Quick Update

Hello!
Just a fast update. I hope you all enjoyed the pictures from Frankenstein's castle. We had so much fun there and the kids are still excited and talking about it. We will be laying low for most of November except for some day trips. Christmas is coming and we are going to begin shopping for that. We have made reservations at our first Hostel for the first weekend in December for the kick off of the Christmas Fests. We are going to spend the weekend in Munich seeing the city and shopping at the Kringle Marts. I am very excited about this trip as well. If you don't know anything about Germany apparently there are huge Christmas markets in every town. I am going to include a link if you want to check out what they are like.
Love to everyone and Enjoy each other during the holiday season.
Love Jenny
http://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/ This is the one in Nurnberg which is about 60 Kilometers from here.

Burg Frankenstein-Darmstadt Germany

Welcome to Burg Frankenstein

The Gallows Gross

Wills Nemesis Sentry at the Gate

Yesterday we went to Burg Frankenstein Castle in the heart of Germany. Located just south of Darmstadt and Frankfurt.The castle was built in the 1300's and purported to be the inspiration for Mary Shelly's Classic novel. After a beautiful ride, the trees are in full fall colors, we arrived on a drippy foggy day. I think the weather was perfect it lent a really spooky air to the day. We waited at the castle entrance for them to open and got the kids revved up. Finally they let the crowds in and right from the get go there were monsters and ghouls everywhere. Cody freaked out and started crying right away. Greg picked him up and we started up the trails to the ruins. He cried every time a monster came close and they came VERY close. They grab your hats and try to drag you away which really heightened the effect and mood. We were warned ahead of time that it is very hands on so we chose to go on Family Day which is first in daytime hours so the darkness isn't an issue and second, the monsters will back off a bit and even take off their masks and shake the kids hands. They hand out candy to the really scared kids. As you walk around the grounds you encounter over 70 monsters and ghouls and they are very into their roles. There were kids shows and a monster dance, also they choose random visitors and "torture" them in various shows.Finally we got a few of the monsters to be nice and they signed his cards and he slowly realized the fun of being scared and calmed down. I was glad because from then on he really relaxed and had a good time too. I really didn't think he would be as scared as he was he is usually the braver one though he is only six. The older boys were fine until a monster with a chain saw started it up and started chasing Josh, he took off from him and Will ran the other way it was hilarious watching them lose their cool after saying they wouldn't be scared at all. I guess the only other time Will got scared was by this one monster that is pictured above with the weird eyes he chased Will with some chains and Will freaked out a little bit until the guy took off after someone else. All in all as I am sure you can see we had a GREAT time. The kids talked all the way home about how much fun they had and compared autographs on these collector cards they handed out. We also stopped for the kids first fast food since we got here. They have a FEW McDonald's around Germany and we found one close to the castle and treated them. It is strange for me that that is a rare treat now. People eat out at family style Gausthous's and the food is so Yummy and cheap to buy. The boys all love Snitzel mit Pommes Frites and Spetze to drink which is a cola juice mix that is very popular over here. Well I hope you enjoy the pics it was very hard to decide which ones to use cause we took so many. Love to all and Miss you very much
Happy Halloween!!!!!

the monster dance

The boys had such a great time and there were so many places and scenes to interact with. You never knew when something or someone would jump out at you. the weather was just right and we were glad with the kids we went to the day time tour. The ruins were so cool and creepy. I hope the pictures do it some justice. I just know that my brother would have loved it so much, I kept thinking that all day.

Torture chamber guys
Each path and part of the castle had different scenes and monster, though they all wandered about

One of the scary parts for the kids and you would never see in the states is that it is very very hands on. Monsters are allowed to grab you and mess with you and even drag you off. Now on family day they tone it down alot compared to the night tours. If the kids get scared the monsters back off and try to wave and let the kids see that they are only acting. They will take off their monster hands and maybe wave or give a piece of candy.

scenes along the paths and among the ruins. You could buy cards of the monsters and they would sign them and meet the kids if they got scared, being sort or friendlier versions if the kids freaked out.

Witches were hilarious always dancing around and cackling.

I liked the wizards alot. picture above is of the interior on the ruins with the guillotine in the background. Frank was the coolest. the last picture is the entrance of the ruins. It was rainy and foggy which made it even cooler.

Quick Update

Gruss Got! Not much new this week so far. We had a friend's son staying with us until he could fly to Texas to be with is dad who recently pcs'ed to the states. There fore we still haven't made it to Munich. We may not make it this year the weather is not cooperating and finding a sitter is tough for overnights. We are going to try but hey we can go anytime right? Our new trip planned for this month is to a Halloween festival at the Burg Frankenstein. It is a famous castle that is rumoured to be the inspiration for the book and movie. They have a big Halloween festival every year with monsters and ghouls and tours thru the castle grounds that are reported to be haunted. We have all the information and are going to take the train again. I will make sure to take lots of pictures. Things here are fine, I am working on some pictures and a blog entry of things I find interesting in Germany. The way they school their kids, cars and sights I see. I will post it when I have all the pictures I want. I know I know I still have yet to put house pics on here but I have been busy this week. The boys are doing fine and adjusting well. They are speaking more and more German and I am proud they have adapted so well, they are more like me than I thought. I guess I miss most are some foods that I cant get over here and the shopping. With Christmas coming mail order is the only way to go for us. Sarah or Stacey I might need some assistance with some things I cant find. Well that is about all for now.
Happy Birthday Mom
Happy Birthday Dave
Happy Birthday Paul ( hows the weather down there????)
psSarah the wines ohhh the wines you have to come over and go to a wine fest with me since Greg won't touch the stuff and the Kierwa fests are great for that too.

Words of the week are Wie Gates (not spelled right prounouced Vee Gates) It means How are you? and Shon prounounced Shun it means beautiful.
Also see if you can translate this
Ich liebe der Bäckerei und die Käse. Meine Lieblingsnahrung sind hier diese großen Waffelplätzchen. Ich vermisse Küken-Leiste-, Sparsamkeitspeicher und längere Ladenöffnungszeiten.
You just have to remember all W's are V's and V's are W's and the big B looking thing is double ss and the U with the dots over it are eeewww sounds. LOL (Ha Ha for Dave) Got all that?
Me Either Yet Every one say WolksVagon!!!!!

Love you All
Jen