Lego Love

This week is another round of school holiday and I'm on duty. It has been a stressful year for the Steinbachs, so we have consciously chosen not to take a trip or plan activities each day. Instead, the kids and I have been crafting and relaxing, taking walks and long naps, spending unplanned time with friends. 

With all this extra time the kids have also upped their Lego skills. Both really enjoy playing with Duplo Legos. PJ builds and creates and Jelly Bean tends to sort, store, and applaud her big brothers creators, when she isn't trying to destroy them. 

With extra time and space, PJ has started to build Legos that "show" (represent) objects and people are him. I won't go into the psychology of what he and how he chooses, the shapes, the colors, the description - we are taking it easy around here - instead I'll brag about how cool his creations have become. 

This is me as a Star Wars ship. He also took the picture. 

This is his "biggest treasure" Jelly Bean as a Lego "masterwork" (his descriptions).

That's Bean on the right storing the good Legos into her Minnie Mouse bag.

It doesn't always feel right to cut down, reduce, simplify, go slower, do less, say no, get bored. Until the choice is done and the boredom sets in. Then these things happen: creativity, sleep, laughter, memories. 

I'll just say it for you: I look good as a Star Wars ship, don't you think? 

XO

Italy with Granny

While my mom was here, we all headed to Italy for a few days. The five hour ride down went remarkably well. Most likely because Granny was non-stop entertainment in the backseat and there was tons of food.

When we got there, the fun just kept going. They goofed around a lot on the floor which was especially remarkable because the tile floor was freezing.

When we got too cold, we turned to board games of all sorta of types and sizes. And complexity. And spontaneously revolving rules.

Jelly Bean tended to focus on slippers to keep her feet warm. Can anyone be more adorable?

Thankfully we all also had the Mr.'s almost constant cooking to warm us up.

Although it rained most of our time there, we took advantage of the one nice day. We got out of the house and into the beautiful little villages at the bottom of the hill and along the lakeshore.

Of course, ice cream and other sweets were included! 

We also took a little field trip to this place. This beautiful, glorious place.

Afterwards we all took a walk....

Like Granny, like grandbaby. 

...and a massive, massive nap. 

Only now, more than two months later, reviewing these pictures, did I realize the gift my mother left behind. Pictures of the entire Steinbach clan. Pictures of small moments of parenting usually missed. THANK YOU for those beautiful pictures, Mom. Thank you.

Two pictures of all four of the Steinbach clan! Amazing.

Thank you mom.


xo

Wattwanderung

The tides of the North Sea are extreme. The water level difference between high and low tide can be over three meters or darn near ten feet. During the low tide, kilometers (miles) of mud are exposed as far as the eye can see. In some places that mud is thick enough to cross during low tide in something called a "wattwanderung."

But, since the tide returns along difficult to see or track channels that can quickly and very unexpectantly trap people far out from the actual land on "earth" that will soon be ten feet below water (in other words, "you gonna drown, fool"), it is highly recommended to attempt a wattwanderung only in good health and only with an experience guide.

Yet, a wattwanderung remains a "must do" while visiting the North Sea. Sure, its deadly and all that but...well, people are strange.

The Mr. was really excited about going on a wattwanderung; I was open to it. We talked about all sorts of possibilites for how we could make it work so that all three of us could go and landed on the idea that he would carry PJ in a backpack.

But as we learned more about the challenges of a wattwanderung, how long this one was going to be (4 hours minimum), the weather turned chilly, and my nausea and body pain continued...we decided that the Mr. would join the excursion and PJ and I would hang out back on the farm.

PJ and I joined the group to send them off. To grasp just how cold it had gotten in the picture below I have on two shirts, a jacket, a scarf, jeans, thick socks, and wellingtons. And I was cold. The charming young lady next to me has on shorts and is barefoot. Turns out her outfit was sensible.

PJ and I joined the group for a few feet before we both lost interest and turned back. See how everyone has on shorts and are barefoot? In just six hours or so where they are standing will be underneath between four and ten feet of water. All of it.

PJ and I were less than impressed. It was cold, windy, and muddy. So we went home...

...and took a three hour nap together. God, I love sleep.

Meanwhile, the Mr., our host (pictured below), and the entire wattwanderung group sunk thigh-deep into mud (check out her pants for how far she sunk in...shorts would have been better), cut their feet on shells hidden beneath the mud, got rained on, froze everywhere except for where the mud had created a warm protective layer around their legs and feet...and supposedly had an awesome time together.

People are strange.

A few weeks later the Mr. and I exchanged our thoughts about our totally different days. Can you believe it? He actually thinks he got the better deal with his wattwanderung. Please, PJ and I slept for three hours.

Three. Hours.

If that isn't the perfect vacation day, I really don't know what is.



xo

Föhr

While we were up in Northern Germany, staying with a wonderful former colleague on her awesome farm, she encouraged us to visit a smaller, less-popular-than-Sylt island called Föhr for a day trip. We had to ride a ferry to get there (did I mention that I was nauseous every day without a ferry ride thrown in?) but it was worth it.

On the ferry.

Overall, the island was somehow slower, calmer, more friendly. The beaches were scattered with the traditional beach chairs that can be rented for a small fee. We found an empty one at a beach bar and got to enjoy that special North Sea experience without the fee. That was nice because with a toddler, no one stays anywhere long enough for a fee to make sense.

 

 

Since I wasn't feeling all that great, I stayed in the beach chair above while the two boys ran across the wet sand and into the sea.

 

 

But mostly we just wandered about for a few hours, enjoying the sun and taking fun pictures. PJ, of course, spent most of his time charming everyone around him. 

 



 

And then it was already time to go back to the farm.

 

All in all, while I enjoyed visiting Sylt once, I think I'd rather go back to Föhr. More my speed.



 

 

 

 

xo

Adventures on Sylt

More than a few weeks ago we went for our last vacation before the jelly bean arrives in October. Considering we had to drive nine hours, we split the driving into two days both up and back, stopping at some friends' homes outside of Hannover. They were excellent hosts but sadly I failed to get a single picture of our time together.

On the way up, and after our stop in Hannover, we went to a German island in the North Sea called Sylt. The two car-friendly ways to get onto the island are with a ferry from Denmark or a train for cars from Germany. We chose the train option and it was remarkable. Although its only eight hours away from where we live in the south part of Germany, it felt like a different world. The air smells different, the air feels different, the world looks different: flat, moist, sandy with straight lines as far as the eye can see.

Our view from within our car while on the car train. That there is the sea in low tide.

PJ with his baby while on the train.

Once we arrived in Sylt we discovered we had rented a one-bedroom hotel room with a kitchen. That was a really nice surprise. It is so much easier and relaxed when little man can enjoy his morning cereal while his parents are still in their pajamas, sipping their coffees. Am I right, other parents?

Almost as soon as we arrived, we went out for a long walk around the hotel's area and then for dinner at a great kid-friendly camping place with direct access to the wild side of the sea.

Check out that natural sand dune sorta thing in the back.

The boardwalk up the sand dunes and to the sea.

The top of the boardwalk.

 

PJ seeing the ocean for the second time (first time was in Hilton Head).

 

 I wanted to put a video of PJ running to the sea over and over again, while his papa rushed after him over and over again, but Blogger is being a serious P.I.A. You'll have to imagine it I guess. Booooooo.

We finally managed to catch PJ just long enough to snap a quick picture.

The next day we went to both the south and the north tips of the island. While the rest of Germany was soaked in rain that led to major flooding, we were on a sunny, hot island. This side of the sea was calm but still freezing cold water. That didn't bug PJ at all: within half an hour, we had stripped him down to his onsie and he was happily rushing towards the water to splash around.

Right before we stripped him down, rushing into the freezing cold water.
Notice: PJ is the ONLY person headed towards the water.

When he was finally too cold to play anymore, we bundled him back up and cuddled him warm. Then we  played on the beach playground and ate some yummy ice cream.

Afterwards, we were more than tired and all crashed out for a massive nap. Our jelly bean decided to dance me awake, so I got this adorable picture of my boys napping.

That afternoon we went to the northern tip of the island which was so beautiful and stunningly raw that we forgot to take a single picture. Whoops. Guess you'll enjoy a vacation there soon? ;)

The next day, our last on the island, we explored the largest town of the island called Westerland. We spent the majority of the time on the massive, stone boardwalk that runs along the seashore. Along the way there was a walkway under active repair with massive machines and the whole deal. Of course we had to stop so that PJ could watch the machines...but I'd like to point out all the other men of all ages that were watching the action as well.

Men. So easily distracted.

Typical of an island, the weather turned from the warm, sunny of the day before into a chilly, rainy day within just a few hours. As mainlanders, we got caught in a hefty downpour. But as lucky mainlanders, we managed to duck into a simple, PJ-friendly beachfront restaurant that offered reasonably priced and super yummy fish platters.

PJ and papa right before the rain started.

PJ and mommy during the start of the rain.
Those skies! Those sand dunes!

All in all, I'm happy that we took the chance to visit the island Sylt. Its a rather posh island - one way to describe it: there are certainly more Porsches than there are VW, let alone Toyotas or Fords - but it also offers activities that are family-friendly. It is a special place, especially since so much space is set aside to allow the island to be and remain 'natural' but for us, I think once is most likely enough.

 

xo