While I'm at it...

Since I'm already in a blog-updating-mood.... I thought I'd post some pictures of our bedroom here...since it was never tidy enough to photograph before:) We just bought these lamps a few days ago so now I can read before bed! yippee :)

New deck furniture!!

Spring is starting to slowly show it's face here in Wellington and Manuel and I are starting to prepare our deck for summer! We're in the market right now for a BBQ grill and an outdoor table and chairs. Hopefully we'll be able to find some good deals in the Father's Day sales coming up (Father's Day is in September over here....which would explain why I couldn't find any cards for Daddy back in June...). I also just bought a set of 4 cane chairs on Trademe (like Craig's list) and they arrived this morning! I have big plans for recovering the cushions and then spending every single evening sitting on our deck :)


Here is another possible arrangement...
AND I got this totally cool tea trolley!! EEEEE!!! For goodness sakes, SOMEONE come visit us so I can host you on our deck...please. please.

My inspiration for buying these bamboo chairs came from the Design*Sponge post of a "before and after" bamboo sofa. I'll see what I can cook up for my new set, and post the "after" pictures when I'm all done!

And here is a shot from a couple of weekends ago when Steve and Wendy came by for a German lunch! Manuel made Schweinebraten :) He is also wearing the very appropriate "kiss me I'm German" shirt. Also featured in this picture are the fantastic place mats that Tara gave me with prints of New Zealand native birds. I love them.

Germany Vist '09 (part 2)

Continuing on in our Bavarian visit, here is a cute little baby deer in Manuel's backyard!!


All smiles with Ines in the Beer Garden in Passau. BEST. OBATZER. EVER.

At the Greek restaurant in Freyung with Daniel. yum-o

Manuel and Mike in the Kletternwald. They were way braver than I was and did all the courses..

Manuel crossing a swinging stick bridge thing up in the trees..

Mike preparing to walk the tight rope!


Each course takes you higher and higher into the trees.




Back home in Rosa's kitchen enjoying Schweinebraten!!

Once more with Ines in the yummiest cafe in Schwabing! This was our breakfast feast!

Ines and I went on an hour and half bike ride along the Isar to a like on the outskirts of Munich. SUCH a beautiful day in the sun :) (this is Ines's brand new bike!)



This is Tara's vespa. if she lived in Munich....


I visited the Frey family to see how the girls have grown :) They are 5 now! I also got to see them perform a play in the English Garden with their Kinderhaus friends. Here's Ina :



One last coffee with Daniel in Freyung :)


Future football star: Tina! She played and played and played with Manuel in the backyard the day before we left.

Laura and I played a little bit too....but got distracted with other things, like braiding our hair :)

Our time went way way too quickly!!

Germany Vist '09 (part 1)

After being away for a little over a year, Manuel and I made our journey back to Bavaria to visit much-missed family and friends! We were totally booked out the entire time (well, Manuel was at least...I went along for the ride most of the time).... It was so so wonderful to be back in Germany (and I am happy to report that I did not forget all my german!) Our time went by way too quickly! Here are some highlights:

Climbing with the boys. I did not actually climb while we were there...but I was a great watcher. :)

(That's Manuel on the rock)

Lunch with our lovely Ines :) Ines and I ended up being regulars at this Cafe in Schwabing near her flat...so much so that when we walked down the street, the waiters recognized us!

Hanging out in the cemetery...no seriously. Well, it's also a park. We went for a little picnic.
Meeting Dana and Jochen for pizza. GIANT pizzas. They. were. delicious.

Beautiful window boxes in Marienplatz...

Ines and I at my all time favorite: Padu Pizza in Passau. I could write sonnets about this place!

Beach volley ball!
At Mike's Confirmation (the whole reason we came to Germany in the first place...)

Lunch in Hohenau after the Confirmation

Fish lunch in the hut with Ines and her parents. De-Lish

Part 2 will be coming soon!!!