Nature

While I wouldn't take back a moment that we spent in Paradise, the girls are definitely getting a different nature experience here in Germany. We keep saying over and over how happy we are with the decision to live on post vs. on the Economy. We LOVE our neighborhood, not only because of the convenience of the commissary, school, extra-curricular activities and safe bike riding but because of the harvesting and wildlife! We have a cherry tree in our yard, blackberry bushes behind our house, and a pear and apple tree across the street!

When the girls come with me to walk Leila they typically choose to ride their bikes or scooters. On this particular day, Hailey noticed that the horses were brought into a field to graze that butts up to our neighborhood. We ran home to get apples and fed them. Leila wasn't their biggest fan!The cherries finally ripened up and we picked enough to make a cherry cobbler! We had moved in last year just as the cherries were rotting and falling off the tree.

The amount of cherries are endless!!! The girls enjoy making "cherry stew" and "cherry juice" And of course you can't be one with nature without some mud!!!!!!!!!!

Or a bonfire!

Bergbahn and Marchenparadies

We drove into Heidelberg and then took the Bergbahn from the Kornmarkt up to the Heidelberg Castle. It's like a train gaundala. Fun for the girls and a beautiful view! We got off to tour the castle and then got back on to continue up to the top! At the top of Konigstuhl (the King's Throne) overlooking downtown Heidelberg

Other than to check out the view, our main reason for coming all the way up was to let the girls play at Marchenparadies (Fairytale Paradise). Kai was the perfect age and Hailey liked it but would probably be too old for it soon. And it was pretty pricey so we can say we've done it and check it off our list but probably won't go back unless we have visitors with little kids. It had various rides and climbing things and the girls had a good time. It made for a really long day though and we all were beat!

The horse or witch ride...I loved that you activated it yourself. The kid inserts the coin and whacks the top of the light to get the ride started. I rode the first time with Kailee and then she did it by herself (no buckles or anything!!!)

The witch ride through a fairytale village

Fairytale Castles

Trainride, Awesome pedal bike with passenger horse, one of many narrative (in German) storybook characters, and the swings

I had planned to take them through the Haupstrasse in downtown Heidelberg but it was too much to squeeze in in one day! More adventures to come!!! Leevi gets home on Wednesday (ironically he has been on business in Washington just a few hours from his parents' house and got there the day they left to come here!!)

Heidelberg Castle with Grandma and Grandpa

We ventured into Heidelberg to check out the Schloss and ride the Bergbahn up to Marchenparadies (more posts to follow on that). After touring the outside part of the castle, the girls and I hung out in the castle gardens while Grandma and Grandpa walked through the non-kid friendly part of the castle! The girls and I had a nice, stress-free picnic!!!!!These were the gardens where I took the girls' Christmas card pictures back in November. They could run and make as much noise as they wanted!!!We ate lunch and watched part of Sleeping Beauty... The many faces of Kai

How cute is the combination of butterflies, castles, and little girls!!!???

"Flower rings"

A Milestone for Hailey

This nightgown that Kailee is wearing has been Hailey's since she was 2 almost 3. It is an all-time favorite 1. because of Ariel and 2. because it's silky! She even wore it through the Winter here layered over top of warm jammies. While it still fits Hailey, it's becoming pretty short on her and I kept asking her when she was going to pass it along to Kai. She would reply, "never!" And then out of the blue one day last week she said she was going to "yardsale it" to Kailee! Ha! :) So cute!

Spring Soccer

A friend of mine volunteered me to coach Hailey's soccer team this Spring. I was worried that Hailey would give me a hard time and be clingy with me in charge instead of someone else coaching, but she did great! It probably helped that we already knew 7 of the 9 players on the team so she was buddy-buddy with her friends and didn't worry too much about me! Leevi had missed a couple of games and Hailey missed a couple of games (ballet recital and Edelweiss trip) so this was the first game that Leevi was able to take pictures.

I LOVE that she wanted to be #5 like me.....or maybe it helped that she's 5 years old right now! ;)
One of my biggest concerns of coaching was Kailee! Leevi was traveling a lot during the season but the moms and older siblings helped keep an eye on Kai. She'd play on the playground, wander over to play some soccer, and cry a lot when things didn't go her way (practices/games ran past bedtime!) I did a lot of coaching with her on my hip (making me really feel like a Soccer Mom) She'll probably be ready to play next Spring....she's soooooo fast when she dribbles (out-of-control-no-fear-of-falling!!) And she's got a secret weapon....she's a dominant lefty! The only thing stopping her from playing now is the fact that two year olds cry when someone steals the ball away! :)

Warming up! Go #5!

Gettin in the action...her aggressiveness really developed during the season...maybe because her best friend is a BEAST and she didn't want Talia showing her up! Celebrating a GOAL!My Proud Moment: I remember this specific play where N-I-N-E players were charging at Hailey! As if it were slow motion I had 100 thoughts:"Go in HARD, lock your ankle, stay strong, watch out!, STICK IT!" And she did!!!!!!!! (without getting plummeted!) :) Defense Wins Games! :) Excited to get their trophies!!!

This little girl in the pink on the left kept wandering in front of the camera when we were trying to take a picture...she must have been a sibling from the other team and she was completely oblivious to what we were trying to do even with Hailey giving her dirty looks! :)

Manners Police

Two year olds crack me up! I just love this age because anything they say is so stinkin cute. Here are some recent tidbits of Kailee's silliness....

Getting ready to run some errands...

Me: "Kai, you need to go potty"
Kai: "No"
Me: "Excuse me??!!!"
Kai: "No thank you?"

When the girls use the bathroom and need some privacy they typically ask for "Privacy Please" but one day Kailee forgot her manners...

Kai: "Get out of here"
Me: "Excuse me??!!!"
Kai: "Get out of here, please?"

And a random picture....she came to me one afternoon and asked me to snuggle her so she could take a nap! Too easy!!! :)

Strawberry Pickin

Leevi and the girls have planted various fruits and veggies in the back and our strawberries are coming in great! This red one below was our first ripe one of the season and all four of us took a bite! :) My only contribution to our gardens is that I have to keep them alive when Leevi travels! :) Brandy and I took the girls strawberry picking last week. It was the first time for Hailey and Kailee!

I love that we were able to ride our bikes there!

Talia and Hailey...BFF!

Hailey and Talia

Farrah

Her basket was never very full! :)

Talia

It was really windy!

Delicious!