A little bit from December

Has December really come and gone? There's so much excitement, prepping, and anticipation around Christmas and then wham, it's over. I'm so eager to get the decorations out and the tree set up and as soon as Christmas is over, I'm like, let's get rid of the tree, I can't stand it in my house any longer. It had been five years since I spent Christmas with my Mom. Gosh, just the thought of her and I sipping coffee together and watching B open presents Christmas morning made me SO HAPPY.

I miss her. Some days I think about what life would be like if we lived in the same town. Well, maybe not that close, but, a short drive away. We could meet for lunch on a whim, she could have her grandson over for sleepovers, and my husband and I could go on a date night here and there, because, grandmas always want to babysit, right? Those thoughts often run through my mind but they will never be our reality. And truth be known, we are all pretty darn happy with how our lives currently are, but it's nice to have those sentimental thoughts every now and then.

Alex and I took a mini vacation to Innsbruck, Austria and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany while the little guy stayed back with "Gaga" and "Mo". My mom got a great laugh from the list I printed for her on how to care for Brecken. I'll confess, I have control freak tendencies at times. It had been over a year since Alex and I had an overnight without B and it was so nice to be "off duty" for those 36 hours. We came home to a child who didn't acknowledge our arrival, a clean house, and dinner in the oven. At that, we both agreed we need to hire an au pair if my Mom isn't willing to live in our attic. ;)

This week the house felt empty with our guests back in Florida and Daddy back to work. Brecken has been running around yelling "Gaga, Mo, Daddy!" .. Sorry buddy, it's just Mom here and no one is going to save you from your nap. 

Itinerary 2 days and 1 night 

• Day 1
• Depart Stuttgart and Drive to Innsbruck (3 hours and 30 minutes) 
• Christmas Market in the Altstadt 
• Roam around the city
• Lunch in Innsbruck 
• Drive from Innsbruck to Garmisch (1 hour) 
• Check-in at hotel 
• Walk the streets of Garmisch
• Christmas Market in Garmisch 
• Dinner at a restaurant downtown
• Day 2
• Morning swim at the hotel pool
• Breakfast at the hotel 
• Check-out and travel day

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.