off to GErmany

I'm off for my first trip and so excited!

I am leaving at 10:30 today to go to Mannheim Germany to meet a friend from Hope.  We will be going to Frankfurt tonight to see a Jason Mraz concert and then going to some oktoberfestish thing in Stuttgart on Saturday.  I am so excited to explore a new place and to be with someone from home, it should be a great weekend.  I will post all about it on Sunday or Monday

Safe travels and godspeed to me!

2 Pizzas for the price of one...best weekend ever

This weekend we had some of the most beautiful weather since I have been here, it was almost 70 degrees and sunny everyday, which makes a huge difference compared to the usual rainy and cloudy forecast.

Saturday morning I went in to the city around noon and was able to walk around the farmers market for a while and enjoy all the fresh produce and beautiful flowers.  After buying some strawberries and baby artichokes (for Eleanor) I decided to do some exploring and try to find some parts of the city I had never been to.  So I walked around for about an hour and found some really pretty old buildings as well as a really nice canal that mad me feel like I was in venice for a about a minute.  I ended up on a park bench where I indulged in some strawberries and Harry Potter four.  After some time with Harry I was walking back to the bus when I decided to stop for lunch at a little Italian to-go ish cafe and I asked for a margherita pizza and the guy told me he would reduce the price if I got the two he had left and he was like "ah one pizza is 4 euro 50 but i give you two pizzas for 4 euro 50" I was like "Yes please!" And then I ate my two pizzas for the price of one while I waited for my bus...i love this place

After some time in the city I went home to meet the family and then we headed off to Stiensel- for an apple picking festival.  The orchard was so beautiful and they had some tents set up with different apple treats.  We picked two big crates full of apples as well as some delicious black berries and got to enjoy fresh apple juice and apple donuts.  Once we were all appled out we headed home for steak, baby artichokes, and potatoes.  After dinner I went to the cinema with Rachel and two friends-Mark and Manu where we saw Wall-E which I really enjoyed and would reccommend to all. Not only was it enjoyable in the Disney sense but also a witty commentary on our generation that really makes you think.  

Yesterday, I started off the day with a really good church service then went to lunch with some friends after church, to a really cute Italian restaurant right in the city center.  After lunch I ended up going ice skating with some friends which was so fun and I actually surprised myself with my mad ice skating skills, I think I am going to try to go more so I can be doing double axels when I come home at Christmas.  After ice skating we got some Subway (pretty popular here in Lux) and went over to another friends apartment where we ended up watching a movie and just hanging out.  So it was a great weekend overall and I am really enjoying making new friends and getting to know all the people I have met so far.  I feel so lucky that I was introduced to such good people because it makes the whole being so far from home thing a lot easier.

ps- It was brought to my attention recently that about 90% of this blog has revolved around food, and it was suggested that I title my blog "eating you way through Europe"...I just cant help it..i like to eat and if you don't want to hear about it, i'm sorry

The Farmers market in the city center that happens every 

Saturday and Wednesday

They have so many beautiful flowers

A picturesque canal that I stumbled upon during my walk on Saturday

Nathan and Colton testing the first apples

Lovely view at the apple orchard

So many apples so little time

Delicious freshly picked blackberries

A butterfly I found while picking berries

The extremely compilicated process of making fresh applejuice...basically they just throw a bunch of apples in this big crate, press them down, and out comes a sweet nectar of the gods

Some peeps at the apple festival

Incredible apple donuts

Colton enjoying some scrumptious apple treats

A view from my new favorite spot in the city

Another view, I frequently sit on these benches to enjoy a little 

Harry Potter and European pastry, plus the view isn't too bad

Some friendly Luxembourgish goats

So stinking cute!

me and a MASSIVE dog that we met at the kayaking place

what a face

yeah, huge!

This is the river that we canoed on and a bridge between Luxembourg and Germany

exploring lux

this is a pic I took while exploring some of the hiking trails by my house.
A really pretty chateau I saw on one of my walks
Cute house with a cute cat
Artistic window 
Historic window

I am joining a women's club...my life is so funny

I cant believe that I have almost been here for a whole month, time is flying!

The past couple of days have been really good.  Friday night I went over to Elizabeth's apartment and we made pizza together (my favorite!) and then watched pop star (the german version of American Idol...hilarious!).  Then Saturday I actually spent the whole day kayaking with the youth group from the church that I have been going to.  We kayaked down the most beautiful river that was right between France and Germany, I wish I had pictures but I didn't want to get my camera wet.  Anyways, it was great to get to know the kids and to be able to do something fun and outdoorsy here in Lux. I think I am going to go camping with them in a few weeks which should be really fun!

Then Saturday night, I had the boys while Eleanor went to a concert so I made a scrumptious dinner of fish sticks, corn, and mac and cheese then we watched Shrek 2- soooo good!  Sunday morning I went to Church and then over to Elizabeth's with some friends for brunch and a rousing game of catchphrase.  Then we had a very sporty day which included going to see a soccer game and two basketball games because Elizabeth and two of her good friends all play on Luxembourg national teams so we got to watch them all and it was a lot of fun. 

Something funny in my life is that I am going to sign up to join the American Women's Club, i know it sounds like a lot of old ladies sitting around playing bridge (which is partly true because they do have a bridge club) but they have a ton of activities during the day (like a cooking club and a hiking club on fridays, which i am really excited about) that will keep me busy. Okay, that's it for now, kisses from Luxembourg!

I had a request for more pictures with me in them so this is a picture of Rachel and I on one of our first days exploring the city.  

ps-note my new very European scarf 

(which goes quite nicely with my new purple coat)

Everyone needs a purple coat

Greetings from the chilly city of Luxembourg where it is presently about 8 degreed celsius (I dont know what that is in farenheit but who cares because it is darn cold) and I desperately miss the hot sun of Chicago.  But besides the wheather things here are quite pleasant.   These are some recent updates in my ultra glamorous European life:

1. I have been doing a lot of driving alot lately which means that I am actually beginning to sort of learn my way around (and by this I mean I have gotten lost so many times and driven around in so many circles that it would be impossible not to have some understanding of where things are...mind you i even have a GPS in my car)

2. I went shopping with Rachel on Monday in the city and I bought an amazing purple coat, which leads me to my next point that I believe everyone needs a bright purple coat at some point in their life, seriously it is so fun and I feel so edgy and vibrant when I wear it...I think it will be my Europe coat.

3.  I am afraid I am turning in to a mom (or maybe just a responsible adult) But here is some evidence: 

a)I frequently call the boys by the dog's name 

b)yesterday I actually said to Colton "Do you really think the living room table is the best place for this sock?"

c)I am starting to become a neat freak and I wipe down the kitchen counter about 5 times a day

d)I frequently have to tell Nathan to turn down the volume on his video games because it gives me a headache, and am starting to believe that they really do fry your brains

4. I found a church that I REALLY like and am going to volunteer with the youth group.  My first outing is this Saturday, I will be joining them for a canoeing adventure in Northern Luxembourg so I am really excited to meet some cool people and enjoy nature!

I guess that's all for now.  I will be going to the military base with the family tomorrow to get some yummy American groceries , so that should be fun.  Hopefully I will have some fun pics from my adventure on Saturday!