MeRrY ChRiStMaS 2014!

On As we got in the car to return home from Austria, Isaac asked if he could play his tablet.   I replied, "No. Look out your window.  I want you to look at something beautiful."  "I've been looking at something beautiful all week."  I concure.

Santa Notes

Benjamin may have written my favorite note ever to Santa Claus.  Technically he dictated while Eric was scribe.  (Mom had to prompt the scribe to stop prompting Benjamin and just write exactly what he said.)

Dear Santa Claus,

We can give your reindeers some carrots.  We don't have any cookies for you (this was actually repeated twice).  We can give you hot cocoa and a cheese stick (evidently not two).

I have been a good boy.  Some of the kids are on the naughty list. I will be sad with them.

Merry Christmas!  And Merry Christmas to the bad kids...and the good kids.

B

Brussels, Ghent (I Wish I Had Beaming Powers Kelly),& Achen

After Italy, we decided to keep it closer to home.  

We went into Brussels, 

 ate Neuhaus...of course

 Reed became one with the locals, seriously, EVERYONE is this kid's friend,

 Tiers bought some hoity-toity macaroons,

 we ate at our favoirte frit place,

and passed by le Petit Julien.

The next day we went to beautiful Ghent.  Love this city. 

 Who is this dude?

 And who is THAT dude right in the middle of things?

 A little boy and a little door (that sounds like a book title, eh?)

 Love the stepped-gable roofs in Belgium.  They are very old-school charming. 

 Achen was next on the list.  Though this is not your typical Achen picure, I do think Tierney looks like she belongs in Time magazine in this picture, and hence this became the Achen picture.  

 We went on October 3, which is a holiday in Germany for the reunification of Western and Eastern Germany.  So mostly everything (but the cool stuff) was closed. 

 Benjamin loved this air vent. 

 Mmm maybe this is the church where Charlemagne...mmm ruled? for a time...and maybe he was burried here.   Um, you can google it. 

 Benjamin loves dogs, and I love his dimple.

 This is one of the coolest fountains I have ever seen.  It has movable parts and is intended to be touched and manipulated. 

 I am a sucker for street performers. 

Tierney introduced us to Spaghetti Ice. Mmmm

 It may look savory but really it is sweet; vanilla icecream, strawberry sauce, and grated white chocolate flakes.  Mmm-mmm-good. 

 We took a few pictures...and one day (probably in the very far distance) Andrew will thank me.

 And we gorged ourselves at the Neuhaus outlet store.  I dont think A and Tiers believed me when I said you have a bit and then throw the rest away. 

 And they all lived happily ever after.  THE END

Tuscany trip 2014: Cinque terre

This place is so beautiful, it almost doesn't seem real. 

 My favorite part of this pic, is not the view, but rather, how Eric is holding Benjamin.  Okay, okay, enough talk already.  There was to much yadda yadda yadda-ing on the last post.

Seth was out swimming in the Mediterranean when he screached so loudly everyone on the beach craned their necks to see who was being attacked by a shark.  It wasn't a shark, BUT he now shares something with Dori from Nemo, he got stung by a jellyfish.  Later you could see the imprint of the entire jellyfish, including the tentacles, on his leg. Ouch!

That night, we left the cinque terre and the troops were famished.  We pulled into a parking lot and asked the parking dude if he could recommend a good place to eat.  Boy howdy, am I glad we asked him.  I think La pia was the best pizza we had on the trip.