Another Week

Toy's R US

Will and I took a trip this week to Toys R Us.  I just needed to get out of the house so we drove to the store and walked around.  Of course I ended up buying a cute hat for Will.  What I also realized is that the same toys are more expensive here than in the US.  For example, they had the exact same Freddy Firefly (one of Will's favorite toys) that is about $10 back home and it was 15 Euro here.  They had a lot of the same US toys except the ones that said anything were in German instead of English. I also realized that more of the German made toys are very soft.

Reading to the Happy, Chatty Baby

Also this week as I read to Will he would start giggling and talking.  It was super cute!  We always read at night, but starting reading in the afternoon before his nap.  We lay on the blanket and he just watches as I turn the pages. That's when I took this happy baby picture.  He loves looking at the pictures!  He's quite the talker.

Visits with Friends

Chad also traveled this week and Will and I were able to get a lot done. We went to the dry cleaner, ran errands, and were also able to spend an evening with Hugo, Claudia and Dr. Hossmann. It was a very fun evening.  Will and I went over to Dr. Hossmann's at 7pm and came home around midnight. Will fell asleep and was very good.  Dr. Hossmann had some wines (and we traveled around Europe as he said...Italy, Spain, and Croatia).  He also has some great cheeses and snacks.  I LOVED the eggplant appetizer.  We also did a shot of "Ratzeputz" which is a liquor from the area where he grew up. It was a special evening and it was so fun to hang out with our landlord and neighbors.  We are very lucky!

Will and I also went to visit Rosi, Anna, and Martin in their new flat!  It is wonderful and they have a great garden area and are close to a mall.  We were going to shop but Will had other plans and threw a fit so we didn't make it. However, before his fit Anna took some very cute photos of Rosi and Will. They were so cute together and were very happy.  I'll post them as soon as Anna e-mails them.  She is a great photographer and they were super cute models.

My German Life is different than Life in Milwaukee

I have to admit my life is so different than it was a year ago. And as everyone knows...I loved my life a year ago.  My life now is just much slower paced and poor Will is having to live with my need for order and a schedule.  Life now is good but also very different, it takes some getting used to in addition to the language. I start my German lessons next week so that will be helpful.  

It is amazing to me how much has changed in the last year. Here are a few examples:

1. Instead of getting up early to beat traffic and enjoy some quiet time in the office before everyone arrives, I get up early and feed smiling Will. 
2. Instead of getting groceries after work on Wednesdays because I didn't have a night meeting, I walk to the store Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.  
3. Instead of reading my list and clipping coupons, I look up the German translation of my list before I leave.
4. Instead of only watching TV shows that start after 9pm on our big HD TV, I DVR shows and watch them the next morning on my computer.  
5. Instead of planning my time off for trips home, I am planning trips to other countries.   
   
6. Instead of talking on my cell phone as I drive, I listen to my TomTom give directions.
7. Instead of going to our favorite restaurants and ordering the same dish, we go to different restaurants and try to interpret the menu.
8. Instead of writing letters of recommendations, I'm writing a blog.
9. Instead of getting junk mail almost every day, I have an empty mailbox almost everyday.
10. Instead of getting in my car everyday, I walk most days.
11. Instead of multitasking, I try to make sure I do at least one meaningful project a day.
12. Instead of having a line of people outside my office door wanting to talk, I feel lucky if I run into one person who understands me when I speak English.
13. Instead of thinking only about how the Presidential election effects me, I think about how the election will impact how other countries view the US as well and the value of the dollar to Euro.
14. Instead of planning to run errands on Sundays, we stay at home and go for walks.
15. Instead of getting a ton of e-mail messages everyday and hoping I can get through them, I maybe receive 3 or 4 (thank you Norb) and I hope I have two hands to type my responses.
16. Instead of doing laundry, I wait until the weekend and Chad does it (and I am thankful).
17. Instead of reading a newspaper, I read the on-line editions.
18. Instead of doing house projects, I play with Will.