Sleepy Zehlendorf

 Josh and Jodi trekked out to visit us in our sleepy area of Berlin, Zehlendorf.  We all went and met the kids as they were getting out of school and to stop by the school shop and buy Josh a JFK t-shirt to remember the kids school.  There was no complaining from anyone when we suggested that we head to our favorite ice cream shop - Alte Backstube .  It is funny that we go to this ice cream shop so much.  Well, actually not funny at all as it has the BEST (handmade) ice cream in town, but interesting because I remember looking around the town via Google Earth from Seattle before we moved here

dreaming about where we would be hanging out.  And Alte Backstube was one of the places I figured we would be at often.  And I was right.

House Hunters International - Balance in Berlin

Back in October we did 5 full 12 hour days of filming for an episode of House Hunters International.  After the filming they told us that our episode would air sometime in the next 6 to 9 months.  Well, a couple of weeks ago we got word that our episode was

set to air on Tuesday, April 9th - which with the time change turned out to be Wednesday really early on April 10th. 

Marty and I set our alarms for 4AM so we could watch it.  We didn't know if it would be available later on youtube or not and since we can't record anything from here we figured this was our one shot to see ourselves on the big (or in this case just the teeny iPad)

screen. 
After all those hours of filming it was so interesting to see what they chose to put into and take out of our episode. 

All in all we would say it was a great, albeit exhausting at the time, experience.  It is really super cool to have part of our big move here documented like this.
There was a second showing at 7:30 AM our time.  We normally leave for school around 7:30 but we decided to

let the kids watch the first 10 minutes before they hustled to bike to school on time.

And then the next day our tech savvy daughter pointed out that our episode was on YouTube and we could watch it whenever we wanted.  So, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrz6EI4p0Lk

Sunny Sunday at Mauerpark

We have been meaning to get back to the huge Sunday Flohmarkt at Mauerpark for a long time.  We went with Julie a couple summers ago and when Jodi suggested it for her first full day in Berlin activity we jumped on board. I swear Jodi must have brought the great weather with her.  From the minute she landed Berlin was

bright, sunny and actually warm!! 
Mauer Park is was an enormous Flea Market mixed with new and cool handmade stuff and food stands with food from all over the world.  There is even a craft beer garden.  Aside from the Flea Market there is a huge park

filled with people picnicking, karaoking, live music.  It really is the hip hangout for the Bohemian Berlin cool.
We walked up and down the crowded stands of merchants selling things old and new.  Jodi found some really fun and unique gifts for friends back home and the kids had a great time on the playground

and the lively atmosphere of the park, complete with the bubble strings.
After a quick Italian lunch we decided to revisit Treptower Park where we had just gone with the Kitcheners just

Jodi didn't like the pic of herself so
she "edited it a little"  haha

a few days previous.  When we went with the Kitcheners it was a Thursday afternoon, the weather was sunny but on the cold side and the park was all but abandoned.  We even doubted we would be able to rent boats.  Well, when we went with Jodi and Josh on this very sunny and nice (first sunny weekend of the year) the park was PACKED. 

Within minutes on the train ride back Josh was out.
Way to hang in there on your first full day in Berlin!

And the line to rent the boats was a mile long and would take us 2 hours until a boat was available to rent.  When decided to bypass the boats but the walk along the river and the ice cream cones were worth the trek. 
Again, Josh and Jodi really hung in there and you couldn't even tell that they had just arrived, presumably battling jet lag.  They put us to shame.  It takes us at least a couple of days on either end of that trip to feel even somewhat put together.

Jodi and Josh

Jodi was the very first person to book tickets to come visit us after we said we were moving here.  I think it was within a week of us telling her that she asked if she could come visit during Josh's Spring Break.  Ummmm, YES!!  She arrived within an hour of the Kitchener's leaving.  We met them at the airport and they rallied!! We are normally so tired when we land after such a long flight but they really powered through.  We walked around a bit and got a quick lunch (or dinner - our time was all messed up too) then we left them in the early evening to try to get a good night of sleep their first night in Berlin.  Josh's first night in Europe. 

Templehofer Feld

 Marty, Benjamin and I went to Templehofer Feld back in late August when we were waiting to find out if he would be accepted into JFK.  It is funny because now looking back I have very fond memories of that time when we spent our days, just him and me, at the zoo, at museums and biking around town.  Josie had 2 weeks of solo schooling and that was also really nice to be able to focus on her back to school entry and really support her as she started a brand new school. 

Like most things, she paved the way in such a strong, proud, brave way.  I know at the time I was so incredibly stressed about getting Benjamin into school and was also a bit worn out as

 the 4 of us had been together with very little outside connection to anyone else for over a month/24 hours a day 7 days a week. 
So, remembering the good time we had at Templehofer Feld, we

decided to bring the Kitcheners there.  We borrowed a friend's son's bike for Charlie, Josie used her roller blades.  Chris borrowed my bike and Will rode Josie's.  Yes,

my bike was way too small for Chris and Josie's bike was too big for Will but they really made the best of it.  Ali and I just tagged along behind on foot and ended up having an over 20,000 step day!

They biked around the fields, we stopped for a snack and then we headed back.  And after all the biking and transporting our bikes and blades on trains
and buses we decided a celebratory ice cream was in order.
Later in the afternoon we headed to one of our favorite parks and then to our favorite Indian restaurant. 

 
Thanks for the making the trek, Kitcheners!!  So SO fun to have you all here for the week. 
Looking forward to our hopeful October adventure!

Flak Towers and Pedal Boats

One of the things on Chris' list of must sees was an old Flak Tower.    He researched it and found a tour and Marty was thrilled to have a partner in crime.  There are a lot historical things here in Berlin that Marty would probably love to see but hasn't taken the time to search them out.
Ali, the kids and I hung out at a nearby park while the guys went on the Flak Tower tour.  The Kitchener's friend had been to Berlin just a week or two before and hid a few treasures for them at the park we were playing at.  We went on their treasure hunt but unfortunately someone else must have come across

their treasures first as they were no longer there.  Still, it was fun to have a little activity although the kids were more than happy to climb trees, play tag and entertain a bunch of dogs for a local dog walker.
After the tower and the park we headed to Treptower Park to have lunch, rent pedal boats and visit the Russian Memorial exhibit.

I was dreading the boat ride as it was just barely warm and just barely sunny but once we rented the boats the sun came out and it was even a bit warm.

Photo bombing a wedding shoot at the Russian War Memorial Exhibit

Spaghetti Eis

When we met the Kitcheners in Berlin a couple of years ago (they were living in the UK and we were just here for our nearly annual 2 week Germany vacation) Chris turned us on to Spaghetti Eis.  We had seen it before but never ordered it.  He was on a mission during that summer trip to find it.  We couldn't unfortunately so every time we have seen it here since we have moved here we think of him.

On Wednesday we took them to our favorite ice cream shop so he could indulge in the famous Spaghetti eis.  For those of you unfamiliar it is vanilla ice cream pushed out through some kind of mold to look like spaghetti.  Like those play-doh strands the kids used to play with.  It is then topped with "marinara sauce" (strawberry jam) and "parmesan cheese" (shaved nuts)

We all ate yummy ice cream and then headed to the Allied Museum.  Marty had taken Benjamin to this museum before but even on his second time he was taken in by

it all.  He surprisingly LOVES museums.  He pores over the information and the historical pieces and information.   This time he was so intrigued by this photo enlarger and the slides that he spent a good 20 minutes at this station alone. He pushed every button and lifted every lever.  We were kicked out because they were closing otherwise I bet he would've spent 20 more.

After the museum we headed into to our favorite Turkish Dönnner  place.

Josie and Will were constantly climbing trees. 

Will happily at the entire thing!!