Friday, August 27, 2010

Patio Makeover

We finally got rid of my so unstylish fencing around the back patio! Chris, his parents and I installed some lattice and simple posts. The entire patio looks so much nicer and more finished!



This is my construction of the dog run...filled with flower pots and a trellis, finally the plastic baby gate is gone into the trash!!

Now off to paint the fence...what fun!

Here some pictures of my Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) and our first time attempt to grow pumpkins!






Friday, August 20, 2010

National Night Out pictures

Here finally some pictures of our National Night Out on Aug 3rd in the County Commons Park:\





Helicopter, flown by two LADIES! YEAH











Ambulance








GIANT excavator












Dump Truck!



in the Police car




showing off the Police tatoo - but kids, why in the face?






In the mood of NNO, Tobi got his share, too!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

1st day of Kindergarten!

Now it's official..we are parents of a Kindergarten child!!!

This morning school started for Olivia. On Monday evening we went to meet the teacher and took a look at the classroom, the library, the gym, music room and cafeteria. Chris and I felt a little lost in the chaos since it seemed all to be very unorganized!

There was no 'Welcome Speech' of the principal (Direktor der Schule) for the kids, nor 'Schultueten'. Everything just plain... :-(

The teacher Miss Pries however seemed to be very nice. The classroom looks similar to Olivia's preschool class, just filled with more kids. In her class I counted this morning a total of 16 children.

This is the school belonging to our neighborhood. If I don't like it, I can still be waitlisted for other schools in the surrounding neighborhoods.



The two Kindergartenrooms are behind this playstructure. This is their very own playground, safly surrounded by a fence.

At this gate to the right we meet the teacher in the morning to drop off our kid and as well get her back. Under the overhang the main entrance to the kindergarten rooms, one on the left, one on the right.





Olivia and Jonah posing in the morning



Olivia so grown up!



In the parking lot with Papa



The bigger lady on the right is Miss Pries, collecting all the kids in the morning. Olivia stands behind her neighborhood friend and playdate Matthew. We were excited to see that they were assigned into the same class!




on the way inside



picture with Matthew



and finally a picture with me


secretly taken pictures of the classroom







Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Last day of summer activities

Flatiron Mall's sandbox

It was a nice cooler day and perfect for playing outside in the Flatiron Mall's big sandbox. Toys are provided (and mostly broken but the kids don't seem to mind). So we met again Joanna and her kids Campbell and Jacob and all had a blast in the sand.



After being done with the sand we got through 'The Village' to the new playground where the kids could get rid off their last reserves of energy.
What a nice treat to end the summer and the school summer's break with a playdate with good friends and all kids united in a giant chair!





Adams County Fair


With our dear friends we visited the Adams County Fair last Saturday. This is a big fair (aehnlich Kirmes mit Streichelzoo und Staellen fuer Kaelber, Schafe und Ziegen, die von Richtern bewertet werden), petting zoo and 4H farm animals like sheep, goats, pigs, calfs, bunnies, roosters, turkeys, doves and even cats!



The petting zoo was a hit with the kids and since somehow the fair was still not open and running, the kids jumped in jumping castles and we got back home.








National Night Out
3rd of August - Quincy is in dog heaven since a year - was our National Night Out at the Common's park that is so close to us that we could walk there. It just surrounds the open space where I walk the dogs all the time. Unfortunately Joanna's kids were sick and they could not accompany us. But my kids had a grant time, anyway! Hopefully Joanna can make it next year, finally!
I will post pictures in a few days because I have a ton of cute ones to post!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Endlich mal wieder auf Vanna!

Endlich, endlich ist es am Sonntag mal kaelter geworden...bewoelkter Himmel und 'nur' 26 Grad...das hiess es fuer Olivia Vanna reiten! Sie ist irgendwie seit Januar oder Februar nicht mehr geritten, es wurde also so langsam mal wieder Zeit, ihre Weihnacthsgeschenke (Reitgradobe) anzuziehen!

So machten wir uns auf in den Stall waehrend Jonah schlief so dass Papa auch mal seine Ruhe hatte..


Vanna hat sich allerdings nicht sonderlich gut betragen, wollte erst nicht in der Putzstelle stehen bleiben, musste sie ordentlich beim dritten wider-rauslaufen mit dem Ellenbogen zurueckstossen, um sie zu erinnern, wer hier der Chef ist, beim Aufsteigen drehte sie sich nur im Kreis sobals ich auf das Treppchen stieg (weil ich Vanna fuer den 'natural ride' fertig gemacht habe, also keinen Sattel mit Buegeln hatte) und als ich endlich oben sass, ist sie sofort wie eine wilde Wuzz losgetrabt. Ich habe sie also ein paar Minuten gearbeitet und dann konnte Olivia endlich auf ihr Platz nehmen.
Dabei hat sich Vanna relativ gut betragen, aber beim 'ausreiten', also um den Stall herum reiten, musst sie doch jeden Grasbueschel anknabbern, was das Vorwaertsgehen dann doch etwas erschwerte.
Da es jedoch auch immer waermer wurde und ich und Olivia tuechtig schwitzten, habe ich dann nach 10 Minuten Olivia wieder vom Pferd geholt.



Vanna stand jetzt ca. 2 Monate in einer Box mit Auslauf, was ihr anscheinend sichtlich gut tat, denn durch andere Umstaende ist sie wieder seit 2 Wochen in einer Innenbox und das scheint ihr gar nicht zu gefallen, daher ist sie so quer drauf, was sie normalerweise nicht war. Ausserdem schubbert sie sich auch wieder den Schweif...letzten Montag bin ich Vanna einer interessierten Dame vorgeritten, weil Chris doch Vanna verkaufen moechte, wenn sich eine gute Gelegenheit ergibt. Und bei jener Dame (wir wissen noch nicht, ob sie Vanna kaufen moechte oder nicht) haette sie es wirklich gut...Weide und Ausritte satt!

Klar, bin ich traurig, wenn Vanna verkauft wird, aber ich sehe das Glas eher als halbvoll an und danke Chris fuer die 2 Jahre, in denen Vanna und ich aneinander gewachsen sind (in Faehigkeit meine ich, nicht an Freundschaft).

Wir werden sehen...

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Update on Popcorn

Popcorn is doing really good and Tobi is the best babysitter anyone could wish for!

They just snuggle and play, and then snuggle again some more :-)










...and Popcorn is even playing on top of Tobi...


... or uses his ear as a chew toy
...doing everything what big brother does
Popcorn found an excellent play spot under the couch to hide of Tobi

and in his cage in his favorite sleeping position...hanging over the edge of his bed!


Olivia and her 'Krawukel'