Madagascar

Anne has 2 favorite movies that she askes to watch when she is allowed to watch something. They are: Madagascar and Open Season. I can only guess that the reason is because she loves animals. Here you can see how much she loves them. She will actually sit still.

Lady Vader

Well, I guess the truth has to come out sometime. Jared has spent the last couple years of our marriage trying to convince me to let him get a motor bike. Let me tell you, I am a hard woman to convince. But now that Richy is home we have 6 drivers in the family and only 2 cars. And all 6 people have to be different places each day. We just needed another form of transportation in the family. We have thought a getting another little car for us and decided that we didn't want to push our budget that much. So a motor bike was the most economical solution.

We spent several days trying to decide what to name the newest edition to our family. Then when Jared and I were riding around the area getting pictures of the Easter fountains we finally decided on a name. Since she is black and powerful we decided to call her Lady Vader. (Isn't my husband so hot with his new baby.) He is in heaven. But I did put very strict conditions on him getting this.Annie doesn't know quite what to think of it right now. She gets excited each time she sees it and knows that it belongs to her dad. But we finally got her to reluctantly sit on it with the motor off and sitting with her dad.

Osternbrunnen Trip

Yesterday Jared and I had our weekly date. Each Easter in Germany all the fountains in the villages get decorated with greenery and painted eggs. Since we live in the country we see so many of them and they are beautiful and quite festive. They stay like this for about 3 weeks. In the 3 years that I have been here I have never gotten any pictures of them. Well, this year Jared and I took a mini road trip get pictures of the fountains in our area. It much fun and such a relaxing and peaceful way to spend our time together. Ostern means Easter in German and brunnen means fountain. Just so you all know what to header means.

I didn't want to put all the pictures up so these are just a few examples of the Fountains. They are so fun to see and look for as you drive through the villages. It really lets you know that spring is almost here.

This show you the detail that goes into painting these eggs. This wreath represents all the Soccer teams in the BundesLiga. Those are the top teams in Germany.

They spend months decorating the eggs in preparation for the display.

Of course I had to include this one. It is the fountain from our village. You can see our beautiful City Hall in the background. We live in one of the 2 most beautiful areas of Germany. Soon the hills will be covered in cherry blossoms. I will include pictures of that when the time is here.

The 3 steps of Mischief

Everytime I clean the kitchen Alicia is right there making more messes. She loves to take things out of the dishwasher while I am trying to put them in. She also discovered that the dishwasher makes a good climbing toy.

Step 1...Make sure no one is looking

Step 2...Almost there. This is fun!!!

And...Step 3. Yeah!!!! I did it. I am so proud of myself and you should be too.

Easter In Germany

So here is the scoop on our Easter. We spent our day at church and with Family.
Jared and I set up the baskets for the girls and ourselves. We got new dresses (family tradition), a minimal amount of candy (hence the small baskets), and new books. Jared and I are really into buying nice and clean tv shows. Jared loves Fresh-Prince of Bel-Air, so I got him the first season. I got wonderful candy.

Daddy led the girls to see what the Easter Bunny brought.

I loved seeing the girls' excitement over the candy and other gifts. I have to admit the chocolate was the biggest hit. You can that both have some in their hands.

Dad got new Easter shoes, because he desperately needed them. We have a family tradition of new Easter dresses each year. It started with my Grandma and has been carried down the generations. I just don't make them. Buying them is faster and easier than making them.

Grandpa Dautel got very creative with Alicia's headband. She refuses to keep it on and the Dautels fully support this. I am fighting a one-man battle.

After church we went over to Gma and Gpa Dautel's house for an Easter Egg hunt. Anne loved looking for each item and bringing them to Aunt Rike one at a time.

Alicia really enjoyed the Hunt too. You can see all her toys behind her here. They loved the bubbles.

Uncle Richy was so good to blow bubbles (or soap balloons as he called them. He has been a bit out of touch with these things the last couple years) with the girls. I love Alicia's face in this one.

Time Together

I had so many wonderful pictures of our times together as a family. So I decided to just dedicate a whole section to them. Sorry there are so many but I just couldn't narrow it all down.Anne is really becoming quite attached to her dad. She is constantly asking about him during the day. She loves to wave from our apartment window when he goes to work. She runs to him and gives him huge hugs when he comes up. Jared just loves this.

Rike had a whole bunch of people from her institute counsel at her house last Sunday. So Grandma and Grandpa came over to spend the afternoon with us (to maintain their sanity). We loved playing games and snack on completely unhealthy food.

Spring was in the are and the world was coming to life again and then this week we got a we finally got winter. Jared and Anne took a stroll up to Gma and Gpa's house.

I was cleaning the kitchen this morning and Dad took some time to read to his girls. I thought this was one of the cutest pictures. These girls just love their dad and he can't get enough of them.

Alicia is so fascinated with Jared's guítars. She loved watching him play.

Grandpas are so useful when you are tired. Alicia found that Stake Conference can just wear a person out.

They must have been exhausted. They kept the kids during our Anniversary. Anne shared a bed with Aunt Rike. That is the first time she has shared a bed with anyone since she was a baby. Rike said that Anne woke up 3 times during the night and wanted her bottle filled. She would hit Rike's head with the bottle. I have to admit that I found that very funny.

Jared spent quite a bit of time with the girls one night playing with this ball. They thought it was the funnest thing. It kept them entertained for so long. Which was helpful while I made dinner.

Uncle Richy returned from his mission yesterday. The girls were abit unsure around him at first but they are warming up very quickly.

Girls love to play

We finally have internet and phones at our apartment. I love feeling connected to the world and family again. I am back at my German class for the last month of the course. Then it is just the test left. Can't wait until the whole thing is over and I can just stay home and be a mom and wife.
These girls love playing with their Grandpa. Alicia even tried to share her pacifier with him. Anne still loves books and to be read to.

Alicia loved playing with Jared's microphone while he was recording some music. She thought the best thing was to eat it. Must have tasted good.