Oh my gosh!

So I was fixing lunch today and what do you know? A grown man was peeing in our front yard. Umm... wow. I'm pretty sure that public urination is not acceptable here. Maybe I am wrong?

We have a crawler!

A week shy of his first birthday, Miles finally decided to pick up and go. He's officially crawling on all 4's! And to think I was so worried he was never going to! Here's our little "Crawly McCrawlerson."

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Fall

10 things I love about Fall

10. The leaves changing.

9. The good TV shows start back up!

8. First snow fall (at least here in Germany).

7. All the extra time Brad has off, which leads to...

6. All the extra sleeping in I get to do!

5. Miles birthday

4. The stores put all their Holiday things out

3. Warm foods like soups and stews

2. Scented candles like cinnamin and pumpkin pie

1. Snuggling under blankets with family

5 Things about Fall I could go without...

5. It gets dark way to quick 

4. Holiday crowds

3. Holiday parking

2. Can't play outside (as much)

1. Getting into freezing cold cars

Dachau concentration camp

Today we had the most humbling experience of visiting Dachau concentration camp. I don't think any word or picture could express what you feel when you visit this place. It was just awful what happened to these people. 

"May the example of those who were extermenated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow man"

Inside the camp behind the bars.

Example of the prisoners barracks.

Platforms of where the old barracks used to stand.

Original watch tower so no prisoner escaped. The sign said some people ran towards the fence anyway just to end their misery.

Tiny beds in which prisoners slept.

Inside the gas chamber. Meant to hold 150 people in this room. You can see where the fake "showers" are on the ceiling.

Where the poisonous gas came out.

Where the bodies were cremated. 3 bodies at a time in each hole.

More cementation. They couldn't burn the bodies quick enough because they were killing THAT many people a day. They had a "holding room" for corpses.

This is what the outside of the gas chamber looked like. Made to look like a nice place you go and take a shower at. They had no idea.

The ring leaders. Hitler is 6th from the left although a piece of his face has been scratched.

Jewish memorial at the site.

 I couldn't stop stop staring at this. Just so sad.

A picture of the Jews happily greeting the Americans.

What it looked like then. You can see the newly planted trees.

And now...  This is taken from the opposite side. Grown trees.

We joined our friends Adam and Emma and their 2 boys and Brad, Miles and me. Great company!

The original wall they faced before their execution. There is even a blood ditch. (See next photo).

Neuschwanstein castle

Today we went to visit the Neuschwanstein castle, one of the world's most recognized castles. This is the castle that inspired Walt Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty Castle' at Disney-world. 

This castle was conceived by "Mad King" Ludwig the II. We were told he permanently lived in a fantasy state. He had no pictures of himself inside the castle. Instead were pictures of fairy tales and legends. People have said he was either a genius or crazy. The castle began its construction in 1869 but was never fully completed. King Ludwig was found dead in shallow water in 1886 under suspicious circumstances.

He never allowed visitors to any of his castles but ever since it's opening in 1886, over 50 million people have visited.

Here it is! They are doing some outside renovations.

This is the bridge we took the above picture from. (We are taking this picture from the castle). That thing was so rickety and shaky! I have never been so scared! We snapped that pic and got right off. 

Hiking up to the top. Can you believe it was 40 degrees in September? Hello winter!

Castle up close and personal.

Giant German pretzels! Mmmm!

The Black Forest

Today we visited the Black Forest which is one of Germany's most popular tourist sites. It's known for it's thick woods, Black Forest cake, cuckoo-clocks, and most of all culture! It was beautiful! There was a giant waterfall (Germany's largest) which we could hear but unable to visit due to the rain (and a baby). I had heard that it was called "The Back Forest" because the woods were so thick that it was pitch black underneath. I can finally say it's true. It was interesting because the branches did not grow below the tops of the trees due to no sunlight.

One of the cute little cities that surround the black forest. 

Black Forest cake! So yummy!

We are having our cake and eating it too!

Some of the forest in the background.

More forest.

House of a 1000 clocks. Shopping for a cuckoo clock.

We found one! Our new cuckoo clock!

A cuckoo clock bed.

Posing by the giant cuckoo clock with our own clock in tow.

Bulletproof

A friend sent this to me. I thought it was so cute and makes for a great laugh!

The Hormone Hostage knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his very life into his own  hands! This is a hand guide that should be as common as a driver's license in the wallet of every husband.

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?

SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?

SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?

BULLETPROOF: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?

SAFER: Gee, you look good in brown.

SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!

BULLETPROOF: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?

SAFER: What did I do wrong?

SAFEST: Here's fifty dollars.

BULLETPROOF: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?

SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.

SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?

BULLETPROOF: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?

SAFER: I hope you didn't overdo it today.

SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!

BULLETPROOF: Here, have some more chocolate.