The Big Apple, with a curious 7 year old

When L was 6 1/2 and my mom was 60, I took them to NYC. My mom had just gotten the cancer re-diagnosis and her super endo suggested she not put anything off. So a bit earlier than I had anticipated, I was packing L off to NYC. It was Christmas time and we did the Rockettes, China town, the Holiday Market in Bryant Park and naturally the tree at Rockefeller Plaza.

I was surprised last spring when E announced -- "hey, I am six now and L got to go to NYC when she was 6!" Large crowds and noise are just not E's thing, but he was right, it was only fair. E however did not want to go when it was cold and last fall, well there was no going anywhere. ( I ended up taking him out of school for two days, but I think hands down he learned so much in NYC that it was totally worth it.)

This past weekend, E and I set off for NYC. It was a trip like nothing I have ever planned before. E wanted to ride the subway, a bus, a taxi and "look around." He vetoed shopping, China town, the art museum, the natural history museum and the Statue of Liberty. He also was not totally on board with the idea of the Empire State building either. I mentioned seeing a show and he just shook his head solemnly.

One of the few bonuses of H's job is he and his immediate family can fly for free -- on a space available basis. This is a nice perk that isn't that easy to take advantage of. We can only go if there are unsold seats available. One of the few places that we seldom have trouble getting to is NYC. I have never not made it to NYC. Getting home on the flight of my choice has been an issue, but getting there has never been a problem.

This time around was no exception. E and I cruised in style last Thursday, in first class.

We took the city bus from LGA to Flushing/Jackson Heights and then caught the subway into Manhattan. From Grand Central we took the 6 two stops downtown to 28th Street.

I cannot say enough good things about our hotel. It was right by the subway station, between Lexington and 28th Street on Park Avenue South. The staff was amazing and the room just right. Was everything brand new, no, but it was clean and neat and served a continental breakfast that was wonderful and just perfect for us. Included were breakfast, newspapers and WiFi, in the day and age that many hotels are going out of their way to charge you for even opening the door was refreshing.

The best thing? The view. Well maybe not for the average person, but for my 7 year old transportation junkie, the view could not be beat.

E sat and looked out the window and watched the car stacker every chance he got. That made this view priceless.

If you are going to NYC and do not need to be right on top of the action and want comfortable, cozy and reasonable, I think the Park Avenue South is a great bet. I certainly plan to go back.

After checking in, we decided to head to Peanut Butter & Co. We love their peanut butter and we were not disappointed. Our peanut butter, banana smoothie was yumm-o. I loved my ant's on a log and E tried a fluffernutter and decided that it was just ok. Getting there was easy and we might have spent a bit of time exploring the neighborhood, but alas it was raining and we were tired, so we headed straight back to the hotel and went to bed.

(I must confess that I really wanted to check out The Fat Black Pussycat. However, even in NYC, 7 year olds in bars just won't fly.)

Friday we were up and at the breakfast buffet the minute it opened. This is what happens when you go to bed at 8 pm.

We took the train to Brooklyn and checked out The New York Transit Museum. Located in an old subway station, the transit museum is hands on and is part history, part science and is totally hands on for little tranport junkies and older history buffs. My favorite part was the history of the building of the subways and the over 18 historic train cars.

Circa 1930 train car

Really? This kind of sign was needed?

I loved looking at the old advertisements. It was great fun.

There were also bus mock ups and a turnstile maze as well as an electricity conductivity experiment station. Well worth the price of admission and a great way to learn about something that really is integral to the fabric of New York life.

From the Transit Museum we walked a few blocks to the Dekalb Market. I learned about the market from my friends SS and JC via facebook. They live in Brooklyn. The market is new and still in the growing stages, but that said I love the idea and the concept. It is a urban garden plot and a market made up on food stands and arts and craft boutiques and artisans hosting small store fronts. The super neat thing, the entire market is comprised of these little businesses having their operations or stores in scavenged shipping containers. Think adult sized legos!

One of the many water towers. This was my view from our lunch table. E insisted I take a photo!

Some art and some more shipping containers.

I had the stir fry with a fried egg. So good. It was fantastic.

This is @Hi_Im_Chrissy. She made me the amazing fried egg stir fry and agreed to let me take her photo.

I did some shopping at the market and scored some great made in NYC by residents' of NYC souvenirs.  E had a burger form a gourmet burger and sandwich shop and then he ate a lovely brownie from a bakery at the market. The market is only a few weeks old and is still growing. I think this will be a must revisit, next time I am in NYC.

The subway station was right next to the market, making our return trip Manhattan, super easy.

And our next stop... the Lego store at Rockefeller Plaza!

E was excited to check out the flagship store. It did not disappoint and even though it was Friday afternoon, the crowd was manageable! 

Rockefeller Plaza, lego style

He looped around the store

The tallest pick a brick wall in the world.

I am glad we checked this out. By this point, E and I were tired but not ready to be done. It was decision time. As I studied my notes and the map, I spied out of the corner of my eye, the Grey Line tour bus! I had considered this double decker bus option, as E had seemed very excited about the prospect of a double decker bus ride. You can buy tickets at the Rockefeller stop and I decided to purchase the 48 hour option. It isn't cheap, but E and I were able to get two tours in and it was worth it. For one, it made getting around and seeing a good chunk of the city possible and it was something I had never done before. Did I mention it was a double decker bus?

There are three loop options. The downtown, the uptown and the Brooklyn loop. The Uptown and Downtown are hop on and hop off tours, which means you can get on and off with your ticket either for a day or for the weekend, depending on which option you purchase. Sometimes there is a tour guide and sometimes there is a per-recorded message.  My advice, hold out for the tour guide, the recording is annoying.

Had traffic not been totally insane, I think E would have enjoyed this more, but when it takes 5 minutes to move two blocks... well the Downtown loop can last forever. It was also about 7 degrees too cool to be truly comfortable on the upper deck. After a major traffic jam around the Southside Sea port, E was all done with that bus tour and I decided I could get us safely to the hotel from the East Village stop, so we bailed in the East Village.

The best view of the Empire State Building I have ever had!

The famous "BALL"

Time Square

More Time Square

Hard Rock and a glimpse of the guy who sat next to us and behaved worse than E. He and his wife argued nearly the entire tour.

The view from the upper deck was amazing.

So it is 6 pm and E and I are standing in the East Village and with the help of my GPS on my iPhone, I plot our walking course. It will be a bit over 1.6 miles. Totally doable. Totally doable until E starts to panic and informs me he has to go to the bathroom, immediately.

Ugh. Ugh and double Ugh!

Finding a bathroom in NYC isn't as easy as one would think.

So as we are moving quickly up the street and the level of panic is increasing and I am beginning to really worry, when I see a sign and think, ok this place will do.

It turns out to be one of the best choices I could have made. Bite has amazing food, had a bathroom and they were wonderful to E and I! We hit the bathroom and stayed for a great dinner. E tried and LOVED a turkey and mozzarella panini with sun dried tomato mayo. (I would have sworn he would never eat that, but eat it he did, with gusto!) My tuna salad was huge and yummy. I had a great glass of wine also.

After our meal we strolled the rest of the way to the hotel, stopping off in a bakery for some cookies for E. As we walked, I remembered being in this neighborhood with my friend SS, when she had an apartment in Gramercy Park, back before E was even on the scene.

All in all an amazing Friday in the Big Apple. Stay tuned for our Saturday adventure!

Music Monday: Brick Songs

Today I am thinking about bricks - not the kind that require mortar though, today I am thinking about Lego Bricks.

(photo from the UK Guardian)

Yesterday I took the kids to the Lego KidsFest in Cleveland. You really haven't lived until you watch your kids sit in a pile of 40,000 plus lego bricks and build like crazy. How about monochrome building stations? Giant lego murals.

Insane - totally insane.

Yesterday I learned that legos do in fact come in pretty pink and that both of my children have fantastic imaginations and can build a wide variety of things if given the chance. I joined in the fun also, it really was an event designed to spark your creativity.

So today I offer three songs about bricks.

First a snazzy remix of the Pink Floyd Classic Another Brick in the Wall.

I also particularly like this one...


Arctic Monkeys - Brick by Brick

And finally another classic... It seems fitting - considering I saw all manner of inspiring brick art and brick houses or more correctly house like structures....

The Commodores - Brick House

Bread is Dangerous...

I found this elsewhere on the Web and thought I would share it... From my point of view it is funny... While in NYC last weekend, it became abundantly apparent that if I were trapped in Grand Central Station for more than a day, I very well might starve. Other than coffee and fruit, there was very little around that did not involve wheat! Oh the bagels, the scones, the cakes, the pretzels, the sandwiches, and the pasta salad. For me, no different than crack... there is nothing like carbohydrate porn now is there....


Physics 1021 - Bread is Dangerous

1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.


2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests.


3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations


4. More than 90 percent of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.


5. Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as one pound of dough can be used to suffocate a mouse. The average North American eats more bread than that in one month!


6. Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.


7. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat begged for bread after as little as two days.


8. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cold cuts.


9. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.


10. Newborn babies can choke on bread.


11. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 240 degrees Celsius! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.


12. Most bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.

In light of these frightening statistics, we propose the following bread restrictions:

1. No sale of bread to minors


2. A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign, complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.


3. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for all the societal ills we might associate with bread.


4. No animal or human images, nor any primary colors (which may appeal to children) may be used to promote bread usage.


5. The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around schools.

I think it clear... blame the BREAD - LOL!

Pack Your Bags

I love to travel. Everyone who knows H and I know that pre kiddos we lived in a 900 sq foot house by design, becasue we were almost never there. We traveled alot, short distances and long ones. We took at least two week long trips a year and honestly that has slowed a bit after kids, although L has been more places than many people I know. Honestly she has logged more miles traveling overseas than she has within the United States. E first long trip was FLA and his second was Germany.

But for the record there is one place I hope to never go. Disney World. It holds absolutely no allure for me. I have never, not once longed to go hold hands with Mickey Mouse or be whisked away by Cinderella.

In all honesty, Cinderella's castle is not all that exciting. I have been to the real castle Neuschwanstein and it is a site to behold, especially when it is surrounded by the mist that is ever present in the Alps. Real people lived there. They birthed babies there and died there and I swear if you listen you can hear the whisper of time. (trust me the real Neuschwanstein is almost never surrounded by such a clear sky as it is in this picture. I have gone three times and all three times it was misty... I have no good photos becasue it is always gray and raining and yet the castle is a site to behold. I literally catch my breath each time.)

A friend was giving me a hard time about this. I had stated that the bastion of contrived capitalism (Disney) holds no allure for me. My friend poked at me and said, "But you will go to NYC?"

The difference for me is NYC is pure capitalism and with the exception of Wall Street - it is honest capitalism. I have no quibble with capitalism. It is the packaged and homogenized contrived capitalism which is Disney that I have intellectual issues with.

NYC has history and a heart beat and a richness to it, that is not cellulose. NYC is the place of imaginations and not a place out of someone's imagination. There is a realness a depth and a pulse that is there. Now I have not actually been to Disney, so perhaps I am quick to judge.

NYC is the complete package, twinkly lights and a darkness. For a world of only twinkly lights is not real. Realness is the dark and the light, the beautiful and the ugly. For the soul - the soul resides somewhere in between bright twinkly lights and a dark underbelly. Life is not the battle of good verses evil, but rather the acceptance of the gray area in between.

The soul speaks to me. For without pain there is no pleasure and without truth there can be no convincing fiction.

A tiger is beautiful in its ability to lazily lop around the jungle and bask in the sunlight and it is awesome in its ability to take down prey in an unrestrained show of power and dominance.

Realness attracts me and holds my attention. It fuels my writers soul and it fills me with energy. While I might spend much of my life lost in my head, the stories there do not have to have a happy ever after - they have a balance and a purpose and are truly powerful.

Jelly Beans might have been the better choice kind sir!

So I have mentioned the ground delay in Memphis. No one likes a delay and no one likes a delay on the ground while crammed into a CRJ-200 commuter jet. L and E are great travelers but this was a bit more than they could take. E was all done waiting after the 2.5 hours we waited in Baton Rouge, he was tired and he was all done.

The young musician behind us was also done, he kept complaining on his cell phone. The man next to me was very pleasant but did not like the delay. E in a fit of 2 year boredom and so forth resorted to kicking the seat in front of him and I kept reminding him that it was not appropriate. I tried toys and I tried snacks and I tried all manner of distractions. But it was more than he could handle. Now did he scream, no. Did he cry or yell, no. He was just antsy and kicking the seat from time to time.

So the man in front of us, glared over at us and let me know he was not enjoying our little troubles. Well too bad. I am not enjoying it either and it is not like there is much I can do about it, short of really making him scream, so in the grand scheme of things - get over yourself and suck it up like the rest of us.

I told him politely I was working on it and would continue to try and get E to not kick his seat and then I offered this man a jelly bean. He refused and then I smiled sweetly and suggest he could always request to be reseated.

That weirdo went for the reseating - see I knew something he did not know - the only empty seat was the one right next to the bathroom. I had observed this fact on one of our many potty trips. Now no one wants to sit by the bathroom and certainly not on the CRJ-200.

So this man who was so seriously annoyed with E's very benign 2 year old antsy behavior. Spent the entire 1.25 minute flight being elbowed and having views of everyone's butts as they used the bathroom after the two beverage services we had received while enjoying the ground delay.

So at a minimum Mr. Annoyed should have gone for the jelly beans! Or been like the nice professor from OU, who talked with us and spoke to E a bit. He, the professor, he got offered chocolate! Which while he declined - he should know that I seldom share my stash of emergency chocolate! Mr Annoyed? Well he was annoyed the entire flight - which E slept thru - out like a light the minute we took off!

So see - the Jelly Beans were so the better option!

Feedin' my mind, my soul & my tummy

I have been in NYC, since Thursday. I came for some R & R and to visit my roommate and dear friend from college. NYC is always a good time. There is so much to see and do. I absolutely love the buzz, diversity, and energy that is NYC.

I could not live here long term. But for the occasional long weekend, I love it. It feeds my mind and my soul. (and my tummy)

I normally try to balance the pursuit of shopping with that of a bit of culture. It is a good balance I think. Not to mention, working in some culinary enjoyment as well.

This trip, I enjoyed shopping on Thursday afternoon and some great Thai and Middle eastern Food. Yumm-o! (Bought a killer dress at Brooklyn Industries & asked that they hold a bag at the SoHo store - for Friday pick up!)

Then Friday, the weather shifted and it was raining cats and dog, when I woke up. But I wanted to run in the park. (Prospect Park, Park Slope) So I went anyway. It was an awesome run. The rain was really warm and the park was lovely.

Then more shopping. The rain let up and we hit Brooklyn Industries & Kate's Paperie In SoHo. Then S and I split up and I was heading to the Strand Bookstore, but as I emerged from the subway the rain had gotten worse and I decided shopping could wait.

So I went to the Metropolitan. I spent the balance of my day there. While I like the Met and have been there before, I tend to find it a bit overwhelming. There is so much Art and so little time. As I get older, I find I just cannot process it all at once. I want to really look and consider. I like to take time to think about it. I also find I have a real sense of what I like and what I do not. That is not to say that I want to only stay in my comfort zone. I want to challenge myself a bit too. So with all that in mind, I used the map and made some key selections. I knew from experience that I could not see it all, so why try, better to have a plan. So that said, I decided to hit the European paintings, then the temporary exhibit, "Venice & Islamic Art", the small exhibition of artists from Barcelona (Spain) and then to challenge myself, I decided to go thru the Modern Gallery. In general, I find modern - modern stuff does not work for me, but hey - it is about mental stretching, no?

I really enjoy the Venice and Barcelona exhibit. I also spent some time looking at my favorites, Rubins, Manet, Monet, Bonnard. I find that they really are works of beautiful things, places.

Then I looked at the Modern Art. Some of it is very nice, abstract can work for me. Avaunt Guard too, but sometimes I just do not get it. (More on that in a future post.)

Then I head out. I need to let my brain rest a bit. I sought out a Starbucks and then dinner.

After dinner I hit the Guggenheim. (more on that in the art post)

Then back to my friend's. It was an hour by train, but Friday had been a good day.

On Saturday we shopped more. On the lower East Side and the East Village. Big fun. Bought another killer dress. (actually 2 but who is counting......)

Then home and dinner with a friends of my friend. A lovely way to cap off a lovely day.

Sunday brought more running in the park and brunch a Applewood. Which was a great restaurant. Loved it.

So, I am heading back home, with a full tummy, a relaxed and feed soul. My tummy is pretty full too.

Nothing like sharing some great times with a great friend in a great city.

Fun Snap Shots!

I promised pictures - so here are some other snap shots from the trip!
The view of Oedheim from our Aunt and Uncles' patio
As view of the park that we visited in Ulm. It was long the Rhine. This was on Good Friday and the weather was so wonderful. We had the best time.
An old house in Bad Wimphen.
The tower in Bad Wimphen. It was built in 1208. That is seriously old. You can climb it, but we did not.

Uncle Hermann's favorite old house in Bad Wimphen
It was an awesome trip. I think I am done blogging about it..... but who knows!

How fast are we going anyway?

When I first planned my trip, I had decided that I just did not have it in me, to travel with the little people, drive the Autobahn and navigate all by myself! So I thought, I would take the train. I mean trains are cool, kids like trains. On the train you can read and let someone else do the driving for you. So this was my plan!

Until I had the nightmare to end all nightmares before I left. I dreamed of someone shoving pass L and pushing her onto the tracks. I dreamed of my suitcase getting stuck in the doors and then being riped from from the half opened doors as we sped down the tracks. I also dreamed of the stroller getting stuck and a whole host of other horrible things!

So I decided it might be better to try my hand at the Autobahn instead! I mean I have trekked transatlantic with the car seat, right? Who cares that people drive like demons! I mean speed is fun right? With your own car you have freedom and can go about your own business.

So, I did just that. I became a speed demon, pilot and co-pilot all rolled into one. I am a multi-talented woman! Now before you all have dreams of me winning the next Indy 500, you need to know that I rented a Renault Modus.
It is a small car and no one could accuse it of being overly peppy, but I have to say that on the way back to Muenster from Heilbronn, driving thru Hessen and Nord Rhine Westphalia, I was moving at a smooth 150 Km (100 miles per hour) and I was just keeping up with traffic. There were some serious BMWs & Mercedes doing alot-- ALOT-- faster than that. For the most part we moved along at 100 km to 120 km and took it slow and easy.

Sometimes I got lost and sometimes I managed just fine on my own. I have to say that the roads and directions are presented a bit differently that in the States. (Although, it is a bit like the Garden State Parkway in NJ.) In Ohio, we all go east, west, north or south. But in Germany, you travel in the direction of a stated city. Which is great, as long as you know where that city is, exactly! The autobahn is fairly easy, but the smaller highways are a bit more tricky. I got turned around a few times, but all in all I am so glad I rented the car!

I must also mention, that driving in European cities is a entirely different matter. I was almost killed in Kassel. In Muenster bikes rule and they are ruthless in their ownership of the roads. Also, much of the city driving rules, seem to follow what P affectionately has dubbed "local custom." I also am struggling with the concept of right before left (whose right and who has the egg?" in the 30 zone and the fried egg sign - so I am inclined to say - "Give me speed any day!"

Are you kidding me?

OK this is your warning - THIS POST IS ABOUT SEX - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Alright, I have never understood the attraction to joining the mile high club. Seriously, is having sex at 35,000 feet really any different than doing it at or slightly above sea level. It must be the thrill of getting caught or some perverse thrill of causing a line to the bathroom, when several dozen people are also on the plane needing the bathroom, right after the beverage service.

I thought it was just a myth, a nice story to tell people, while drinking on vacation. But no, I know someone who did on a recent trip and H has said that it happens and he should know, he is an airline pilot.

But seriously, the physics of the matter baffle me. I mean, I could hardly get into the bathroom, on both the Airbus 340 and the 767 - we took on our flights to and from Germany, with L to help her and changing E - please that was huge exercise in contortionism. So the idea of two full size people, getting down and dirty in one of these tiny closet boggles the mind. I mean, there is no sink ledge to speak of. The toilet is way too low and the baby changing station, which folds out of the wall barely holds a baby, let alone providing a convenient seat for an adult. Furthermore, the one time I squooze the three of us into the bathroom on the return trip, E demonstrated that the weight of a two year old can open the door, so forget leaning against that and getting it on.

And speaking of dirty, by the end of the 9 hour trip, the bathroom is a bit gross..... so I guess if you can figure out the physics of the matter - you need to do it early in the flight.......

It's all alot closer over there!

I did not really have the time to post while I was overseas, so I will spend the next few days sharing with you a bit about my travels!
*****
H met up with me while we were in Muenster. P allowed us to run off for a day with his car, so we decided to check the surrounding area. Muenster is in the north western part of Germany, very near the boarder with the Netherlands. We spent a very lovely morning and afternoon in Steinfurt and then decided an afternoon drive was in order - so that the little people could sleep. So H was driving and it was a lovely day - very clear and sunny. As we were driving along the Bundesstrass - I causally remarked that there were a lot of cars with Netherlands license plates. MMM, interesting! Then as we continued to drive - almost all the cars had NL tags. Then I look up and - there it was - the large sign welcoming us to the Netherlands.

Intellectually I knew we were close - but I like most Americans look at maps with an American point of view. Sure Indiana is close to Ohio on the map - but from Columbus it is 2 plus hour car trip. Maps are based on a scale, but seriously everything in Europe is very close together. I went from the southern part of the country back to Muenster in 4 hours. It takes longer to get from Cleveland to Cincinnati!

So we did the smart thing and turned around at the first chance and headed back to Germany. But I did snap these photos!

Thanks

I have to say that on my way to Muenster - as I commented in earlier posts - I decided that all middle age German men were blind. At least the 3 dozen or so on my flight. Well I want to say a huge thank you to a man who helped me out from Muenster to Munich. He cleared a space on the shuttle bus for L. Helped me haul in the stroller and then helped me with my 2 bags (my carry ons!) He was so nice. He then helped me into the main airport from the shuttle.

I thanked him then, but I wanted to put this up on my blog too! He went out of his way to help me and it meant alot. I could have managed - I mean - I had planned it out like a military exercise - but he did a truly nice thing and nice things deserve acknowledgment.

So to my unknown helper - your thoughtfulness was so appreciated.

THURSDAY 13

Well we are back. Got in last night. We are reasonably awake, for now and everyone is happy to be home.

So now that I have made it back I will offer some sage advice on how to travel transatlantic with two little people! (almost alone.....)

1. Pack light! Seriously. Unless you are going to hinterlands - you can buy everything you need at your destination. I try to take as little as possible.

2. I cannot say enough good things about Ziploc bags. I pack alot of things in baggies. You can see thru them and get what you need - all without having alot of stuff floating around your bag.

3. Bring things to do. Like books, coloring stuff, nothing with really small pieces - but some old and well loved stuff & some new and intriguing stuff.

4. Make a list and check it 1000 times before you leave.

5. Have a folder that has all you important documents and travel info. This keeps it neat and organized.

6. Understand that sometimes kids make noise. Any adult in the area that does not get that - either has no kids and/or has forgotten.

7. Candy-- lots of it and in small doses. Also think pretzels, nuts, raisins & gum. If their mouths are full they cannot - in theory scream, wine, or talk so loud/much!

8. Take a day for yourself before you leave. Your nerves will thank you.

9. Wear comfortable clothes. Also think about what you dress the kids in. Make sure it is easy on and easy off.

10. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Also, be firm with the TSA and other airport staff. Nice but firm. Refuse to be hurried or bullied. You need a bit more time than the average traveler. (There is a TSA employee in Philly who got told off by me - in the nicest possible way :) )

11. Know that eventually you will get where you are going.

12. Being a mom is a job that is totally portable. Why no enjoy all the joys of motherhood - from somewhere exotic!

13. Drink lots of water and then a glass of wine once you have arrived. You did it and all is well with the world.....

Ok, so where are you going????

Listening

While I was working, I took a sales seminar on "Overcoming Objections." I have to say it was not overwhelmingly helpful for my job, but I have found it really useful for working with E & L. Kids are by nature, really difficult to work with - they want what they want when they want it. Talking them out of whatever it is they happen to want - when they want it - is a chore for a diplomat. Equally challenging is talking them into something you want then to want; when they are absolutely opposed to that idea.

I have often thought that my two were the king and queen of opposition. But yesterday in the park, while playing in Muenster, I noticed that the other German mommas were trying equally as hard to organize their preschoolers too.

Apparently - not listening - to any language spoken by parents - is universal!

Planes - Buses - Cars

We made it. Three planes and about 28 hours later we had made it. There were some interesting moments - like the bus ride to the main terminal in Frankfurt. Then we sat a bit and then another bus ride to our plane to Muenster.

After arriving in Muenster we took another bus to our friends house.

We then broke the cardinal rule for beating jet lag and took a nap. Seriously, I could not have stayed awake for all the money in the world. After our nap, we took a trip to the store and had dinner.

Then we went to sleep at 9 pm and slept until 10:15 am this morning. I still feel a bit disoriented but by tomorrow I should be good as new.

I also have to say kudos to P. He was a great help with the little people, which is good as he has one on the way.

I will share one humorous story. We flew on a very small British Aero Space turbo prop to Muenster. To board the plane, we had to climb the shakiest looking stairs I have ever seen. Everyone was in a big hurry and they all apperantly needed glasses - as they shove past me, holding L's hand, with the car seat backpack on, with my purse and E in my arms. I mean - no problem I could stand there all day. I will say one kind gentleman did stop, to inform me that E's shoelaces were untied! Oh, ok I will get right on that with my extra set of hands.

But all in all the trip here went better than expected. I have a great friend and great kids!

Passport - check.... Sanity, uh? check

Yep! Got the passport! the airline tickets! the suitcases packed! New toys/coloring books for the little people! Gifts for the people who so graciously extended me an invite to stay with them (oh, what were they thinking????)(E-books loaded on the Palm. & music too!) Sanity - sure, ah maybe???

So you are wondering about the monologue? Well, I am off to Germany for a trip. Going to be staying with friends and family. I am going to be traveling from the north of Germany all the way to the south and then back up north again to return home. It is going to be a great trip. Which I am going to be making largely solo - with little people. H is meeting up with us for part of the trip, but mostly it is just me. I am flying over with our good friend P. He loves me and the little people! Really he does, but what he loves more is my extra cargo space.

I have a very important travel rule. Take no more than you can actually manage and carry! So even though the 3 of us (me and 2 little people) are entitled to 2 undercarriage bag each (total of 6) - I only have 2 packed. I can only manage two suitcases, with a stroller, a preschooler, my purse and diaper bag. So that is all I am taking! Done deal. P gets 4 extra slots. He is in baggage heaven!

So, while I may not be posting alot over the next few weeks, do check back, as I plan to post pictures as I can and offer some comments as to my travels. So live life to the fullest while I am away!

13 Places I would like to visit before I die

1. Australia. I really want to go there. It is such an interesting and diverse place and let's face it the accent rocks! The beaches rock! The Outback rocks! and the wines rock! Plus kangaroos and koala's are cool too.

2. Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. I have been many places in the US, but never there. It looks so pretty, lush and green. Plus Seattle seems like a pretty neat city.

3. Thailand. I have read books with Thailand as a setting and I have seen movies & documentaries about Thailand. I have to say I am not a hot and humid weather kinda of girl, but I think I could make an exception for this destination.

4. India. I have always wanted to go to India. A friend of mine from my study abroad days - did some work in India and Nepal and her pictures were breath-taking. India is one of those place where I think you would have to devote at least a minimum of a month to really see it all and experience all it has to offer.

5. Maine. My mother has been and a friend has lived there, but I have never made it. It looks so lovely.

6. Grand Canyon. Sad to say I have not been there! Flown over more times than I can count, but never been there.

7. Iceland. Well let's face, it is such a rare place. And a country which can produce such luscious chocolate (seriously, bought some at Whole Foods and it is outstanding.) Plus there is Bjork, hot springs, and so much more.

8. Italy. I really would like to visit Italy. Was in northern Italy once for an afternoon, but I would like to take a week or two and really see the sites. Venice, Rome, Florence. My host family in high school spent time on the Island of Sardinia, the pictures look lovely. I think I would like to learn some Italian before I set out though. It is always a better experience when you can speak the language.

9. I would like to go to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. H goes there off and on for flight training and for the occasional overnight layovers. He has brought back city guides from time to time and I think it looks like a good time and romantic. My French is bad, but maybe I would be inspired.

10. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. My family is Welsh and English on my mother's side. I would like to get there. We were all set to go in the Fall of 2001, but after 9/11 we decided to stay stateside.

11. Japan. I have always wanted to get there too. It has such a rich history and the geography is so diverse. Plus I am sushi obsessed so I think I could eat it every day there - no problems :)

12. Sweden & Norway. I was in Denmark in 1995 - lovely. I want to see the rest of Scandinavia - mmm, maybe a cruise.

13. Alaska. Then I can say that I have been to Alaska and Hawaii. The wild life and the views from TV and friends pictures look so great.

Honestly, I love to travel, so I could go anywhere and be happy. It is such a rush to check out new places and cultures. There is so much to see and learn! ( I am alittle worried about the water someplaces - I have heard some terrible terrible stories....) But nothing ventured nothing gained - right?

The trip that wasn't meant to be; Clearly

Well, the day started bright & early at 5 am. I was up and dressed, checked our flight and the weather (kinda iffy, but hey bring it on.) Got the little people up and dress and fed and we were on the road at 6:45 am. The sky was alight with some beautiful lightening and it was raining, but hey we were rolling along.

Got to the airport and parked at SunPark which I highly recommend. They come right to your car, help you unload your luggage and even helped me with the stroller. Cool. Well worth the few dollars for the tip. (they also graciously let me out of the lot at no cost since my flight did not work out. Very cool. Will park there again!)

Got in to the airport and got my stand by boarding passes. Then waited. Turned out between the time I checked and the time arrive at the airport, the flight got full, mmmmm. Not sure how that happened, but it did. The joys of stand-by.

While I could have tried for the later 2 flights, I decided not to. Too risky, when the last leg was already almost full. So we came home.

The downside is I do not get to see my friend and she is stuck with a gallon of soy milk and a clean house. (Although, H called to say that Atalanta is under a ground stop. No flights going in or out.) It is better to be at home, wishing you were where you had planned to be - rather than stuck in Atlanta.

The upside, I know the jogger fits thru the X-ray machine, the little people were very very well behaved and I can push the jogger and pull my little rolling suitcase at the same time. I am superwoman today :)

I am so glad I am at home........ and not in Atlanta.