It's been a long while since I've blogged and I miss it. I pulled this up several times only to have something come up so I never finished a blog to the point I could actually post it. I am determined today. Taylor is out playing with Jasmine and her little sisters, Danny is doing laundry (yay, not me!) and the dogs are being quiet for once. I should say Stella is being quiet for once, Charlie is always quiet unless she is hopping fences. Stella, however, is not a quiet puppy. She gets especially loud when Taylor leaves without her these days. She's been spoiled. Jasmine has an English Bulldog named Bella (Stella & Bella, awwwww) so they get to have play dates all the time. They're good fat Bullys so they traipse after the girls without leashes on...lets face is, a 9 and 11 year old can run faster than either Bully could even dream to do. Poor Charlie and Max don't ever get to do anything fun. Max is a giant Doberman and the girls could *not run as fast as him. Of course, as I was typing, they came to get Stella. Now Charlie is pouting. Doggy drama.
We've been here for almost exactly 3 months. Sometimes it seems like much much longer and sometimes like no time has passed at all. We have explored the little towns near out house and driven the hour or so to Regensburg for the Christmas market. Aside from the parking lot (SCARY! we drove the Xterra sightseeing for the first and last time...it's just too big!) it was completely awesome. Like walking in a fairytale land. I liked seeing the vendors and all they had to see. I liked drinking the hot mulled wine, Gluehwein. I loved eating at the delicious Italian restaurant in the center of town. But the architecture...it blows me away. Regensburg has such a rich history and is truly a medieval town. I felt the same awe I used to feel of more simple things as a child. When I walked around the corner and found the huge beautiful German Gothic cathedral...I honestly couldn't breathe for a minute. It was sheer euphoria and very dramatic. I have pictures but they don't do it justice as it was snowing and dark, not a good combination. We plan a trip back during the day when it warms up a little.
Right now we don't have major plans to visit anywhere else. I'd like to go to Prague soon as it is closer than much of Germany, but even that isn't rushed. We have 3 years to explore. This summer the Xterra is paid off so that will free up quite a bit of money for travel. It will be good timing for heading to Oktoberfest (in September). We mostly plan on taking the trips that the Army organizes. They provide transportation and arrange for most everything, all we will have to do is show up and pay. That way we can enjoy the trip more than stress about the details. That will all start next year, I am sure. This year it's more about familiarizing ourselves with the immediate area and learning the language at least enough to communicate basic needs/civil conversation.
Christmas was yesterday. It went rather well. Taylor had a great Christmas, which is 99% of my reason for all the shopping stress haha. One of Danny's gifts didn't make it, and neither did a couple of mine apparently. So we'll have some more Christmas items coming sporadically. I had a Very Harry Christmas. A HP wallet, shirt, a Potter debate book, the HP cookbook...yay! I also got a map of OZ fop the map room and Tin Man. A measuring cup set shaped like matryoshka's (the Russian stacking dolls)...some gauges...a Hatebreed shirt...and one of those electric picture frame things...you'd think I'd know the name. But I don't. Ya know, ya shove a SD card in there, plug it in, and voila! Pictures slide show. It's very cool. Taylor got the entire world. Too much to list. The main part of her presents from us were the complete series of Buffy and Angel...as well as the Ghoulia Yelps and Holt Hyde doll. She's spoiled rotten. Danny got a Kindle, a case for it, a skin for it (that isn't here yet) and the last 3 seasons of The Shield that he didn't have. Oh, and a Reaper Crew (Sons of Anarchy) beanie. All in all, it was a good day.
Tomorrow we are getting up bright and early to go to Vilseck so I can take my driving test. I am not looking forward to it for many reasons. One of which is that we have to leave at about 6:30am. The next is that it's a test. For driving. In Europe. No stress or anything though (right). What I am doing right now is procrastinating studying. I need to study a little, take the practice test and study the things I miss a little more, then take it again. That's how I used to study at school and I never failed a test (except that one that we ALL failed but there was nothing to study for that test and it was on Laws, Rules, Regs and Safety/Sanitation). There is also apparently an hour or two that they talk and go over things. So I should be good. Hopefully. Apparently a LOT of people fail. Sigh.
It's the day after Christmas and I already have the urge to put all things Christmas away. It's not bah-humbug-gy when it's after Christmas, right? I hope.
I guess I should stop writing and get started. I really don't want to though. I really don't want to go sit in a room full of strangers, either. Ew. Oh well, I only have to do it once (unless I fail) so I just need to suck it up.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas full of magic, family, and good food!
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