12/24/10

few days worth and Christmas Eve

Daddy & K playing TicTacToe at Restaurant
 Tuesday- Funny that cooking has become a big part of our transition.  Even Jason came home from the butcher the other night claiming he had bought some really nice pork chops.  After I cooked them, we figured out they were cured ham chops.  They were DE-licous!  Tuesday night we decided to take the kids to an Italian restaurant for dinner (It gave me a break from having to use my translator for directions on packages while cooking ).We arrived at the restaurant at 6:30 and were the only customers.  By the time we left (at 8:00) customers were pouring in and it was packed.  I guess it is going to take us a while to convert to the later dinners and evenings.  Our house is still asleep by 9:30 or 10:00. ...when the rest of Europe is eating dessert. 

Grandma & Pops getting off 'bullet train"
  Grandma and Pops arrived from Oregon Wednesday.  With all of the flight problems here in Europe, they were very lucky to make it into Stuttgart (even though their bags have yet to arrive)  Their journey included taking a flight from Oregon, Seattle, Amsterdam to Frankfurt, then a train to Stuttgart.  Little did they know they weren't finished yet... The the kids and I met them at the main train station, Hauptbahnhof, to take the subway home to our house and then walk for blocks in the melting snow (yes they brought warm weather 36 degrees with them) To help their jetlag,  We took them to the Esslingen Christmas Market.  The kids have been so excited to have family here. I have to agree, it has been a tad lonely without our family and close friends during the holidays.  For us, that has always been what the holidays are about.  However, we are and will continue to  make new traditions during this chapter of our lives.
Eating at the Market

Yummy food at market

 

Thursday, Pops and Jason spent much of the morning tracking down their luggage.  The snow is supposed to begin again, and all of their snow gear, presents, etc. is in the luggage.  We decided to take a break from the circle of mass confusion in regards to the Amsterdam and Frankfurt luggage claim, and hit the Stuttgart Christmas market.  We then stocked up on tons of fresh meats, cheeses, breads and produce at the Market Hall.  (All stores will be closed until Monday beginning at Noon on Friday---I repeat ALL STORES.  The store schedules is still taking some time to get used to here. 

A little snack at the Christmas Market

It has been fun looking at all of the Christmas Windows in Downtown
Just a tad of Sugar....
Grandma and I stayed longer at the Market


   Friday-Christmas Eve, Here comes the snow and snow and snow......  I don't know why it keeps surprising me how fast the snow accumulates here.  We are again-COVERED and it is still falling and supposed to snow for the next 3 days.   Jason and I did the MAD dash to the Getrinkt market, dry goods store, and Bakery to finish stocking up for the next 3 days. Not sure where we are going to put it all since our refrigerator is the size of a Rubbermaid 3 drawer bin-seriously.  Maybe the snow will work:)  It has been a nice day, I had a nice conversation with an elderly neighbor who got stuck here rather than going to London to be with her sister.  She was invited to our house tomorrow.  Then our other neighbor brought us nice gifts-what a surprise!  To say the people here are friendly is an understatement.  However, it is still hard for me today not to be surrounded by all of my family and friends at our house preparing a big feast.  I miss my family and friends so much today!
Our fridge is packed!
Going sledding
Daddy's workout today
Pops is wondering how he got into this...
Grandma and Jason
Going down the big hill
Off to find a new hill
DADDY'S TURN
Push  me pops
Pops and Daddy cleaning the sidewalk the third time today

We are having a VERY white Christmas (now there is a surprise!!)










1 comment:

  1. Hey there! Merry Christmas!!! We are in chicago right now and it is cold and white...but not as cold as it is for you! It looks like you are all going to have a great Christmas with Jason's parents there!!! Take care!! Merry Christmas!! love,m:)

    ReplyDelete

About Me

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Stuttgart, Germany, Germany
We are living as non-military expats for a second time in Stuttgart Germany. The first time, we moved from Alabama to Stuttgart, Germany in December 2010 for three years and now are back after six years.. This is a great adventure for our whole family that we enjoy sharing.
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