Favorite Book for School

After getting back to school, Archie had a dress-up day for class.  Each child picked their favorite character from a book and dressed up like them.  I helped Archie "pick" since I was making the costume.  He chose "Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam" a book about two robber dogs turned bakers.  So I made striped shirts for Archie and Sylvie (she wanted to dress up too).

Archie and his best friend Italo.

Back in his clothes on the school parade with their books.

The day of the dress-up, Archie didn't want to dress up.  So we took the shirts to school just in case.  He dressed up for about 10 minutes and then cried to take it off.  He also didn't like seeing everyone in costumes.  It was a rough morning for him but I did get a couple cute photos.  He still doesn't like to dress up or see people dress up. And since Halloween was coming, I was a little worried!

Last week away with the Grandparents

While I had a day at the pool with the kids, Campbell and his parents headed off to Munich.  Octoberfest was beginning and the city was full of people ready to celebrate.  

More time at the lake enjoying the park and good weather.

One of the typical German houses/hotels that we saw.  

Another typical house/hotel

View of the pastures and homes in the foothills of the Alps.

On one of our last days we happened upon a castle in a small town in the foothills.  

Back in Breda, we enjoyed some more time doing bike rides and playing with the kids before they left.

On our way to Belgium in the fields near our house.  The cows sometimes get in the way!

We had a great time away to some of our favorite places to go.  And we all enjoyed it. The kids still talk about their France/Blue House and their Germany House.  They talk about the cows and the tractors.  It was a special 5 weeks for Sylvie and Archie to spend with their Grandparents.  And it was special for us to spend time together.

Another week away in Germany

After a week in Alsace, we headed to the Bavaria region in southern Germany.  We stayed in a German Farm House.  House isn't quite the right description.  It is house that has several apartments in it as well as a home for the farmer and his extended family.  Plus it is also has a barn for the milk cows and hay loft for the feed.  The farmer can drive his tractor up into the hay loft!

The girls waiting to get milked when we arrived!

The afternoon we arrived, they were launching hot air balloons from the farmer's fields.  The light was beautiful and temperature perfect.  We enjoyed some German beer and the setting sun while the kids jumped on the trampoline.

Campbell, Margaret, & Jim

The kids LOVED seeing and hearing the cows everyday.  And they were able to see the tractor cutting the fresh grass for the cows.  It was a place well suited for us.  Lots of places to roam and play.

The area we were staying is in near Lake Chiemsee, Germany.  There are beautiful little towns all around it.  We went to many and enjoyed a flea market, ice cream, and playing in the parks.

Campbell and I spent an afternoon and evening out in Salzburg.  The weather was perfect and the city was really beautiful.  There is a large rock hill that the city is tucked in between and a river.  Although it was full of tourists, it was still a great city to see.  We enjoyed walking and seeing the buildings and castle on the hill above.  

One store we stopped in was entirely full of hand painted eggs.  There were thousands of them and for every holiday you could think of.  They were stunning.

The large plaza with the castle in the background

Cathedral bronze doors with a scene looking like Ophelia floating in the water.

Our German lunch and beer

View of the city from halfway up the hill

First castle gates.  We walked up to this point but decided not to go in.  It was late and we were ready for some schnitzel.

A beer before dinner

Dinner in the square.  

Another day and another balloon.  You can see Archie and me standing and watching.  The grass was that vibrant green.

One day we headed down to the mountains in Austria.  We found our way to a little restaurant in the foothills.  The food was very authentic....and heavy!  It went well with some German beer.

I will post more from the second half of the week next time.  Too many photos to put up at once!