... For months all I've been hearing is that "when I'm five, I can do anything, all by myself." Well, five has arrived! And while there is still a fair bit of help involved, our little girl is growing up. I remember when I was five, and it's kind of a big deal- she's going to have memories that we make together. This needs to be special.

Since we've just moved back to the US form Germany, we're living in temporary lodging. We have a few suitcases of our own stuff and the military has loaned us an apartment. Add a few decorations and voila, instant party!

Gifts from our friends the Buecheners!

Oh la, la... Hello Kitty!

A girls dream... lots of wrapping paper, lots of unwrapping to do!

Practicing the "I can do it myself" bubble blowing.

*love*

Playing is hard work... she had already visited her cats at their hotel, had lunch at Red Robin, watched a video and was getting ready for a small party at Chuck E. Cheeses'- all the anticipation sacked her out on the 5 minute car ride!

Our Realtors joined us along with some new friends for the birthday girl.

And not to be forgotten... little brother shared a lot of love and a lot more drool with his big sis of 5!

well almost...

2011-01-05T16:08:00.000+01:00

Country roads, take me home

To the place, I be-long
West virginia, (ahem... just Virginia) mountain momma
Take me home, country roads...

We're moving! I have tons of travel blogging to do, but just wanted to pass on this little tid-bit of news we recived last week. Looks like we'll be moving around March to go to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton Virginia. Its a pause on J's flying career as he'll be doing a staff job at Air Combat Command, but hopefully he can go back to flying in a few years again. But we are really excited about Virginia, we've been to Langley before and its an incredible area. Lots to do and see. Of course, nothing can compare to Europe but we can't stay here forever unfortunately!

Since July... really?

2010-11-20T16:42:00.000+01:00

I'm a horrible blogger... I have tons of stuff to tell you about, just no time. Here's a little poem to how I've been living my life:

Song for a Fifth Child

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew

And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

1958 Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Oostende, Belgium

2010-07-21T16:02:00.000+02:00

Last week we took a small little family holiday to the waters of the North Sea. It was the perfect place to get away and relax. We rented an apartment right on the beachfront and made no plans for the week. But before we did our relaxing we had to check off one last Trappist monastery on our Belgian Beer list... Westmalle.

Westmalle is a small little town half way between us and the beach- perfect! We stopped and had a nice little lunch and a short walk of the area. J. and I have both had this beer before, and it is delicious, but we were surprised to see that this is the only trappist beer sold out of a keg... imagine having a keg of trappist beer at your house! (My pants would no longer fit!) Most Trappist beers are bottle fermented so this was a novelty for us as well as a nice little completion to our tour of Belgium Trappist beers- one left in the Netherlands to check off still!

And now for the fun: many a hour were spent on the sand and in the surf in Oostende with a few ventures inland and up the coast to see what was about. We did a lot of lounging and did our fair share of sampling the local cuisine and little of anything else. Although I did manage to fall into the ocean and kill my ipod. All in all it was a nice family trip that we will all look forward to repeating.

PHOTOS

First trip around the sun

2010-07-21T15:41:00.001+02:00

I’m not sure about you, but this past year has flown by for me. I swear it was only last week I was in the hospital giving birth, and now my bouncing baby boy is one! I have previous knowledge of how fast time goes when you are enjoying your baby, but this last year must have set a speed record. I can barely remember any of it…

From a hefty 9.5lber a year ago to a 21.5lber today, I guess there have been some changes. Our little guy is right on track for all of the things a baby should be doing and has managed to worm his way so far into our hearts that we would be incomplete without him. He is not yet a walker, but he does know how to feel up a wall… he crawls like nobody’s business and can out-eat his sister. And it must be pretty cool to be able to have a BFF when you’re one, and when you’re four, it’s also pretty neat to know that your brother thinks you’ve hung the moon. Mom and Dad are pretty proud of the whole situation and are so happy to be able to be a part of these neat little lives growing up in front of us.

For the big day sissy was more excited than little brother. Presents were given right away and then the necessities of the morning could be taken care of. Having a big sister also ensures that all of the presents given to T. under go through testing to guarantee little brother will be safe when he finally gets the chance to play with them.

For T.’s first bite of sugar (cringe) he had a vegan vanilla cake with vegan butter cream frosting and strawberries. I think he liked it…

The following Saturday we had a small get together at the local Neiderbusch park to celebrate the occasion. A piñata was pulled and there was enough candy there to keep all of the kids abuzz for days. It was a good time had by all and a pleasant memory for me to tuck away…

It was hot! (he stole this water by the way)

He helped himself to cake...

And the link to all of the photos: Here

Holidaying

2010-05-23T01:34:00.003+02:00

This is a long one. Are you ready? Maybe you should get a beverage…

Here is our travel route:

Planning your holidays sometimes takes months, sometimes years. For us, we take advantage of the moments. For a while we were thinking of taking a trip at the end of April to some where nice- somewhere warm. Maybe Turkey? Maybe southern France? On a bike ride over to a friend’s house we decided to rent a motor home and drive around Europe for a while. Croatia sounded nice- maybe there? The next day we went to a local RV rental shop and secured a motor home. With some smooth talking, J. was able to get two weeks worth of leave approved, and within a couple days worth of time, we were packed up and on the road.

Day 1

We drove most of the day through Germany. The kids were pretty happy to be in the camper and it was an exciting adventure. We ran into some traffic and having the luxury of a kitchen on our vehicle, we pulled off the autobahn and made our meal on the side of the road. We really didn’t know where we were going to camp, or what to expect. A friend of ours mentioned that when he did a trip similar to ours he camped in large parking lots. The kids were tired and so were we, and we thought that this would be a good idea. Little did we know that our camper had have the gas turned on for the heat to work… and we were camping in Munich. It was cold! Lesson learned… from then on, we stayed in camp grounds.

Day 2

Bike riding...

The next day we woke up early (because we were all freezing) and drove down to Salzburg Austria. We drove through the Alps (literally) and saw that the hills were alive with the sound of music. Southern Germany/ Austria is beautiful. The weather was more then accommodating and we arrived at a camp site near midday. The camp site was on the edge of town and we took our bikes and headed into the city. We spent the afternoon putting miles under our feet and sampling many of the treats the area had to offer. (Giant pretzels may or may not have been sampled more than once.)

View of Saltzberg by bike

Day 3

We left Austria and continued our trek to Slovenia. We were told that we must see the area of Bled and the only island in Slovenia which is on a lake. www.camping-bled.com Lake Bled is situated in the middle of an alpine valley and is surrounded by rolling hills, agriculture and small villages. Actually, I don’t think those were hills that were surrounding the lake- more like steep inclines of torture that J. convinced us to bike up (he was not pulling the trailer by the way). Several times we had to dismount and push our bikes and children up the road so that we could continue on our journey. The countryside was lovely though. We took a pletna-boat ride out to the island in the middle of the lake to view the idyllic church and get a different view of Bled castle and the shoreline. We loved this area of Slovenia so much we stayed here for two nights.

Vintgar Gorge

Day 5

We left Slovenia and made our way further south to Croatia (Hrvatska). I’d heard about Plitvička jezera national park from some travel show that we’d watched. I didn’t research it before we went down there, but mentioned it as we were headed that way, and J. agreed to take us there. With our handy GPS (who is not so handy in Croatia) we made it to the park just in time for closing. Since it was still light, they let us in, and we spent a couple of hours walking around. We camped at a nearby campground and came back the next morning to finish our tour. I cannot do the park justice by describing it- you must see it yourself to realize how awesome this place is. I’ll include a few photos… but if you ever happen to make it near Croatia, go to the park, it’s well worth your time. http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/eng/index.php

the water was so clear! and the fish so fat!

bread and snails....

Day 6 & 7

Driving in Croatia is not difficult. When your GPS does not have a map of the area you’re in, and you don’t have any maps either, it’s a little daunting. But when you’re driving in a country that has not long ago experienced a war and there are bombed out houses and you don’t know really where you’re at, you may be a little nervous. Not me though. I had complete faith in my driver.

After an afternoon of driving we arrived on the peninsula of Istria. Our point of destination was a beautiful campground on the edge of the Adriatic Sea near the town of Pula. We parked about 30ft from the water and enjoyed the good life for the rest of our stay. There were small pools on the rocks where sea creatures resided and W. and I were able to study them and become fascinated with the life they contained. Another bike ride and we were able to visit the town and see some of the sights. One of the most memorable was the Pula Arena http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pula_Arena . As an aside: it was pretty difficult to find fresh fruits and vegetables in the tiny grocery stores we stopped at. Being a vegetarian, having your only choice for meals every day be pasta is not something that I was liking. However, we did find a fresh market and were able to acquire some fresh veggies and fruits, which I was so thankful for- until I remembered that I had to load them into the bike trailer with T. and pull them up and over the hills back to our campsite…

Day 8 & 9

We headed up the coast about an hour north and stopped just outside of the town of Poreč‎ at the campground Lanterna. You know that you’re at a popular destination when there are several grocery stores, pools and restaurants located on the grounds. Again we acquired a camp spot that was on the water’s edge and for the next two days soaked up the Croatian sun and explored our tiny piece of paradise. There were not many people at the camp site, so it felt like we had found a fun little neat spot that no one knew about… well at least until camping season officially began.

the favorite past time of our trip- picking flowers!

Day 10

To entice me on this vacation J. said that we could stop in Italy and do a little pottery shopping. (not that I needed any convincing once the word sun and warm weather was mentioned) So we drove up through the rest of Croatia, Slovenia and over to Italy. We sighed as we passed the turn off to Venice (another trip, adults only) and headed up to Nove. Nove is famous for its pottery and it’s the place to go if you want some really sweet deals on items that you probably wouldn’t be able to afford in the states. I was able to spend an afternoon going from shop to shop and being oohed and aahed by the pieces I saw. Meanwhile, J. and the kids were back in the camper sweating and patiently waiting for me to return. J. had decided while we were gone that we were going to camp up near Lake Garda.

So our adventure began. After traveling all day through Italy, the kids who had not been out of the camper much were restless, cranky and tired. I had fed them a little bit of dinner while we were driving, but they didn’t have a complete meal, J. and I were waiting until we arrived at the campsite. With 10 minutes to go (according to the GPS) we started down this narrow little street in a villa without any sidewalks. The street met the edge of the building and there was an alcove for a door. I got out of the RV to help guide J. down this tiny road, and as I got out we put the mirrors in on the sides (our first mistake). As I’m guiding him, I hear a scrape… then another. He is so close to one wall that the awning is rubbing along side of it. The other side of the camper is being caressed by some wicked looking scaffolding. We try to squeeze through a little further…. There’s an intersection just ahead that’s a bit wider… and crack, pop! The scaffolding has caught on the window of the camper and broke it. J. then tells me to run around the rear of the camper to help him back out of this crazy street… I end up running for blocks to be able to get to the rear because there was not even 2 inches between wither side of the camper.

By this point, the kids are screaming, I’m worried, J. can’t get out, and I can’t direct him out. The scaffolding has become entangled with the windows and now we’re afraid we’re going to bring the whole thing down. J. tells me to call the police… I see an old man watching us, and I poorly sign to him to call the police for us. After a bit of confusion, they come and we wedge the children out of the camper. After an hour of phone translations with friends back in Germany, the mob of residents in the street and the police, the fire department shows up. The kids and have had enough and we’re taken to a nearby hotel to sleep and wait for J. Three hours after the ordeal, J. is at the hotel with us, and we’re contemplating our next move.

The next day we see that the camper isn’t too badly damaged (aside from the windows) and we leave Italy and her beautiful lakes that we were only to see from afar and head up to Switzerland.

Day 11

We stopped for the night in a town called Luzern. We weren’t planning on camping in Switzerland when we started our trip, but I think this town was my favorite of all the places we visited on our trip. There was a bus stop right outside of our campground, so we had an easy time touring the city with out our RV. The town it’s self is very European, but different from a lot of the places we’ve been to. There is so much charm in the buildings and I know if we had been there during the day when the shops were open, I would have loved that part of the city as well. There was a fantastic fondue restaurant that we ate at and even the children behaved moderately. The weather in Switzerland was a little cold and rainy, but I won’t hold it against the place. I think that Luzern is defiantly worth another trip to see when we have more time.

Day 12

With all that we had done and gone through, I was ready to go home. So we spent the entire day driving. We passed through the Black Forest in Germany, a few miles of the Maginot Line in France and miles and miles of Princess and the Frog background noise. We arrived home and what a relief it was. The trip was great, but nothing beats sleeping in your own bed.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed traveling with us!

this was the view I saw most of the time.... I think it's been burned into my skull. Now you can see it too!

4tune smiles upon us...

2010-04-18T07:42:00.001+02:00

Today was fourth in what we wish to be a long line of birthdays. And it was a good one... here's a little recap of our day.

W. woke up happy and excited to no longer be three. Her wonderful ma made her a birthday pettiskirt and she had a new shirt to wear for school. It was probably the fastest she has ever gotten undressed and redressed in her life.

For breakfast she was served waffles with whipped cream and to top them off, granny Archer made her a special birthday topper!

At school, all of the kinder (children) knew that it was her special day and she was given a special birthday hat:

After school we met some friends at the park! The fun never stopped....

How old are you today W.?

After spending hours at the park, we came home to open a few packages...

And she may or may not have gotten something that she liked:

After packages and fun, we went to our local pizzaria and had a nice little dinner. Then it was home to wash up and go to bed. Whew, who knew that four could be so exhausting!

BUT...

The fun continues on Saturday for the big party at PeeWees

All of the girls had little dolls to snack on, and the boys had volcanoes (in honor of Iceland)

There was even face painting... and another opportunity to wear fancy clothes!

Unfortunately for some, they were too young to have cake... but they wanted some!

In the end, all the kids ended up in the mouth of a large fish... the party was a great success!

For more photos

Easter drawings...

2010-04-04T13:14:00.000+02:00

Today is W.'s 5th Easter! That means that birthday #4 is not too far off. Today however was all about the rabbit, and how good he was to her today. Last night she was given a new dress for spring and this morning she couldn't wait to try it on... then take it off and try other things on. She is a girl who loves clothes! She is also a girl who loves chocolates... and this morning she found them all over the house. Egg hunting is a lot of fun- especially when your little brother is content to lay on the floor and chew on a piece of paper. .

In the basket there was a small package of crayons- I've got a little Picasso on my hands these days and her grandparents send all sorts of craft supplies.

To keep the girl occupied while I was making a dish for dinner tonight, I sat her down at the table and let her draw on a paper bag. Here's an excerpt from the following conversation:

W: "look here's a picture of daddy... he's a good bad guy."

me: "oh, that's lovely honey."

a few minutes pass...

W: "no, that's not right, daddy needs a penis"

me: slightingly cracking up in the kitchen... I peek around the corner to see what J's reaction is to this- he's sitting on the couch reading a book with a smirk on his face.

W: "there, here's daddy with a penis"

J: from the other room "how does our daughter know so much about male anatomy?!"

Go here for more photos!

Iceland

2010-03-28T15:56:00.000+02:00

On a recent work holiday, J. took a trip to the country of Iceland. While there he was able to do a little sight seeing, ice climbing, glacier exploring and spa visiting. He and a friend went to the Sólheimajökull glacier for a few hours one day and got his 'fix' of ice for the moment. After all of that hard work, he needed a day at the Blue Lagoon. He's off sailing this week... stay tuned for more adventures!

Mecca of Beer

2010-03-23T14:23:00.000+01:00

Five down and two to go... Trappist monasteries that make and sell their own beer that is. This past weekend's travels took us to the little town of Westvleteren, Belgium. Westvleteren is the home of The Abbey of Saint Sixtus where the little known and well loved Trappist ale is brewed.
Let me start at the beginning though. Westvleteren is a three hour drive from where we live, and for little ones, driving in the car for more than 10 minutes is boring. We decided to stay the night in the town of Poperinge which is about 10km from the Abby. Poperinge is well known for it's history in WWI & WWII but also for it's hops. The town is home to the national hop meuseum and several historic buildings. We were able to secure our lodging at the Hotel Recour in their beautiful Urania suite. The town in itself boasts many dining opportunities and the chance to taste local and country beer.
Being so close to the French border we were surprised to find that the food as well as the language spoken is Dutch/ Flemish. Being in Flanders we should have known better, but we did not. The meals were not the best we've ever eaten in Belgium, but the beers we had to accompany them made up for any shortcomings.
The Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren is one of the most exclusive monasteries to sell beer. You must make an appointment on the day they specify on their website and then you are given a day and a time that you're able to pick up your beer. You also must give your license plate number and are only allowed 3 crates of beer on your pick up. You are not allowed to sell this beer that you've then purchased nor are you allowed to come back again in the month to pick up more beer. So, I spent over three hours trying to get on the queue for the phone, three hours in the car to drive there, a day to visit the area and then almost four hours to drive home (lots of traffic). This has to be the most expensive beer we've ever owned! Oh, and we brought home the Westvleteren 12 for those interested.

On a side note; apparently the Belgians cannot be without bread for even a moment:

PS: I found love in Belgium too.. shsssh, don't tell J:

2010-02-22T16:25:00.000+01:00

Because these photos crack me up every time I see them, I'll post them for you too... T. is enjoying prunes and bread and a bit of attitude!

Two!

2010-02-05T15:16:00.000+01:00

Two front teeth that is! Yep, our little guy is moving up in the world. For the past two weeks he's been busily pushing up some chompers so he can move on to real food. Bread that is.

And if you're interested to know, this little 'big' guy can sit unassisted now. Big skills happening here! And not to leave the girl out, she's been honing her snow man building skills with the oodles of firm precipitation we've been having of late. We have decided that adding pine needles to our creation will help him live longer. Kind of like Frankenstein. And instead of smoking a pipe (dad wouldn't let us borrow his) he chews on a sucker... it's just as bad a pipe right? So, here is our hard work... enjoy!

Rainbow cake

2010-01-14T15:57:00.001+01:00

Rainbow cake Recipe:

Yellow Butter Cake Recipe:
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Yellow Butter Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Spray one 9-inch x 1 1/2 inch (23 x 4 cm) cake pan with Bakers Joy, line bottom with parchment paper, then spray again with Bakers Joy. Set aside.
In a medium bowl lightly combine the egg yolks, 1/8 cup milk, and vanilla extract.
In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and remaining 1/2 + 1/8 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the egg mixture, in 3 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg. Add food coloring of choice here.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula. (Pan will be about half full.) Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool, in its pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a greased rack. To prevent splitting, re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

REPETE THIS PROCESS 5 MORE TIMES...

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Double this recipe for the Rainbow cake
9 oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
Note: I use Lindt chocolate- for the best taste, use the best chocolate!
0.5 c. baker's sugar
3 egg whites
0.5 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of cream of tartar
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool. Leave pot of simmering water on the stove.
• Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and baker's sugar in a stainless steel bowl and place over the double boiler. Whisk by hand -- rotating the bowl and removing it from the heat, if necessary, to prevent the egg whites from cooking -- until they are warm to the touch.
• Grab the electric mixer again and beat on high until the meringue holds a stiff peak. Add butter and continue to mix.
• Add chocolate and vanilla and mix until combined.

Cream Cheese Frosting (between the layers)

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1.In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.

Assembly:

Cut the cake layers to uniform height: I use a Wilton cake cutter to make it even.

Place first layer on wax paper.

Layer with cream cheese.

Place second layer on... repeat until you've used all of your layers.

Use the remaining cream cheese to fill in the cracks on the outside of the cake, so the chocolate buttercream will go on smooth.

Refrigerate cake until it's solid.

Spread Chocolate buttercream on the outside of the cake.

Place candied flowers on cake for decoration- or what ever you'd like.

Enjoy!

Bavaira

2010-01-14T15:15:00.000+01:00

After spending three New Years' holidays here in Germany, we took a trip to the south. Way south. Bavaria south. And I am so glad that we did. Who knew that Germany could be so diverse? Well, a lot of people actually, but I'm glad to know that I'm one of the lucky ones to have been able to see it first hand!

Driving to our destination we took a small detour to see the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Burr... being a 40 minute walk uphill with two small children, we were only able to view this lovely Cinderella Esque castle from afar, but it was still a nice view. We had a quick bite to eat, some hot chocolate to warm up and then on to our destination.

The military has special lodging for it's members to get away and relax, and this is just what we did. Visiting the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, we stayed in the resort Edelweiss. Hello Alps, hello beautiful snow filled valleys, hello Bavaria! W. was in heaven. Not only did our hotel have a pool (that opens at 7am!) it had a hot tub and dining on-site! There was plenty of snow out of doors to make snow angels and for eating. (I'm not sure why, but this is very important to her- the snow must be consumed!)

We were able to meet up with some friends, and on the first full day there J. took advantage of the ski slopes 5 minutes away followed by a hot stone massage and then the best Indian food we've had in Germany. It was a good day.

The next day it was my turn to hit the slopes... unfortunately, they hit me, and after only two hours, I was ready to go home. W. and daddy tackled the lower half of the mountains though and sledded until W. was on the verge of collapse. T. took time to nap the afternoon away with mommy...

Being only an hour away from Munich, we drove over there for some lunch and a little sight-seeing. I have always wanted to go to the Hofbrauhaus and have a beer. I was not disappointed- the food was delicious, and the beers extraordinarily large. Smoking is prohibited, so the place is much cleaner then is has been in previous years, and it is very family friendly. W. enjoyed the pretzels, and T. tried to also... as well as the beer, and coasters and what ever else he could grab.

Driving home we encountered a lot of snow, but we made it safely, and I commend the Germans for keeping the autobahn so clean and clear, it was a wonderful vacation!

Bratislava

2010-01-14T14:55:00.000+01:00

Bratis-who?
So this was an unplanned holiday hop for us. While talking one evening, J. mentioned how he would love to visit the country of Slovenia. Being the sly wife that I am, I went up and looked up flights to Eastern Europe. I thought, great, here is an awesome cheap flight to Slovakia! We booked the trip for three days during J.'s birthday. Later that night as we were getting ready for bed he casually mentioned- did I know that he wanted to go to Slovenia, not Slovakia right?! Hand-slap-to-my-forehead...
Slovakia bound we were, and not knowing what to expect. The communists had control over the area for the past few decades, so we were not expecting anything pretty or extraordinary. I'm glad that we didn't set our sights too high. Arriving at the airport at 8am, we were driven to our hotel/ apartment (the best thing about the trip) where we were let in early to relax. We'd been up since 230 that morning, and were ready for a nap.
Visiting the city, there are not many tourist sights to see- hence the cheap flight there? We visited the cathedral for St. Martin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Cathedral,_Bratislava and then went to see the castle.
The castle in Bratislava has a very rich history, however, the structure you see today is a reconstruction. After years of conflict in the area, the damage to the castle was too much, so in 1957 a reconstruction project was started- which is still not finished today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bratislava_Castle
To our luck, there was a nice little Christmas market happening in the main square area. We were able to bide our time looking over the interesting food options and sampling the hot alcoholic beverages.
J. did mention that the Church of St. Elisabeth was one of the bast he'd seen in Europe. I thought that it was pretty, but not the best. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Elisabeth_(Bratislava)
Our trip home was uneventful, and our overall impression of the city was blase at best. Since Slovakia wasn't on either of our travel lists, we were glad to have been able to see it, but most probably won't be going back.

Dublin

2010-01-14T13:33:00.000+01:00

For my 31st birthday I was able to take a trip with a girlfriend and my son to the beautiful country of Ireland. We spent three days and three nights touring the city and surrounding countryside. We were able to get accommodation on Pembroke st, in the Ballsbridge area. A very nice townhouse that had been converted into a small hotel. We were about a mile from St. Stevens Green, and a half mile from the tour bus stop.

Being with out husbands, the first day we decided to hit the shopping district on Grafton St.. This is a pedestrian only area filled with many shops and a large indoor mall. It is located across from Trinity college, so the area was covered in co-eds looking for shopping bargains. We lunched in a small pub off of Grafton st. and enjoyed traditional Irish fare with a couple of pints of Guinness.

The following day we took the Dublin Tourist Bus through the town where we were able to visit the Guinness factory, and see all of the major attractions Dublin has to offer. The Guinness factory is well worth a visit to any beer enthusiast, and even if you don't like beer, it's an interesting place to visit to see how the process works. On our bus tour we were also able to see St. Patricks cathedral, Cathal Brugha Street, Guinness Storehouse - St James's Gate, Abbey Street - Lower O'Connell St, Museum of Modern Art - Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Trinity College Dublin - College Green, Kilmainham Gaol - Old Kilmainham, Nassau Street - Nassau Street, Heuston Rail Station - St. John's Road, National Gallery. - Merrion Square West, Dublin Zoo - Phoenix Park, Government Buildings - Merrion Sq West., Ryan's Victorian Bar - Parkgate Street., St. Stephen's Green - Grafton Street.,National Museum - Collin's Barracks, Tourism Centre - Suffolk Street., Old Jameson Distillery - Smithfield, Temple Bar - Dame Street.,Liffey River Cruise - Bachelor's Walk, Dublin Castle - Cork Hill, Dublin Bus HQ - Upper O'Connell Street, Christchurch / Dvblinia - Christ Church Place. ans the Writers' Museum - Parnell Square North Whew! It was a good thing we were on a bus! Here's a map of Dublin: http://www.visitdublin.com/pdf/DublinCityAttractions&AreaMap.pdf

Our final day in Dublin, we decided to leave the city and see the surrounding area. There was a tour of county Wicklow with stops at Glendalough and Avoca. This all day tour left Dublin in the morning and drove to the monastic settlement founded by Saint Kevin. Deep within the Wicklow Mountains, surrounded on all sides by steep mountain passes Glendalough the valley of two lakes, is one of the most spectacular locations to visit in Ireland. The ruins of the monastery coupled with the centuries old cemetery made this stop on our tour worth the twisty motion-sickness induced-ride to get there.

Our last stop on the tour was in the town of Avoca to the The Handweaving Mill. The mill is the oldest working woollen mill in Ireland. It is also Ireland's oldest surviving business. Not only do they weave wool there, but they have a terrific little cafeteria that fills the rumble in your belly just in time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avoca_Handweavers

In all, our stay in the Emerald isle was a beautiful delightful one, and I look forward to the opportunity to go back- taking the rest of the family with me!

If you're interested in Ireland, here are a couple of great books to read by Edward Rutherford:
The Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga, The Rebels of Ireland: The Dublin Saga

A link to some photos of the place:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=183545&id=758239743&l=21282d7f16

Cupcaking

2009-12-13T15:36:00.000+01:00

Here are a few photos of some of the recent cupcakes I've been making... and their recipies! So yummy!

Orange Spice Chai Cupcakes with Vanilla Spice Buttercream Frosting

2 ½ cups sifted cake flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda 
½ tsp salt 
zest of one medium orange 
2 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp ginger 
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg 
1/3 cup vegetable oil 
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 
1 cup granulated sugar 
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
2 chai tea baga 
¼ cup water 
½ cup buttermilk 
½ cup orange juice, preferably fresh squeezed

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray cupcake tins with baking spray or grease and flour them.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside.
Place sugars in a medium bowl. Add zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar. Oils should release and give your sugar an orange flavor.
In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup water to a simmer. Add tea bag. Leave for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor. Remove tea bag. Let cool to room temperature. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer, add the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed of an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl often.
In a large liquid measuring cup add cooled tea, buttermilk, and orange juice.
Add sifted dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk/chai mixture, starting with and ending with the dry ingredients.
Mix until fully incorporated and batter is smooth with no lumps.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and move cupcakes to wire rack to finish cooling. When cool, frost with buttercream.

Vanilla Spice Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
6 to 8 cups powdered sugar 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/8 tsp ground ginger 
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg 
2 tsp vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the spices, and vanilla.
On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Mocha cake filled with coffee whipped cream topped with coffee buttercream and a chocolate covered espresso bean.

The Nitty Gritty:
A luscious, moist cupcake filled with espresso buttercream and topped with dark chocolate frosting and chocolate covered espresso bean.
• Prep Time: 1.5 hours (includes cooling, filling, & frosting)
• Yields: 17 cupcakes

These fantastic, handheld desserts come together in a three-part process: First, bake the cupcakes. Next, make the dark chocolate frosting and the espresso buttercream filling (see recipes below). Then, assemble and serve — and enjoy the smiles on the faces of the recipients!
Note: You’ll need a pastry bag to fill the cupcakes with the espresso buttercream. Disposable ones are available at most grocery stores.
You can use either a standing mixer fitted with the beater attachment, or a handheld electric mixer.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ⅓ cups baker's (superfine) sugar
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 6 Tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, or plain, if you can't find Greek
• 24 cupcake liners

Instructions:

Cupcakes
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Mix butter and baker's sugar with an electric mixer on high until the mixture's color lightens, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, until fully combined.
• Add half the flour mixture and continue mixing on low. Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla, then the rest of the flour. Mix until just combined.
• Spoon into lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.

Espresso Buttercream Filling

2 Tbsp. hot water
1.5 tsp instant espresso powder
1.5 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
• Dissolve espresso powder in hot water and set aside.
• With electric mixer, mix the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and the espresso mixture. Whip until creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

9 oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) I use Lindt... the better the chocolate, the better the taste!
0.5 c. baker's sugar
3 egg whites
0.5 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of cream of tartar
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool. Leave pot of simmering water on the stove.
• Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and baker's sugar in a stainless steel bowl and place over the double boiler. Whisk by hand -- rotating the bowl and removing it from the heat, if necessary, to prevent the egg whites from cooking -- until they are warm to the touch.
• Grab the electric mixer again and beat on high until the meringue holds a stiff peak. Add butter and continue to mix.
• Add chocolate and vanilla and mix until combined.
To assemble the cupcakes:
• Add the espresso buttercream frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a plain attachment.
• Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the top of each cupcake. Push the tip nearly all the way through, then pull it back a bit. Inject about 1 Tbsp. of frosting, then carefully remove. (It's good to get a hang of the pastry bag by practicing on a plate first. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of filling left.) Just as the cupcake starts to inflate, stop filling it -- otherwise it will crack, or shoot out the sides!
• Top each cupcake with the chocolate frosting.

Growing T.

2009-09-12T14:04:00.005+02:00

Here's a little month-by-month comparison of our baby boy:

MONTH O: 9lbs 6oz

MONTH 1:

MONTH 2: 15.66lbs

MONTH 3: 18lbs

Month 4: 20+lbs

Month 5: 23lbs (note: the max. weight on the car seat is 22lbs)

Month 6!

Month 7

Month 8

Month 9

Month 10

Month 11

One Year!

Champagne, France

2009-09-12T13:44:00.001+02:00

Four years of marriage have seemed to have just flown by. To celebrate we took a long weekend trip to France. Along the way however, we had to make a stop at one of our favorite monasteries, Orval. Situated on the Belgium- French border, Orval is one of the 7 remaining trappist monasteries in the world. We have been here before, J., W., and I but we didn’t have time to tour the place. This trip we did; and we had a wonderful time exploring the ruins of the old monastery.
We were then off to stay the night in our chateau B&B in France. Situated in the tiniest of villages in the Champagne region, Harricourt the chateau La Montgonière was a rustic home built in the 1700’s. http://lamontgoniere.free.fr/indexeng.htm
J., T., and I took a trip from our chateau to the heart of the Champagne region, Reims and Épernay. In the town of Épernay, we were able to visit the champagne house Moët et Chandon and tour their cellars. What a great experience we had, and the sampling at the end of the tour was most welcome. We both learned a lot about champagne making and why Dom Perignon is considered to be the best champagne in the world.
After a fun-filled day of champagne tasting, our next day took us to the town of Sedan, 10k from the Belgium border, located in the historic Ardennes. Sedan is the home of the largest fortified castle in Europe, which now is home to a hotel as well as a museum. This area of France is well know for the important battles played there, not the least of which was the WWII battle which involved the Maginot Line.
Oh, and least I forget to mention, the food was fabulous! We have no idea what we ate, but we really enjoyed it.

Here’s a link to our photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141299&id=758239743&l=a417d2e3c9

First day of School!

2009-09-12T13:39:00.000+02:00

First day of school, First day of school, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
W. started the kindergarten year on August 19th this year. She goes every morning for five days a week. We thought that be immersing her in the German kindergarten she would be able to learn the language faster. And guess what? She is!

Zeeland, NL

2009-09-12T13:08:00.000+02:00

A little over two and a half hours is the Netherland coastline called Zeeland. It is a beautiful little beach spot, perfect to spend the afternoon with your family. The water was warm enough to wade and swim in, and the sand was perfect for basking; as long as you brought some shade! We enjoyed clear blue skies and a cool breeze. The ice cream man even made a little money off of us... yum, cold ice cream on a hot day! After our outing on the beach, we traversed over the dyke and filled our bellies with the biggest pot of mussels J. or I had ever had set before us. W. had her normal 'juice and nothing else' and T., well you all know what he eats!

Here's a little information about the place if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeeland

And more photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=136524&id=758239743&l=47e7eb0d90

Welcome Baby Boy!

2009-07-10T12:41:00.000+02:00

Wednesday July 8th, 2009 Taylor James Archer was born! He arrived at 1237am in a small little hospital in Germany. He weighed in at 4260g (9.2lbs) and 56cm (22in). He has sparse brown hair and blue eyes. Personally I think he looks like his sister did when she was born. We're still recovering at the hospital, so more to come soon!

Vienna, Austria

2009-06-10T10:54:00.001+02:00

A couple of weeks ago J. was sent to Austria to do some survey work for an air show. Lucky for W. and I, daddy invited us along. We flew out of Dusseldorf and into Vienna on a Thursday and couldn’t have asked for a better flight. Short and sweet is nice- especially when traveling with a three year old and being 34 weeks pregnant. From the airport we took the metro to downtown which was cheap and efficient.

There’s so much to see in Vienna, it’s hard to find a place to start. J. scoped out the area by taking a tram around the city, and W. and I rested. We were then ready to check out the local scene. There are churches galore and being the home of the Hapsburg empire, there are no shortages of palaces and monuments to see. We strolled through the main shopping district and then headed over to the winter place to see what we could find. Horse drawn carriages dominate the streets here so it was precarious crossing the roads, but somehow we made it.

The Hofburg Imperial Palace is an impressive site in central Vienna and it is home to several institutions including the Vienna Boy’s Choir and the Spanish Riding School. This is the place where Marie Antoinette was born…

A number of museums are also located close by in the Museumsquartier- a few of which J. had time to investigate. W. and I decided the butterfly house was the place to see- beautiful and great for children, but with extremely high humidity and lots of heat for our winged friends I came out with a drenched shirt and frizzy hair- just how you want to look while touring a big city!

From the time I was a little girl, I have always wanted to see the Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School) J. and W. both agreed to accompany me, and it was one of the best performances of horsemanship I have ever seen. I was very impressed and excited to have been able to experience one of my life long dreams. For anyone traveling to Vienna, I recommend spending an evening here- or at the least viewing a morning exercise at the school.

The Danube River cuts though the city, however there is a long narrow island of park for city dwellers to enjoy nature upon. This is a perfect place for children being that cars are not allowed and there are playgrounds and ice cream shops aplenty. It is a good place to go to see the city from the river and to get away from the masses of tourists in the city center.

We were lucky enough to find a hotel in the downtown with in walking distance to most attractions we wanted to see. Very friendly staff and excellent breakfasts: www.schweizerhof.at/

J. was able to enjoy the city a bit more because of the fight schedules and had a wonderful time exploring the summer place of the Hapsburgs: Schönbrunn Palace. Here are a few photos from our trip- (remember I am huge pregnant here and the camera was the last thing I wanted to carry around… sorry for the sparcity…)

Just a few belly pics...

2009-05-17T22:40:00.000+02:00

Little boy is growing.... here are a few pictures from week 31- we're at week 33.5 now! July 2nd is still the EDD... hope all is well with everyone, the Archers are doing great!

3rd time is a charm....

2009-04-15T21:13:00.000+02:00

Today was the day- three years ago a beautiful princess was born. She didn't have any hair nor could she eat solid food but it was love at first sight for all of those who saw her.

After time, she learned how to walk and talk and demand. She grew some hair and and attitude- and today you no longer see a princess... but a little diva queen. Here's the story of her third birthday...

W. awoke this morning only to rushed off to kindergarten in a new skirt and her 'fancy' sandals. When we arrived, every one knew it was her Geburtstag (birthday) and a special birthday hat was made for her. Several songs were sung in her honor and birthday cupcakes were shared all around. She was in the spotlight and loving it. The whole class was invited to play out of doors for 45 minutes; sand digging was commenced as well as teeter tottering and running at top speed screaming. Fun for all...

Lunchtime provided a quick snack followed by visiting and presents from friends- and then this thread was continued after siesta. We spent the afternoon planting seeds in the garden, digging the dirt and reading books.

After a super quick dinner we rushed off to the ice cream parlor to meet some friends and enjoy some treats. Again it was play, play, play then bite of melty ice cream then play some more. By the time the diva queen was taken to the tub for her daily bath, she was brown from head to toe- but how else would you want to end your 3rd birthday day?

Thank you to all that sent packages and phoned- W. had a wonderful day because of you!

Here's the link for todays photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=saraharcher7&target=ALBUM&id=5324990081469186257&authkey=Gv1sRgCLLf8afJ2_fXXw&feat=email

Mosel Valley

2009-04-14T23:30:00.000+02:00

Last Easter we took a little trip to the Rhine Valley to see the infamous vineyards and view the considerable amount of castles left in ruin and restore by the locals. THIS year for Easter we visited the Rhine’s little sister the Mosel.
Being granted time for good behavior J. and I were able to take a trip alone for the first time in over three years. This being the case, we were able to stop at any place we fancied, and stay out as late as we wished.
First stop: Deutsche Eck (German Corner) a place in Germany where the Rhine River meets the Mosel; located in Koblenz it is considered the “Alamo” of Germany. Wilhelm I united Germany, and this is a monument to him and of what he accomplished. Not only is this a historic site, but it’s also home to a beer garden or two… lunch in Koblenz was very good!
Recommended by our favorite guide book author Rick Steves’, Burg Eltz is one of the most beautifully preserved castles in Germany today. Untouched by war due to careful planning and smart marriages, Burg Eltz was never attacked and so it remains in excellent condition. Located a few miles off the Mosel, Burg Eltz (Stream Castle) is still owned by the Eltz family. Tours are given in both German and English, so it is a very worthwhile castle to visit… if you’re in the area. http://www.destination360.com/europe/germany/burg-eltz-castle.php
For the evening we found accommodations in the town of Beilstein at Hotel Haus Lipmann: http://www.hotel-haus-lipmann.com/ Our room overlooked the Mosel and to the left and right we could see as far as the scenery would allow. The Mosel is also known for its capacity to produce wines, and being that we were settled for the night, it was time to sample! Most German wine is not expensive, which is good when there are several varieties to choose from. Our hotel was accompanied by their own restaurant and meals were of the traditional German fare. The breakfast that was included the next morning and taken in the knights’ hall did nothing but leave us with views of outstanding service and hospitality as a reward for our stay.
The next morning we headed off to Cochem; a town whose foremost sight is the large Reichsburg castle. Originally built in the 11th century, it was later destroyed by Napoleons’ army. The castle then was rebuilt in the romantic style and furnished in the 19th century. The town of Cochem has a wonderful green way along the river that locals and tourists both indulge in. The town has many cobbled streets and narrow passageways that entice shoppers to peek into the shops that inhabit them. This is a very child- friendly town and with parks on every corner and ice cream on every street, we almost regretted that we were alone…

Keukenhof Gardens

2009-04-14T22:22:00.001+02:00

Holland is a beautiful country- not only are the Dutch known for their wooden shoes, excellent cheese and windmills, but they are famous for their flowers. Being the curious sort that we are, we needed to find out for ourselves what the big deal was about over some tulips….
Situated near Lisse, Netherlands is one of the largest flower parks in the world- Keukenhof Park. Tulips of every shape and size make their début here, and I can see why. In one of the largest and most beautifully manicured gardens I have ever been in, there is a feast for the senses. Not only are there tulips around every bend, but all sorts of daffodils and hyacinths are there to please the eyes as well as the nose. If there’s a beautiful flowering tree or shrub that also smells nice, it’s there too. Thousands of varieties of flowers are planted on the grounds; with thousands more in the many ‘greenhouse’ park buildings.
Being a gardener myself, I am sometimes critical of others gardens. I was awed at this one- maybe it was because we lucked out and the crowds were minimalized, or maybe I had a slight case of spring fever and this trip quenched it, but what ever the reason, I was totally impressed. We did visit a bit prematurely- arriving at the end of March when not all of the flowers have made their way out of the soil makes for a less colorful park, but no less inspiring.
The best time to visit the park is mid-April, however the park is open from mid March though the end of April. There’s a terrific website if you’re interested in seeing more of the park and gardens: http://www.keukenhof.com/
Enjoying such lovely day away from home warranted us a night at a hotel- and for this night we chose to stay in Den Haag which was a short 30 minute drive away. Known as the city of peace and justice, you may have heard of it hosting famous war crime trials. The city its self is located on the Dutch seashore and is home to Queen Beatirx of the Netherlands. The next morning we were able to walk around a bit, see The Peace Palace, and experience why we’d like to come back and lounge on the beach one sunny afternoon. Den Haag is an interesting city (third largest in NL) and it’s worth stopping in and taking a look around.
Finally, we’re on our way home, and we see a sign for the town of Gouda… who amongst you can resist the call of cheese? Not a one of us, so a slight detour was executed and lunch was to be had where some of the most delicious cheese in the world is made. Not all the luck was with us though… being Sunday and also being we are in a part of the world where days off are considered not to be messed with, there was no cheese to be bought… unless you wanted it on your sandwich. So we settled. Cheese on our meal it was to be, and tasty drinks all around. We were disappointed we weren’t able to bring home cheese from Gouda, but we were entertained by the tourists and locals enjoying their Sunday out. Here’s a little more about Gouda: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouda

26 week 4 day ultrasound pic

2009-03-30T22:50:00.000+02:00

Here's a little picture from our routine doctor's visit today; everything looks as it should!

It's a BOY!

2009-03-26T21:17:00.000+01:00

We've known for a few weeks now that a baby brother is on his way- but it's taken me a little while to accept that this is for real. Well, the picture from the ultrasound is pretty clear that he is a he and I wanted to share some pictures! Baby boy is healthy and growing well- he's at 27 weeks gestation today, and we expect to meet him around the beginning of July!

If you're wondering, we're registered at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/baby/3UFOPYBZB9IP

http://www.cottonbabies.com/6095.php

http://www.target.com/registry/baby/1QON5VQ85BE3M 3D view of his face

No, that's not the unbilical cord...

Oregon

2009-03-26T20:40:00.001+01:00

So, it’s been a while. We’ve been out and about, and I’ve left you in the dark- no posts, no emails, nothing. It’s like a relationship that’s gone sour, but I’m here to do my best to make it sweet again.
It’s been over a year since W. and I have seen the US, and we were feeling a little homesick, and a little lonely for the company of our family. Lufthansa had a pretty good deal on tickets from Frankfurt to Portland, so we took them up on their offer, and headed out west- 13 hours west, to visit Oregon.
W. did wonderful on the plane. She is still two- and only had a slight bruise from bouncing off the seat onto her head, but we made the trip will little incidence. We were greeted with a warm welcome by Nana and Papa at the airport and whisked off back to my childhood home. For two weeks we were able to relax in the company of friends and family. We visited the Salem carousel, ate at Taco Bell and took the dogs to the park. W. and I had a great time- especially when shopping and W. had Nana wrapped around her finger. Can you believe that W. has a new spring wardrobe from the three shopping outings she took with her grandma?!
W. and I also had a visit to the hair stylist. Now that she’s almost 3 we decided that it was finally time for her first hair cut. (She now finally has some hair to cut!) She did wonderful- she was told that she was the princess, and she loved the pampering. After the cut was finished, she wanted another! I too had a hair change- I’ve wanted to donate my hair for a long time to Locks of Love, http://www.locksoflove.org/ : and my hair was crazy long- so I did it! W. and I are both very happy with our new appearances.
We also needed to visit family in Idaho, so we hopped on another plane and were able to sojourn at Great-grandma Noni’s in Twin Falls for a few days before heading out to Homedale to see our friend Helen. In all, we were in Idaho for a week- rode horses, saw lots of cows and I reconsidered my retirement choices. I forgot how cold the desert can be!
Back to Oregon for 10 more days to catch up on zoo life in Portland, check out all the restaurants that we missed the first time, and fill our bags with ‘American’ things before heading back home. We had a wonderful time in the states, and we really enjoyed being able to spend so much time with our friends and family. It was very difficult to have been gone from Daddy for a month, but we were fortunate to have good long distance and SKYPE.
Since we’ve been back, we’ve been trying to get back into our routine, and settle in for the little BOY who is to be joining our family in July. Now that things are settled here, expect to see more travel posts!

Prague and a spot of Nuremberg

2009-01-18T20:38:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year! So I'm a few weeks late putting this post out, but lately I've been having a hard time concentrating on even brushing my teeth, so a vacation post was way over my head. I think I can do it now.... so again, Happy New Year!

For the past few New Years celebrations, it's been the same for us. We're usually too tired to stay up until midnight let alone go anywhere. Last year we were rocked out of our bed by the Germans bringing in 2008. This year we decided to change our ways. J. has a college mountain climbing buddy that has recently relocated to Europe from the US. A bonus for us is that this buddy has family in some cool places, and we were welcome to join them. For New Years, Prague was the destination.

I am a little timid about traveling in the car for any kind of distance with an almost 3 year old. It's not fun. However with the help of Disney and the Golden Arches, our trip on the road wasn't bad at all. For 8 hours of driving, there were few tears, and the only complaints were from me to pull over to use the facilities. I didn't think we could make the journey in one go to Prague so we booked a night in the historic city of Nuremberg. We were comfortably situated with in the old city walls and our hotel was extremely nice for what we are used to.

Nuremburg has a rich and colorful history dating beyond the 11th century. It was interesting for us to be able to walk in the old city walls and see what life is like today and try to sympathize with the city's past. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg Arriving on the 28th, we were a few days too late to catch the Christmas markets, but we were able to see where they were and what they might have been offering for future trips. Nuremburg was a nice little stop on our way to the Czech Republic.

Arriving at our destination, I was surprised that we were in a post Soviet controlled area. The little village on the edge of Prague could have been any little suburb in the US. Minus the tiny little cars and road signs that made no sense to me. I was expecting all buildings to look like Moscow apartments and for there to be little difference between houses. Lucky for us, this was not the case. We were invited into a spacious family home that was warmly filled with another couple and their child, and our friends. There was room for us all to have our own little space, and plenty if room for W. to play and explore with her new found Czech friend.

The first full day we were in the Czech Republic, we were taken by our hosts to a glass factory in a nearby town. We were able to watch the men make the glass articles that this area is well known for. Next we were taken to another small town where the children were able to stretch their legs and breathe the cold winter air. For lunch it was a treat. A neat little restaurant tucked into a town that we'd never heard of, and we had the area to our selves. We dined on local foods and beverages and were able to relax. Best of all, having a host that has a child with the same age as yours, nap times are always figured in. Perfect! That evening we were taken to down town Prague to see some city life.

Downtown Prague is beautiful. The Velvet revolution happened here, many great rulers have called the city home, and it has some of the most impressive sites in Europe; the caste and the Charles Bridge are a couple of examples. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague It is a must see for anyone wanting to spend some time Europe. On another day we were able to walk around the castle grounds, stroll through the city and sample the local foods. Lucky for us the Christmas markets were still up and running and were kept satisfied with hot wine (and chocolate) and lots of tasty treats- my favorite being a dough that was wrapped around a hot iron to cook it, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar... yum!

I enjoyed every bit of visiting Prague- the people are very friendly with most speaking English, and there are so many interesting things to see. I would bring more clothes next time I go though- that is one cold place!

Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=c41lnrbo.bxqb9q5w&x=0&y=fbq8ng&localeid=en_US

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T22:10:00.000+01:00

Herzliche Weihnachtsgrüße!

We hope that this holiday season finds you and your family healthy and happy. For us, this has been a wonderful year with lots of happenings. We have been able to watch W. grow and become quite the independent little person and sadly we have seen the remnants of her babyhood slip past.
J. has been to many exciting new countries with his new job and has had the chance to experience a variety of different cultures- not to mention new beers! We really are fortunate that we are able to have this opportunity to live abroad and do so many things as a family.
Speaking of family, we will be adding another little one to our brood in July! Baby Archer is expected to arrive on the 2nd, but I know with Archer and Whitney genes, it’ll probably be later rather then on time… especially if baby’s anything like my mom… (Love you mom!) keep checking the blog for more up dates.
Well lucky for me, and for you, I’ve been keeping up, pretty much with our doings here in Germany for the past year on this blog. Hopefully next year we’ll have many more adventures to add to our story…

Fröhliche Weihnachten,

The Archers

St. Nicholasbahn

2008-12-20T15:02:00.000+01:00

Last Friday we took a special holiday steam Christmas train ride- St. Nicholasbahn trough our village with a few friends. The train is from the 40’s and very vintage. About 10 minutes into the ride St. Nicholas came on the train with Black Peter (he reads off all of your bad deeds over the year) and handed out treat bags to the children. The bags were filled with a bread man, chocolate Santa and a licorice flavored cookie, along with some Clementine oranges, which are very popular right now. W. was feeling under the weather, but really enjoyed the ride. It took about 2 hours, with the train traveling about 5mph. We stopped for an intermission ½ way through, got off the train and had sausages and hot chocolate at one of the depots. The children were then able to see St. Nicholas personally if they wanted to. There were no 2 year olds that volunteered. For more info (in German) go here: http://www.selfkantbahn.de/ Here are a few photos from our trip:

She ate the whole bread man!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2008-11-25T15:50:00.000+01:00

For the past few days we've been experiencing a change in the weather. Usually this time of year in Germany brings lots of cold blustery days filled with rain. The kind of weather that makes you hurry from the car to the house, or to the closest warm shelter available. It is still cold and windy here, but the rain is what's been missing. Snow has taken its place, and in that, a special spot has been filled in the heart of a young girl. A spot she didn't know that was available for weather. Snow has become the rage in our household. It's good for everything- throwing, kicking, stomping and eating. Even in the dark of night, a little voice cries out, 'Mom, can I have my boots to go outside in pleeze?' And so the love affair begins with the cold white stuff. Soon I know that I'm going to be hearing, "Mom, I'm going to climb this mountain now...' I wonder where she gets it...

Brugge and the English Channel

2008-11-18T16:13:00.000+01:00

This past weekend we packed the car and headed out once again to Belgium. Our destination only 2 ½ hours away, and a place where old Europe lives. Brugge, Belgium is about an hour from Brussels situated in the northwest corner of the country. The old part of the city is a beautiful reminder of times past where the streets are all break-your-neck-cobblestones and the roads have no discernable pattern. The houses are small but built well, and the churches are magnificent. There are several squares and many more chocolate shops. There are also horse drawn carriages that will take visitors around the old city and give a limited tour of what old Brugges has to offer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges
Being the horse lovers that W. and I are, we opted for the buggy ride, and J. didn’t object. This time of the year day light is of limited quantities- because of the latitude and because of the constant cloud cover. Our ride was at twilight, the city shops were lit up and there were oodles of pedestrians out strolling the city streets. The experience was very fairytale, and W. and I enjoyed ourselves very much. J. not being much of a horseman was gracious the half our journey it took to tour the city.
Accommodations in Brugge are expensive, but we were able to find a reasonable hotel at the Hotel Groeninghe using a Rick Steve’s recommendation: http://www.hotelgroeninghe.be/ This hotel included a great European breakfast and was centrally located. The only disappointment I would point out was that you have to park your car at the train station and have a ten minute walk back to the hotel. But not that I’m complaining…
For us, a complete day was enough to see in Brugge, so we loaded back up into the car and drove another 20 minutes away to the Belgium shore town of Oostende which over looks the English Channel. This cute little town was once the vacation hotspot for royalty, but now is open to all sorts of tourists. The beach reminded me of an Oregon beach- cold and windy with drizzly rain. There were no boulders sticking out of the sea, but there were loads of misshapen rocks (small enough to fit into your hand) and all the sea shells a girl and her mom could carry. Belgium: a very fun place to visit!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostende

Luxembourg and Trier in a dash

2008-10-13T15:07:00.000+02:00

Traveling with a two and a half year old is tough. Traveling with two 2 year olds and a 5 month old will test the limits of reason. But what else is there to do in life but to be unreasonable some days. Our most recent adventure took us south to Luxembourg City, Lux. What a beautiful place- full of parks and coffee shops, there is little else to want on a chilly Saturday afternoon. (Well maybe a nap)

A map is not required to see the city; it is full of pedestrian walks and signs that point you to where you want to go. After wandering around the shops and eateries we strolled on over to the Gëlle Fra monument which shares one of the most magnificent outlooks in the city. Being October, all of the leaves are starting to change, and for me, it was heaven to see. As I mentioned before, we were traveling with small people, and we not able to stay long in the city- but we know now how long it takes to get there, and what we want to visit when we come back.

Being associated with the armed forces does have its advantages. One of these is the benefit of being able to stay at the temporary lodging facilities on the bases in Europe. Where a night in a local hotel would cost you € 80, a night with the army will only be $25. This makes traveling for us very reasonable- AND the facilities are very nice...

The next day we did some shopping at the American stores on base- sometimes it's hard to find what you really want around here- and then headed out to Trier. Trier is a most wonderful city situated on the banks of the Mosel River neighboring Luxembourg. The countryside is well known for their wines and the city it's self boasts a history that is over 2000 years! Once called the Roman capitol of the north, you can still see evidence of Roman occupation in the amphitheater, the ruins of Roman baths, and the Porta Nigra, the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps. There is so much more to see in Trier then the ruins of the Romans- Trier like most large cities has a beautiful cathedral that is worth a trip to see. And if the cathedral doesn’t impress you, then the shopping and gastronomy is sure to do the trick. Even the children we brought along seemed to like this place.

Europe is a fun place to visit, and I am so glad that we have all of the opportunities that we do, and we look forward to seeing more with some gusts- so come over, the beer is great here!

PS: So being overwhelmed as I was with small people, the camera did not make an appearance on this trip- BUT it did make the trip with us... resting the whole time in it's bag where it did lots of good taking up valuable car space.... SO, there are no photos... sorry!

PSS: W. started kindergarten last week- actually speilgruppe, and she is fast on her way to learning more German than I!

Edinburgh, Scotland

2008-09-08T14:22:00.000+02:00

Whew, vacations can be tiring! Luckily they are also a lot of fun, so it's all well worth the loss of a few Z's to be able to see new and exciting places. For our third anniversary we booked a trip through Ryanair.com and found ourselves in the capitol of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Only a short trip from where we live, we were able to take advantage of arriving in Scotland around noon, and using the beautiful weather to tour about the area closest to our apartment. From almost every point in the city you can see the castle- it’s a huge structure sitting atop volcanic rock, and impressive from all angles. We were drawn to the top- albeit the long way around through areas tourists weren’t allowed and reached the entrance with the help of a park ranger. We were given a short tour of the castle then left to ourselves to explore the place. Visiting the crown jewels and the dog cemetery were two of the highlights of the experience- but for smaller versions of the Archers, the cannons were the place to be, and to sit.
After leaving the castle, we were shown first hand how quickly Scottish weather can change, and hastily found activities to do while indoors. Somehow we managed to find ourselves in the Scotch Whiskey Appreciation Society museum where J. was able to brush up even more on his knowledge of the grain drink. W. and I found a children's museum- Camera Obscura, and we enjoyed and hour or so trying out different science experiments. In all it was a great way to spend the afternoon in Scotland.
The rest of the trip is a bit of a blur, but we were able to see so much of Edinburgh. We took a tour on the Royal Yacht Britannia, visited Holyrood Palace, Saw the National Gallery of Scotland, the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland, walked through the new Parliament building (I would have never done this unless J. hadn't insisted) strolled the Royal Mile, Princes Street, Kings Street, Queen's street, and about 100 miles of other streets whose names change every block.
I think that we were able to get a good feel of the city after our 5 day stay, and I can say for two of the three of us, we will be definitely be going back!
Here's a link to kodak.com for the pictures- there's too many to post on here..... Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=c41lnrbo.5died5ic&x=0&y=-hh6q54&localeid=en_US

Yet another monistary visit

2008-08-24T21:00:00.000+02:00

What do you do on a lazy rainy Sunday? Well if you're an Archer living in Europe, you visit a Trappist brewery. Today happened to be our lucky day, and being only an hour and a quarter drive from fine beer prompted us all to load up in the Subaru and head over to Belgium. Once there we enjoyed delicious sandwiches at the monastery cafeteria, and of course Achel beer- both the blonde and brun for those interested. They also have fantastic soup and soft serve ice cream which W. can attest for. There is a small wooded area with trails, and horses pulling buggies in the street. The monastery property is located in both Belgium and Netherlands, so you really can be two places at once! We weren’t able to tour the grounds- but we did see a couple of monks. What a treat for a Sunday in Europe!

And because I didn't bring my camera with me, here are some shots of W. practicing the backstroke in the tub. Enjoy!

Trapani

2008-08-19T21:01:00.000+02:00

Not all of our lives are filled with travel and adventure every week, but for some lucky members of this family, they get to see the lion's share of Europe. J. had some work to do in Italy last week, and by chance he had a day off when he was there, and was able to go sailing and snorkeling. Here are some pictures from his recent adventure:

Summer fun

2008-08-06T15:21:00.000+02:00

Wow, the time is just flying by. I can't believe that it's already August! Only a few short months and the weather will turn and for most of us that will mean sweaters and mittens and steaming mugs of deliciousness. However it is still summer and we are enjoying the spoils of the season. As a family we haven't been 'doing' too much of anything, so we decided we needed to go some where. Luckily we live in such a place where there's plenty of some where’s to go. We really haven't done too much camping since W.'s birth, and so it was decided that now is as good of time as any to go. Off we were to one of our favorite countries; Belgium. Where not only do they have rock climbing- which I've been jonsin' to do, but they have beer.

My first tip that something might be amiss is when we drove into the campsite, and I didn't see any other toddlers. We searched for the perfect campsite by driving in a circle around the park, and choosing one of the three available remaining spots. W. was a great helper while we set up camp. She was in charge of driving the parked car, and is now a master at using the horn, much to the annoyance of her mother. And it wouldn't be camping if there wasn't an abundance of food. J. found a comfy seat in the tent and proceeded to teach W. how to feed him. She is now a master at opening the cooler and rooting for junk food. They both seemed to love this, and who am I to discourage father-daughter bonding?
Sleeping with a two year old is not really my idea of a good time. All night you're getting kicked elbowed or having your blankets removed. Not withstanding the physical discomforts, as a mother I am constantly worried that something might happen while W. is asleep, and I won't know about it. So when she is lying next to me, every time I move, I need to check on her. Sleeping on the ground affords many of these opportunities. But the real obstacle camping with a toddler is getting to the sleeping part. Saturday was very exciting for W.- so much to see and do that she didn't take a nap. (Not for a lack of me trying to convince her to take one) So by 8pm, I thought that she would be exhausted. NOPE! Being in a tent is awesome, and who in their right mind would want to sleep? Finally at 10pm her little eyes shut, and soon after mine did too.

It seems in Europe you need to belong to some sort of mountain climbing club to be able to climb the rocks. So unfortunately we were left on the sidelines admiring the boulders from afar, but we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect for next time. In Belgium almost all of the land is privately owned. In order to climb, you need to get the land owners permission, and pay a fee. However the countryside is beautiful and the rocks are enticing, so we'll be back...

We did however check out the Chimay monastery and sample all of their delicious beers and cheeses. This is one of the nicer Trappist monasteries that I’ve been to. If you’re ever in the area, check them out, you’ll be glad that you did. http://www.chimay.com/en/intro_58.php

Here's a few parting shots from when we came home, and were putting our supplies away. (Many days W. pretends that she's a cat. She'll meow and make slurping noises like she's licking something. As you can see, she is also taking on other feline characteristics!)

To Belgium and beyond!

2008-07-13T17:17:00.000+02:00

So we did it. Today we took an epic adventure, and we made it home intact. What is this nonsense you may ask? Well, I will tell you. Coming to Europe my dear husband and I decided that we were going to become bike riders. Not just your every day hop on and stroll through the neighborhood kind of riding, but people who ride their bike to places. Ever so slowly-for me, and not so slowly for my husband- who by the way is very quick on the bike, have been building up our stamina.

Now to put this into perspective, I think my stamina is the one who needed the building. So almost daily, when the weather permits, I've been trailering W. over the local hills. To the base, to a friends house, to the park. Where ever we needed to go, that we could reasonably ride our bike to. J. on the other hand has been steadily riding his bike EVERY day to and from work- about 8km one way since January. So you see, it is now July, and we should be able to do more then a quick outing.

Belgium. This is where I thought it would be fun to go to. To get there, we had to cycle through the outskirts of Germany, and then traverse through Holland over the bridge and through the woods to Belgium. What a cool way to spend the day! Finally looking at the logistics, we figured that we would drive to Belgium- Massik, and then ride home from there. Somehow we'd figure out a way to get the car back. After an hour and a half of riding, we all decided that we were getting pretty hungry, and stopped at the local train station, 10 minutes from our house. It was a great setting to finish our goal. We rode 30km today, and through 3 countries. How many people can say that they did that this weekend?!

Post script: Here's a few pictures from last weekend. W. and I went to the neighbors house to ride their horses. We both loved it. I can't believe how lucky we are to have such great people living by us!

Doings

2008-07-05T10:12:00.000+02:00

Well, it's been pretty mellow around here lately. All of our visitors have gone home, and the temperature is warming up. So, last Saturday we were feeling a little lazy, and decided to get up and check out another local castle.

Burg Trips is located in the town of Geilenkirchen, about 15 minutes from our house. It is now a retirement home, but visitors can still admire it's beauty- if only from afar. Only visitors to the residents can see the inside.

Surrounding the castle there are several walkways and bike paths that meander through rose gardens and beautifully up kept lawns. The castle is surrounded by a moat which is now home to many ducks and a swan family. Luckily for us, the swans are used to people, and will let you come quite close- providing you have a snack for them. W. was in love their babies, and wanted to follow them into the water.

As many of you know, we have the tiniest of back yards. However, our neighbors have a huge yard. Horses, dogs, a cat, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and children fill the area. Well last weekend there was an addition to their amazing play area; a pool. It's summer holiday here, and so the kids are out for the next six weeks. Heaven for W. since there is usually always someone around for her to play with. With the addition of the pool, the kids are always out in back, and W. is right there wanting to be in the action. The children are good natured about it, and play with her for a little while before they go back into their crazy wild ways. W. loves it, and anytime she hears voices outside she gets a huge grin on her face and shouts 'kids!'

We've also been working on potty training and art. Sometimes at the same time. Potty training is not so bad, providing W. is not wearing any pants. As soon as something covers her bum, then she forgets all about it. So, this summer we have joined the bare bottomed club, and walk around with out anything on. Well W. has a shirt on usually. And I almost always have something on... ok this post is getting out of hand...

The longest weekend of the year

2008-06-23T08:34:00.000+02:00

What a wonderful place we live... can you believe that the sun didn't set this weekend until after 10pm! Not that I have the energy to be out doing things at 10pm, but it's nice to know that I have the option.
So to celebrate, we went hiking at Dreilanderpunkt. What is a Dreilanderpunkt you may ask? It is where Germany, Netherlands and Belgium all meet. It is the highest point in Holland, and a place that is crossed with a few hiking trails. It makes us feel like we're in the wilderness, even though we're surrounded by millions of people. And it smells good up there. There are so many trees and plans and bugs, if you didn't know better, you'd think that you were home in the Pacific NW again....
W. had a great time. I didn't know that slugs could be 'pretty', but to the eyes of a two year old, anything is possible. We have been having afternoon rain showers, and there were puddles a plenty. These too made W.'s day- what child in their right mind doesn’t love to walk through these... much to the chagrin of the next person who was obligated to carry her. She has a hiking backpack too... it's just not something that she like to use. We like to bring it with us in hopes that she'll use it, but mostly we carry the girl on our fronts, and the empty shell of a seat on our backs.

Sunday we took a tour of a local castle. About 35 minutes from our house is Hoensbroek castle. http://www.castles.nl/hoen/hoen.html This fall there is to be a military ball there, and we wanted to check it out before we were obligated to go there. W. had the best time climbing the twisty uneven stairs that led up into the keep, then down into the dungeon. Her only worries were for the spiders, and if they were coming with us or not.
The castle is beautiful- it is not original however, but beautiful none the less. We spent a good part of the morning there, and had lunch at a near by cafe located on the grounds. The food wasn't great, but the scenery was awesome, and we were able to watch ducks and play out of doors while we waited for our food. This castle is definitely a great place to take visitors....

Oh la la

2008-06-21T08:22:00.001+02:00

Our adventures have finally led us to Paris, or as some call her, the City of Light (La Ville-lumière), to experience what others only dream about. Well maybe others don't dream about going to the most romantic city in the world with their two year old and parents in tow, but for us, it was what we wanted. Only a three hour train ride from Aachen, we were able to see the country side in style. We reserved train tickets on a high speed train called Thalys: http://www.thalys.com/de/en/ where if you catch them at the right time, you can get a one way ticket from Germany to Paris for as little as 25 euros! W. had a great time being able to watch videos on the portable DVD player we brought, and the grandparents enjoyed her game of musical lap.

Arriving at Paris Nord, we took the subway to the nearest stop to our hotel. It was relatively easy to get to, even with a stroller and luggage. My husband, being the researcher he is, found a hotel that was reasonable and with in minutes of the Eiffel tower. http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75007turenne.htm

To me, Paris is beautiful. There are stories which I'm sure every one has heard about how dirty the city is, or how rude Parisians are. Not so. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Paris, go. There is so much history here to see, the buildings are free of graffiti, and the people are European. They are friendly, but don't expect them to gush at your feet for visiting their city. I tried what little French I could remember on them, and they seem to be satisfied with that. Being a major European city, most people have a second language, and they are able to speak English.

Having a little one restricts the places where you can go. Paris has many beautiful museums- none of which W. would enjoy. So, my husband was able to go along with my father to spend the morning at the Louvre. From what I've heard, it's overwhelming. It's so large, and there are so many things to see, that you'd need days to take it all in. I did see it from the out side, and it was impressive that way as well.

What I really came to Paris to see though were the churches. I was not disappointed. On almost every corner there is a work of art dedicated to God. In high school I took some French. Well, I was in a French class at least, and I remember learning about a cathedral called St. Chappelle. It was called the cathedral of light because it's walls were not the usual stone gothic architecture you see all around, but comprised of stained glass, so beautiful, kings would sit in the main room for hours to think.

We also saw Notre Dame. My father is an architect, and when I was younger he used to tell me about the flying buttresses of churches and cathedrals- and now I had the opportunity to visit one, an especially notorious one with him. It is a beautiful cathedral. Probably not the most beautiful I've seen, but it does rank in the top 10. If you are in Paris, this is definitely a sight worth seeing.

And a trip to Paris wouldn't be complete with out a romantic climb to the top of the Eiffel tower at sunset. Lucky for us we had brought some babysitters. Lucky for me, my husband agreed to wait two hours in line to purchase tickets to the top. The views were amazing. Paris lit up at night is unbelievably big. The elevator takes you up to the second level platform, where you are able to look over the city landscape. Then you hop back on the lift and travel up to the top most platform where the views are stunning, if not a little breezy. In fact, it's chilly up top- take a jacket if you go!

Paris is a great city to visit, and I will definitely be going back. There is just too much to see and do in one short weekend. Luckily it's so close, and we'll be here for a little while longer, so we'll have plenty of opportunities to go back!

Meet the Parents

2008-06-03T21:48:00.000+02:00

Since we arrived in Europe over six months ago, I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my parents. I knew that they would come, and sure enough they did. The draw of a grandchild yabbering on the telephone to them every night tugged at their heart strings just enough to get them on a plane. But first to Italy, then here. How could I compete with Italy? That was going to be the question. Where we live, it is not known for romance or great food. But I have an ace in the hole, W..

To set things off right, all of the Archer's were all able to pick Nana and Pop up at the airport in Brussels. For me, Brussels is a beautiful city, and I had to show it off a little. So we took a quick jaunt to the Grand Place and had a small bite for supper. But of course how can you be happy with a small super in Brussels when you are surrounded by waffles, chocolate and beer? And of course with the ace in the hole yodeling for waffles, how is a grand parent to refuse. So waffle in hand, we toured the tourist areas of Brussels, finishing off with a nod to Maniquin Pis and a chocolate salute.

The next day was no time for rest. There are places we've never been, and we had two extra hands to help us. In the car to Monschau, Germany we went. Monschau is a beautiful German village located in the Eifel region on the Belgium border. It has been untouched by both world wars, so it retains much of the old world charm visitors are looking for when they visit the father land. Unfortunately, most of the town is comprised of visitors, but that was no matter for four eager adults and one small snack eater. We were able to spend the afternoon wandering along a beautiful stream, and looking at houses that are older then the USA.

One look at W. and you know that you can't resist her. Well you can, but it's very difficult, and she has been honing her skills since her second birthday. There is this little toy store that I know about in Aachen that has three levels, and is bursting with any type of toy you could ever desire as a young child. And being German, the toys are of exceptional quality. Of course this is the place that Nana had to take W. to. Two hours of looking over babies, trying on princess shoes, and making sure all of the toys were in perfect working order, we were able to depart the store. New baby and stroller in hand, it was time for lunch. Or maybe some ice cream, since it was spoil W. day anyways.

Next, off to buy shoes. Now I really had no idea that the love for shoes was genetic, but if you've met my daughter, you would only assume this to be true. I love shoes, any kind, any style, any day; I love them. Her aunt is a famous fashion designer in CA. She also has a thing for shoes. So you can only feel sorry for W. that she has the shoe bug gnawing at her from both sides of the double helix. W. on the other hand takes it to extremes. As soon as the desired object is in her sights, she takes off like a missile. No matter the size, color or gender of the shoe, she has to have it. And try it on, and take it with her. I think the sales lady thought that W. was having a seizure when we were trying to remove her from the shoes in the store and leave. It is that bad. It is ALWAYS that bad. The girl really loves shoes.

So today, with baby in hand, we made the journey to the Birkenstock factory outlet. SHOES. Manna for the soul. As we approach the door, no longer is W. willing to hold hands. As shoes come into sight, baby is thrown to the side and a mad dash has commenced to the racks. There are so many colors and sizes, it is now a question of how can she get more then two shoes on her feet. This simple problem is solved by layering. I did not know of this shopping technique before, but I am thankful that I have such a willing teacher to show me. Today we spent only an hour looking at all the sole food that was offered, but the hour was well spent. With a new pair of sandals, all is right in the world again for W.. Store leaving induced seizures are a thing of the past, and a pleasant afternoon can now be had by all.

Since we were driving by Koln on our way home, I thought it would be a good idea to stop and show Nana and Pop the cathedral (Dom) and see what the Chocolate museum had to offer. We were not disappointed in either avenue. The Dom is one of the few buildings that was left standing when the bombs stopped falling in 1945. 90% of Koln was leveled, but thankfully, this beautiful building was spared. About a mile down the road is the Lindt chocolate museum. Where if you're looking for some hot (or cold) chocolate to knock your socks of, you've come home. I have never had hot chocolate like the liquid pleasure the cafe at Lindt serves. And today I was not let down. We ordered Eis trinkchocolade and Eis kaffe, with of course chocolate cake. The Eis trinkchocolade is like drinking the silkiest smoothest chocolate topped with gain ten pounds on your hips cream and small orbits of ice cream. Heaven. Too bad W. decided that now was the time for a nap. I took one for the team though, and finished the whole beverage myself.

Not too bad having the parents come for a visit. Tomorrow I've got Pop installing screens on the windows, and Nana sewing some curtains. I think I'll keep these folks around, they're quite handy, and fun too!

Amsterdam... a great place to visit....

2008-05-26T15:10:00.000+02:00

Living where we do rocks! There are so many places to go with in a few hour commute. My sister in law is visiting us still, and I thought that it would be a great experience for her to see a large European city, and where better then to Amsterdam?! W. and I didn't mind touring the city again either.

From our place in Germany, it is a short commute to Holland. From there we took a high speed train through the farm fields to the city of sin and canals. The train ride was only two hours, and with gas being $9/ gal we thought it the less expensive way to go. Plus the Dutch are bilingual, and almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks English.

Arriving at the Central station in Amsterdam we were surrounded by crowds of tourists, and paths of canals. Central station in Amsterdam is by far one of the nicer train stations that I've been to. From there it is a short walk to anywhere you want to go in the city. There is an inter city train station and water taxi depot with in feet of the main train station. Being the adventurous girls that we are, we decided to walk.

Canals are everywhere! And being a large city, there is limited housing space. So... living on the water is the place to be for some people. House boats adorn the larger canals, while there are row boats gliding down the smaller ones.

No trip to Amsterdam can be complete with out a trip through the Red Light District. Of course at 10 in the morning, there's really not much to see, but there's always window shopping! Check out the latest spring fashions:

And with any big city, you are going to get wildlife. W. had a wonderful time feeding the pigeons gold fish crackers while SIL and I did some souvenir shopping. She had such a nice time feeding the birds that she wore her self out, and needed to try out the swinging chairs that were on display. I think that she made such a good model that people from the street who had stopped to admire her actually went into the store to try out the chairs for them selves!

In all, Amsterdam is a great place to visit. Though I am sure that I would not like to live there permanently. It is big and crowded and nothing like the simple life we've become accustom to. But it's good to have perspective, and Amsterdam is a great place to go to gain some.

RE: Accident

2008-05-15T15:55:00.000+02:00

To all those who are interested in the progress of W.'s finger, here it is. She and her finger are doing beautifully. It doesn't seem to bother her, and it's healing very fast. Two days ago she lost the nail, but we were expecting that. It looks like it will probably grow back though. Ten days after the surgery, her stitches came out, and an x-ray was taken. You could not see any breaks in the bone! She has feeling in the tip, and is on her way to a full recovery!

Thorn, NL

2008-05-15T15:21:00.000+02:00

Today we took a trip. A girls only trip. Not saying that we wouldn't allow any boys to go with us, but there were none to be had, so we were off on our own. I had been hearing about a little town in Holland for a while now, and we decided that today was the day to check it out. What a wonderful treat we were exposed to. Thorn NL, is a beautiful little village just outside of Eindhoven and Maastricht situated on the Maas River. This little village boasts a pretty little church that dates back to the 10th century. The church has been built up and added on, but once was part of an abby. We were able to tour the church, and view it's museum quality artifacts, and explore the crypts... they even had mummies! W. enjoyed the many stairs there were to climb- they are all about her level, and her aunt Allison who's visting fell in love with the surrounding houses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(Netherlands)

After such an exhusting trek through the church, we had to stop at The Pannekoekenbakker http://www.pannekoekenbakker-thorn.nl/ and stuff ourselves with the most amazing pancakes. Now these are not your American style butter and syrup pancakes (though they have those too). These are the pancakes dreams are made of. With over 300 topping choices, these crepe style pancakes fill you up and do not leave you wanting.

With so much good food, we needed a few moments to collect ourselves and tour the village to burn those delicious callories. Fortunately Thorn is picturesque, and we had no problem enjoying ourselves as we toured the streets. Many houses have the dates they were built published on their door frames, but even when they didn't, you could tell that you were looking at old rather then new. Unlike most villages we've seen in the Neatherlands, Thorn has a unique architecture, white washed buildings, and interesting shops. This is one place that we'll definately be going back to.

Old Abby wall (800's)

The Accident

2008-05-04T20:42:00.000+02:00

So, we're home! Ok, not that many people knew that we were gone, but it sure is nice to be in our own spot again. This week is a holiday week for Europe- Labor Day was on Thursday, and most people had a four day weekend. Whahoo... we're going to Paris! Not!
After a long day of running errands W. and I arrive home Tuesday afternoon to have a nap and start packing for our trip. We were both tired, and I was not being too careful. You know, you forget how little your little ones are until something happens.
Living where we do, we do not have closets, we have wardrobes. So I set W. down on the chair by the wardrobe, and I remove our shoes, and jackets, and I start putting things away so we can have a peaceful nap. I close the wardrobe door, and I hear a horrible scream. I cringe as I turn around and I see that W. is holding her hand and I realise since the door on the wardrobe didn't shut all the way, that I've pinched her hand in the jam of the door.
Not so. She had put her tiny little fingers in the jam, and her middle finger on the left side was almost completely severed. OMG. I can not even begin to describe the horror of this situation. What do I do? How do I help my baby? I quickly grab her and run over to the neighbors. They're not home. I run back to our house, and I call 112 (emergency 911). The man who answers is speaking German! I can't even begin to get the words out to ask for help... Finally I calm down enough to have him send an ambulance to our house. Meanwhile, W. is crying, but she is not hysterical. She is asking me questions between pain bursts, and is holding up better then I am.
We wait on the street for the ambulance, and after 10 minutes they arrive. There is no rush with these medics... I am worried. We go to the nearest hospital, and wait. Daddy shows up, scared out of his mind, and demanding answers. Finally the doctors arrive. Ah, they say, there is nothing they can do for her here, this is not a place for children. We better take her to the children's hospital 30 minutes away, maybe they can help. I am panicked about now. Why isn't anybody doing anything?!
A bone jarring ride later (we made it going 100 mph in 20 min) we arrive at the children's hospital. Still we wait. When the doctor comes in, he says, yes, she will need surgery to reattach the finger. Duh! Can we do it now please!
W. is taken up to the surgery ward where she is taken from my arms and placed into the surgeons assistants' to be prepped for her surgery. After 2 hours, she is finally having something done.
Now mind you, it is now 6pm, this little girl hasn't had a nap, and she's just gone through major trauma. She is still going strong. I can't believe how brave and strong she is, it really is amazing.
Around 645 they bring her to her daddy and I, and we are able to hold her while she recovers from the anesthesia. She is very upset, and mad, mostly because she doesn't have her baby. So, daddy takes a trip home to gather a few essentials, and most importantly, baby. By 930pm, all is right in W.'s world again, and she is cheerfully watching Cinderella in German, and snuggling baby and momma.
So, now it is day 5. We are home from the hospital, and all is right in W.'s world again. We had to stay so long in the hospital because she was on IV antibiotics, and because they wanted her to be there in case anything should happen. She loved it. From sunrise to sunset, there were lots of playmates, new toys and videos to explore. She had her favorite foods, and best of all mommy and daddy were there- along with baby of course.
But let me tell you, I understand the importance of lessons. I know that sometimes you have to go the hard way to get it to stick in your mind. What I don't understand is why my baby had to be used in the example that was made for me. I know that from now on I am going to be extremely careful with all kinds of doors. I know that I am going to slow down and follow W.'s schedule more closely. I know now that my family is the most important aspect of my day. But still why was it that my baby was the one to suffer? I would have done anything to prevent this, and now I must be extra diligent in my care taking. This has been a hard week. A hard lesson learned.
I am grateful though that W. is fine and doesn't seem affected by the events of the past week. She is mostly sore from the catheter that was in her arm, but doesn't seem bothered at all by her finger. The doctors say that there will most likely be a small scar, and her finger should be returned to the way it was. Small miracles that I am thankful for.

Week 104 of Mommyhood...

2008-04-21T14:25:00.000+02:00

Tuesday the 15th of April, my precious baby turned 2. Where did all that time go? I mean I understand when you loose a day or two, but 104 weeks?! I still think about when I was pregnant, and the anticipation of her arrival. Then I realise that she is already here, and what a completement to my life she's brought.

Anyone can tell you that it is wonderful to be a mother. However until you're there, you really have no idea. You have no idea how great your own mother is, and how much you can truly love someone. I remember the first week after W. was born, I cried every day thinking how beautiful she was, and how was I- me, just a simple person, going to care for her for all her life? What a huge responsibility; was I the right person for this task? And I'm sure hormones had nothing to do with the overwhelming feelings of everything, but being the steward of another person is a very large task.

Now, two years later, I find it is her, not I doing the care taking. I now have someone who tells me when to brush my teeth, which way to drive on the road, and even someone to chew bits of my sandwich! I really am very lucky, and don't understand why people don't have 15-20 children these days... humm.... maybe this bit of logic will convince my dear husband to produce another!

But more on having a two year old. W. is a great little girl to be around. Until you go against her wishes. I have always been told that I'm a little bossy. Whoa, have you ever met a toddler? If it's not her way, it's the highway. Tears and tantrums on the floor of the grocery isle are common events around here. Though so are toy-picker-upers, book readers, and dinner assistants. Toddler hood is like a spring storm. Sometimes rough, sometimes mild, but there will always be a little sun in your day, and lots of pretty blooms.

Saturday the 19th we had a BBQ birthday party for the princess. A new Weber grill was installed on the patio, and enough food to feed our village was provided. And presents. Oodles of paper covered packages and small people to open them. Although, presents are not the highlight of the party here. It's the $1 balloon bag that had the children entertained for hours. But for all the work provided, it was a lot of fun. It always is when W.'s around, and when we can have friends to share a meal with. So here's a big thank you to everyone who helped make W.'s party so much fun!

And now I'll leave with a few parting shots:

Brussels, Belgium

2008-04-20T22:06:00.000+02:00

On Friday the 11th of April, the Archer family decided that we'd had enough of Germany, and that we needed to see the sights in Belgium- that and we were running low on good beer. So we loaded up the Subaru and ventured the short way to heart of the European Union- Brussels.

What a beautiful city! What crazy drivers! Now if you've never driven in a large European city, you're in for a treat when you visit Brussels by car. Not only are the streets incredibly narrow, but there are little to no road markings. It's like running with the lemmings... you're all going somewhere, you have an idea of where, but most likely it's not going to end up the way you thought. Thankfully we have our trusty GPS. Not that she does a lot of good when a double Decker sightseeing bus is double parked in your lane, but she helps.

So we arrive at our hotel in the center of Brussels. A nice place with in walking distance to all the places you'd like to visit or take the tour bus to. We were able to comfortably walk around the city with a toddler and a stroller. http://www.eurostarshotels.com/en/hotels-in-belgium-bruxelles-eurostars-grand-place.html

The first stop on our afternoon walking tour was of the Grand Place. Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful squares in Belgium, I now could see why. The Hôtel de Ville is a now the town hall for the city of Brussels; it is absolutely beautiful, and you can read more about it here: http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-town_hall.htm

The Grand Place was bustling with activity, and a weekly market was just coming to a close. There were all kinds of unusual sights to behold- did you know that the Belgians walk their children on leashes? What a great place!

Over the next few days we gorged ourselves on waffles right off the iron, chocolate goodness on every corner, and the main staple we were here to get: BEER! If you love beer as much as we do, this is the place to be. Every cafe has a different taste, and you will never get tired of trying them all. That is unless your toddler starts wanting to have a beer party instead of a tea party... but I digress.

There is just about everything that you could want to try here. And lots of sights, here are a few that we visited: Palais de Justice, Bourse (Stock Exchange), Market Place, King's House, The Town Hall ( Hôtel de Ville), The Guild houses, The Royal Palace, The Royal residence, The Heysel with the Atomium, the St. Hubert gallery (has fantastic chocolate!), and of course Manneken Pis (adorned in his karate outfit). To read about where we've been, check out this web page: http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-buildingsandmonuments.htm

And now I'll leave you with a few parting shots!