Skiing in Garmisch

We arrived to Garmisch Sunday around lunchtime. We checked in to the ski lodge and got fitted for everything we'd be using for the week. 

We enjoyed dinner that night at the hotel and the kids loved swimming. It was hard pulling them away from the water, but we managed and then called it a night. 

On Monday, Caleb began his week long ski school and Daniel and I took to the mountain. I did fine in the kiddie area, but not great on the bigger slopes. I decided I needed to receive more lessons before doing more, so Daniel ventured on to other areas with some of our friends and I stayed in the safe area. 

On Tuesday, Daniel and Caleb skied a few different slopes, including an intermediate slope. Caleb stayed with his class and Daniel stayed with some friends. They had a great day overall. That evening we enjoyed burgers at a local place and then went back for some swimming at the hotel. 

On Wednesday, Daniel took a break from the slopes and Caleb stayed with his ski class. They went down a black slope which is a more advanced course. The students did great! Daniel and I piddled around and decided we'd both ski on Thursday before packing up. 

On Thursday, Maddie woke up pretty warm. She was tired and not acting like herself. I decided to stay at the lodge with her. Daniel can actually ski so it was worth him going and doing more than I would have on the slopes. 

Daniel followed Caleb's class around for part of the day. They did a lot of different slopes, including the black runs again. Daniel said it was really fast and a lot of fun. Caleb managed to come down it without falling. He was so proud as this had been something he was working on during the week. 

Caleb's class participated in a race down the mountain. It was timed and Caleb came in second place. He was so excited and proud, as were we!! 

Maddie started feeling a little better once the medicine kicked in, but she was still having a rough time. We all joined in on dinner that evening and said our goodbyes as we were all traveling in different directions back to Warsaw. 

We had a great trip and we were very blessed to have made it to Garmisch once more before leaving. We love Germany and Garmisch is such an amazing place. We're definitely going to miss it when we leave. 

Photo credit to a friend of ours. 

Road Trip to Germany

This morning we were on the road at 8:45 and decided to make a stop in Poznan, Poland on our way to Nürnberg, Germany. We knew we would be on the road all day so why not detour for lunch?

We arrived in Poznan's square a few minutes before noon when the goats would come out of the clock and headbutt one another.  After the show, we walked around the square quickly as we were all numb from the freezing cold. The temperature was around 12°F and none of us found that refreshing. So, after walking around we found a place that suited us all for lunch: Whiskey in a Jar. We only enjoyed burgers and fries, but the restaurant was very neat and had some American aspects to it. 

In Poznan, we parked next to this car. There were many messages on cars that we walked by. This one was nice to see. 

We finished up and then drove to find Starbucks. We detoured there for a few minutes and then found our way back to the road. 

We made a few stops along the way and also got hung up in traffic for over an hour. We stopped for a quick dinner around 7. It was 34 degrees and felt so warm compared to earlier. We got back on the road and drove the last two hours in the snow. Doing that while on the autobahn, not my favorite moment, but Daniel did great and we made it through. 

We arrived in Nürnberg around 9:30pm and we were all ready for a break. We checked in to our hotel and tried not to be too loud before crashing. On the drive here, Caleb was able to finish reading his book and Maddie watched Frozen at least 7 times. 

Overall, we had a decent day and we can't wait to explore a little tomorrow. 

Goodnight!

Day 101: Dresden and Tropical Islands Adventure

This morning we got up and walked around Dresden, Germany for a little bit. We found breakfast, coffee, and then left for Tropical Islands Adventure. Dresden is one of the most beautiful cities we've been to. Daniel and I wished we had more time to walk around it but we didn't. We just soaked in what little bit we could. 

We drove about an hour and entered the inside waterpark oasis known as Tropical Islands Adventure. This place was originally a German aircraft hangar. Here's a link to learn more if you're interested. The article gives great photos, too! http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2715938

Maddie loved the kiddie area and Caleb loved the slides. The largest slide was a lot of fun. After Caleb went down it for his 3rd time we were informed that he wasn't old enough. That slide had a minimum age requirement of 15. Opps! He loved every second though.

Maddie fell asleep on Daniel during lunch and woke up a little clingy. She quickly got over that and went over and played on the slide. They had a lot of fun hanging out together.

We all played in the pool, enjoyed some food, and took in all the sites. This place was also nice because no one was conscious of their weight. There were so many people there, of all different sizes, and most flaunted a lot! It was very refreshing to not be distracted with feeling inadequate and constantly trying to stay covered up with towels, etc. everyone enjoyed their company and just had fun. 

We all hated leaving, but hopefully we can visit again soon because it was so much fun. 

We got on the road and began our 5 1/2 hour drive back to Warsaw. We drove through the countryside for the first 30 minutes or so and we couldn't stop comparing it to places we've been before, like Tennessee and a road going to the Berryman House in Georgia. We are truly blessed to have so much. I'm very grateful of these feelings of "home" when I get them. 

The spelling of Warsaw in German made us chuckle. 

We've been through a lot the last few weeks so we're doing nothing tomorrow. I may wake up before noon; however, that's still debatable. 

Goodnight to all. Much love!

Day 100: Goodbye Garmisch, Hello Dresden

This morning we said a lot of "see you laters" to old and new friends. We also enjoyed breakfast and packed up the remainder of our things. 

Once we were on the road we were making great time. We got through Munich, and traffic began to get slower and slower. The autobahn was SO slow which made it even more dangerous. Having people pass by doing 110 mph and then going to a standstill was insane. 

On top of the traffic fun, Maddie was having a really hard time using the bathroom. She would cry out "pee pee potty" so we would stop and let her use her travel potty. She wouldn't do anything other than cry and scream "all done" so we would put her back in the car, go another 3 miles only for her to begin crying again. The drive to Dresden should have been roughly 5 1/2 hours and it took roughly 7 hours or so. 

We finally entered Dresden and found our hotel. We have a lot planned for tomorrow so hopefully it won't take too long to get where we plan to go. 

Most of our view today was this. We really enjoyed seeing the beautiful countryside. 

Also, this is post number 100! I'm actually a bit surprised I made it this far!!  It's exhausting at times, but I do it for those of you who have told us how much you enjoy it. So for that, thank you! Much love. 

Day 99: Fun With Region 8

Today was great overall. The morning went well and Daniel was released at lunch for a bbq. The entire region (where each country is categorized into) got together and played games and enjoyed some great food. 

Ultimate frisbee in front of the Alps!

The kids had a wonderful time and I enjoyed hanging out with other wives who are in the same boat as I am. We talked about where we were from, what we do with our extra "kids" and we enjoyed each other's company. It was nice. 

Once the bbq was over we went back to the hotel room where I packed up clothes. So. Many. Clothes. 

We hung out with a few others around dinner time and played one round of cards. 

Overall we have really enjoyed the time we've spent in Garmisch this week. 

Day 98: A Day Full of Games

Maddie woke up in a great mood today. She slept in until 9 and was pleasant for a little while. However, she was defiant and testy for the first half of the day. Caleb was also a little defiant, but we got through the first part of the day and managed to have a great evening. 

Maddie loves the arcade area. She especially loves this truck machine. She's so cute when she climbs into it. I did a ton of laundry today while she ran all over playing games. She also ate goldfish and watched me fold clothes. Fun times! 

While we were having all that fun, Caleb was outside playing with a group of boys. He had the best time hanging out with them and playing frisbee. He hated to leave when it was time for dinner. 

We found a local Irish pub for dinner and enjoyed some burgers. They definitely hit the spot. Afterwards, we played in the pool and the hottub. 

Maddie loved walking up and down the steps and jumping up and down while she was in the water. Caleb was having a great time, too. He was in the deep end jumping and splashing around with other kids. 

Overall we had a great and relaxing day. We didn't do much, which is exactly what we needed. 

Goodnight!