Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Many overlook this tiny country nestled between France, Germany, and Belgium but we felt the need to check it out and see what it was all about. We had two nights booked at a hotel a quick five-minute drive outside of the city center. I initially thought that two nights would be the ideal amount of time but honestly, it turned out to be too much time. Yes, believe it or not, at least in our opinion, this city would be best for a stop over en route to another destination. We arrived on an early afternoon and drove directly to the Luxembourg American Cemetery. Walking through the cemetery we read the names of the fallen soldiers and the states they called home. I felt sad that they were laid to rest in a country a great distance from their loved ones. Our visit was peaceful and reflective. That generation is one whom we have so much respect and appreciation for.

We walked the downtown city in probably two hours and felt all highlights had been seen during that time. Sitting in the hotel room watching the never-ending rain, I was ready to call this trip a bust and drive home a day early. Instead, I picked up the computer and started searching for activities on Google thinking there HAD to be something I missed during my previous search. A WWII museum 30 minutes away, jackpot. What did we have to lose? A quick drive and possibly seeing cool memorabilia seemed better than wasting time in the hotel watching toddler cartoons. This museum took our trip from a bust to a half hit and made me feel like our money spent for the weekend wasn't a total waste. 

Would I recommend this trip to friends? Nah, probably not. Unless of course you are driving through the area, I would insist you input DieKirch, Luxembourg into your GPS and make your way to the National Museum of Military History.


Travel Notes

Parc Alvisse Hotel
This hotel as stated earlier is just a five-minute drive outside of the city center but situated in more of a wooded area. The hotel staff were not friendly and welcoming, something I always make note of. Why do people work in the hospitality industry if they can't show some hospitality.. Anyone else ever wonder this!? The hotel does have a nice sauna and indoor pool area but we didn't think it seemed very welcoming for children. A breakfast buffet was included with our room price and was the typical European breakfast spread. Park Alvisse Hotel website

Luxembourg American Cemetery 
I've linked you to the American Battle Monuments Commission website which provides general information on the hours of operation, location, etc. for this particular cemetery. It's quite interesting to read through the FAQ section of this site to gain a better understanding of the history and burial policies of the American Battle Monuments Commission. Luxembourg American Cemetery website

National Museum of Military History
A treasure trove of so many WWII items and a true must see if visiting the area!
Admission fees, hours, and the address are listed on the website link provided.
Our two year old was fascinated by the different scenes displayed with mannequins. National Museum of Military History website

JFK American Bar and Kitchen
This was a neat find in the Kirchberg area of Luxembourg City. It was a modern restaurant with an extremely friendly staff and delicious food. You may be thinking, Why would they eat at an American restaurant? Let me tell ya..After a while, you just crave some quesadillas, a good burger, and a philly cheesesteak. JFK American Bar and Kitchen website

Vapiano
An Italian chain restaurant that originally started in Germany but has now become an International franchise. I've honestly never heard of them until this trip. Upon entering, the hostess hands you what appears to be a credit card. This card is their smart-card payment system. Servers do not come to your table here. Instead, you go to the individual chef stations that cook pastas, pizzas, and salads where you place your own order. At these stations, your card is swiped to load the order onto it. When you're ready to leave, hand the smart-card to the hostess and pay your bill. We loved this system, especially because it was fast and convenient if dining with children. The food and atmosphere were great! Vapiano Restaurant website

Itinerary- 4 days and 3 nights

• Day 1
• Depart Stuttgart and drive to Luxembourg American Cemetery (3 hours and 20 minutes)
• Walk through the cemetery 
• Check-in at hotel
• Downtown Luxembourg City 
• Dinner in the city 
• Day 2
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Research indoor activities due to heavy rain and thunderstorms
• Drive from Luxembourg City to Diekirch (35 minutes)
• National Museum of Military History 
• Lunch out and about 
• Dinner in the city
• Day 3 
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Tour more of Luxembourg City 
• Lunch at Vapianos 
• Relax at the hotel 
• Day 4 
• Check-out and travel day

Prague, Czech Republic

The ancient beauty and splendor of Prague, a city beyond compare, left an impression on my imagination that will never fade. - Richard Wagner 

I have to admit, the night before we drove to Prague I wasn't as excited about this trip as our previous destinations. Mixed reviews from fellow travelers had me second guessing if we should have gone elsewhere. I also blame myself for not researching the city and laying out a good itinerary for us. I dropped the dogs off at the kennel and delayed packing for our trip. I so despise this task and always put it off until the last minute. Which in turn causes me more stress seconds before our departure.. why.. why.. do I do this? Alex is the packing and organizing guru of our family and I high-five him for putting us ahead of schedule and on the road in record time.

We've waited months for snow to fall over here and of course it came in the early morning hours just as we were getting ready to be on our way. To bring the SUV or the car was the hot question at 5:30 am. Oh, definitely the car. Thinking solely on the premise of better gas mileage and size for driving those narrow city streets to get to our hotel. The further east we drove, the more snow kept falling, our windshield wipers moving as fast as my heart rate. I was angry at my 5:30am self for choosing the wrong vehicle. Alas, we made it to the city and praised God for safe traveling mercies. 

With temperatures below freezing, we bundled up and headed out to explore the city on foot, walking at least four miles each day, stopping at more than one street vendor cart to buy Trdelnik and potato soup. Everyone told us that Charles Bridge would be tourist central. I'm not one for hordes of tourists because navigating crowds with a stroller is less than pleasant. But, the bridge was quiet. Where was everyone? I'm assuming the frigid temps and the time of year had something to do with it. Well worth traveling the off season! 

Travel Notes

Helpful Website

This website was one of the most inclusive sites I found that offered information about how to navigate Prague, it's history, attractions, and much more. All About Prague website

Hotel Cloister-Inn

I love staying at fancy hotels but those aren't in the budget since we started traveling frequently. This budget friendly find was a real steal with breakfast included AND in a prime location; within a five minute walk to Charles Bridge and the Old Town. It's kid-friendly with high chairs, children's tableware sets, and cribs upon request. Parking is available for 20 euros on site but a reservation must be made in advance since space is limited. Hotel Cloister-Inn website

Vinohradsky Parlament Restaurant

Ok, I found a really cool "foodie" type of restaurant that cooks with local ingredients and makes some mighty tasty Czech food. The highlight, wait for it... A separate children's playroom complete with a free babysitter.  Oh no, she didn't just say that. Yes, people, It DOES exist. Children ages 3-8 may use the playroom unaccompanied by parents. Children under the age of 3 must have a parent with them. Now can more restaurants jump on this idea? Is this a thing in the US? It needs to be. Vinohradsky Parlament Restaurant website

Petrin Hill Funicular Schedule

We weren't about to walk the many steps up to Petrin Hill with the stroller, cause that wouldn't be fun. So, we thought we would just hop the Funicular to the top, uh, wrong. Remember how I mentioned I didn't do much research and planning for this trip? yeaaaa... apparently the Funicular is closed down until March 2016 for reconstruction. This site will provide you with the information we wish we would have known in advance! Petrin Hill Funicular Schedule

Itinerary- 4 days and 3 nights

• Day 1
• Depart Stuttgart by 7:30am and drive to Prague (5 hours)
• Check-in at hotel 
• Lunch at a street side cafe 
• Charles Bridge 
• Old Town Square 
• Dinner in Old Town Square
• Day 2
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Charles Bridge 
• Petrin Hill 
• Castle 
• Roam the streets
• Dinner at Vinhoradsky (so good!) 
• Day 3 
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Astronomical Clock
• St. Vitus Cathedral
• Shopping 
• Lunch at a street side cafe
• Roam the streets near the castle 
• Dinner on the go
• Day 4 
• Check-out and travel day

Lots of Three P's Lately

I'm sure you're wondering, just what are the three P's? If you aren't into bathroom talk, then I suggest you x out and save yourself another minute of reading about pee, poop, and the royal potty. Over the last few months B had been showing interest in using the potty. We encouraged him to use it at his leisure but I was not prepared to train an 18 month old on all that jazz, seriously. Diapers are easy, way too easy, especially while traveling. I had visions of potty training Nahla as a puppy and remember how downright awful that was. Not comparing my child to a dog or anything, but toddlers can be quite stubborn.

Obviously, I'm no expert. I was totally clueless in this and overwhelmed after reading so many strategies on how to properly train your child. I gathered advice from friends who have been there, done that, jumped on amazon to buy books for me and him and potty seats and a travel potty and made a special trip to the store for reward snacks, yummy beverages, boxer briefs.. blah blah blah. Nothing like gathering up all your ammunition to get ready for battle.

Day 1: World's greatest family bonding activity: wiping up pee off the floor more times than one can count. No son, you cannot stand there and pee yourself while playing with trains. The Elmo potty dvd  is on repeat for hours which leads to your husband walking around humming the potty song. Totally exhausted by bedtime, let's open a bottle of valpolicella.

Day 2: Off to a better start than day 1. "Let mommy and daddy know when you have to pee pee, okay!?, this phrase, every 5 minutes, for real. Poop in the pants which results in a bath mid day. Elmo still on the tv. Multiple successful trips to the potty = a treat each time, sugar high anyone? 20 minutes of playtime outside, praying we make it home dry. Jumping around like crazy people clapping, cheering, and dancing with positive praise for our little dude. Day 2 completed and we ask each other if the last day of training is going to be a hit out of the park or a huge relapse.

Day 3: No accidents. Woke up dry from a 2 hour nap. We. Are. Shocked. Big boy undies forever!

Day 4: Is it safe to leave the house now? Wait, no one told us that our child will still desire to poop in his pants every day, but that pee skill is legit.

Present day (3 weeks later): Leaving the house on a daily basis for a few hours at a time with no accidents.. yet. Still laughing at the fact that every family member is amped up to hear about B's potty progress. Never imagined we would become so comfortable with cheering about pee and poop, #parentlife.


Supplies

Baby Bjorn Potty Seat
Infantino Travel Potty
Tidy Tots Disposable Liners
Potty Book for Boys
Oh Crap Potty Training Book // Toilet Training in Less Than a Day // 3 Day Potty Training *Mainly followed 3 day potty training method but took points of information from the other books and added to the training.
Elmo Potty DVD

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