Floriade 2012

Back to Mugga's visit. I'm trying to wrap this up here, really I am.

For her last day before heading back to the US, I took Mugga to the Floriade World Horticultural Expo in Venlo, Netherlands.

This expo only happens once every ten years, and it happens to be this year. And the location changes every time, but this year it is only about 45 minutes from our house. With a master gardener for a grandmother, I couldn't NOT take her.

Dan graciously stayed home with the kids. It was literally the day after we returned from the Black Forest, so none of them were too keen on getting back in the car to go see more flowers. Except for Mugga, that is. So I happily obliged, especially since it meant a day off from mom duty.

This place was nothing like the Keukenhof. Of course there are plantings of flowers everywhere, but there are also huge areas dedicated to things like "Innovations in Dutch flower production" and "Orchid Breeding." It was much more interesting than that might sound.

There were huge greenhouses filled with tropical plants and outdoor gardens everywhere you looked. Several countries had displays, which included not just plants but also local food and artisans selling their wares. The man in the India building told us they had spent 2.5 years collecting artifacts from craftsmen all over India just to bring to Floriade. And the man in the Sri Lanka building said the team of people are living here in the Netherlands for six months to work seven days a week at the expo.

I found some unique gifts and sampled amazing international food. And of course stopped once or twice at the cafes dotting the grounds for a nice Dutch kopje koffie.

poffertjes - tiny Dutch pancake type things

We ended the day by watching a dance performance put on by a dozen teenaged kids from several different countries in Africa.

Once again, it was an amazing adventure, and I'm glad I got to spend it with my Mugga.

Love you!

And Time Marches On.

3.
Today.
Katie.
Where has the time gone?
It has zipped by these past three years.

In its place, it has left a stunningly beautiful baby whose clear blue eyes followed her brothers in their every movement.

That baby matured into an infant whose infectious laugh filled a room with joy so thick we could taste its fresh sweetness.

The baby became a toddler so bent on following her brothers that she couldn't even wait until her first birthday to balance on her chubby little feet.

The toddler found her voice and soon found that when she put words together, someone would always answer.

She learned to sing. And dance. And tell her family how much she loves them. And pray to God.

She learned to put inflection into her words that sometimes scares her mother at how closely she resembles a teenager.

She eagerly waits for her brothers to return home from school so she can play with them in the back garden.

Today. Today she is a bright, sassy, clever, gorgeous, confident girl. A girl who has found the courage to join her Dutch friends at nursery school and speak in a language that is not her own. A girl who remembers the names of her friends and asks when we can see them again. A girl who desperately wants to be included in everything, to not miss a single moment in her blissful life. A girl who loves deeply.

And who is deeply loved.

Katriel Elizabeth Davis,

You are Our Miracle.

Happy Birthday, Kiki.

We love you.

A Mugga Adventure: The Great Outdoors

Our last day in the Black Forest ended up being a conglomeration of random explorations. We tried to visit Switzerland, but were thwarted by the 40 euro tax to drive on their roads.

Instead we started with a visit to the Park of the Senses, and outdoor interactive museum/park that the kids loved. I loved the scenery; I could have sat in that park all day soaking up the views and the sun.

We later found a tiny cafe tucked behind some beautiful stone buildings and enjoyed drinks and dessert (what more do you need?).

And then we finished the day with a geocache and a visit to some ancient Roman baths in the thermal spa town of Badenweiler.

We had the most fantastic vacation with Mugga. And then we headed home to see Dan just as he returned from his week in Amsterdam.

Thanks for the awesome trip, Mugga!

A Mugga Adventure: Black Forest

The problem with writing a blog about our adventures is that in order to have something to write about,  I have to go on adventures, and then I can't write a blog post. Just know when I don't write for a while, it's because we are off on some amazing adventure that I will soon share with everyone.

S got hold of the camera

special K sized seat

The place we stayed in Germany is on the edge of the Black Forest, in southwestern Germany. It is close to both the French and Swiss borders.

So, on the suggestion of our host, we hopped a local train through the forest to a lake town called Titisee. The ride took about 40 minutes and basically went straight into the mountains. We were looking straight down as the train crossed trestles before shooting into dark tunnels. The trees around were the darkest green I've ever seen, which is probably why it is called the Black Forest.

Reminds me of one of the boys' favorite books from when they were small: Freight Train by Donald Crews.

Titisee is a beautiful town carved out of the mountains and sitting on the edge of a small lake. By hauling umbrellas with us we ensured the day would be beautiful, and it was.

Our wanderings included a geocache, of course, lunch and ice cream, and a little shopping. We brought home Black Forest ham, wild honey, and delicious summer sausage. The kids got to choose a souvenir each:
Katie - crazy owl hat
Sam - t-shirt and snow globe
Jack - cukoo clock

tuckered

I could have predicted that. K would have chosen shoes if she could have, but accessories are a close second. S always gravitates to the snow globes, and as soon as J saw the clocks I knew we would need to make room for one in our bags.

A Mugga Adventure: France and Germany

The next day we awoke to steady rain. Unfortunately, I had planned a special trip for the kids to a ropes course, but it was closed because of the rain. So, we ate a nice breakfast and headed directly to our final destination, the Black Forest in Germany.

Of course, when I say directly, I mean that we didn't have any major detours. We did, however, have several minor ones. Like a very long lunch at some random French cafeteria style place. Or like when we got off the highway to check out a park that turned out to be 20 kilometers away and by the time we got there it was pouring rain again.  Or the time we stopped for a geocache which we didn't find because it started raining again, but we ended up doing a little rock climbing along the way so it was still fun.

But that all turned out for the best because we ended up taking a very scenic road almost all the way to Germany, winding through several small villages and through a series of hills and valleys (mountains to those of us who live in the flatlands).

And by the time we got to our apartment in Britzingen, Germany, the rain had stopped and the temperature was rising.

Britzingen is a small village about 20 kilometers south of Freiburg. We stayed in an upstairs apartment in a quiet neighborhood. The view from the deck was spectacular - looking over local vineyards. The apartment itself was very spacious, and the owners, who lived in the house downstairs, were very gracious hosts.

The kids, though, will tell you the best part was the indoor pool.

A Mugga Adventure: Luxembourg

After the Keukenhof, Kate recovered from her chicken pox just in time for our planned road trip. We started by going to Luxembourg to the American Cemetery. There are many such cemeteries all over Europe, from several different wars.

This particular cemetery is well taken care of by a huge crew of care takers.

















The day we visited they were preparing for Memorial Day. Every year on Memorial Day local volunteers place flowers beside every grave. So many people want to participate that there is a waiting list. General Patton is also buried at this cemetery, so it was an excellent teaching opportunity for the boys.

After the cemetery we drove on to Esch-Sur-Alzette, which is a town right on the French border. We stayed in a hotel in the heart of the pedestrian area, so we enjoyed the sights and sounds, despite the rain.

Although Kate was fully recovered from her chicken pox, she still had some scabs on her face, so we opted for dinner in so as not to alarm anyone. We found a wonderful bakery and some sausages from the local butcher and relaxed for the evening.

Tulip Time 2012

Ok. We have finally returned from our latest set of travels. I have much to share.

First up: the Little got the chicken pox! She became very ill very quickly, but recovered just as quickly. Praise God. And it was really the very best timing because Mugga was here to help, and Dan was around to take a turn so Mugga didn't miss out on all the fun we had planned.

at the hotel the night before

And that is how Mugga, J, S, and I went to visit the Keukenhof Gardens. Dan stayed home with a very sick K, while we gave Mugga her flower fix.

yum...dessert

The Keukenhof is only open for about 6 weeks

in the year, and is primarily for showcasing tulips, although there are all sorts of flowers to see.










We spent the entire day and still didn't see everything. Of course, we moved rather slowly since we chose the busiest day of the year to go. But it was still worth it.









It rained a little when we first arrived, but then the sun shone down for the rest of the day. The boys took more pictures than I did, I think. We also took a boat ride along the canals where many flowers are grown.

future photagraphers

that's a giant pair of shoes

fields growing to be sent all over the world

This was just the first day of a week long adventure, so stick around.