I will be nice

With the time change James has had a hard time adjusting. In the morning I have to wake him up and it takes him a few hours for him to be pleasant. We all can totally relate, but since he's almost two he tends to throw more fits and get a little more wild than we do. When he gets especially wild he likes to bite, take off his clothes, or just jump off things he shouldn't. So we have a little time out at such times. He has to sit on my lap and sit still (something he isn't too fond of). Then in order to get off my lap he had to repeat after me "I will be nice." 

In the end of the video after I say "I will be nice" he says "Yeah, I will....cheese"

The first few days

 We have enjoyed our first few days in Germany. The kids are still fighting jet lag and the weather has been rainy so we haven't ventured out too far yet. We have really enjoyed getting to know our new neighborhood. The first day Todd found a fun little park on his way to the train station. He emailed us and the kids and I had a wonderful afternoon playing in the park, that is until James fell off this hammock and I was worried that he had broken his hand. I should have listened to my sister and found a doctor or hospital for the inevitable disasters with James. As it turned out after a little while his hand seemed just fine and Todd agreed when he returned home that night. I'm just hoping our trip here can stay a little less exciting than emergency room visits.

 Some of the other things about Germany....

 Nutella tastes even better in Europe. I'm pretty sure the kids and I are going to at least eat our weight in European Chocolate. The first words out of grumpy James mouth in the morning are "Chocolate" and Hailee dreams of a kinder egg Easter.

 Since our assignment is for only 2 months we have to homeschool Hailee. I got all of her homework from school before we left and Hailee is doing really well with me being her teacher. She really misses the social aspect of school, so it's not going to be a permanent thing, but for now it's working. We try to get her work done in the morning to allow time in the afternoon for exploring. The only problem we've run into is that while I'm helping Hailee with a few things it gives James time to get in to trouble. Luckily Hailee doesn't need a lot of hand holding during her lessons, but one morning James got in to my makeup while I was helping her. Once he was done Hailee told him he looked like a tiger and once he saw it in the mirror he was quite pleased with his tiger-like appearance. My make-up now rests on a much higher shelf.

We also discovered the German kid channel. The kids were thrilled to find some of their favorite 'kid shows' that 'speak' German. While I'm making dinner they get to watch a show or two. Hailee loves picking out German words. I hear from other room "Mom, car in Germany is 'auto'..." She loves it. I'm not sure that it's teaching her German, but it's fun for her.

These two have been the sweetest little kids. Except for a little grumpiness with the jet lag they have been angels. It's been weird for me to experience a move with them. It's amazing to see them. I know it's been an adjustment, especially for Hailee. She misses her friends and life at home, but she is doing her best and really enjoying this new experience. Here they are doing their favorite things....Hailee is on the computer and James has the iPod. Even though they are playing different games they love sitting by each other.

Travel buddies

Before we knew it, we were packed and it was time to get on the plane to go to Germany. I was so happy that Todd didn't have to go over before us, because I was very nervous to get on an overseas flight with two children. At the airport we divided the passports and Hailee and Todd were travel buddies and James and I were travel buddies. We have gone on several little flights since moving to Oregon so both kids are great through security, but it wasn't two minutes after arriving at our gate I was beginning to rethink my wonderful idea of 'travel buddies' James was ready to run and Hailee and Todd were just sitting nicely waiting for the plane. We survived it, and as the plane was taking off James quietly fell asleep in my arms. He slept most of the way to Chicago and woke up in time to get a drink and land. The next flight was all the way to Munich. The best part was that we had a whole row to ourselves. Todd and I sat on either end and James and Hailee in the middle. We've decided that both kids don't want to be left home because they were the best travelers. It's a long and exhausting day as it is, but both kids proved they are going to be good little world travelers. I was really nervous James would be causing all kinds of problems on the plane, but for the most part, he watched movies, played on the ipod, ate his dinner and went to sleep. The only fussy time he had was when he was tired and wanted to go to sleep. It took me a minute to figure out he wanted his clothes off (lately, at home, he's been sleeping in only a diaper). I wasn't sure I wanted him to run around in just a diaper, but once his clothes were off he sat right down, put his head on the pillow and was asleep the rest of the flight. He woke up in time to get changed, eat breakfast, and land. I was really pleasantly surprised by how well he behaved.
 

After we landed we rented a car and made our way to our new house. It's a cute little house about 20 minutes from Todd's work and about 20 minutes to downtown by train. The landlords live next door and are very nice. She even had food ready for us, because she wasn't sure when we would be getting into town and she didn't want the stores to be closed. The kids had a great time exploring and picking out their rooms.

I had forgotten what a nine hour time change is like. I think we were in bed before eight. We were all exhausted so after doing a little shopping, making dinner, and unpacking a little we all went to bed. I woke up first, I thought for sure it was at least early morning, but it was only 11:00 pm. After about an hour of reading I was ready for bed again, then Hailee woke up and needed some cough medicine and reading a little bit she was ready for bed. Just as she was settling back down James decided it was his turn to party. By this point I was exhausted. He was happy when he got up after playing on the ipod for half an hour he was so annoyed that it wasn't starting to get light. He decided he needed a banana and a cookie. After a quick snack he stayed up playing puzzles for a little while before settling down again. I was exhausted sitting next to him, half dozing. He loves doing puzzles and every time he finished one he would say "Awesome, high five" and give me a high five or "Hooray, knuckles" and give me a fist bump. He loves doing the puzzles that Todd brought back from Korea. I need to video him doing it.

Today we are just taking it pretty easy. It was very hard getting up this morning. James and I are still on Oregon time, but Hailee and Todd are doing much better. I woke up James at 10:00 to help get him on schedule. Todd just emailed me and told me about a park close by, so after lunch we are going to go check that out. This morning we are just doing school work and updating my blog. I'll post more pictures later of our cute little house.

Chicks Dig Scars

Shortly after moving to Provo there was a guy in my ward that had gotten in a roller blading accident. When talking about it he said "Pain is temporary and chicks dig scars." If that statement is true James is already on his way.

Friday James decided to being his journey to having the most scars. He slipped and fell coming out of the shower. I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with this kid. I took him to the doctors and while the nurse was checking and cleaning the cut he didn't cry at all, but he did say "Stop it!" It gave the nurse a good laugh. They were all so impressed that he didn't cry or fuss at all. This kid unfortunately has a high tolerance of pain that I'm not sure he's ever going to learn his lesson and start being a little more careful.

Saturday he decided to add a little more excitement to the week we have to get ready to go to Germany. He decided to swallow a coin. (Still not sure at which one he swallowed.) He got into Hailee's piggy bank and the next thing we knew he was chocking. Thankfully he got it down and didn't stop breathing, but now we just get to wait for it to come out. Quite possibly the grossest thing I've done for my child. I'm just hoping it come out soon....I wonder what happens if it doesn't come out? I hope I don't have to find out.

Just before Todd left for Korea we had a fun weekend with Aunt Ruthann. We didn't do anything big or major, just enjoyed the nice weather and time together. It was the first time Ruthann got to see Portland in the sun. Every other time she has visited it had been cloudy and raining. Even last year when she came in June we had an unusual amount of rain. It was chilly, but thankfully there was a  lot of nice sun.

Saturday we went into Portland. Hailee had a class in the morning and then we discovered a fun little cafe by where her class is located. After we picked up her we decided to stop in for a snack. We quickly found out how hungry the kids were. James discovered a new favorite food. They had the best cinnamon rolls made with croissant type bread. I was disappointed that they had run out of their chocolate croissants. With James I started breaking off pieces for him to eat, but it wasn't long before he started complaining. I wasn't sure what the matter was, until he grabbed the entire cinnamon roll from me and took a huge bite. I didn't get anymore after that. It was quite funny.

Hailee and Todd finishing up their treats.

Spring is just around the corner and it definitely felt that way at Pittock Mansion. After hanging out in Portland in the morning we came home and let James get a nap, then in the afternoon we went to Pittock Mansion. It was a beautiful day. It's a beautiful view of the city and today was clearest it's been while we've visited. We also decided to not just enjoy the beauty outside, but check out the inside as well. It was fun to see their beautiful house. You can tell a lot of work went in to planning and all the finishing details. It was beautiful.

 Hailee loved looking at the house, so I think she is going to love Germany. James on the other had love causing a little trouble. I may need to invest in a child leash system for that kid. 

We had such a great time with Aunt Ruthann. We also got to go to our favorite area of Portland on Monday before she went home. As always her visit was too short, but lots of fun. 

Class seamstress

Way back at the beginning of school it was time to go to back-to-school night. James, unfortunately, had gotten hand, foot, and mouth disease and we all couldn't go. I sent Todd with Hailee and told him to sign me up for some things to help with Hailee's class. I was more than a little surprised when he signed me up for a sewing project. I do own a sewing machine, but honestly I am not a sewer by any stretch of the imagination. Thankfully the project Hailee's teacher wanted done was a simple bag that fit on the back of the chairs. I even had some fabric that I was going to use to recover a chair (that we no longer own) that would work perfect. It was quite a bit of work but I got 36 bags made for her class.

Top row: Keaun, Sean, Madison, Trinity, Aimerie, Delany, Dylan, Leo, Aiden. Next row standing: Riley and Juan Carlos. Next row sitting: Austin, Vittoria, Alisa, Zahira, Hailee, Jordyn, Niki, Alliyah, Tori. Bottom row: Myles, Braden, Jonya, Martin, Charles, Andrew, Aaron


Fast forward a few months and it's time for the school auction. Every class is responsible for making a basket to raffle off and a class project to auction. Her teacher was having a few problems getting volunteers so she asked me if I could make a blanket. We decided to let the kids draw with fabric paint on squares and then I would piece together the quilt. We decided on a bug theme and the kids did a great job drawing on the fabric. One of my good friends (her daughter is in Hailee's class) helped me get all that together and then it just took piecing it together. It's very simple, this is only my third quilt I've ever made, and I was a little nervous that nobody would want to buy it. When I took it to Hailee's class the kids were thrilled and although we had to miss the auction because Hailee was sick, there were a few people bidding on it and it went for a good price to help the school. I informed Todd that the next time he volunteered me to be the class seamstress I was going to need a better sewing machine. My refurbished brother sewing machine we got on overstock when we were in school just isn't going to cut it anymore. I very much prefer sewing things for my family...sewing for someone to buy is just too nerve wracking.

When we were picking out fabric to go with the quilt Hailee was thrilled to find this print. It had flowers that would work for the bug theme, but it was also West Union blue. She just knew it would be perfect. It did turn out quite cute. She was a little sad we didn't get to keep the blanket, but we have the pictures and I told her maybe we could make another one.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

 Well it's officially official, our family is on it's way to Germany for two months. Todd has gone back and forth a few times over the last couple of months and they decided that they needed him longer that his two week stints. Since it's going to be longer than two weeks Intel has decided to send the whole family. Because of visa issues we can only stay two months (getting a work visa takes too long because they need the help now). Todd will be doing finance training for a recently purchased company. We would love for it to be longer, but it's hard to complain since we all get to go together.

At first Hailee wasn't really sure what to think about moving to Germany. She was worried about missing her friends. As things have gotten closer and she understands a little bit more she is getting quite excited. We got her a little book with CD's to learn German and she has decided she is very excited. On Sunday I asked her if she wanted to see pictures of where we were going to be moving and she said, "No mom...I want to be surprised!" It's going to be a whole new world for her and I'm so excited. James on the other hand has no idea what is going to happen and even if he did I think he'd be just fine as long as we pack a few cars for him to play with.

With Todd working in Korea this week, it has been more than a little interesting trying to get things settled for Germany. Coordinating with the craziest set of time change has been absolutely nuts. We're still trying to figure out housing and other logistics for while we're there, but our tickets are bought and we'll be on or way in just over a week. Thank goodness Todd got home Friday.  One time difference is enough to worry about, with two there just aren't any overlapping times.