New House

The official move (the last of several in this country) has finally occurred. We are now residents of Vogelweh/Kapaun. The townhouses are nice...and new. The best on base housing we have ever lived in and did I mention new?? So no decrepit pipes, 13 sheets of wallpaper, or creaky floors :o) Of course it is smaller...as they always are, but we will manage as soon as we downsize the 18,000 lbs of stuff we had delivered here (WTF?). Seriously, we need to have a yard sale.

I took some pics.

The kitchen...
The living room...

Leading to the 2nd level...

Who doesn't want a closet door like this?...

and...his & hers sinks?



There is some serious family fun and porch time to be had here...


First attic (will hold a craft area for me)...

Second attic, a place for Saige and her friends to hang out...


Isla Casa in Deutschland...

What you didn;t see was the laundry room, the kids' bedrooms, the office or the garage (or what George likes to call "man land"). Those will come later once set up...

We already have the office/guest room done and the kitchen is complete. The livnig room is almost there, too. Sooo, we will be up for visitors in NO TIME. Book it :o) Popo will be here this summer (so excited). So jump on the bandwagon.

Next up I got a post featuring our Netherlands trip!!! {minus a coffee shop visit :o( ...this time!}

P.S. Breaking news.... Saige made the VARSITY softball team. 9th grade and on Varsity...we are so proud of her!!!

Until next time,

Wish List

I decided in AZ that when I came home there would be some changes to take place within my Family and with our home. Today, I am talking about our house and the amount of STUFF we have. Most of our things we have had for ages. Some have deep meanings, but most don't. I refuse to forge ahead through life with pointless "crap". With three kids and a move every 3-4 years, the "crap" load seems to get larger by the minute. So with this last move, I am ridding ourselves of the "comfort" objects in our home and filling them with simpler, more meaningful pieces to carry into our Family's future...

With that said, I am compiling a wish list of things that catch my eye that I want to include in my inventory of change. This way I can keep track of what I have seen and what I want. I always enjoy feedback...but only if you say you like what I picked. LOL! (don't tell me you think that's ugly and wouldn't DARE hang that on your wall...because I'll just delete it - HA). Seriously, I do want to know what you think or if you have seen something similar somewhere...it helps in my search. Thanks and here's the first item on my list...

Favorite Places Board

Who doesn't want a board to highlight the favorite, memorable places you have visited in your life? LOVES IT!!!

Diane

Casa Catastrophe

Well, I have been avoiding the house blog, since it immediately depresses me. I get worked up all over again when I talk about it. But, I want you guys to see what reality we have been living in.

So while in AZ, the cherry on top of that whole traumatic trip was coming back to our home.

The story is...


a small flexible hose that comes from behind the upstairs toilet, busted and sprayed thousands of liters of water all over the bathroom.


This water then leaked into Teage's bedroom (soaking the entire carpet, stuffed animal basket, and warping the feet to his a bed a little). It also spread into the den area where it soaked that carpet as well and anything sitting on the floor. With that, it leaked into the upstairs landing, where apparently the water started to collect and gain weight. Once the makeshift pool had finished, it then started leaking through the floor and the surrounding walls. (Isn't this fun?). Once that happened, the water let gravity take over. It proceeded to rain about 8-10,000 liters of water on our downstairs fireplace room, laundry room, middle foyer area, and main bathroom. The fireplace room has a hole and a huge crack in the ceiling where we think either the water created itself or the firefighters poked through to allow the water to escape (again, that is the story...oh, and the joys of hearing firefighters busted in your house is always comforting).

(Why did I find out that between the floors, there is straw insulating our house?...is this the three little pigs house? WTF?)

That gave the water the opportunity to thrust a major portion of that water onto our beautiful, cozy, sage green, love seat. This, in turn, ruined the framed photos I had laying on the sill next to it (not yet hung up) and of course flooded the wood floors below it. This caused the floor to warp big time and decorate most of the seams of the wood with a nice black/brown seepage stain. The laundry room flooded and besides some molded blankets I had in my hamper and the leaking stains by the ceiling, the dryer (government dryer to boot) won't work anymore. The foyer is the worst (cosmetic wise). All the walls in these rooms downstairs got wet inside, so the wall covering (wall paper, stucco, whatever) started peeling from the walls.



The foyer peeled off completely. So all the painting we did downstairs is ruined as well.


My walls are exposed and still smell a little funky.


The main bathroom had a few of the recessed lights come down out of their sockets and the molding on the ceiling had to be removed.


Thankfully, the TV room, the kitchen and the office did not flood. That would have been an added terror to this already jacked up situation. The water did leak a bit into the wall of the office causing it to stain through the paint. But that was it.


I guess they are right...when it rains, it pours. The big kicker and punch in stomach came when our landlord tried to sell us out and blame us for the pipe busting before we even got back home. This coming from a govt housing agency as well. It is unclear why the pipe busted...but it is speculated that the winter weather along with the heat being off while we were gone played a part. The landlord told George to shut off the heat/oil before we left, but is now denying it. Tit for tat at this point (even though he is straight up lying through his teeth), but it is dishonest on his part. He lied to us over the phone while we were gone and when we got back, refused to talk to us in English about his backstabbing conversations he had with housing (and he understands/speaks English just fine). The point is, he's shady. So now we must split the repair costs for all the damage, UGH. Meanwhile, we are looking for a new house and moving out of here as soon as we have the estimate (which was supposed to be yesterday...but alas, no estimate nor has anyone come to asses the damage yet). We refuse to live in a house for the next 3 years with a landlord who has no moral compass, nor are we willing to spot renovate his house for the next three years as things fall apart in his 70 year old house because he says "You did it".

Anyway, we will have to move ourselves if we want to stay on the economy. If we want to move into the base housing, the government will pay for it. Not sure which one it will be. I really want to stay off base, since the experience is so refreshing and the kids like it....but I'm kinda scared after this nightmare. Next week we are going to look at a few houses off base on the referral list and see how it pans out. Meanwhile we are on the list for a Senior 4 BR home on base. Nothing hurt in seeing what they have to offer, too. Hopefully by Monday we can have some kind of estimate on the damage so we can pay this guy and terminate our contract with him.

That's the lowdown. Sucky, but we will survive and as always...pull through life's obstacles.

OK, no more $hitty, sad posts...just sayin'!!!

The Snow is HERE!

I am so excited that I trumped the blog post I WAS working on to interrupt you with this special bulletin:

The snow has finally arrived in the KMC!

George came bursting into our room (he and Teage fell asleep on the couch last night) and yanked the rolladens up to show me the magnificent white outdoors. If you had been paying attention to my Facebook comments, I had given up all hope that we would see snow before we left for our trip tomorrow. And the Gods made sure not to disappoint me. Thank you...

This was Teage's first snow and I could tell he didn't know what to make of it all. We quickly hammered the big kids to "wake up" (they appreciated that) and slapped on the rain boots and gloves. George was a party pooper and watched from inside because he was "COLDY" (what a wuss)...I just called my husband a wuss on the blog...oh well, anyway immediately the snowball fight began between the big two.

Teage had other plans...first thing's first, gotta see what it's made of:

Planning strategic stealth moves...

He's planning his attack!

Retaliation...

Teage getting in on the action...

Two against one!

Trying to recruit a little girl for his snowball team...

Can you see it?

Our lamppost near the rock fountain...

Catching flakes...and flies?

Busting out the sled...

She makes winter look GOOD!!

Snow makes everything so pretty, doesn't it?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

I'm so happy they got to enjoy it before we left for 'not so snowy' AZ. God really does love me...

If we get more inches later today (after I finish packing ALL the dang bags), I am SO throwing them back out there to make snow angels!

Love ya and Happy Snow Day!!!

Thanksgiving Line-up

It's hard to believe that Turkey Day has come and gone. I feel like the Time Traveler's Wife. All the holidays seem to run together these days and all the days I'm playing catch up to the next one. So let's spend a little more time on this fabulous Holiday, shall we? It's all about the food here (which I love) and unbuttoning your pants (in no particular order). I unbuttoned mine right after the mac and cheese. But, you can do this at any time really.

Speaking of mac and cheese....here is our line-up of the all-stars that made the menu list this year. Don't drool on your keyboard people...I don't do replacements or refunds.

The appetizers (or pre-game, if you will)...consisted of a relish tray, mexican dip, and a Fam Bam craze....bacon wrapped brown sugar smokies, YUMM!


Once that was over, it started with the Pie...Pumpkin to be exact...Mrs Smith's if you have to be nosy. That sucker needed to bake and get out of my way.


Next up to bat, Saige helped me make the Candied Yams. She's got mad peeling skills, but apparently doesn't want anyone to take her picture while she's doing it.


In Okinawa, they don't grow orange sweet potatoes I guess...because I never saw a ONE. They are into the Benimo, purple sweet potato. Apparently, it saved thousands of starving people when Okinawa was hit with a famine period hundreds of years ago. They make candy and ice cream out of it even (amongst other things). But, you can imagine my thrill when I finally got to make my traditional yam recipe! Sweeet!


Playing shortstop...the Corn Souffle. I think about my seester when I make this dish...because it is sprinkled with thyme and oh so delish!


Keeping it all together, the Down Home Macaroni and Cheese! You all know it, and love it...


Somehow, I managed to leave the Green Bean Casserole out of the photo list, but it was SO there! You can see it below somewhere, I'm sure.

Add a little Zucchini and Tomatoes (my total fave and everyone else's kryptonite, but since I was cooking...too bad, it's on the list).


And the cranberries and turkey skin to round out the outfield.


This year's MVP, the Turkey!! I did not cook my turkey this year (so I guess it is technically disqualified as MVP), we ordered it deep fried through the Officer's Club on Ramstein. With the miniature size oven space the Germans rock and the 220 voltage in my house, I thought it best to just order it this time and save myself the agony with trying to fight the turkey. It was awesome!!!


JD couldn't wait to get busy on that bird...

Ok, so here's the real MVP...my homemade rolls! They were the best thing on the plate...hands down. I'm making more tomorrow...


And that's the line-up...gravy and all.

It was a pretty intimate dinner and I'm so glad we got to eat together for our first one here. We went around the room and said out loud what we were thankful for...


JD said, "I'm thankful for all of us to be together and the Indiana Jones game I want for my birthday"

Saige said, "I'm thankful for my Family and our home."

Teage said, "I don't wanna..."

George said, "I'm thankful that we're done saying thankfuls so we can eat...ok, and for all of us being loud, healthy, and happy together."

Amen to that!


After we did "cheers" about ten times (Teage insisted and YES that is sparkling apple cider in the kids' glasses...only), we ate our dinner and laughed and continued to be the loud people we are. Who said Thanksgiving as to be all prim?...I think I spent at least 10 minutes trying stop Teage from pouring apple cider on his brother due to a sibling rivalry moment at the table.

It was perfect and totally in the Fam Bam tradition.


After dinner, we watched movies, talked to Family on the phone, and there was some Lego building involved. Next morning, George and I headed out to the BX about 6:30 (not in a line, just as regular customers) and picked up some things we had eyeballed in the ad...I'm so glad my hubby likes to shop with me. It makes the receipt total not seem as evil. Then we had a nice lunch and headed back home to the kids. A couple hours later, Saige and I headed back out and bought our movie tickets to see New Moon finally. It was good (personally, it was a little peak and valley to me)....but the ending left you wanting more which is always the point, I guess. While Saige and I were waiting for the movie to start, we went into the credit union to make the electric payment and they were doing a hourly gift card giveaway, so I entered for the following hour (to Saige's huge dismay "Mom, you're not gonna win"). So we went back by at the top of the hour just to see and I WON!! $30 Visa card to me....what can I say, I have good karma! Needless to say, Saige was in shock and said "That is so cool, I think you won because I was saying you wouldn't" Kids are so funny! I just shook my head and was like "Yeah I guess that's it, but next time how about we be more positive....cause your mom's a WIENER!!!" HA HA! Saturday...will consist of downtown, the Christmas Market, and more Fam fun. Until then....

We hope everyone's Holiday was just as much fun and full of laughter & memorable moments like ours. We miss all our Family and Peeps all over the world and want you to know that you are always with us no matter what Holiday or where we are. Love to you all...

Next up...my boy's birthday!!!

Love Ya ♥