Owen had his final flag football game last Friday.  He learned so much about the game and really enjoyed the season!  We had a great coach and Owen said he would definitely play the sport again. 

 

                                    Here he is at the team's pizza party getting his awards from the coach.

This is Owen's school picture.  He decided to have his redone and was up early "gelling" up his hair.

 

I have to laugh at this little jet.  Owen and I went to the thrift store one day and he wanted to buy this tiny model in a box and I said, "No, because there are so many tiny parts, and I knew he had not read the box because you would have to use model glue to assemble it."  He came back to me all teared up and said, "Mom, it is my allowance money and if I make the choice to buy this plane then I should get to have the choice because it is my money."  I said, "Point taken, but can I just say I think it will be $4.00 wasted because Dad and I don't have the time to help and it is a very difficult model to assemble."  Owen replied, "I can do it, I will prove it to you."  I told him I would make him a deal.  "If you put it together I will actually give you back the $4.00 you spent on it, IF you don't get it put together you owe me a one page letter on what you learned from this experience."  "DEAL MOM."

So he came home ripped that box open and said, "Mom, it doesn't click together like I thought it would."  "Son, did you read the box?"  "No, I thought it just clicked together."  "Hmmmmmm, I said." Well, this kid cried a little and then said, I'll still prove it to you, do we have some tape?" 

He worked on this thing for hours and using only tape put that darn thing together.  He wasn't able to put on every part but by golly I think he did a pretty good job!  I was quite impressed and thought what a resourceful kid!  He proved it to me and yes......I owe him $4.00!

and a picture of Meg's birthday!

 

This week is a bit stressful. We rotate between praying, cleaning, appointments, inspections more praying, more cleaning more inspections.  This too shall pass!  That's what Mimi always says!

 

 

Whew!  What a few days!  Meg was up with a fever and headache all of Monday night.  The fever ran all day Tuesday and finally after much prayer broke around 4 in the afternoon.  She woke up today feeling fine and so happy that she felt all better for her BIRTHDAY!

 

ready to go back to school.

opening a birthday present early...we were desperate to see her smile.  She felt so miserable with a headache and fever. 

I popped into the thrift store and found some real treasures

Shoes for Meg

                                                     A skirt for Meg...this girl loves skirts

                                              
                                               Books by some of our favorite authors.  We had been looking for this Junie B. book for quite some time.  I started collecting these books when I was teaching and thanks to the Thrift Store and Recycling Center Meg and I now have the complete set.

 I found this DVD series and thought Meg and Owen might like it.  Meg watched one episode and came to me and said, "Mom, I really like that Punky Brooni....I just love her clothes!"
Pascal and I had to laugh because we have always described her as part Punky Brewster, part gypsy with a twist of Meg!

 

Tonight we will have a Birthday celebration for Meg.  She is pure sweetness and I will close with one of my favorite little videos of her. It shows parts of her personality even at such a young age. 

 

 

 

 

Our bagpipe band in Heidelberg threw us a farewell BBQ on Thursday and I forgot my camera!  They were all so sweet and good to us these past few years and we are thankful to have gotten to play and meet with them.  One of my dear friends in the band is a local dentist and he gave Owen and Meg this pop up cardboard house.  Little did he know that he would provide hours of fun.  Meg and her friend went right to work painting it!

Meg wanted to sleep in it.  I thought it was so cute that her feet didn't even fit inside and that they popped out through the door.  Anyway, here she is fast asleep! Last night was Owen's turn!

 

 

Another dear friend hand stitched these towels for us.  She made small ones for Pascal and I to keep in our pipe bags for hot days.  The BBQ was a very special night for us!  We hope that our paths with the Heidelberg Pipe and Drums friends will cross again!

 

This weekend we put together a goodbye pizza party for our neighborhood friends!

We had a treasure hunt and I think everyone had a great time!

 

 

Lots of goodbyes in last few days! We are on the countdown until the Rebers are USA bound!

Our Week

We have just days left here in Germany so we are trying to fit in as much as we can before we leave.  We headed to the Hurtgen Forest where U.S. and German forces fought a series of fierce battles.  We lost at least 33,000 of our own here and it was an amazing place to visit.  Owen LOVES all things WWII so he really enjoyed this trip and the museum.

 

 

The forest is stilled scared from all the trenches built.

 

We met this German man who worked at the museum.  He offered to take us on a tour of a few sites near by.  He was so kind and talked with Owen about all the different places, at the end of our visit he gave Owen the coolest hat pin.  He really made our trip extra special and it was a lot of fun meeting him.

 

This weekend we visited some of our favorite little towns to say goodbye!  Schwetzingen has a store that sells paper that Mimi loves!  We stopped in to pick up some.

 

 

I will miss the beautiful outdoor markets!

 

 

 

Goodbye to our sweet Heidelberg!  What a special place filled with lots of memories for the Reber family!

 

 

 

 

Meg's birthday is next week and I ordered her these moccasins.  She loves all things with a bit of a western theme.  I just think they are cute. 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Days

Computer, book bags, lunchboxes, winter clothes for here summer clothes for there, things to do on the plane, clothing for 2 months, sheets and towels to use here until we leave, Meg's blanket, books to read, book bags and lunch boxes for here and there, all important documents to travel with, jackets, shoes, portable dvd player, movies to watch, old stateside cell phones that we will use again, German phone here, eye glasses, devotional items, keys for cars being shipped, temps tags for vehicles we pick up in California, camera, important recharging cords......a snapshot of my brain as I prepare for the next few months.

 

 

 

 

Our Weekend!

We headed to Switzerland last week and we had a grand time! Here is a funny little story about Owen: He has been wanting Army face paint for awhile so when he wears his camos he is completely camouflage.  He is so into this stuff.  Anyway, Pascal picked him up some camo paint at the store and he has been wearing it almost everyday!  I didn't really think too much about him painting his face when we got to P'tite Mom's place but  throughout the day I was snapping pictures and when I went to put this slide show together I was laughing so hard.  The pictures are hilarious!  He looks so funny throughout this little video.  Anyway, you will understand when you see the photos.  Enjoy!

 

A picture taken while hiking with P'tite Mom

 

 

Laurent and Cindy (Pascal's brother and wife) sent us home with some real Swiss treasures!  A huge hit with our family!!

 

 

We are so thankful for our neighborhood friends.  I am always impressed with what they come up with. This past weekend they set up a sale.  They decided to sell paper airplanes and painted rocks.  Here they are in front of their stand.

They had quite a little business model.  I heard the boys playing harmonicas and they told me that was to help attract customers.

Meg was quite the sales lady! One soldier was so kind he stopped and bought one of each and paid them 500 dollars! (in Hungarian money)

 

 

 

Meg had the "girls" over for a play date and they played for hours.  She tears up when we talk about having to leave her friends. 

I call them my "lovelies"

 

I just had to take a picture of Owen's shoe.  I had no idea they were in this bad of shape. I said, "Owen, let's throw these away, and he said, "Well, they're really easy to get on and I like them." 

The packing process had begun!  I am trying to group and organize stuff.  It feels so overwhelming but in a few days it will be over.

 

I was getting ready to roll up our traveling map.  We put red dots on all the places we have visited here while stationed in Germany.  I think in 3 years time we did pretty good!  And all by car!  I think I may just have to frame this.  One glance at that map and many road trips come to mind!

 

Meg got a note from her teacher saying her school pictures would be on Thursday.  So I began to think about what she would wear. I told Pascal that Owen really needed a hair cut and I wanted him to wear a nice shirt for his picture. I had planned on trimming his hair today to get him ready.    Well, guess what?  He got off the bus and said,  "today, I had my picture taken!" 

So here is what his hair looked like.

 

 

CLASSIC

 

I am so thankful for this Bible study I am taking.  I sat around a table with my sister's in Christ this morning and so many of them are affected by the government's shutdown.  We prayed together and reminded each other that God is the great provider!