One Year in the USA

I cannot let this milestone go by without mentioning it. We flew from Germany to Georgia on June 2nd last year. It has already been a year that we have been here, and I just can't believe it. Although on one hand Germany seems years and years ago. The coolest part about this too is that Steve flew back to Germany to teach a class at his old stomping ground on June 4th. What a perfect way to spend our one year mark. I will be joining Steve there on June 17th where we get to spend 5 days together without the boys in Germany. I am so excited to go back to Weiterstadt and eat all the yummy food around there with just Steve. We are really making these get away vacations a habit and I am loving it.

{Here we are a year ago at the front door to our house in Germany the day before we left}


One other thing that I must mention. I have been seeing blogs of people starting up there garden and it made me realize how much warmer we are here in Georgia. I mentioned our garden a couple months ago and this is it today.





Steve and I each planted some things, and they are growing beautifully. Steve has been using Miracle Grow on them, and it really does wonders. On Thursday Steve picked a beautiful zucchini and I picked a yellow crookneck squash straight from the garden. I cooked them up for dinner with some chicken and Italian dressing. I have also been eating peas out of the garden as I seem them, but the peas aren't doing so hot. I am not sure they are going to live much longer. We have a better plan for them next year.

I Can't Wait Until I'm 8!!

Steven had his 8th birthday on June 3rd!! He has made it to baptism age, and we are all very excited for him. He will be baptized on July 5th. We set that date a long time ago not knowing Steve was going to be out of town, but now we are very happy we did.

Steven wanted to have a Star Wars party this year, and he had a blast. I really, really don't like giving parties. Actually I guess what I don't like is a party where the Mom drops the kid off for a couple of hours. I always try to do a party where the whole family stays. I have more fun that way, and less responsibility. But this year we decided to give Steven a real party and it wasn't sooo bad. Not my favorite, but it worked out.

He had 5 of his friends come. We started out feeding them lunch. Top Ramen is Steven's favorite, so that is what he chose. When I went to the store, I thought that is what I had in my cart. But when I got it out 5 minutes after the party started, it was Cup O' Noodle! Oops. So, I threw it all in a big pot and it worked out OK.

{The rest of the boys just ate watermelon and then were ready to get up and play. Not Steven. He sat there and ate his bowl of soup and another bowl of soup while his friends all ran around outside without him. The boy has a real love for food.}


After lunch the plan was to play star wars for a little while, but the boys knew that they were here to swim as well, so they didn't spend much time playing, they went straight to the pool. Luckily the party favors could go in the pool.

{These are the light sabers that Steve made for the boys}

{Making a whirlpool}


So they swam for an hour, and then we had cake and opened presents. Steven said present opening was his favorite part of the day. He wanted a lemon cake which I thought was interesting, but he always used to get lemon ice cream cones in Germany. So, I made a lemon cake where I added some lemon gelatin to the batter. Then after it was cooked I poked holes in it, and drizzled some lemon sauce on to it. It turned out very good, and lemony. Even the other boys liked it.




He had a great party and as a family we went to that same awful pizza buffet for dinner. Steve and the boys all love it, so Steve suggests it every birthday. I am going to do my best to get out of it at Brandon's birthday. :)

Thank you to everyone who sent gifts and called. The boys love that. Steven got a card from Grandma and Grandpa, Nana and Papa, Grandma Great, and Aunt Kristin and Uncle John. Thank you all so much.

School's out

The boys last day of school was on Friday and we are very excited for summer. We got the pool set up in the backyard, and it is getting lots of use.

The three oldest boys, and a neighbor.

And we have a trip to California/Germany scheduled for this month. So lots to look forward to.

Here are the thank you letters the boys wrote for their teachers.
Nathan's

Steven's


The last day of school was very nice for the boys. First we went to Nathan's classroom for what they call on Honor's Day program. He had such an awesome kindergarten teacher, and I will always think the world of her. She gave each child an award, and even wrote them a poem called "My Sweet Sixteen." There were sixteen kids in her class this year. It was so sweet. Nathan got the award for best reader! Yay Nathan.

Here is Nathan with Mrs. Debbie.

This is Mrs. Sarina, the assistant teacher in Nathan's kindergarten class. It is amazing to me that in his school they have no more than 16 kids to a classroom, and have an assistant teacher. What a GREAT school!

Then Steven's Honor's Day program was in the gym. He got awards for Outstanding Citizenship, a Music Award, and Honor Roll. He was one tardy and one absence away from Perfect Attendance. We will have to try harder next year.
Here is Steven with his Awesome Teacher Mrs. Ledford. She is so much fun, and a really good teacher. She is pregnant with twins and due a month after school starts again next year. She is teaching third grade next year so Steven may get her again.



Now we have eight full weeks of summer, and then the three oldest will go to school. It is going to be so nice.

And as for the one staying home. He is crazy!! The boy has a thing with dumping things. For example: a box of corn flakes, a squirt bottle of water all over my wood floor, and here we have two examples of things that he dumped out. I am going to let you guess what they are.

thing A


thing B