Easter

This is what Easter is supposed to look like.

NOT LIKE THIS.

EASTER

NOT EASTER.

EASTER

NOT EASTER.

YES

 NO.

GOT IT.

GOOD!

At least we still had a lot of fun on our snowy Easter weekend. 

Spring Break

Calling this week Spring break really isn't fair, 

it more accurately should be called Snow/Rain/ Freezing Weather break

but that's just my opinion... 

Our journey this trip was north. 

Probably our first mistake if we were looking for sun.

But we needed to visit Ramstein AFB for some routine Dr.'s appointments

and to stock up on American food and supplies anyways,

so why not tie it into our break so we could see

 some new sights along the way. 

Our first night we stayed in Linz Austria. 

We scored with a hotel right on the main square, I just wish we had been 

there a day earlier so we could have attended the

Easter Market going on.

Linz was quaint and beautiful and a perfect first stop.

Our Hotel
and a side note, Mack decided that this trip it would be fun to try not to actively participate in any pictures.
We told him he would regret it someday because we were going to be taking them anyways.
Only time will tell. :)
sheesh Kids!

In Linz there was a Fairy Tale park that brought the most popular German Fairy Tales to life.
It was interesting to say the least. Our discovery was that German Fairy Tales are a lot more violent
then the ones we grew up on.
So it prompted us to ask our kids if maybe they were actually German. 

The Train ride introducing the Fairy Tales.

We saw lots of friends who were stationed in Germany, some
we planned on seeing and others we just happened to run into
not knowing they lived there.
That was really wild and unexpected.

We were neighbors back in Pilot Training
12 years ago, it was so fun to meet her kids and
see her again

A day in Trier was recommended to us by a lot of people, and for good reason.  It's an old Roman city and is the oldest city in Germany. We are standing in front of the Porta Nigra the entrance to the old Roman city. 

My kids loved this "magician"  sitting in thin air. The best part of this picture is the lady's face in the
back. She looks so disgusted and appalled by this sight.

Trier's town square

Inside one of the Cathedrals they claim to have the robe Christ was Crucified in and periodically it is on display.
We were hoping being the week after Easter this would be one of those times.
Sadly, it wasn't.

Cemetery's in Europe are just cool.
This is one where lots of Saints and church officials were buried. 

Also in Trier are some Roman Bath ruins. This place was a hit for the boys, they loved running and climbing through all the tunnels underneath.

Another day Trip was to Heidelberg with some friends from South Dakota who are also stationed at Ramstein. My boys love babies especially this little cutie.

The castle in Heidelberg had so much beautiful architecture.

These two were only born days apart in SD and when she was less then a year old they moved.
It was great watching them reunite and interact.

On our way out of Germany we stopped here knowing the boys would love this part most of all.
Which they did! 

Callan was so brave and wanted to do any ride he saw. The joy of having older siblings to follow.
Even if we had to make his hat a little taller to help him qualify for the rides.

Cam was totally into his solo ride on the safari.

Flying NINJAGO!! By the end of the day we convinced Creed he could do it too.
He did great conquering a lot of fears and doing all the rides.

Creed receiving The Force from Master Yoda.
This kid cracks us up.

Our last day we stopped in Munich and went to the Dachau Concentration camp.
This is a conversation we have had to have a few times based on living here.
Our kids here a lot about the Hungarian Jews and Hitler and we try to be careful
while explaining these events to keep the balance of respect and history without too many
horrifying pictures or graphics that their little minds can't comprehend just yet.

This is the gate that too many innocent lives walked through and never came back out.

Someone had placed this sentiment near one of the memorials

horrifying isn't it.
When allied forces arrived -despite the fact the crematorium was being run day and night- they still found rooms filled
with heaps of bodies piled in them. 

 As usual, we packed a lot of sights into a few days, but that is the only way we are going to get all the things crossed off our bucket list before we leave.

So till next time...

Crack pottery...

What do you get when you cross 1 Korean, 1 Hungarian, 1 German and 4 Americans???

(and No, this isn't the beginning of a bad joke where they are walking into a bar...)

The Answer.

An 8 hour car trip through 4 different countries to buy Polish Pottery. 

Who knew pottery could bring so many nations together? :)

Some of us, I won't name names {**cough, cough**...Heidi}

Have done this 11 TIMES!! 11!!

While some others were on their 2nd and 4th trips! {Meeja, Christiana and Sacia}

The rest of us were pottery newbies and amazed by the whole phenomenon.

Being a military spouse for as long as I have been, I knew this

stuff was around and for a lot of my comrades it has been as addictive as crack.

Don't believe me?

every store or factory we went into was swarming with 

American military wives from the numerous bases and posts

throughout Germany.  

They literally come by the bus loads. 

We specifically went on a week day to avoid the craziness.

As we were driving out Saturday morning we passed the buses coming in.

It's really an American thing. 

Every European I have talked to about this seems to have no idea 

what it is. Even a lot of the Poles. 

Weird! 

 I have seen an enormous amount of it over the years. But never really jumped on board 

with the whole idea of it. I told myself I would never buy any unless

I had the opportunity to get it the way it was meant to be acquired.

By actually going to the little village of Boleslawiec and getting to take in the whole experience.

{who knew it would actually ever happen, and I would like the stuff??} 

So I feel like I can officially carry my military ID card with pride.

I have gone and conquered and spent my small fortune on Polish pottery.  

our whole group...see Holly's sweet Tisza mustard and black bag on the end. It's Hungarian retro from communist days and I felt like you all should know this brand exists because its cool and you can only get it in Hungary.
You're welcome.

this little village is full of these cute little ceramic statues posted on street corners and roundabout circles.

The shops are small and filled to the brim and no two shops are the same. We only went to 8 different places and I dare say that wasn't even half of them. By the end you can't remember which pattern you saw and where. 

our hotel restaurant had a cozy swing in front of the fireplace that Holly and I enjoyed.

This was restaurant is THE PLACE to eat while there. Seriously, I think it was the only place...I didn't see any thing else.
Isn't it cute though.

The weird rabbit statue out in front, I am sure it has some sort of meaning

The pottery is all painted by hand by people  like these. Can you believe it? I just walked into a shop and in one corner is pottery and the next corner is the workshop.

My roomies, Agi and Holly! We might have had a little too much fun our first night and regretted it a little
for our 6:30 wake up call. Pottery shopping is serious business. Shops open early and close by 3 or 4,
no rest for us.

Agi was just slightly cold... 

This is just one of our two cars packed to the brim.

All my little pretties!

I think I may need some more......

35 Seriously?!?

Just like last year and the year before and the year before that and that and that...

I had a birthday.

My 35th to be exact, its all down hill to 40 from here. 

WIERD.

For the sake of posterity and documentation here are 

highlights.

The gifts and cake from my family.

A gift of true yumminess and joy came in the mail from my thoughtful dear friend who I have known since diapers.
MY MOST FAVORITE chocolates EVER!

I am trying to figure out a way to smuggle these candles back with me to the states.
I know they won't make it in my luggage and I am pretty sure I can't ship them
but man oh man, these candles are awesome.
 Look at Callan's face.

My fellow Budapest gals showing me some extra love for the big day.