Old Friends and Egg Hunting

This weekend was a fun one because our neighbors from Coronado came to visit us.   They live in Germany now too, but we haven't seen them since I was newly pregnant with Sarah Avery.   We spent all of Saturday catching up with them and they even came with us to a little egg hunt that one of Susannah's school friends was hosting in our neighborhood.   Here are the pictures......

SA has been sporting the pig tails every day this week.   

I feel like they make her look sooo grown up.   

"Princess Anna" with a french beret and a construction worker in a fuzzy bathrobe??   

With a little help from her patient sister, SA can manage the two flights of stairs now.  

Such a big girl.  

Susannah was all over the egg hunting on Saturday.   

Sarah Avery had no idea what was going on.   

Found a purple one!

Wahoo!

Our friends from Coronado have two teenage girls who were so sweet to Susannah and helped her search.

It felt a little strange to be hunting eggs with winter coats and hats, but it was fun nevertheless.

If only these girls lived closer, our babysitter problem would be solved!!!

It was so good to see these guys.   Amber cooked us many a dinner when Peter was deployed so it was fun to return the favor for once.  

And Peter and Orin had fun talking triathlons all night.   

Sunday after church and nap, we headed to the duck pond and the playground.  

The sun was out but it was still cold.   

Along with every other family in Stuttgart we got our first ice cream cone of the season.   The line was insane, but we persevered.    SA was excited to be old enough to have her own scoop!

And that was our week.   Thank you Riddell family for such a fun visit!   And Happy Easter to all of you.   We love and miss you all!

Another Week, Another Illness

This post will be short and sweet since I didn't have much time for picture taking.   I was a little distracted with the two stomach virus cases and the one strep throat case that graced our household last week.   In other news, it is still cold here.   Spring, please come our way.   We are so ready for you!  

Cold, gray weather calls for more indoor play-dates so that is what we have been doing.   

Saturday brunch was yummy and fun.   This time they had a jazz band.  

We had a little sunshine on Saturday so that was nice.  

Holding hands.  

By the time we headed out to the park, the sun had disappeared, but we had fun anyway.  

So ready to be outside without all the winter gear!!

SA has been learning to scale the playground equipment. 

She is fearless and hurls herself down the slide with glee.

Saturday night Susannah and Peter cooked us a 3 course meal.   The dessert was ice cream sandwiches with peanut butter chips.   

Sunday morning reading time in Susannah's room.

After church, we baked some cookies to share with some friends who came over Sunday afternoon. 

Susannah loves to help in the kitchen.   Peter and I laugh because she always says, "If I help, you can finish so much faster."    And we let her, even though the opposite is true.   ;)

Dress up time!

"Mommy and Susannah put my hair in pigtails and I don't know how I feel about it."   (She actually really liked her big girl hair style.)

Susannah loved them too.   

And that was it for our week.   Hope all of you are well!   Send us some warm temperatures and sunshine please!!  

"Let It Go"

Not too much to report from Stuttgart this week.   The highlight was most definitely last Sunday afternoon when Susannah and I went to see "Frozen Live."   The movie was accompanied by a full symphony orchestra, chorus, and soloists.   It was phenomenal.   And sharing it with my little girl can only be described as magical.   I may have even cried a few tears as I watched her face literally light up during the opening number.   I can only remember a handful of other times that I have felt so profoundly grateful as I did during those three precious hours.   We took the ubahn which Susannah loves to do and met up with a couple of friends and their little girls at the theatre.   It was truly one of my most favorite memories ever.    I so wish I had gotten a picture of Susannah's face during "Let it Go."   But here are the pictures I did get along with a few other random ones from our week........

Susannah dressed in her Elsa best of course!

We had some "princess refreshements" before heading to our seats.   

Ready for the show to begin.   Can you tell we were excited??

The show was very interactive, with light displays on the walls and different activity in the aisles throughout the show.   It was so awesome.   It was also in German so I felt grateful that I've seen the movie approximately 483 times and know most of it by heart.  ;)

In other news, this little girl is all about dressing up lately.   Shoes are her favorite.   

She and I took a morning walk one day and spent some time at a playground.   On the way home, she insisted on walking and carrying her sand toys like a purse.  

Such a big girl.  

She and I usually do dinner prep in the mornings and she has been insisting on wearing her apron lately.   This day, she spilled some of her pancake crumbs and decided to sweep up the mess like the big helper she is.   

We took out our little Easter bunny decorations this week and I think SA believes they are real.   She checks on them every so often and greets them before we leave or when we arrive back to the apartment.  

The girls wanted their picture made with the bunnies.   

SA refused to look at the camera, of course.   

And that was it for our week.   The winter is still hanging on with a vengeance and we are so very tired of it.   Hoping you are experiencing lots of spring sunshine where you are!   Love and hugs from Germany!