Goodbye

Summers are full of transition for many in the international community, there are a number of other families that are moving on as well, and we were able to celebrate with them at a lake in the country.  The kids had a great time, and it was a fun thing to do for all the kids to say goodbye! and now it’s all done.  We’ve been checked off &  are checking out of the hotel. 

Goodbye to our amazing, now empty, apartment… and THANK YOU to our wonderful friends who made this adventure so enjoyable, we look forward to seeing you again!

xx

The Z family

Happy 4th of July!

What other way would we celebrate 4th of July in Germany, than at a Beer Garden.  Seriously, what is more American than BBQ, Brats, and Beer?  Throw a playground in, and it would be heaven for most people in the US…

For us, one last chance to see friends before the big move, and a great way to spend a (last) sleepy Sunday afternoon…

we even had a few sparklers left over from New Years I think…

The kiddies – we brought the flags, and I felt like I channeled a bit of the Baker 4th when all the kids lined up for the photo, and ice cream…   Thank you all for joining us & making our send off so amazing!!

Last run thru the Hofgarten

We spent our last Sunday morning at Starbucks, and running with the girls thru the Hofgarten next to the Residenz.  and what better way to observe the “no walking on the grass” sign than by sitting on it… 

Packing Begins…

After all this time, our life is beginning to be packed up!  It will take 2 days to pack & load onto our 40 ft container, and 2 air shipment containers (each about the size of our US baby crib.)

I can’t believe our stuff is going to fill this.  On the way over, almost 6 years ago, we filled half of a 20ft container.  We are entitled to the larger size now because we have a bigger family…  I’m pretty sure we need it!

So for now we have moved into a hotel where the girls are getting used to going to the spa pool every afternoon, we can’t quite get the a/c working in our room, and room service will get to know us quite well… And our girls are still playing dress up!

End of year Assemblies

Sophia’s school does such a great job with transitions for all of the children.  Every Thursday there is an assembly for the lower school where any child who is leaving the school that week is asked to stand up & have the “good bye” song sang to them.  (It makes me cry almost every time…) Sophia & Hugo with their good bye certificates…

Then at the end of the year, there is the magic door.  The children say good bye to their current teachers, walk thru the door, and are greeted by next year’s teachers on the other side.

We now have a Grade 1 student!!

(video to come!!)

Sports day

At the end of the school year, the entire lower school is split into 4 colored teams to compete in various activities on the quad for the day.  Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue all race around the grass playing tug-o-war, 50 meter dash, spoon race, croquet, and more…

This year the weather has been so bad, the day was postponed twice before finally being scheduled 2 days before the end of the school year.  It actually was quite nice having something so fun to do, just as the year was ending!Sophia was on the blue team, and wore her USA shirt, and then was so excited to be walking across the grass & have the older kids start chanting “USA, USA!”  We are in the middle of world cup fever…

I love this photo with all of the missing teeth, and Sophia actually pulled out her 3rd tooth right after this! Then it was off to the races… Where our darling girl got 2nd!!

World Cup Fever

I forgot to post this, with all the end of school year excitement, but now that the US has moved on to the next round, along with England, I can share with pride the night we tied…

who knew I was married to Captain America?

The group watching from inside the sports hall was quite intense, so I was part of the “outdoor crowd” that just ran to the screen when things got loud…

As an American, I was thrilled with the tie – And after 2 weeks of world cup fever, even Sophia knows how to chant “USA!  USA!”

The beginning of Goodbye

Ever since we arrived in Munich, and Sophia saw the indoor play areas, she has been begging for a party there.  I always said she could have one when we were leaving, and so today was the day.

So we hosted a “goodbye to Sophia/ 6-1/2 year old birthday” party.  It was, unfortunately, the last of amazingly hot days this week, but it actually was even too hot for the kids to be outside, and it meant that there weren’t too many people inside with us!

  Even Alexandra had her own friends to play with!

I was actually serving Apple Juice to the kids, not beer.  But the parents were able to enjoy the beer!