The Hague..ISST's

I just love this picture of 

Griffin splashing in the puddles.

It was taken with my iphone!

He had so much fun that day..

complete strangers were stopping to 

watch him and take pictures of him!

Stephen's baseball team

won the gold!

What an amazing few 

days we had up in The Hague.

Of course there was plenty

of baseball to watch..

(Griff and Will watching

their big brother at bat)...

....but we were also able

to do a bit of sight seeing.

One of the nights 

a group of the parents went

out to dinner in this 

sweet town,

Leiden.

It's like a mini-Amsterdam.

And I swear..

it seems like

every town,

country,

place we visit

Steve and I say..

"I could live here"

I think I could

totally live here!

I love the canals..

and the architecture..

and the fact that 

EVERYONE

rides bikes..

EVERYWHERE!

 I could get used to that.

ok..

back to baseball!

The American School of Paris

bringing home the gold!

It was so much fun watching

these boys play baseball.

And bittersweet for us as this 

is the last time Stephen will play

for a school team.

Not only did his team win 

but Stephen was one of two

other kids that received the 

All-Tournament award!

It has been a joy for your 

dad and I to watch you 

play baseball since you were

just a little kid.

We could not be more proud.

Stephen..

And in other news!

The French Open has come

to town!

And I just received my 

necklace I ordered 

through Kimberly.

I love that the women in 

Uganda handmade these

and that all the proceeds 

go to 

The Grow Hope Foundation

I'm headed here tomorrow!

Aix-en-Provence!

All by myself.

We have a 4 day weekend

ahead of us so I'm 

hopping the train in the morning.

Really looking forward to 

finishing 

The Goldfinch.

Bon weekend!!

P.S!

My friend 

Sarah has featured me

on her blog today!

I'm so excited to be a part

of her Coming Home  series.

Merci Sarah!!

I'le St-Louis and More!

So very busy lately.

Lots of traveling

for work

school sports

and of course

for fun!

I'm not complaining.

I love the busy-ness.

But, I'm happy that school

is winding down and we're 

looking forward to a

whirlwind summer!

The skies here in Paris

lately have been incredible.

Vibrant sunrises

and colorful sunsets.

And many rainbows during

the day after a shower.

This past weekend seems like a blur

already.

And it's only Tuesday.

This is precisely the reason 

I keep this blog.

Sunday was gorgeous!

Stephen and Hannah 

were home studying

so Steve and I took the little

boys to 

I'le St-Louis..

the island located in the middle

of the Seine. 

Before I go on..

Someone gave me these cards 

(pictured above

and below)

when we first moved here.

The City Walks with kids

is awesome! 

So many great ideas for getting

out in the city 

with kids.

I've done many of them.

I also own this one..

Both have been informative

and helpful on days 

when we're wondering what to do.

If you're traveling to Paris with kids..

I highly recommend the first one!

So..back to Sunday.

I pulled out a card..

and off we went to visit

I'le St-Lous.

We started at  Notre Dame..

(the cards have a starting and ending

point and a map to guide you along

your route with fun things 

to do and look for!)

The picture above is taken

behind Notre Dame.

We walked across the quaint

Pont Saint Louis

where there are always

street performers out

doing all kinds of fun things.

We walked up and down the 

charming Rue St-Louis -en-L'Ile.

Lots of great shops..

for kids too!

But the main attraction is

Berthillon ice cream.

The best ice cream in Paris!

It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

Sunday morning

(I'm going backwards here)

I headed out to my local 

open air market.

I'm lucky it's open on Sundays..

because there isn't much open!

Peonies are here!

Like candy!

One of my favorite things 

about living here are 

the open air markets.

On Friday..

both Stephen and Hannah

went to London overnight 

with their teams.

Hannah just joined the softball team..

they were in need of players 

and she was asked to play.

She's never played softball 

in her life!

They both had a game Friday

and two games Saturday.

Hannah played catcher for 

all 3 games!

Steve was conveniently on business

in London and was 

able to see both kids play!

So proud of you Hannah!

While they were all

in London..

Will and Griff and I 

headed out to the kids'

school for International day

with some friends.

So much fun!

Thursday night

I went with a friend to 

the American Church in Paris

to hear Jane Goodall

speak!

At 80 years old..

(we sang Happy Birthday to her!)..

she is such an inspiration.

What an amazing evening!

This coming weekend

will be just as busy.

Hannah's softball tournament 

is held in London again.

She leaves by train with her team

Wednesday and returns Saturday.

Stephen's baseball tournament is held

in The Hague this year.

And..with this being his last

time playing school baseball..

Steve and I and the two younger boys

are leaving Wednesday to attend his games.

It will be fun to visit Holland..

but also bittersweet.

Baseball  has been a big part

of Stephen's life.

Steve used to coach his team in 

elementary school..in 

PA and NH.

He played in Duxbury and 

has played here in Paris.

Looking forward to another 

great weekend!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

is a beautiful town located

on the Romantic Road in the 

Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany.

When friends and family

would come to visit us

in Germany..

we would always spend

a day here.

Charming

picturesque

and historical.

We stayed in Rothenburg

this past weekend.

It's a treat to go back to

a place you called home and 

be a tourist.

(bummer the big ugly crane

is in this one)

Beer and pretzels

of course.

And spezi for the kids..

Spezi is fanta and coke mixed.

It was a quick trip

to Germany.

So much we could't get to.

I do hope we can get back again

soon!

Tschuss!!

16 Years Later..

Of all the trips we've taken..

this quick trip to Germany

meant the most.

19 years ago

Steve and I and 

3 month old Stephen..

moved to Germany.

Steve was a pilot in the Army

and we were so very lucky to 

be stationed in Illesheim Germany..

our first assignment out of flight school.

Steve flew over first and secured 

a house for us.

We were determined to live 

not on the military base..

but in a house

with German landlords.

We lived for 3 years 

above Erich and Lieselotte

in a little farming town

called Bad Windsheim.

He built this house

and the two of them are 

probably the most hard working

people I know.

They didn't speak English..

thank goodness because boy

did we learn German!

Their daughter Silke

however, did speak English 

which was helpful at times!

Before Stephen goes off to college

this fall..

I wanted to take a family trip

back to his first home..

and to where Hannah was born.

Thursday we drove from Paris

to Rothenburg..where we stayed 

this past weekend.

Rothenburg is about 20 minutes

from Bad Windsheim and it's a 

beautiful old walled city.

(I will share more pictures of 

our weekend..

but I needed to have a post

dedicated just to them)

We arrived around 8:00 pm after 

an 8 hour trip and decided to 

drive to Bad Windsheim to have 

dinner at our old favorite Italian 

place, Franco's.

Before dinner I asked Steve to just

drive by the old house.

At 8:30 at night we certainly weren't 

planning on showing up unannounced.

But, I found myself ringing their doorbell.

I heard Lieselotte say..

"Erich, it's the Pam!!!"

I'll never forget the hugs they

both gave me.

They invited us in 

and it felt like yesterday,

not 16 years ago,

that we were sitting around their table.

Silke came too and told us

that her parents would say..

"Someday, Pam and Steve will

show up on our doorstep".

They showed us all of the 

Christmas cards I've sent

over the past 16 years.

And the pictures I've sent 

that are hanging on their wall.

They invited us back

for lunch on Sunday.

After a feast of shnitzel and 

potato salad and bratwurst

and lots of laughs and tears

we said goodbye..

again.

Silke said..

"don't wait another 16 years to come back"

We won't.

These people were not 

just our landlords.

Our even just friends.

They became our family.

Vielen dank fur alles!

Bis spater...

Wir lieben dich!!!