Erika (and pig)

2012-01-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

Soooo, most of you know that my Honda got into a little accident Thanksgiving weekend. But I'm happy to report that my baby is back home and looking better than ever! Thanks to Steve's willing and skilled hands - and not to mention God's provision in every detail - my Civic went from this...

...to this!

2012-01-29T05:06:00.000-08:00

The month of January is coming to a close and so is 30-miles-a-week January. I am not quite ready to post my miles yet because I am hoping to put it one more quick run tonight. You can go ahead and post your results, though. Next week, take it a little slower, but don't stop training completely. Check back at the end of the week for a February challenge... We'd love to welcome new athletes!

Week 3...

2012-01-21T16:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, athletes, this is the end of week 3. I ran 40 miles and did 1 1/2 hours on the elliptical. Next week is your LAST CHANCE WORKOUT!!! Make it count...

Week 2

2012-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

As a faithful Biggest Loser fan, I know that week 2 is usually a bad week for weight loss on the show. Based on conversations I've had with some of you this week, I know that it has been a tough one. I myself didn't run as far as last week, but I did get in my minimum of 30 miles. My totals this week are 30 miles run and 1h 45min on the elliptical. We're half way there. It's time to either finish strong or redeem yourself. =)

1st Grade Project

2012-01-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

One day last week, I did a little project with my first-graders. Our objective was to improve poems by adding sounds to them. The students decided in their groups which words they wanted to highlight, assigned the words to the members of their group, and then each student chose an instrument for their word. (Some put more thought into their choice than others.) They had some time to practice and then I videoed each group. Was a fun project and, to my delight, didn't spiral out of control! Check out some of the best groups.

Week 1 Completed

2012-01-07T20:04:00.000-08:00

Week one of 30-miles-a-week January is coming to a close. The challenge was to either run 30 miles or do 5 hours of another cardio workout before Sunday at midnight. Once you have completed your last workout for the week, you can total your miles/hours and post them in the comments section. Hope you had a good week! If you didn't quite make it - don't give up! You'll do it next week!!!

As the week began, I had no intention of running much over 30 miles. However, a friendly competition with one of our challenge participants motivated me to go a little running crazy. Don't expect these numbers every week. My total miles run are 52.4 (the equivalent of 2 full marathons).

30-Miles-A-Week January

2012-01-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

The challenge to a healthier you begins TODAY! It's not too late to join. So far we have competing:

Daniel
Elizabeth
Mommy
Gina
Erika

Let the games begin! Remember, log all your workouts and then post the total miles/hours before midnight on Sunday for a chance to be athlete of the week. To review the rules, click here.

Happy running/working out everyone!!!

There will be a similar challenge in February that you can participate in, Daddy. I think we'll up the mileage a little... More to come on that at the end of the month.

Run Into The New Year With Me

2011-12-31T13:43:00.000-08:00

As I was at the Varners this week indulging in all kinds of goodies, I decided that I needed a January challenge to start the new year right in terms of physical fitness. Instead of a candy-free or snack-free month, I am planning a 30-miles-a-week January. The goal is to run at least 30 miles each full week of the month. The first week will begin on Monday, January 2nd. That leaves Sunday as the last day of the week to either rest or make up for laziness during the week... =)

Here are the rules for participating:

1) Run 30 miles each week in January or do 5 hours of other types of exercises, such as elliptical trainer, biking, swimming, etc. (If you combine running with cross training, 6 miles of running equal one hour of cross training.)
2) Post your total miles run and/or total hours of cross training each Sunday before midnight.
3) Stick it out and don't give up - even if you don't meet your quota one week!

The prize: You will feel GREAT, you earn bragging rights if you are the athlete of the week, and your year will be off to a running start!

WHO'S IN???

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

Nikolaus didn't find me this year but I knew I could count on Santa! He even brought a GIANT Christmas card from Greensboro!

Baking Marathon

2011-12-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I do not bake very often. Being off from school and Christmas right around the corner awakened the the baker in me yesterday and I baked for 12 hours! I was just going to make fudge and one type of cookie, but then I was having too much fun and made 6 different things. Check out domestic Erika!

Grandma's peanut butter fudge again

Grammy's no-bake cookies

Grammy's everything cookies ~ cooling on my sweet new cooling rack. Thank you, Rudys!

Grammy's Hershey bars (thought about Grammy a lot yesterday!)

I also made Vanillekipferl and buckeyes.

The kitchen looked like it had exploded, but...

...it was worth it. How awesome does this look!?!

And on a side note ~ a new addition to my bedroom wall.

Student Notes

2011-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

Each class has been watching the video of their holiday program and filling out performance evaluations. The students take notes for each song and then I also provide a place for them to write additional comments at the end of their evaluation. I told them they could write something they liked the most, something their parents said about the program, or a nice note to their music teacher. =) These are some of the responses I got. Most of them were written by 3rd-graders and 4th-graders. Made me smile and remember who I go to work for every day.

Grandma's Peanut Butter Fudge

2011-12-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

Grandma gave me her peanut butter fudge recipe because I liked it so much at Thanksgiving. So, when I asked the lady at church who organizes the Wednesday night kids' meals each week what I could bring for tonight's Christmas party and she said peanut butter fudge - well, I knew just what recipe to use. This was my first attempt at making fudge and it turned out great! It was so yummy, the adults couldn't get enough of it and all the left-overs went home with them. =) Thanks, Grandma, for sharing the recipe. I'll definitely be making it again!!

Holiday Programs - Round 2

2011-12-16T17:33:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday I had my holiday programs at my other school. Each grade level sang really well, and everything I was in charge of was well received. The feedback from parents was very positive. Some of the organizational aspects surrounding the programs that others were responsible for left a lot to be desired. My eyes have been opened wide to the world of school politics. Discouraging and sickening. But I am trying my best to cope. It's been a rough couple of months, to say the least...

Here is a view of the tiny gym from the top of the bleachers. Notice the "decorations" on the walls that PTO helped with.

close ups

Denise, the gym teacher, helping me with some final preparations in the gym.

Facing the Indiana Winter

2011-12-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Today was a sunny, 20 degree day and I decided it was time to see if I have what it takes to run long runs in cold weather. I run a 4-mile square route. Today, mile 2 led head-on into the cold Indiana wind. But mile 4 was my tailwind mile and helped me recover enough to start a new lap. I lasted 3 laps today! I think I can make it through the winter without losing all my marathon training. I still have a few layers of clothing I can add, when winter really hits...

Holiday Programs - Round 1

2011-12-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

Today, I had holiday programs at one of my schools - Allen. There were three programs. One for 3rd & 4th grade, one for Kindergarten, and one for 1st & 2nd grade. I have very few pictures and they're not great, but here's what I have.

my concert look...

Cute gift bag decorations. I place these on the ends of the risers to keep kids from jumping off the ends. Festive AND practical - my favorite kids of decorations!

The other side of the stage - complete with tacky tree topper.

the entire stage area

gym

Kindergarten students getting situated

This teacher let her students make their own matching shirts.

All 90 (!) Kindergarten students waiting patiently for the program to begin.

I have video footage of all three programs on a school camera. Not sure yet when or how I will get my hands on it, but if I can, I'll post some videos at a later time. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers! I felt nauseated all day, but the kids all did a great job! They really took to heart what we had discussed and practiced in music for the past few months. Musically, they have improved a lot since last year, which was very rewarding for me. Round 2 will be next Thursday...

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2011-11-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Pig would like to show you around my apartment now that it is looking quite Christmas-y. I love decorating for Christmas. Everything looks so pretty and festive!

I filled my living room picture frames with sheets of layered card stock to create Christmas art work that would go with my theme.

I kept seeing tree skirts on Black Friday that I loved, but just couldn't spend $40-50 on one. Today, while I was out running some errands, I found this one at Walgreens for $17.99. It fits perfectly and adds a little sparkle and fluff under my tree.

And finally, some close-ups of pig's favorite ornaments

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

Helen and I drove to Columbus for Thanksgiving. We had a lovely time visiting with the Rudys, Grandma, and a family from Rudy's church who joined us. As always, every item on the buffet was delicious and there was more than enough for everyone. Thank you Rudys for hosing and Monica for outdoing yourself once again.

the cook

kitchen helper

Helen: working hard?

Or hardly working?

kid table

big table

And look who got to sit on the skinny bench...

the buffet

dessert buffet

some close-ups

Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without Black Friday. Helen and I shopped a total of 11 hours! If that doesn't sound like fun to you, you just need to come with us next year. We had a blast and found some great deals.

Since Kohl's opened at midnight this year, we had to adjust our shopping schedule. Not wanting to miss the door buster deals, we decided to stay up late, hit Kohl's and Macy's, take a nap and then head out again at 6am.

Ready for some deals!

We have never arrived at Kohl's before they opened their doors. This year, the long line of people was just beginning to enter the store as we approached. Lots of younger shoppers, possibly, among the crowd.

patiently waiting in line

After our "nap," Clara joined us and we continued our shopping at the mall (Tuttle). Since we were there much earlier than in previous years, the mall was not very busy yet and we were able to maneuver around our stores of choice easily. Here we are refueling at Panera - our little tradition.

Along with the Christmas presents I like to buy on Black Friday, I usually pick up a few things for myself, as well. This year, my favorite gift to myself was some new running clothes. It's been too cold to run in shorts and a T-shirt. So I got some colder weather gear so that I can continue to run my long runs outside. Check out my new look. Went out today to run off some of that pie and the new gear felt great!

Grosses Were Here

2011-11-26T19:08:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late posting these pictures, but I wanted to share a few impressions from when the Grosses were in Indiana.

Here is Henry ready to go pick up Max from school.

I wonder where he picked up the habit of "glotzing-while-driving?" =)

There he is!

One of many delicious meals. Thank you, Freya!

Max's basketball skill assessment for upward.

Lena and Helen

Steffi let the boys look at the lego website before we went to the store where they both got to choose some legos.

Which one, which one??

Two very happy boys!

Steffi and Dietmar got to spend one Sunday afternoon and evening in Marion. They went to church with me where Steffi and I played a special for piano 4 hands. (Video to follow as soon as I can get my hands on it...) It was really fun to play together again. After church, they stayed for dinner and we got to spend some time talking and laughing together. Loved having you here!! Thank you for making the trip!

Fun-Filled Fall Day

2011-10-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today, Freya, Max, Henry, and Lena came for a visit. We had a super fun day!!

My happy pumpkin towel greeted them...

... and the coffee table loaded with goodies!

Lunch: bagels, salad, and cocktail sausages (a big hit!)

Lena and Henry took a little nap

Of course, there was some wii action!

Henry came a little too close to boxing holes into my TV so piglet gladly filled in as a safety barrier.

This is Henry boxing.

Lena wants to run a race so she can have her own special "necklaces."

My favorite game: Schweinebammel

The highlight of the afternoon was carving pumpkins! Here are Max and Henry eager to get started...

Lena helped, too.

removing all the "icky stuff"

carving faces

I wonder where Henry gets his facial expressions from?

Three happy jack-o-lanters

Here is mine lit.

Dinner: au gratin potatoes, awesome carrots, and orange crusted chicken

Dessert: hot chocolate with marshmallows

time to go back home...

Thanks for hanging out! This was definitely the highlight of my fall break!

Kitchen Completed!

2011-10-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Today while I was out Christmas shopping (for 3 hours - love being on fall break!!) the painters came and finished my kitchen. Check out how nice everything looks!

(Yes - those are recorders drying in the sink...)

Kitchen Remodel

2011-10-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

I found out a couple of weeks ago that my kitchen was going to be remodeled. Last week I emptied all my cabinets...

cleared all "them little magnets" and pictures off my fridge...

and took one final picture Wednesday night.

My office was temporarily turned into this - ah!!

Thursday, they demolished my old kitchen, put in new cabinets, countertops, and some new appliances. Friday, they put in a new floor and brought in the rest of the appliances. Monday morning, the floor was sealed and the walls prepped for painting. They also put in a new light fixture. All that's left to do is to paint the walls between the countertop and the cabinets tomorrow and I'll be ready to get cookin'! Check out what it looks like now...

pantry back where it belongs

new cabinets filled (no more medieval hardware!)

fancy new light fixture

fancy new fridge

fancy new countertop (bought this new microwave to match the other appliances)

fancy new floor

Check back for more pictures when the walls are painted and everything is back in it's place.

Erika's Pro Picture

2011-10-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Here are my professional shots from the race. Much like in Daniel's pictures, you can read me like a book. I definitely wasn't running for the cameras...

Click here to view pictures.

We did it - 26.2!!

2011-10-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I both finished our very first marathon with great finishing times. We both thought we could do it about 10 minutes faster, but underestimated those last 6 miles. It seems that doing another 6 after you've already run 20 isn't as easy as it sounds. But we're still proud of our times and are already making plans to adjust our training schedule for the next marathon... Here are a few pictures. You can see more pictures and videos on d&e's blog in the next couple of days.

One happy and exhausted marathon finisher!!!

You can see how I rated overall by clicking here.

We bought magnets for our cars...

And this was my reward, which - yes - I did think about periodically throughout the race. Food can be a great motivator to move!

Marathon Play-By-Play

2011-10-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

For a pre-Marathon play-by-play (which may include pictures of us shopping...) and directions for how to track me during my race tomorrow, check d&e's blog.

Marathon - Final Traininig

2011-10-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

One week out, I ran my last "long" training run before the race. This week is all about letting my muscles relax and loading up on carbs to fuel my body for the big 26.2! Starting to feel excited and shocked that Daniel and I are really doing this...

My running path on this beautiful Saturday morning ~ gotta love Indiana in the fall!

Fun With Instruments

2011-10-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite Kindergarten songs/activities. The kids love to play on instruments so each picture of this song about an old gray cat and two mice gets an instrument sound assigned to it. The kids then take turns playing their sound to their picture as the song plays. I have them rotate from table to table, too, so everyone gets a turn to play at the "crazy" table... Enjoy!

Happy October!!

2011-10-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

I just turned to October on my wall calendar (the traditional pig one I get from Mommy each year for Christmas) to find THIS!!! Haha! Happy October, everyone!!!

20 MILES!!!!!

2011-09-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

I am now officially in the 20-mile club! Saturday morning, I ran my first 20-mile run. I made great time and, for the most part, my muscles have recovered from that intense workout. Thanks for everyone who kept my mind off of the soreness in my legs by texting me or talking to me for a mile or two. =)

These are some pictures of my running route that I have taken over the past few weeks.

This is my new guest room all made up for its first guest. Helen stayed with me this weekend.

Where did she pick up THIS habit???

We practiced maneuvering in the church parking lot - even got some help from my pastor who happened upon us there...

And finally, my Civic graduated to the 100,000 mile club. Yay!

Back to School...

2011-09-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

School started three weeks ago and I finally have some pictures to share. First, my two music rooms. Here is Riverview

and Allen

These are boomwhackers - currently my 2nd favorite instrument to use with all grade levels (my favorite is recorders). Angela, my friend from church, turned this picture into a cool polite sign and a background for my bulletin board.

I took a picture of each class holding boomwhackers. It was fun and the pictures turned out really well.

There is a 30-minute time period every day, called success time, in which I have a group of Kindergartners to work with. Depending on the week, we either do math or language arts. These students are in the enrichment group, which means they have already mastered the skills and get to try new fun ways of applying them. Here, each student had some shaving cream to create a surface in front of them. They then used their fingers to practice drawing numbers 1-10 on their shaving cream surface. (Wish it had been my idea...) As you can see, the kids loved it!!

And finally, what you've all been waiting for...this year's top names. Varners - maybe you will draw some inspiration from these:
Zodia, Alayjauh, Za'Maiyah, Tayviyuna, Unique, Haleigh, Kabe, Thilea, Jakeylyn, Beck, Ahkeyahna, Roamyn, Zy'tez, Achilles, Cayge, Mmalik, Phoenix, Keazyi, Khabreya, LaDacia, Andruw, Sable, Dez'ahrijha, Synser

Office/Music Studio/2nd Bedroom Makeover

2011-09-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

This whole project started in January of this year. I decided to re-design my 2nd bedroom into a work space, but also a read/relax space. I also wanted to have a more inviting and comfortable guestroom - mainly for Helen's weekend visits to Marion.

First, I gave away the old furniture...

Next, I assembled these bookshelves from IKEA and sorted through boxes and boxes of college binders, books, and other miscellaneous items.

already much better...

With new curtains and more light already in the room, it was time for more furniture. I ordered a desk, another bookcase, and a futon, picked it up on Sunday, and went right to work - probably the reason my knees and back are still aching...

I knew I would have lots of screws to screw for this project, so I finally fiddled around with my screw driver long enough to figure out how to use it. So much easier! Here is my work site. Yes - that's Pride and Prejudice running in the background...

Here is the office corner of the room (for now). I copied d&e's idea of spray-painting the back panel of this bookcase. It makes my work space much brighter and happier!

Here are two views of the rest of the room. The two pictures may look familiar to my faithful picture-hunters/opinion-givers. Thanks to Helen for helping me put them up - through skype. =) This room will also be my new music studio - teach my first cello lesson since I've moved here tomorrow!!

This room is officially open for business. I love having visitors!

Living Room Project

2011-09-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

So, some of you know from hours of "window shopping" with me that I've been searching and searching for pictures to put up on the wall behind my couch. Yesterday, finally, I found something. I bought these prints for $2.97 a piece and then spray-painted theses $12 frames to make this!! I love the color it adds to the room.

Here is the head-on view of the couch/wall.

and here the entire living room seating area

I am still in flower mood from seeing all the pretty flowers at the Marktplatz in Aalen. I just couldn't get over how affordable they were. So, I bought my favorite flower, the yellow mums, and some others to make a little bouquet.

What a happy flower...

Check back for office/2nd bedroom renovations soon...

Fly/In Cruise/In

2011-09-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

Who knew Marion was such an exciting place to live?!? On my run this morning, I noticed a little plane above. I didn't think much of it until I saw 2 helicopters and 2 more planes flying the same direction as the first plane - all in the 53 minutes I was out. Strange... When I got home, I figured out what was going on. Check it out! I thought the Varner boys would love this! It's on September 1st next year... mark your calendars.

Lot's of FUN happening around here. =)

7 Weeks and Counting

2011-08-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

Since I've returned from Germany, a new school year has started up again - and so has my marathon training. The race is in Columbus on October 16th - 26.2 miles!! Check out this video for a course descriptions, as well as tips for faithful fans.

2011 Columbus Marathon Complete Course Overview from dan farkas on Vimeo.

Fancy New Phone

2011-08-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

When I was in Columbus, I also got this fancy new phone. The nexus s by google. Elizabeth has the same phone and highly recommended it to me. I had it customized by my very own phone expert (thank you, Daniel!) and love doing fancy things with it. Yay!

By the way, the new phone is the one on the right. =)

Back Home

2011-08-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

Look what I found in my apartment when I got home! Two of my friends from church who took care of my plants and checked into my apartment while I was gone put up a fancy sign, balloons, and streamers!! What a fun surprise!

They even put some goodies in my fridge!

I got a pretty bouquet with some of my favorite flowers in it for $5. Yay!

Helen drove us to Columbus on Saturday to help d&e pack up all of their belongings (again) for their move to Greensboro.

my new key chain guy

Thomas, the master packer

Things were wrapped...

...re-distributed...

...and pitched.

I brought these two lamps back to my apartment. I've wanted more light in my living room and this was perfect (until I can replace them with some nicer lamps).

Sunday night, Helen decided to straighten my hair. She had been wanting to try it for a while.

It took two hours (!) to finish. One it was done, I tried some different looks. It was fun to play around with straight hair (for the first time ever) but definitely too much work to do on a regular basis. Thanks Helen, for your endurance!

mini bump on top

messy ponytail

cheerleader ponytail

big bump

Another Visit with a Good Friend

2011-08-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, I got to spend the day with Annika - my good friend of 21 years! She picked me up around 11 am and dropped me off again around 10 pm. We took advantage of those 11 hours to catch up, reminisce, laugh, and cover a variety of subjects. It was nice to spend time together away from all the Christmas hustle and bustle. Here she is grilling...

...and me watching...

two friends from Unterkochen

This is a new game I bought for the Aalen gang. Zach and I tried it and liked it - a lot!

Zach reading the rules

This game was a return gift to me. It is also great and very funny!! I'll have it at my apartment if you ever want to try it.

Zach lost...

(He was actually just waiting for me to finish taking pictures of the game...but he did lose.)

Excursion to the Kocherursprung

2011-08-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Zachary, Steffi, and I set out this afternoon to see the Kocherursprung. The weather forecast was 0% chance of rain so we had absolutely no reason to fear getting wet.

These have been my makeshift hiking shoes for the past month.

We past some sheep on the way...

and had a nice view of my favorite church tower again.

the bridge

on toward the tunnel

I took the "Geheimweg"

On our way down to the spring, we wondered how we ever made it down their on our bikes without anyone getting hurt! The path seemed so bumpy and narrow...

Finally, we made it!

The water was bubbly and clear.

We came by this big rock.

The lake of shining water is where the fun began.

Zach decided to cross over here, because Steffi and I wanted to take pictures of the "lake."

We didn't think we could perform this task, though, so we decided to cross a bridge that we thought was just a little down stream. As it turned out, there was no bridge there, and the two paths angled away from each other, leaving trees and grassy areas between Zach and us two girls. Of course, to make things worse, it started poring down rain... Feeling a little bad about Zach being stuck without us and that he was getting rained on (even though we reassured him that it would NOT rain and that it was therefore safe to go on this excursion with us) we quickly made our way downstream. Finally, we were able to cross over and met Zach between the two paths. Coincidentally, there was a little roof there, that we took cover under until the rain stopped (temporarily...)

Once we had looked around some, we realized we were at the Kneippanlage.

First, we decided just to put our hands in the cold spring water.

But then, after taking a closer look at the harmless-looking main pool, we decided to walk around once. After all, it stimulates good blood circulation...

Before: are we really going to do this?

It looks cold!

After: why did we do that?

As we looked for a way to get back onto the running path, it started raining again. So, we walked to the Sporthalle and waited for Daddy to pick us up. Thankfully, Steffi had the presence of mind to grab her cell phone as we were leaving the house. We waited at the little chapel under this big tree for our ride.

Thank you Steffi and Zach for going on this adventure with me! It was totally worth it!!

Church & Food

2011-08-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, Zach and I played pool with the youth group. It took us about one hour to finish one game (Zach won).

Afterwards, we went to see "The Zookeeper." We both thought it was very funny and want to see it again in English.

Tacos for lunch on Sunday...

imported Orangina from France - thank you Steffi and Dietmar!

Grosses sponsored Greek food from Delphi for lunch today. Thank you! It was super delicious!!

For me: Gemischter Salat

Souvlaki with rice

more fancy cake after the church service

fun gummi dessert

In Ulm, um Ulm und um Ulm herum...

2011-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Today, Zach and I took the train from Unterkochen to Ulm to do a little sightseeing.

driving in the train backwards

Heading toward our first and most impressive landmark - the Ulmer Münster

We arrived there at 11 sharp and got to hear the bells from the Münsterplatz.

First we went inside of the church. We found the original Ulmer Spatz...

Once we had seen the inside of the church, we began our ascent to the top of the steeple. This is where it began...

looking back

looking ahead

up, up, up we went

getting closer...

some views on the way up

This is the final staircase to the very top of the steeple. As you can imagine, facing oncoming traffic was a bit of a challenge.

Yay!

the view from the top

Bahnhofstrasse and Hauptbahnhof

police station

Donau

Ready to go back down ALL those stairs...

Part of the way down, there is a little room right above the bells. It looks like this may have been where the bell ringers used to live.

On our way down, we walked right past this bell as it began striking noon. It was fascinating to watch this massive bell ring and ring.

back on solid ground

Here are some of the things we saw around town...

old Rathaus

Donau

I love this house!

rose garden

These two little old ladies were enjoying a little chat by the river.

old city wall

According to Ulm's website, the city is famous for having lots of fountains. We saw a few of them.

The Einstein fountain, in particular, was one I wanted to see. It took us a little while to locate it, but it was well worth the search.

While Zach was contemplating life at the fountain of scientific wisdom...

...I was working on my best imitation of Einstein's face.

This is the Einstein monument close to the train station.

You can take the boy out of America, but you can't take the American out of the boy. Just like real tourists, we stopped in at McDonald's before we got on the train back home. Zach enjoyed a Stakehouse Classic meal complete with American fries.

Check this out!

(Click on "older posts" to view pictures of Unterkochen)

Scenic Unterkochen

2011-08-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Catholic church up on the hill (with the off-centered clock ~ don't know what the story is behind that...bugs me every time I look at it...)

Unterkochen

looking back toward Aalen

my new running path

happy sheep seeking shelter from the sun in the shade (maybe they sensed the rain coming as well?)

This sign has caused quite the local controversy. Apparently, the Ortsvorsteher Karl Maier had it put up without notifying the city. The other Stadtbezirke don't seem to agree with it. I think it's kind of funny...

"downtown"

Bahnhof

Brunnen at Bahnhof

Elephants!

Aaah, they got me...

former Kindergarten

food pictures of the day...

pig pasta with pig tails

two of my favorite salty snacks

instrument cookies

Schweinemuseum Stuttgart

2011-08-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

On our way back from Basel, Zach and I got out in Stuttgart to meet up with Steffie. We met at the "Schweinemuseum Stuttgart" which I had eagerly been anticipating. It is the biggest museum of its kind worldwide! See this link for more details. (And while you're viewing the website, you may just want to bookmark it for your next visit to the Stuttgart area. You won't want to miss this one-of-a-kind museum.)

the view from out front

some new friends I made

This one was tied up out front. He must have been naughty.

I have posted LOTS of pictures, so that you can see how diverse this museum is. I am sure you will notice that some items are more "valuable" than others... Just understand that this is meant to wet your appetite. There is much more to see and looking at this blog post can in no way substitute for the pleasure of experiencing it in person.

overlooking my kingdom

Steffie liked the "öko" section

We wish you a piggy Christmas...

Destiny brought us together...

piggy banks

We found an elephant among all the piggy banks. Poor guy was lost...

The walls in this room are entirely covered by Setzkasten. Pictures just wouldn't do it justice, so I had to take a video from the center of the room.

We stopped into the children's play room.

I thought these glass pigs looked like storm troopers.

for Mommy

I wish I could have taken this home for my apartment door.

two fascinated observers

This was hanging in one of the hallways. Not sure what the message of this art set is...

Some of you may recognize this scene from the gospels. Never quite pictured it THIS way...

This room had a pig in a box for each day of the year. Here is Zach's birthday box...

Steffie imitating the look on her birthday pig

and my pig

musical pigs

American pigs

German pigs

signing the guest book

Of course, we stopped in at the gift shop. We bought enough for the lady at the register to give us a free plastic pig bag!

saying goodbye to my new friend

After the museum we went into downtown Stuttgart to get something to eat and spend some more time with Steffie. Zach had a Hawaiian Döner. He said it was just a regular one with added pineapple pieces.

We had this in the train back to Aalen. An all-time Freibad favorite.

These are some more Ritter Sport billboards at the train station in Stuttgart. I thought they were pretty clever...

(Click on "older posts" to see other updates I just published.)

Trip to Basel to see Mandukas

2011-08-03T03:36:00.000-07:00

After church on Sunday, we hit the road and set off toward the Swiss border to visit the Mandukas. We spent all day Monday with them and then drove back north Tuesday morning. As it turns out, August 1st is the Swiss Independence Day. So Sunday night, the 31st, we went downtown Basel to watch an impressive firework display from a bridge crossing over the Rhein river. Here are some impressions from Basel.

Zach super loved the bus ride

people gathered all along the river

This was our position - right in the center of a bridge facing toward the Münster and the firework boats.

getting darker now...

Before the fireworks began, they released a ton of sparkly lantern type things into the air. I believe they were for a charity or in memory of something/someone. (It was hard to understand the voice coming through the speakers.) They reminded us a lot of the lanterns in "Tangled."

Then two big boats loaded with fireworks made their way up the river into their firing positions.

It is always difficult to capture the magnificence of fireworks on pictures, but here are a few that turned out well.

And here are a couple of videos to give a better impression of the whole scene. (I apologize for the sideways view. Not sure how to flip videos.)

Monday, we went for a long walk and had some good views of Basel and also the town in Germany that Kathy, Dave, and Linda live in.

two young friends =)

some interesting houses in the area

Visit at Kolsters

2011-08-03T03:26:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Kolsters (Daniel, Nadine, Salome, and Grace) had us over for dinner one night. We had a nice time of fellowship and of course a wonderful meal. Mommy brought the perfect little gift for Salome. Books with stickers! Here they are hard at work.

Grace had to protect her pacifier from Daddy who kept pulling it out of her mouth.

Two hungry girls...

Daniel and Nadine prepared a lovely meal for us. Grilled meat, delicious salads, and a yummy dessert.

They even got some special Greek treats for us.

Work, Fun, and Food

2011-08-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

A trip to Müller resulted in Daddy and Mommy getting me all these CD's. Thank you! Some have music on them that I have wanted for school and others are for my own chilling cello enjoyment.

It would seem that Germany is claiming these three composers as natives...

Zach working hard...

...or hardly working?

I've always enjoyed playing board games and Zach has been gracious enough to help me make up for all the times I haven't been able to play with anyone. It's been fun to play some old time classics and try new games, as well. Thanks for being such a good sport, Zach!

And here are some more delicious food pictures.

Raclett

Schupfnudeln (without Sauerkraut - my preference)

with Sauerkraut (everyone else's preference)

Chinakohl

Sunday roast

little Spätzle

Steffie & Hans-Martin's Wedding

2011-07-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Steffie and Hans-Martin's wedding. They had it outdoors at a "Burgruine" in Leofels. The weather cooperated beautifully. It was a little windy and chilly, but there wasn't a drop of rain and by the end of the ceremony, we could even see the sun come out from behind the clouds. These are some pictures Steffi took with her camera to give you at least a few impressions of a fun and eventful day.

The musicians met (for the first time) that morning for a sound check and rehearsal.

Daniel arranged Bach's "Jesu" for voice, violin, 3 celli, and piano. That was Steffie's processional which sounded very nice and was just the right length. Thank you, Daniel!

the "sanctuary"

Daddy and Dietmar testing the chairs

some decorations

cutting the cake (or one of them) which Sigrid from church made

the main course at dinner

two old friends after the ceremony...

Concert in Lorch

2011-07-25T02:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend Isabelle is a violinist in an ensemble by the name of Ensemble Cordial. They focus primarily on Baroque music. Zach and I got to hear them in concert Sunday night at the Kloster Lorch bei Schwäbisch Gmünd. It was very nice AND we were invited to the VIP reception afterward!!

Waiting for the concert to begin (in the last row, freezing our little buns off!)

Anyone recognize this man???

This picture of the ensemble was printed in the program. Isabelle is the one on the far right.

the view from our seats

Isabelle is the second violinist from the left.

Here we are after the concert.

Here is a little sound snippet. Isabelle is on the right side by the organist.

A little snack for the ride home. Thanks, Zach, for accompanying me!

Singing and Baking

2011-07-25T01:54:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday night, Zach had a school choir performance. They sang a nice variety of songs and the students seemed very "into it." There is Zach in the back.

And here he is singing/acting out a little solo. Nice job, Zach!

At this point, the only evidence I have of a wedding on Saturday are these cookie pictures. As soon as I get pictures from other people's cameras I will post more. I helped Steffie bake these for the Sektempfang. (The tower of cookies on this pictures was the last batch - the one you always forget in the oven and then bake too long...) We used the left-over dough to form a snow man since it was cold out and it felt like we were baking Plätzchen.

We made two designs. One is pictured below, the other had the wedding date stamped on it. They turned out very nice and tasted delicious. Good idea for future events...

Yummy Food in Aalen

2011-07-25T01:42:00.000-07:00

This is a new edition of the OVA bus. Pretty snazzy...

And this should be a familiar sight to many of you. The only way to get from the bus stop to lunch... Our house is the 3rd from the left, peaking out behind the trees.

One day last week, I met Steffie for pizza and some last minute wedding planning.

The pizza at the front of the picture was mine ~ my all time favorite: Schicken Champignon

This, of course, I had been looking forward to for months. Zach and I went to eat Döner for lunch at our favorite Döner place! Waiting patiently in line...

mit allem ohne Scharf

bring it on...

Sunday

2011-07-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Daniel leading the music on Sunday morning

See anyone you know?

a couple of classic poses of a well-known preacher around here...

Lunch at church: Alu-wrapped ham&cheese sandwiches with a few sides/condiments

After lunch, there was an English church service followed by a very impressive cake buffet. This was like walking into a bakery and choosing whatever your heart desired at no cost! Check out the close-ups below...

A Busy Saturday

2011-07-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday was an action-filled day for me. Even Zach was up early for an orchestra rehearsal. As you can tell from his expression, he was really happy that I walked in on him doing THIS! I will let this picture speak for itself...

Then I caught him doing THIS at the front door... (It takes one to know one, Zach. Don't feel bad.)

I met Steffie (the bride-to-be) in town for a little coffee and catching up...

... and then we went up to the Rosenstein with some ladies and girls from the church. This was the view from the top of the hill.

Back at the church, it was time to set up for the English movie night. Steffie making napkin art on the buffet table...

sweet treats...

salty treats...

all the goodies

The biggest surprise of the evening was seeing Frau Felber ~ my 3rd- and 4th-grade teacher! It was fun to see her after all those years... I was mostly impressed with all the details she remembered about Monica, Thomas, Steffi, Zach, and me who were all students of hers at one time. What an inspiring woman! Special greetings to all of you who had her for a teacher.

Trip to Ditzingen/Stuttgart

2011-07-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

I drove to Stuttgart on Thursday to visit my violin friend (Isabelle) and then traveled on to Ditzingen to spend the night and Friday with Steffi and Dietmar. This is them preparing delicious salads for dinner in their new-to-me kitchen. (BTW, they did not purposefully wear matching outfits and strike matching poses for this picture.)

Mmmmmm... The Speckies and real Swiss cheese made these salads especially tasty!

Steffi and Dr. D

Who could resist this?!?

Friday morning, Steffi and I left Dietmar to do some coursework and headed to Metzingen to the outlet stores. Before we left town, we stopped to fill the car with gas. Which one, which one?

I thought the ultimate diesel looked pretty nice...

fuel for the car

fuel for me

Lindt outlet

Mission accomplished!

For dinner, the Grosses generously treated Mommy, Daddy, Zach, and me for a fabulous dinner at Maredo in downtown Stuttgart. The food was SOOO delicious and we had a lovely time!

salad buffet

steak and potato

all gone

For dessert, we went to an ice cream stand and everyone chose two scoops of ice cream.

This was a funny sign we spotted at the train station before us "Aalen-dwellers" took the train back home.

Around the House

2011-07-18T01:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy first few days. I've traveled some already and seen LOTS of people. But all the activity has helped get me back into speaking and thinking in German. These are a few first impressions.

placemats - perfectly positioned

the coffee station

Sprudel

one of my favorite candy bars

This last picture is a tribute to my favorite local bank back in Marion. When I tried to withdraw money from an ATM here in Aalen, the transaction was not authorized and my account was immediately shut down. When I called the bank, they had cleared the lock down within a half an hour. I was impressed with their caution and quick response. Now I know that no one can steal my debit card and make withdrawals in a foreign country without raising suspicion.

There's No Place Like HOOOOOOME!

2011-07-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

After a long day of travel I arrived in Stuttgart yesterday morning, around 8 am. Due to a delay in Chicago, my suitcase didn't quite make the connection in Newark, but I am prayerfully hoping that it will be delivered to Aalen today or tomorrow.

Since it has been several years since I have gotten to see Germany in the summertime, I was hoping to get some good aerial shots of the countryside. The weather and cloud coverage was ideal. First, here are a few sky pictures...

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Proverbs 3:22-23

We passed this plane in the air.

a sea of clouds

This group of clouds reminded me of Manhattan. The clouds stood up like little sky rises. Zach says you had to be there, but I definitely see a resemblance.

I see land below!

a river reflecting the early morning sunlight

beautiful valley between checkered fields

cute little town - can you spot the church in the center?

From Stuttgart, Daddy and I took a train for the final stretch to Aalen.

on the S-Bahn from the airport to Bad Cannstatt

my final destination

first meal back at home: Grilled Rosemary Chicken and Red Peppers

with Cucumber Relish

Answer to prayer: Since May 24th, when I submitted my application and paid for my 5-year Professional Educator's License, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of it in the mail. I was hoping it would arrive before I left for Germany just so my mind could be at peace about it. I guess I had to leave the country for the Indiana Dept. of Education to act on my application. Finally, yesterday, I received a confirmation email that it had been renewed. As it turns out, I have to print out my own copy of the license. I guess that's one way for the state to save money... =)

Runners, It's Registration Time

2011-06-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Who's up for running a marathon? The early registration deadline is Thursday, June 30th. I just did it. To join me in signing up, click here. For those of you who still cringe at the thought of running 26.2 miles (I would include myself in that group) just remember - the race is still over 3 months away. We can do this!

If you are in Columbus on Saturday, July 9th, you could participate in "Run Fest" to get motivated and scout out some of the competition.

Birthday Week Comes to a Close...

2011-06-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

For my final birthday celebration I headed to Columbus. Monica and I had a combined birthday cook-out at the Rudy's. Check out all the delicious food we ate...

Yum, yum! Thanks for hosting the party, Rudys! It was fun to eat, talk, laugh, and visit with you!

Who's a Real Runner Now??

2011-06-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Team P and d&e who helped sponsor a pair of new running shoes for my birthday, I was able to get these "custom-made" shoes at the Columbus Running Company. I love the way they fit and can't wait to take them out for a run!

More Birthday Fun

2011-06-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

The fun continues... Tuesday evening, I had dinner with Jody in Winona Lake. After dinner, we walked around the village a little, sat by the lake, caught up, and laughed a lot. Wednesday evening, I had birthday cake and ice cream with the kids from church. They also sang "Happy Birthday" for me twice!
Two of my Marion friends (Angela and Jason) took me out to eat after church. We went to my favorite restaurant, Applebee's, and then had dessert at Culvers. YUM!

I may have accidentally eaten about a month's worth of candy during the past two days. Who else thinks birthday candy should be excluded from candy-free June?

Next stop...birthday party with Monica at the Rudys' house this weekend!

June 15th, 1986 - Where It All Began

2011-06-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

To check out some pictures of me through the years click here.

Birthday Blast in Bremen

2011-06-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Monday evening, the Varners hosted a birthday party for me in Bremen. We had a lovely meal and great fellowship. Thank you Varners, Weimers, and Helen for celebrating with me!

Helen made these cool origami pigs as party favors.

the spread

center piece

allow me to break it down for you...

grilled chicken

with grilled balsamic onions

dip for the grilled chicken sandwiches

cowboy salsa

mixed green salad

carrot salad

for dessert ~ fruit salad

all my party guests

We partied and partied until the pigs came in... (come on, just humor me)

Pre-Birthday Post

2011-06-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

I was going to wait until next week to make a birthday post (really, I was) but with all these fun gifts arriving, I had no choice but to jump the gun. These things arrived from Germany. Thank you!! I sense a theme...

SPIDERS!!!

2011-06-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Summer has also brought a lot of little visitors to my apartment. I've vacuumed up 2-3 of these DAILY for the past week! I've become an expert spider-spotter. On a positive note, it has kept my carpet exceptionally clean (though probably not as clean as Elizabeth's).

The Tastes of Summer

2011-06-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

One of the many joys of having summers off is that I have time to cook all my meals and even try some new recipes. Here is a sample day's worth of food.

omelet for breakfast

roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, and olives for lunch (this recipe came from a "cooking light" magazine from d&e - thanks!)

dinner from cans (Daniel got me into canned sliced potatoes - easy, cheap, and so yummy)

and for dessert a lovely summer fruit salad - mmh...

I've missed having this much time to devote to the culinary arts...

Official Race Pix

2011-06-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to our official race pictures and a video of us crossing the finish line. This link will take you to my pictures/video. To view Elizabeth's, enter 2107 in the search field. Enter 2108 to see Daniel's images. Enjoy!!

2:14:15...I finished!

2011-06-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

Another half marathon completed! This one was in South Bend ~ the Sunburst Races - Half Marathon

At packet pick-up on Friday evening we saw this...

The race started at the College Football Hall of Fame downtown South Bend.

traditional pre-race snickers (clarification: I am committed to candy-free June. This was race fuel.)

3 runners with pre-race jitters sizing up the competition

at mile 12.5 or somewhere thereabouts with my race buddy Elizabeth (We were announced as we entered the stadium through the tunnel.)

We did it!

For more detailed results click here. Enter "Pappas" in the last name slot and it will show the results for Daniel, Elizabeth, and me.

Summer is HERE!!

2011-06-02T12:56:00.002-07:00

TWO YEARS COMPLETED!!! This is me enjoying my traditional end-of-the-year SKINNY vanilla latte.

The last day of school was "field day." The College Wesleyan Church, which is located near our school, organized all the games and brought lots of volunteers. The theme was "Minute to Win It." Helen and I spent the day with a fourth grade. We had a really nice group of kids and the weather was sunny and breezy. Here are pictures of some of the games we played and a couple of videos.
HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!!!

some cute Kindergartners