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Personal Notes

Frau VestberrY: Dispensing Magic like Merlin

by Toiny 16 February 2013
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Dane is having a hard time integrating into the new kindy.  It weighs me down and hurts my heart.  It is a very small village, all the kids have known each other since birth. Probably before.  I imagine them high-fiving through their mothers wombs.  It’s hard to break into this tough crowd. Thankfully he still [...]

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Fasching 2013

by Toiny 13 February 2013
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Sunday, for the second year running, we went to the big Fasching (Mardi Gras, Carnaval) parade.  This year we went to the gorgeous, I’m-in-love, Weil Der Stadt.  It was spectacular.  Amazing.  Freezing.  And two hours long.  I think I’m still struggling to feel my toes. Weil Der Stadt does it bigger & better than Ergenzingen [...]

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He Drank the Koolaid

by Toiny 9 February 2013
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Wednesday evening, after the newsletter had gone out, Tess & I finally, successfully got milk fresh from the cow! Fresh, warm, creamy.  Incredibly delicious and a new, weekly, must-have, extra errand to run. In the meantime, it’s been snowing every day.  Not quite non-stop, but close. It is a stunning, breath-taking winter wonderland.  I’ve already [...]

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Milking Cows. Part II.

by Toiny 6 February 2013
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On Saturday we had guests!  Dave’s boss, wife and three kiddo’s stopped by for a little house tour, socializing & dinner.  There is truly nothing I love more than a houseful of people.  When there are kids to spare, my day is complete.  It was one of those perfect afternoons where all the kids, ages 2 [...]

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Milking Cows. Part I.

by Toiny 2 February 2013
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Unlike Dane, Tess has settled into our new little village like a fish taking to water.  From day one she had new friends, and it’s rare to see her outside of the house alone.  Sometimes it’s rare to catch her alone in the house, though she’s taken to hiding in nooks & crannies with her [...]

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Skype > Par Avion

by Toiny 30 January 2013
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I’m homesick.  The snow has turned to rain and outside it is muddy & gray.  It matches my mood.  My home, what I think of as home, is no longer there.  Or rather, not part of my family anymore.  My parents sold our home, the one in California, years ago.  But it is this home [...]

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Showers are no Fun

by Toiny 26 January 2013
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I’m not sure what possessed the former owners of our new home, but the shower, our shower, is a handheld-only kind of thing.  It’s not laying on the floor of the shower or anything, it’s neatly hanging on it’s shower holder-thingy.  But in order to use it on me, as opposed to watering the bathroom [...]

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Five is a Bad, Bad, Age

by Toiny 23 January 2013
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Dane is five.  I’ve always said, with all six kids, that five is my least favorite age.  Throw in a big move, and five is really turning me upside down on a daily basis.  I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for him to be away from his school, his friends, his house and at [...]

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The Perfect Sledding Hill

by Toiny 19 January 2013
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It’s been snowing in the Schwarzwald (black forest)!  I absolutely love the fluffy, white, cold.  My kids too can spend all day outside, only coming in to change mittens or boots and grab a drink of hot cocoa.  Driving is a little slippery, a little scary, and I’m not super inclined to come down off [...]

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Kikeriki!

by Toiny 16 January 2013
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This morning I spied a little bit of light peeking around the houses & the trees as we left the house. I couldn’t capture it in my early morning photo, but it is there!  I promise.  The shortest day of the year is almost a month past, and it finally is showing up in our [...]

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