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I have added two posts to the blog this morning so please check them out. Sorry I have taken so long to update. We are really enjoying our summer. Great family time!! Miss everyone back home and hope to see all of you soon!

FESTIVALS, FESTIVALS AND MORE FESTIVALS

The festivals have begun! This is one of the things I love the most about Germany. They have a lot of fun festivals really close to us in the summer. We have been to festivals the last three weekends in a row. They have a great variety of booths selling things, LOTS OF BEER TENTS, wonderful food and games and rides. The best part for me is the people watching. I am a people watcher at heart. I love to see the way people interact with each other and just there reactions to the surroundings.
I must say, we are really a site for the locals eyes. We get all kinds of stares now that we are a family of 5. Germans typically only have 2 children. For example, we had the older two children in our stroller that is a stroller with an added seat underneath and then I was carrying Spencer in a wrap on my chest. This older woman stopped and grabbed her husband and friend and pointed to us and made the number 3 with her fingers. This is just one example of what we see everytime we go out as a family. It is quite funny.
Here are some pictures from our Wiesbaden Festival 3 weekends ago. Please excuse my "fat face" picture. I was tempted to delete it but it is a good picture of the fest in the background and of Spence all wrapped up.



Here are the pictures from the Mainz Festival.

3 MONTHS

Spencer turned 3 months on Friday. Here is a picture of him.

He is doing great! He is quite a little lover. If anyone will look his way he has a great big smile for you, dimple and all. I am especially happy with him this morning because John and I decided we should skip his last meal(around 10 or 11) and see what happens. Well, I fed him at 8 and he didn't wake up to eat until 3:45. Just about 8 hours. I can definitely get used to this. I am also very proud of myself for one particular reason, those of you who know me well will be proud. We DO put Spencer to sleep in his own bed while still awake and he puts himself to sleep. Once he wakes up in the night, he is in our bed. But, we love this time. I just want him to be able to soothe himself. He is still not rolling over back to front. He get to where he is almost all the way over and sticks his thumb in his mouth and gets cozy. No desire to flip to his tummy yet. He always is trying to sit up though.

Here are some more pictures:
Another picture of Spencer when he turned 3 months. Chillin' in his swing.

Austin and Annabelle like to each lotion a leg and foot for Spencer after his bath.

Spencer taking a bath.

HE DID IT!!!

Austin learned to ride his bike today! NO TRAINING WHEELS!! We are so proud of him. He can even turn and use the brakes to stop. His big buddy Jacob(who lives under us), grabbed the back of the seat, gave some advice and some encouraging words, ran with him and let go. Then, Austin just kept going. There was no turning back from there. John took him out for about 30 min. the other day and they tried, but today it clicked.
Please take a moment to check out his video. Just scroll down to my videos on the right sie and click on the link. it is the video from today.

WONDERFUL WEEK!!

JOHN IS HOME, AUSTIN GRADUATED FROM KINDERGARTEN AND ANNABELLE AND AUSTIN HAD THERE LAST SOCCER GAME.
First, John came home a week ago and it has been awesome. We picked him up and I had dressed all the kids in green thinking I could get a cute picture of them with John. He walks out to the car and is wearing a green polo. The kids were laughing so hard because on the way there I said to them, wouldn't it be crazy if daddy was wearing green like all three of you? Ha. Well, I had to make a lasting memory for his arrival and proceeded to fall out of the van into the road on my bottom. True story! How embarrassing. Thank goodness the man loves me so much. It sure did make us laugh really hard. Just thankful a car wasn't coming at that moment or it would have been horrible.
We had a busy day that day. I hadn't planned anything thinking he would want to come home and get some rest. Nope. We went straight to get him a haircut, then came home, packed a picnic and at it out at the park, played some basketball, lounged on the picnic blanket with the new baby, took the kids to a movie, came home and barbequed and FINALLY went to bed.
NEXT, AUSTIN GRADUATED FROM PRESCHOOL. It was adorable. He was right in the center of the group and even called out to start the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. We were so proud of him for that because he doesn't like the spotlight at all. He gets very uncomfortable. I will post the videos of him getting his "diploma".
THEN,THE LAST SOCCER GAME FOR THIS SEASON. The last game was Friday night. Annabelle wasn't really "in the mood" to play much. She did get out there a few times because we promised she could go to ROBBIE'S house afterwards for the end of the season barbeque if she played. Austin played awesome. That kid really gets the game. He is so funny to watch because he is soooo serious. All business. He went down in the last few minutes of the game and really scared me. I honestly thought the kid wrecked his knee. He was running after another kid who was on a breakaway and when he got close he kicked his foot across in front of the other boy and kicked the ball out(AWESOME PLAY I MUST SAY). But, when he did he went down with his knee sideways and the other boy landed on it. It looked really bad and then when he got up he fell. He then tried to get up again and his little leg just kept giving out on him. He just kept trying and trying. IT WAS KILLING ME. John grabbed him and after some ice and rest he was fine. He has some impressive bruises on his shin that look like they are from the bottom of the boys cleats. Wierd because he did have his shinguards on.
I also signed Annabelle up for Fairy Tale Camp. So, I will be updating on that as soon as it starts.