Rome!

I was fortunate to get to pop over to Rome for a long weekend! Amy was supposed to come too but couldn't at the last minute :( so again I set out on another solo adventure.

 

the Colosseum built around 72AD.

 

Outside St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City and the Sistine Chapel.

 

 

I met up with Kathleen, the Cate's former nanny who lives in Los Angeles and has been traveling through Europe for a month.  She's a really sweet and fun girl and we had a blast exploring this beautiful city together. We definitely had a memorable weekend with various run ins with the locals and the crazies at our hostel :)

 

Ancient Roman Ruins

 

Campo di Fiori

 

Rome Landscape

 

Baden Baden and the Black Forest

On Saturday I went with the Cates to see the city of Baden Baden (a city in the Black Forest famous for their 1700 year old Roman baths) and to explore the Black Forest (in German pronounced Schwarzwald).

We stopped to visit a quaint little village in the middle of the forest and hiked half a mile to see a pretty waterfall.

The Black Forest was beautiful! Soo many trees. 

I discovered a new photo program called www.picnik.com that's very similar to PhotoShop, but web-based and much easier to use! I've been having some fun editing my photos with it :)

Whitney ist Schwimmen!

HOT HOT German Summer...

The kids and I started a Summer project...an herb garden. There's no yard here, so the window sill and a couple pots will have to do for our chives, peppermint, sage, rosemary, peas, and thyme. Here are some baked fries we made with our freshly harvested herbs. Delicious!

We all can't get enough of the pool. I'm teaching Whitney how to swim and it's AMAZING to see her progress! She can already jump in herself and swim to me (see video) and it's only been a couple weeks of dedicated effort! She's just like me as a child! First one in, last one out. :)

It's been in the 90s lately so I'm always trying to find an excuse to convince the kids to go outside in our little courtyard outside the front door to "water the plants" or "check on things"...so that I can rain down water balloons from my third floor window! Then I point them to their own stash so they can have their own war. They're always surprised and always love it.

Ke'ala and Brad's Wedding

I'm so so sad I missed my dear friends Ke'ala and Brad's wedding reception in Santa Barbara. They've been together since high school and it was only a matter of time before they tied the knot! I jacked this photo from a mutual friend on facebook and played around with this to create my own interpretation of what I imagine their wedding were like :]

 I wish you both the best, and I know you both know I would have been there if I could! Aloha.

Misc. Cuteness

Summer Fort Building. Stage 1.

.....to be continued.

Worms!

Bonanza Park!

Chores. Pipi Longstocking style. Bumping music and "skating" on rags and sponges.

The kids could do these "funny pictures" for hours. They seriously beg to!

Munchen

I had a three day weekend, and since I couldn't spend my 4th of July with my friends and family, BBQing, playing flip cup, listening to oldies and watching the fireworks at "the club" whilst my mother sang the National Anthem, I thought a weekend of travel was in order. At the last minute I decided to take a 3 1/2 hour train to Munich since I'd never been there and had heard it was lovely. Indeed it was!

My hostel in Munich. I got my own room, I couldn't hang with the idea of a 12 person co-ed dorm (with no age limit...I saw men my fathers age walking around with beers in the lobby...eek).

Munchen Subway wait.

Munchen Subway car.

Munchen at night. (Casinos and "candy bars" everywhere)

I met these French students at my hostel and they convinced me to go to a disco with them until the wee hours. They spoke French and German and a little English but they were loving practicing on me and asking me 100s of questions.  I had a great time with the Frenchies!

They all asked me if I had Facebook, and luckily I always carry a little notebook around with me. I awoke the following morning to a list of French names requesting my friendship. Haha I had loads of fun with them.

Marianplaz.

OMG. I found sushi!! Take away randomish sushi, but not sketchy and still sushi. I was in heaven! NO one eats it here in Germany!  This was the first I've found since being in Germany (aside from in London, obviously).

St. Peter's Cathedral outside and inside. Glorious.

The ceiling of the cathedral. SO beautiful.

Munich, in Baveria, is THE land of Lederhosen.

Before I left I had to try my first Apple Strudel.