Happy Mother's Day!

We spent Mother's Day at the biergarten once again. I guess it's becoming a bit of tradition even, since we've been every year that I've lived here.

The weather even cooperated, too! That was nice after a drizzly week. A little sunshine for the mamas - and those that are remembering theirs.

I'll get to celebrate my Mom for a full 2 weeks when I get to see her next month. I'm already looking forward to her hugs, fantastic foods, and simply spending time together. See you soon, Mom!

In other 'mom' related things, I'm really anxious to see the new documentary 'Babies'.

I'm probably one of few people that's not baby crazed (I think toddlers are more fun), but this movie looks so fascinating.

They follow 4 babies through their first year in various places around the world (Tokyo, San Francisco, Mongolia, and Namibia). Seeing the different ways of rearing children has to be interesting!

Check out the trailer - I promise you won't regret it!

Moms are amazing! Hope you had a great time remembering yours.

(Babies poster courtesy of Focus Films)

We're Moving!

It's been so hard not to share this, but we're moving! Things progressed much quicker than we expected, but we are thrilled.

I'd love to tell you that we are setting up home in Paris or Tokyo... but we're staying put here, in the little village that could - Munich (at least for now - who knows what the future holds).

Our beautiful new apartment is an alt-bau (old building) with tons of character, creaky wooden floors, spacious rooms with high ceilings, and a beautiful little balcony off the kitchen. It gets tons of sun light, which gives me hope that I can rival my Mom's herb garden. Not only that, it's in our same neighborhood, so parting ways with our home won't be so difficult.

While we were back in the US, I constantly saw beautiful pieces of art that I wished so desperately to have wall space for. On every shopping expedition I would say, 'we need more walls!'

I have a great collection and love for art - from my beloved Joe Sorren 'Portrait of Emily', to the piece from our wedding, prints from etsy, antique maps, and zillions of photos from our travels.

And to add to my collection, my parents gifted me the beautiful 'States United' print from etsy's Beauchamping. It's a thoughtful reminder of my home - and it's even heart shaped, just like Ohio, 'the heart of it all'.

Now all we need are more guests!

Happy Father's Day!

It's always nice to be home for holidays and to celebrate with people as opposed to sending a card or a surprise.

Thanks to my Dad for his inquisitive, carefree, and adventurous spirit. I know I'm a lucky girl to have such a fantastic father.

happy birthday mom!

Not everyone gets to celebrate their birthday and mother's day in the same week (and occasionally the same day). Then again, not everyone is as special as her!

♥ Love you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day rolls around I always think 'what would my Mom enjoy today?' Last year we went to the biergarten to enjoy the beautiful day in her honor and decided to do the same this year. She does love a good beer from time to time and once again it was a great day to enjoy outside.

We started the day with breakfast on our balcony. I defrosted my very last Naga cookie from Vosges. My mom and I share a love for these and unfortunately they are out of stock on their website, so I wasn't able to send any her way.

Another thing that I am immensely proud of, that always reminds me of my Mom, is my basil plant. I cannot believe I have my very own - and it's growing! Just last weekend I was talking to Stefan's Mom about it and she said, 'these aren't meant to last, you just throw it away when it's done.' My Mom grows the most insane bushels of organic basil.

I'll admit that I don't really have a green thumb, despite the fact my grandparents owned a green house, which is why I usually stick to fresh cut flowers. Stefan even surprised me with a beautiful bouquet for completing my 'Zertifikat Deutsch' (German language test). How sweet is he?

What's funny is virtually any time my mother in law comes to visit, she brings a plant. Stefan received an early birthday gift - a hanging plant for our balcony, yet I was the one given directions on how to care for it and this time - fertilizer. I don't take it as insult, but more of a personal challenge to actually keep it alive. So far, so good.

Our visit to the biergarten this afternoon was wonderful, except we had to celebrate with a sign instead of a real Mom like the neighboring tables. We packed our brotzeit and shared my favorite spätzel at Nockherberg, as the sun shined through the beautiful canopy.

Hope you have as beautiful of a day Mom!

Probiotics

My mom is quite health conscious and always reads medical literature. While I prefer travel literature, I'm blessed that she passes her knowledge on to me, which is one of the reasons I started using probiotics.

My favorite is this little Japanese drink called Yakult. It's similar to a drinkable yogurt, although I compare the taste to key lime pie, and it has more healthy bacteria than yogurt. I prefer the sugar light variety, although I never had the regular one with the red packaging.

When my Mom visited, she was finally able to see what I was talking about and she also enjoyed it. The problem is it's not readily available in the US outside of heavily populated Asian communities, which Ohio is lacking. It looks like something Trader Joe's (which is surprisingly owned by, the German company, Aldi), should carry.

Until then, I think of my Mom every morning as I drink my tiny Yakult.

Ohio Safari

I really don't know how I had never heard of The Wilds before, but I hadn't, and neither had my family. I recently read about it and learned that it opened in 1994, and visitors are welcome. Over the last 14 years it has progressively added more animals to their menagerie, and grown to become the largest conservation site in the entire US, and one of the largest in the world... right here in Ohio!

The goal of The Wilds is to advance science and conservation through experience, so my parents and I decided to take part in that experience.

Our adventure took us to Cumberland, Ohio - home of the 10,000 acre conservation site. We weren't entirely sure of what to expect, but I was like a giddy child. We decided to go on the open air safari rather than the closed air conditioned one, which was a great pick, minus the dust from the roads... but I guess that's part of the safari experience.

As the two and a half hour tour weaved around the landscape there were points in time where I wondered if I was even in Ohio. The land was spectacular and the animals were well tended to and seemed content. The hills rolled and it was speckled with lakes as well as various species in separated enclosures.

The first animals we spotted were deer at a lake and then we saw some Persian onager, which look like donkeys. They are threatened due to hunting in their native lands and have fortunately found a lovely new home. Unfortunately they are also one of two animals at the center that are branded because they will rip out each other's ear tags.

The safari ride was very informative. Our guide told us about the struggles that the animals face and what they were doing to help them repopulate. Many of the animals are from zoos and being studied for various reasons or are working to be reintroduced to their homelands.

Here are a few other interesting things that I learned:

• Przewalski's wild horses are the only true wild horses that have never been domesticated. There are less than 250 in the wild. They were very beautiful to watch and I especially loved seeing them groom each other, which looked so affectionate. 

• Some rhinos will sharpen their horn using trees and rocks to form it the way they like. They also mark their paths with dung to know where they have been and often go in the same place. 

• Many of the giraffes above didn't have to travel too far because two have died from urinary infections at the Columbus zoo, so they are currently being evaluated. 

• The African dogs will work in teams of two chasing their prey until they are tired and then another pair will take over the job. This continues until the animal is tired and then it is repeatedly bitten and disemboweled while still alive. Our guide said a human would not last 10 minutes in their inclosure. 

• The female cheetahs pick their mates. There is a female that will soon be choosing out of 6 suitors. As of now they have three females and two males. The other four males are going through their quarantine and preparation. 

• Some of the beautiful Scimitar-horned oryx have been reintroduced to their native Tunisia. If they lose their horns they do not grow back. One oryx had lost both of its horns, while another only had one. 

• There hasn't been a definitive study as to whether zebra stripes are white and black or actually a dark brown. Some people say they are white with black stripes since their stomachs are white. 

• Scientists from around the world come to The Wilds to work without pay. 

• Osprey and the Trumpeter swan have been introduced. The Osprey return to the place where they learn to fly, while the swans came from Alaska and have since made friends and brought them to The Wilds. 
  

Zoological centers and ecology around the world has greatly benefitted from having a program like this. It was so nice to be a part of it and see the animals up close and a great weekend activity to do with my parents. 

It made me a bit depressed that humans are encroaching on the natural habitats of these animals, but at this point people have to do what they can for preservation. The animals are truly spectacular. 

My mother's garden

I would have loved to have inherited my Mom's green thumb. It probably doesn't hurt that my parents have a sprawling backyard with a lot of sunlight, but everyone seems to be able to grow beautiful plants - except me. It feels like home to sit outside with the morning dew and through the day to hear the delightful chirp of cicadas.

Every year my Mom grows enormous bushels of basil and makes delicious pestos from scratch. It has made me a pesto snob and I can't eat any that isn't fresh. Unfortunately I can't seem to grow my own basil.

Not only does she have various herbs and vegetables, but also some very beautiful flowers.

My grandmothers have always had a large variety of plants too. One owned a greenhouse, complete with a 100 year old ivy plant that was later stolen. The other grandmother had papyrus, which fascinated me as I learned Egyptians made paper out of it, and an enormous aloe plant that I learned is fantastic for kitchen burns. Surprisingly my mother in law had never heard that.

One of my favorites that my Mom has would be the 4 o'clocks from my great-great-grandmother. It has been passed through the family and spread through it's off shoots. It's a strange heirloom, but it's a neat thought that my grandmother's grandmother was tending to this same plant more than half a century ago. I can only hope over time to inherit the green thumb the ladies in my family have. Until then I will be happy to sit in the backyard and appreciate nature. It's one of the simple things I enjoy about being home.

Birthday gift

I decided a while back to make my Dad a book (probably not a big surprise considering I really love books). I used blurb, which now was new cover wrapped books that are just beautiful and very professional.

The book was based around photos from his visit in March and things that I've learned from him - complete with my own handwriting to personalize it a bit more. If I might say so myself, it's quite sweet. I'm looking forward to giving it to him tonight.

Also, Mieka won't be forgotten - she will get some vanilla ice cream and the remnants of a pretzel I brought from Munich especially for her.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I took this photo in Amsterdam and saved it for this special day... and wouldn't you know it, Stefan even made a guest appearance biking through. If only he could be with us to share this big celebration!

We miss you Stefan! (don't worry... I'll eat enough cake for the both of us.)

bittersweet surprises

I always love being with family on both sides of the ocean, but sometimes it's really difficult to feel that I am leaving one home behind, not to mention the people. The only redeeming part is leaving the hugs and tears and entering the arms of loved ones. It also shows me what it really means to miss someone, which only makes me appreciate them more. Never in my life did I expect to put my emotions through this roller coaster, but I can't really complain when I know that I am so fortunate to be traveling out of love.

With that being said, Stefan and I planned a little surprise... I booked a flight home on Friday and came to surprise my Dad for his birthday. After starting an early morning today (4am!) Stefan drove me to the airport and reassured me that missing each other wouldn't be nearly as difficult as it was when we had to spend months apart. It never gets easier, but it is nice to have a definitive date to be back together. I boarded my flight with stops in Amsterdam and Detroit before finally arriving in Cincinnati. (The photo is of the Allianz arena while we were driving past early this morning in Munich).

One of my favorite aspects of traveling (besides making people happy by gracing them with my arrival) is the whole airport culture: watching people, observing different cultures, hearing different languages, and finding small things to appreciate while the world rushes by.

I was so happy to stop over at the Detroit Metro Airport's McNamara Terminal. There is a walk way with changing lights, calming music, and it's simple soothing, relaxing, and invigorating all at the same time. I typically stroll along and then walk back and admire the lights once more. I wouldn't recommend this tunnel to people that are epileptic - it may be a bit much, but I love flying through Detroit - it's modern, efficient, and going through customs is no nonsense. The light tunnel never hurts to kill time either.

So on to the surprise... my sister and Mom greeted me at the airport and drove me home. My Dad was already home, but I could tell it took a few minutes for it to register that I was really there... and then came an enormous smile and hug. He said my uncle was just asking him the other day if he thought I would make it home for his birthday to which he responded he 'didn't expect me to make it home for a long time.' It is really nice to be able to surprise people and do something fun.

It's also very nice to see my dog again, and to try on the loads of clothing I've ordered over the last few months. Now I have things that I like and don't have to spend my time shopping - (OK, as much time as I would have).

I may even have another fun surprise or two coming this week! I'm already excited to share those.

As a side note, I am not sure how many photos I'll be posting during my visit, because I left my Mac in Munich. 'Weißey', as Stefan calls it, will be entertaining him with slingbox and my video chats while I'm away.

Happy Father's Day

Being away from my family makes me nostalgic, even for seemingly mundane holidays. Today is Father's Day in America and of course it makes me think about my Dad. He and I have a lot in common - not only our dark brown eyes or our mischievous streaks, but also our laid back personalities and occasional stubbornness. I'm happy to have inherited his zeal for life and his curiosity.

Some of my favorite memories with my Dad are when he would take me and my sister on bike rides, nature hikes, and splash in rain puddles when we were young.

I recall one evening when we failed to make it to the library. We had decided to go on a nature hike and ended up lost, although he would never admit it. It was slowly getting dark and we probably had gone off the path. Another evening we sat for what felt like hours visiting some of my grandparents' elderly friends. My Dad has always been compassionate and kind. He always remembers the oldest people and makes sure they feel appreciated.

He was monumental in getting our pets. He had a cat growing up, which he fondly named 'blue kitty'. He even decided blue kitty needed his whiskers trimmed and cut them all off. I'm sure the poor cat had trouble after that. While my mom was concerned about getting attached to a pet and having it pass on, he knew it would bring us happiness - even if he didn't particularly like or know much about dogs before. Our family dog appreciates her daily walks and he must as well if he is entertaining the idea of a second dog.

He was the dedicated father that took us to 'take your daughter to work day', which was popular in the 90's, and he proudly attended all of our father daughter dances. He taught me a lot about not taking things too serious and to be self respecting.

As I entered high school, he taught me patience with learning to drive a manual car. I recall thinking it was impossible and I would never master it, however I persevered through it and he was patient and always stayed positive. Later I was happy to dazzle people with my new skills and bumper to bumper parallel parking abilities on the first try. It was a simple task, but I felt the same pride as I did when he taught me to first ride a bike.

In college, after I won a free flight to anywhere in the US, he accompanied me to San Francisco for 10 wonderful days. I still remember exploring the city, walking across the Golden Gate Bridge, and visiting John Steinbeck's old haunts further down the coast. I created a photo album from the Monterey sea glass for him filled with photos from our trip. There was also time when I was feeling slightly car sick as he sped around the coast on Highway 1, however I would never trade those memories for anything. It was such a nice trip and I think father daughter trips are essential - at least once in life. It is something I will forever treasure.

It's hard for my family to have me live so far away, especially when I miss out on family cookouts and other celebrations and family traditions. It's difficult to only be there in spirit.

I miss you and love you Dad! Thanks for being such a special person and the greatest Dad that I could ask for.

wedding gifts

I am very excited to be going to my first German (Bavarian) wedding in just a couple of weeks. Stefan's cousin Andi is getting married and we are celebrating their church wedding. They already had their legal wedding last December, however the big celebration will happen in June.

We are trying to decide exactly what to give them and how to present it. I was amazed at the generosity and creativity of people when we were married. Among my favorite gifts were my aunt tailoring my wedding dress so it fit perfectly, another aunt designing and making our programs, a piece of artwork from our reception site (the site itself was a gallery / restaurant), personalized platters and ornaments, and of course one gift that almost wasn't.

Every wedding has it's snafu's that end up making things memorable. Mine still makes me slightly upset, but that's also probably typical. We got married before noon for a variety of reasons, but namely because we wanted to enjoy the evening with friends that we knew we wouldn't see for quite some time due to our move.

This didn't leave a lot of time to get things done in the morning, however being the wise bride that I was, I decided that we should get more flowers at the market the morning of the wedding. I thought it would be easier to send Ryan, one of my attendants, to pick them up. He and my mom went and didn't find any white flowers that were tall enough for my vases.

The morning chaos continued when Ryan and I went to Panera for a quick breakfast, while my Mom was searching for open flower shops that also had tall white flowers for the vases. Rather than giving my Mom time to get ready, or be present to help me get ready, she was getting the flowers according to my wishes. I never realized it would be such a task.

My parents arrived just in time to walk me down the aisle. It would have been nicer to have them witness the first time Stefan and I saw each other, and the other sentimental moments brides go through. The difficult part is realizing they were doing everything in their power to make me happy on my special day. It was a bitter sweet time since they were happy that we were getting married, but only preparing themselves for me to move so far away. Of course I was wrapped up in making things nice.

My Mom found white dendrobium orchids and white roses for the vases. Some were used to decorate the church, while others were used at our reception. Unfortunately some got left behind in someone's car, which I would have preferred not to know, especially considering the circumstances.

After the wedding she suggested that I get my flowers freeze dried and preserved. My bouquet was not going to stand a chance, since it was made of cattleya orchids, however the dendrobiums that she purchased were still able to be salvaged even days after the wedding.

I decided to get an ornament made, and I am very happy that I did. Now when I look at it I am reminded of my parents and all that they sacrifice to make me happy, as well as the chaos of my wedding. It's a lasting memento reminding me that time is fleeting in many ways.

So as I think about things that we could give Andi + Steffi, that would be meaningful and special, I realize that sometimes the most meaningful things come when they are least expected. Simply having all of the people you care about together is a feat in itself. Surely their day will also be filled with snafus, however I hope they are lasting memories that make them smile in hindsight.

And in the meantime I'll be trying to think of something original and sweet. Unfortunately Germany isn't up with the times in freeze drying flowers.

the ben + jerry days

Many moons ago I worked at Ben + Jerry's and it was one of the best jobs I could have asked for. Ice cream is such a simple thing that always make people happy. I also loved my job because I was able to sample all of the new flavors and eat as much ice cream as I desired.

I knew certain customers and their preferred flavors, and could rattle off the flavors and ingredients without batting an eye. Other perks were being entertained by some of the strange characters that would come in. What's not to love?

One of my favorite people that would visit on occasion was 'The cab lady'. She was very particular. If she paid for anything she would want you to put her change on the counter, or sometimes she'd offer up 'I'll pay you later' (later never came). She often left her shoes outside on the step, although once she completely left them.

The real reason she came in was to ask if we would call a cab for her. The first time I encountered her I went into the back room and asked a coworker to deal with it because I was in tears from laughing about the fact she really did exist. I could hardly speak. The lore of the cab lady lived on.

Her cab was called and after she sat around for nearly an hour I called the company back. They responded that she was already picked up, to which I told them, 'If she was picked up she wouldn't still be sitting here waiting'. I knew they also had encountered 'The cab lady' and probably didn't take too well to her 'I'll pay you later' approach to doing business.

Finally a cabbie came in and said, 'Did someone order a cab?'

I said, 'She did', as I motioned in her direction.

The look on his face was priceless as he said, 'Oh shit.'

Another time there was 'the laughing lady'. She was laughing hysterically while she was standing in line and by the time I was trying to take her order she was still laughing. It was the kind of laugh that you wonder if something hilarious is going on around you, so you join in out of uncertainty. Except - it didn't stop. I stood there laughing with her until I realized she had some kind of problem. Somehow she was able to order what she wanted and then went to sit down continuing her laughing spell. If I had to have some kind of mental illness I'd take what she had.

Don't get me wrong - the job did have it's downsides, although they were usually over by the time the day ended. Unless a flavor was sent to the 'Flavor Graveyard', especially if I liked it.

One summer we did run into a bit of a problem because the man that had recently bought our Ben + Jerry's franchise decided he was going to invest as little as possible into the store. When the air conditioner went out the store was a sauna... especially with the large freezers working overdrive.

Other days I would worry about a regular that would come in with his walker and his slippers rubber banded onto his swollen feet. He always ordered 'Dilbert's World Totally Nuts' and had his $1.99 in his hand. I often gave it to him free. The days he didn't come I was worried he was no longer alive after he commented on his declining health. Not long after he stopped coming 'Dilbert's World' was retired.

Vermoster groups were also dreaded. They usually entailed many children surrounding a bucket of 20 scoops of ice cream and a myriad of other toppings that typically turned into a soupy mess. Excitable children, sticky things, and sugar mixed together are a force to be reckoned with.

Free Cone Day was also not my favorite, since the line wrapped around the block, but it was easy enough.

Another funny memory, was when I opened the store to learn that a cake order was not made ahead of time and we were supposed to also work at an Oktoberfest, make waffle cones, and the day's cookies + brownies. My parents came through to help and by noon we all felt like hell from racing around. We survived and can now laugh about how ridiculous it was.

Lately I have been craving an ice cream cake and I can never again think of ice cream cake without reminiscing about Ben + Jerry's and all of the cakes and obscure requests we worked to fulfill.

Tomorrow I am making mini chocolate chili ice cream cakes. I'd love to make them tonight, but let's be serious... I have an incredibly small freezer so I will have to make some space.

salted peanut butter brownies

My mom is notorious for making brownies for breakfast and today I decided to do the same. I made mine with a mix of peanut butter and a sprinkle of salt. They are heavenly.


I often feel as though I have to ration my baking mixes. Inevitably when I go home, my bags are stocked with cake mixes and other cooking and baking necessities. One of my favorites to bring, is an Oreo whipped dessert that is completely effortless and yet people go crazy over it. I also bring American peanut butter. We have peanut butter here as well, however it's not as creamy.

Last time I flew back to Germany I had an economy sized peanut butter in my carry on. Unfortunately they considered it a gel and therefore I had to go back to recheck it in another bag. The man behind the counter asked if Germany didn't have peanut butter. I felt guilty admitting they do and that it's a bit grittier. He laughed. I didn't expect him to understand. German peanut butter is edible, however I only use it in sauces so I can conserve my beloved Jif.

I read a great book called 'The Culture Code' by Clotaire Rapaille, that said peanut butter is to Americans what cheese is to the French, because it's a comfort food from childhood. It's not nearly as popular here as something like Nutella, but it does give me happy thoughts - particularly if it's paired with chocolate.

care package + customs

We aren't always successful at receiving mail. Germany and the United States like to tell us that it's the other country's fault. Finally our packages aren't being lost into the abyss, although often times they aren't delivered to our door - we have to drive to the customs clearing to open them and determine the contents and it's value.

The trial and error issues are slowly decreasing as we learn what the parameters are. Today we learned that anything valued over 45€, even if it's a gift, we will owe a duty on. It's a good thing that exchange rate is working in our favor right now considering my parents sent things worth over $200.

Whenever I walk into the customs house I think this would be one interesting place to work. They have a glass showcase of their confiscated items, which includes a cobra fermented in alcohol, band aids made from leopard bones, counterfeit shoes, jewelry, and clothes, as well as animal pelts. I often wonder what happens when they see these items and if it's difficult to communicate to the recipient that these aren't legal for importing. When we went this morning, there were many exotic cars out front.


Our packages are exciting, although for different reasons. I was happy to wake up early knowing there were surprises sent for Stefan's birthday and of course a couple for me as well. Among them were Wüsthof paring knives, ironically made in Germany imported to the US and shipped back here, because during my parent's visit my Mom thought I could use them. Sometimes it's unbelievable how much things traverse the world and the sad part is these knives are undoubtedly more expensive here. We've seen the same thing for Stefan's adidas soccer cleats, which are made in Germany.

We also received a few more travel guides for upcoming trips - and my favorite... my München Munich book by M. Sasek. I can't stop looking at the beautiful illustrations and I love that I can read the German and double check it with the English.

It also states that the oldest surviving house in Munich is located at Burgstraße 5 and dates back to the 15th century. I pass by all the time and never knew!

Thanks for the package - we loved it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday as I was walking through an increasingly crowded Marienplatz, the flower shops were buzzing with people. There were plenty of signs proclaiming not to forget Mom. How could anyone? Days like this definitely make me miss family get togethers that we have at home and wish I wasn't so far away.

Sometimes it's funny what a coincidence things are that can remind me of my Mom. Today Stefan and I went to enjoy the weather at the Englischer Garten and then to have a beer in her honor. Low and behold we saw a Great Pyrenees - the same breed as Mieka, our family dog. That instantly brought a smile to my face, especially since they are quite rare. I don't know that I have ever seen one in Munich. I also loved that this Pyr had enjoyed some time in the water. I know she would have loved this - fortunately I am the strange girl that takes pictures of other people's pets.

We had a lazy afternoon at the park, where everyone seemed to be speaking English. Sometimes it's nice just to eavesdrop and understand everything, although some of the conversations were rather interesting. On our bike ride back home we stopped to test out a relatively new restaurant called Pommes Boutique.

They claim to have fries like those in Belgium, and I must admit they did quite a decent job of replicating them. They also have about 20 different sauces to choose from. It's definitely a niche restaurant they don't have a huge menu, but the restaurant itself is quite simple and nice.

We chose to celebrate Mother's Day at the Wienerplatz beer garden since we hadn't visited this season. Although I appreciate the small reminders of my Mom, nothing beats having her around.

I think tonight I'll enjoy some salt chocolate (something we both love) and think of you Mom! I can't wait to hear how you spent your day - or for the package I sent to arrive!

Happy Mothers Day with love from Munich!

Postcards from yo Momma

My sister knows me so well and understands my sense of humor, which I would hope after 20 something years of living together.

Once again she comes through in sending me a terrific website called Postcards from yo Momma.

Rather than postcards like Post Secret, the website contains messages and emails sent from mothers to their children.

It's definitely hilarious and a fun glimpse into the lives of others. It's also nice to know there are mothers that worry more than my own -who would have thought?

Don't worry mom... your emails won't be submitted to this website, but I will enjoy the fact that other people's mothers can be quite neurotic.

Thanks Meem!

thanks mom!

I was talking to my mom about the M. Sasek 'This is Munich' book, and wondering when the reproduction would come out (my guess is this year or next year).

Leave it to the infinite powers that only mother's have... she found a vintage copy for me.

To top it off it isn't an old library copy with tons of markings, it didn't cost an arm and a leg, and it's bilingual with English and German.

I am already excited to look at the beautiful illustrations and to see what kinds of things around town Sasek thought were worthy of documenting.

projects

Lately I am loving to do little creative projects. Last night I made a DVD for my parents, so they could take it to my Grandma's house and show her photos from their visit. I was happy that I can put descriptions directly on the photo, so they'll know what each sight is. Then I got to thinking about the book on CD (it ended up being a DVD because it was so big) that I made for my friend Ryan with my digital voice recorder. I have a new found respect for recorded book readers, even if they have studios to edit things.

If I have the patience I may try to do something to combine the two. The possibilities are endless and make great little surprises to find in the mail.