Sunday, December 31, 2006

My amateur Artists





These are great pictures created by my amateur artists.

I think both of them could be really great if they could hone their skills.

We really try to encourage art and drawing to Skylar and will with Carter.

Jason did this quick sketch of Zowie this morning.

Skylar did this quick sketch of a Fairy with a flower.

Skylar did the sketch of "Mommy" on a napkin after breakfast at Ikea yesterday.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Nudity at the Gym




Much to my surprise when I joined my gym here back in September, I knew I would not take showers there but I did not know I would be getting a live peep show.

I am still not so comfortable with the lack of modesty here.

Nude ladies everywhere all shapes and all sizes.

I remember back home at the gym separate shower stalls, dressing rooms and ladies keeping themselves covered until they got to their shower.

Not here women walking stark naked to the shower room, coming out with their one towel wrapped around their heads.

Getting undressed at their lockers,a common area, down to nothing.

I know I am not some fuddy duddy but come on not everyone needs to see your busy.

I change my clothes as fast as I can and get out.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

My Night Out!

Last night was a Christmas party with the English speakers group. Jason stayed with the kids, but I got to go out.
Check out photos from the event here!

Driving Again...

in the parking lot, on a Sunday when everything is closed.

Its about as close as I will get until June.

Its not for a lack of wanting or such. I think some people over here look down on me for not getting my license. Its just that, coming from the state of Georgia, one is treated like they never drove before in their life.

You must take driving lessons (or else you will never pass), take a first aid class, take a written exam where you can only miss two or three questions, and then take a road test with the crazy German authorities. (Jason failed his first road test and he's proud that it only took him a second try!)

Some lucky states and provinces (like ALL of Canada), you don't have to do anything. Then in many other states, you just have to take the written test. I don't know many people here who had the misfortune of having to take the whole thing. Jason took about 60 hours to study and take lessons -- I just don't have that sort of time. Skylar and Carter come first!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

New Camera

[Guest Contribution by Jason]
Old Camera:


New Camera:


Duh, the photo of the new camera looks worse than the old one... but that's because the picture was taken by a third (not shown) camera that predates all of them (1 MegaPixel HP model).

Long story short, the first camera, Canon PowerShot A510 (3.2 MegaPixels) died after 8200 photos. Unfortunately that was accomplished in only 17 months! Oh well, that's what happens when you have cute kids (and move to Europe). The new camera is a Canon PowerShot A530 (5.0 MegaPixels).

Friday, November 24, 2006

Black Friday is....

just plain-old Friday here in lovely Deutschland.


Its so fustrating to watch this year's action from the sidelines... Wal*Mart, Target, even poor old Kohls would be a welcome sight to my sore eyes. Next year I will be at Wal*Mart at 4 a.m. in line with a box of Krispy Kremes and a QT coffee.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Strollers in Italy?

Remember my previous pondering about German strollers?
Well, on our recent visit to Italy, I saw a refreshing sight:
Normal strollers!!!!
Look at those wheels!!

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Halloween

So the Noble's favorite Holiday is approaching. Halloween
I can not wait for next Halloween. We are going to have such a blast. The kids will be old enough to really enjoy it as well. I will buy lots of new scary stuff.
This year as most of you may know we are going away to get our Halloween fix. We are going to Italy for Halloween to Gardaland. It is the largest amusement park in Italy. They dress up the park for the Holiday.
We are going to spend the weekend before Halloween there. Dress the kids up and hopefully have a spooky good time.
I am sure if you check out the kids Blog soon after our trip you will find some great photos and tales.
Enjoy. Happy Halloween

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Friends to Miss


In Germany I will miss the friends I have made. All of the great get togethers; breakfasts, dinners and parties. These people I have met have made this experience bearable, even enjoyable. I hope these people will be long time parts of my life. Yanti, Andrea, Karen, Heidi, Julia, Esther, Amanda just to name a few, Thank you to all.


Saturday, September 16, 2006

Crazy Euro Stuff I Don't Understand

"Amber Teething Necklace?"
Supposedly, the contact of Amber on skin soothes the infant.

"Closed Bottom Sleepers (in huge sizes)?"
OK, for infants its a safe alternative to blankets, especially to prevent SIDS, but.... these Sleepers in Germany come in sizes for 3, 4 and 5 year olds! How are the kids supposed to go to the bathroom?!?.


"Tummy Tub?"
Wash your baby in a bucket?

Sunday, August 20, 2006

The (only) Nine Things I Will Miss about Germany

[A special guest contribution by Jason]
(in no particular order)
  • The Erlangen Sharks - My Team for Life!
  • My Colleagues at Work - They make work fun.
  • Lots of Places to Visit - Germany is a central location in Europe to call home.

  • Hot Lunches at Work - Something good for 3 or 4 Euros a day.
  • Sundays are for Family - With everything closed, it makes Sunday a day to enjoy lazing around with your family.
  • Meat Sticks - Delicious!
  • Being Able to Bike to Work - No more 45 minute commute!
  • Breakfast Drinks - I have one every workday for breakfast.
  • Playmobil - For my kids to enjoy (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

Top Ten Products I Miss

[A special guest contribution by Jason]

10. Tidy Cats Cat Litter - In terms of clumping, dust and price, nothing comes close here in Germany.
9. JIF Peanut Butter - Luckily, we have this stuff bought for us at the PX (Thank you Andrea!).

8. Boca, Morningstar and Garden Burger Products - Soy, Soy, Soy!
7. AVEDA Skin Care Products (Aveda)

6. Freezoni Frozen Drinks from QuickTrip - Where else can you buy love for 79 cents!
5. Fluoride Rinse - The Europeans don't like Fluoride too much.

4. The Vegetarian Offering from Taco Bell - Bean Burritos, Soft Tacos, Nacho Cheese Dip -- Mmmmh. 3. Speciality Vegetarian Restaurants - like Harmony Vegetarian on Buford Highway.

2. The pleasure being able to shop at Kroger when ever I want!

1. Glazed Raspberry Filled Krispy Kreme Donuts - I ate nearly two dozen was I was back home in June.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

My New Eyewear


So for those of you who new me you know I love glasses. And if you did not know this I do and I now own nine pairs of them.
I wanted to get something really different for me and something really cool. So I went with a friend of our, she is German so she helped with any questions and she has good eyewear sense as well. The craziest thing about the whole experience was the cost for lens alone mine were the cheapest with glare coating at 36 Euros a lens(46.17 Dollars). I could not believe I could have gotten thin lens with everything on them for like 136 Euros a lens.
So anyways here are my new glasses and I think they are pretty dare European of me.

I Survived the Heat


So it has been awhile since my last post. It was actually to hot to sit at the computer long enough to write a post. But now all of that has changed.
I truly miss A/C (air conditioning). I felt as though I were in a third world country. I had never had a Summer in my life without A/C. I would go to bed sweating and wake up sweating. We had floor fans in every room and would move some from room to room depending on how hot it got.
I would definitely take the hot weather at home than have had two months of heat without A/C.
I am however not missing the weather at home now. It is now real Fall weather here the highs have now been in the mid to low 70's. Now that is my kind of weather.
So I can now say that I will miss the Fall and Winter weather here.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Enjoy

Enjoy!

This is not what I bargained for...

Here in Erlangen, Germany, July is supposed to be the hottest month. The average temperature is supposed to be 74 °F. This was going to be one good thing about living here -- escaping the hot summers.

Wrong! The average temperature has been 84 °F this month with multiple days in the 90s. Oh yeah, and that's without air conditioning!!! Give me 100 °F Atlanta summers any day in a house with the AC set for 72 °F.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Selena Gets with the Program... Sort of

So Selena decided she wanted a Kinder Fahrradanhänger to bike the kids around. They are very popular in Germany. In case you don't know what a Kinder Fahrradanhänger is, here's a few examples....



Well.... here's our new Fahrradanhänger. It even has a handy baby storage section!

[No, of course we would never go out like this!]

Sunday, July 02, 2006

My Trip Home (places and food)





So I have written in previous post about stores I miss and the Mall. Well, the mall was my first place I went to. It was great and I got a Starbucks there too. Two birds with one stone I would say. Then the next trip was to Target. That was great. I felt like I was really at home. I got a small drink (ice and free refills) and small popcorn for only $1.06, what a great deal. Than last but not least I made several trips to Wal-Mart and Kroger. Those places were equally satisfying and enjoyable.

I did some shopping but mostly stocking up on things to bring back. Things like muffin mix, macaroni and cheese, pacifiers and coffee creamer. Just to name a few items.

Being able to go to these places was great. Being able to go to these places seven days a week and until nine o'clock at least was the best.

So food and drinks the next thing I missed. I had doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, Drinks with a lot of ice from Quicktrip, coffee drinks from Starbucks, bean tacos from Taco Bell, Pizza from Pizza Hut and Papa John's and Chinese from P.F. Chang's. I was full and happy.

My Trip Home (Family)




So recently I was able to see, do and hear the things I miss. I had a great trip home back to Georgia.
The best was not too much had changed since February when we last were there. Life however had gone on without me. I think that is something I really miss. Life is going on with out me; I wish I had a pause button for everything back home. I am glad that my friends and family are pretty set in their ways so that no one makes huge changes in their lives.

The hardest part is the change on my side. The children growing and miss out on their family and friends of the family. Carter (my son) will not really know who anyone is by the time we return. Oh sure we will show him pictures and talk have baby calls on the phone, but nothing is the same as seeing the real people. I mean he want be held or played with by anyone back home until he is about 18 months of age. That makes me truly sad. Everyone misses him talking, laughing, crawling and walking. I know everyone will want to make up for lost time when we return for good. He will get to know everyone really well and fast.

So everybody give yourselves a hug and hug the ones you love. Mom, you know you and Morgan have to come in April.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Smoking.... ???


I miss the ability to go into a restaurant, mall or even walking down the street and being able to breath air that is not polluted with Zigarette (cigarette) smoke. Everywhere you go here many people are smoking. It isn't just outside it is inside. I can barely remember when you could smoke in the mall, but here it is excepted anywhere. There is even a smoking area in McDonald's. In the airports there are areas usually by the toilets that people just stand around smoking out in the open. There are vending machines everywhere on the street (you can pay with debit card!) and for sale at every checkout in the supermarkets.

I know how in the States everyone thinks it has gone a little over board but I think not. Yes, I know it has been outlawed in different bars and even outside areas but at least there is a choice for the most part. Here there is no choice. You have to just suck it up , literally. I mean Skylar had no idea what a Zigarette was until she saw someone here smoking. She said "Mommy, what is that lady doing?".

Have you ever seen a person smoking a Zigarette while riding a bicycle? I see it almost every day! I got to take a picture of that!

Friday, May 26, 2006

Starbucks



My first Starbucks abroad. It was great. I have not had one since I was home in February. I miss having one of these every so often. It was definitely something I miss and a little bit of comfort for me.

This was in Nurnberg May 21st. Then believe it or not I had another Starbucks treat just yesterday in Munich. I will be having many before I leave during this upcoming visit home.