She's GONE!

After three awesome weeks of touring Germany, my mom did have to return to America! So sad...The good thing is we have over a thousand pictures to remember it all from (no joke) I tried to choose wisely which ones I just HAD to post, but I couldn't resist putting a lot of them up.

Anyway, yesterday we got up and drove her to the train station. She was a little more nervous this time because she said she knew what she was getting into. It was kind of sad, because the train came and we hadn't really said our goodbye's, but she had to hop right on and leave. OK- I really didn't think I would be as sad as I was when she left, I haven't been very homesick other than the first few not so good weeks. Anyway- now I feel homesick all over again. WE had SO so so much fun, and she spoiled us (and definitely Colty) so so much! I can tell Colton already misses her by the way he is acting. As we were walking away from the train station, Matt said, your mom gets to go back home to a nice house with carpet, a dryer, big fridge, unlimited food, TV to watch football and basketball :( and I was thinking, ice-water, comfy bed, my down comforter :( ANyway enough dreaming....we are still here- and here is our fun time with my mom!

Here is my beautiful mother at Sylke's in-laws house. Everyone here kept saying they thought she was my sister :)

So--FINALLY towards the end of her trip, Matt had a game. I can't believe she was here for 3 weeks, and only got to see 1 home game! Oh well- here is the fanclub cheering away!!

Colton cracks me up at the games, as SOON as the game starts he sees everyone clapping and seriously claps at the right time-ok maybe sometimes he claps for the other team!

Matt came over and saw Colton after the game, and when he walked away Colton started crying! He loves his dad.

On Sunday, we had the special treat of going to Sylke's in-laws for a true German meal. We ate duck, which I have never had before-wow, it was good. Sylke and my mom outside the pond at their house.

Colty and matt with the same hair!

Hanging out at their house

I love this picture of my mom and Colty.

Sylke and Christian and his parents and us :)

After a scrumptious meal, Sylke took my mom and I to Freyburg (a town about 15 minutes from us) while Matt went to practice. Here is me near the castle.

Buildings around the castle. Loves these pictures and LOVE the fall leavess!

Ok- I think this is the most awesome picture! This is called Fat William, or Fet Wilhem (I think) in German. You can climb to the top of the tower (Which we did not do) and look out and see the beautiful town of Freyburg.

Freyburg is a wine making town, and there are these vineyards all over!

Mama next to an old motorcycle

I quite liked this little town. Germany continues to amaze me, every little town we go to, I fall in love all over again!

So- Halloween in Germany is first and foremost Reformation Day here in Germany, and everything is closed! We had been going and going, so we had a nice Relaxing day!

If Colton sees you chewing gum, he is NOT afraid to come get it

And if you are not careful, he will get it from ya with those 7 front teeth of his

The only thing that is open are the restaraunts, so we got all ready and went down to the market and walked around Weissenfels, and ate at an excellent restaraunt! Yes- I know I have a big cold sore above my lip!

My mom and I in the town Zentrum

Even though we didn't go trick-or-treating, we had to dress him up as a BENGAL. IF we were still in Pocatello, I told Matt I would dress him up like this for the bball games!

After a little bit he kind of liked it!

OK-So we also went to the Leipzig zoo. It was so so beautiful, and fun to take Colton because he acknowldeges the animals now :)

WOW.

He gets a little excited over the penguins! I don't know why, but he is obsessed!

Colton and his daddy!

We found a little pumpkin patch, and it seemed to match perfect with Colton's outfit.

Grandma and Colty crossing the bridge!

The crew

In the Asia section- sooo pretty!

So, one day we decided to lay low a little bit. In the afternoon, my mom told Matt and I to just go somewhere, have a little date, while she watched Colton. It was really nice to just get out and do something the two of us. We mainly just went for a walk, there is a path right by the river and it was quite lovely :)

I know...we are lame.

Here we are...FREEDOM! Thanks mom!

I told my mom before she came I thought for sure Colton would be walking by the time she left, but I was wrong. He has taken a few steps, but now he just sits down when you try and get him to walk...he does stand just fine for a long time though...

We also took my mom to our favorite garden eis cafe. Like father like son

It used to be all full of flowers and chairs to sit out here...

The birds at the cafeWe also had the opportunity to go to one of my new favorite towns in Germany, Weimar. It is known for it's culture, and they city dates back to the year 899! It is also 5 miles away from a concentration camp (which we will get to later).

The whole town looked like this...greenery everywhere and small quaint restaraunts

Me and Colty in one of the restaraunts. Funny story, my mom asked for ice (eis) in her drink, and the lady, who did speak some english, said, yes, what kind, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla-EIS means ice-cream pronounced the same as ice. And they don't serve ice in their drinks...we had to tell her no EIS, but we wanted it on the rocks.

Yet another Eis Cafe

So, we drove up the road to the concentration camp. The road leading up to it was called Blood Road. These monuments were before the camp on the drive up.

So- there were still some buildings up at the camp, and this was one of them. It is a "doctor's room" where they brought in the people to "check them out" They put them up against the wall to measure them, and there was a hole right where they measured them, and they shot them in the back of the head! They had loud music playing outside so no one knew what was going on, and then they hauled the bodies off the back. I could not believe this.

This was a chute for transporting the people into the cold cellar where they would hang them on hooks.

And these were the ovens that yes, they seriously put human beings in them. Sickening.

Colton had no idea what was going on

All of the bunk houses were knocked down where most of the people stayed, but this was more like a jail for the "disobedient prisoners" (whatever that means) There are about 25 stalls in here, and when they got to stall number 1 they knew they were going to die the next day. Basically all that was in them was a metal bed, and a little slot that maybe they put food through for them.

The entrance into the concentration camp. The death toll was estimated at around 34,000. It was not an extermination camp, but there was still unbelievable number of deaths because of the harsh conditions. It was also the first Nazi camp liberated by U.S. troops! I love that!! Anyway, it was really interesting being there, and still doesn't seem real to me.

On to a brighter note. While my mom was here she got into taking cool pictures of light posts. She wants to blow this up and have it in her house, so we will see.

We went on an afternoon walk at a park in Halle with the Albrechts.

Here is the crew

Love the scenery!!! It is fall and still SO green!

Jodi and I and the kids!

This is the view from outside of our church building. As we were sitting in nursery, my mom was taking some lovely pictures of our surroundings :)

Here is another view!

Colty riding the rockinghorse in nursery.

So...we had a Halloween party at the Albrecht's and Hannah and I got "masks" to where for the party!

All I could read on the mask I bought was algae..yummy.

We also had a girls day + Colton with Jodi and Hannah, my mom and I. We took a tour of Halle, and shopped :) Oh..and we stopped at an Eis Cafe of course. Here is Colton enjoying his girls day.

The girls at the Eis Cafe

Outside the Cafe

Basically I just followed them and snapped pictures. Halle has a lot of the same shopping stores as the malls in Leipzig and is such a nice city!

I said, "Girrrls" and snapped and they all turned around in perfect sequence.

There were stands set up everywhere selling stuff the day we went. Don't know why, but it was fun.

Grandma and COlty :)

A lovely building we had to take a picture of in Halle

We also took a trip to Leipzig (actually a few of them) but we went to the City Center and walked around on this particular trip. My mom, Colty, and Bach.

Look at those cute, red German boots that she purchased!

Down the streets of Leipzig

There is a train station Mall in Leipzig that we went to-- this was the outside of the mall/train station

Matt studying the "EIS"

Colton once again being soo nice, even though he was stuck in his stroller.

Basically at the majority of places you have to pay to use the bathroom. I thought this sign was so funny. AND...I never knew what WC stood for, I even asked a few Germans and they didn't know, but my GRandpa told me it meant Water Closet, but it's not German?

INside the train station.

As we drove in to Leipzig, these are the type of buildings we pass. Cool!

Me and my big boy..I love him!!!

Anyway, I know that I just put up ridiculous amounts of pictures, but pictures do say 1,000 words! We LOVED having my mom here, and miss her soo much already! I am so glad she was able to come spend 3 weeks with us. I always tell Matt I wouldn't feel as bad to live all the way over here if we didn't have Colton, but taking him away from everyone just breaks my heart. I love that we (our little family) gets to spend so much time together, but I feel bad he is missing out on all of his extended family. I guess the good thing is we have forever :)

Thanks mom for the awesome trip, the treats, chocolate cakes :), eis cafe's, lots of walking, clothes, boots, sleeping in in the morning :) and everything else!!! We love you!