Hippity Hoppity!

Easter's on its way! Clearly, our March has not been all that exciting, as I have not posted anything lately. We have enjoyed the nicer weather, and Jackson has enjoyed sitting on the porch watching the birds.

This morning, we went to JFC Brunssum, which is one of the bases in our area, for their Easter egg hunt. Jackson really enjoyed picking up the eggs and putting them in his basket. He also met the Easter Bunny, and didn't cry!



The entire event was actually very nice. It was a NATO event, so there were people there from different nationalities, and it had a carnival atmosphere. So, there were lots of European fest rides for the kids and a pancake breakfast. Very nice indeed.

We are going to have a quiet Easter weekend next week. Chris will have a long weekend, so we will probably have a couple of day trips to record. Otherwise, we will just be enjoying this gorgeous Spring weather that we have here in Germany!

Wind Storm!

I just came inside the house after spending too long outside picking up sticks, both miniscule and gigantic (actual tree branches). I did this right alongside my German neighbor, who was using brooms of all sizes to also clean up specks of dirt from in between the bricks on her driveway and from the gutter on the sidewalk. I was lucky to just get the branches off of the lawn.

Anyways, what prompted this desire to go outside and clean with the Germans? Don't worry, I wasn't trying to compete. Who can do that with Frau Dirt Pail living next door?

First of all, Jackson and I were pulling into the driveway after going to a music playgroup run by some British ladies (it was fun!), and as my neighbor was out clearing the clutter, I decided I might as well put in an appearance.

You see, we had a MASSIVE wind storm yesterday. It was quite scary. And, that's saying something since this area is known for being windy.

We were leaving Wiesbaden yesterday, and experienced this crazy wind for the entire two-hour trip. Signs were flying off of sign posts, trees were being uprooted, trailers were being overturned. We saw more emergency vehicles during that trip home than we did a few weeks ago when we drove through a snow storm.

The wind and rain were fierce back at our house. Our Sunday School group was cancelled for the evening, and we were just starting to figure out what we would make for dinner, when I heard what sounded like a tornado siren. Chris ran outside, verified that was what he thought it was too, and we bolted down to the basement. Living in Oklahoma will make you nothing if not prepared for a tornado.

Ultimately, we're not entirely sure what the siren was for. It might have just been a severe storm warning. But, we do know that we had lots of wind and lots of sticks in the yard. And, you can bet that the Germans were out early making sure that we Americans felt beyond incompetent in making sure the yard was back to perfect only hours later.

Wiesbaden & Easter Market

As soon as I read the words "Easter Market", I knew what our plans would be for this past weekend. This particular market supposedly would feature Easter eggs, baskets, springtime decorations, and chocolate, so I was on board. The market was going to take place in Kloster Eberbach, a monastery on the Rhine River. We decided to make a little trip of it, stay in Wiesbaden, and take in the traveling Titanic exhibit.

We left on Saturday during what was a gorgeous sunny day. Our GPS even took us on a route that crossed the Rhine River on a ferry! We arrived at the gorgeous monastery, and things were looking promising. Unfortunately, though, the Easter Market was pretty disappointing. I didn't even take pictures, because it was not all what I expected.

Sure, there were beautifully painted Easter eggs. But, nothing really compares to the most spectacular Easter egg store in the world, Easter in Salzburg. This store (obviously located in Salzburg, Austria) blows you away with the wide range of gorgeous eggs. I recommend buying your eggs there.

So, we decided to just head to the hotel. I had read the following from Rick Steves regarding Wiesbaden: skip it. The spa town is known for its thermal baths; its culture center, Kurhaus; and its proximity to the Rhine River wine region. I was determined to prove Rick wrong. Wiesbaden was going to be worth it! Unfortunately, I was wrong.

It was a fine city to hang out in for a few hours, but Rick was correct. Wiesbaden is lovely, don't get me wrong. And, it had not one but TWO Starbucks! There really wasn't that much to see, though.

The Titanic exhibit was great, though! I highly recommend going, if you ever get the chance to go. The whole exhibit was led by an audio guide, which I have decided is the best way to see exhibits. You get all the important information and can move as quickly or slowly as you would like.

Although it was a bummer of a location for the weekend, we decided it was nice to go out and see somewhere new.