Pitch, Hit and Run....

This actually happened last week, but I'm just now getting around to posting it. Landen entered a Pitch, Hit & Run contest last week at the base. He competed against the 9&10 year olds from both bases and everyone was welcome to compete. Baseball is Landen's favorite sport, so of course he was ready and waiting! I had warned him that he just turned 9 and probably shouldn't expect to win anything, but it would be a fun experience for him. He's very competitive and he definitely proved me wrong.

He placed 1st in the hitting competition and 2nd All Around! He was very excited. However, when they handed out the awards, they didn't call his name for the hitting part. They gave a 1st, 2nd & 3rd place for every division and then an overall 1, 2 & 3. To make a long story short, we checked with the "officials" after the awards were handed out and "Oops!" they definitely made a mistake and he placed first. We also found he didn't get the points for the All Around then, so we think he actually got 1st place in the All Around. Anyway... he handled it like a trooper and the people felt really bad about it. He said it was ok and kept a smile on his face. They gave him a free shirt to go along with his free hat and that made him happy. I know some kids would have handled that a little differently, so I was more proud of that than him actually winning. Of course, that didn't hurt. Congratulations, Landen!!

Here's a little picture of the two munchkins watching cartoons. I'm going to miss these days! Also, notice the sticker on Jordyn's hand. After a little lapse of a couple of weeks, she is doing GREAT at the potty again and loves to get stickers after she goes. :-) I don't even try when we are out and about, but I guess I should start doing that sometime soon. We're taking a trip in July, so I'm kind of holding out until after those long car rides are finished for a little bit. Excuses, excuses... I know. ha! It's always scary the first few times you take them out in public in underwear. You moms out there know what I mean.... It will probably be a while before I venture into that.

Happy Anniversary!

I'm seeing how many post I can name "Happy" something in a row. It's becoming a challenge! Not really, it's just happening that way. I promise my next post won't say "Happy " in the title.

So, today is mine and Matt's 12 year anniversary. Honestly, we dated for 5 years, so it seems like its been a little longer to me. Technically, I guess our first date was 17 years ago because yes, our first date was even on May 25! It just happened that way.... I won't get all mushy and gushy, but Matt - you know I love you more than anything in the world! Well, maybe next in line to the 3 munchkins downstairs which made us become a family. Despite the 6 moves within 12 years, I wouldn't change a thing. :-)

We normally buy each other something and try to go out on a date. However, here in Germany, shopping isn't the easiest. The exchange rate is terrible, so we order most stuff online. This being the case, you have to think well ahead in order to receive it in the mail by the special day. So, that being said, Matt and I both thought about it a little too late to do anything big. We both agreed, even shook hands, not to buy each other anything. Matt, don't get any ideas because I don't want this to become a habit. hee, hee. We did have a friend watch the kids last night. We drove down to Trier, did a little shopping for ourselves and ate a nice dinner together. The place was an "Amercianized" restaurant and get this - they gave us our very own bottle of ketchup on our table! This is huge around here because you actually have to order ketchup and they'll give you like one tiny packet. I got side tracked... We enjoyed ourselves together and I came home with a new purse and a couple of shirts and Matt did as well. Well, not a purse. But a few new shirts and a new jacket.

Oh, and get this. We did give each other our ritual card. There's not a lot of those to pick from either - at least not English ones that we can understand. You just have to get what you can. So, this morning, we both run and get our cards and hand to each other. If your like me, I always feel like I write the same thing every year. I love you... blah, blah, blah. So, this year I write "I love you and here's to 50 more years together!". Matt opens it and starts laughing as he hands me my card. "Open it, open it..." he laughs. Guess what his says, " I love you and can't wait for the next 50 years together." How funny is that!!???? Guess we are true soul mates.

Happy Mosel Day

Today we had another day of outside fun. Every year, Happy Mosel Day http://www.happy-mosel.com/index.html is held which is an event that takes place along the Mosel River. Europeans from near and far come for a day of fun, riding bikes along the Mosel from one village to another. The streets are closed down to cars and only bicycles, roller bladers, walkers, etc. are allowed. We started our ride near Bernkastel and made a big loop back to the car. The weather was a little foggy, but it never rained and we enjoyed our ride. We rode about 7 and 1/2 miles which is pretty good considering we had a 5 year old riding with us. He never complained and never stopped, except the one time we stopped for a snack. The villages all had booths out selling food, wine, etc so there was plenty to keep the kids occupied. They even got to jump in a jumping castle after we ate lunch. As you can see in the last picture, Jordyn even caught herself a little snooze. She loves riding on the bike and I take her for a stroll almost every day after she wakes up from her nap. She knows the word "bike" for sure!

Happy 28th, Terri!

I have to send out a very special Happy Birthday to my little sister, Terri. I bet you were thinking you would read all about my mothers, huh? Well, Terri was born on Mother's Day 28 years ago and doesn't particularly like it when her Birthday falls this way, so I decided to pay tribute to her. I guess she's not so little anymore, since she's graduated from college, law school and passed the bar in CA, huh? I can't believe you are an official lawyer working full time these days! It sounds so grown up.

Terri, you know we miss you terribly and wish we could spend more time with you. I'm really disliking this time difference from Germany to CA. It makes it almost impossible to talk to one another on the phone. Thank goodness for blogs and emails.

I have lots of fun memories of us growing up: sleeping together on Christmas Eve nights, jumping on the trampoline (and telling you that you were adopted - oops! I got in trouble for that), trying to dress you up in my tutu's while you would rather have been in a football helmet, teaching you to ride your bike without training wheels, playing Life, living with me for the summer in Florida, rescuing me numerous times when I was sick and had the kids in CA, driving around Beverly Hills and stalking celebrity houses, and so many more.

Some things I miss about you is your priceless smile, your quick and funny wit, watching you wait until the very last minute to get ready in the mornings, the way you play with the kids, getting a good ole' sonic drink and eating mexican together, highlighting each others hair, doing a little shopping (until you've had enough), and just hanging out. We haven't gotten to be together much in a long time, but I am hoping one day that our lives will settle down and we will live at least within driving distance of one another.

I hope you have a wonderful day today and wish I could give you a big hug. Happy Birthday!!!

A big Happy Mother's Day to both of my mother's, as well. I love you both and miss you terribly. I had a wonderful day today having a little "alone" time which I crave. Matt took the kids out for 5 hours and I took a shower in peace, scrapbooked, sat out on the patio and read a magazine, and made a quick trip to the gym. It was wonderful! Thanks, Matt. I love you, too.

Happy Mother's Day

Hey its Matt.....this is the first time I have done this so I hope I don't mess up Jolee's blog :)

Anyway, I just wanted to say Happy Mother's day to the greatest woman in the world......I'm talking about Jolee in case if you didn't catch on!

Jolee...you are an amazing mother, wife, and best friend. Despite being moved all over the world (literally) you have have managed to do it with a smile! How you flew over here with three kids and not go crazy I will never know. I could not image life without you. Our kids are the luckiest in the world to have you as a mother. No matter how stressful life can be, I always know I have a wonderful home (that you built) to return to. I love you very much.......Matt

5K

Ok, I did it! I nailed 2nd place. Ok, 3rd if you count Matt who ran with me for support. And, there were only 7 of us who participated and 2 ladies quit. It wasn't my best time, but I never stopped and my time was 36:39. Whew! I was flying... ha, ha. I was just glad to make it through it since the kids have been sick this week and I haven't been able to go to the gym. I think I could have done a little better, but oh well. There's always next time. Matt's official time from his 1/2 marathon came out and it was 2:00:59.

Now, I'll stop boring you with all the running details. But, this was big for me and I had to brag about myself!

German 101 - May Day

I know that some of you are interested in German traditions and such, so I thought I would give an explanation of my understanding of German May Day.

May 1 is considered the Germans Labor Day with lots of festivals and traditions. They start with setting up a May Tree on April 30th in most of the villages. See the picture above of the one just down the street from our house. This is a Christmas tree and wreath, decorated with streamers on one TALL pole! The fire departments help set the trees up. The trees are a symbol of freedom. During the night of April 30, aka "Witches Night", the teenagers and young people build a bonfire and camp out around the tree in order to protect it from other village pranksters. This brings on another tradition, which is that said to be of "witches" running around the neighborhood. The youngsters (or "witches") go around the village and pull pranks (unharmful) to various houses throughout the village. For example, we were told to put our trash cans in the garage by some friends who warned us so that they didn't disappear. They are mostly silly games and they may toilet paper trees, move trashcans, doormats, and other belongings around.

The only thing that we had "witched" was the windshield wipers on Matt's car. Some witch, unknown to us thought it was funny to flip them up on Matt's car. I should have taken a picture and yes, I could recreate it, but Matt's car isn't here. I did notice some toilet paper and a few other minor things done, but nothing all that noticeable in our village.

They also have various dances, barbeques and get togethers throughout the weekend to celebrate.

There you have it... German 101.

The Race Is On

I'm happy to report that Matt drove to Luxembourg last night, after spending all day at the ballfields and ran his 3rd 1/2 marathon. Congratulations, honey! I don't know how you do it. I'm still struggling with this 5K I'm suppose to run on Thursday. :) He said it was really fun and a neat experience. The only negative thing he had to say about it was that everyone smelled before the race began. Yes, its true that a lot of Europeans do NOT wear deodorant. Thank goodness the majority of the race was outside, however the end of the race was inside and he said he was about to pass out from the stink! You can imagine how stinky it is even with deodorant, so just triple that..... lol. And on that same note, it does stink when you walk into some of the stores here. I don't think their a big fan of candles, either.

Here's a picture of him after he got back home. He doesn't look like he just ran 13+ miles, does he? His feet do though. He has quite a blister. The kids and I didn't go this year, but plan to next year because he said there is plenty to keep the kids entertained. Plus, I figure Jordyn will be a little easier in a year.

I just got an email from the friends he went with and there are a couple of pictures they took of him. Here he is in the actual race. The one with the smile is the beginning and the not so happy is toward the end. You could have figured that out, huh? Oh, his time was right around 2 hours - give or take 2 minutes. The official results aren't published yet.