Walk in the Woods

Some of you may remember the DANGEROUS walk in the woods we went on a few months ago. I am happy to report that on Sunday afternoon we took a lovely walk in the same woods and the weather was delightful. NO WIND - nice and calm - NO DANGER!!!! Most of the trees that had fallen down had been cut up and hauled away. I much prefer this day to that dreadful day. I get goosebumps just thinking about it again!

One of the best parts about a hike in the woods is finding a walking stick.

A nice and peaceful walk...

One of the fallen trees still remains - makes for a good place to climb according to Shane. Shaylee found an interesting rock - of which she insisted I take a photo!

I tried to get a few nicer posed photos of the kids.

Shelby and daddy

Icecream!

A great way to finish off the afternoon.

Hambacher Schloss

After our time at the Wurstmarkt we headed on down the Weinstrasse to Neustadt, and then up to Hambacher Schloss. We had been here once before, however the schloss was closed for renovations. It has since reopened, and we figured since we were over in this neck of the woods we'd stop in again.

I just love the veiws down on the Rhine River Valley.

Part of the fun of visiting old castles is climbing all over the ruins!

Going for a little hike in the woods....Silas has the #1 spot!

Bad Durkheim Wurstmarkt - way back when

I found these two photos of when we attended the Wurstmarkt back in 2007.

The kids have grown up just a bit(that baby is Silas, not Shelby!)...and here is the burned out shell of the Gradierwerk.

Bad Durkheim Wurstmarkt 2010

On Saturday, September 18, we headed to Bad Durkheim for the Wurstmarkt.

I love going on the ferris wheel - you get such a great view from way up high and we can all ride together!

Check out the view...(mom and dad do you see the Giant Fass in the second picture?? That is where we ate when you were here to visit!)

These next two photos are of the Bad Durkheimer Gradierwerk. It is hard to describe what it is without getting a closer look - but it is 330 meters long (you can tell that from these photos) and has wood sticks tightly stuck together inside. Water is then poured over the sticks and you apparently get a salt water effect. This huge structure was originally built in 1736 - but in 2007 it was burned to the ground. I remember coming to the Wurstmarkt that first year we were here. Jer had stayed in Bad Durkheim on previous trips to Germany, and was excited to show us this awesome structure. However when we arrived we were devastated to find out it had burned down. Over the past 3 years Bad Durkheim has rebuilt the structure and it is schedule to reopen in October of this year. It has lost some of its "old world" feel since it now has solar panels on the roof, but it still is an amazing structure. Maybe we will come back and experience the salt air which apparently is good for ones health.

One of the best parts about the Wurstmarkt - the food! Traubensaft for the kids, weinschorle for mommy and wein for daddy! Along with wurst and brochen, flammenkuchen, and pommes frits! YUM, YUM, YUM!

Shaylee got a trumpet filled with candy...she also had fun making her own noise!!! Her brother doesn't look to happy at the moment does he...wonder if he remembers why??

Bumper Cars!!!! (or as Silas would say "bumpie cars with daddy")

Love these guys!!!

Recent Photos

Hi all - I'm trying to get this blog updated with all the stuff we've been doing during September...hard to believe it will be October already this coming weekend! I finally got our Switzerland posts completed...so scroll down a few posts to view those!

Here are a couple recent photos of Shelby - she is very happy in these photos taken last week...unfortunately though, this week she is sick. Silas had a cold all last week (runny nose, cough, slight fever) and now Shelby has it (and Shaylee is getting it too). I took Shelby in to the Dr. this morning and now she is on a mucus thinner, as well as breathing treatments (mostly to prevent bronchitis). She doesn't like to take medicine (we are working on different techniques to prevent her from spitting it all back out again) and having her nose suctioned out isn't a highlight of her day either....poor thing! I'll just look at these photos and hope for her to get better real soon!

Shelby doesn't usually like to be on her tummy - however I got these to pictures of her apparently enjoying it. The first one she is on the couch (so I could get a better photo of her at that level) however, I didn't keep her there long as she was ready to roll right off. And then the second picture I found her zonked out under her play jungle. She had been on her back...so apparently she rolled over to her tummy, then couldn't roll back over to her back, so decided a nap was better.

Homework, homework....Shane starting on his travel brochure he had to make for his book report. He read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis - he was inviting people into the wonderful world of Narnia! He has since finished it and presented it to the class. He did a great job...I'll have to find the completed work and take another photo. And little Miss Shaylee busy writing words. She is doing this on her own - because she WANTS homework. She just loves learning and I'm so glad that she does...it's a joy to work with her on her writing and reading!

Silas is my little knight in shining armor! He was playing around with Shane the other day and when he came into the room looking like this - I couldn't resist a picture.