Berchtesgaden, Part2

Suited up to descend into the Salt Mines in Salzburg.

Our lodge in Berchtesgaden and the view below.

Swimming in the Konigsee.

Hiking through the Wimbacklamm.

Berchtesgaden, Part 1

I'm a little behind on my blog posts and don't know that I'll ever catch up, but here are a few pics from a trip to Berchtesgaden, Germany that we took in July. Berchtesgaden is in the German Alps right next to Austria. It's about 15-20 minutes from Salzburg. I had a few other pictures that I wanted to post, but our computer crashed and although it's up and running again, I'm still not sure where iphoto went. Hmmm. So until I figure that out, this is all I have for now! We went down with about 6 other families from our ward and stayed in a big lodge. It was a very cool lodge and fun to all be together. Several of the friends that came with us were mothers with deployed husbands, so the two days we spent in Salzburg, Tyler was leading around three wives (two of them expecting) and 12 small children. =)

Hitler's retreat (aka The Eagle's Nest). Apparently he was really quite afraid of heights and only really came up to show it off to other dignitaries and people with rank or power. Now it is actually a restaurant inside. It was incredibly hot the day that we went up, but the view didn't disappoint!

The is Helbrunn Palace in Salzburg. the king had quite a sense of humor, so all around the palace gardens are trick fountains. There were little boxes all over the grounds with switches to turn on hidden fountains. The kids absolutely loved it and the guide had a lot of fun getting them wet. Unfortunately, they were too wet to go into the palace at the end! We found a nice park instead, and I'm sure the kids enjoyed that more anyway!






If this gazebo looks familiar, it should! This is the gazebo from The Sound of Music.
This is overlooking Salzburg from the fortress in the middle of the city.

This picture doesn't quite capture the heat and humidity, but it was way too hot! Everyone in America, say a little prayer of thanks for the AC! There is next to NONE in Europe. About the only place you can stay cool in the summer heat is in your car!

It's A....

Sadly, the printer was not working at my ultra-sound, so I don't have a visual, but after careful scrutiny both Tyler and Dr. Rich have declared that this baby is most definitely not a GIRL!!!!!!! It is in fact a boy. Yes that's right. Another boy! Tyler's comment was, "I already can't handle the three we have!" Sophie said after that she felt like crying, but she was able to contain it. Briggs asked how we could tell, and after the doc pointed things out to him, he jumped back like something had bitten him and said, "Ew!" Porter and Sawyer just ran around the office pushing buttons and pulling whatever cords they could find. Good thing our doctor is a good friend as well!

As for me, I really think that I knew it all along. While friends, neighbors, and family couldn't wait to hear the news, I could. And I think it was because I knew it was a boy, but as long as there was no ultra-sound there was still a chance!

Don't get me wrong though! I'm most certainly NOT sad about having another boy! I think it will be so fun to have the four boys so close in age! And I'm absolutely smitten with the ones I've got! And boys love their Moms don't they? Plus, I've certainly got the gear! This will be a no-shopping-required baby (although I did strategically throw out the old baby swing before we made a definite decision on number 5 - or at least before Tyler knew we had! If Tyler had been sure we were having another he would have made me keep it and they make much cooler ones now)!

But I do admit to being sad that I probably won't ever get to have another girl. (Tyler wouldn't be happy about that 'probably' as this is supposed to be the last!) I just wanted one more to dress up, and go to lunch with, and to still call me and need me after they're married...And how am I going to survive four missionaries leaving one after the other? Are weddings or missions cheaper? Hmmmm. But I'm just not sure my body could handle another surgery.

Well anyway - that's the news! If anyone has a good name suggestion, let me know! We had a name for a girl!

Little Rain Man

Sawyer is totally obsessed with numbers, letters, and shapes! He is pretty amazing with them too! He can count over 100, count backwards from 20 without ever missing, and can even count by 10s. He sings the alphabet song forwards AND backwards and not only knows the letters by site, but the sound each one makes as well. He can spend half an hour just looking at a catalogue because of all the numbers and letters! With shapes, the only thing he has left to master are the 2D ones. Everywhere we go he's looking for numbers, letters, and shapes. He reads books about them, plays with them, traces them, and we even have all kinds of made-up songs about them. Last time we took him to the pool, we couldn't even get him in the water because he wanted to walk back and forth counting the numbers on the pool lanes.

I have had a couple of friends ask me if I've considered having him tested, but seriously for the longest time I was concerned he might have some kind of autism! It was almost scary what he could do when he was only 2 years old. He's 2 1/2 now and fortunately he has branched out to cars, and guys, and other kinds of pretend that have helped omit the worry that he was the next Rain Man. Instead I'm happy knowing that he's just a normal kid with a really big fascination for number, letters, and shapes. Who knows, maybe he is some kind of genius, but I'm pretty happy to just let him be a little boy and sing good-night to numbers 1-20 every night!

Above: Tracing numbers I wrote for him. Below: Writing numbers himself!







He loves these blocks. He can turn the numbers any way and tell you the number that they make together. He's also recently into this finger up the nose business!

It's Really NOT Over

So yeah, I'm still spending way to much time thinking about Lost. Briggs asked me yesterday what the finale was about and I got all choked up trying to tell him. I read some online comments and I can't believe how many people missed the point! It was so good! I loved it so much because it was all about not only how important it is to be able to come together and work together despite different backgrounds, personalities, etc., but that we ulitmately NEED each other as well. We can't do it alone. And redemption and forgiveness was possible for those who made mistakes, which was everyone, but even for people like Ben who made some major ones! It was also about how EVERYTHING we do matters. Every choice and it's consequence does matter in the eternal scheme of things. What a great show! When there are so many producers just trying to put crap in shows just to see if they can get away with it, it was kind of refreshing to have a message that could benefit everyone!

And may I just say, "Three Cheers for Lee!"

It's Over

Okay...I seriously don't think I've cried as much in any show or movie since My Girl came out in high school as I did watching the season finale of Lost. But I absolutely LOVED IT!!! It may be my new Sense & Sensibility. I was crying every 10 minutes through the show, then while I put clothes in the dryer afterwards, then while I brushed my teeth, then I went to bed, but had to get up and call my Mom to talk about it and cry some more. There were a few tears an hour later when I finally got in bed and then I was a bit choked up talking about it while doing my Visiting Teaching today and none of the other ladies had even seen it. Don't even say, "Sawyer and Juliette" or I'll start again...They didn't answer every question, but I don't think it could have ended any better...other than Sayid ending up with Shannon. Where was Nadia? That was a bit lame, but the rest made up for it...and Ben!! I was so happy about Ben! So glad I never lost faith!

The finale was earnest and hopeful, and like all things that share those qualities, it likely will attract mockery in some places. But not here. Here, let's celebrate the joy in a TV job well done and well ended, and in realizing that there are rewards in maintaining faith in people and producers alike.

And in a truly great show. -USA Today