Welcome Franziska!!

This post is 6 weeks over due... Back in Berlin (which I have yet to post about) we met our new nanny, Franziska, and her entire family.  After a not so good experience with our last nanny we were a bit anxious.  We had talked with Franziska through Skype several times but until you meet someone face to face you just never know.  We had no need to worry.  From the moment we met her we could tell she was going to be a super addition to our family. 

We met up in Berlin at Legoland.  Her and Josie hit it off immediately and we had a great time getting to know her parents and her brother.  I know if Josie ever decided to do something like this I would so appreciate the opportunity to get to know her prospective host parents and family.   Here are a few photos from Legoland.

She has been with us for about 6 weeks and fits in so nicely.  Not to mention does a fabulous job with the kids.  Both Benjamin and Josie are singing German songs and speaking/understanding German. Her and Josie spend hours doing art projects and Benjamin enjoys riding piggy back, singing songs and blowing bubbles.  Welcome to our family, Franziska!!

Sesame Street Live

On Sunday Marty got us free tickets to see Sesame Street Live.  Marty couldn't go with us but thankfully, Aunt Liz was able to meet us. On the way there the kids zonked out for pretty much the entire drive from West Seattle to Everett.  

But rest assured, once we got there they were as lively as ever.   Before the show began there were a bunch of things to do in the lobby.  Mostly just a bunch of cut-out Sesame Street figure which all had buttons on them to make them talk.  Benjamin insisted on pushing every single one.  Multiple times. 

Talking Count,  Talking Abby and Talking Oscar

During the show they sat mesmerized by the action on the stage.

And afterward Aunt Liz treated us to "Old McDonalds"  Benjamin's first taste of McDonalds... first if you don't count the two big macs I ate while pregnant.  

Hanging with the Boys

Josie can play princesses and fairies all day long with the girls but she can also hang with the boys like nobody else.  Last weekend she celebrated her friend Will's birthday with a trip to the fire station and afterward the whole crew went to Menchies for frozen yogurt.  Here they are admiring one of Will's new toys.

Counting Teeth

 Last week Benjamin went to the dentist for the first time. He normally doesn't like to get his teeth brushed but with Josie setting such a great example, he was loving it and even wanted back in the chair when his turn was over.  Above, the dentist wanted to count Benjamin's teeth. Josie was asked to helped and even opened her mouth to show him how to do it. They were very cute.

 Benjamin's new pose lately when he is lounging on the couch or watching t.v. or really anytime he is sitting is to put his two arms up and behind his head.  Even at the dentist he strikes the pose.

Josie sporting her pink frilly skirt and pink protective eye wear

Sooooo much to blog about and so little time.  Still to come, Benjamin's birthday, Trip to the Tulips and of course, our Europe trip.  The thought of trying to even come close to doing the trip justice on the blog is overwhelming.  I might just start posting random photos instead of trying to do an in depth summary. 

Two Wheels!

The weekend before Benjamin's birthday, Josie told us that she was ready for her training wheels to be taken off.  I told her and everyone who asked, that she was no where near ready to ride by herself.  She was very adamant.  Marty diligently took them off and within a couple times down the street she was riding on her own!  LOVE her determination and spirit to claim herself ready and to make it so.  Stopping by herself is coming slowly.  Way to go, Josie!! Both of these videos were taken within hours of her training wheels coming off.
This video http://vimeo.com/40844750 shows her sassy attitude and confidence.  "Got it, Mom!"

The Breakfast

I have so much blogging to do and so little time!!  Instead of trying to keep things in chronological order, I'm just going to start posting and although things will be a bit out of order, hopefully I will be able to do all the excitement in our lives justice here on the blog.  I'm starting with a huge fundraising event at work.  When we returned from our European Adventure, I realized that nothing had really been done in my 3 month absence at work to get things ready for the upcoming fundraiser.  Another staff member, a board member and myself basically pulled the entire thing together in about 9 days.
We had a few last minute successes and fiascos.  Literally, just a few days before the event we had a vendor step up and donate all of the place settings, napkins, and linens.  This would have cost close to $1500.  It was such a relief... until we went to pick the things up the less than 12 hours before the event and they tell us that because this kind of donation is unprecedented that they couldn't give us our requested "all white" assortment but instead they had to give us all of their old stuff.  This meant black table linens, black and white plates, and red napkins.  Hmmmm, the donation didn't sound so good now, but we made the most of it (ditching the red napkins) and the table setting actually turned out really nice.  Free is always really nice.  The centerpieces ended up being all of our collective mason jars and the sugar packet holders were all of our smaller canning jars.  Same with serving spoons. It is amazing what you get when you pool the goods from just a few houses.
Another big success was having the event at our friends, James B. and Renee's Church/Coffee Shop/Event Venue.  The venue triples as all three and does a fabulous job in all three areas.  http://www.unionchurchseattle.org/,  http://kakaoseattle.com/, http://www.415westlake.com/  They are really good friends of ours as well as the couple who married us.  They couldn't have been more helpful for supportive.
Marty, who is on the OSL board was roped in to be the MC and did a fantastic job.

 The food was really yummy.  Fresh fruit and mascarpone crepes, Mini Three Cheese Breakfast Quiche,
Chocolate Crunch Banana Muffins, Irish Potato & Egg Casserole, Fresh Fruit Tarts, Fresh Cut Fruit and
Lemon Scones.  All prepared by the OSL staff.

Although it was an exhausting 9 or so days (especially directly on the heels of our trip and recovering from jet lag) it was all worth it in the end... even the all-nighter the night before... which is saying a lot coming from me.  We had about 180 people in attendance and we were able to raise nearly $30,000 dollars to help the hungry in our community.
Here is a video that was part of the event program.  http://vimeo.com/40624506
It was shot and produced  by a friend of ours, Jesse Michener.  She also took amazing  family photos last spring.
Coming up (in no particular order) Benjamin's Birthday, Franziska's Arrival, Josie riding her bike without training wheels, a trip to the Tulip Festival... and of course our Europe trip.

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go.... 

Tomorrow we leave for Europe for 2.5 weeks.  2 weeks in Germany and 4 days in Paris.    If you have even a twinge of jealousy just imagine us, all 4 us, and 3 seats on a 10 hour flight to Paris and then a 2 hour layover and then another 2 hour flight to Berlin.  That might help :)  

I don't know if I'll be able to blog from there... but you never know.