Happy July

Even on a rainy cold day Hamburg is wonderful.  My uncle Andrew took us to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg.  It is the largest model railway in the world and really amazing to see.  We felt like giants descending upon this miniature world.  They even had an airport with miniature airplanes taking off and landing.  The kids couldn't get enough of it.

 

Me- I just enjoyed watching the kids get a kick out of the whole thing- oh and I also liked looking for the "adult" little surprises that were placed in certain places :) (those pictures I won't post hehehehe). Those Germans have a great sense of humor!  

It's quite amazing how quickly the kids are picking up on some German words.  I bet it would take them very little time to become little German speakers. Wish I could learn that quickly.   
 

Here I am stress free and enjoying a beverage (not shown) at my aunt's house.  Why is it that I feel so alive when I am in Europe?  (and NO it's not because of the beverage I am drinking!!!) I love this place- not just Germany but being in Europe feels like home.  A part of me will always belong here.....John can't we just move here???? Pretty please????

Time goes by sooo fast here....

My kids have totally become German/Polish here.  They never know if they should say "Danke" or "Dziekuje" It is quite cute!!!  Time seems to fly sooo fast here- I can't believe it is Friday already.  I don't want my time with my family to go so fast!!!
Every day the kids get to go to a Cafe with us- my aunt and I always get an EISKAFFEE (ice coffee) and the kids get some awesome ice cream concoction. I can't complain- I LOVE EISKAFFEE....

 My aunt Ilona is spoiling the kids, I am getting lots of girl talk and relaxation, and everyone is very happy.

Today we went the the Aquarium- the most favorite part for the kids- the ANACONDA that eats humans....please don't ask what an ANACONDA is doing in an aquarium....I have no answer.... 

 













Also- proof that Germany ROCKS- Trader Joes is here alive and well....

 

Why don't I live in Hambug??? Please remind me....

Apparently the only person who is having a hard time with jetlag is ME.  Kids are just fine.  Me- I'm up till 1am every night and up at 7am.  Small price to pay....

My kids are absolutely LOVING Hamburg.  I am thrilled to be giving them this adventure- I want them to love travel as much as I do and I think they are catching the bug :)

We have spent the last two days trying to use up the kids pent up energy.  We went to my most favorite park in the ENTIRE world.  Planten und Bloomen is a park I discovered when I was 16 years old (I mean it was always there- I just found it then).  I would spend hours walking, reading, exploring this beautiful sanctuary in the middle of a huge city.  When John and I married, I took him there to share this special place.  I took Christopher there when he was 2 1/2 years old.  Today I took him and Olivia there with my Aunt Ilona.  This place is such a special part of my life and to bring my children there now is kind of surreal.  Of course they DID NOT get the significance of my "self reflection".  All they wanted to do was go to the kids playpark part and all their mom wanted to do was take pictures at every step there.  "You are GOING to sit by this Japanese garden and you are GOING to smile damn it!!!!"

After a few hours of the kids enjoying the kidspark, we decided to take the subway/rail to the Hamburg port.  Kids loved riding the subway.  It was kind of embarassing how excited they were- people around us thought I was some kind of weird parent that never took her kids into the city but whatever! Olivia declared that she LOVED Germany.  Christopher said he would love to keep riding the subway all day (really??? I mean are my kids that deprived that riding a subway makes their vacation THE BEST EVER????)

 

At the port we took a boat around the harbor.  It was so fun for the kids.  I absolutely fell in love with Hamburg ALL over again.  I do every time I come here.  I love this amazing city.

The kids favorite German word is EIS (ice cream).  Mommy's favorite German word after all day of walking miles in a black boot in 85F weather is WEIN (wine).

Here are some fun tidbits my kids have let me in on:
- Germany has very small cars
- Ice cream here is soooo much better than at home
- Watching Spongebob Squarepants in German is hilarious ("someone needs to teach him English"Olivia said)
-Riding on trains, subways, and buses are the best things that had ever happened to them
- Hot dogs here ROCK
-WE MISS DADDY  (yeah- I do too kiddos...I do too!)

I love spending time with my Aunt Ilona.  She's like a second mother to me and every moment I spend with her is precious.  My kids already are in love with her (who wouldn't be? She's so sweet!). I am so fortunate...I know....I just wish we lived closer.....

WE MADE IT!!!!!!

We got to the airport and I went to the "special services" desk.  My kids and I were all sniffling from saying goodbye to John, our luggage, and my beautiful walking boot.  The man behind the counter was trying to check our luggage in and when I began weeping that my kids and I are not sitting together...he realized he was dealing with either a crazy woman or just a pathetic one.  Whatever it was- he took pity on our sorrowful bunch.  He let John get a "boarding" pass so that he could go with us all the way to the gate.  Love you Mr. Red Suit Jacket!

We went through security.  So here is the exchange between me and Newark's security officer:

official safety man(OSF):  "Mam...please take off the boot"
me:"My walking boot? OK" and I proceed to unstrap the 20 velcro straps that hold this contraption together.  When it is off, I am balancing on one leg.
OSF: "Mam- are you able to walk through the xray machine without the boot?"
me: "Well....they wheeled me here in a wheelchair and now I am hobbling on one foot soooo what do you think?" (ok- so I said that in my head but whatever) and I proceeded to hop through the xray machine as the OSF kept saying "don't touch the sides!"

Then they proceeded to take the travel size playdough from the kids backpacks cause apparently they were going to use it to make some kind of explosive device.

The flight went pretty well- the kids did great with their own tv screens.  Olivia got 3 hours of sleep and Christopher about 1.5.  Me??  I got two kids laying on me so I watched some really bad movie with Jennifer Aniston in it.  8 hours later we landed tired but happy.

Right now it's 7:20pm here.  I am trying to keep the kids awake till 8pm so that we can try to fight this jetlag....