Nahla and Skylar Move Overseas

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” -John Grogan 

My mother-in-law is a strong woman who challenges herself daily and is always up for an adventure. When we approached her with the question of whether or not she would be interested in taking in the dogs until we got settled in Germany, she let us know within 24 hours that she had thought about it and couldn't say no. As a woman of the road, she housed Skylar and Nahla along with her own black lab in her RV. Those three dogs were her companions and made the journey across the U.S. with her. We knew it was a lot to ask of her to take care of our girls, but she did it without complaint and put her all into making sure they were given the best life she could possibly give them. While she visited us, the dogs followed her to bed each and every night and remained by her side. That right there showed us the bond they all formed in half a year and the loyalty they felt towards her. Thank you, Amy, for loving our dogs as much as we do and giving them plenteous exercise and affection. 

Those six months eased our transition from Colorado to Germany and gave us the freedom to come and go as we pleased without having to think twice about arranging care or checking our watches to rush home and let them out. It also gave us an extremely clean house, one free of the dog hair that never seems to disappear no matter how often we run the vacuum.. To the golden doodle owner, you made the right decision. What that time apart didn't give us was the sense of calmness that a good dog can bring to a home. We missed their gentle spirits that lend so much love and happiness and their eager hello as they greet us at the front door with kisses and wagging tails. Brecken says, "puppies!" every morning as he wakes up, beaming from ear to ear as he stands in his crib waiting for them to make their appearance. They have completed our family again and although the work load has increased and flexibility decreased, we made a commitment to them as puppies and we wouldn't dare turn our backs on their loyal souls now. 

Below are a few pictures from their first trip to Strasbourg, France. They were so well behaved and even laid under an outdoor cafe table as we indulged in fried camembert. I also added a few recent pictures of Breck and his puppies, living the good life together.

Itinerary 1 Day trip to Strasbourg 

• Day 1
• Drive from Stuttgart to Strasbourg, France (1 hour and 40 minutes) 
• Lunch at Brasserie Au Canon
• Notre Dame Cathedral 
• Carousel 
• Roam the city
• Buy a baguette and macaroons
• Drive from Strasbourg to winery 30 miles outside of the city 
• Stock up on inexpensive wine!
• Depart for home 

Barcelona, Spain

Our five year wedding anniversary and Alex's 30th birthday were celebrated in Barcelona, Spain. I cannot even believe he is THIRTY. I reminded him that it's the new 20, so, no worries, right? He is now at peace with the baldness that is occurring and no longer denies it. I couldn't have been happier to celebrate these two milestones together in such a fun city.

Rather than pay a 40 euro cab fare from the airport to our hotel, we decided to take the metro instead. I got my first glimpse of Gaudi's architectural work as I exited the metro escalator on the Passeig de Gracia en route to our hotel. There across the street was Casa Batllo, so unique. We rolled our luggage several streets until we arrived at The Oliva Balmes Hotel. Centrally located to all the most visited attractions, modern decor, two complimentary bottles of cava to kick off our celebratory weekend, and the kindest staff to us and our baby B...they had me at complimentary cava. 

La Boqueria market was bustling with locals buying food and tourists snapping pictures. The vendor stands spilled over with candy, fresh fruits and vegetables, spices and nuts, seemingly endless seafood, sausages, hams and cheeses. The sounds, smells, and colors of this place were so lively. We left the market with a bag full of candy, sausages and fresh squeezed juices. The Gothic Quarter with its medieval buildings and narrow winding streets had us weaving through this area browsing hidden gems and searching for where to eat our first tapas.

On this trip I discovered that my child is a tiny dog whisperer. His affection towards dogs is adorable and after several minutes of playing fetch with a puppy in Parc Guell, I looked up from my camera to see a crowd had formed around him. I now believe that people cannot resist the cuteness of a puppy and a baby. 

I'm glad we chose Barcelona for such a special weekend. It was so great I helped my mom and her husband book a trip to this wonderful city during their Christmas visit to Europe.

A visit from my Dad

As I was standing in the airport, I smiled knowing that in less than 30 minutes I would see a familiar face walk through customs and give us the biggest hug from home. The reunion wasn't movie material, and more or less consisted of a lost parent and a worried adult child, yelling at each other over the phone, from opposite ends of the airport, each wondering where the other one was standing. This visit is off to a great start, I sarcastically said to my 18 month old son. After ten minutes of frustration, we finally found each other and Dad said, let's redo that hello. As he hugged us, his signature scent gave me a feeling of comfort and familiarity.

Ten days, that's all the time we had together for this trip. The Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland welcomed us for three of the ten days. This region was the most scenic place either one of us had ever seen. It's lakes, mountains, waterfalls, and rolling green hills were spectacular. A cozy Swiss chalet was our haven in the evenings and during the poor weather. With heavy rains being the primary forecast for our trip, we were feeling extremely blessed to be given half a day with pure sunshine. The Allmendhubel funicular from Murren gave us the best views of the Eiger, an iconic mountain that towers over tiny Swiss villages and the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We spent our sunny day at The Allmendhubel, swinging on the playground, watching B run for joy, enjoying food and drinks on a patio surrounded by mountains, and thinking is this place real?

While back in Germany, we spent a day at the world's largest pumpkin festival in Ludwigsburg. This years theme, "Pumpkins Take Flight", was perfect for my Dad, a pilot! What an awesome event to kick off the fall season and get a taste of pumpkin!

My Dad and I don't always see eye to eye about things. He has his little quirks that drive me crazy, and he would tell you the same thing about me. But in the midst of our personality differences, there is a love for one another that only a parent and a child can have. We chatted about our visit once he was settled back home. We both agreed that it's so important to make memories, be in the moment and be fully present, and most of all, appreciate one another and the time spent because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. These actions are easy to say or write, but I'm going to be more mindful and focus on fostering quality relationships with the people I love most.


Travel Notes

Interlaken Trains
There are so many places to see in the Bernese Oberland Region and this rail link will show you which destinations you can reach to and from Interlaken. It also links you to the Swiss Travel Pass if you choose to buy one for your trip. Switzerland is expensive. very expensive. If you are going to be traveling in the area for more than three days, it may be more cost-effective to purchase this pass. Do the math for yourself before purchasing! Interlaken Trains website

Want to find the playground pictured above?
Take the train from Interlake Ost to Lauterbrunnen, get off the train in Lauterbrunnen and walk the underpass to the Murren Railway Station and hop on the cable car to Grutschalp. Once the cable car reaches it's destination, exit and board the train to Murren. Take the allmendhubel funicular from Murren to a panorama view with restaurant and playground! It sounds much more difficult and lengthy than it really is, sit back and enjoy the insane views!)

The chalet we stayed at is located in Frutigen, a 25 minute drive from the Interlaken train station. It sits up high in the Swiss countryside, overlooking the rolling green hills and small town. We really loved the feel of this place and the owner was very helpful and welcoming. To save money, we brought a cooler of food and prepared our breakfasts and dinners at the Chalet. Airbnb Chalet

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival
Events, information, opening hours and fees are all listed on this website. While you're at the Festival, be sure to check out the Fairy-Tale garden which is located at the same Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival website