Eat, Play & Eat More

Monday was my first “real” day on the job. I got up to make breakfast for the boys, got Whitney ready and walked her to school. She goes to a German preschool and it’s so cute! I picked her up at lunchtime and we went on a bike ride and stopped at Adria down the street for some ice cream.

Our street

I went on a tour of Mannheim on Tuesday through the army base so I was with other Americans. We saw some of the major sites, went to the farmers market, learned how to ride the train and stopped for lunch at Café Journal before a little shopping and heading back. I had a driving lesson with Amy and it went pretty well! Afterwards, we picked up the boys from their school in Heidelberg and they showed me around. Their school is really cool too. The are trying to hook me up with Connor’s teacher “Mr. B” and I’m pretty sure if I ever meet Mr. B it might be the most awkward meeting ever!

Mannheim Water Tower

Mannheim Castle

Farmers Market

Wednesday and Thursday were normal days, mostly Whitney and I hung out around the house and she showed me around the neighborhood. She loves her little German bike that has no pedals you just push with your feet.

Friday started my weekend with the kids while Amy and Jeremy went to Rome for their anniversary. We went to Kids World, a bouncy house place, all afternoon and then got home in time for dinner at Adria.

Slushie break

Dinner at Adria

Couldn't really read the menu so it was a random guess but it was good! 

Ice cream for dessert!

We went to the next town over, Lampertheim, for lunch at McDonald’s and swimming. This was the first time I found it difficult to be in Germany when we couldn’t read the signs on the doors at the swimming pool. Luckily I had been shopping on H&M the night before and remembered Damen was Ladies clothes so Whitney and I parted ways with the boys and sure enough we picked the right door because no sooner we walked through the doors and there were naked ladies everywhere! Nudity does not phase the Germans AT ALL. We spent the afternoon there, then home for dinner and brownie sundaes.

Everything in Germany closes on Sunday so we packed up our lunches and went to the park in Hemsback. It was so nice out so we stayed for hours playing and walking around the lake there. We went home for dinner and more brownie sundaes while watching Dumb and Dumber.

Picnic in a treehouse 

It was sunny!

The park had a few of these really cool treehouses

Monday we cleaned up the house before Amy and Jeremy got back and went to Tedi, which is like a dollar store so the kids could pick out a couple things for being good all weekend.

Another great week here! Loving it already J

My Huttenfeld Home

I'm living in a little town called Huttenfeld, about 15 minutes from Mannheim, 20 minutes from Heidelberg, and 45 minutes south of Frankfurt, Germany. 

Here is the house!

 Main Floor:

Front door

Front Hall and bathroom, baserment on right

Family Room

Family Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

American Food!

  Second Floor: Also, Boy's room and Amy & Jeremy's room

Hallway and Bathroom

Whitney's Room

Third Floor: Also, playroom

Stairs up

Guest Room

My Room

Attached Bathroom

Shower

My Bed

Chapter 2: Germany

January 2, 2011 I landed in Frankfurt, Germany around 7:30pm. Jeremy picked me up at the airport and I felt so bad within the first 10 minutes of meeting he was loading up my million pieces of luggage into the car. We drove about 30 minutes to their house where Amy, Connor, Aiden and Whitney were waiting up for us to get back. They were so cute and excited to see me which made me even more excited to be there. The kids went to bed and Amy, Jeremy and I had 7 layer dip and mojitos…first night = success!

My room is nice and up on the third floor so it’s very quiet and I have a bathroom attached so I seriously couldn’t ask for more. I’ll have to take some pictures and post later.

Monday I slept in a little before heading downstairs to get the run down on anything I need to know from Amy. The boys got a Wii for Christmas so it’s been non-stop gaming trying to beat Mario. I even beat a level and I must say they were quite impressed.

That night we went to a German Christmas market in Speyer! It was everything I thought it would be…Christmas lights, little wooden stalls, German food and little knick knacks to buy.

 Amy and Jeremy went all out and treated me to gluwien, bratwurst and crepes, all so good! Mom- this is seriously your heaven on earth.

Aiden and his crepe

The next day we hung out all day and the kids showed me the park down the street (I’m very interested to walk around the neighborhood but its been freezing so convincing them to be my tour guides isn’t that easy!). It’s such a cute little town from what I’ve seen but I hope to do some more exploring next week.  On our way to the park I had my first run in with a zero English, only German speaking lady who was yelling at us across the street. We still aren’t sure what she said. That night we went to their friend’s house, an older couple who were so cute and friendly.

We got home and after the kids went to bed we stayed up the rest of the night talking. They are really the nicest people and it’s so easy to just sit and talk to them (and no I’m not just saying this because they may read it!).

Wednesday I had the kids most of the day so I made them breakfast, Connor said it was the best omelet he’d ever had. Later they showed me the field they play in just around the corner where we ended playing for a good hour and half until we were all freezing.

That night after Jeremy got home he took me to the mall to have dinner where I had my first schnitzel! I must say it was pretty darn good. I had a mini German lesson and may pick up the language easier than expected! Or not…it’s so hard!

restaurant at the mall 

Thursday we went to one of the bakeries down the street and I got a yummy donut that somehow was half eaten by Connor and Aiden (the life of an au pair).

Friday we went to the other bakery down the street (seriously going to gain weight if I don’t start working out) and got a streusel and I thought it was definitely better than the day before. The lady only spoke German but somehow we were able to communicate and I used my first German word, Danke!

we made a fort

Friday is always pizza movie night so we sat and watched Shrek 4 and then set up the new surround sound to watch The Other Guys. Of course we got talking afterwards and realized it was almost 1am so then it was straight to bed.

The weekend started off with a little “army base tour” in Mannheim and Heidelberg. I got to see a couple different bases and it was all pretty cool! It was so weird because your in the middle of Germany and then you get into the base and its like a little US town. I would almost compare it to a college campus kind of town feel. They even have a taco bell!  We went to the commissary (grocery) and it’s all the normal American food. When I first walked into their house I noticed their shelves stocked with all my favorite stuff from home, which is so cool because we’re in Germany.

Sunday we went to Worms a city about 30 minutes away known by some to be the oldest city in Germany but on paper it isn’t. We got home and hung out the rest of the day before it was time for an early bedtime cause it’s back to school on Monday.


My first week or so has been so great! I love Germany and all the people I've met so far. The family is great, kids are adorable, house is perfect. I'm so excited to settle in here and start finding my way around and hopefully finish off my year abroad here in Deutschland!


tschus!