It's a 10

Happy Thursday! 

Debra over at Lifescapes tagged me for the 10th Photo meme.

Heres mine:

Taken last summer out in the country walk we do. I see this guy all the time, at least I think he is a guy.

Kinda looks like he has an attitude, don't ya think!

I think he is saying WTF !!

(Why the face!)

Now I pick 6 friends to do the same and link back to me and pass it on:

My sister @ Preppy Player 

Shelle @ Dancing Matilda

Sonya @ Home Cooking with Sonya

Somer @ Love to Breathe

Matty @ Matty Thoughts

Cathee @ My life in Color

Black and White Wednesday-Angry Baby

Happy Wednesday!

This was me yesterday....an ANGRY on edge baby!

Not sure why? Too much caffeine probably!

Today is a better day...the sun is shining and birds are chirping!

The Angry Baby- Vingeland Sculpture Park

Oslo, Norway

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Swing by The Long Road to China for more B&W's!

What Helps ME Relax?

Communal Global  every Tuesday is sharing day! I visit this blog daily it features women from all over the world featuring their "TODAY" through pictures. This Tuesday share is "What helps you relax?" Okay well here are a couple things that do help me...but I think these days my life is pretty relaxed without them too.

Hope you all have a relaxing Tuesday!

Sundays In My City-Hamburg

Hamburg is a one hour train ride from my city of Bremen, Germany. When my sister and nephew were here visiting, we spent the day there. It was only my second time visiting this city, I loved everything about it and wondered why I haven't visited it more.
The city is huge in comparison to Bremen, 1.8 million people verse our 500,000. Hamburg is a port city and has several canals with over 2,321 bridges crossing these canals. More bridges than any other city in the world.

First we visited St. Peter's one of the oldest in the city dates back to 1195.In 1845 it was almost completely destroyed in a fire and only a few historical artifacts remain from before the fire.

This is one artifact spared from the ashes,located on the door of the church. The nose of the loin is rub for luck and is shiner than the opposite door of the demon. To this day NO one rubs bronze door marker. (according to our lovely guide that is)

Quick visit to the Rathaus aka Town Hall, gorgeous building and courtyard.

 Next stop to what remains of St. Nikolai, in ruins after air raids in WWII.

All the remains is the bell tower and foundation. Today many memorial statues call home.

My favorite is this one below.

Also this statue call "The Ordeal" by artist Edith Breckwoldt

Venice of Germany

We had lunch at a very old German restaurant called, Kramerants-Stuben 1718.

It was delish and the waitress was dress just like the menu board below.

View of the city from the tower of St. Michel

Street entertainers

Hope you enjoyed Hamburg....stop by Unknownmami and see her city and all her friends cities too.

Happy Sunday!

Play date

My husband has a play date tonight! Well at least thats what we are teasing him about. Our Canadian neighbor has invited him to the Werder Bremen Football (aka soccer) game tonight. It is his first German soccer game, he is pretty excited. Katelyn wants to help him pick out his outfit.....he is trying to play it cool but I think he wishes he had a team jersey and all the paraphernalia needed to blend in a 100% Werder! That's what they call it when you are a true fan! I think! So the hubs will be amongst the screaming fans eating bratwurst, drinking beer and coming home stinking like smoke!! I hope he has fun.....Katelyn and I are gonna braid each others hair and eat chocolate! Okay maybe NOT but we are off to cause our own trouble!

Go Bremen!!!

 

Black and White Wednesday

It's b&w Wednesday again.....

Giverny Monet Gardens

Paris street

My daughter received a new camera for her sweet 16 Birthday, she loves taking pictures.  I love not sharing my camera with her anymore! These are her shots with my editing on Picnik.

Happy Wednesday!

Stop by The Long Road to China for more b&w's!

Here is a picture of my sister and nephew enjoying Bremen, Germany! 

That was before this happened!

Because of this.......

And now we are one BIG LOVE family!

It's crap she is only on board for the cooking!

Side note DELTA Airlines is having a sale to Europe from New York need to book by April 26th!!!
Great deals act fast!!! Seriously it's on their website! 

Sunday in My City-Paris

Sunday in my city- Bremen Paris

 I spent last Sunday in Paris with my daughter, sister and nephew. Thank god it was last Sunday and not this Sunday or we would be stuck due to the volcano in Iceland. Paris in Spring is beautiful. My favorite part besides going there with my sister is Giverny Monet Gardens. I have always loved Monet paintings and to see his house and gardens, was a trip highlight. As was the food, company and sights. Happy Sunday!

Visit Unknown Mami and see other lovely cities plus wish her a Happy 1 year blog Bday!

Everybody knows......

Patricia Van Essche the extremely talented Artist and Blogger of  PVEdesign. I love all her artwork and her blog. I have found some of the best blogs through her blog, she has very talented friends. One of her friends is Maureen at The Inglenook decor's Musings. Maureen has a wonderful blog and online store with amazing decor and decorating tips. Awhile back she interviewed Patricia, you can find it HERE. Patricia was also nice enough to giveaway a set of her note cards from her Etsy shop. Well I was lucky enough to win...woot, woot!! The note cards are artwork of the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, NY. The cards are even more beautiful in person. Thank you Maureen and Patrica for making my day! 

Please stop by and check out these amazing blogs.

Black and White Wednesday- Paris

Bonjour! Happy Wednesday!

My Daughter and I just returned from Paris. We met up with my Sister, Preppy Player and Nephew from New Jersey. They came back with us to Germany for a visit. We loved Paris had beautiful weather, walked and walked,saw all the sights, mastered the underground and ate amazing foods. My B&W's today are from our journey to Paris.

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday! Stop by Lisa at The Long Road to China and see more B&W's.

Breaking up is hard to do....

So since we will be moving back to America in July I figured what's the point of taking my German lessons. Right makes sense......so yesterday I told my teacher my news. She said so what does that mean for us? And I nervously said well I should probably stop ya know cause I'm gonna be busy and stuff. Okay I might of stuttered and nervously laughed all the while thinking Omg I will never utter another German word as long as I live please stop trying to make me learn!! I'm incapable of learning languages! She said, NO we will continue until you leave! End of discussion! What!! okay see ya next week......!

Tomorrow my daughter and I are flying to Paris to meet my sister Preppy Player and nephew. We are stay until Monday night and then I'm bringing them back to Germany to stay until the following Sunday. I can't wait to see them and to have the last of my sisters come visit. My sister speaks perfect French and we are doing different things in Paris than I have done and seen before. Like going to Versailles and Giverny Monet Gardens.


Au revoir!! Ciao!! Auf Wiedersehen !! until then...

Black and White Wednesday

It's  Wednesday again, I missed last weeks B&W Wednesday while we were on Spring Break. We went to Amsterdam and had a wonderful time. Here are a few of my pictures in B&W. Some I like and some I prefer in color.

Amsterdam is known as the Venice of Holland, the city is surrounded by canals.

This piece of art I prefer in color it is a mosaic with such vibrant colors. 

Tulips, Tulips and more Tulips! These were a gorgeous red.

I don't know why but I love photography outdoor cafes.

Keukenhof Gardens the coolest display of flowers. 

Keukenhof Gardens amazing grounds with flowers, statues, fountains and more.

Say hi to Lisa at The long Road to China 

See more amazing B&W's!
Happy Wednesday!

Also swing by Angie at Seven Clown Circus

for Wordful Wednesday.

                 

Empire State of Mind

I'm happy to say come July my address will be changing. We are moving back to the States....woot, woot! I wish it was to our home in Salt Lake City, Utah. But I'm excited just them same we are moving to Western New York. We visited there over Spring break I loved the area it reminds me a lot of were I grew up in New Jersey. Small towns or villages as they call them with main streets and lemonade porch houses. We found a few houses we like but haven't decided on one yet. We are looking near my husband's corporate offices in East Aurora. So East Aurora, Orchard Park, Elma area.  We are all really excited about the next chapter in our life. I have had a especially hard time living in the North of Germany and need to be back in a comfort zone of America. The sad part is I have been Frau for the last two years not sure what my name will be do I go back to Kathy or take on Lady Liberty or Buffalo babe. All I know is the JayZ and Alicia Keys song "Empire State of Mind" is my new theme song. As Miss Alicia sings " these streets are gonna make you brand new" "where dreams come true". Right now it's what I need to feel new again or at least like the old me.

Amsterdam dam dam dam!

(click to enlarge)

We just returned from Spring Break, spent four days in Amsterdam. The city was easy to get around, we took the tram and walked everywhere. The first day we visited the Anne Frank House, that was interesting and sad at the same time after that we walked around and had lunch at the famous Pancake House.It was delish and I could have had seconds. Did some shopping and found some beautiful Delft pottery , I fell in love with it all. So beautiful and love the blue and white. We took a canal cruise through the city it was really cool way to see all the houses along the river and house boats. Some of the canal's were so narrow I can't believe we fit through. Afterwards we walked some more, the streets were filled with locals and tourist and the air was filled with the smell of pot. We were just wondering around taking in everything around us and one wrong turn ended us in the Red Light District. Poor Katelyn between the Pot smell and girls in the windows waving I thought she was going to vomit! Not sure if we will win parents of the year but she certainly gained an education this trip. Had a wonderful Italian meal and some yummy tasting wine. Great first day lots of laughs.

Second day we visited the Van Gogh Museum, loved it but it was very crowded.  Next we were off for more educational tours, Heineken brewery of coarse. It was really interesting and fun, something different. Katelyn was the only teen on the tour! Again parents of the year! They give you a wrist band depending on your drinking age so she did not enjoy the best beer in Holland. We had really good food, wine and beer the whole trip.

 Our last day we spent at the Keukenhof Gardens, it was amazing. We were a little early for all the tulips in the fields but the grounds were covered in tulips,crocuses,hyacinths and daffodils. Water fountains and statues of all kinds. It was also Katelyn's sweet 16 birthday that day, wasn't exactly how I think she pictured her 16th would be. I think she has visions of MTV my super sweet 16. But hey she got tulips, windmills, second hand pot smell, art, history, culture shock what more can a girl ask for? A repeat according to her!!!

If you ever get a chance to go to Holland do, it is as beautiful as you can imagine!

Sunday in My City- Happy Easter

Happy Easter! 

I hope every one is having a wonderful day of celebration. 

Last night many of my German neighbors celebrated Easter Saturday with a traditional Easter bonfire. My husband and I rode back from the grocery store our street was filled with smoke, my first thought was someone's house was on fire and I hope it isn't ours. The air was thick with smoke and smells of fires. Traditionally they have the fires to welcome Spring and sun, often using the wood from their Christmas tree. It is said the bigger the flame reaches the more fruitful the fields will be and the healthier the family will be. But really in todays time it's just an excuse to gather with friends and enjoy some good beer. This morning the air was still thick with the smell of smoke, I think everyone in my neighbor is celebrating the end to a long winter. 

Our neighbors invited us to there bonfire but we just returned yesterday from Spring break and we are suffering jet lag something awful. But it is worth it the Easter bunny brought back Peeps and other yummy american candies from her trip and that was my breakfast of the champions!

Happy Easter/ Frohe Ostern!

Unknown Mami and her friends are showing off their cities check them out.