Halloween 2016 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Our first Halloween in the United States was epic. We made jack-o-lanterns together. Bean wanted a happy one; PJ wanted a scary one. Papa delivered on both.

Bean & PJ decided that we would go trick-or-treating as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We were all assigned a personality:

PJ was the blue turtle, Leo, who is the sensitive leader of the pack who appears to deal with (and create) a lot of nonsense. That fits. 

Bean was the red turtle, Raph, who is shown as strong, a bit rough-and-tumble, and doesn't hesitate to enter into battles. That fits too (don't let the blonde hair and cute smile fool you). 

The Mr. was the purple turtle, Donnie, who is suppose to be the book-smart one that likes science and research. That doesn't quite fit. 

I was the orange turtle, Mikey, who is a free-spirited jokester. Worst casting ever. 

We joined up with some new friends (awesome family!) and went trick-or-treating. The two boys adored it, confidently running from house to house, yelling out "trick or treat!". Bean enjoyed the candy and was most interested in the decorations. She tended to move slower.

At one point we were on a wonderfully wickedly decorated porch when suddenly a life-size witch took a step in my direction. I got spooked and screamed like a teenager in a horror movie; Bean waved and called out "Hi Witch!"

The next group of parents walking with their own trick-or-treaters laughed so hard, one guy had to bend over to catch his breath.

So, I guess the casting wasn't THAT bad...

XO

I was walking down the street recently with PJ when he started to lag behind. When I looked behind, I saw this and snapped a picture. 

While taking the picture I heard, "ugh, my mommy makes a picture and I'm on my meeting up omferenzes call." 

What a tough life, kid. 

Xo

Moments of Summer

This summer 2015 was one of so many small moments. Like these.

Our dragon infestation.

Bean chillin like a villan

Trying to get in on the coolness.

Like the dress? Me too.

The summer our baby really became a little girl.

The boys went camping.

 

So much happened. So many good memories. Good people. Good times.

Xo

My Birthday According to my Sister

These came in all throughout my special day. Man does she make me laugh. 

It started at midnight my time. 

Then I woke up to this. 

Followed up by this:

This one made guff out loud. At a very inappropriate moment. 

It was and I loved each one.

Amen, oh amen. 

Sigh.....

Like sending me bunches of virtual postcards? 

Next year, my dear, next year. 

I love you too, Aunt Sally. 

XO

Matilly, okay!

Recently Bean and I went to a small family party in a tiny village. There was a small cabin with a little kitchen right next to an extended batch of woods. After a short period of getting comfortable, Bean took off into the woods.

This was right when my foot was the worst and I could hardly walk, let alone chase an almost-two-year-old into the woods. I called out for her, asking her to come, to return.

Instead, she turned around, look at me, and yelled "MATTILY OKAY!"

Oh, this one, We are in for one heck of a ride. 

XO

Store Beer Wisely

My brother-in-law started making beer about two years ago. When we were in the US one year ago, we got to taste a few of his brews. Each had a unique flavor and all of them were decent, if not good.

In honor of my brother's wedding (the last sibling of three to marry), he brewed a special batch of richer, darker beer. My sister designed a beautiful label with "SJM" to represent the three married couples. The "S" is for Steinbach. The "J" and "M" for their last names, all in order of our wedding dates. The background is a piece of PJ's art.

Each couple got two bottles and we were each asked to drink the beer on our wedding anniversary. Which I thought was very touching and committed myself to do. And then forgot to actually do.

When we FINALLY got down to trying to beer just a short six months late, we proudly took a before picture.

That was our last smile. Because quite honestly the beer was horrific. Rotten. As if penicillin had gone bad, mixed with some year old eggs, and then joined a motorcycle gang.

Yes, it was that bad.

We actually tried to take another sip. I even poured it into a glass. At that point it became obvious that something had gone wrong. It turns out - who knew! - that how one stores a homemade beer actually matters. It turns out that one is not recommended to allow the beer to get too hot, too cold, freeze (long story), or carried around by a toddler who enjoys rather randomly pulling things out of the fridge and either shaking them about or carrying them around the house for a little while.

In other words, we did a bad job of storing the beer.  As a result it tasted just like it was stored. It sure was pretty though! 

XO

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas this year was ever more magical than last year. Per tradition, we spent Christmas eve with the Mr.'s family where glorious things were prepared in the kitchen.

 

You wish you could have eaten with us.

While the rest of us played and goofed.

Jelly Bean practiced her hide-and-seek skills with her brother, papa, uncle, and aunt.

Then she discovered some accessories that she insisted we wear.

 

So I insisted on a picture of the handsome girls.

 

We tried to get a picture of our handsome boys as well but...

My handsome husband.

PJ was way too busy playing with his uncle.

 

And leading his uncle and his sister around the house on some sort of complicated march.

Finally, after we had eaten dinner and were (impatiently) waiting to open gifts, I managed to snag a picture of my handsome fellows.

We even got a somewhat fun picture of the whole family!

Once the gift giving got going, pictures become scarce. I did manage to get this picture of my ridiculously beautiful sister-in-law.

This year PJ made star decorations for his family. Opa and Tante got necklaces. Uncle got a bowtie. And Oma got an apron so she can "stay cooking" (told you the food is good).

Then we managed to snap some of the family pictures.

Our clan with the gift of the year:
a talking Lightning McQueen.

The super handsome siblings.

The almost-entire family, just missing
my newest sister-in-law and baby-to-be.

After the food was eaten, gifts were opened, and the kitchen somewhat cleaned up, we headed over to the Mr's grandmother's house to meet up with the rest of the family.

Jelly Bean was all over the "prost"ing
with her sippy cup.

Together, we sang songs, enjoyed some beer or wine, and made another set of memories.

Jelly Bean was impressed with the singing; PJ was pretty bored.

After the singing ends, the younger generation (meaning my husband, his siblings, and all his cousins) tends to drift upstairs to play board games and drink schnapps. Most years there is also arm wrestling.

This year, however, "younger generation" meant my three-year-old, dressed in his full suit, proudly playing Looping Louie, drinking milk schnapps (just milk, I checked) while the others drank the harder stuff and showing no signs of being tried at 11:30pm.

If he can party this well at three years old, I'm pretty sure we are in for a major ride in just a few short years.




xo

Germans in the Wild

While we were in the US we got the chance to visit a German festival. Lord help us if we go seven weeks without sausage and sauerkraut and 'real' beer.

And dancing. Of course, dancing. Because everyone knows the Germans are dancing Gods.

What we Americans THINK Germans dance like: 

and, of course, this:

But, really, this is how Germans REALLY dance:

Good thing my German loves me and has an awesome sense of humor.

I hope.


XO

A Musical Family

We sure are becoming a musical family. PJ has an actual guitar thanks to uncle B and my little sister. 

He plays "coldplay, Metallica, and the wheels on that bus" according to his manager (himself). 

And our little girl plays "oooooo" on the front and a mean drum line on the back of her wii guitar. 

Kids. Awesome. 

But it may be getting into someone's head...

XO