Hello sad, neglected Blog!

I am determined , yet again, to make this blog what it was originally intended to be....and I wouldnt feel so much pressure if I lived by our family and old friends {as in, "good-ole friends"} So here is to my new resolution....lets call it a half-years resolution....to write our history down.

We recently started 2 new dinner-time traditions.

The first one{Ben gets all the credit here}: Preparing for the meal-time prayer. Tickle your face.....tickle your ears...tickle your cheeks....and so on. The last one is always, tickle your elbows, and then the girls' arms are in a perfect position to be folded. I am learning a lot as a parent when it comes to praying children. Their world looks different in their eyes. They pray for things like--please bless that my toe will get better, help me to have fun with my friends, etc. We alternate who speaks the prayer when we have family prayer--and often times I feel like our family really needs a good, heartfelt prayer. Then Natalee is up to bat--and she thanks God for the day and to bless her owie and that's the end. Here's a picture of the latest owie. It was probably worth praying for. {sorry, its a little graphic!}

The second one {I will take credit for this one}: Box of index cards at the table. Sharpie. What was your favorite thing about today? Lets write it down and keep it as a memory.

Sometimes I wonder how I will feel when my children are out of the house and the front of my fridge is uncluttered...when the glass door to the backyard is spotless....and I am pretty sure I will miss the painted pictures and the fingerprints.

I recently got released from my position as relief society president in my ward in Düsseldorf. It was a surprise, since I had only been doing it for a year, but it has opened up my schedule quite a bit. I am now having fun in the primary with the kids teaching music! This is the best calling for me...because I love to teach, I love music, and I love being crafty and creative. I can get up infront of the kids and make all sorts of grammar mistakes and say wrong words and they still think I'm the best thing since sliced bread. {Which reminds me...I miss nice, soft sandwich bread from the states TERRIBLY}

I have to throw in a Germany story, of course. I will make this one about soccer...since this blog is technically about the whole family. Germany is a country with a past...well, all countries are...but Germany has an especially tricky past. For this reason, Germans do not like to show extreme patriotism. They dont have a pledge to the flag, nor to they even fly their flags very often.

Except....during the World Cup.

Since June, every 3rd or 4th car had a flag attached to the window or side-mirror covers of the German flag. People hung flags out their windows, wore flag dresses, and I am sure....ate flag wienerschnitzel {somehow}. I marveled at the extreme switch from relative non- patriotism to extreme patriotism.....all because of a sport. And of course, as a non-sports lover, I certainly do not understand this phenomenon.

Ben and the girls decked themselves out in flag stripes {free, courtesy of the local grocery store}

Natalee is now in Kindergarten with her big sister (which is essentially German daycare), so I get 3-4 hours of ME TIME every day! Natalee is the youngest one in her group and really has attached herself onto Kaitlyn and Kaitlyn's friends. However...I do not regret putting Natalee in one bit because her ability to speak in German has exponentially increased since June 1.

This is Natalee and her little friend, Mary Grace. She is another American girl that also goes to our church. I am amused as I watch these 2. Natalee is the dominant one. She tells Mary Grace exactly what to do and she does it. Mary Grace follows her around, totally laid back and not minding a bit. I smile becaise these girls mirror their mothers' personalities. I wonder what other things Nat has learned from me!!

Kaitlyn likes to play the piano. I put stickers on some of the keys to guide her to learn a few songs. She likes to play 2 German songs--Fuchs du hast die Ganz gestollen (the fox stole the goose) and Alle meine Entchen (All my ducklings).

Absolutely no interest in taking lessons from her mom or even opening a lesson book!