Ramstein, Germany!

We toured three parts of Germany. This is the first place we went. Our friends, Stephanie, Scott, Ashley and Nicholas live there, so we spent some time with them. Stephanie helped us out a lot! Thanks Stephanie!
We enjoyed shopping....well, I enjoyed shopping....ha! We enjoyed eating! Victor had wiener schnitzle, which is a thin piece of pork that is fried and served with small pieces of pasta that are fried, every single meal! He lived in Germany as a child and that is his favorite German meal so he couldn't get enough! I enjoyed German food too! I do love the German pastries the best! I brought plenty home on my ass!
The thing I loved about Germany the most was how clean and orderly everything is. There is a sense of such peace and quiet and order. Of course, the amazing old buildings and architecture are mind blowing! The German people take such pride in their country and keep it spotless. They maintain those old buildings very lovingly. Even though the average speed is 85, the driving there is calm....in the far right lanes. The far right lane is reserved for those going over 85. I watched in amazement as cars zipped past us going over 100 miles per hour! But, there was nothing frantic about it. There was very much order and it felt normal.
The girls had a fantastic time! They were perfect on the 10 hour flight to Germany. They don't complain about traveling or sleeping in strange beds or sight seeing. They are all for it! They crawled all over Victor and had a wonderful time with him. It was a love fest for sure!
I had a birthday while there and Victor and the girls made me a "German Chocolate Cake"! How fitting! That Victor is so clever! It was the best way I can imagine to spend my birthday!
We enjoyed a week of fun and family time in Ramstein! We then rented a car and drove 5 hours to the big city of Munich, which is really called Munchen!! What!?? Then why do we call it Munich? Munich was very different in an even more wonderful way! The next post will be all about Munchen!
The Germans say "chus", pronounced like juice with a ch instead of a j, which means goodbye, see ya later. So chus until the next blog!

Conversations with Olivia

Victor took this picture in Germany. Love it. Since it was her birthday and she turned 3, I wanted to share with you all what kind of little girl Olivia is. Olivia is very sweet...sweet as apple pie and fluffy bunnies. But she is a firecracker and if you cross the line with her she is fierce! She does not mind calling you out if she feels you need it. She is also so funny and mischevious. She loves to say things to shock and to say silly things. If I say, "Olivia, be nice at school today, have fun and learn a lot." She will reply, "Ok, mommy. I will be mean at school today, have a bad time and I won't learn anything." Then she will grin. I am repeating what she says word for word! The child has been talking in full sentences, like an adult, since she was 1 1/2 years old! I was playing doctor with her. I have a scratch on my hand and I asked her to please "doctor" it. She looked at it, saw it was a real injury,  and said in her most serious voice, "Mommy, I am not a doctor. I'm really not. I'm just a little girl named Olivia. You need a real doctor." She also loves to use the word "actually". She said, "Mommy, I am hungry. Well, actually I am starving." I accidentally stepped on her toe and she got so angry and upset. I apologized and she said, "I don't forgive you. You did it on purpose." Did I mention she is also a drama queen! She said hello as we passed a person in the grocery aisle...she is polite to everyone...and the lady ignored her. Olivia said, "That was not nice mommy. It is rude to not say hello to me!" I had to agree that she should have spoken back. The girl knows her manners. She also can't stand it when people smoke. She will say "That man is smoking mommy. That is not smart and it's yucky!" And the person will be right there! I just walk away as fast as possible! On the plane ride back from Germany, this sweet lady across the aisle kept reaching over and touching Olivia, smiling at her and saying how cute she is. Olivia grinned and would move closer to me. She was trying to be polite to the lady, but I could tell she didn't like being touched. At the end of the 11 hour flight, after we landed, the lady touched her once more and said how cute she is and Olivia took her bobo (pacifier) out of her mouth, and yelled, "Stop touching me!!" I tried so hard not to laugh! She was right! This perfect stranger, who kept reaching over and grabbing her, had finally pushed her last button! I am just so proud of my Liv, Livi, Livi Lou......all names I call her.....and it makes me feel good to know that she is a strong little lady who will be alright in life!

Happy Birthday Victor Luis and Olivia!

Happy birthday to my two beautiful, amazing children! I love and miss Victor Luis more than ever. He would be a big 6 year old boy today! I am crazy about Olivia, who is a precious 3 year old today! I know Victor Luis arranged it somehow for his sister to be born on his birthday so we would not be so sad on this day. He is happy and ok in heaven and he wants us us to be just as happy as he is....so he gifted us with a special present on his birthday....his sweet sister.
We celebrated his birthday and hers today, all together as a family. We are blessed. We choose to be positive today and bask in the blessings and love.
I will post pictures from today when I get a chance to ....very soon.