Adventures in Berlin

When we arrived in Berlin it was technically already our second day on vacation, after a short nap we took quick showers and went down to the concierge to ask about getting euros and getting to the Friedrichstadt Palast for the show we had tickets for that night.  After talking with him we decided to try out the public transportation system to get to the theater. It was very close to the hotel so it really wasn't worth the headache of driving threw the city and parking 'n such. We got off the tram at a market and got ourselves some sweet bread and a Wurst to eat.  Every time we would ask, Sprechen Sie Englisch (Do you speak English) we would get what seemed like the German tag line, "a little bit", which we concluded to really mean I may or may not but I'll try.  We got varying degrees, some who did not at all know what we were saying and likewise for us. Also some that could help us when purchasing food from their shop and others who said, "a little bit" but did just fine.  We had time to kill so we walked around the market and saw some interesting shops and food.  There were these men who would be comparable to a hot dog street vendor in Milwaukee that had their mini grill attached around the waist like a fanny pack or something.  

Street food guy with his fanny pack mini grill, man that looks hard on your back.

Market where we stopped to grab a bite to eat and people watch.

After staying and people watching for a while we moved on to the next train we needed for the theater. When we got to the station we asked the service desk, Sprechen Sie Englisch?  And he flat out told us no.  So we kept walking around observing what everyone else was doing.  On our second lap there was a new young guy at the service desk who pointed us in the right direction. Of course we went to buy a ticket it was another communication barrier.  We told a gal that she could go before us because we were confused and she walked away after pushing some buttons and set up a ticket for us. So we added one more and were off.   Of course once we had tickets in hand there was no one collecting tickets for the train on platform 4 so we hopped on the train anyhow, after 2 stops we got off and started walking to find the theater.

There was lots of graffiti all over Berlin, some was quite good and interesting.

Walking around the city before the show we saw this fun little beer cart.

This time before we left we wrote down the name and address of the theater so if we needed to ask the locals we didn't have to try to pronounce the name we could show them and it worked out quite well. After one block we decided to ask someone because we didn't want to walk to far in the wrong direction.  I asked a gal in a local shop and showed her, and in fact we were going in the wrong direction. We thanked her and started heading towards the theater. On the way we crossed over a bridge with all these locks on it. I had read about it in my travel book it was to signify your relationship and all the locks had names and dates and hearts on them. It was pretty neat.  Over the bridge we found the theater. We went in to pick up our tickets at the box office but had a couple hours before the show started yet. We decided to walk around the city streets and see some of the local way of life.  After walking around for a while we still had time to kill so we went back to the train station to a gelato shop. We each tried two flavors, Adam tried hazelnut and cookie and I tried tiramisu and mango. It was very good!  After the treat we walked back to the theater.

Weidendammer Bridge, couples put locks on to symbolize their relationship however from time to time authorities have to cut off locks when it gets to be too many.

MMMmmmm, Gelato!

The amazing dancers of "Show Me"

Our tickets were upstairs after we found where we were to go in we grabbed a couple of drinks and when ordering our drinks the bar tender had been to the states and had actually been to Minneapolis and Milwaukee! It was nice to find a local who knew what we were saying and that we could chat with for a little while. When it was time to go into the theater we found our seats easily and sat down. The show started and it was beautiful.  It was a cirque du soleil type show. The first half was a little slower, slower music more pretty dancing and such. Adam and were sort of barley holding on staying awake, how terrible right? But they were practically singing us a lullaby. Just before the intermission there was an act with lighted up almost motorcycle suits and helmets on the dancers that was fun and got us back on track.  When the intermission was over the rest of the acts were more up beat and just amazing to watch. That was more like it for us.  The center of the stage dropped out and was replaced with a circle of water. After that there were a series of acts that used the water. One was sort of synchronized swimming another was a male group dancing in shallow water sort of stomping and slapping the water as they danced. The act we liked best was a couple who did a trapeze type act from the very top middle of the stage. It was crazy good. It's hard to describe the way he swung her and caught her again but a lot of that type of thing that makes you pray he catches her.  The show was a fun thing to do at night in Berlin we were happy we got to do it. After the show we headed back to the train station and caught the connecting tram and were on our way back to the hotel.  We were glad to kick off our shoes and eat a snack and go to bed.  We also heard another phrase by the locals that night when asking,  Sprechen Sie Englisch.  Their reply was "of course" which was funny and quite opposite of the other reply, "a little bit". It was weird that these people that say, of course, say it like well yes everyone can.

The Friedrichstadt Palast at night.

8 hour flight, 1 hour flight, and a rental car later.

The morning started with cinnamon rolls, a tradition in our house for eventful mornings, Christmas is the big one. Today seemed like it called for cinnamon rolls. It was the last family breakfast for quite a few days, and it was perfect. The four of us huddled around our living room coffee table eating cinnamon rolls, and us laughing at the kids and how they devoured their breakfast treat.  Then it was time to start frantically loading the car to drop the kids off for the longest time we have ever left them. Even with all the excitement behind traveling to Germany, we left our hearts in WI with our little crazy head, Levi and sweet Avery pie.  With big squeezes and lots of kisses it was time for us to start our journey.  The first of many steps was a drive to somewhere familiar, Milwaukee, but that's were anything familiar ends.

Hoping on the bus to Chicago we took in part of a Luther movie, very appropriate considering many towns in the movie we will be visiting on our own little trip to Luther Land.  The ride went very quickly, we didn't even finish the movie and we were at O'hare.  After a couple scans of our passports, our shoes, our bags, our bodies, and a retina scan (okay,kidding about the last one) we were through security and ready to wait. We grabbed some hot dogs for lunch, what else would you get in Chicago right, and boarded the plane. First we finished up our Luther movie and then we each watched our own choice of movie on the screens on the chair backs in front of us. An in-flight meal was served and we tried to get some rest.  Unfortunately for us, more myself then Adam, we were seated next to a man that had very horrible breath. He also had the isle seat so we were trapped. Somehow we survived the 8 hour flight and arrived in Frankfurt.  As we were walking around we were not used to seeing English as the language second, listed below the main language. Adam used a kiosk to scan our boarding pass for our connection to Berlin and had to push the English flag button it just felt weird.

After a short 1 hour flight we landed in Berlin where again it was weird to hear German being spoken first over the PA and then English.  The strangest thing was that we didn't have to go threw customs at our final destination. Although we did go through a little "customs" of our own when we arrived at the Hertz counter.  Really everything at the counter went okay it was when we got to our vehicle that it started to sink in for Adam that he was driving that thing through the country and had no idea what he was doing.  So we quickly downloaded a road signs cheat sheet and off we went for a crash course, hopefully not literally, driving through Germany 101.  We really did almost have our own Chevy Chase round about scene.  After a few missed turns, turning down a closed road and having to ask directions from a local we made it to our hotel in one piece.  Now getting down the parking garage was a whole other tight space experience but we made it threw that also, and now I sit writing this from our room, where if we were back in the states right now it would be 4am. Whew, crazy day but so far so good.

Adam in our renal looking up the rules of the road in Germany.

A huge round about with about 6 different exits around this monument, that we almost had to go around again and  again.

Our room at the Andel's hotel in Berlin.

Can you say OZ SUPER FAN?!?!

A have been waiting for a while for Disney's

OZ The Great & Powerful

to hit the theaters!

And of course the anticipation got my Oz gears turning.

Have you ever seen inspired looks before?  Where people take regular cloths and mix and match them to resemble a character.  I have seen a lot of them for Disney characters and they are so darn adorable, a way to look like your favorite character but also look like an adult, not a 5 year old in your princess costume. Although if I could get away with it I just might do that too!

When the movie night started coming closer I was thinking of creating an inspired look for Oz!  I starting doing a little research and found the new Oz collection from HSN.  

Which is seriously amazing but a little to rich for my blood. ;)

So I took the ideas of the HSN Oz collection and starting searching for similar pieces on Amazon and Khol's.  I found some really cute look a like stuff but I was feeling kinda guilty spending money on a movie premier outfit, I mean who am I, certainly not Michelle Williams or Mila Kunis!  So while it was fun to window shop I decided to give it up.  

Of course with the movie release it just got my Oz geek side going and I was looking at Oz stuff all over the web.  Then I came across something seriously awesome!

I mean only seriouse Oz fans would have 'em.

And only the crafty Oz fan's would make 'em instead of buy 'em for $85 from an Esty shop.

Well, I happen to be both!

So here is my stand out piece that I can wear to the movie tonight, it's not a whole inspired outfit but I happen to think it is better then all that, not to mention cheaper. 

And by cheaper I mean FREE!

I had all the supplies on hand and got to work!

Sparky the Fire Dog.....

.....and real live fire fighters, and fire trucks, oh my!

The parenting milestone I never thought I would get to, at least not this fast, taking my Avery on a field trip to the fire station! 

 This is sparky, the fire dog.  After the kids watched a Sesame Street video about fire fighters and fire stations he sang the kids a couple songs.  One was about what to do if you find matches or a lighter, another of course was about STOP, DROP, & ROLL.  Then the kids got to practice it as well.  Avery was a little shy as she always is in new unfamiliar situations, I was proud of her that she still did it.

Here she is getting a little encouragement from her teacher.

And then she did it, STOP, DROP & ROLL!!!

Fire fighter Kyle, showed the kids how they put all their gear on and what they look like in it.  It really helps the kids to see fire fighter Kyle as a regular guy, then in his fire suit, and back to regular Kyle again.  

He also showed the kids his air tank and how they bring there own air to the fires with them.  He also used a Darth Vader reference for what it sounds like when he is breathing in the air from the tank, funny how 90% of the kids have no clue yet who Darth Vader is, makes a Mom feel old.

Then he called out to the kids, how he would if he was looking for you in your house, "Is any body in there?"

The kids shouted back, "I'm over here!"

They did it a few times and by the last time they all were nice and loud.  Of course they talked about fire alarms, and having a fire plan, then the kids got to go out to the fire trucks!

Avery driving the fire truck.

This was the front of the fire truck Avery got to "drive".

All the firemen's gear ready a waiting for them.

Avery climbing into the fire truck with her classmates.

Avery sitting on the front of a fire truck.

Probably my favorite, Avery in a fire hat and coat.

It sure was an exciting day at the fire station.

A real treat for Avery, and now the real treat is for Mom, a tuckered out lil' girl napping with her brother.

How else do you think I'd be able to blog about it the same day. ;)

My lil' Artist

Anyone who knows Avery know she is just like her Mom, she can't get enough of the craft supplies.  We want it all, pink & sparkly, ribbons & stickers, stamps & paper, watercolors & paintbrushes.  When she is older I can see us spending some serious cash-O-la at Hobby Lobby.  So it surprised me the other night when the artist that decided to beautify my house was actually not her.

I didn't realize I had another budding Picasso in our house.  I discovered him doing his work in secret behind one of our living room chairs.  I gave him a lil' talking to in as low and disappointed of a voice as I could muster, because really I wasn't all that mad, but I was trying to still show him it is wrong to color your crayons on Mommy's walls.  (This will clean up way easier then the Vaseline he smeared all over himself and the bathroom one time.) And what did he have to say for himself?

"Ohrrrey"
(Levi talk, Sorry)

Oh, okay Levi.  How can you stay mad at that sweet little face?

Time to bust out the Magic Eraser.