Sprechen sie Englisch?

The tween and the husband are in Germany right now without me, having a great time. I'm happy for the bonding experience this is providing them. It's an amazing opportunity for the tween (hubs has been there many times) and I know it will be a life changing trip. Travelling Europe will open up the world to him in a way reading history books will not. I am so jealous proud of him and his adventurous spirit. Germany is one of my favorite places in the world, and I'm not there I'm excited for him to develop the same passion.

We hope to move there someday. The husbands job while he is there is to investigate the reality of moving. I'm pretty sure he's more focused on enjoying all that German beer.

The day they left was a little lonely here. The oldest has gone off to college and is having wonderful adventures, meeting new friends and learning how to conquer the world. With the other two boys gone, it left me and the toddler to hang out for a week. That first night was a little pitiful. Oreos and vodka for dinner helped.

Here are some of the pictures they've texted me, so you can see how much fun they are having without me.

From left to right, the tween is enjoying his first schnitzel (omigod yum). The tween enjoying the Rhine river scenery. Hubs and tween in Nürnberg at Zeppelin Field (Hitler's rally grounds) after touring the Documentation Center (now that is some first person history!)

In the above pics they are getting ready to go up the Zugspitze (the highest peak in Germany) in a cable car. The one on the right, you can sort of see a tiny little spec that is the husband, right by the cross.

To me though, the highlight of this adventure was today. He spent the night with some family friends (their daughter comes out here for a month every summer, so she's like his big sister), then he got to go to school with one of the boys! He got up with them and took the bus to school (mind you, he doesn't actually speak German, and the boys don't speak very good English) and went to four classes - German, English (he said he was the best student in the English class!), Biology ("mom, they only spoke German, it was pretty boring") and Sport (where they played soccer, yay!). We planned ahead and brought some candy that is very American (thank god it's Halloween and the bags of candy are easily found and cheap) to share with the kids in the English class and they were apparently very much looking forward to having him there.

I just think this is so cool. How many kids get to fly all the way to Germany for a sleepover and a one day adventure in a German school?? What memories!!

I got the picture (below) via facebook once he was all settled in, just to let me know he was happy and comfortable.

I love these two!!

Anyway, my boys only have a couple days left. I've mostly gotten over the fact that I'm not there with them, and know I will get to go back one day. Plus, they went shopping at the Adidas outlet today (they are in the town that Adidas and Puma were founded!!), so I know they are bringing me some goodies.

That helps.

Well, that and the vodka. Of course.

Prost!!