we in our summer things

(direct accidental german/southern quote from claire)

So - the reason why I wasn't in that last photo:

I am back now... good to see the husband and crazy cat but I miss the Deutschlanders!

Weightlifting Champion: Benedikt "the Wiz" Baumgart

If you listen very, very carefully you can hear Claire giving some "golf" commentary.

Frohe Ostern!

(Picture courtesy of Monika ;) More later... with the Bad Bug!)

What a wonderful Easter/Ostern! We have been, as per usual, submitted to the most of fun by the wonderful Hutts and Baumis, etc. The Baumgarts and Unkriegs (Mareike's family) also took us on a sort of scavenger hunt called "letterboxing" for which you basically follow some natural clues ("look for this strange shaped rock and take 77 steps east" etc) and eventually come to a hidden tupperware container with a little guestbook and stamp in it. You can then stamp your map, write the names of your group in the guestbook, and re-hide it in the same place. There's an email you can write to if anything has changed (ie, the book is damaged, one of the landmarks is washed away, etc.)... lots of fun. You guys would have found it right up our alley. It probably took about 2 hours to get to it.

Previous to the hiking (so, in backwards order)... we had been at church breakfast, church (AT 5 AM IN THE MORNING FOR 2 HOURS!!! Capers, Isabelle, Jojo, and I may have been leaning against each other for certain parts of the service. The incense was also quite potent. Bene was really awake for some reason), 4 hours of sleep, walking to a friend of Bene and Eva's to celebrate a birthday, eating dinner at the Baumis with Oma and the Hutts (delish!), took naps (Isabelle for jet lag, Capers for biking about 310 km the day before to get back to Hanau... due to a miscalculation, btw, not because she wanted to ride further than ever in her life for one day, ie, 19 hours straight) and me translating, us eating a delish lunch of weiße spargel (white asparagus), driving from airport with ISabelle and Capers to Mannheim BELTING "Wicked" the musical, all the way.

That's all for now... stay tuned! As I type, Isabelle, Bene, and Jojo are playing Ligretto. Capers helped chopped veggies with Michi and Dome, and Martin is on grill duty while Oma sits in the kitchen and provides lovely conversation for us all. Oops... time to go refill our beers and head to the table!

Easter on Sullivan's Island

Easter Weekend here this year will consist of me, Mom, Uncle Morgan, little Morgan, Olivia, Papa, and Beka, with some John and Joey. On Good Friday we fasted and Mom went to church (I got home late and John worked). Saturday morning we went to Costco and bought a SUP (stand up paddleboard). Uncle Morgan and crew arrived a little after noon. John and I headed out to surf at I of P with our newly fixed up red board (dings fixed and screw replaced in fin) and my old board. It was a pretty good early season day with nice 2 foot waves but good form. We returned home and John got ready for work, while the rest of us headed to the beach to try out the SUP. You might be asking yourself, "What SUP?" hehe, okay, back to narrative. Mom did great on her board and even did a few spins with Olivia on the back.

Uncle Mo was also able to do it although there may have been a little "learning curve".



Then we headed back home and grilled cheeseburgers for the five of us and Papa and Beka. Great cookout. Then we played some dominoes, our new standard game. Aunt Beka has been on a winning streak, but it came to an end with me winning one round and Little Mo taking the other. At that point Papa and Black Beauty headed for home, but Aunt Beka stayed to die Easter Eggs. The eggs came from John girlfriend Corianne's mother who has chickens!

I think the results speak for themselves. Excellent Work!

Today we will go to church, but they are opening John's restaurant, so he has to go work for a couple of hours around noon, but then he will return and we will have Easter Dinner at 2650 Middle St. Dinner, shown at top, will be Lamb with potatoes and onions, with garlic, rosemary, and mint (the last added after picture taken). Happy Easter to all! Hail thee festival day!

easter + germany

Dearest Family,

I will be in Germany for the next week watching over the bad bear who will soon be working in Bad Dürkheim... coincidence? I think not.

Frohe Ostern and I love you all!

isabug

extreme mother!

Here is my awesomely bad design for the week!

Happy Anniversary!

Yes, I know there are others in the picture, but I remember Isabelle and David saying they would like nothing better than to have Claire and John in their anniversary picture ... well, maybe ... But, hey, it's a good picture of them! All!

Happy Anniversary!

Claireware

Guess what?! Claireware is OFFICIALLY FOR SALE ONLINE!

Please visit her store - send to your friends - buy stuff - etc. etc.

Find her on Etsy, here!

A Petition

Mere, Selbyjr, Respectively...
Brother come with me to Deutschland? Bitte?