It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

    It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Well, that and Christmas is only 3 days away! Ahhh! Can you believe it?! Where has all the time gone? Wasn't it just the summer? Man, how time flies! It's been a busy year for us...and this week, man oh man, boy has it been busy! I've been sick, we've been packing, cleaning, and buying last minute Christmas presents. So, sorry for my lack of posting. I will try to get back on my schedule after the holidays.
    Today, we had to say bye to our first place here in Germany. It may have been old and falling apart, but it had it's own charm. I'm sad to leave it. The guy who came to clear us came at 8 this morning! It's already been a long day. Unfortunatley for us, the Army only pays for us to have 3 days in the hotel. But, God bless great neighbors/friends who let us store our stuff in her apartment and even spend the night. :)

    This year, Christmas will be a bit different for us. We're not going to be with any of our family, plus, we're going to be in a hotel room on base, oh yeah, and we're in Germany. Weird, huh? Though, Germans do Christmas very well.
    As I've said before, we are blessed to have great neighbors/friends. Several of them are also going to be around for Christmas, so we're all pitching in and having Christmas dinner together. Tyler and I are making green bean casserole and apple pie. Mmm, I'm getting hungry already!
    This would be the perfect year to start some of our own traditions, but it's a little hard since we will be in a hotel and not a home of our own. But, if we do come up with anything, I'll be sure to let you all know.
    When I am in Texas for Christmas, we go to church Christmas eve for the candlelight service. When we were younger, Santa would come while we were at church Christmas Eve, so we would get to open the presents from him after church.
    After Christmas day church, we would have brunch and open the rest of our presents. Then, later in the afternoon, we'd go over to a family friend's house for a big get together. My sister and I usually had a friend or two there, but it could still be awkward. Hey, at least we had each other! I know my parents enjoyed it, and as we got older, we would also chat with the adults, so it became more fun I think. :)
    For the past few years, I have been doing Christmas with Tyler's family. Usually the weekend before Christmas, Tyler's dad's side of the family would get together to have dinner, chat, and do a gift card swap game. You all bring $35 gift cards (from anywhere) and you wrap it up. They kind of play it like white elephant, so you all draw a number, you can pick a gift, trade, etc. I think it's a great idea so you don't have to buy a present for everyone, plus, it's fun.
    Sometimes on Christmas Eve they would go to church, but so far, we've only gone one year. On Christmas day, it's an immediate family affair (this includes grandma and possibly and aunt and uncle). Tyler and I last year served everyone mimosas in the morning with Christmas brunch. The mimosas are definitely becoming a tradition, hehe. Then, after brunch, we open presents (still in PJs of course), and after that, it's kind of a lazy day.
    Last year, since Tyler had just gotten back from Afghanistan, we decided to split our time between the two families. First, we flew to Texas for a few days (and had an early Christmas with my family), then, a few days before Christmas, we flew to California.
    People with both parents in the same state or close together are EXTREMELY lucky. I wish we didn't have to choose which family we get to spend the holidays with, but alas, we do. Since we're moving to California, that means that we will see Tyler's family for holidays more, which is fine, but I would really like to see mine as well. I do have a family afterall. Someday we will have enough money to fly all the time to see my family for holidays. Until that day, we will try to split it up the best we can, or maybe just have some on our own. Hmmm...I like that idea!

    What are some of your Christmas traditions?
    Do you have to split your holidays between families? If so, do you have any suggestions, tips,
    or advice?

Gotta Catch up!

    Sorry that it's been awhile friends. I was just enjoying the long weekend (Tyler had a four day) and my hubby finally being home after about a month! Now it's time to catch up...

    Friday, Tyler had the day off work, (woohoo!) and we he spent basically the whole day cooking. Cute right? He was making carne asada and carnitas for the Mexican Party we were going to that night. They were DELICIOUS! I wish we would've taken a picture. We were hoping to go home with leftovers, but no such luck. I guess that means they were good right? haha.

    Saturday was our building Halloween Costume party. I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and devil's food cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Of course they both had cute pumpkin wrappers and fun Halloween sprinkles. :) Oh yeah, on some of the chocolate ones I made faces haha.

A little before the party, Tyler decided to go to our local grocery store to make a meat, cheese, and bread platter and a frittata. Yes, you heard me right, a frittata. It was delicious! He's becoming quite the little cook. I mean, my cupcakes were good too of course haha. :p I'm glad he decided to make that platter and frittata though, otherwise there would have been WAY too many sweets and not enough food with substance. I though my neighbors were supposed to order pizza...oh well. All in all the party was a fun time. Our apartment was for food, socializing, and eventually sing star (haha), and our neighbor's apartment was for drinking games and the "main event."

Tyler and I as Pirates hehe

Casey and I playing sing star

      Sunday and Monday were relaxing days to clean, catch up on TV, watch movies, etc. Tyler even made us biscuits and gravy one morning! Now, Monday was Halloween. I've been told that Halloween has gotten big in Germany in the past 4 or 5 years, so yes, people do "celebrate" it. We even got trick or treaters, but we forgot to get candy...fail. Luckily, some of our neighbors had candy, so I just put a sign on the front door of our apartment building to go up to them. haha.
    Tuesday,  I finally finished cleaning all the floors in the apartment from the party. Woohoo! I also helped a neighbor move her car (it had died...ugh), did oh so many dishes (how do we even have this many to do), and just did general house work. Oh yeah, I also went to Zumba. Love me some zumba. For dinner, I made lasagna. It was my first attempt at homemade lasagna, and I have to say...it wasn't half bad! It looked not so good though haha.

Yay me! We're going to have leftovers of it tonight! mmmm can't wait.

How was everyone else's weekend and Halloween?

Pictures, travels and life

Well, my mom finally put the pictures up from their trip to Germany! If you'd like to read about their trip, you can do so here. There will also be a recap under the photos...enjoy :)

Bamberg. LOVED this city. :) It was a nice fun day with the parents and Tyler.

Buchenwald Concentration Camp. So cool, intense and emotional. They also had a very interesting, cool and pretty memorial. Unfortunately, Tyler had to leave earlier that day, so the rest of our travels were just my parents and I.

On Monday, we drove to Munich. First stop BMW Weld (world) and Olympic Park. Isn't this motorcycle cute? I would never ever buy one, but i couldn't resist getting on haha. Unfortunately Munich was really hot and humid. Ah well. Still a great trip.

at the Haufbrauhaus drinking some beer.

clock where the glockenspiel is

On Wednesday, after two days in Munich, we made out way to Heidelberg! Such a beautiful city. I'm standing under the Elizabeth Gate at Castle Heidelberg. Very appropriate I think :p

HUGE Wine barrel. And guess what? There's an EVEN BIGGER one. It's insane.

view of the castle from our river tour Thursday morning.

Friday we relaxed at my apartment, and then Saturday, we went to Wurzburg. I love going to Wurzburg. In this picture, my parents are standing in front of the Wurzburg Residenz. LOVE it there. 

back of the Residenz in the gardens. So pretty

The gardens :) (Yes I am wearing my Dirk Nowitzkishirt...had to...)

Sunday we had a late breakfast downtown with my neighbor and her precious little girl. :) Aren't we just a happy family haha. 

   Sunday night, we went to a German restaurant for their last meal here. I noticed my back was hurting a little but really thought nothing of it. Monday EARLY morning, my parents and I headed to Frankfurt Airport. My dad drove there, so he could get his last little bit of driving on the autobahn, and I drove back. That's the longest I've driven in Germany! woohoo! My leg kinda hurt when I got back, but again, thought nothing of it because my back wasn't bothering me anymore. Tuesday, my back was KILLING me. What?! How random. I was like, well, we did drive a lot, walk a lot, eat a lot, I wasn't doing my normal workouts (think I've also gained weight back ugh), and Wednesday night I slept on the floor of the hotel...I think my back had had enough. Wednesday it was feeling a bit better, but Thursday, it was getting worse, and in the evening my butt and legs started to tingle...uh oh. In fact, later that night I called Tyler crying. It was some of the worst pain of my life. Friday morning I got up early to call the clinic when they first opened to see if they could squeeze me in. I called a minute or two after 7, and they could see me at 8! Sweet. Thank goodness my neighbor Casey was awake and could take me...I had no idea what kind of tests they would want to do. Well, I went in and she did all sorts of poking, moving my legs around, asking questions...I had strained a lower back muscle and it was pushing on a nerve. Ugh...great. I am now on muscle relaxer and prescription strength ibuprofen. wooo? I feel all sorts of loopy and tired. But hey, I think its working!
   Unfortunately, Friday night was our neighbor get together (just the girls since our hubbies are gone), and I couldn't even drink with them. I also kept zoning out and almost fell asleep at one point...about the same as being drunk right? haha. Still had a great time though:). Today I've been such a sloth, slept in, took a nap, been on the computer....that's basically it. It was so nice and warm today too, but I could not concentrate enough to go outside or do things. Ah well. I blame the meds. haha. Oh yeah, and for dinner, I made green beans, and as I went to drain them, I burnt myself with the boiling water. Ugh, of course I did. it got the side of my palm and some of my arm. I'm ok though. Oh me.
   How's everyone else doing?? Have a great Saturday! Hopefully you're more productive, and less medicated then me! haha