busy holiday time...

Christmas time!...oh its so beautiful in Vienna...words cannot describe the christmas markets in Vienna...and pictures dont do justice either!...u just have to come and see them for yourselves!!!

Time is flying by!...at school we are all getting our kids ready for their big christmas show performance! We are doing 2 plays- A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Hawaiian Christmas! Should be fun with this class of energetic actors!...

We will be in Maryland for Christmas December 22-January 5th...
and in New York City from December 29-January 1st! We will also be taking Christians mom with us and our best man for the wedding Thomas will be coming too! We are excited! But with so many guests, I dont know how much time I will have for visiting friends!...save it for next summer! I dont want to make promises if I cant keep them, so I will just say that we are VERY busy when we are home for Christmas...I have to be realistic and know that in 2 weeks time I am just not going to see everyone I want to...

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season!...

Beautiful SNOWY weekend in Gutenstein!

This weekend was a much needed getaway in Gutenstein for a cell group retreat!...we stayed in the guesthouse that the church owns and we woke up on saturday morning to SNOWW! it was like christmas!!!...it was so beautiful in the mountains! we played in the snow, went for a walk in the woods with torches and had a great weekend of fellowship and fun! What a snow dream!...I luv snow..........and hopefully we will get some big snow in Vienna this weekend just in time for the christmas markets to all open up!

a fun weekend with Charissa and Libby!!!

What a fun weekend it was! Charissa Ellis and her roomie Libby came to visit from Budapest! We had a blast together...touring around Vienna, enjoying the beautiful colors of fall, going to a mozart concert, exploring the wine gardens and fields of upper Vienna, visiting palaces...eating pumpkin soup and other Viennese specialities........and then of course our daily routine of tea, pretzels, cookies and a movie at night in my apartment:) I luv u girls and had such a blast!...hopefully they will come and visit again to see the Vienna Christmas markets!!!...break time is over...and tomorrow its back to school...

new car thoughts...

just another thought about our new car.........I think God blessed me for all those years of driving my ugly old grandparents oldsmobile......now my suffering is over!...and I can drive in a bmw...like all those other potomac snobs I used to know!...

Auschwitz, Poland-concentration camp visit

We had a fabulous time in Poland-riding the train again was fun since that is where we met eachother...but no doubt our train adventures have not ended yet! We always have something go crazy!...our train was leaving at 7:10am monday morning...we got a super cheap price too for taking a train that early......well we were out late the night before-and the next morning I woke up at 7:37...i guess i turned off my alarm in my sleep!...arrghhh...so we freaked out because the next train wasnt going until the evening and its a sleepover train which is expensive!...so we started blaming eachother whose fault it was and blahblahblah-then we just looked at eachother and started laughing hysterically..............christian ran to the train station from our hotel and found out about the next train, while i was in the room packing up our things and praying for God to help us!...I was off work the next day, but Christian had to go to work and we were 8 hours away from Vienna!......so finally he comes back and says that the next train is at 11:45 but that is the last one during the day and we have to pay for another ticket.......well it was our own fault, so we just paid for new tickets and off we went back to Vienna......we had to transfer one time in another city-and didnt see the time for the train goign to Vienna so once again we freaked out.........it turns out the train was delayed...but atleast it came...and we got home finally......

so we enjoyed traveling around the city, enjoying cheap drinks and food (about half price of Vienna!!!)...shopping and seeing the culture. We took the public mini bus to Auschwitz which the ride itself was crazy enough! we were packed in so tight that people were practically sitting on top of me!...hmm kind of like south america I guess...the concentration camp was unbelievable...everything was still there in its original form...it was such an eary feeling...the weather was also so dark and chilly and it made the place look even more gruesome. But it was so interesting and I have always wanted to see it for myself.

Our new car :)

I always wanted a BMW...it was always my favorite car...but I never thought I would own one...it was only in my dreams!....now I cant believe my dream came true...but then again Christian makes all my dreams come true!...

Our trip to Poland!

I JUST LOVE POLISH PEOPLE!

Christian and I in the main city square in Krakow, Poland!

ahhh there is nothing in the world like being off of work for a whole week!...not thinking about school, kids...nothing!......Christian and I took a trip to Poland for a few days...we went to the city of Krakow and then we took an excursion to Auschwitz and Birkenau to see the concentration camp...I will post more pictures tomorrow...

I am getting really bad at keeping up with my blog here!...thanks to facebook-it has taken over my time!...

Our finally finished Apartment pictures...

the kitchen bar looking in from the living room...

our kitchen..............right side....

our kitchen on the left side....breakfast table....

...breakfast table...

our movie theatre in the bedroom...christians anniversary present for me...

our bedroom...

our living room........................

our dinner table.....in the living room....

our living room...view from the hallway foyer...

blind experience...

Today I went on a field trip with my class and we experienced what it is like to be blind. It was one of the craziest experiences in my life...and I am shocked that 7 year olds managed to go through a pitch dark maze for 1 hour! I have to admit I was a bit scared at first and also feeling a bit clusterphobic when I realized we were entering a dark place and would never find my way out!...when I say dark I am talking D A R K!...I mean I could not see the child in front of me or anything for that matter!...really absolutely nothing!...there was not even a hint of light coming into the room. NOTHING!...we had a blind walking stick to feel our way and then we had to follow our guide...she was a real blind woman but for her it was completely normal. I talked to her a lot but I have to say that I have never had a conversation in the dark before with a person and could not see her...we went through a grocery store, walked over a hanging bridge, went in a bus, in a telephone booth, and in a restaurant where we could buy drinks!...but to figure out the right euro coins was interesting too!...the kids were pretty brave I have to say...I think I would have cried and screamed if I was a kid. They kept asking me if I was still with them and when they heard my voice, they were rest assured that they were safe!...pretty interesting and you really appreciate having sight when you get out of there!

Congratulations Hannah and Enoch!

Congratulations Hannah and Enoch for the arrival of your baby girl Naomi!!!....I can't wait to see pictures of her!!! :)

facebook!

If you have facebook let me know.........although I am still a bigger fan from MYSPACE, I gave in to all the requests for facebook...so I will try it...but let me know so I can add you to my friend list..............

my favorite wedding picture...

ok so not the best quality considering its a picture taken of a picture....but I just had a random idea to take a picture of this picture that is on our wall in our hallway leading to our bedroom...I just love it and the photographer couldn't have captured a better moment!...this was just after we walked back down the isle from being announced as HERR UND FRAU KLAUS!!!....

Ancient Greece Toga Party!

We had a blast today in school doing our 2nd grade toga party for Ancient Greece! That is the topic we are studying now and so what else should we do-but have a toga party! We listened to greek music, learned to dance, tried some greek food, made greek cities out of clay, and participated in some greek olympic games! It was a lot of fun!...but a bit exhausting to do it 2 times! Since I have two 2nd grade classes I have to do everything double!...so just thought u would enjoy the pictures...now u can see how many boys I have in my class!!! 23 boys and 7 girls total split between the classes! Crazy!...

boys and rings...

I am laughing so hard now at an email I got from a mother of a student on mine worried sick about her wedding rings! Supposedly he told his mom he took her wedding rings without asking her to school to show his friends! Brilliant!...well we better find these rings tomorrow! Funny though it reminds me of kindergarten when a boy gave me his moms wedding rings! but 2nd grade I thought they would know better!!!

and Kim love the picture of those cloth bags for Giant!...it reminds me of living here!...we have to use those all the time, but we dont get money back for them!...u just better bring them if u dont want to pay 25cents for a plastic bag!...are they stingy here or what?...but okay I have to say they are really good on the environment and they dont waste anything here!...but to pay for bags? they should be thankful that I am even shopping at their store!...and whats worse is that u have to bag ur own groceries too!...so what do i have 10 hands or something? unload, load and pay at the same time!........it drives me insane!...

anyways, I have to go search the apartment high and low for my greek music cd!...we are having a Toga party for studying ancient greece in our class! should be fun! I will post pictures!...but I am so upset that I cant find my CD!!!

Hosanna

Hillsong United with Brooke Fraser! Beautiful song!

a concert for the nations:)

Wow what a concert...I just have to write about how amazing it was...the music was beautiful, the worship was so touching...Brooke Fraser has an amazing voice!...and it was so wonderful to stand in an outdoor theatre crowded and gathered together with people all over Europe and other nations too!...that was the most amazing feeling I have ever had...Christian concerts in America are great but most of the people are American or live there. This concert-people drove and flew from all parts of Europe for!...I mean everywhere I looked I heard a different language. It was funny to hear them try to sing the English...but you know it didnt matter-because whether the people who could speak the words or not-they were worshipping God!...they came from brazil, czech republic, Finland, Serbia, Hungary, Austria:), Germany, Croatia, Slovakia...and so many other nations! wow!...it gave me such hope that maybe Europe isn't the "darkest continent of the world" anymore...and I could see that there are people in so many european nations that do believe in God!

We had some time to walk around Budapest and it was great to spend time with some great friends from church!...the concert was in a huge city park in Budapest but you could hear the music from far away-so it was awesome to know that other people could hear the music who were just passing by!

we got back at 3am so I am dead tired!..........

Hillsong United in Budapest!!!

I can't believe it but I am going back AGAIN to Budapest-Hungary! ....
So excited!!!...Saturday...going with friends from church to Budapest to see the Hillsong United concert featuring Brooke Fraser! She has a beautiful voice! wow!...you can look her up on youtube and hear it...anyone around in the area???-there are still a few tickets left!!! Charissa Ellis maybe we can meet up if you are going!!!

so I guess there goes my weekend of rest...I think thats how life gets the older u get-busier and time flies so fast...everytime I plan to have a restful weekend it turns out to be good plans that I just can't resist! :)

My 25th Birthday in Budapest, Hungary!

back to the old days!!!...Demetri who knew me since I was 0 years old and lived nextdoor at our old house in Rockville!...now we are neighbors between Vienna and Budapest! my brotha!

Cheers!!! Prost! Birthday celebration at the International Wine festival in Budapest!

our hungarian gal friends:)

The castle lit up at night!

overlook from the castle of the Danube River and bridge in Budapest!

view of bridges, danube river and the Parlament building!

Demetri's apartment:) yeahhh!!!....and Christian got into a pretty intesive game of Tennis on Nintendo Wii!....I have to say that new nintendo is really cool! It hurt my arm!

Budapest, Hungary! Beautiful!

christian presenting you the communist car...........................CLASSIC!...

We had a great weekend together! Such a blast and a perfect place to celebrate my birthday!...but next time with further notice and better planning I have to see Charissa!!! Very very soon Charissa!!!...we will meet eachother in one of these cities!

1st week of school almost over!

First school week is almost over...its a really different feeling to be in the same place for two years...now this year I look at all the cute kindergarteners who are not 1st graders-right across the hall from me! What sweethearts...they still manage to make my day with their hugs and sweet affection!...I need something to make my day better with my class of smart allics!...even my 2nd grade class from last year is so sweet! I love to see them in the halls and at recess and when they greet me with such excitement there is no better feeling inside!...I still have yet to take pictures of my classroom and post them!!!

well I officially turn 25 on Saturday...yikes...I will officially be in the mid 20s now...gulp!..."Forever Young-I want to be Forever Young"...Luv that song from Alphaville! I am so ready for a weekend!...and we are going away to Budapest, Hungary for the weekend. Not only do I have my brother-like friend Demetri there, but also Hannah's lil sis Charissa is studying there this semester!...how fun to be neighbors!...but this weekend we will just be visiting the city with Demetri...it is so close, we will drive there again and next time I will have to meet Charissa!!!

fun times with Reen!

Me and Shereen in the Rose garten in Vienna! We had a blast! Thank you Shereen for visiting me!!!...great times together!!!...didn't get much sleep and my legs feel like I ran a marathon...dead tired, but it was a great time!...I started school yesterday...it went well-I get less nervous each year!...I think I was too tired this year to be nervous...today I went early early to take Shereen to the train station on my way to work!...we hauled these heavy bags up and down trams, subways and streets as people probably laughed at us!...off she went to Innsbruck for a day and then to go to the states!!!....Oh Innsbruck-what a cute little city! But I think what makes that city more special than ever is the fact that I ran into Adam and Kelley on their honeymoon at the same time I was visiting there!...we didnt plan that at all!...I will never forget that!

I am ready to relax, watch movies and rest my legs the next days!!! no more sight seeing for a little while!

Reenabelle is here!!!

Shereen is here in Vienna!!! visiting me till Tuesday!!! yeahhhhh!!!!!!!!!..........luv my girl!!!