5hunters

13!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-27T12:38:00.000Z

How did you become a teenager so fast? We love you Lukey!

Happy 13th Birthday!

Skiing

2012-01-22T19:00:00.000Z

We have lived in Vienna for almost 5 years now, and Abby and Magdalena met the first week of first grade. Even though Abby has had 2 new schools since then, we have continued to remain friends with their family. The girls have taken horseback riding classes together, Turnen classes- which are a bit like gymnastics, and for the last 3 years we have had season tickets to the "Kinder Theater". The girls really have a good time together, and we really enjoy spending time together as families.

Every winter for the past few years, we have talked about going skiing together, but it has never worked out... until this weekend. And wow, we were so glad it did!

Here we are all packed up and excited to head out! We took off for Steiermark (which is about a 2 hour drive) and met up with the Dorfers for dinner. It was pretty funny that in the small town we tried to eat dinner in, we were turned away by 2 restaurants because we were too big of a group. Finally we ate a good dinner and then we headed to our hostel. The next morning we awoke to newly fallen SNOW...

Truly a Winter Wonderland!

We went skiing at Lachtal. The weather was perfect, the slopes were great and it was so fun to watch our kiddos keep up with their Austrian friends! And I thankfully survived :)

After we finished skiing, a front moved in and it started to snow again...

The kiddos loved it and played the rest of the afternoon outside...

Here is Luke trying to dig a tunnel

Here are all of the kiddos sledding back at Magdalena's place

And we ended the fantastic day with Raclette!

We all hope we can do it again next year!

Celebrating...

2012-01-19T21:02:00.001Z

In this house, the celebrating of birthdays seems to last for days and there is always yummy food paired with the celebrating! For Levi's birthday breakfast there were cinnamon rolls, for his birthday dinner it was lasagna and for his class party, banana muffins. I love that there are requests made, there are "favorite" recipes and that usually all of these good "eats" are shared with friends around our extended table.

Levi's 8th birthday party was fairly low key. He invited a few friends from school over to our apartment and a high schooler that attends the same school as Luke and Abby, volunteered to come and do some magic tricks. I was a bit skeptical at first, as I had not seem him perform before... but he did a great job and even taught the kiddos a few tricks! :)

Happy Birthday Levi!

2012-01-16T05:59:00.000Z

It is so hard to believe that you are turning 8!

7 was a good year for you...you really came out of your shell and became adventurous! You still are very funny, sensitive and kind. All of your teachers tell us that you are a great leader and friend, and we see that too! We look forward to seeing what this year has in store for you. We love you so much!

North Carolina...

2012-01-14T16:27:00.001Z

For us, NC means memories. There are memories in the furniture, the mugs, the pictures and the pencil lines on the door that have measured the heights of lots of kiddos. Everywhere you look there is a memory and a story behind it...

North Carolina means family! Whether it is extended family or just us, the time there is always special...

North Carolina always has something fun to do outside...

In NC, we never tire of going to the same places over and over again...

Fred's

Mast General Store

The Candy Barrel

In North Carolina, we also get to see good friends who spent time in Vienna...

and in North Carolina, the view ain't half bad either...

"New Years Partay!"

2012-01-13T10:58:00.001Z

Memoo arrived in NC, just in time to celebrate New Years...and we rung in the New Year eating her famous sausage bread...

and then we taped 100 glow sticks on our bodies and had a dance party...Oh yeah baby!

Here is Levi...

Check out Abby girl...

Bradford...

Brad with all of the kiddos...

And Luke is getting down! :)

All I know is that everyone got their groove on and we rocked out to Abby's awesome playlist! Then we watched the ball drop in Times Square and fell asleep by 12:03!

It was a very fun way to ring in 2012...

Scenes from Christmas...

2012-01-11T09:08:00.001Z

Christmas at Beech Mountain is always a treat!
We love being with our family and having cousin time.

Christmas PJ's... it's tradition! Can't wait to show this photo at a wedding rehearsal dinner someday :)

We got lots of great gifts, but I think the mustaches from our good friend, Shannon were a big hit!

Mikey totally rocks this look doesn't he?

You can see more photos HERE

The countdown is on...

2011-12-19T11:11:00.001Z

Christmas cards have been sent (thanks Memoo!) and received
Cookie after cookie has been baked (and eaten)
Christmas parties and programs have been attended (with just a few more to go)
Gifts have been made and purchased
Suitcases have begun to be packed
And last night was our Christmas service at NCW...

On Friday, we head to America.
We are ready.
Ready to spend time with our family.
Ready to relax.
Ready to have some fun.
Ready to celebrate our Savior's Birth.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

Family Poem...

2011-12-15T11:52:00.001Z

Luke has been working on a project about "his family" for school for a few weeks now. He could choose from a long list of things to do. He made a family crest, a family tree, provided a waffle recipe that has been passed down from his great-grandmother (and this morning I went to school and shared some fresh waffles with the kiddos) and wrote a poem that cracked me up....

Hunter, is my family name

From all around Europe, we all came.

Back to Europe we went,

4 and 1/2 years we've spent.

We came here a church to start,

Our home is in the city's heart

German, a language I not yet knew,

Schnitzel and Sachertorte learned to chew.

I've been to 4 different schools,

But everywhere they think I'm cool :)

(and yes, he is just like his mom and put a smiley face at the end of his poem!)

Tis the Season...

2011-12-06T21:50:00.001Z

For making Advent wreaths...

for making Gingerbread houses...

For waking up to shoes filled with candy from "St. Nikolaus"...

and for visiting Christkindlmarkts...

Kitchen Makeover...

2011-11-27T13:00:00.000Z

The month of November has flown by and has been filled with lots of things to be thankful for!

Many of you have asked for an update on the kitchen, so here it is...

Before::

I wasn't so good at taking good "before" shots, but I found this one and you get some idea of our hodge- podge storage. (This was taken after the St. Andrews team was here and had delivered TONS of American goodies!)

And here is some of the mess in between...

And FINALLY here are some After::

We were so happy that we got to use it just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Gratitude Photo Challenge

2011-11-16T07:35:00.000Z

I moved my photos to my photo blog... www.iliketotakepictures.wordpress.com

What a week...

2011-11-06T21:22:00.000Z

This has been an extremely full week! We have much to be thankful for and excited about :) All of these events should really be their own post, but I am just too worn out to write them all separately...

so here is the shortened version of what our week looked like--

:: Halloween Party on Monday

:: Luke had his awards banquet for soccer on Thursday evening. They really grew as a team and had a great season! We are so proud of him!

(Luke is all the way on the right in the red and black striped shirt)

:: I started a photo challenge

:: We had a wonderful team dinner on Friday, celebrating Lindsay, as we prepare to say goodbye to her for a few months. She will be back in the States until March~ and while she is there, she will be support raising, receiving additional discipleship training from WHM, spending time with her family and friends and hopefully getting some good rest :) We are really going to miss her and look forward to her return!

:: Luke had 2 middle school parties on Friday! We are on the brink of having a teenager on our hands :)

Gisselle and Irena

:: Our friend Gisselle came to visit for the weekend from Munich. She lived in Vienna for a short time while she was working on her Masters, and she was an active part in the first few months of our church plant. She was and continues to be a great encourager to us! It was great catching up and getting to know her friend, Irena.

:: Kitchen demolition began on Saturday...and if all goes well, we will have a new one by Friday :)

:: While the kitchen was being taken apart, the kids and I joined some dear friends for a day of playing in the leaves... ( I will def. post more pictures later)

:: And last but not least, tonight we received our first class of new members at New City Wien! It was a historic night for our young church and a great celebration of God's faithfulness to us and our church.

Go HERE to see more photos

Gratitude Photo Challenge :: Day 5

2011-11-05T19:38:00.002Z

Day 5:: Morning sky at the Belvedere
At first the sky was super gray this morning- but then the sun made a surprising appearance. So thankful to spend a wonderful morning with great friends and a beautiful castle!

Gratitude Photo Challenge :: Day 4

2011-11-04T15:52:00.001Z

Day 4:: Leaves
I am very grateful for all of the years we spent in sunny Florida,
but I LOVE experiencing all of the seasons while living in Vienna
(taken with my i-phone)

30 Day Gratitude Photo Challenge...

2011-11-03T21:28:00.001Z

I have never been a part of a photo challenge...but I have always wanted to try it. So even though I am starting a few days late... Here goes! (I am cheating a bit with using pictures I have already taken for these first 3 days)

Day 1~ Favorite Food

Without a doubt, one of my mom's favorite foods is peanut M&M's...just ask her how many she ate the day Luke was born :) Also, I am very thankful for my momma!

Day 2~ Smile

I love this photo so much that I put it in my header for my blog...I can't get enough of this little guy :)

Day 3~ Happiness

This just screams "Don't Worry, Be Happy" to me!

So, I might not post the photo here everyday, but I will to my Flickr acct and my photography blog

Halloween Fun...

2011-11-02T05:46:00.000Z

Halloween isn't really celebrated around these parts, so we always like to invite our friends over for a little Halloween Fun!

:: goody bags

:: cookies

:: costumes

:: s'mores

:: silly games

:: plenty of good friends

:: pumpkin carving and ghost stories all make for a really fantastic Halloween :)

Berlin in Bits... Day 3

2011-11-01T17:19:00.000Z

Our last day, the dads joined us for some fun family time. We went to Tropical Islands! It was amazing- once we got over the initial shock of how enormous/overwhelming it was! :)

Pools, waterslides, beaches, restaurants, hot air balloon rides, an indoor playground and good friends...what's not to like!

Berlin in Bits...Day 2

2011-10-31T05:58:00.000Z

We were a group of 8 kids and 3 moms, that meant that our choice of sites needed to be very kid-friendly... so our second day of adventures in Berlin included the Zoo and the Aquarium...(almost all of the pictures are courtesy of Abby, Luke and Levi :)

we saw lots of animals

explored

climbed and just enjoyed one another

and they all got a kick out of this fountain :) hee hee!

after walking through the zoo, then we were off to the aquarium

It really was a fantastic day and if you get the chance...they are two fun places to visit!

Berlin in Bits... Day 1

2011-10-30T11:33:00.002Z

Berlin was so fun! While Brad and Lindsay took part in the City to City Conference with Tim Keller, I got to do fun things with the kiddos and a few families from the WHM Prague Team!

Our first adventure took place at the Legoland Discovery Center

Lots of playing, lots of building and lots of fun!

Then we were off for some sugar! Yep- there is Dunkin Donuts in Berlin and I am proud to say that we stopped there more than once :)

We met up with the dads for dinner at Berlin Burrito Company...which we all would highly recommend, and then we went quickly to see some of the famous sites

On a side note, the last time Brad and I were in Berlin together, was in 1998, and we were visiting missionaries throughout German speaking Europe. It was in Berlin where we learned we were pregnant with Luke! Big surprise. VERY BIG. But very GOOD! :)

Checkpoint Charlie

Remnants of the Berlin Wall

Brandenburg Gate

Reichstag

(sorry about the quality of the photos...most of them were taken from the car)

Stay tuned for Days 2 and 3!

School Happenings...

2011-10-29T11:58:00.000+01:00

Even though we were pretty exhausted from a great trip to Berlin (pictures to come)...we couldn't miss the Fall Festival held at ICSV last night

One of our favorite teachers, Miss Gerdes, rocked the fall sweater vest ;)

there were lots of games and candy, but the chocolate marshmallow game was by far our kiddos favorite

first one must don a garbage bag

then get blindfolded

then dip your marshmallow in chocolate

then let the fun begin!

and the kids also liked watching the teachers get "pied"

here is the school's director being a good sport!

And in other school news...

Abby received this month's Fruit of the Spirit Award...Self Control! Way to go Abby :)

It's really Friday again?

2011-10-21T12:06:00.001+01:00

Last weekend we had a fantastic time at Apfelhof!

:: The weather was perfect, the fellowship was fun and the food was delicious.

:: We came home with BAGS of apples and potatoes. We have made tons of applesauce and I plan on making THESE too!

:: and speaking of baking, we can't stop eating these delicious Snickerdoodles!

other happenings this week...
:: Luke had his last soccer game of the season
:: I signed up for another round of German classes
:: we finally ordered our new kitchen from IKEA!
:: and the kiddos began their Fall break today :)

Happy Weekend and Flower Friday to you!

Orange...

2011-10-14T13:16:00.000+01:00

Based on the photos from my phone... I think I am gravitating towards all things orange

I guess that means that Fall is really finally here. And that makes me happy :)
(And no, that is not our chameleon, Mo...that is a grown one that we saw at the pet store)

This weekend we are headed to Apfelhof. I am sure more orange photos will be coming your way.

Flower Friday...sort of

Hope you can find some leaves to play in...

Happy Weekend!

Snippits...

2011-10-07T12:07:00.002+01:00

Another week, full of good stuff.

It began with an invitation to our neighbor's place for homemade Knödel. Yum

Brad left Monday for 3 days away for a "Synod" mtg. with other churches in our denomination

Abby and I made Gingersnaps

3/4 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp.salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. ginger

Mix all ingredients together. Roll into balls. Roll in sugar.

Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

(Recipe compliments of my friend Sharbelle)

Mo took a field trip to school...it was Tiertag

It was the 3rd week of our "Intro to New City Wien" classes

Luke had 3 soccer games this week

and Brad and I snuck in a breakfast date before our team meeting

Happy Flower Friday!

P.S. I totally want to do THIS

More Language Lovers...

2011-10-06T11:43:00.000+01:00

I love that our kiddos love learning other languages!

I am super proud of Luke as he takes Spanish, along with German at school now, and last week Abby came home with a booklet of Korean phrases that a friend taught her. It is so fun to watch her write out helpful words and names, and try to teach us how to say them properly :)

She says she would rather learn Korean now, instead of French...which for some reason she has always wanted to learn.

Crazy huh? Yep- I am confident that Brad instilled this love and not me, as we all have heard my language learning ability :)

So are any of my readers out there Korean tutors????

An afternoon at Naturpark...

2011-10-01T22:07:00.000+01:00

Sometimes we need a break from the city... to feed the fish, take in the mountains, smell the fresh air, play in the streams and carve a good walking stick. Today we did just that :)

This week...

2011-09-30T08:54:00.001+01:00

:: Levi loves carrots, and instead of "peeling" his carrot, he refers to it as carving! I love it :)

:: I added the Diptic and Camera Pro apps to my i-phone... and am having fun playing around

:: read this NY Times article and it reminded me how thankful I am that our kids have learned German, but it also stirred my emotions, remembering how hard those first few months were here

:: we went to dinner at the Schweitzerhaus

:: the leaves started to change

:: it was Luke's turn to be sick ;(

:: Abby did an "About Me" project at school

:: I made an apple pie-but it didn't turn out because my oven is still not working right...but my friends and family graciously ate it anyway. Normally, it is very yummy!

Here's the recipe::
(from Missy Campo)

-store bought pie crust

-cut and peel 5-6 Granny Smith apples

-sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. of cinnamon

-place apples in crust and cut up pats of butter (about 1/4 cup)

-mix
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar

-crumble on top of pie

-Bake at 350 for 1 hour ( or until brown)

:: and here's my Flower Friday

Enjoy your weekend!

Feeling Fall~ish...

2011-09-23T11:50:00.002+01:00

:: After 4 years without a crock-pot...I finally broke down and ordered one. It came just in time, as my oven konked out this week :)

Please feel free to share any of your favorite slow-cooker recipes!

:: yep~ that is a scarf and a hat! I looove that we are finally having some cooler weather. It was also fun to see my friend Tammy for a few days, as she was here visiting from Arizona.

:: We have made several batches of homemade applesauce this week..so easy and so delicious!

:: wow, I really want to make THESE

:: and it wouldn't be Fall without someone in the family getting sick...Abby is the first one to be taken down with a fever and the sniffles ;(

Happy Flower Friday!

Enjoy your weekend :)

Be-lated Budapest

2011-09-22T11:20:00.001+01:00

A few weekends ago we went to Budapest. We met with great friends, ate yummy food, saw a bit of the city and went to a wine festival...a lot to pack in for just being there 24 hours! Here are the photos from my phone, and HERE are the rest

Crazy for Chameleons...

2011-09-20T12:05:00.000+01:00

It's official. We have gone crazy! I know it is not hard for most of you to believe, but we really have gone a little nuts for this chameleon. Meet "Mo"(derived from Mohawk).

Remember when we went to Malta, and the kiddos found THIS...

Well, ever since we got home, Luke has been researching, going to pet stores and asking questions, pooling his money and even selling things to earn money so he could get his hands on a chameleon.

Here she is checking out her new pad

Her tail is pretty cool, as it can be all curled up

or straight out

and it is fun to watch her crawl and see her skin grow darker, as she blends with her surroundings

but even though she is pretty cute...

she only eats LIVE bugs and worms

so we no longer have anyone offering to watch our place when we need to go out of town :)

We have ourselves a goalie...

2011-09-14T22:40:00.000+01:00

Last year it was American football, and this year it is soccer!

A few weeks ago, Luke tried out for the team and enough kids tried out that 2 teams were formed. He brought home the list of names for the blue and gold teams and asked me to find his name. When I couldn't find his, he told me to check the bottom of the page...he had made BOTH teams! :)

Tonight was their first game, and they won 3-2! Way to go Eagles!

It rained for most of the game, but as we were leaving, a beautiful rainbow spread across the sky...

God is so good!

Piles...

2011-09-08T23:04:00.000+01:00

This week we thought we would take advantage of all of the kiddos being back in school to switch the boys' bedrooms upstairs and move ours downstairs. What a task! And a mess! It is like moving without moving. We are stepping over pile after pile of clothes, toys, office supplies, new IKEA furniture and junk. But there is progress.

Abby's room is about 99% done (as most of her things just stayed the same, she just inherited some of the boys closet space) and Levi's new room is also close to being finished... remember my little "oasis"? It is no longer mine :( But when all is said and done, it will be better, as everyone will have a little more space of their own. So stay tuned for pictures...hopefully I can post some next week.

This weekend we are headed to see our friend, Joanna, whom we haven't seen since she became Mrs. Luper :) We will head to Budapest just for a night~ but it should be a nice break from the piles!

Happy Weekend and Flower Friday to you!

In case you were wondering...

2011-09-02T11:39:00.000+01:00

Levi loves his new cereal bowl that we made on our date :)

A Happy "Flower Friday" to you too!

More Malta...

2011-09-01T20:31:00.001+01:00

Tonight I dumped a bunch of pictures from my phone, and I found some from our vacation in Malta

seeing them makes me smile :)

A date with Mr. Levi...

2011-08-30T13:00:00.001+01:00

I had a date with my Levi today. We promised him one at Valentine's Day but time sort of got away from us!

He requested waffles and orange juice from Blue Orange

He ate every bite of his waffle and drank every drop of juice, as we talked about our fun summer memories and also how he is getting excited for school to start. I love how he is growing up and yet is still little enough to be my "little" guy!

then we went across the street to "Made by You" to paint some pottery

the hardest part is always trying to decide what to make

Levi finally decided on a bowl that he could use for cereal, with a bit of coaching from me, as I wanted him to make something that he would actually use (not just another animal that would collect dust on his shelf) :)

He wanted it taped and with lots of colors...

he added a cool pirate on the bottom too... with a gold tooth and water splashes on his face

we head back on Thursday to pick up the finished product...stay tuned

Before 9 am

2011-08-24T09:04:00.000+01:00

Yesterday it was 100 here. And it felt like it...ugh! Our apartment felt like an oven. A hot oven!
Today is supposed to be more of the same, so we got a jump start on some household chores that needed to be done and by 9 we had vacuumed

mopped

and baked some goodies for a friend (wow, look at the size of Levi's feet- they are huge..anyway)

and while I am ready to tackle the piles of papers and "stuff" that have accumulated over summer break and re-organize just about every room I can get me hands on... it is just too stinkin hot-

instead I will plop myself in front of this fan- until we meet friends later at the pool!

P.S. The kitchen is closed until further notice- but when it cools off, and "re-opens" I plan on making THESE!

Back to school!

2011-08-23T09:33:00.012+01:00

Last night nerves were getting the best of them, but this morning they were all smiles as they were ready to start their first day! This is yet another new school for Abby~ but we are thankful that she and Luke can be together and that she has a very nice teacher.

LOTS of nations are represented at their school!

This little guy was just along for the ride~ and is very happy that he doesn't start for a few more weeks!

and this little gal is sad that summer (aka undivided attention) has come to an end :(

See how they have grown

Locks of Love...

2011-08-19T22:31:00.000+01:00

For months now, Abby has been wanting to cut her hair for Locks of Love. She has known other girls to do it and was excited and motivated by the cause, but also pretty scared. She had also wanted Memoo to do it with her, but after we researched it, we realized that Memoo couldn't do it because she colored her hair...
but she did the next best thing, she cut it while Memoo was with us on vacation and Memoo will take the ponytail back to the States with her and send it in to LOL.

getting a good shampoo

look at all of that hair!

getting it in a pony

the BIG cut

and the beautiful end result! We are so proud of her :)

Moments with Memoo...

2011-08-19T21:50:00.000+01:00

On this vacation, we decided that every kiddo got to have a special moment with Memoo...

:: Abby and Memoo swam with the dolphins

:: Luke and Memoo went Parasailing

Getting their instructions

Memoo getting fitted for her gear

Luke's turn now

their parasail

Brad praying for their safety, and Levi thinking that he may not see Memoo alive again :)

Ready

Set

GO!

They both said the view was of course spectacular...and I wish you all could have seen Memoo's arms flapping like a bird, pretending she was flying! It was too funny :)

and here they landed safely after about 15 minutes in the air

Look at their smiles!

:: Now it's Levi's turn! He and Memoo went jet-skiing

and they are off... quite slow at first, but once he got the hang of it, he was willing to go much faster

more smiles, more fun and more great memories! Thanks for being such a good sport Memoo! :)

Malta- Days 6, 7 & 8

2011-08-19T20:42:00.002+01:00

Days 6, 7 & 8 in Malta were more of the same as the previous days~ sunny, hot, full of swimming and fun :)
Here are some of my favorite shots from our last few days there...

:: the kiddos at the Blue Lagoon

:: Mdina

:: glass made in Mdina

:: sweet treats

:: "Cami/ Yellow/ Camantha" the chameleon we found out by the pool

:: Golden Bay Beach

:: hot date on our anniversary

:: sea wall at Golden Bay

:: going for a ride

Our Malta vacation has come to an end... but the memories we made there will last a lifetime

14!

2011-08-16T08:31:00.000+01:00

I love this boy too! Happy 14th Anniversary my love :)

I. LOVE. THIS. BOY.

2011-08-15T08:29:00.000+01:00

And he is LOVING everything about Malta! The swimming, the sun, snorkeling and fireworks.
Here he is just enjoying the view...it is one of my favorite photos from the past few days :)

Malta- Days 4 & 5

2011-08-14T19:47:00.001+01:00

Our latest adventures on the island of Malta, have been to Popeye's Village and the Blue Lagoon.

The kiddos enjoyed hanging out with Popeye and Olive Oyl, and they even made a movie with them :)
They also spent hours snorkeling and playing on the over-sized inflatables that were there.

We are staying in MqAbba, and currently there is a festival celebrating Mary. The town is adorned with flags, banners, lights and statues. Each night we have been here, there have been fireworks...yes EVERY night! Here are a few photos of the town square...

and here are some views at night...

Everyone we have met has been very friendly and helpful. Most speak English, but we do hear a lot of Maltese being spoken. It seems to be a mixture of Italian, Arabic and English. A few of us also tried rabbit last night, as it is a popular dish here. We are having so much fun exploring~ but are also finding plenty of time to relax. Now it's time for another fireworks show...

Malta-Day 3

2011-08-12T20:50:00.000+01:00

Today we spent the day at the Blue Grotto. The views are spectacular and the water is gorgeous. Here are a few shots from our boat ride, and then the kiddos spent the rest of the afternoon snorkeling...

Malta-Day 2

2011-08-12T19:54:00.001+01:00

For a few years now, Abby's favorite animal has been the dolphin and whenever we have gone back to Florida to visit, she has wanted to swim with them at Miami Seaquarium. Unfortunately, it has just never worked out. So when Brad was researching "things to do in Malta", and he discovered that you could swim with the dolphins, we knew it was an opportunity for Abby that we couldn't pass up!

We arrived at the park bright and early...

Memoo and Abby are all suited up and ready to go swim with the dolphins!

Here they go.......

Meet Sol, "Abby and Memoo's" dolphin

Here Sol is posing with the ladies for a picture :)

They got to pet him, kiss him and command him do tricks

It really was a fantastic experience for Abby and Memoo to share!

We ended our day eating dinner on the water while the sun set...

Malta- Day 1

2011-08-10T20:49:00.000+01:00

We arrived safely last night in Malta, after a brief 2 hour flight directly from Vienna. We are renting a house that is over 500 hundred years old... crazy right? It is really cool! Today we had a slow morning, explored the island a bit and then hit one of the many beaches here. The island is browner than I had expected, but still lovely. It sort of reminds me of a cross between Greece and the Dominican Republic. The water is beautiful and we can't wait to explore some more tomorrow. (Blogger wouldn't let me upload any photos, so you'll have to check out my Flickr acct)

HERE are some photos from the place we are renting and our adventures from today

Saying Goodbye...

2011-08-08T22:20:00.000+01:00

We have really enjoyed having these lovely ladies here with us this summer! They have worked hard and loved on our team, family and church well:) We are sad to say goodbye~ but look forward to seeing what the next season of their lives looks like!

In recent days...

2011-08-05T19:50:00.001+01:00

It is always hard to catch up when I fall this far behind with the blog, but here are some of the things we have been up to in recent days...

:: we took our family, team and interns to Schladming for a Sonship retreat

:: Jeff led the lessons, and Ewan got to pal around with Levi

:: Lindsay and the interns

:: on the retreat, we also made time to check out the beauty around us

:: and ride down a mountain on go-carts! So fun!!!

then we came home, un-packed, did some laundry, had a game night at NCW (I forgot to bring my handy dandy camera) and Abby and I packed up again to head off to horse camp...

:: She had a good few days with her friends and the horses, but then she was ready to come home :)

so we came home again, did more unpacking and some more laundry, and then last night we had a dessert night that the interns hosted...

here are a few pictures from the "making Apfel Strudel demonstration"

:: the finished Strudel with vanilla sauce! Delish!

and even now, the laundry continues as we prepare for our family vacation to Malta with Memoo on Tuesday :) It has certainly been a few fun and busy weeks~ but we are ready to have some down time.

Sweet...(Part 2)

2011-07-22T19:59:00.002+01:00

:: Remember this sweet photo of my dear friend, Jeriann...

well, Evangeline arrived on Wednesday! Here are her sweet fingers...

her sweet baby toes...

and everything in between~ is nothing but sweetness! She is going to be well loved by her big brother and big sister :)
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:: a sweet reunion

Ewan and Jeff arrived today from the States, and Levi couldn't be more excited to have his buddy here!
Next week, Jeff will be leading a Sonship retreat for our team and our interns. We are looking forward to the retreat and getting out of the city for a few days :)
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:: a sweet recipe

I made this "Classic Lemon Cream Tart" a few nights ago, for our Family Night with our interns. It was yummy!

Here is the recipe:

1 3/4 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 egg yolks
1 large egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Garnish: sliced lemons

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, 1/3 cup melted butter and brown sugar. Press firmly into a tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks and egg. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat cream with mixer until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cooled lemon mixture. Spoon into prepared tart shell. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

(taken from the "Cooking with Paula Deen 5th Anniversary Keepsake Issue" magazine)

Hope you have another sweet weekend! :)

Gänsehäufel

2011-07-18T09:14:00.001+01:00

We have lived in Vienna for 4 years now, and yesterday was the first time we checked out this massive island to swim on...what took us so long? Who knows. But I am glad we know how to get there now...because it is awesome!

Here we are trying to figure out where to go...so many options and we only paid 9 Euros to get in...yep-for all of us total!

we passed folks playing chess


folks playing volleyball


folks playing mini-golf

but we finally settled here, so the kids could do this...

and when they had enough of jumping off of the dock, we headed here

and unlike in the States, there was no one at the top regulating when a person could go~

so the kiddos took full advantage of holding each other's feet and crashing into one another :)

and we ended our time there with a few minutes on the trampoline!

Sweet...

2011-07-16T08:19:00.003+01:00

Sweet:: Look at all of these cherry tomatoes we have grown on our terrace

Sweet:: Check out Levi's smile after losing another tooth

Sweet:: And speaking of smiles, we got to watch one of our friend's little guy~ here is Abby getting him to laugh

Sweet:: And here is Levi reading to him...so sweet!

Sweet:: Strawberry-Nutella muffins

Sweet:: Only 22 more days until Memoo comes to Vienna!

Sweet:: My dear friend is having her sweet baby girl on Wednesday...here are some photos of her shower (doesn't she look fantastic)

Hope you all have a sweet weekend!

Family Night with the Interns...Strandcafe and Ice Cream

2011-07-13T19:22:00.000+01:00

Last night was Family Night with Lindsay and our interns... it was crowded in the U-bahn...and hot!

Really HOT. Just ask Brad about the dude who sprayed sweat on him as he ran his fingers through his sweaty hair. Gross.
But it was all worth it when we got to see this...

and drink some of this...

and eat some of these...

yum! Strandcafe has the best ribs in Vienna...hands down

and on the way home we found the largest dandelions I have ever seen...

so we made wishes...

and then went home and made ice cream in ziplock bags

It was a lovely evening :)

More from English camp...

2011-07-09T15:07:00.000+01:00

This group did such a great job with our English camp!

lots of games, songs, crafts, lessons, food and most importantly LOVE were given this week!

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When we finished with camp...we headed off to eat a special dinner at the Schweitzerhaus

Then after dinner, it was time for some crazy rides...

What a great ending to a wonderful week!

Scenes from English camp...

2011-07-06T17:36:00.001+01:00

The English camp is going great! The St. Andrews team and the interns are doing a fantastic job! :)

They made it!

2011-07-02T15:01:00.001+01:00

The team from St. Andrews finally made it in late last night, after being delayed by several hours because of bad weather. We are so thankful they are here to help with our English camp, which begins on Monday!

The St. Andrews "Trippers"

Last day of school!

2011-07-01T10:13:00.002+01:00

Abby and Miss Sarah

Miss Ulli, Levi and Miss Petzi

Abby and Miss Jeanine

Levi, Miss Gabi and Abby

Today was finally the last day of school! Here are a few photos of the kiddos with their teachers. We are ready for summer!

AND Check out these fun ideas for the 4th! HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE!

Stylin...

2011-07-01T10:02:00.000+01:00

Since Erin has been staying with us the last few weeks, we have had a live in hair stylist for Abby :)

This is how she did her hair for the end of the year party last night! So pretty :)

A Few Treats...

2011-06-25T21:52:00.001+01:00

:: I don't know the actual name of this dessert, but it is like a homemade Reese's Peanut Butter cup or a flat version of a "buckeye"! So delicious and soooo easy to make.

Here is the basic recipe~
Melt 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of peanut butter over the stove top. Add about a box of powdered sugar and stir until the lumps are all out. Pour into a 9x13 pan and let cool a little bit. While that is cooling, melt THIS yummy goodness (I actually used 2 of the Glasur containers) and then pour over your peanut butter mixture. Let this harden and cut into squares.

And if you don't live in a place where they have Dr. Oetker products , then I am sure you can melt some chocolate and cream to make a nice glaze.

:: And we can check off *make cinnamon rolls* off of our summer list!
(even though our youngest kiddos still have one more week of school left)

You can find the recipe HERE

Hope you all are having a good weekend!

Saying goodbye...

2011-06-23T23:06:00.000+01:00

When you live a life overseas, it is normal to get "good" at saying goodbyes. I am not saying it is easy~ but I am saying that we try to make a big deal of it. Make it special. Eat a meal together. Give hugs. Pray for one another. Share memories.

Tonight was one of those nights where we had to say many goodbyes. Some folks are just gone for the summer, while others are headed back to the States for good. So sad. It certainly has been fun sharing our lives together for this particular season...

until we meet again :)

The Opera...

2011-06-22T20:15:00.000+01:00

Here are Erin and Abby, with their matching braids...all ready to head out to the Opera, "The Magic
Flute".

We arrived about 80 minutes before the performance started, and waited in line for the standing only/ cheap tickets.

While they stood in line, I snapped a bunch of photos of Levi as he did his own winning performance...

Act 1:: dancing, singing and having a great ol' time running around

Act 2:: Enough waiting already and a meltdown...

THE END.

Family Night...

2011-06-22T19:30:00.001+01:00

Along with the interns regular responsibilities, once a week we get to get together for "Family Night"~ where lots of eating, story telling, laughing and games are played! :)

Die Schöpfung (the Creation)

2011-06-20T10:48:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, the kids had a program at school featuring all they had learned about Creation. Here is Abby with a few of her friends in masks they had made.

Levi was a giraffe

This is Levi's teacher, Mrs. Ulli leading the songs

After the program was finished, we walked around the school and saw the projects that the students had completed on the theme of creation

Levi's class drew pictures describing what they wanted to be when they grew up...

lo and behold, Levi said he wanted to be a Pastor! Gotta love him standing at his "pulpit" overlooking his congregation...with the sun shining none the less :)

They did a great job and it was fun to see lots of their hard work come together.

Meet our Interns...

2011-06-18T10:13:00.000+01:00

Eva, Allie, Alli, Brie and Amanda :)

A little crafting and a Flower Friday...

2011-06-17T16:16:00.000+01:00

I am glad it is Friday! It has been a busy week, but I don't have many photos to show for it because Abby and I were hit hard with a stomach bug :(

But our 5 interns arrived safely with goodies in tow (Thanks Mrs. Kimball!) and we are glad they are here to help us this summer! (pictures to come soon)

Earlier this week, Levi came home with some crafts that he made it school...a cute hedgehog and a "garbage" man

And today after school Abby worked on this craft

AdOrAbLe! Thanks Memoo for sending me the butterfly stamp :)

And here is my Flower Friday!

Lovin...

2011-06-14T17:34:00.001+01:00

:: that my hubby is home and recovering nicely from hernia surgery!

:: that our good friends (and old next door neighbors) from Florida are here visiting!

:: that we can watch break dancers in the 1st District

:: being able to watch my friends sing on Kärntner Straße

:: my yellow flowers from Hofer

:: my new polka dotted pinwheel for our terrace

:: my new stack of People magazines that Memoo sent me

:: how Milka pooch watches me cook in the kitchen

:: that my house smells like fresh baked brownies

Happy Father's Day (sort of)

2011-06-12T18:55:00.000+01:00

Father's Day is celebrated today in Austria. The kids were hopeful that Brad would come home from the hospital and they could shower him with the gifts that they had made in school...
unfortunately, the Dr. wanted him to stay one more night at the hospital, so we brought the celebration to him!

We love you! And look forward to celebrating some more when you get home! :)

Sometimes a hug really does make eveything better...

2011-06-12T07:51:00.000+01:00

After a long day at the hospital yesterday, my cell phone rings last night at 10 pm. It is my friend who is watching Levi. She sweetly tells me that she thinks Levi needs to come home (instead of spending the night with his buddy as originally planned). She tells me that he keeps talking about needing a hug from his mom. Oh my sweet boy!

I apologize for the inconvenience of her husband having to bring Levi home, and she says it is no problem. I wait for our buzzer to ring- and meet Levi downstairs. As soon as we get into our building he says to me, "the covers were itchy and I didn't know how to tell her that in German, and when you said goodbye to me, you only gave me a kiss and I needed a hug too!"

A day spent at the hospital…a few thoughts from an “Auslander”

2011-06-11T15:34:00.002+01:00

We arrive at the hospital a little after 8 am. The sign out front says “seit 1901”. It is a posh hospital with marble floors and leather couches. A case in the lobby is filled with fancy good luck charms that can be purchased for gifts. The man at the front desk is friendly, but seems to apologize frequently to whoever he is speaking with.

Our first reminder that we are in fact “Auslanders”, occurs shortly after Brad finishes filling out his admission paperwork. We do not have E-cards like most Austrians, instead we have private insurance. Normally this is to our advantage, but today the insurance company has not yet arranged a payment plan with the hospital, and the man at the front desk explains to us that if something is not worked out, then HE will personally be held responsible for the balance. Crazy.

We provide 2 credit cards to cover the costs and put a call into our insurance company stateside, so they can confirm that we do have coverage. We hold for about 10 minutes-which seems much longer than that- and Brad explains the situation. He is careful to spell out the name of the hospital, as it is all auf Deutsch. Of course with our American insurance company, “customer service” is of utmost importance. They explain that everything will be taken care of without question. It is certainly in times of stress that we really can appreciate this. This is often not the case here~ and more often than not, the customer is not given the benefit of the doubt.

Thankfully our insurance company is able to confirm, and we can take the exorbitant amounts off of our credit cards, and the front desk man won’t need to take out a loan :)

He sends us on our way with directions to Brad’s room, and wishes us the best of luck.

The elevator smells of smoke- but that is not really surprising to us. But what does surprise us, are the patients walking the halls with smiles on their faces…a good sign for us.

Once upstairs we are greeted with more smiles, formal handshakes and the exchange of names. We are led to a room with 2 other patients. Brad will have the middle bed. It is awkward for me as the other men, who obviously have had recent surgery lay in their beds, just staring at us. One can hear a pin drop and I am thinking twice about bringing Luke back with me later.

Brad changes into a gown, but not without first dropping his i-phone on the floor, cracking the screen. Typical Hunter moment here. We put his belongings in a locker and we sit in more silence. Having once worked as a nurse, it is a bit weird for me that no one pulls their privacy curtains and everyone is exposed. A reminder that I am used to the American way of doing things.

Everything is very white and clean. Each patient has a bottle of mineral water at their bedside. The window is open-as there is not air conditioning- and you can hear kids playing and trucks driving by. Everything appears to be very state of the art, but there are no vending machines to be found storing cold Diet Coke in the halls or access to the internet while you wait.

Soon the nurse enters the room and puts a sign on Brad’s bed stating “Nüchtern”-meaning nothing by mouth. She takes down his health history and seems surprised when Brad says that he is a pastor. She then proceeds to tell him that it is a good job to have. I am thinking at this point that she may be an angel in disguise.

There are medications given, blood drawn and IV’s started. I decide it is a good time for me to go and check on the kiddos. Fortunately, they are all happily dispersed at different friend’s houses and I am back at the hospital in less than an hour to find Brad sleeping.

________________________________________________________________________

I spend several hours waiting in the hall- reading “The Prodigal God”, by Tim Keller, while Brad rests comfortably in his room. I also watch patients walk the hall, cleaning ladies push their carts and call lights intermittently go on and off. It makes me miss my days of nursing and my interaction with patients and their families.

Around 2:30 pm- nurses began passing out coffee and tea (with proper white cups and saucers none the less) to those patients that can have it. No disposable dishes here. This time, a sweet reminder that I am living in another country.

About 3, Brad is instructed to put on his TED hose and told that it wouldn’t be long before they would take him down to be prepped for surgery. I was told that it was best for me to just go home, because there is no specific waiting room, and they would call if they needed me.

I am home now~ and will head back to the hospital later this evening.

Thanks for your prayers and kind words. I will write more later…

*an update at 21:30*
Brad's surgery went well and he was just moved from recovery back to his original room. He is sleeping now and will most likely be discharged tomorrow. :) I am assuming everything went as planned, but I never did get to meet his surgeon. It has been a long day and we are all tired, so I will say Gute Nacht.

Much love to all of you that have called, prayed, texted, and took care of our kiddos!

Summer List...

2011-06-07T19:39:00.001+01:00

Our list isn't quite as cute as THIS,
but the kids came up with some good ideas :)

(complete with some sweet spelling errors...like "wath" instead of watch)

Trying to stay cool...

2011-06-07T18:39:00.001+01:00

Even though school has not quite finished, it definitely feels like summer! We are doing our best to try and stay cool. According to the paper, there are over 40 places to swim in Vienna. Check this site out if you are interested in learning more :)

Here are some photos from the Strandbad Alte Donau::

Weekend wrap-up and a product endorsement...

2011-06-04T22:54:00.002+01:00

It has been a busy and very fun weekend around these parts!

:: Friday evening we were invited to Herbert and Maria's house for some traditional Austrian food and drink. Maria made a feast of Schweinsbraten (roasted pork), Semmelknödel (dumplings), lentils, Austrian potato salad, and 3 Austrian desserts! Amazing!

Here is Dan loading up his plate

and here is Herbert, all smiles as he serves up drinks to the gang :)

:: On Saturday, New City Wien threw it's first baby shower! Congrats Mark and Karissa

Games, good eats and gifts summed up the afternoon!

:: and finally, a quick product endorsement after making a few treats for the shower...

Dr. Oetker is the man! This glasur is awesome :)

Just melt it in a hot water bath and you can dip away...

strawberries

Oreos

or cupcakes! Add some sprinkles and you are good to go.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend with good friends and good food too!

Painting Project and Flower Friday...

2011-06-03T08:53:00.001+01:00

See these tiles with orange flowers...would not have been my choice, but we are renting our place, so they must stay

Enter in this 10 year old piece of Target furniture...

Levi wanted to be a big helper and paint, so I let him. I figured that I didn't have much to lose. He painted the entire thing (in his underwear, but I won't show you that part)

Here is the finished product...

Looks pretty good right? And the next time you take a trip to my bathroom and you see the orange toilet paper/magazine holder, may it bring a smile to your face knowing that my sweet 7 year old completed the task :)

and my Flower Friday

Invitations...

2011-05-30T08:32:00.000+01:00

These past few weeks have been busy with lots of invitations to spend time with friends...

at the zoo

for birthday celebrations

and to just play together!

We love "our" Joanna...

2011-05-29T20:40:00.000+01:00

We first met Joanna about 4 years ago, at a cross-cultural training center in Colorado. We had mutual friends and she quickly became part of our family! She has lived in Budapest these past few years, and she has taken MANY trips to Vienna to come and see us.

In just a few short months- she will be getting married to the love of her life, Will, back in the States. Unfortunately we won't be able to attend the wedding, but we were able to spend a little time with her this weekend and celebrate how special she is to our family! We wish them all the best :)

A good read and a Flower Friday...

2011-05-27T09:14:00.000+01:00

Go HERE for a good read... and HERE for my Flower Friday

Summer Cuts...

2011-05-21T10:11:00.000+01:00

Before and After shots

Any guesses?

2011-05-20T21:13:00.000+01:00

Flower Friday

2011-05-20T08:20:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday! Hope you all take time this weekend to stop and smell the roses...

Smiling...

2011-05-19T07:54:00.000+01:00

:: when I look at this photo of my kiddos

:: as I help the kiddos make "dirt" (aka crushed oreos, gummy worms and chocolate pudding)

:: as I continue to put my little space together upstairs

:: when I look out on our terrace and see our rose bush full of blooms

:: when I think of last night... which certainly was a night to remember.

Normally I never "just" speak German with dinner guests, it is usually a combination of German and English and certainly our family never "only" speaks German together, but last night we invited over a guest that doesn't speak any English. I had to be pushed out of my comfort zone and dive in head first.
The rules for my kids were that they had to speak German, they couldn't correct my German and they couldn't laugh at my pronunciation. It was a wonderful night around the dinner table...full of smiles :)

Eis...

2011-05-13T20:55:00.001+01:00

When the weather starts to get all beautiful out, and I am wishing for a backyard...I have to remind myself that scooters and concrete are my friends. Living in an apartment "makes" us go out and get some fresh air and exercise...

It also gives us an excuse to go and get ice cream...

Our favorite little place, is just down the street

Abby almost always gets coconut...

For Luke it is usually something with chocolate...

Levi usually has a hard time making up his mind...

In the end, he decides on white chocolate and pineapple, but soon realizes he is not a fan of the pineapple after all. Don't you worry though, Milka comes to the rescue!

and my favorite...GREEN APPLE!!!

So, while many of you enjoy your backyards...we will enjoy our trips to get Eis :)

*and I am trying to bring back Flower Fridays*

Toofless...

2011-05-10T07:17:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday he lost his first front tooth...

Yesterday while eating a snack at school, he lost his second one :)

making him officially "toofless"

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T20:22:00.000+01:00

To all you moms out there...

(Made by my sweet Abby girl)

Blooming...

2011-05-04T17:09:00.002+01:00

The first of the blooms are finally opening on our terrace...

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

~Anne Bradstreet

After months of being loose...

2011-04-30T11:01:00.000+01:00

Levi finally lost his front tooth! :)

New...

2011-04-29T19:15:00.000+01:00

New Game:: Some friends let us borrow 'Ticket to Ride Europe' and the boys have fallen in love with it.

New Tulips:: Because life is too short to not enjoy fresh flowers :)

Newest teammate:: Celebrates her Birthday!

New Recipe:: For Scones made for the "Royal Wedding Partay"

(Our team got together to celebrate the new marriage of Prince William and Catherine. It was so fun watching the days events and eating cucumber sandwiches and scones with lemon curd, while sipping Mimosa's...we also watched the TV closely to see if we could find Sonja, who just happened to plan a trip to London while the Royal wedding was happening)

New Baby:: Our neighbor just had a new baby...isn't he so sweet :)

Hohe Wand Wiese

2011-04-25T17:28:00.000+01:00

Today we went on the sommerrodelbahn in the Hohe Wand Wiese with the Giles Family. It was a blast!
(a little scary for me...but fun none the less) It is basically a toboggan on a track that can go up to 25 mph. Thankfully there is one lever that you push to go fast or pull back to slow down.

Here are Brad and Levi getting buckled in...

Here are Luke and Abby "flying" down the hill...

and after a run with Daddy, Levi was ready to go all by himself!

We have really enjoyed getting to know the Gileses. They have been a real source of encouragement to us, fun playmates for the kiddos and they always bring lots of folk to church with them! :) In just a few short weeks, they will return to North Carolina~ but we are confident that we will keep in touch and that they will come back to visit!

Luke's first communion!

2011-04-23T22:04:00.000+01:00

Brad here, making a rare contribution on Stacey's awesome blog. :) Over the past few months I have had the privilege of leading Luke through a study of the Westminster Confession of Faith and a seminar on the Lord's Supper. Far more exciting than that is to hear of Luke's faith in Christ and witness it grow. So Maundy Thursday was a special night for our family and our church. It was New City Wien's first communion service, and Luke's first communion ever. Would you join me in praying for Luke to continue to grow into a young man of God?

The rest of Spring Break...

2011-04-23T21:34:00.004+01:00

Flowers given to us by our neighbors :)

It is hard to believe that last year we were in Florida for our Spring Break...soaking in the sun and precious moments with our moms.

Here is a bit of what we did the rest of this break...

:: We hung out at the Donaupark with friends

:: Grilled burgers for the first time this season on the terrace

and enjoyed some mojitos made with mint leftover from last season

:: met a mini-Milka

:: enjoyed the fantastic Spring weather

:: dyed Easter eggs

(Thanks for the goodies Mrs. Kimball)

:: watched a few sunsets

and tomorrow we will celebrate our Risen Lord!

If you are in the area, come worship with us at 10:30.

FROHE OSTERN!

Mrs. Field's Cookie Recipe...

2011-04-21T07:31:00.000+01:00

Some of you asked for the oatmeal chocolate chip pecan cookies (also called Mrs. Field's cookies) I made yesterday...so here you go!
Enjoy :)

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal (ground in the food processor)
1/2 cup pecans (also ground in the food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 package of chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes
This recipe is from my friend Sharbelle.

We love Hallstatt...

2011-04-20T21:55:00.001+01:00

When we moved to Austria in 2007, we were instructed by our boss to take a vacation just a few weeks after we had arrived. It was the last thing I wanted to do, when there was so much to do to get us settled.
He knew what was best for us though, and we made some great memories on that trip and then we went back the next year with our moms.

It should have been no surprise then, when we asked our kiddos where they wanted to go for an overnight trip during their Spring Break... a unanimous "Hallstatt"!

So beautiful, so fun and so relaxing! :)

Abby loves crafting...

2011-04-18T07:27:00.000+01:00

How cute are these little guys...

and this sweet little lamb...

All of them made out of marzipan, by our Abby girl. Last week, a friend of her teacher came and taught the class how to make these. It took about 6 hours! (ugh, I wouldn't have the patience to do this)

She also made this key holder in art class. I love the tulip that she put near the cross...

We miss her...

2011-04-16T18:35:00.001+01:00

As we are walking out the door, Luke asks for a Werther candy. Levi starts taunting him, saying that the schoko bon bons are better. Luke quickly fires back, "I don't care, Werther's are what Neena used to give me.

Funny what triggers a memory.
It's true. Neena would keep a jar of Werther's and the kiddos were free to help themselves. He misses her.

For Levi, when he sees the book, "Hand, Hand, Finger Thumb", he remembers how he would crawl into Neena's lap and she would read it to him in her sweet animated tone. Levi misses Neena.

Abby looks at pictures and is reminded of Neena's awesome cake decorating skills. She misses her too.

Whenever we return from a trip is when I feel the ache. We would always call Neena to tell her we had returned safely and then we would proceed to tell her all the details of our time away. I miss her.

For Brad, I am sure it is the million little things that remind him of the fact that his mom is gone. No cards with his name in bubble letters on the front, no one calling to wish him a happy "half" birthday and no Peeps for Easter. He misses her very much.

Of course these are all superficial things, but they trigger our memories that there there are no more candy jars filled with Werther's, no more opportunities to hear her read to the kiddos, no birthday cakes to be baked and no longer any phone conversations to be had.

We all miss her...

A week ago...

2011-04-15T06:23:00.000+01:00

I took the kiddos and a few of their friends to the park...

I love these girls...

and I love this little girl too...

Spring has finally arrived...

and everywhere you look, flowers are blooming

the ducks are wanting to be fed...

and so are the pigeons...

Get outside and enjoy your weekend!
And if you are in Vienna- on Sunday go cheer on those folks running in the Vienna City Marathon! :)

Pity Party is over...

2011-04-14T11:21:00.001+01:00

While in bed these past few days, I sort of had a pity party and lots of time to browse the web...here is a bit of what I did

Listened:: to several episodes of This American Life

Watched:: Food Revolution with Jamie Oliver
( I had heard a lot of things about this...but watching it was a bit shocking!)

Wished:: I was back on vacation in Naples

Craved:: Sausage Pancakes
(how ironic after watching Food Revolution!)

Snuggled:: a lot with Milka Pooch

Ordered:: delicious Chinese food from New Point Restaurant

Found:: some new dessert recipes

was Inspired:: by this photo wall

and this made me smile :)

Thankfully, I am on the mend now with the help of antibiotics, lots of rest and prayers from good buddies. Thank you all for your sweet comments, phone calls and help!

Frauen Frühstück + Easter Markets

2011-04-13T14:50:00.001+01:00

Last Saturday, we had our first Frauen Frühstück (women's breakfast) at NCW. It was a wonderful morning of feasting and fellowshipping...

then we took off for the Easter Markets...

we found eggs galore and even a few chickens!

Wanting...

2011-04-11T13:10:00.000+01:00

I am sick.
Have been since Saturday.
Flat out in bed sick.
We have one roll of toilet paper left, moldy bread and dirty laundry that is spilling out of the bathroom/laundry room.
I want my mom.
I want a Dr. that speaks English, has hours that are convenient and can write me a script for this nasty sinus infection.
I want to be able to keep my tears from falling when I walk downstairs after everyone has left and see that Levi has left his snack for school on the counter.
I want to feel like our little world is not falling apart when I am stuck in bed sick.
I want to be kind to my husband, who is doing all he can to keep our little world from falling apart
I am wanting to not be sick anymore
I am wanting and needing your prayers

Good as it looks...

2011-04-06T16:54:00.001+01:00

We are having friends over tonight for dessert. I splurged on a cake from a bakery that recently opened on our street. I really hope this tastes as good as it looks! :)

Team Retreat...

2011-04-05T07:18:00.001+01:00

This past weekend, we headed out to Baden for our first team retreat!
Here's a recap of the weekend--
There was time for stepping back to see the big picture, the vision God has called us to.
There were tears as we recounted the struggles we all have faced just to get here.
There was gratitude as we recounted the joys.
There was bonding over meals and free times.
There was time for analyzing our strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.
There was a bit of brainstorming about future ministry,
and there were times of laughter.

We are still a young team planting a young church, and this was just
a little, yet important step. Please continue to pray for grace and
unity for the many more steps to come.

Full Bloom...

2011-04-03T10:18:00.000+01:00

Better late than never...

2011-04-03T10:05:00.002+01:00

I am not sure if it is living in the city or the fact that Levi is the third child...but he finally is riding his bike without training wheels! Better late than never right?

Way to go Levi!