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Thursday, October 30, 2008

When I Dream, I Dream Big


Here's how it happened ...

Wheels started turning New Year's Day 2008. Our European excursion has been in the works since then. I woke up that morning fixed to go to Europe within the year -- it was my New Year's resolution you could say. I had a dream the night before that this was the year. I told Mike about the dream and he kindly humored me and went along with it. :)

As chance would have it, a few days later I ran into a friend from church at the mall (this was in Oregon.) I was talking to my friend, Barb, and she told me that she and her husband (the bishop of our church's congregation) were heading to Europe soon. "Europe? We're going to Europe this year, too!" I told her. I figured if I talked about it with confidence, as if it were going to happen, that it would indeed come to pass. (Positive thinking.) :) After a few more minutes of chatting with Barb, telling her that Mike and I wanted to visit Germany, France, and Switzerland, Barb suggested that we stay with her son and daughter-in-law in Germany and use their home as a base for our touring adventures. "Really?" I asked. "Well, you should probably run it by them first to make sure it's okay." So she did, and it was a go.

Barb's daughter-in-law, Kristine, and I started communicating by e-mail and she was very gracious about opening their home to us for five nights. (We stayed at B&B's two nights.) I thought this was especially gracious considering they didn't know us. So in the end, everything totally worked out and I can check my New Year's resolution off this year. How many people can actually say that? I know this is probably one of the very few times I've actually fulfilled my New Year's resolution. I'm a total believer now! :) I saw a part of the world that I have longed to see for a very long time. It was beautiful, it was interesting, I loved it. I loved experiencing -- even if only for a short time -- a totally new culture, new languages, and new surroundings. I am especially grateful to Steve and Kristine for opening their lovely home and for allowing us to stay with them. We enjoyed getting to know them and their two sweet boys. They are wonderful people -- obviously! Oh, and as if Steve and Kristine didn't do enough for us, they insisted we use one of their cars during our stay. That, along with their GPS, was a huge help!!


McLean Family
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The actual trip ...

So we departed October 20 for eight glorious days in Europe, making day trips to France; Switzerland; and cities, villages, and towns in Germany. I've never seen anything so beautiful as Europe in the fall. It was lovely, picturesque, and totally memorable. I loved all the quaint little towns and villages we saw. Stuttgart (where our hosts live) is perfectly situated for visiting nearby countries, so it worked out perfectly.

We spent our first night near Wiesbaden, Germany, after spending a wonderful afternoon with a dear friend/my former boss from BYU. She happened to be in Germany at the same time -- talk about great timing! I loved seeing Melody and her two beautiful children.


Here's a shot of Melody, me, and her two kids in Wiesbaden. I love how our outfits blend in with the background. :)

Among our favorite stops on the trip were Rothenburg, Germany, a darling Christmas town where it feels like Christmas everyday, and Bavaria, Germany, home of Cinderella's Castle.




Rothenburg - I love the flower boxes in the windows!

As for Bavaria, in the southern part of the country, I've never seen anything quite like it. Truly a magical place! Just the drive alone was totally scenic and breathtaking. And yes, we took a carriage ride up to the castle. I felt like I was in a storybook! :)


Here's the castle! Also known as Neuschwanstein Castle.


Here we are!


We toured the castle. The view from inside was unreal! (Sorry, we weren't allowed to take pictures of the interior of the castle. We were only permitted to hang out the window and take pictures of the outside!)


Another view. Isn't it gorgeous?


The castle grounds. Wouldn't be too bad living there!

We also spent a day in Munich - a very cool city where, if I had unlimited funds, I would do some serious shopping. Definitely the best window shopping I've experienced! I loved seeing the European trends and styles. I was surprised by how many people in Germany spoke English. Apparently those who are educated in the country speak some English.

France was neat -- I loved that the city we were in (Strasbourg) had a river running down the middle of it. We enjoyed yummy sorbet and a crepe for dessert that night.


Strasbourg, France


Aww! :)

And Switzerland was just too beautiful for words. We were able to see Rhein Falls, kind of a miniature Niagara Falls, but extremely impressive and stunning in its own right. We especially loved the pastries we enjoyed at a Swiss bakery. :)






Rhein Falls, Switzerland

It was a great trip! We loved our adventure. It almost seems like a dream now. It started as a dream and ended as a dream, bringing us full circle. :-) Mike, I promise next year's New Year's resolution won't be quite so grandiose -- it'll be something like get in better shape -- something a little less expensive. . ;) Thanks for humoring me and for helping make my dream become a beautiful reality. I'm so glad I could share it with you!

We loved our trip and feel very grateful and fortunate to have seen such a magnificent part of the world.

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Sweet reunion ...

One of the great things about having kids is that it makes it a little easier to return home. :) We were so excited to see Aaron again. He looked so different, so big! Mike's mom graciously watched him for us while we were away -- that way we were able to take in more on the trip. She took him to get his first haircut at a barbershop. She said he did great! She said by the end of the haircut he actually seemed to be enjoying it. Thank you so much, Dianne, for watching him. A priceless gift. :)

*These are just a few picts from the trip. I'll add more soon! Just wanted to get some up.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Off to Germany!



We leave for Germany in a few days where we'll see the beautiful sites of the country, including Cinderella's Castle (pictured above). We'll make our way to the entrance of this stunning fortress via carriage ride! Does it get any more romantic???

Check back in a couple weeks for pics of our adventure!

p.s. Happy birthday to my brother, David, today!! You are a prince in your own right. :)

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Hair Of Years' Past


1964


1972


1974


1978


1982


1994

You gotta love the hairdos!!! ;) I couldn't help it; I had to join in the fun. I always wondered what it'd be like to live in certain eras ... now at least I know what I'd look like! (Scary.) Ever wonder what you'd look like in a previous decade? Well, find out. Visit this site and upload a photo of yourself ... or of someone you love. :) Let me know if you have a favorite look/year. :) I love the 1964 secretary look!! The natural texture of my hair isn't far from the 1994 look, so it wouldn't take much to create that do. Guess I'm forever a 90s girl (minus the bangs). :)

Thanks, Laura, for sharing the fun link!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

The Face Of A One-Year-Old

Here's our birthday boy at his favorite spot: perched at his bedroom window. He likes to look outside and see what's going on. He often points at things, looks at me, and starts "talking," as if he wants to have a conversation about what he sees. I wish I knew what he was trying to say! For now I'll just have to use my imagination!
p.s. Don't mind the outfit! ;)

Can you believe he's one? I can't! Yes, little Aaron turned one today! My good friend, Stephanie, who also has a one-year-old, recently commented on her blog that if she could relive the past year, she would. I feel the EXACT same way. The past year has been amazing. I thought I would note some of Aaron's little characteristics and favorites. These are, of course, from my observation and experience. He could have totally different ideas!

Favorite foods:
He loves it all, but I'd have to say watermelon, marshmallows, Cheerios, and bananas. He also loves his tri-vitamin drops. Good thing! ;)
Favorite things to do: Take baths, go for walks, look through books (that are usually upside-down,) push the stroller around the house, and pretend like he's sweeping or mopping (he's obsessed with both the broom and the Swiffer ) -- I only hope this obsession lasts! Oh, and how could I forget his obsession with phones (real and fake ... he doesn't discriminate.)
Trademark: Giving hugs and big, open kisses. He also hums as he eats food he enjoys.
Favorite words to say (or probably the only words he can say!): "Daddy" and "yeah"
Favorite time of day: When daddy comes home:)
Favorite skills: Clapping, doing his little dance (still does it!), learning to walk -- he's gaining more confidence!, waving bye-bye, and pointing.
Favorite people to visit: All the grandparents -- he lights up each time he sees them.
Favorite music: Any! We dance all the time. He loves it! :)
Favorite game he LOVES to play: Peek-a-boo. Now he likes to participate by "hiding."
Latest discovery: Shaking things -- tables, chairs, objects, etc.
Things I love about my boy: He's very quick to smile and laugh, and his eyes squint when he does. Sometimes I think he's laughing just to make me feel good. :) He often laughs when I put his shoes on; it must tickle because I can't think of anything comical about it! He's also very friendly with people in public and is quick to smile and wave. And he gives the sweetest hugs
-- I just adore them! There's nothing better. :)
Sleeping habits (this one's indisputable!): He's down to two solid naps a day and has slept well the past couple of nights. We're hoping this continues!
Things he'll do if you're not watching: Pour the entire container of food onto his tray and proceed to pick at it, pull all the clothes out of the drawer and put some on his head, pick up the phone and call 911. :)

Like I said ... I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat! It's been so much fun. We love this sweet, friendly, happy little boy and feel incredibly blessed and happy to have him in our home.

Happy birthday, Aaron!!! We're celebrating pretty low-key this year ... next year we'll party it up when he knows better what's going on. :)