Thursday, December 31

Brenna's new costume from Santa above - can you tell how excited she was??? She stripped off her PJ's to put it on as soon as all the gifts were opened! I loved the picture of my mom and I below - loved Brenna's tongue too, lol!

Joy has much better pictures of our day spent together (if you get time Joy, can you email them too me? I will send you mine after we get back to Germany ;-), but this was one of my cheesy arm extension photos - I love that the girls are both looking at each other, lol (or maybe Kora is really looking at her mom as Joy said, lol!).

I thought this was a pretty nice picture of Rusty and Brenna (he bought her the adorable red dress for Christmas - isn't it pretty?? Brenna and I loved it :-)

Another of my favorite pictures with Rusty, Margee, and Brenna :-)

Hello All!!!

Hope all is well out there! Things are going well here (and the days are all flying by - how are we at the last day of 2009 already??). We were finally able to pick up the rest of the pottery that Brenna painted yesterday (btw - the pottery was made in Celina, OH at the Potter House there - they have a really good selection and decent prices, but make friends with someone in the area who can help you pick up the stuff, lol - oh, and take a picture of your finished stuff so that you can have someone else help pick up the pieces too!).

I'm sure I am missing lots of story opportunities with my sporadic posts here lately - hope everyone is having a nice holiday season! Happy New Year!!!

Take Care!

Tuesday, December 29

Just a few pictures from Christmas to share. I love the picture above of our family - especially the Little Mermaid costume on Brenna with the yellow lei (funny - this lei was in the pictures I took last year only it was on Alexis then, lol!!). How funny is the picture below??? It just makes me smile and laugh - thanks for participating with Brenna, Grandma and Uncle Steven!

I thought this picture of Dustin and I was pretty good for an arm shot - I will have to make a book of these soon (I have probably enough to fill 2 books by now!)

Hello All!!!

Hope all is well out there! We have had a great time with Christmas here (and been keeping very busy too!).

Dustin had a smooth flight in on the 23rd. He even was upgraded this time! We are so glad to all be back together just in time for Christmas. On the 24th, we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas eve service where Dustin's Grandma participated in the choir. Brenna did pretty well and really enjoyed playing with Katie during the service. After church, we came back and put out our cookies and milk for Santa (and then off to bed for Brenna). When we woke up in the morning, we all had wonderful gifts from Santa. Santa brought a really cute Dallas Cowboy uniform for Brenna - I will try to share that picture soon! We enjoyed a really nice Christmas party for lunch (except for Brenna's potty issues - who designed these seats that have the giant opening, they obviously did not have little bottoms!!) and played cards after. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful party and the gifts this year!

The day after Christmas, we got back on the road to my parents for Christmas over here. I didn't get all the ornaments done that I had wanted to - maybe I will work on some this week, who knows!! On Sunday, we had a fun holiday party for my family - Brenna was a little reserved with her playing, but I think that she has been way off her schedule lately too. Hopefully, next year all the cousins will play even better with each other :-) I really enjoyed playing with the kids this year - I think my niece Ally liked playing with me this year more than last time :-) Thanks Eric and Karen for hosting our gathering - it was wonderful!

We went out and made snow angels in the snow today! Brenna loved it and came inside soaking wet! Hopefully, we will have some snowman making snow before we go back to Germany - Brenna is really hoping to make one!

Well, belated Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

Monday, December 21

Hello All!!!!

We are keeping busy, busy, busy here :-) (so busy in fact that I started this post on Saturday and am hoping that I can actually finish it and get it posted today!). I am behind on posting a birthday wish - Happy belated birthday to Dustin's Grandma Carpenter - it was great seeing you on Saturday! Brenna loves the balloons you gave her to bring home (although I think she may be a little confused on who's party it was now since she got the balloons, lol!).

Last week we went up to my old workplace - it was great seeing everyone! I can't believe how shy Brenna was while we were there - she was so much energy the rest of the day (although who can blame her since our next stop had another 3 year old to play with). Traci and Annie - thank again for bring Dani in - she is such a cutie! After our stop in Ashland, we drove over to see our friend Joy and Kora. Brenna loved visiting there and Joy had wonderful food for us and a great activity for the 3 year olds :-) Joy - you are the best at coming up with great activities for kids - I am going to have to get more ideas from you when we are back in Germany :-) Thanks so much for the wonderful Christmas gifts too - we love them! Brenna had a chance to decorate a "cake" (it was perfect for Brenna - only icing and other decorations!) - we even had a chance to use it as a birthday cake for our new friend Charlie :-) (sorry, you will have to wait on pictures - I am behind even looking at anything we have taken so far). On Friday, we joined Dustin's mom for exercise class at her workplace - Brenna was very shy during class, but after when M.E. let her paint and then there was candy to be found she was her normal self, lol!

On Saturday, we went to Dustin's Grandma's birthday party - I forgot my camera, so I'm really hoping that everyone else that took pictures will share some soon ;0) Yesterday, M.E. and I went shopping without Brenna - thanks to Papa for holding down the fort here at home!

Brenna is really looking forward to Daddy coming - thank goodness he flies in on Wednesday!

Well, I think that covers some highlights. We are going to do some baking today and maybe venture out to the store for some last Christmas gifts at some point.

Take Care!

Tuesday, December 15

Hello All!!!

Hope all is well out there! Things are going well here and I think we are almost time adjusted now (although seems like Brenna is starting on a cold today - yuck!).

My mom and Brenna decorated the Christmas tree here yesterday - Brenna had lots of fun with decorating - we used all the new felt ornaments that we made since Brenna and I came back. Now, we all just need to figure out how to guard the tree against the crazy cat Louie here - he is into everything (he sure fits the description of curiosity killed the cat - wonder how many lives he has already used up??). Louie is not a great cat with all my projects - he keeps trying to lay all over my new fabric and coats here. I am learning quickly to put all my stuff behind closed doors that I don't want him in!

My skirts are all almost done (well the 3 that we started, lol!) except for ironing and some hand sewing on the inside :-) Thanks for all your wonderful help mom - your the best!! I will have to share some pictures after we get back to Germany - a new fashion show of mom attire :-)

We went out today to pick up some of Brenna's Christmas gifts that she made - only half were done, but at least they were the ones we needed for leaving tomorrow :-) I'm not doing very well getting my Christmas cards mailed out - please don't be offended when I just hand them out!

Brenna fell in love with a pair of pink jelly shoes today (they were on sale for a $1 at Wal-Mart) - she put them on as soon as we came in the house today and hasn't taken them off! I think they may be a new favorite shoe for the house (at least for the winter, lol). I thought maybe I could leave them here for next summer, but I think she will probably discover pretty quickly if I try to leave them behind.

Well, I need to work on some more Christmas gifts! I have been slacking there (and working on my own projects too much).

Take Care!

Sunday, December 13

Hello All!!!

Hope all is well out there! We have been keeping busy here. We painted wooden yo-yo's and wooden eggs yesterday. Brenna loves anything that she can just free paint on - she has a nice color mix on hers :-) I made a ladybug yo-yo - can't wait to see how it looks finished :-) I also started what will be a Santa egg- he may take some work, lol!!!

I also have started some other projects with fabric that was here at my mom's (o.k., not all of it was here - I have a fabric problem - but I am using the fabric!!!). Of course, I have spoiled Brenna enough that when she sees that I have something new that I made, she wants to know where hers is! Brenna wanted to know where her "scarf" was last night when I was trying on my skirts (she actually meant skirt - when I asked if she would like one, she said yes, a pink one! (None of my colors that I have made are pink though, lol - I may make her a matching one to mine - uh, oh!!).

Well, I think that covers some of our highlights!
Take Care!

Friday, December 11

Hello All!!!

Hope everyone is doing well out there! We are doing well here and slowly getting time adjusted. We took our first day long road trip here yesterday - went to Medina to get my hair cut and then up to my sewing store in Akron (I actually spent less over all at the sewing stores for the embroidery supplies I needed than I expected :-) Brenna did well, but she does remember the toilets here and is not happy about them. We had some tears with it yesterday - although not necessarily all about the potty - I am trying all kinds of bribes with it. Lucky for us yesterday, the person at the drive thru at BK took pity on us and gave us a free toy even though we had not ordered a kid's meal :-) (thank you for your kindness - it made Brenna's day - and in a Sponge Bob bag.)

On Wednesday, we went and had a pottery day - Brenna loved getting to do whatever she wanted on the pottery (and it took everything I had not to put more paint on them, lol). She was a little disappointed not to get to bring them home with us, but a cookie made it all better and by the time we left, she wasn't even really thinking about it. It was very windy here yesterday and the day before - I nearly lost my hat on Wednesday (hmm - more of the crazy lady chasing stuff rolling down the street, this time my favorite hat and with my daughter in my arms - I'm sensing a pattern here, lol). Can't wait to see the final products on those.

Well, I think that is some of our highlights lately. Brenna is enjoying her time here and looking forward to seeing all of her family while we are here (although she is missing daddy, but she is aware that he is missing her too).

Take Care!

Tuesday, December 8

Hello All!!

Brenna and I made it to the US very uneventfully :0)

Brenna did great on the plane - her only complaint was when the announcements interrupted the TV programs (she loved the headphones from the plane and wore them for the whole trip - I was impressed when she willingly gave them back at the end of the journey). She took a good nap on the plane and did well with the bathrooms (although I don't know that she is going to be willing to use the public potties here in the US after last August - cross your fingers for us there!). We didn't even get her ipod videos out - we watched G-Force, Up (which was much better for her age and she liked all the ballons way more - and the talking dog), and other available cartoons. Brenna also played with her stickers that I had stashed away - what a good idea for the trip with plain paper. The flight attendent even said how well she did on the trip :-) I think I was more impatient to get to our final destination then Brenna was!! We have found that Mentos (the fruit ones) are great for ear popping candy on the plane (we found this out on our trip to London) - Brenna loves them and we went through lots, lol. I was surprised she wasn't interested in the Pez on the plane - just the mentos, lol!!

Well, I think that is it so far - we woke up early today (before 5), so hopefully, we will get on a better schedule soon!
Take Care!

Monday, December 7

They had several decorated houses for the kids to put frosting on Christmas cookies in Dresden - Brenna loved it (too bad that the only thing edible on those cookies was the frosting - the rest was too hard to eat!)

(there were four houses to choose from for the Cookie decorating - this is the one that Brenna picked (although when she came out, she was ready to go into the other ones!)

Dustin in the wheel for the merry-go-round for Brenna. I don't think he was too thrilled with the task, lol!

Brenna waving to Daddy in the wheel!

Brenna showing off her Pez dispenser (it is Gary the snail from Sponge Bob)

My new bag - isn't it cute???

Hello All!!!

Well, it is our flying day :-) (I can't believe that I am still feeling unprepared this morning - I need to pull myself together very shortly!!!).

I am going to let our pictures this morning do all our talking, lol (there are quite a few!). Hope everyone has a great day (including Brenna and me and everyone else on our flight today!)

Take Care!

Sunday, December 6

We celebrated our family Christmas here on Saturday (better than bringing stuff to the US and then bringing it all back here for stuff that we bought in Germany). Brenna was very happy with her new beloved dog (hmm, does he remind you of anyone else in our family, lol). She decided to name him Spike!

Above, Brenna's new yoga bag (I love this fabric - not sure why because I am not normally into such big prints, but I just think it is really pretty). Below, the last recipe holder (for Brenna's teachers at school :-)

Brenna with all her new stuff :-)

hmm, looks like she loves her new dog!

She was so excited about all of the gifts - it was a great Christmas morning here :-)

(Above, new magnets, below new glitter paint)

picks of the dog in his "wrapping" (i.e. - Brenna's new laundry bag)

eye test here: butterfly here, snail in the next one (they circle the middle part of Brenna's laundry bag)

Hello All!!!

Before I forget in this post today - I want to send a birthday wish out to my niece Ally - hope you have a great day! Happy Birthday!!!

So, what have we been doing. I am still busy with Christmas gifts/crafts here - I can't seem to stop myself! I made two new purses and a new yoga bag for Brenna in the last two days, lol!! We celebrated Christmas here on Saturday morning - I am going to share those pictures today and then pictures of Dresden tomorrow morning before we leave for the airport. Dustin stayed home from work on Friday (I think I put that in Friday's post) and was still feeling pretty bad yesterday so we stayed in on Saturday (which was good for Brenna - she really loved getting a chance to play with all her new stuff). Today, we went to France to one of the Christmas markets (Strasbourg - it was really crowded) and also made a quick stop at the one in our town too. I am almost finished with packing - I am just not ambitious for that right now (I know Dustin may be annoyed with me, but I may wake up and finish that in the morning).

Well, even though I am sure there is more to say about Brenna's Christmas gifts (and our weekend), I am calling it a night!

Take Care!

Friday, December 4

o.k. - so, some trip pictures up finally - these are all from Prague. I decided to break the pictures up into two postings since I have so many, lol! Dustin took the top picture - I love the way he has it all framed up :-) Below a wood carving at the Christmas market in Prague on the old town square. I love how my coat photographs - our tour guide even commented on how much she liked my coat :-)

(the castle guard was in the background - too bad they blocked him out entirely - but isn't Brenna's smile great!)

This monument is designed to be like the Eifel tower - they made it so it is 2 inches taller in elevation though (this was as close to it as we got from the Castle).

I don't remember who this statue was of (I think either Charles or Wenceslas (our tour guide would be so disappointed that I don't know as she did a really good job pointing everything out to us)). I do know that the statue was right by the Charles bridge.

I thought these tree decorations were pretty - there were at the market in Prague that is always there.

They had lots of these souveniors in the more tourist areas of Prague - they are pretty, but we should had to watch Brenna around them.

I thought I was only going to get more of this type of face the whole day, but she had some really good moments playing with Daddy. I think Brenna really enjoyed our walking tour of Prague (or maybe she just enjoyed all the Pez???)

Some views from the clock tower in Old Town in Prague

One of the food stands in the Christmas market - I really wanted to try one of these, but we ran out of time.

Charles Bridge

Prague Castle (I can't believe this, but this was the very first picture I took in Prague and I actually liked it enough to post it, lol. Normally, it takes more shots for me than that!) This was basically the view from the front of our hotel - way to go Dustin!

Hello All!!!

Hope all is well out there. Dustin has a horrible head cold here - couldn't believe that he actually stayed home from work and spent most of the day in bed! Poor guy - hope he recovers soon - we plan to celebrate Christmas here tomorrow morning for Brenna. Our table is full of gifts for her (mostly her anyway). The much anticipated dog is "sleeping" on the landing we have - I really hope she is as excited to own that dog as she has been talking about it and visiting it at the store :-)

I have been busy working on crafts here. I finished the last needed recipe card holder for Brenna's teachers yesterday. Brenna was very excited to give it to them (I really debated about putting name tags on - guess I should have went for without because she just wanted to hand them out to them). Hopefully, they will like them - something that seemed a little different than the ordinary anyways. Today, I made a yoga bag cover for Brenna's yoga mat (they were originally both supposed to be for Christmas, but I think everyone knows that I blew that one on the mat, lol). I don't know how surprised she will be on that one, but it turned out really, really nice (I want one!! Renee - the pattern is really easy - you may want to just use muslin as the lining (I can give you some of mine if you want when I get there) - you don't see it at all with the Amy Butler pattern). I used an Amy Butler home dec fabric - oh so nice - I used all of the 1 meter that I had first on the yoga bag and now a small purse pattern. I mentioned to Dustin that I would like more of that fabric - he just rolled his eyes, hmmm - wonder why, lol!! (and he hasn't even seen all the fabric I ordered online that is waiting for me at my parents' house - don't worry fabric - I will be there soon, lol!!!)

Well, I decided to just post my Prague pictures today - so many pictures from our trip again! Hopefully, I will be able to get our Dresden pictures up before Brenna and I leave on Monday. My days are going so fast with all my projects going on! Guess it is good to be busy!

Well, I need to get ready for bed - wonder if Brenna will wake up early tomorrow or not???

Take Care!