Yodeleedelay

Vienna was suuuuper! I posted the previous blog then realized that I hadn't really explained the pics.
These 3 are from our hike near Linz with Pascal. They had all of these "senses" activities like this balance beam, swings, hallowed trees you could beat with sticks, and, as I'm demonstrating, the meditation rock where you can find your tone. You stick your head in the hole and sing different notes until you find the note that resonates the best for you, this helps you meditate. It's true. I felt at one with nature, then again, maybe it's because I had my head stuck in this big rock. =)
The other pictures are:
Pascal's Feuerwehr...old firevan/ambulance, by his parents house
The boys and I with Jette
Walking around the Belvedere Palace and grounds
Michael and I in front of the Rathaus
One of these buildings is not like the others. You can't tell so well, but the third building in is more modern, a lot more plain, the same across the street as well. This was where a bomb hit during WWII. You can see this all over the city. Interesting, what a history!

Wien (pronounced "Veen") aka Vienna

I had a really lovely time in Vienna this last week. We Flew into Linz on Friday. Patrick's cousin, Pascal, a good friend of mine who is very cool, came and picked us up and took us to his parents where we stayed the night. We went out for a nature walk on Saturday, climbed a 30 meter tower to look around the area...beautiful, I love Austria! I've decided that if I were to live in Europe it would be in Austria, more particularly, Vienna. I highly recommend it to all!
We headed to Vienna by train Saturday afternoon. We stayed at Koko and Patrick's apartment. Johannes and Michael, who are renting the apartment were gracious hosts, made dinner for us, drove us to church, went with me around downtown Vienna. Sunday I took the boys to church, Koko had meetings until 11:30pm. We were invited to a garden party with some friends of Koko and Patricks, now mine, who blessed their baby.
Monday, we visited my friend, Jette at her work, she makes violin's and cello's, very cool! We then went to the aquarium. I took the boys to the YSA FHE, met some nice people. Koko got home around 10:30. Pascal came to Vienna Monday night.
Tuesday Pascal came with us to the zoo. We had Eis (ice cream/gelatto) to rival Italian gelatto if you can believe it. Koko got home at 5 so I had the evening off. Michael and I went walking around the Rathaus(government building), and around Staphansdom (the main cathedral). He is so funny! He is Austrian and Italian and speaks very little English so I got a lot of German practice this last week, with him and with Pascal as well. We had to try this other gelatto to compare it with the ones we had earlier. I could probably keep trying them out, for comparison of course, for ever...mmm!
Wed I took the boys to the Prater, a big, beautiful park across the Danube Canal from the apartment. Koko met up with us at 11:30, I went for a run through the park, we packed up, met up with Pascal at the train station, and rode back to Linz together, said our adieu's and headed back home.
All in all, a great trip!

When in Rome...

Get comfortable, this is a long one...

Day 1, Saturday: arrived at 7am after traveling since 2:30 from Bonn, almost missing our flight. Left our luggage at our hotel near Santa Maria Maggiore, in old town Rome. Brunch in a small park, look around, "hey, isn't that the Colosseum?" Yes, it was...walked around the Colosseum and napped on some steps in the Roman Forum. We got on a bus (had to maneuver the buggy around the bar in the door) but the bus driver came back and told us we couldn't ride because of the buggy and that we had to get off! Unbelievable!! We did have some people arguing in our favor, good to see not everyone feels the same about baby buggies. In the evening we ate dinner at this little outdoor cafe and listened to some old men singing folk songs.
Day 2, Sunday: We took the subway to The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica. Rome is not very handicap/baby buggy friendly...only a few metro stops with handicap access, cobblestone streets, crazy traffic, lots of roads and buildings with only stairs...on and on. The Sistine Chapel wasn't open as it was Sunday, and who goes to chapel on Sunday? Koko took the boys so I had the rest of the day to myself...wandering the streets of Rome until about 9pm! I got wonderfully lost a few times, visited Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza Navona, St Ignazio di Loyola, the Pantheon, Fontana de Trevi, Quarinale, San Carlo Quattro, Fontana Del Tritone, Piazza di Spagna, Villa Medici, and Piazza del Popolo. There are fountains everywhere, and small fountains with fresh water you can drink from. That was really nice as most of the time in big cities you can't drink the water, but have to buy it and it's rediculously expensive!
Day 3, Monday: Koko had her conference the next 3 days, so I had the boys all day. Monday went well. We went up the Villa Borghese, considered the heart of Rome, a beautiful park, had a picnic, then went to the zoo, which is built around old Roman ruins. Back to the hotel around 7pm to meet Koko for dinner.
Day 4, Tues: Not nearly as pleasant. After walking by the Circus Maximus and over Isolda Tibera, I tried walking with the boys through a "park" below the Vatican, but could find none, just a long, busy, winding road with lots of traffik, so the boys couldn't get out and run very much and I had to try to push them up this big hill. We did get a spectacular view of Rome from the top though. My friend, Francesca, from Rome, told me about the best Gelato shop in Rome...Gelato dei Gracchi. We found it...if you are ever in Rome, I also recommend it, it's just a small shop and there were no tourists, only Italians, that has to say something. =) I went out wandering to find a place to eat dinner, as Koko took the boys for nuggets at McD's. I found this restaurant that had been referred to Koko, but the tables were full...I continued on, tried to head back towards my hotel and got lost, walked another hour or so, and happened to come out back at the same restaurant!! Amazing, I took it as a sign I should eat there. =) I asked the waiter if he recommends the salad, he said yes, but they also have mixed vegetables. I had the veggies, then he brought me the salad anyway, "on the house", he also brought me bread, and in the end charged me only for the pizza and my water and wouldn't let me tip him. Wow! The man who cleans the tables came and asked what I wanted to do with my pizza, I asked him if I could take it home with me, he said I could take him home with me if I wanted to. Those Italians...
Day 5, Wed: I took the boys to the Museo Explora, a museum for children. Then to a park...there aren't very many parks as we know them, with playgrounds and such, only open areas, with an occasional piece of stone or cement in the middle for children to kick a ball at. Interesting. We then went down to Fontana dei Trevi...the boys love fountains! Koko took the boys a little after 7 and I went and met up with Francesca's sister, Kiara, and her friend, Sara, in Piazza Navona. I also got to meet her father Steffano, lovely family. Kiara took us to her boyfriend, Manuel's Cocktail bar, Fluid, quite popular. They serve a buffet; dishes with rice, pasta, little sandwiches, etc. Again, not so many tourists, very cool place! Kiara said I could help myself to the buffet, and just pay for my drink, but in the end, Manuel didn't charge me anything. It seemed to be a little exclusive as there was a man at the entrance to let us in. Kiara's cousin Paolo and his friend Massimillion met up with us later and we all just sat around talking until about 12:30am. I took a taxi back to Santa Maria Maggiore, stopped and had one last Gelato, was invited for a drink with one last Italian man, then packed until about 2. We left the hotel Thursday morning at 6, getting back to Bonn at 1pm.
All in all, a great trip!

Happy desserts

Patrick made these delicious palatchinken (don't know if that's how you spell it), aka crepes. Yummeee!

Biking trip

Yesterday my friends Marion, Patrick, Olivia, and I went on a bike trip. We biked along the Seig river to a lake, went for a swim, and biked around the beautiful German countryside. I got an opportunity to use my mountainbike as we went off-roading through some mud bogs, sorry no pictures of that. I ended up quite dirty by the end, too bad we didn't go for our swim after the mud, that would have been the way to go.
At the lake we used this little, um, shall we call it a changing booth? It's just a cloth tunnel to change in. The smarter ones are the ones that are tight around your neck so they don't fall off while you change. This one you have to hold with your teeth. HA!

The rest in picture form

I guess these pics didn´t post. I couldn´t resist putting in this `rear-view´ of Phinny.
Also, the first picture, showing the valley, has the place we stayed at in the center of the picture if you enhance it, you can see, all cute and nestled in a little valley. Precious.

Holiday in Austria

I went this last week to the Merl Family Reunion in Eisenerz, in the heart of Austria. Beautiful! We stazed in a Familie und Jugendlichegasthause, so a family and youth guest house. I stayed in the room with Koko, Patrick and the boys, which was great except for waking up in the middle of the night to a little Phinny crying. I was also awakened by two excited little boys in the morning, between 6.30 and 7am! Besides that though, it was really lovely. I got to see Patrick´s family, I was particularly glad to get to see his parents ´Mama and Papa´, Crystle and Harry. They are great!!
We went for a hike Monday. Patrick brought the kinderwagen up this ´short-cut´which ended up being a huge, steep climb up the side of the mountain. I don´t have the best pictures of helping him, but I put this one on here to give you an idea of what we did. I helped him carry the buggy up, first with Phinny in it, as he was sleeping. Whew, a great work-out. When I get the pictures from Patrick´s brother, I´ll put a picture of me hauling it...quite funny!
There were so many delicious Heidelbern, or blueberries. We took many a breathers to pick and eat.
I had a ´beauty night´ with the little girls. We are posing Napoleon Dynamite-style.
We spent 4-5 hours at the Leopoldsteiner See, a very ´frisch´ lake, aka, freezin´cold!!! I went in once, which was enough. =) I got sunburned as it was a lovely day.
We went on an ore mine tour, some of the finest ore comes from there. We went down into the mine so we had to wear the rain jackets and hard hats, then rode on a huge truck. They have been mining from this area for hundreds and hundreds of years!
I left with Patrick´s brother and sister-in-law, Michy and Anita back to Gramastetten, close to Linz for the night. I had planned on taking the rest of the week to go visit friends in Switzerland, but it would either be €450 for a rental car, (not including gas and country fees), or €250 to take the train over and then back up to Bonn. Neither of these was really an option financially so when I found a ticket directly to Bonn for €59 I couldn´t pass it up.
Disappointing, but alles gute.
Now, I´m back in Bonn. I went for a long bike ride today, though it would have been much longer had my bike not gotten a flat.
So, there you have it.
I will now go meet some friends at Frittebud for a cheap, yet delectible, burger and fries (good thing I biked so much today!)
Much love to all from Germany!!!

Adventures!!

I'm not sure if these pics will post, but here are a few of them anyway. So, the first is when I biked with the boys down to Konigswinter to try to hike up to the Drachenfels ruins (shown here), but the way was far too steep so I'll have to do it when I can get somebody to come with to help carry the boys up.
Secondly, a picture from Koko's office overlooking the Rheinau park which I bike through several times a day, and in which there are numerous adventures to be had...playgrounds, paddle-boating, kite-flying, bier festivals, rock concerts, flea markets, etc.
I went with the boys on a "mini-cruise" up the river (which is actually south because the Rheine flows south to north) to a little island where we had lunch, this was the boat we took.
And finally, it rained profusely today so I took the boys to the Haribo store where they make every kind of gummy candy you can imagine...gummy bears, boys, butterflies, snakes, strawberries, lots of black licorice, licorice, sweet, sweet yummee, yummee licorice...Let me know if there is something in particular you are craving and I'll see what I can do about getting you a delicious gummy treat.
I shall try to be more consistent in my picture taking and blog posting. Too many things happen to not document. I am headed to southern Austria, or Corinthia, on Saturday with the Merls. Should be much fun! I will probably leave a little early, not staying the whole week, so as to be able to take a detour to Switzerland and see some friends there before returning to Germany.
And the adventures continue...

And we all float on anyway...

So sorry to all who have been looking for a new post. I don't have many, but I did take a few pictures this last weekend when I went with Patrick and the boys to our home teachers 70th b-day party at this farmhouse converted medieval restaurant. Very
cool. We were entertained by bards and ate our whole meal with just our knives and fingers. This is a picture of the
veggies that were in the middle of the table, we picked out what we wanted to eat from this delectible selection, then they brought out these huge plates with meat, which we cut off, put on our plates, then ate, again with just our knives and fingers. Very fun!!!

Anyway. I've been having a grand time here in Bonn. It's been really fun with the Merl family. I have to admit though, it has also been a little difficult as Koko, the mother, has been gone a lot...1st week, I had Nicholas (almost 4) all week from 7-whenever Patrick got home...5:30-8pm. Now Koko is in Munich for the week and I have both boys (Phineas is 18mo's), same schedule. This is the last week like this and it will get a lot easier after this. I tip my hat to all parents, especially mothers, who spend so much time taking care of their children all day everyday. Paul said that with your own children it is an eternal investment which makes all the difference. That gives me encouragement and hope. =)

My cousin, Krista might come over to take my place which would be so great!!!

We've been spending a lot of time in the park which is right by the Rhein, the forest, the Zoo, etc. I will take pictures and post them. It is so beautiful here! Koko and Patrick got rid of their car so we bike or walk everywhere, sometimes taking public transportation. I'm really excited about this, I , I'm hoping to get fit from this last long winter in Alaska, as I've gotten a bit, um, shall we say, soft. =)

Perhaps tomorrow will be a bright, sun-shiny day so I can take some more pics.
love,
Millie

Update on moi...

so, i'm headed to Germany on the 5th of July. I left Alaska almost a month ago, not sure where I would go or what I would do. When I was in Utah, Koko's mother, told me that Koko and Patrick's nanny got engaged and is leaving asap, and they needed someone to help them out for a few months. She asked if I had job, I did not, I talked with them and bam, I'm headed off to Germany for a few months. I'm excited, but also excited to get back to the states and start the next stage of my life...enjoy the updates thus far...

Seattle

Daniel, Sean, Sadie and I spent the day at Pike's Place Market. It was the 100 year celebration. I found this Pirate Pig for Jakey Jack Sparrow.

Sadie and I went to the top of the Space Needle...incredible views!!

Daniel and I went out for a drive and stopped at Deception falls, beautiful. It would have been nice if the hike was a little longer than 200 ft.

We then went up to Leavenworth, a little German town in the mountains. Incredible! I kept expecting people to be speaking German. We ate wurst, rot and weise kraute, spatzli, and schnitzle at a little restaurant...ah, nostalgia, I loved it!!!

Utah

I stopped in Utah for a few days, stayed w/ Mary and Aaron...many thanks...saw a few other people including Stacy, Tom, and baby Ethan and Carrie at Stacy's.

I also met up with my friends Janine, Heather, Sarah, and Heidi to go wedding dress shopping for my roommate Sara, who is getting married August 11th.

California

My next adventures took me from Vegas to California. I got to spend time w/ Paul and Rachel... fantastic!!! I was so bummed to not be able to see everybody that I wanted though. =(

The trip 'cross country to Philly

We started from Vegas Sat afternoon, arrived at Grandma Connie's in Ogden Sat evening. Early Sunday morning we headed out w/ Grandpa Scott and Blair in the Penske truck, Elsa, Jacob and myself in the camry, Sean at Grandma Connie's. We stayed the first night in Nebraska, the next in Iowa...I went for a run up to a cemetary in a light drizzle, when I got to the cemetary, it started to pour so I took shelter under a big tree, peaceful, beautiful...sorry, no pics of that, I left my camera charger in my car in Utah. =( Tuesday we stayed in Ohio...I went for a long walk at dusk by endless fields of young cornstalks, again, no pics. We arrived in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, stayed in Bensalem. I got to share a bed w/ Jacob, this is about how it was every night...bed hog.

Thursday we went to Valley Forge.

Friday, Elsa and Blair closed on their house and we started moving in...we've been moving in ever since!


What a faboulous trip! We still have to go do the Philly tour, I also want to take a trip into NY to see a few people. I'll keep you posted.

With my nephews, Jake and Sean, in Philadelphia. It's been so hot and muggy, we rarely get outside, though Sunday was nice enough to be outside for this photo-op.

Me and Reece

Reece and I looking fabulous. I think this was a B-day party for Charise (and Buzz)/going away party for the Nunez'.

Kierstin and Kammi's prom

I stopped by Kierstin's prom last night. Kierstin went w/ Spencer McCallugh and Kammi "took coats", but mostly danced. Ah, the days of High School Prom...we go together like shama-lama-lama-sha-bipidi-boom-de-boom...

Lily's

Daniel Pascucci gave me these lovely lily's for Good Friday. Aren't they lovely?! And, they smell fabulous, too bad you can't smell them over the computer. =)

We be jammin'

I got to chaperone the church dance last weekend. Kierstin, Kammi, and I had a lovely time dancing. It was a formal. I thought I should also dress up.

When it rains it pours...

Daniel Pascucci...awesome!! Daniel pulled curtains in Beauty and the Beast and we've been hanging out ever since. Very cool guy from New Hampshire. He's full of all kinds of fun and exciting bits of information and wisdome. Daniel, or Dirty D, as he is known by many nature folk, came over for Easter dinner last night, most enjoyable.

On another note, usually it would be the patient getting flowers, but one of my patients sent me these flowers. We went out once. Yeah, anyway. I've also gone out w/ a couple of other fella's, but none to mention here.