When Moms are Away, Boys Will Play

This weekend while the girls of the family were at the Women of Faith conference in Shreveport, La, my brother and cousin stayed with my uncle in Texas. This is what they did to entertain themselves while we were gone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMS2yPTw41Y

I have about the coolest brother and cousin in the world! :D

Parenting

I wrote this as an assignment for my marriage and family class. Though it might be interesting to post here. I wanted to write more, but the assignment had to be no more than two pages.

My parents provided me with a great childhood. All my basic needs were met and they did everything they could to give me every advantage in life. They used many different parenting strategies when raising me and my siblings. One such strategy was teaching us responsibility. We were not assigned specific chores around the house, but rather my parents taught us that when you see something that needs doing, to do it. When we were younger, my mom or dad would ask us to do specific tasks, but as we got older, we were expected to step up and do the things necessary to maintain the house. My parents also taught us discipline. We were taught from an early age that wrong actions have consequences. If we wailed and screamed if my mom told us to wait, that solicited a pop on the behind. As we grew, their mode of discipline changed too. By the time I was in middle school, I rarely, if ever got spankings. Instead, privileges were taken away. The most important part of growing up was the education that my parents gave me. From day one, my mother and father took me church. They taught us the importance of faith and a relationship with God. That has been the best thing my parents ever did for me. Another part of my education that my parents provided was academics. My mom and dad made the decision to homeschool us when my sister was in third grade and I was about to start kindergarten. They made this because of several different reasons, but the reason behind the decision was to provide the best education possible for us.
When I have children of my own, I will employ many of the strategies that my parents used. I believe that these strategies provided me with a great childhood and equipped me to grow into a well-balanced adult. Another parenting strategy that I will use is a fairly stable schedule. They’ll wake up around the same time, eat around the same time, and go to bed around the same time. It won’t be strict and inflexible, but it will help them establish a daily routine. I want to teach my children to be responsible, independent, caring, and love God and the church.
I hope to be able to stay at home with my children, but I know that if I am unable to do so, I need someone to care for my children. In the best situation, it would be a family member or a close friend. If that doesn’t work, I will have no other choice than to take my children to daycare. The condition of daycare in our country is pitiful. Daycare, even if it is not quality care, is incredibly expensive. The people who need it the most cannot afford childcare. The poor have government sponsored programs accessible to them. Even if they are not high quality, it is still their only option. The working class does not have access to government sponsored childcare and cannot afford to pay the price of public or private daycare. There is a serious need to affordable, high quality childcare in the United States. Supporters and government officials should look at European models for ideas and inspiration.

From Turmoil to Peace

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Last night a line of storms came through the Starkville area. I get pretty nervous when it's bad weather cause I'm pretty scared of tornadoes. There weren't any in our area last night, but I still had trouble sleeping. Today was in stark contrast to last night's chaos. As I drove to school this morning, the combination of the dark brown of the wet tree trunks with the bright green of the leaves was very beautiful to me. It reminded me of something out of a movie. As the day progressed, the sun came out and the clouds cleared to make room for a beautiful blue sky. The weather was perfect. A gorgeous day to sit outside and just soak it all in.

In less than six hours, the weather went from turmoil to peace.

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Procrastination at Its Best

Here I am, sitting in the library on campus at 10:08 pm. I'm supposed to be studying. I have a Spanish III test tomorrow. It require a bit of studying, but I am no where near the frame of mind that it takes to actually accomplish something while looking at books and notes. Since returning from Texas after Spring Break, I've been in a mood, a funk, if you will. I don't know where it originated from, and maybe it's just the product of hormones being out of whack, who knows. All I know is that it's not fun. Before Spring Break, things were ok. I wasn't in the best of spirits, mostly because of school. I'm tired of it, and some of my classes aren't going so well. But I had an idea of where I was headed with all this, where to take my education and start a career. I'm still on the same track with that. I have some leads on possible internships for next year, and after that, I have a better idea of where to apply for jobs. So that part is looking up. I guess the part of my life that isn't looking so chipper at the moment is the relationship part. It seems like I've been on a roller coaster the past year, but suddenly, I fell out. Reality hit, and I realized that I have to get used to being alone. That prospect is not appealing to me in the least. Even if I do date some before I graduate, could it ever really get serious? Everyone is going in different directions, so the probability of us landing in the same city is slim to none. So, that's out. Well, let's say I graduate college and get the job I've been wanting. It will probably be in a city where I don't know many people, if any at all. I know from personal experience that it takes a long time to make friends and form relationships. So, again, I'm alone. Sure, I'll keep in touch with family and friends, but that's not the same as being right there with them. Boy, this growing up thing isn't all that great after all. I'm just not the kind of person who thrives on independence and freedom. Yeah, I know that sounds very un-American of me, but it's true. I don't want to be some power executive in a high profile career. That's not me. I want the little house with a picket white fence and four kids playing out back. That's who I've always been and always will be. It's just a matter of if will I ever get there...

Update

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MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS ARE 2009 SEC CHAMPS!!!

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Bipolar Weather

A little over a week ago, Starkville and a good part of the Southeast looked like this:

Now, Starkville looks like this:

Spring is here! :)

Atlanta

This weekend my sister and I are trekking to Atlanta, Georgia to watch my brother in a fencing tournament. I was excited about the weekend because it was a chance to see the fam, and get out of Starkvegas for a while. I haven't been to Atlanta in a long time, so I don't really remember lots about it. I think the last time I was here was when my aunt and uncle lived here. My cousin had just been born, so we came to see her. She's almost 11 now! We are staying in the Westin Hotel. It's really nice, even though there are still windows missing from the tornado that hit downtown Atlanta almost a year ago. There is still a good bit of damage.

The ride down here was...interesting, to say the least. I let my sister drive. Enough said.

Anyways, we're here now, chillin at the hotel. Sometime tonight I think we're going to eat supper at the Hard Rock. I really like downtown Atlanta so far. Except for the traffic...

Keller

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Recently, my sister came across an ad in the classifieds that was selling mini dachshunds. Because my mom raises mini dachshunds, she was curious and decided to take a look at the ad. In a litter of black and tan dapples, there was one female puppy who was blind. She has a genetic defect that occurs when someone breeds two dapples together. It causes huge problems for the puppy, therefor is an unacceptable breeding practice. My sister was immediately drawn to the puppy. She called about her and finally got in touch with the owner, and she and I went to look at the puppy. It became clear after we saw her that she was both blind and deaf, but her sweet and lively personality and her sad situation made her impossible to refuse. We took her home, a little overwhelmed, but adoring her. My sister gave her a very appropriate name: Keller. Watching Keller in the past few days has been amazing. Even though it seems as if she doesn't have a thing going for her, she is just like any other puppy. She is adapting to her new home rather quickly also. Despite not being able to hear or see, she has remarkably good senses of touch and smell. These, and taste, are the only sense she has to use. Likewise, those are the only senses we have to train her with. We need lots of patience and information. Keller, and the two of us, have a long read ahead. I can forsee that she will teach us alot and continually amaze and surprise.

When I see the hardships that Keller has to live with, it makes me very greatful for all of my senses. The ability to see and hear is precious. She also shows me that no matter how bad the

hardships in my life get, I can make it through them.

So keep my sister and I, and Keller in your thoughts and prayers. We are going to need it!

Check out Keller's Blog by clicking the link in my blogs: "Raising Keller"

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Coloring

I thought that when I finished grade school that I would graduate from coloring. Aparently, even in college, coloring is still an important skill. I have map quiz in geography tomorrow, and to practice we have maps to color and mark. It's kinda fun. The fact that we have to know every country, city, and physical feature of all of Europe and Russia for the quiz tomorrow is not fun...

This week has been crazy already...and it's only Monday. I had a paper, a test, and a horrible spanish class to attend. I really really do not care for my professor. He is arrogant, mean-spirited, and thinks we are all stupid English-speakers. Nevermind that he can't speak English worth a lick himself... So I've got a long week ahead of me.

So I'm off to color.

P.S. I stayed up that night studying and even got up early the next morning to study more. Come to find out when I arrived in class, he didn't give the quiz. :( All that effort for nothing!

Muse

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I'm not sure what muse has inspired me to write again, but as of yesterday, after 20 consecutive days of silence, I'm back. Hope you missed me. : ) Oh, and I'm feeling rather cheeky tonight, so beware.

Not much has been happening lately other than the usual going-to-class excitement. The one exception being that I've been going to the gym an average of five days a week for the past 3 weeks. I really love going (most days). I go with at least two other girls, sometimes more. My friends are awesome encouragers, and heaven knows I need it sometimes. The best part about working out is that it's fun. We do lots of different things, so we don't get burned out on one thing in particular. Another plus is that I'm taking a step in the right direction towards bathing suit season. That never hurts. Plus, I feel so much better (when you get past the soreness).

The semester has been rather blah, not for one particular reason or another, just has been. I'm hoping for a turn around, because yesterday I had a really great day. There was nothing really spectacular that happened (sadly, I didn't win the lottery), but I just felt great, was in a good mood, and got lots of things accomplished. In my book, that makes for a great day.

Now for a shocking, disturbing-nay horrifying newsflash:

WHEN GOOD BLUEBERRY PANCAKES GO BAD

(Dun, dun, dunnnn...)

Now here's the latest news out of a small Starkville kitchen:

An innocent woman was seen cooking blueberry pancakes when suddenly, something went horribly wrong. The pancakes mutated and took on a life of their own. This was the outcome:

So that was the saga of my first time making blueberry pancakes. I did, however, make successful apple cinnamon muffins, chocolate chip muffins, and my first fritatta. They were all quite delicious.

25 Completely Random Facts and Figures About Me

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I did this on Facebook because I was tagged about twenty times, so I thought I'd share it here too.

25 Completely Random Facts and Figures about Me:

1. I am the middle child. I have an older sister and a younger brother. I don’t get the whole middle child syndrome though. I’ve always just been the peace keeper. I am extremely close to my family. We’re all scattered at the moment, which makes me very sad, but I still have a strong relationship with each person.

2. I was raised in southern Mississippi, and I shall forever be a Mississippi girl, even though my family and I were exiled to Texas for a time.

3. I don’t have a favorite band or genre of music. I go through phases. My last phase was Country music, and that lasted for 6 months. I’m currently in between phases.

4. I’m a romantic at heart. Not all that gushy lovey-dovey junk though. Sickening. But honest to goodness, through good times and bad, love.

5. Valentine’s Day is a stupid holiday. It sucks if you are single (then it is known as S.A.D: Single’s Awareness Day), and if you have a significant other, it only serves as a reminder that they need to treat you to something special every once and a while. It’s a no-fail reminder because the media and commercial markets will not let them forget it. It is my opinion that you should do something special for that person every day. (I’ll get off my soapbox for now…)

6. I’ve been a Christian for 13 years and I love Christ with all that I am. I could never make it through the hard times or the good without my Savior.

7. When I go home during holidays or over the summer, I have an 11 hour drive. Driving that too much will make you crazy. Not kidding.

8. I have two dogs, Wicket and Molly. Both are mini dachshunds. My mom raises them, so we have lots of dogs and puppies at home.

9. It took me years to learn how to spell dachshund correctly. Datsun…dachsund…dashound…doxie…

10. I really don’t like it when people call them wiener dogs…it’s weird…

11. If I could choose anywhere in the world to visit, I’d choose Italy.

12. I am not an articulate person. I will stutter and stumble over my words, especially if I’m nervous or uncomfortable. It’s embarrassing. However, when I write, all my words and thoughts seem to come untangled.

13. I’m a word buff. I like unusual and interesting words, and I like to make what I’m saying sound good by putting words together and making a statement contrary to how people actually speak. It’s fun.

14. Boxers are my second favorite breed of dog. We’ve had once since I was little, and I hope I always have a boxer around. They’re such clowns, but also really affectionate. And they’d scare the mess out of someone that didn’t know better.

15. Some of my heroes are: My mom, my sister, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Paul, and...I know there's more, I just can't think of them right now.

16. I’m a major in Communication (at Mississippi State, of course) with an emphasis in PR.

17. I’m working towards being an event planner, either corporate or private.

18. I’m hoping to get a minor in Spanish. I’ll let you know after I get my final grade in Spanish III…

19. Even though I don’t seem like the “outdoorsy” type, I really love being outside.

20. My favorite season is early fall.

21. I’m addicted to coke (as in the soda) and running.

22. I have always loved the idea of rock wall climbing, and only yesterday made that idea into a reality.

23. I have the best friends in the whole, entire world. They support me, love me, are goofy with me, and aren’t afraid to slap me upside the head if I need it (which is often). Each person is incredibly special to me! Some friends are close, and some are far away, but I still love the time I get to spend with them all. (And because I love you all sooo much, I tagged you in this note!!! Mwahaha!)

24. I have a whole other side of me that people rarely get to see.

25. Though I have problems just like anyone else, I consider myself to be incredibly blessed!

The End

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Here We Go Again

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Another semester has begun. I really didn't want to leave my family, but we all had to get back to our respective places, whether we liked it or not. Classes were good today. Spanish III will be difficult because we can't speak any English in there. I caught most of what was going on today, so I'm sure I'll get used to it. Hope tomorrow is as good.


How many times must you start over fresh? Seems like every time I turn around, there something new to get over, to move past. It's so difficult sometimes. Hurt feelings seem to linger. Coversations are replayed in my head, and I start wishing I could go back and change words or actions. All so frustrating. But, as they say, that's life!

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Day Nine: Solden to Zurich to Camberley

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I was so sad leaving this morning. I really wasn't ready to leave just yet. I got to say goodbye to my friend, and we took a taxi to the train station. It was just getting light outside when we left, so I got one last look at the mountains. The train ride to the airport in Zurich was pleasant. We got to sit in a box, so that was nice. What scenery I did see was pretty. I can't get over how beautiful everything is with snow blanketing it. It looks like a picture on a postcard. I slept the rest of the way to Zurich.

The whole deal with getting back to the UK was a mess. We were really early to our gate at the airport, so we waited forever to board. The flight was delayed for I don't know how long due to some wind, they said, in London. They shut down a runway and part of the terminal, so I'm not sure what really happened. I don't think it was just wind. Our plane was parked away from the terminal, so we had to walk to waiting buses that took us to Terminal 5. Anyway, our trip went full-circle and we made it back to Camberley.

I am very tired and kind of sad that our holiday has come to a close. It was an unforgettable trip. I probably won't get the chance to do this again, so I am extremely thankful for the opportunity. How very blessed I am. Now it's time to re-pack one more time for one more flight before we arrive back home. I am thankful for two more weeks until school starts back again. I need some time to recoup, and to spend more time with my family.

The End!

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Day Eight: Solden

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I was raring to go this morning, ready to ski. I woke up a little after seven, but it doesn't get light outside until eight-thirty or later. We ate breakfast, got ready, and made it to the slope around noon. The weather was great for skiing. It wasn't snowing too hard. Rebecca and I skied for pretty close to two hours. My muscles were killing me! It was harder the second day because of sore muscles. We decided to go in for lunch, and we went back again after. The second time was much better. I guess I was warmed up enough. I absolutely love skiing. I wouldn't have stopped as soon as I did if it hadn't started snowing so hard. I went on the slope probably close to ten or twelve times. I'm going to look up the closest place to Starkville to go skiing when I get home. If it is withing four or five hours, it could be a day trip. Perfect! I also discovered two things this trip: 1) it doesn't start hurting until you stop moving, and 2) whirlpool tubs are not for luxury here, they are a necessity. I was not sore, I was in pain! All for a good cause though-fun!

I got a nick name today: Miss Sunshine. :) One of the guys running the ski lift was particularly friendly. I saw him several times as I went up the lift, down the slope, and around for another run. It was funny watching him try to figure out what nationality I was. His first guess was that I spoke German. Next, he tried Spanish. And finally English. lol. I was interesting that people automatically spoke German to us, and then they would ask us if we were English. We had to tell people we were Americans. I thought it was really interesting, and a good thing, I think, that we didn't scream "American Tourists." Anyway, I saw my friend several more times before we left because he worked at the place we were staying. He was nice, and spoke fairly good English. Sadly, I didn't get his name.

I love Solden! It's a gorgeous place with incredibly nice people. When I am rich, I will buy a place here to spend the winter and ski to my heart's content. :)

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Day Seven: Solden

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The place we are staying in Solden is really neat. Very modern furniture and some...ahem...modern art. Europeans have twisted taste in art. Anyway, the view is spectacular! We're in the Alps. It never ceases to amaze me when I'm in the mountains. The snow here fascinates me. There is a blanket of snow over everything. i'm not sure how many feet of snow they've gotten here, but it has snowed perpetually since we arrived. I love snow! :)

We spent a leisurely morning. we had bread and butter delivered to our room. Very good as usual. After a while, we decided to get dressed and go get our ski gear. I was pumped! Others in the family were significantly less excited. Finally after lunch we made it to the right ski slope-the beginner slope. Very important to make that distinction... We strapped, snapped, and adjusted all our equipment and headed to the lift. Since it was the beginnner slope (the kiddy ski school was nearby) it had a different lift than I had seen before. It was an upside down t-shaped "seat" that you put behind you and it pulled you up the mountain on your skis. The slope we were on was bigger and steeper than where we skied in New Mexico. After getting the hang of skiing again (it had been almost three years since I skied last) it was alot of fun! Skiing is one sporty thing I do well. I enjoy it very much and hopefully I'll be able to go skiing more often than every three years. I might even move up from the kiddy slope eventually! :) Speaking of kids, there were several kids who were zipping up and down the mountain. They couldn't have been more than 5 years old! Someone told us that Austrians were born with skis on. I believe it. i'm looking forward to skiing a full day tomorrow! (Even though I can barely walk tonight.)

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Day Six: Salzburg

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Everyone woke up much more refreshed this morning. Breakfast was, as usual, exquisite, and even more interesting than usual because Christopher began telling us about the house and the real Von Trapp family.

Some of the movie is accurate, but a good bit is hollywood fiction. There were seven children initially, and three more after Maria and the Barron were married. They also entered a folksinging contest at a local festival where an American agent heard them and offered to take them to America. Initially they declined. When the Nazis occupied Austria, the family resisted. Even when Barron Von Trapp was offered a military position because he was the highest decorated naval officer in Austria, he refused. The Nazis required everyone to fly the Nazi flag in front of their home, but the Barron flew his military flag instead. The family was also asked to sing at Hitler's birthday celebration, but they responded saying that they did not sing for Hitler. The family's butler was a Nazi, but was also loyal to the family. He warned them that they were in danger, and the family decided to leave Austria for America. They met in a room in their home and decided to leave. The barron siad that if one person said he didn't want to leave, the whole family would stay. It was unanimous. He also opened up their family Bible and the verse that he happened to turn to was the one where God tells Abraham to take his family and go to the place where He would lead them. That made the decision firm. Contrary to the movie, the family did not have to flee the Nazis and hike over the mountain to Switzerland. Acually, Germany is on the other side of the mountain where the movie was filmed (in Salzburg). The family simply walked to the train station at the corner of their gardens and took a train to Italy. From there they went by ship to America. The family never went back to Austria, but toured for three years singing in the U.S. After that, they bought a ski lodge in Vermont, where five of them still reside today. Maria is 94 years old and still visits Austria occasionally.

Another interesting fact about Villa Trapp is that after the family fled Austria, the Nazis used it as a headquarters. I walked in a room where Hitler and several other leaders came up with the Holocaust. Kind of creepy... After the war, the family did get the house back, but sold it to an order of monks. It is still in their possesion today, but they rent it out to the people who run the hotel. A very neat place with tons of history and a very interesting story.

It was great to learn more about the real Von Trapp family. We took a Sound of Music tour this morning. We got to see many of the places where the movie was filmed, including the two houses used for the Von Trapp family house, the convent where Maria lived, and the church were Maria and the Barron's wedding was filmed. Our tour guide was Rosamaria and she gave us lots of "insider" information and neat stories from people who were there during filming, and the real Von Trapp family. She was great!

I was sad to leave Salzburg. There was much more we could have seen. But we still have half our trip left. Skiing! A three-hour train ride and we'll arrive in Solden.

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Day Five: Salzburg

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This morning we packed and finished seeing everything we wanted to see and said goodbye to Wien. It was a beautiful city and the people were very nice, even if we didn’t speak German. Only one person I came across didn’t speak English. I would definitely recommend visiting Vienna, and hope to come back here someday. It is a wonderful place to relax, enjoy beautiful scenery, and eat delicious food.

We made it to the train station just in time to catch our 12:44 train to Salzburg. We also discovered that five people and about ten pieces of luggage do not navigate the inside of a train car very well…

On the three hour train ride to Salzburg, I caught my first glimpse of snow! How exciting for this Mississippi Girl to have a white Christmas! I feel like a little kid again when I encounter snow. It is awe-inspiring to me.

I didn’t get a very good first impression of Salzburg, because it was dark when we arrived. It was a lot bigger than I expected. We got a taxi at the train station and told him where we were staying. We arrived there but it was not Villa Trapp. They were private apartments. Talk about feeling like awkward Americans… He finally called the place, and we arrived at Villa Trapp, the Von Trapp Family Home. As I said, it was dark but inside the house was beautiful. Christopher, the man who runs the villa, was extremely nice, and showed us to our rooms. Mamma and Daddy stayed downstairs in the Barron’s suite. The three of us stayed in Maria’s suit. How neat! It was beautiful, very clean and fresh. Only two benches in the foyer were original furniture. The rooms were furnished with modern furniture. Still, very pretty.

After getting our luggage put away in our rooms, we called a taxi to take us to a restaurant. When we went inside, they did not have a table available for us, so we had to sit in the bar area. As time went on, it got smokier and noisier. We also had a rather…fresh waiter, which my sister did not approve. The food was good though—I ate beef goulash—but our dining experience was less than pleasant. It probably didn’t help that we were very tired. We went back to the hotel and crashed.

We only had one night and half a day to spend in Salzburg. A good detour on our way to Solden, I think.

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Day Four: Vienna to Salzburg

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Another day starting with a fabulous European breakfast. Everything is so good. The bread, tomatoes, yogurt, boiled eggs, and hot tea with milk-yum! Anyways, this morning we went to the Spanish Riding School. This is a famous place where Lipizzan Stallions are trained and perform. They are amazing horses, and we got to go to the “most beautiful indoor riding arena” and watch them do morning exercises. Each rider is responsible for training their own horse. It was neat to watch them ride, and look for the subtle cues that they give their horses. It was also interesting to watch the young stallions who didn’t want to listen to their riders.

After we left the Spanish Riding School, we went looking at different shops. We split up so we could finish some Christmas shopping. I think this has been the most fun Christmas shopping I’ve ever done. It’s interesting trying to buy gifts for someone under their nose!

This trip has been a little different from trips we’ve taken in the past. While we’ve gotten to see a lot of the city, it has been more relaxed than times past. Usually, we are rushing to cram everything in a day. This time, there has been more leisure time. I’ve enjoyed it quite a lot. A much needed escape after a difficult semester.

Another thing I love about Vienna is the window shopping. Where we’re staying is not far from the more affluent shopping areas. One street we’ve walked down several times is home to Versace, Gucci, D&G, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Armani. It’s been neat to browse all the elaborate window displays. Most of the things I’ve seen, I could never afford, but it is fun to dream. : )

Tomorrow, we’ll spend the morning in Vienna and then head to the train station to travel to Salzburg, where we’ll spend a night at the Von Trapp Family Villa. How cool is that?!

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Day Three: Vienna

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Today was a great day! We got some sleep last night and breakfast this morning was really good. We started out the day with a bus tour of Vienna. It wasn’t very long, but we got to see a good portion of the city. Vienna is a very modern city, but has so many beautiful, old buildings, and a rich history. After the tour, we walked around the city some. We found another bigger Christmas market, the Wiener Weihnachtsdorfer, and spend a good bit of time shopping and looking around. We also ate lunch there- crepes and kinderpunsch. It was interesting shopping because we were trying to buy Christmas presents for each other with out letting them see! We were pretty tired after we finished, so we headed back to the hotel. We had tickets to a koncierto tonight, so we ordered up some tea, ate some snacks, and caught a nap. We were reluctant to wake up, and if it weren’t for wanting to hear some Mozart and Strauss, I might not have woken up! But we did, and ate supper at a nice café. The concert was really good. It was 2 violins, a viola, a cello, and a piano. They were very talented (and the pianist was good looking too!). There was also a lady who sang, and a couple who danced ballet. They were good too. A very good day in Vienna, Austria!

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Day Two: Vienna

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Today was mostly a travel day, but we did get to experience some of Vienna this evening. Our plane from London to Vienna was delayed for almost an hour because of fog, so we arrived here around 4pm. A taxi took us from the airport to our hotel, a Best Western, of all places. It’s much nicer than any Best Western in the States I’ve stayed in. The picture above is of our room, complete with mints on the pillow. It’s not directly in downtown, but it is on a quiet street near the center of the city. Everything around here looks to be a hundred years old! Mozart stayed in this very building several times. How cool is that?! (Of course, it wasn’t a Best Western then.) We checked in our hotel, freshened up a bit, and asked the front desk where a good place to eat supper was. They recommended Leopold’s, so that’s where we headed. It was a short 10 minute walk. On the way, we came across a Christmas Market. They are all over the place this time of the year. There are all sorts of booths and vendors, selling everything from glass ornaments to wooden musical instruments. We meandered through on our way to the restaurant. Supper was very good. Each of us tried something typical of the area- four cheese gnocchi, Wiener schnitzel (“Wien” is Vienna in German.), goulash, and Christmas goose. All of it was very good. On the way back to the hotel, we browsed through the market. All-in-all, it was only a small taste of Vienna, and I hope to see much more tomorrow.

All of us are exhausted. The time difference and jet lag are catching up with me. London is six hours ahead and Austria seven. I went to bed around 11 pm last night and woke up probably around 2 am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I am hoping to get more sleep tonight. I don’t know if that’ll happen, ‘because it’s 7 pm and I could go to sleep right now. It’s probably a good idea to stay up a little longer, however.

My dad is watching TV, which is mostly in German. They just showed a Coca-Cola Christmas commercial in German. It still amazes me how Americans think we are so different from everyone else. The more I travel, the more it seems as if people everywhere are essentially the same. I know we don’t think about it that way. It’s interesting though. I absolutely love to travel! Even if I have to deal with waking up hungry at 3 am. :)

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