Language Skills

Last night was the first time I remember Davis NOT asking me for any homework help.  Sure if I'm not around he'll ask his father, but skipping me when I am right next to him, a first.  It was German.  He had a question and no faith in my abilities.  Even the children know that my old brain is struggling with the language.  However, as my little old neighbor brought over treats for the kids (they'd raked some leaves)as a thank you, we talked about her husband.  He is sick and not doing well, he probably won't make it long.  My old brain may not know German, but hugs and tears cross all language barriers.  For that I am thankful, because until my brain catches up, that is all I can give my little neighbor.

(Mr. & Mrs. Weber live right next door.  They were never able to have any children.  He has liver cancer and was only diagnosed since we've been here.  He is also the only person anywhere around us who happens to speak some English.  Mrs. Weber is really, really sad.  So am I.)

Prague and Lots of IT

I finally have 2 seconds to post all of the wonderfulness that was Prague, Czech Republic (FYI: if you mistakenly forget and call it Czechoslovakia, Davis will quickly correct you, repeatedly).  We had a long weekend, thanks to Veteran’s Day, and decided that we just couldn’t wait to go somewhere new.  Prague was only a 6 hour drive from our house, but it was the first time that I felt like we were in a foreign country since moving here.  We were in awe at the beautiful buildings that were everywhere, but lots had graffiti all over.  Darin said that it had some of the familiar feelings of Russia.  The Communist influence was very obvious especially in the metro stations.  Darin was also able to use his Russian while we were there as many of the older people spoke Russian.  We bundled up, it was really cold, and took the trams and metros all over the city (which was the little boy’s favorite part).  We were quite a spectacle as we wondered the streets and took family pictures.  You would think that we were the first family to show up with 5 kids.  I was repeatedly asked if they were all mine, and one curious bunch asked if they were all Darin’s.  Lots of people just stared at us.   I thought it was funny, because I just didn’t expect it.  We had a great little apartment by the river where we ended every night watching movies and eating popcorn until we all fall asleep on the couch.  It was a great vacation and a wonderful sightseeing feast.  We only spent a weekend, but saw a lot.  We would have loved to have another day because the Jewish quarter was closed on Saturday, and it was night (4PM) when we saw the castle.  BUT with it only 6 hours away, we may be going back especially when Darin is in need of a “Russia” fix.

Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral

On the balcony of "our" apartment, overlooking the city.



Sitting in the metro station.  We had to go down the steepest escalators ever.  You had to lean back to avoid falling forward.  It was awesome.



The pictures can't do justice to the amazing buildings.  Everyone was a different color.

Wenceslas Square.  Yes, that is the Good King up on the horse.  This was a gathering spot for many Czech's who wanted their freedom.

National museum in the background

This picture is for Brooke.  You can bet she won't take that sucker out :)

Street food, a bunch of big dogs.

Darin tried the local fried cheese sandwich.

Waiting in front of the Astronomical clock.  When it finally chimed, on the hour, the crowd clapped. Darin and I laughed.

Turdel nik (Turtle neck)  Delicious, sweet, yeast dough wrapped around a stick and then cooked over a fire.  Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and sold in a 6 inch round.  Yummy.

One of many street musicians

St. Charles Bridge

St. Charles bridge with the castle in the backgound.

Far left is our apartment.  We were on the very top floor.

I Really Want To Poke You In The Eye!

Oh Help Me! 

Jag is verbally beating people up all the time. 

When he is mad he says stuff like: "I feel like taking my stuffed animal and hitting you in the face until you cry."  OR "I really want to punch you right in the mouth because I am so mad."  OR  "I'd really like to kick you in the leg, hard."  He doesn't act out these things (Noah would), but he loudly expresses how mad he is based on how much you would be crying when he was done with you, if he wasn't really afraid of what his mother might do if he were to act upon his desires.

As if all the fighting weren't enough, now I have to deal with imaginary, brutal brawls...

Prague Will Have to Wait

I have several posts to put on here, but I can't stop and think with all the screaming that is going on.  Anya has started throwing tantrums over everything.  Even when it isn't a tantrum, which is rare anymore, it is still a scream coupled with a growl.  And she is LOUD.   If it weren't for her binkie, I think she'd be biting.  I don't know how I am going to make it through these next few years...suggestions?  medication?  Oh help me!

Failure

I needed to talk to one of Noah's teachers at the kindergarten.  I thought about what I needed to say.  I was pretty sure of all the words necessary.  I started.  Continued.  Finished.  When I was done she looked at me and said, "English?"  Yep, with her 5 words of English she'd rather try to figure me out, than decypher my German.  Ouch!  Off to crawl back under my Rosetta Stone.

Let's Hope Santa Knows German

Jag made his Christmas list as well as Noah's and Anya's.  He found a Toys R Us catalog in German and made the lists from that.

I hope that Santa knows more German than I do or else the poor kids are going to be very disappointed on Christmas morning.

I have figured out that almost everything on Jag's list is a stuffed animal of some sort.  He loves that kind of stuff.  I think that the favorite has got to be the Pipi Max, a dog that drinks, barks, and then pee's.  I don't need something else to clean up after.

Pants

Anya has added pants to her wardrobe.  Up to this point she has only been able to wear "stretchy pants" because it is IMPOSSIBLE to do the splits in jeans (that is by observation, not first hand knowledge).  Now that she is walking, a whole new fashion world has been opened to us!  This is fun.

Autumn Beauty

This is what I see everyday as I walk down the hill from Noah's kindergarten.  I love it! 

 This is about 30 seconds before Noah turned and ran as fast as he could down the hill, flipping over and skidding up his face.  He now has a third eye and 2 additional scab eyebrows.  I don't know how to explain it in German and all the little Germans want to know what happened to his face.  I am like a pantomime, run, hill, big fall.  Wouldn't it be handy if I knew the right words?  I'm still stuck on the weather.



Picky Eater

What is this you ask?  Oh, that would be what is left from Anya's snack!  Just a couple of spider legs.  I found a huge, dead spider on the floor and asked an unnamed boy to pick it up, he instead put a necklace around it so he wouldn't lose it.  Lose it, he did.  Anya wondered by, saw the shiny necklace, noticed the delicious treat and ate.  When she came wondering out holding a necklace, unnamed boy ran to his room to see if the spider was gone...confessed quickly.  I grabbed and did a quick finger sweep of the mouth and out popped 2 spider legs and a few body crumbs, everything else was "down the hatch."
An hour later she turned her nose up at the pasta for dinner before tossing it on the floor.  I guess she was full.
*Unnamed boy felt horrible and learned a lesson.  He promises to pick up anything dead quickly.