Appel Happel

This weekend we went to a "pick your own" apple orchard/farm. There was a little festival celebrating apples-which I love. They had tons of delicious apple foods and drinks and even though we sampled some, our main goal was to pick fresh from the trees so we can make some treats of our own!

About "Being All You Can Be"

I think just about everyone has heard that slogan before. Parents and teachers have preached it since the wee days of kindergarten. They may not always phrase it the same, but it works out to being the best version of you that you can be. As I've recently shared, this fall I've taken on quite a bit of 'extracurricular' tasks all at once. Right now, I'm trying to find a nice balance between them all, and I feel a bit like a tight-rope walker, wearing a blindfold and carrying a stack of fine China on my head!

I know that I have to let go of the idea of perfection, but it's hard to convince yourself of that when you feel like you have so much to prove (even if it's only to yourself). I want to be the best mother and wife I can be. That means volunteering in the schools and baking cookies for work. It means the house doesn't stay dirty, the laundry doesn't pile, and there's always a plan for dinner (which always includes a leafy green). I want to be the best rookie coach I can be. That means I'm always fun, but I teach them so much. I never have to raise my voice or give them "the look". They never leave upset with me and they feel comfortable enough to tell me about the little boys in class. I want to be the best student I can be. That means I never skip a reading assignment. I never roll my eyes at the basic things we're learning. I always finish well before the weekly deadline, and I always get 'A's'. I want to be the best blogger I can be. That means I always have witty things to say, my pictures are flawless, and I never use a comma splice. I want to be the best friend I can be. That means I'm always helpful and I never say no. I'll always be up for coffee anytime--I'll never be too busy. I want to be the best tenant I can be. I will not complain about the smell of mold. Or how long it's taking to get it fixed. Or that I cannot stand the current construction zone called our house. I want to be the best landlord I can be. That means I won't bang my head against the table when changing a light switch is considered "emergency maintenance" and costs $130.

I will always try to be the best me that I can be. But I am all of these things, and I need to learn that I will not be the BEST at them all. Only some of these things are vitally important to me. I will be the best mother and wife I can be. I will try to always be a great friend. The rest, I'll settle for being mildly awesome at.

Now that you know I'm certifiably crazy, please reassure my nutty side that I'm not the only one (right? RIGHT?!) Do ever feel like you're trying to 'prove something' to yourself or the world? About being a parent or a spouse or just a person in general?

Life Uncensored

A lot of times when I write, I sort of plan out what I'm going to say. I think to myself, "This is all the exciting stuff I want to talk about, but I won't mention the boring life stuff." I'm not the only one guilty of leaving out the 'filler', but it paints a much nicer picture than is actually being taken. That being said, this post will be allllll filler. If you like the pretty packages presented in a travel post, save yourself now!

Still here?! Well, I certainly appreciate you! Let's dish about the latest happenings at Schloss Stinson , shall we? 

Summer is officially over. Like over over. The kids are back in school, fall weather has descended, the attack of pumpkin spice everything is inevitable, and all of our new schedules are in full swing. The kids actually went back to school the last week in August, which is a change for all of us, since we are so used to not starting until the day after Labor Day. Honestly though, I think the summer was long enough for all of us. I was tired of feeling like a cruise ship event planner-always trying to entertain the masses, and they were tired of listening to me 'sing' all day and helping with their brother. Back to school was a welcome event for us all! The one major downside this year is that Josh wasn't home to get back into the swing of things with us. He was off playing in the desert somewhere, so it made the first week's schedule a little different than what it will be normally. So with him returning, naturally I thought things would finally be getting to the new normal. Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

Our house is set up a little different than a traditional home. You walk in to the main living level, and the girls' bedrooms are downstairs versus upstairs. (The staircase that leads to their rooms is pretty open though, so we haven't completely locked them in the dungeon!) A few weeks ago, K brought a tent that had been in her room upstairs for PJ to play with. When they opened it up, the smell that came from it was horrendous. Immediately, we knew it was mold. We just didn't know why or where it came from. Upon further inspection of her room-moving furniture and a good old fashioned sniff test-we found the moldy source. Just about every inch of wall space that had furniture up against it, had a moldy imprint of the furniture still remaining when we moved it. It was beyond gross. I know at this point you maybe wondering how it could've gotten to that point without my noticing. To answer that I'll say, my kids are 10 and 11. Gone are the days of me cleaning their rooms or putting their clothes away for them. Those duties are left up to them. 

Back to the issue at hand-the mold takeover. We ended up moving K from her room, since that was the majorly affected area. We let her bunk with her sister (which they secretly love, don't let them fool ya) for a few nights until the property manager could come take a look. Of course he came while Josh was gone, so I was having to relay messages to him whenever he had service. Well after a plumber came out and finally found the source of the water, he informed me that not only was there some water in the walls, but also running just about the whole length of our basement under the heated tile floors. So they found the source..but then what? Then they had to bring a huge pump over to pump all the water from the rainwater tank that was backing up into the house. Luckily for us, our property manager is a fireman by day, so he just borrowed a pump and hose from his fire house and came and pumped the water to the street. The kids actually really enjoyed that! He even let them try on his fire gear for fun. Needless to say, PJ was super excited because he's a boy, and boys just seem to love firemen.

The water pumped at full force for a good 25-30 minutes!

Well, now we've had a few plumbers come out and check the damage. The verdict seems to be that we are moving the girls out of the house. Luckily we have an apartment attached to our house that doesn't get too much use, but I hadn't planned on moving them to their own apartment until they were at least 35! Currently, they are bunked up there with their clothes and a few toys to keep them entertained, but this may be the situation for the next month or so. Just what we don't need at the moment. Between the kid's school, my school, PTO responsibilites, cheerleading and you know--sleeping and eating, there aren't many hours left in the day! And certainly not enough to wash every item of the girl's clothing, bleach all of their furniture and toys, and then wipe down walls. And forgive me if I don't see the point in bleaching down walls that are going to end up being ripped out in two weeks! Meanwhile, I feel like the mold issue is taking a toll on not just my mental health, but everyone's physical well being. Sickness-also something there is NO time for.

Doesn't that look appealing?! 

So there it is. If you seem me and it seems like I want to pull my hair out, or my eyes have gone cross, at least you'll know why! Does anyone have experience with mold. Do you know of a quick(ish) or somewhat easy way to to remedy the situation?!

Palmengarten, Frankfurt

A few weekends ago, Josh dragged me to had the wonderful suggestion that we go to the Palmengarten in Frankfurt. I am, by no stretch of the imagination, an outdoorsy person. I like climate control and I dislike bugs. To say that I was less than thrilled at the idea of spending the afternoon strolling gardens   and becoming one with nature, would be an understatement. That being said, it was fantastic. The weather was perfect. I'm not sure I've ever experienced weather that nice in Virginia. I would actually recommend a trip to these gardens to any nature enthusiast or just someone looking for a nice spot to read a book or tan. We even saw a wedding about to start amongst the expansive rose garden.

Things to do in within the gardens include:

• Take a paddle boat around the lake and feed the water fowl-they aren't shy

• Relax and enjoy a good book on one of the provided chairs in the large greenspace 

• Let the kids hang out on one of the multiple playgrounds, or splash at the splash park

• Take a train ride around the park

• Enjoy lunch amongst the flora at the park's restaurant 

• Walk through a tropical "jungle" 

• Stroll the rose garden

We came out of the park to find that a very skilled smart car had executed this fine parking job. Oh Europe, you're so silly.

The Winds Of Change Are Blowing....

Image via Pinterest

Big change, because big things are happening. As our summer comes to an end, we are getting prepared for a host of new things to start.  The kids will be heading back to school the last week of August, which is normal. What is new is that I will be heading back to school myself in a few weeks. It has been quite a few years since I've been a student, so I'm a little apprehensive going into things. But, I have no doubt that my family will help me get through. And bonus--because I have transfer credits, I'm already 1/3 of the way to my degree!

In addition to tackling school, I've signed on to be the head coach of Little J's cheer squad. Never mind the fact that I have only one season of assistant coaching experience. Youtube and Google are my friends. So, if you're a parent of my future team, please have patience with me. If it looks like I have no idea what I'm doing, it's because I don't. But I really care, and I'm trying!

I'm also heading up a committee for Little J's school PTO. It's a position that allows me to exercise a little creativity, but it is kind of important for me to present to a lot of school functions. To say that I have a lot going on this fall would be an understatement. I'm really excited to tackle these things head on, and I couldn't ask for a better support system!

As much as I love being a cheerleader for all my favorite people (and I love it a LOT!), I want to give everyone a reason to cheer me on for a while!

Remember Me?

Oh hi there! Remember me? Geez, it's been over a month already since I've last checked in or shared any updates. So much has happened that I'd love to share, but I honestly don't even know where to start. For now, I think I'll just share some highlights, because if I really tried to think of everything I want to share right now, my brain just might explode. And in the internet-famous words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Well, my youngest sister graduated high school last month. She is officially headed to Longwood University to join the newest class of Lancers. I feel a slight swell of pride-almost like a mommy would- for that girl. She's fourteen years younger than I am, so I got plenty of quality babysitting time in with her when I was younger. She'll be leaving for college soon, which is just strange to think about, since I still envision her as my baby sister.

Congratulations, graduate! 

I may not have made it to the graduation, but I did get to visit with her and my parents when they came to Germany in June. We got the pleasure of their company for a whole month, so we are all still adjusting to them leaving us this past week. Things are a little more quiet around the house, with less people, but that's not always a good thing. We had a fantastic time showing them around our new home city, and we even got to visit Paris with them. You may recall that we had already visited Paris last July, but this time was less rushed and much more relaxing. I'll be sharing more from that excursion later- now that I'm back.

Mom and Dad-man I've missed them! 

Paris with the family

Promptly after jet lag wore off, and we returned from our trip to Paris, my mother decided upon a mission. She made it her personal goal to have my boy potty trained before she left the country. I can say with a great amount of gratitude MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! There were times I thought she might give in--he has quite a stubborn streak. But she hung in and kept us all motivated to help him. The other day was the first day I took him out as a 'big boy', and he did GREAT! We've gone from screaming for diapers to begging for big boy undies in just a month. My grocery bill thanks you, m'lady!!

Mom and PJ

Something else incredibly cool that happened during my hiatus? Germany won the World Cup, and we got to be a part of the excitement. Our city, just like most around Germany, held public viewings on the lawns of buildings in the city centers. They did broadcast more matches than just the final, but that's the only one we actually went and watched amongst the crowds. It was really one of the coolest, most memorable things I've ever experienced. How many times will we get to say we got to watch the World Cup in the country that WON the World Cup? (My guess is none after this!) For a good idea of what we experienced, check out the video below. (If you speak German, bonus!) The streets after the win were BANANAS! Fireworks were being set off in the middle of the roads, in between the buildings downtown. People were throwing large firecrackers (if you want to call them something so innocent) at the feet of strangers and walking away. NUTS. Just nuts. But sooo much fun!

Ready to cheer on our adopted home team!

The crowd celebrates on the lawn of the Kurhaus

Needless to say, we had an amazing visit with family and cannot wait to see them again! With all the 'signs' from the universe I've been getting this week, I think it needs to be sooner rather than later! I cannot express to you how much I miss family, friends, and Chickfila sweet tea!

Thank you for stopping by and catching up--I'll be posting more about the missing month soon! I'd love to hear what you've been up to, too!!

Finally Friday!

Wow! What a week! I'm sure it was super busy for everyone, considering most schools begin their summer recess around this time. We had field trips (in the last week, really?!), parties, award ceremonies, and various other celebrations. Basically, the last week ended up being the busiest week of nothingness all year. Rivaled only by the few days before winter break. I spent three consecutive days at the school which, I don't think has happened since I attended school myself. But what a fun time! One of those days I was at school was for a PTO meeting for the 2014-2015 year. I am so excited to take part in this, you have no idea. Guess what committee I get to head: SPIRIT WEAR! Heck yes. I get to volunteer at Little J's school, plus be (mostly) in charge of clothes and other spirit inspiring gear. Plus, if you want spirit, I'm your girl. In case you didn't know, in seventh grade I received the Esprit De Corps award. It means team spirit, but I'm pretty sure the literal translation was the "we don't have anything else to give you, so here's this" award. It'll be really nice to be apart of something again. I do tend to miss that aspect from working.

You guys, I'm going to have a mommy moment here. My oldest child is now a middle schooler. This freaks me out. I'm not ready for this yet! Hopefully I can take the summer vacation and regroup my thoughts and have some sort of mental preparation going into August! In all seriousness though, I think this will be a very good transition for both girls. Little J will get a year all to herself to rule the school. Maybe she'll be able to blossom into her own identity and not feel like she has to be just like her sister. At least that's my {really BIG} hope for next year. Also, K could probably use the time to not feel like she can be little miss bossy and hovering over her sister. It'll just be good for everyone.

The promotion ceremony they had for the fifth graders was kind of cute, but also kind of evil. What teacher decided the kids should sing "We Are The World"?! One with no heart, apparently. I'm fairly certain there wasn't a dry mom-eye in the house. There may have been a few really manly looking men choking up, as well. Well played, music teacher, well played.

Speaking of graduations...my youngest sister graduates high school this week! I'm so incredibly sad that I can't be there to watch it live, but I'm betting my mom won't let me down in terms of FaceTime. (RIGHT, MOM?!) And I will see her in two short weeks when they come to visit us here in Germany. If it's hard for me to believe that I have a middle schooler, it's downright impossible to believe that my little sister is all grown up! I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I'm 14 years older than her, so of course I've had an instinctive mama bear feeling with her since she was born. I'm incredibly proud of the amazing person she's become, and I look forward to see what her future holds!

As for our first official day of summer vacation..... I'm alive, they're alive, and the house hasn't burnt down. Parenting win in my book! We've also survived our first few summer weather days of 90+ degree heat and no AC. It wasn't too bad-but just in case I've seen how to make a cooler AC unit through Facebook. God bless the internet. We've ran to appointments and errands, we've had play dates and dinner dates, we've been hot and we've been cold (sorry, I ran with the Katy Perry song). It has flown by so quickly, but the thing I've been waiting weeks for happens this weekend. Today and tomorrow we get to enjoy the Wilhelmstrassefest, and I am beyond excited! It's a huge festival downtown that has big carnival rides, live music and entertainment, and most importantly fest food! Mmmm fest food! I can't wait to share this experience with you!

 

Let's Catch Up!

What a great fun-filled weekend we've had! I'm hoping this is an indication of an upcoming fun summer!

Friday evening we decided to give going to the movies with a two year old a try; a 3-D movie to boot! PJ did great. Once we got through his analysis that every preview was "scawy", he settled in just fine. {What's scary about Channing Tatum?!?} We also have a theater that is very accepting of young children, so I foresee us being able to catch a lot more new releases in the future! Also, opening night (which is a week behind the release dates for the States) wasn't near as crazy busy as I thought it would be. It definitely made for a great family Friday "date" night.

Saturday was the end of season party for K and Little J's softball team, and it was held at an indoor bounce house. Bounce warehouse more like. I can already tell you this will be my 'go to' indoor place this summer. If the weather gets bad and the kids need to burn some energy, it will be great. There was a 'volcano' they could climb and slide down the sides of, trampolines, ball cages, obstacle courses, a huge room with sand (that they called a beach), and tons of other activities to keep them running. All the girls were dripping with sweat by the time we left and PJ had a nice long nap afterward. I'm definitely sad to see the softball season end, but hopefully all the girls will be able to get together this summer and practice-they certainly showed interest in the idea, which is always a good sign. They loved to play and they really seemed to gel as a team with a fantastic set of coaches!

Today (Sunday) we experienced our first day of 90+ degree weather. I know back in the US, some places have been experiencing this type of weather (and higher temps) for a while, but I'm also assuming those places have air conditioning! That's not the case here, though. We are among the lucky ones who have a portable AC unit that we bought last summer and used a total of maybe three days. It just doesn't get that hot here. Especially for someone who used to be so cold all the time. Now I believe my body-for the most part-has made the adjustment to the German way of life. Once it hits the high 50's/low 60's I'm in perfect weather. The 70's that used to be my 'okay, I guess I don't need a sweatshirt and jacket' weather is now too hot. Last year, we were unable to get a pool because we missed the shipment at the Exchange and if you don't act fast, you're out of luck on most things, but especially such coveted items as a pool. This year, thanks to some helpful tips from ladies on Facebook, I was able to pick up a pool and slip 'n' slide. So, today we set up the pool for the kids. I wasn't sure that the girls would be able to enjoy it, but it's about 5 feet across, so it's plenty big for all their skinny bottoms!

This week is the last week of school, so it'll be a good time to establish some summer rules and a loose schedule to stick to so that the kids don't lose too much of that knowledge they've gained this year. I'd love to know some programs that you use for keeping kids' minds engaged over the summer! Please leave comment below or find the Our Life in 3 by 5 on Facebook!

Five For Friday: May 23

It's a wonderfully rainy day here in Germany. The kind that makes you want to curl up under a blanket on the couch with your baby boy and watch a Thomas the Train marathon, while you listen to the patter of rain on the roof. I did have a downtown doughnut date planned for this morning, but alas, the rain has cancelled those plans. The downtown walking area is beautiful and I love it, but it's hard to get motivated to head that way when it's poor weather. Something about lugging myself and the stroller through the rain is very unappealing. I am getting adjusted to traveling in the rain (because it seems to rain EVERY trip we take), but I don't really want to spend the everyday moments covered in rain. So instead of downing some doughnuts, I'll be catching you up on my week.

This week has flown by it seems. Really, it feels like this whole year has flown by. At one point during the fall I remember thinking, "Wow-it's only been 6 months since we moved here." Now I feel like I'm quickly losing my time in Europe. Only two years left. I know it probably sounds silly, but once you have a definite expiration date, it makes every day feel like a countdown. We have a lot we want to see before we leave, and the to-do list is longer than the available time!

So, as I was saying, the week flew by quickly. Josh had been out of town for work since Mother's Day, so it was only the kids and I. It really amazes me how the mommy brain works. I swear when Josh is here, I feel like I don't have enough hours in the day to get everything done that I need to get done. And Josh is not one of those husbands who doesn't help--he's incredibly hands on. I even get upset sometimes because I feel like he's helping too much! He'll walk in from work and start picking up or he'll start dinner, and it makes me feel bad. Well, with him gone I think my brain enters some sort of mom-matrix. Time slows down and all of a sudden it feels like there are 16 hours of daylight, and all my tasks get done. Of course that might have to do with the fact there actually is 16 hours of daylight--the sun has been coming up around 5:30am and setting well after 9pm! Usually when we have to leave for practice at 5, dinner hasn't been made and we end up cooking and eating after practice around 7-7:30. Last week we had eaten, cleaned up, and still made it to practice early. I'm telling you, my brain just clicked. I subconsciously knew that there wasn't anyone to help me out, so it just got done. I really wish it was like that all the time...minus the fact of Josh being gone. If that could go ahead and happen, it'd be great! We had a good week though, and it was made that much better when Josh said he'd be coming home two days early from his trip. I know it's hard for him to be away, and I might be a little bias, but I think it's harder to be the one to stay home. Especially seeing all the gorgeous photos he was sending me from Italy! I hope he won't mind a return trip, because Venice looked amazing!

This week I thought I'd focus on two people whom I don't think I give enough credit to. My daughters! They are really growing into awesome little people. They are smart, funny, caring and (for the most part) respectful. Everything a parent could hope for in their kids. This week was an especially proud moment when I learned that Little J-who struggles with school work, reading in particular-has raised her overall reading score from far below grade level into solid 'on grade' territory. Reading is probably her least favorite thing to do, I think because it's harder for her, but she really worked to get that score raised. Now if I could get her to apply herself just a smidge more overall, I'd be satisfied for a while! She's getting there, though. Still-any tips are welcomed! Her teacher suggested keeping her on a school schedule over the summer, but since I'm not a teacher, that sounds pretty tedious to me. I'm sure I could find her some handouts to work on, but I'm not sure how I'm supposed to keep a 10 year doing two hours of math while her siblings play. Again...suggestions more than welcomed!

K had an appointment this week for her 11 year old shots. You know, because she's going into middle school. MIDDLE SCHOOL. That would mean I'm actually old enough to have a middle schooler. I feel like I've just recently left middle school myself. But yes, she got her shots so I guess she can go now. While we were at the doctor, I mentioned how K was having knee pain during softball and gym class. The doctor took one look at her from across the room and said "Oh yes! She has seriously flat feet. Let me guess...it's this knee that hurts the most?" Sure enough, that was the knee giving K an issue, so we have a referral to see an orthopedist to hopefully get that remedied. Since the appointment took longer than I expected, K has a pretty easy going teacher, and she never misses school, I decided I'd let her 'skip' the rest of the day. I know--shame on mom! We had a blast. It was one of my new year goals to spend more one on one time with the kids, and I haven't really done it. Tuesday was a great time, though. We went to the one euro store, and she helped me run errands. They were so much easier with her around. Note to self...hire personal assistant! We also went to pick up the mail, and this has to be the highlight of my week: (I'm kidding, but it's exciting news) The mailroom guy DOESN'T hate me. We went at a time the mailroom window wasn't open-which means you can't get packages if you have them. Naturally, I had a slip to pick up a package, so I was going to have to come back. As I was rounding the corner to leave, the mailroom guy saw me and said to his coworker, "Doesn't she have a box?" They actually went back and got it for me! He also made chit chat about a package that had been sent to the wrong place that he "found for me". What a guy, huh? He did his job just for me. He's being nice, so I'm not complaining!

Also while K and I were out, we were able to go by the train station and pick up train tickets to Paris for when my family comes to visit in a few weeks. They were so much cheaper at the station than online, it completely took me by surprise. I know I gave the ticket agent a shock when I squealed with delight! So, with train tickets booked, we of course had to book our hotel room. It was such a relief to get that taken care of, and good thing we didn't wait any longer. We needed two rooms and the hotels were filling up quickly! We managed to snag one that provides breakfast included in the price-a must for so many people. Plus it's not far from the Eiffel Tower, unlike the last time we went to Paris and stayed outside the city. I can't wait to eat some macarons see the beautiful sights again!

This Wednesday, like most Wednesdays with nice weather, PJ and I went to the farmers market downtown. We did our usual people watching and wandering around, but we also had a specific task in mind this time. I had to find a German post office so I could mail a package to the UK for a craft swap I did. The USPS wanted $64 to ship it. As I so pleasantly informed the clerk at the post office while kindly taking my box back, I could fly there and hand deliver it for less! Seriously, RyanAir flights are like $40! When I finally found the German post office, packed my DHL box, and said a silent prayer for a clerk who spoke English really well, I mailed my box for 9 Euro. Honestly, USPS... get with it. So after mailing our box, we decided to enjoy a currywurst lunch. Let me try and explain food carts here. They sell whatever food is their specialty, and usually have a few tables set up. More than likely those tables will be standing height, so you enjoy your food while standing. Since there are only about 6-8 tables, and loads more people, you end up sharing a table with a stranger. It's a perfect way to get to know new people-if you speak the same language as them. I shared with an older lady, we ate in silence, then she left. Then another lady came to ask if she could share. I said yes of course and continued to try and wrestle some food into my impatient two year old. He was way more interested in climbing in and out of his stroller and somehow cover himself in curry sauce. Good thing we both wore white...not! PJ was being his normal chatter bug self, and the lady sharing our table said, "He's so cute!" I wasn't expecting her to speak English, but it turned out she was from the base, too. We talked as we ate, then decided to grab a smoothie together. We ended up walking around the shops downtown for the rest of the afternoon. What a great happenstance that we would end up standing at the same table for lunch, bonding over bratwurst!

This week has been so eventful-my schedule looks like a rainbow of scribble with everything going on. But the one thing I did do for myself (sort of) was to join the PTO. I am now the head of the spirit wear committee. I am so excited to get to help out with Little J's school in a way that I really feel like I can make an impact. I may not be the most in-your-face person when it comes to sales, but I've got spirit, yes I do! I've already come up with some ideas, but I get to just spearhead the whole thing and have my own team, which is both exciting and really nerve-wracking at the same time!

All and all this has been a great week. I have so much to be thankful for in my life and I'm very lucky. By far one of the best decisions I've made recently is to count my blessings big and small, to let go of the negative and hold on to the positive. I'm in no way saying that I never have a day where I can't wait to break open the wine and I'd never try to say "this is how everyone should feel", but as for me and my crew, I highly encourage the power of positivity!

The Wiesbaden farmers market. They're held every Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

I can't get over how big they're getting!

Friends, I am soliciting your advice. In between travel adventures, what would you like to read about on this blog? Leave a comment below--your ideas are welcome! As always, I thank you for reading! 

Five For Friday: May 9

Hello friends! I think I'm finally back in the blogging saddle! I wanted to share my five good things but not necessarily just from this week, since I've missed a few weeks!

{{Since I've resolved to get back on track, that means keeping up with social media as well. If you aren't already, make sure you're following OurLife on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bloglovin. You can also follow my personal Pinterest page with the links above!}}

I know I've already expressed my excitement over the softball season starting, but it is now in full swing and I LOVE it. I love to watch and cheer for my children (just like every parent). I've told you how when I get in to something, I get all in. Well, at least one of my children is just like me in that respect. During cheer season K wanted cheer clothes and bows, she wanted to watch every cheer youtube video she could find, and she would not. stop. cheering. Now that softball has started, she's all in with that. She wants softball shirts to wear to school and wants to watch any videos/tutorials she can find. They both spend extra time on the field after practice is done for the evening. I had some softball ribbon in my stash and decided to make each girl on the team a ribbon for game days. When I first presented it to my two, they scoffed. They didn't want to be caught dead in a cheer ribbon. Excuse me, Dr. Jekyll! But, since the rest of the team loved them, they're all in. Tweens... I tell ya!
Their team has won every game so far-except for one random coach pitched game which they tied- and they are all seeming to enjoy it. I love watching a group of girls who don't know each other at the beginning of a season form bonds and friendships over time. They have all really improved as a team and individually, too.

I'm sorry if this qualifies for the TMI category, but this is life. We have semi-officially started potty training. I honestly do not remember doing this with the girls. Could this be a repressed memory. My brain is maybe trying to block out some traumatic experience I've had? What I do know is that training a boy is different from anything I may have done with the girls. The very first lesson was "tuck it down, dude!" Cleaning the floor every time seems to be fun for him to watch--not so much fun for mommy. The one part of this process that makes it easier is that he seems sort of motivated to not go in his diaper. Jelly beans are amazing motivators! "Mommy--go get my jelly beans ready." The confidence in this one is strong! Here's hoping this works out soon. Not having to buy diapers would be spectacular-especially since neither the commissary nor the PX has had his size in stock for about three weeks!

I have been getting back in to my crafting lately, and it feels darn good.  My little craft room is not in our main house, it's upstairs in our apartment, so sometimes it's hard to get up there and work. I did manage to get it reorganized and cleaned up in the past few weeks, so everything has a place and it doesn't make me feel like I need to clean every time I walk in now. I love that I'm able to go in, do whatever it is I've had the whim to work on, leave it if I need to and come back later. That's helpful since I'm pretty certain I have adult onset ADD. {Seriously, I burnt cookies and chicken in the past two weeks. I've also forgotten to go get the girls at school when I told them I would. Good thing we have an 'if you don't see me in this particular spot, get on the bus' rule.} Craft wise, I've been able to get a jump on my December Daily book-it's all decorated and ready to go, I've made things for my planner, I've made things for other people's planners that I plan to send as RAK's (random acts of kindness), I've made cards, a book for Little J's teacher, and random other things. I swear it helps center my soul when I can have a creative outlet like that. If that sounds weird or cheesy to you, I'll assume you don't craft. :)

I just received the email this morning containing the air tickets for my parents and youngest sister! They'll be here in mid June to visit us for about a month! I cannot express my excitement. I know the kids are just about to burst waiting for them. PJ has been a great little helper getting the apartment ready for them. We've gotten new bedding and towels and set up the kitchen. You know, things that keep us busy in the meantime while we countdown the weeks and days until they get here. We've also  tried to plan a trip and work out the logistics of how exactly we're going to transport 8 people around. Anyone in the Wiesbaden area want to lend us a mini van??

PJ and I went out one morning a few weeks ago and discovered a new to us walking path. It took us over some hills and through some beautiful fields. Plus I got to go past my very favorite tree. I don't know why, but it's so cute to me. It was an amazing walk-we ended up at the edge of the next town over before we turned around. I took my camera (with a constantly dead battery when I want it) and my phone and took pictures. Of course the pictures NEVER capture the beauty of real life. Here's a fun fact for you: the 3by5 part of our blog name comes from the John Mayer song 3x5. One of the lyrics being

"I didn't have a camera by my side this time. Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes." 

It also says no more 3x5's, but we'll just ignore that part. Anyhoo...nature is not really something I generally like to be a part of. Bugs and dirt are just not my thing. But I do appreciate its beauty, so going out to be a part of a new day beginning was pretty amazing. Also, since nature isn't my thing, I'm a little surprised that our attempt at backyard gardening seems to be working! We have some veggies sprouting in our little square foot garden. German vegetables seem to be the difference. They must all be used to little sunlight, I guess. We'll see where this goes, but so far so good! Just in time for my attempt at clean eating. I'm not saying it's going to work or I'll be able to stick to it. I love my carbs and especially love my sugar. But by golly, I'm going to try!

On the note of clean eating...Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share? Or any resources for keeping on track? Leave a link in the comments, if you would! 

One for the Road: London

{For some reason, it has been so hard to sit down and blog lately. I have time, I just don't really feel like spending it in front of this big honkin screen! Perhaps I need a Macbook (hint bomb:dropped, Josh!)then I could type in the car while I wait for the kids at school or at softball practice, or-the most likely place-bed. Either way, I have made a vow to myself to get back on track, and I've set specific goals and a plan to get me there. So, expect to hear a little more from me coming up.}

I wanted to finish recapping our trip to London. Which, in my opinion was the best vacation we've taken so far. I loved it there, and really wish it wasn't such an involved trip and so expensive. I don't want to have to hop on a plane to get there, and driving would be too lengthy a trek. So we'll have to save our next jaunt to London (if there is one) for a special occasion! Speaking of special occasions, I do believe that is where I left off-detailing Little J's birthday day.

Well, as I said before, each girl got to pick one special event for their day, and we picked the other. Before we left, I envisioned that being my girly girl, Little J would pick tea at the palace or something to that effect. I went downtown and picked up some quasi fancy dresses for the three of us, and made sure the boys packed nice clothes as well. I was set. Little did I know she'd be throwing me a curve ball by absolutely not wanting to do tea time, no matter how much I tried to persuade her. It just "didn't sound fun" to her. Shows how much I know, huh?! She's quite the indecisive little thing, but we couldn't 'waste' time waiting for her to decide on a place to go. We went down to breakfast-a delicious buffet spread that we enjoyed every day. A waitress noticed how dressed up we all were (since I was still so sure she'd pick tea) and stopped to chat. She asked how we were liking our stay and what we'd visited. Through the course of conversation, she learned it was Little J's birthday, and she tried to make some suggestions on where she should go. When she asked Little J if she played any sports, and she replied softball, the look on the woman's face was priceless. We sometimes forget that Europeans aren't hip to the same games as we are. Us trying to remember to call soccer football is a struggle even after a year, but the lady had no clue what softball was. Josh explained it was "kind of like cricket. For girls." Apparently that puts my girls in rare company in the eyes of the British. After she made her suggestions and we finished our meal, she surprised Little J with a mountainous breakfast sundae and each girl with a goodie bag full of candy and toys. She even had the rest of the wait staff come to our table for an early morning "happy birthday" serenade. It was pretty much the nicest thing she could have done for them. It made the girls feel really special on their days (because she made sure to find us for K's birthday, as well).

Since we had already picked out our activity for the day, we once again boarded the tube headed to Victoria Station. Once there, we walked towards Buckingham Palace so that we could try and catch a glimpse of the changing of the guard. Holy bananas. That place was so crazy. I expected a lot of people, of course, but I was not prepared for the pure madness of it all. Little kids were being pushed aside and crunched together. Grown men were shoving their way through the throngs of people to push their way to the gates. We found a semi open spot where we could at least breathe without fear of being trampled. We couldn't see much-the girls saw nothing at all-but for once having my super long arms paid off. I was able to lift my camera over the crowd and get some decent footage. At least we'd be able to watch it later. And we'll always have the experience, right?! After the almost viewing of the guard change, Little J had finally made the decision on what she wanted to do that day. What did she pick? The London Eye. I did not see that coming whatsoever. She's scared of nearly every type of thrill ride-including the Sesame Street coaster at Busch Gardens. I certainly did not expect her to pick Europe's tallest ferris wheel! I admit I was a little hesitant myself, given my last in air melt down. I decided to suck it up, however, partly because my child wanted to do this and partly because I've tried to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone. This day that meant boarding a giant ferris wheel and riding hundreds of feet in the air. No big deal. I am so glad I did. The views were amazing and PJ is still talking about it. (Every time he sees a picture of the London Eye, he says, "We've been there. We've been on that ferris wheel.") They offer you an interactive guide to purchase for £1 so you can know what you're looking at on the horizon. Even though I purchased that guide, I was still lost. I was mainly bouncing back and forth in the car looking at this site or that one. Or making sure PJ didn't lean on the door that said  "DO NOT LEAN ON THIS DOOR" (OR PLUMMET TO YOUR CERTAIN DEATH). The last part was definitely implied.

In addition to our ride on the London Eye and the changing of the guard, we walked around a bit. We posed for pictures like good tourists, we watched street performers in Trafalgar Square,we hit up the M&M store, and just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.