Another slideshow

We were so excited to be able to attend a Strong Bonds Family Conference sponsored by Pascal's unit last weekend. These two slideshows show you our travels and fun. Pascal took off two days early so we could travel to Italy before the conference started. We had a wonderful time and are really enjoying seeing and taking part of God's beauty all around Europe. We feel so blessed and Owen said it best when he looked at the Alps and said, "wow, that is a lot of God!"

Mom here is another slildeshow for you!
If it doesn't come up the first time try again. It usually comes up the second time!

http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-020d-b948-7e80?lm

To view a slideshow of our recent travels please visit:



http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-0203-ca32-0df4?ln

Piping!

This is Pascal competing with the band, he is the piper to the left of the lady.  Sorry it is a little shaky ( a certain little girl was trying to sit on my lap).

Highland Games

This weekend Pascal competed with the Heidelberg Pipes and Drums Band at some games about 3 hours from us. 

It rained off and on all day, we were so thankful for this cute rain jacket from Amy!  It has gotten a lot of use!

Future  Scottish Dancer??!!

Celebrating Owen!!

Owen finished school and soccer this week and he did such a good job at both.  He had a great coach and team this year and we were sad soccer season came to an end. 

Owen couldn't wait to get his soccer trophy.

 These are pictures that Owen drew half way through the year.

These are the same pictures he drew at the end of the year.  Ms. Wotring his teacher said, "notice the details, he added stripes to his cat, leaves to his tree, and even added pants to his person!"  I thought it was so cute how the pictures really did improve.

His coach was so awesome, he threw a BBQ for the whole team and all the families and then said a little something special about each player before he gave them their trophy.

I found this picture on the last day of school in Owen's bookbag and I thought is was just the sweetest thing, so I framed it and thought to myself this will be my reminder of Owen's year in Kindergarten.  (sniff, sniff)

Reformation

The Ninety-Five Theses

Pascal knows that since we arrived in Germany I have wanted to go to Wittenberg to see where Martin Luther nailed up the ninety-five theses and where he preached.  So we drove the 5 hours and came to the old stomping grounds of the man whom I find so interesting.  He was bold, passionate and fiery....and I like that!  I am so grateful for how God used this man to bring about change.  I really enjoyed my time walking around and taking it all in.

Where he lived and taught.

The actual "door" was being renovated... I was a little disappointed.

Where he was married and preached.

His grave

"The fewer the words, the better the prayer."  Martin Luther

"Music is the art of the prophets, the only art that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." Martin Luther

Family + Food + France = Good Times

Here we are in Strasbourg, France.   Where they have winding streets, canals and little cafes everywhere!

The Cathedral is its claim to fame, and boy was it grand!

Owen and Pascal trekked up the many stairs to see the view from the top. Meg and I opted out....not a big fan of heights.

View from the top!

Meg and I are somewhere down there!

Owen loves playing with his cousins!

Laurent and Cindy!

An attempt at a family shot!

A great day!

This park is just 2 miles from our house. They have goats and deer.  The kids really enjoyed it

What happens when I speak German

Picture of Owen in his soccer uniform.  Tonight is the last game of the season!  Go Owen!

Going to McDonalds is such a treat for us because it is a little taste of home.  Well, tonight after Owen's last soccer game of the season and Pascal working late I thought it would be a great time to treat ourselves.  So I pulled up to the drive through and I ordered 1 cheese burger, 1 six piece chicken nuggets and 1 fry.  Well, I noticed on the screen it said 15 cheese burgers! So in my best German I said, "no, 1 cheeseburger please."  Well, when I went to the first window I repeated, "just one cheeseburger and showed 1 finger and the lady made a huffy response back to me and typed things into her computer.....well, we ended up with 9 cheeseburgers, 9 chicken nuggets and no fries. So I think the moral to this story is that I need to work on my numbers in German!   

Our Weekend

Owen got this super cool Lego Headlight for loosing his second tooth.  Now, the toothfairy does not usually give such nice gifts but, the dentist told us that this tooth had to come out!  She said, "you have 4 weeks to get that loose tooth out or I have to pull it."  Well, he already had to have one pulled and it wasn't a fun experience sooo he worked SO hard on getting this tooth out that the toothfairy felt he earned it. 

Meg got her haircut today, she loves getting beautified!

Today, Pascal and I played the bagpipes at the Chapel on base.  The kids were supper excited to wear their kilts to church!

Sportin the kilt (Owen is wearing a kilt that Nana and Papa brought back years ago from their trip to Scotland!)

Family shot of us after church on our balcony

This just makes me laugh, we had the camera on the timer setting and we didn't know it was still on.