Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Muttertag und Fruhlingfest

Warning:  This post is photo heavy!  View at your own risk!

Muttertag und Fruhlingfest...that's German for Mother's Day and Spring Festival, and that's what went down this weekend!  What a special weekend it was for me as a first time mom!  Malu will say that the entire week was a celebration for me because we ended up going out to eat almost every night.  I think was truly because we didn't have any food in the house and neither of us felt like or had time to go grocery shopping (it was a busy school/work week for us).  So nice try, babe.  Either way, it was kinda nice (and we're not doing it this week!).  On Saturday evening, however, he took me on our usual walk into town for dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant.  Not only was it the start of Mother's Day weekend, we were also celebrating the fact that Sina turned 9 months old the day prior!


Beef with broccoli & fried rice.  My favorites!


My sweet girl

We finished the evening at home with this fantastic recipe for No-Fried Fried Ice Cream--a recipe that I found after Cinco de Mayo and is absolute heaven-in-a-bowl.


I'll be posting the recipe on my cooking blog soon!  We then cuddled up on the couch and started watching the Lawrence of Arabia DVD that I borrowed from the library (hey! I'm catching up on old flicks!).  That didn't last too long...I fell asleep.  I was exhausted!  It was still a lovely evening. 

On Sunday morning, Malu and I shared a good laugh when he presented me with a card that he'd printed out here at home.  Remember how I said it had been a very busy week for the both of us?  Well, I don't think he ever got around to getting me an actual card.  I also don't think he realized it until Saturday evening.  Not only that, the gift that he ordered me didn't get here on time. So, this piece of paper had a very sweet message as well as a picture of the sewing machine that will be arriving in the mail here soon. 


I've been wanting a sewing machine for quite some time, so I'm as thrilled as can be (and I can't wait to learn how to use it!).  So even though the paper card thing was kind of ghetto...it was sweet.  After all, it's the thought that counts, right?  Thanks babe!  Oh, and forgive the early morning hairdos in this photo!

That day, Malu took Sina and I to the Spring Festival in Bad Cannstatt, which was about a 20-25 minute drive.  It was a gorgeous day and we just had to be out in it.  For some reason, I was expecting this festival to be out in the countryside, with green grass to sit out on and shady trees to lay out under.  Ummmm....nope.  It was just your typical carnival in the middle of this town. And instead of grass or trees, they have huge beer tents and beer gardens (biergarten) throughout the fairgrounds.  Darn it.

We decided to walk around for a little bit...and of course, to try as much fair food as our bellies could handle. Since we were there earlier in the day, it wasn't too crowded, which was nice.  The party-goers usually don't arrive until afternoon/evening, although some people were out there getting their "drink on" pretty early.  Also, it was nice to see a bunch of people sporting their dirndl and lederhosen (traditional Bavarian garb).  I was almost tempted to buy both Malu and I are own outfits just to fit in!

Anyway, here are some of my favorite pics...enjoy!


At the entrance to the festival


There were huge beer tents (some that were invitation-only) and small biergartens like this one that we had lunch at.


We enjoyed a meal of dampknudel with sauerkraut and 1/2 meter-long feuerwurst (like bratwurst).


Don't worry mom...Sina didn't really eat this, but she sure as heck wanted to!


Another view of the ferris wheel.


I wanted Malu to try out his first real crepe.  See all those Nutella jars?  We had that and fresh strawberries in ours. Yum!


And what's a fair without balloons?  At this point, Sina was still waking up from her nap (before I took those pictures that I posted yesterday).

We decided that carnivals aren't as much fun when you have a little baby.  Or maybe it's that way when you don't have some other people with you to hold on to the baby while you go on the cool rides or into the beer tents to throw back a mug or two.

Still, I wouldn't have changed that day for anything in the world.  I had my two main squeezes with me and that's all that mattered.  I'm so thankful to the both of them for making me feel so special this weekend!

If you made it to the end of this post...I applaud you!  I'm exhausted just from uploading all of these pictures!

Hope everyone's having a great week so far!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Our Fair Lady

I'm experiencing computer problems at the moment (for some reason, my laptop isn't connecting to the internet), so I'm "borrowing" a few minutes off my husband's computer.  Thank goodness he's so amenable to my blogging needs!

I can't sit here forever and blog about how great this Mother's Day weekend was.  I'll save that for another day (hopefully tomorrow).  However, I did want to share some cute pics of our little girl at the fruehlingfest, or Spring Festival, in Cannstatt Wasen, Stuttgart.  The event was just one big carnival/fair and we enjoyed it as well as the perfect weather.

~Happy~

~Happier~

~Happiest~

Oh, how we love her!

Until next time....Happy Monday!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Mother's Day weekend so far!  I posted this on my Facebook page after stealing it from someone else's.  It rings so true and speaks exactly of my mother, who means the absolute world to me.


A Mother's Love...
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints,
Calm all of our fears.
A Mother's Love...
Can share the joy we feel when something we've dreamed about quite suddenly is real.
A Mother's Faith...
Can help us on life's way,
Inspire in us the confidence we need from day to day.
For a Mother's Heart, a Mother's Faith, and a Mother's steadfast Love were fashioned by the Angels,
And sent from God above.

Thanks mom....for showing me this kind of love in great abundance and for allowing me to pass it on to my daughter, who has completely turned my life upside-down and inside-out with mind-boggling happiness.  Becoming a mom has changed me, in every way.  Of the many roles I have assumed in my life, this is the only one that has brought me true fulfillment beyond all imagination and I look forward to the many more years to come.

I also pass these sentiments on to both of my Grandmothers--Ines and Rosa--who are both still going strong at 80+ years.  Both are bold, beautiful and awe-inspiring women...women of God.  I wish them many more years in their lives.

And I know that my husband joins me in recognizing both his mother, Fuamoli, and most especially his Grandma Lema, who made him the respectable man he is today.

We love all of you and honor you today.

Have a blessed weekend!

The picture above was taken in April 2010 at my baby shower in Colorado Springs and is one of my favorite photos of my mom and I. I was five months pregnant at the time.  My, how time has flown!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Military Spouse Appreciation Day!


I found this picture on Erin's blog, Every Branch.  Isn't it lovely?  Happy Military Spouse's Day to all the fabulous military spouses out there.  We all know that behind every servicemember--be it Soldier, Airman, Sailor, or Marine--is one heck of a significant other, whose unwavering support and unconditional love we could not be without.  Pat yourselves on the back today!

I'm gonna pat my husband on the back because he's one heck of a super-stud military spouse,  a far-out awesome dad, and my biggest fan.  I would not be able to do what I do everyday if it weren't for his love, constant guidance and encouragement.

And if it's okay, I'm going to pat myself on the back because I know I'm one heck of a military spouse myself :)

This day is doubly special because our baby girl is exactly 9 months old today...


...but I'll save her monthly update for another post, maybe on Monday after she's had her 9 month check-up.  And by the way, Malu said he was trying to do the front "poof" hairstyle that his sister, Lulu, sports.  Nice try, babe.  Nice try.  The outfit is so cute though, no?
Happy Friday you guys!  Weekend....woo hoo!!!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Cinco de Mayo!

We had potluck at work today to celebrate el Cinco de Mayo.  Actually, I think it was more of a reason to get together for a big feast than it was to celebrate the actually holiday.  We love to do that here.  You guys, it was a HUGE, stinkin' potluck.  I mean, it was the bomb diggity.  We had more food than we knew what to do with.  There were salsas, 7-layer Mexican dips, tortilla soups, tortilla chips, enchiladas....just food....everywhere.  It was insane.  But DELICIOUS!

I made these bad boys and they were soooooooo gooooooood, I felt like I really had to share them with you guys.


Tres Leches Coconut Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream

Ay, ay, ay!

Guys, these were TO DIE FOR.

I mean really.

The recipe is posted on my cooking blog, so check it out.

And lucky me...I've got some leftover frosting in a big bowl in my fridge.  I might just have to make some chocolate cupcakes tomorrow!

How did you spend your Cinco de Mayo?

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Chocolate Giveaway Winner!

Hey guys!  Thanks to all those who entered my giveaway.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am at the response I received.  Behold...the power of CHOCOLATE!!!

picture courtesy of coupondad.net

I am pleased to announce (after fiddling with random.org for forever) that the winner of this giveaway is:

Melissa

of

Together We Have It All


And I can't think of a better winner, really.  Melissa is the reason I started blogging in the first place.  We go way back, you see.  As in high school.  Not only is she gorgeous with a beautiful family, she has a photography business that is blooming!  She does fabulous work, so go and check her blog out, or, if you live anywhere near North Carolina, have her do a nice photo shoot for ya!

Melissa...the chocolates are on the way this week!

Thanks again to all who entered.  I'll definitely be going more giveaways in the future.  I'll be in Germany for a while, so I'll definitely be making more runs to the chocolate factory!

Monday, May 2, 2011

{05.01.11}

May 1, 2011...another date in U.S. history that will live in infamy. I was at work this morning, around 0645, when I finally connected to the outside world via the internet to find out that Osama Bin Laden had been found, killed and buried at sea.

I don't usually relish the thought of someone being killed, but I must admit that I did exhale a ginormous sigh of relief when it all settled in. Now I didn't go buck-wild crazy with excitement as I saw many do on the news in front of the White House and on ground zero in New York City. Instead, I thought of all the men and women that lost their lives during the attacks orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden on 9/11. I thought of all the servicemen and women who lost their lives in defense of our freedom, as well as those who served overseas and continue to serve today and are in harm's way.

photo courtesy of flickr.com
I wish I could say this war is over, but it's not.  Unfortunately, Osama Bin Laden is just one in an extremely long line of terrorists trying to bring our Nation down.  We've merely scratched the surface.  So we must be vigilant--more now than ever before.  However, let this victory be a message to our enemies that as a Nation under God, we Americans are an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

I am definitely proud to be a part of that force. I'm proud to be an American.

Go USA!

Don't forget....today is the last day to enter my Ritter Sport Chocolate Giveaway!  Winner will be announced tomorrow!

My photo
Welcome! I'm a thirty-something mom, Army Officer & Army Wife currently stationed in Germany with my Soldier and beautiful baby girl. I love baking, traveling, shopping, being with my family, and all things red and CHOCOLATE. The Army life is a crazy one and brings forth new challenges and experiences every day, but we are sustained by our faith as well as the love and support of our family and friends. Hope you enjoy following along on our adventures!



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