2008 Travel Planning Begins!

So this year we are going to take advantage of living in central Europe. In April we are taking 3 days to go to Amsterdam. We'll be spending the last two weeks of May in Italy. In July we'll be spending 5 days in Paris and then we'll have Ben's sister, Sarah, staying with us for a week. And in August or September, my mom and aunt MB are coming to visit with a possible trip to Paris.

We initially had plans to go to Munich next weekend (it's a long weekend here) but we've decided to stick it out and brave Karneval here in Cologne. We figure we need to experience it at least once...if it's totally crazy we'll know to skip town next year.

So, we still need to find time for trips to Berlin and Munich. We want to go to Switzerland, but maybe we'll wait until the fall. Ben's cousin, Daniel, is moving to Geneva in July so perhaps we will wait until he's well settled in.

Aaahhh...too bad these darn jobs keep getting in the way...imagine how much we could see if we didn't have to go to work.

Yet Another Girlfriend

This is Carter and MaKenna. Kenna is yet another one of Carter's girlfriends. She's 6 months younger than him and the daugther of another American family here in Cologne. Carter and Kenna will be traveling to Italy together this May. Some may think taking a trip together this early in their relationship is unwise, fortunately they will have their parents as chaperones. I am rather concerned as to how he will break the news to his other girlfriend, Ava. She will clearly notice his absence from school for 2 weeks. I can only hope that he breaks the news to her gently and only after nap time.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5...Once I Caught a Fish Alive...

Check out this video of Carter singing (try not to laugh too hard at me leading him along)...

Here are the lyrics in case you couldn't follow along --

one, two, three, four, five, once I caught a fish alive,

six, seven, eight, nine, then, then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go? Because it bit my finger so,

Which finger did it bite? This little finger on my right.

Grandma Rose's 93rd Birthday

While we were home in the States, we went to Cincinnati to celebrate Grandma Rose's 93rd Birthday. All of her descendents (save one grandson) were there: 3 children, 6 (0f 7) grandchildren, and 3 (& 1/2) great-grandchildren. Including spouses, there were 16 of us in total. I think that this was the happiest that Grandma Rose has been since moving from Florida to Cinci.

Carter had a blast with his second cousin, Sophia. She's about 7 months younger but a good match for Carter. Carter was also highly interested in his other second cousin, Silas. For some unknown reason, Carter gave Silas the nickname "Pancake." In Carter's world, that is a huge compliment as he loves pancakes. We are hoping that it sticks.

While in Cinci, we also took a trip to the zoo. We saw "white" lions, a running rhino, a growling bengal tiger, and others. For pictures from the zoo and from the rest of the weekend in Cincinnati, click here.

Happy Birthday Grandma Rose! Here's to many more.