Recovering from the Weekend

This past weekend our friends the Thiessen's came for the 4 day American holiday. They were able to leave Germany early enough that they were here by 9 pm. The boys were so excited about them coming that they wanted to stay up to see them, and by the time they calmed down it was too late for them to go to school the next day. We talked and played cards then went to bed late!

Friday we all went to the Eindhoven city centrum to get a couple things. We stopped off at the Media Mart to get a phone cord for our home phone, Jon and Monica looked around for some phone covers and I was able to price some table grills I've ben wanting to get. We also stopped at T-Mobile to get Christian's phone working again. We also ate at KFC then walked around a little longer.

We pretty much took it easy the whole weekend, playing cards, making crepes and fresh toast for breakfast, chili for dinner and snacking on chips and M & M's. It was a perfect weekend in our books. The older you get, the more you just want to sit around, talk and enjoy the company;)

They left just before noon on Monday so that they could miss driving traffic as they got close to Graf. I'm glad the weather was good so it didn't prolong the drive for them. It takes about 6 hours so it's not too bad, but it makes for a tiring one.

We made another play date for the first week of March. The boys will be going to Austria for their skiing trip so we will go to Graf this time. Jon has a small apartment, so it will be good that the boys aren't there this time. Jon is also going to look for a car around the base for us, then when we go over we will fix what we need too and bring it back. He was able to get a car for $400 this past week and he thinks he can find us something at about the same price too. We are hoping to have another vehicle no later than this summer at the latest.

With another car and Sheldon's motorcycle he will be set for driving to Breda for work. I will then have my car so I can take care of RS business anytime I need too, and go shopping when I need too. It will be nice to not have to worry about catching the bus, which isn't bad, more of a nuisance really.

I can't wait until Monica will finally move here this summer. She is hoping that she will get everything taken care of with her home and surgeries quickly. It will be so much fun to be able to plan vacations with them and visit them when we have time off. Party time in Europe!

So, I should be cleaning my house and getting things put away.......

But I'd rather be writing on my blog instead!

Well, I really do have so much to be doing. We found out our good friends the Thiessens will be coming to visit next weekend so I want to make sure the boys rooms upstairs are clean and not stinky:( With us not sleeping on the same floor, I don't get to daily peruse their rooms as often as I should. I should do a daily check, but alas, I don't. I guess that's something I could work on for 2010.

Yesterday was mine and Sheldon's 21 year wedding anniversary! I look back and think where has the time gone? We decided to have a family dinner of herb grilled chicken, baked potato and salad but our grill decided to go on the fritz. After an hour the chicken was barely turning brown so we had to use the broiler in the oven to finish. It tasted pretty good, but there's nothing like grilled chicken baked on the grill. We realized that we've had that grill for quiet awhile now, so I guess it's time to be looking for another one:( We bought it in Nebraska right after we moved there and we've had to replace the burners. Suffice it to say, we got our moneys worth out of it. So I'll be checking out the grills at the AAFES store and seeing what we can get.

School has been in full swing this week. Jori made it home finally and her luggage only took a couple extra days to follow her home. I have so much I need and want to start with RS, but am feeling overwhelmed at the moment. I know baby steps with everything. I just hope I can get things figured out and going. I ope to be able to spark an excitement with the ladies here too. It's just a bit different with the cultures, and some of the attitudes need to change. unfortunately, the sisters who need it the most are not coming and it's hard to get the word out. I need to take it to the Lord and he will guide me. I just get impatient sometimes:/

I want to get my house in order. I think my goal for the first 6 months will be to get everything a place. I need more shelves, so I am planning on acquiring a new shelf every month until I get it done. Sheldon and I also need dressers, so I need to focus on that too. I don't know if it would be better to pay the Dutch prices, or buy them from the military furniture stores. I have seen advertisements from the base on some stores in the area of Schinnen so maybe I will start there.

OK, the boys will be home any minute and I want to get them done with their chores so I can work on mine too.

2010

So I started a post then had to go back and read the last post I put up. I think my mind is officially gone;( If you ask my kids I'm sure they will tell you that it left a few years ago, but I'm just coming to that realization of it;)

After Christmas we decided to head down to Paris. Talk about waiting until the last day to do everything. Sheldon told me how he wanted to get the play room organized and the garage all cleaned out, but I'm sure I can tell you that never got done. He did get to watch a lot of his tv shows and sleep in. So I guess it all worked out for him in the end.

We went to Paris for 3 days, but it just didn't feel long enough. We weren't able to get into the Louvre or go up the Eiffel Tower because the lies were sooooo long....... but I have decided that I want to go back again. I felt rushed at trying to see everything and I just don't want to do that again. We did ride the tour buses around and talk about a great deal. They were open on the top so as we drove around Paris we were able to so much of the city. Now you have to ride ride the buses at least twice, once during the day and then another time at night. It's like seeing the city all over again. While we were there they had up Christmas lights so it was so pretty and festive. It reminded me of the Vegas Strip. We ate from the local vendors on the side of the street, yummy crepes and the bakeries had fresh bread and yummy tarts. I heard the bells toll at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, stood under the Eiffel Tower, drove around the Arch de Triumph and ate lunch under neath the Louvre. We walked the shopping center at Lafayette Galeries and bought fun stuff at the discount shops all around. We stayed at a hostel so we only had a 10 minute walk from the Notre-Dame. Even with the rain and cold, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Did I mention the tour buses? LOVED THEM!! So worth the money. They were awesome............. we drove by museums and other important buildings as they took us to the main sites. I even saw the Ritz hotel that Princess Diana ate dinner at just before she died:( That was a sad memory.

We returned home on New Years Eve night and everyone proceeded to jump back into life, getting on the computer and catching up with friends, then at midnight, with the beginning of the New Year 2010 we ventured outside to watch the sky light up from all the fireworks that were going off. I guess here in Europe they allow people to buy fireworks and set them off since the city doesn't do it themselves. As we watched the city glow from the fireworks going off it was amazing to know that it was from the local people, their own personal firework's. The fireworks lasted between 20-30 minutes! I hope next year that we will be able to join in the fun because I hope to remember to take my camera and take pictures of the show.

Now today, we patiently wait to see if Jori will be able to get out of Europe to get back to school. She left Saturday morning on the train bound for Amsterdam where her flight ended up cancelled because the plane broke and couldn't be fixed. After standing for hours to catch a flight she was told that she wouldn't be able to get out that evening and that she would have to stay at the hotel at the airport and they would fly her out the next day. On Sunday they got her on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt Germany where she was to connect to her next flight to SF. Her departure left 2 hours later than they were suppose to but that was ok because she had a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt, but when she got to the United desk in Frankfurt for her connection they told her she was on a stand by status, that she was bumped and that they couldn't help her out. They then told her to find a hotel and come back tomorrow and we will see what we can do for you! WHAT!!!!! I don't think so:( Some poor sole took pity on her and let her use his cell phone, but the battery was dying so we got cut off. So for hours Sheldon called airlines, chewed out airlines and then finally got a living being who was willing to help us. We were able to get her a flight out for Monday morning and had her upgraded to business class for her flight over the pond. When she finally got a hold of us, she said they gave her a voucher for a hotel close to the airport, some money for food but gave her a number to take care of her flight for the next day. We then were able to tell her that we took care of the flight stuff for her and all she had to worry about was getting some rest before heading back to the airport. She then told us her luggage got sent to SF without her, and so she pretty much had nothing with her. Luckily when she flew out she was bumped up to business class and they gave her a kit with a toothbrush and lotion and she had that with her in her backpack. The hotel had shampoo and conditioner so she was good there. I told her to buy herself a t-shirt and deodorant from the airport kiosk so she could at least feel a little better on the flight home. Her dad suggested a t-shirt with a saying along the lines of "I got stranded in Germany and all I got was this lousy shirt";) That seemed to make her smile. I just keep saying she will have plenty of stories to tell once she gets back to school. At least with this experience she knows that she can do just about anything.

The boys are back at school today. The regular driver Mr Ott is on holiday so we have another driver for the time being. I guess she's suppose to be really nice too. Amy Heymann said she drove last year a few times for her kids. They seemed glad to be going back to school, and I am glad to finally have my house back;)

Well, I have a ton to do and have gotten nothing accomplished this fine Monday:( I didn't know that the credit union was closed on Mondays and so I have to wait until tomorrow to get money and banking done. I might do some fancy transferring tonight if Sheldon gets home early enough, but we will see. I was hoping to take the Christmas decorations down and get some cleaning done but I don't see both of those happening today so will pick one and then go with it. I just might take a nap. It's been a stressful couple of days and I'm pooped!