The Little Things

I had another Floral Arrangement Class today. The theme was "Spring". I think this captures the feeling quite nicely. The candle wasn't part of the arrangement, but the color was a perfect match, so in it went. Those are live bulbs on the wreath. Soon, they will bloom into wonderful color, and my masterpiece will be complete. As always, the class was loads of fun, and I am already looking forward to the next one. It's the simple things. There is a saying by Robert Brault...Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. These are big things, indeed. And now, when I walk into my kitchen, I can't help but smile.

Kleine Brogel AB: Shadow Day

Today was Shadow Day at Kleine Brogel Air Base. I just have three words for you: Best. Day. Ever. If you've never heard of Shadow Day, it's normally when the child gets out of school to follow their parent around at work. It helps the kids understand what their folks do, just a little better. The concept it great, but sometimes it can be a little slow paced. Instead of just the normal Shadow Day, KB did something a little different. They decided to get EVERYONE involved in it. Even the Belgians participated! Another Mom and I got to go along and take pictures of all the fun that the kids were having, and we were thrilled to do it. It was a blast! We started out the day by going into the Lion's Den for our official briefing. It would seem that our children enlisted in the Air Force for the day. The kids even had a set of orders. It was all very impressive. Then we got to go outside and check out our awesome ride for the day...it's called a Unimog. Did you know that this fine vehicle is made by Mercedes-Benz? We were styling!It also provided an awesome view as we traveled all over base on our adventure. At first, the fellas were putting up a ladder for us to use to climb in and out, but that didn't last too long. The kids explained that in real combat, we wouldn't have time to pull out a ladder, so we would just have to rough it, and climb in and out the way that they would in war. It's hard to argue with that logic. Our first stop was at the Falconry. This gentlemen has several falcons, and they are used to keep wild birds off of the flight line. Birds can be sucked into the jet engines and destroy them, so it's very important to keep them away from flight line. He also has a pet owl named Johnny, that he let the kids hold and touch. Our next stop was at the Fire Department. What could be more cool than getting to shoot water out of the fireman's hose? How about getting to ride in the Fire Truck? This wasn't a boring, "lets just drive in a little circle" kind of ride, either. They sped off, with sirens blaring and water shooting everywhere. The kids were thrilled! The adventure didn't end there. We loaded back into the Unimog and went to learn how to work on jet engines. They were in the process of working on several of them, and took a lot of time to explain to the kids how the engines run and what repairs were being made. Next stop? How about seeing the jets themselves! The kids were now getting a better understanding of how the jets are put together, and how they run. They even got to climb up and check out the cockpits. There wasn't much room inside there, but the controls were really cool. Now that they know about the jets, it was time to learn about what makes them "more than just an airline". That's right...weapons! Even MORE cool! They learned about different kinds of bombs and guns that the jets carry, and what kind of damage they do to the enemy. Sorry, I loved this old sign, so I just had to throw it in here. Antique! :0) It was time for lunch, so we headed over to the Base Community Center for the kind of lunch you'd have if you were at war...MRE's. (That's Meals Ready to Eat for you civilians.) It's what the troops eat when they are in combat and aren't near a chow hall. They have lots of different varieties of meals, everything from Chicken a la King to chili. The kids loved them!Brandon ended up with Chili Mac, and ate the whole thing! Combat builds up a big appetite! After lunch, we went somewhere that the kids were REALLY excited about...The Cop Shop. That's the military police building. Why were they so excited? Because they got to see and hold REAL GUNS! Yes, they were unloaded, and they were supervised the entire time, but how cool is that? Have you ever seen a bigger smile on a boys face? We went outside to check out an armored vehicle, and the kids got to climb inside. The police put on a canine demonstration for us. Have you ever seen a sweeter puppy? Just look at that face. That's a lover, not a fighter!Then again...maybe not. You might want to think about trying to enter base without permission around here! That dog pulled him down on the ground in just a couple of seconds, and held him there with no problem whatsoever. Um...step away from the dog, kids. The day is drawing to an end, but we had one more surprise in store... The police set up a combat mission for the kids. They had to enter this darkened building, fight the bad guys, and bring their comrade, who had been taken prisoner, back to safety. Are these kids up to the challenge? The building looked pretty scary. Could they do it?

You bet they could! They learned a lot throughout the day, and they were now up to any challenge. Does this look like a face that would leave a fellow Airman behind? Absolutely not!

The mission was a success. The enemy was defeated, and the hostage was freed. America is safe. You can go to bed tonight, secure in the knowledge that these young Airmen have made the world a safer place. Don't worry. They've got your back. (A HUGE THANK YOU to Roger and everyone who organized and helped with Shadow Day. This is something that none of these kids will ever forget. We truly have the best group of people EVER, here at KB. They are amazing, and we are blessed to be a part of this fantastic Base!)

It's a Beautiful Day In Belgium

Ahhhhhhh. It truly is Spring in beautiful Belgium. Today, the sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the temp got up to a balmy 67 degrees. Well, not exactly balmy, but warm enough for me. Winter is over. It's enough to make you open the windows wide, take in a deep cleaning breath and ...... oh, dear. It's Spring in Belgium. You might want to hold off on that cleansing breath. Just remember that when you want to make a sweet, delicious cake, you need to add a little salt. In Belgium, to have all of those fresh, delicious veggies, you need to add a little, um, fertilizer. All the bovines in the country have have been putting a lot of effort into providing fresh fertilizer for the farmers to plow into the soil. This is the time of the year that all of that aromatic fertilizer (that Bessie has lovingly provided) is dumped out into the fields. Did I mention that Belgium is mostly farm country? There are fields of corn and other crops just about everywhere. I'm not kidding. In residential neighborhoods, if there is one little plot of land between houses that is not being used, they will plow it up and put corn on it. Right now, there just isn't any escaping the smell of...well...cow poop. It's OK, though. Cow poop means Spring. And Spring makes me smile. It's like someone turned on a switch here. Bicycles are everywhere. You see more tractors on the roads than cars right now. Everyone wants to be out, enjoying the beautiful sunshine. At restaurants and pubs, all of the outdoor tables and chairs that were stored for the winter have been drug back outside again. People sit, eating lunch and laughing, waving at friends walking by. And there are flowers. In each town, there is a florist, and they are spreading their blossoming bounty out for everyone to enjoy. Just enough to tempt you. It's still a little too chilly at night to really start planting, but any day now...the time will be right. Until then, you can pick up a dozen roses for about 5 euro. It's a bargain you can't resist. Oh, and the best part of Spring? Leonidas cranked up their soft serve ice cream machine. There is nothing better than walking around town, nibbling on a fresh waffle cone filled with creamy goodness from Leonidas. THAT is how you know the warm weather is here to stay. Leonidas wouldn't lie. So, in short, I am wishing you Happy Spring. Get outside and enjoy it. And if you happen to see Bessie, thank her for her contribution. Thanks to her, the flowers bloom brighter and the veggies are plumper. Bessie rocks.

Spring

It's official. It's Spring. I can't think of enough ways to tell you what a relief that is. Winters here are nothing compared to what we had in Alaska, but still, we are glad that it's in the past and warmer weather is finally here. We misplaced Americans are digging our bikes out of storage, polishing the chrome, and airing up our tires. (The Belgians are made of tougher stuff, and were out cheerfully riding along in the falling snow like it was the middle of August.) Spring also brings the next school sport into our lives. Jess is now involved in soccer. She hasn't played since she was in the 5th grade, but has slipped back into the routine quite well. Apparently, things are a little more competitive in the High School world of soccer, though. She comes limping home from practice each night, covered with blisters, scrapes, and bruises. Still, she enjoys it, so she continues on. Aspercreme and Motrin are her new best friends. Jess had her first game this weekend. She and her team boarded a bus in the Netherlands at 5 am yesterday, and drove away to England for the weekend. The fellas and I took off in the opposite direction to Spangdahlem, Germany, for the day. (We are a typical American family. I'm sure most of you spent your weekend in much the same way.) Spang was hosting their annual Spring Bazaar this weekend. Russ worked a booth, selling steak sandwiches, and Brandon and I sauntered off to spend money. It's a tough job, but we were willing to work at it. I'd like to think that we showed great restraint. Brandon invested his cash in a wooden sword. I picked up a Polish pottery casserole dish and... cheese. Three chunks of cheese, to be precise. In case you are wondering why, in the face of two hangers filled with treasures from all over Europe, did I buy cheese, you will be relieved to know that Russ already asked. First of all, they had cheese that tasted like pizza. Really. I'm talking tomato sauce, bread, spices, olives, and ... well ... pizza. It's amazing how they squeezed all of that Italian goodness into that little chunk of German cheese. I figured that some sort of magic must be involved, so I bought some. Then they had another chunk of cheese that tasted like pesto sauce. When have you ever seen anything as fascinating as that? I love pesto, so into the bag it went. I was willing to stop at two, but they threw that little advertising hook out, baited with something that no respectable shopper could walk away from. A sale. If you purchase 3 chunks of cheese, then there is a discount. So cheese number three was chosen out of the line up by my sword wielding partner in crime, and tossed into the bag. Done. In all, we behaved ourselves rather well, and only hauled a couple of small bags out to the car. Hmmmm. Now that I think about it, I probably should have gone back to the Polish pottery booth and picked up that lovely cheese dish that I'd been admiring. After all, magical pizza cheese and her two feisty friends deserve it. I'm just saying.

Surprise For Stanley At Slegers-Heise

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that there was one more thing that Stanley was interested in seeing before he left Belgium. He'd heard a lot about antiques, and was curious to go and see the place that I've been raving about...Slegers-Heise. He wasn't overly excited about what he might see, mind you. He just wanted to know what all the talk was about. After all, as Russ would say, it's used furniture, right? Not so, little man, not so. I have a special surprise for Stanley, inside the magical world that is the antique warehouse. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It would appear to be just another big warehouse, but in reality, entering this building is like being allowed to peek into your rich (and somewhat eccentric) old aunt's attic. There is no telling what you will find! Ahhhhhh. Lots and lots of glorious antiques! They aren't all about overpriced merchandise and snobby attitudes in here. Everyone is welcome, and anyone can afford something inside. (Granted, the furniture is pretty expensive, but fairly priced). I tend to buy the inexpensive, but interesting, items that are found on the second floor. This is where I bought my scale, Speculoos cookie molds, and bread rack.) Things are literally stacked everywhere. You can meander around, poking in and out of aisles, searching for hidden treasures all day if you like. The owners are very kind, and are quick to offer you a cup of coffee and answer any questions that you might have. If you ask for a specific item, they will take you right to it, but I prefer to just wander around. Now do you see why this place is so much fun to explore? You probably also see why the hubby tries to avoid it completely.

Tucked into one of the corners, slightly hidden behind random pieces of furniture, lies the surprise I had in mind for Stanley. Remember when I said that there's no telling what you'll find in this place? Well, I wasn't joking. This lovely carousel has been in here since I first started coming to Slegers. I can't imagine why someone hasn't snapped it up by now!

Stanley wanted to get a closer look at it, so he went over to check it out. Yep, he wanted to buy it. They do ship furniture, but unfortunately, they couldn't ship this back to Florida for him.

It was a little out of his price range, too, so Stanley just had to sit there and day dream about it instead. He sat in the fire engine and pretended to race around, while my friends and I continued on with our browsing. I didn't make any purchases today, but I have my eye on a few goodies for later on.

Note to hubby: If you happen to read this, these doors are really awesome. Wouldn't they look fantastic in our retirement house, leading into your "Man Room/Office"? They deliver. I'm just saying.

Birthdays And Anniversaries, Oh My!

16 years ago yesterday, our little baby girl was born. To make it even more special, she was born on her Dad's Birthday! (Top that present! I bet you can't!) I can't believe how fast time is flying by! Just look how young these two were! Things were much slower back then. We had no idea. Now, it's hard to just get everyone in the same room at the same time! It was after 7 pm before everyone was home and we could celebrate the birthdays. Russ is working crazy hours right now, and Jess is tied up with soccer practice on most days. Ahhhh...the modern family. We did have a great celebration, though. It was worth the wait. Jess is very excited to have turned 16, and Russ is very pleased to be...um...35. With every one's crazy schedules, Jess decided to postpone her party until she has more free time. Just to make sure she didn't feel sad that she isn't having one right now, Brandon and I filled up her room with balloons while she was at soccer practice. She got a big kick out of that. Today is Russ and my 20th Anniversary. I can't believe we've been married that long! (I also can't believe he's put up with me for that many years! People commit crimes and get less time than that!) Anyhoo, it's been a fantastic 20 years, and we are looking forward to many, many more together.I snuck over to the base and filled up his car with balloons while he was at work today. He doesn't even know it yet. Hee hee hee. He's going to have to do a lot of popping before he can drive home tonight! He might be rethinking this whole 20 year thing. He's probably wondering when he'll be up for parole!

My Kind Of Monday

I think I might have hurt Stanley's feelings just a little bit. I asked him if he was ready to go home, and he sadly told me that there were still a few things that he'd like to experience in Belgium. I insisted that I was not trying to get rid of him. I just thought he might be a little home sick for his friends in Crestview, Florida. While he does miss them terribly, he said he couldn't leave this country without trying a couple of things that it's famous for. Never let it be said that I sent poor Stanley home disappointed. Today, I took him out to lunch with friends, so he could try some of the local food. No, I didn't let him drink my cappuccino. He did keep eyeing my little heart shaped waffle that came with it, though. Erika had to hold him back from grabbing it right off my plate! After a little discussion about good manners, we ordered lunch. It turns out that Stanley had been looking forward to eating one of our famous Belgian waffles. They aren't like the kind of waffles that are served in the US. They are very light and fluffy, and have a vanilla taste to them. As an added treat, they had fresh pineapples and whipped cream on top of them. You can get lots of great things on top of your waffles here. One of the most popular toppings is chocolate sauce! Stanley had the nice lady at the cafe add vanilla ice cream to his waffle. Just ignore that healthy salad in the background. Today was all about experiencing the treats that Belgium has to offer. (This might explain the lack of weight loss we've been experiencing at the gym lately, though. This also might not have been what that health magazine was talking about when they said to eat more fruit.) After we left the cafe, we drove over to Peer so that Stanley could visit Leonidas Chocolate Shop. He asked me to take his picture with this giant chocolate egg. He said he had never seen one this big before! It was big enough for Stanley to sleep in! After our lunch, we decided that we had eaten enough sweets for today, so we picked up a small bag of chocolate eggs for Stanley to try at another time, and headed on back home. Stanley can check two more things off of his list of things to see and do in Belgium. He mentioned one more thing that he'd like to see, so I'm going to do my best to take him there later this week. Hopefully it will work out. The place I am planning on taking him has a very special surprise inside. I have a feeling Stanley is going to be one very happy little boy when he sees it...

Ups And Downs

I started my new "healthier lifestyle" at the start of 2010. When the kids returned to school after the Christmas break, I started going to the gym. Nothing too outrageous, mind you. Just 3 days a week. Other than that week at Edelweiss, I've stuck to my routine pretty faithfully. I've never been one of those exercise fanatics who just "doesn't feel complete" without their daily workout. I haven't experienced that fabled runner's high. But, in all, I do feel better and have more energy. I also am taking part in KB's Fitness Center's Biggest Loser program. They weighed us at the start of the new year, and re-weigh us every so often to keep track of our progress. For every percentage of our weight that we lose, we'll receive a prize in the end. In all honesty, I don't really have a lot of weight to lose. (And to my friend who said, "The only way you could lose weight is to cut off a leg!" I LOVE YOU!) I just need to tone up. The middle age jigglies are alive and well, and living on me. And then there is the hail damage on the thighs...well, we won't go there. Anyhoo, I am exercising. Then came the first weigh in recently. I lost two pounds. And my clothes fit the same as they did when I started. Disheartening. Depressing. Irritating. Infuriating. It's hard to keep going on with things when you don't seem to see much progress. I am not a quitter, though. I am still going. Russ gives me pep talks. "Muscle weighs more than fat." "These things take time." "Your heart is so much healthier now, and that's what's most important." On Friday morning, I was on the treadmill, and happened to mention to a friend who was also working out, that I was disappointed in my progress. My knees and ankle hurt, my legs and rear were sore from the previous workout, and I didn't really have anything to show for it. She said that she was having the same problems. Then the lovely Belgian man on the exercise bike turned to us, smiled, and said "You have to go down, before you can go up." As crazy as that statement is, it makes sense. And I appreciate his kindness in saying it. So I keep going to the gym. And I change up my exercise routine, to keep those fat cells confused. Maybe they will get irritated and wonder off to bug someone else.


P.S. I've been so caught up in every day activities, that I haven't taken Stanley on any new adventures lately. We've hit a kind of lull. Maybe it's time to send Stanley on his way back to Florida. I'll ask him when he gets up. (He stayed up late last night, playing video games with the kids. He's been hitting the gym with me, so he deserves the break. He lost 3 pounds. Darn that Stanley!)

Stanley Is Still Busy

I wouldn't want you to think that Stanley has just been sitting around, relaxing on his European vacation. This is not the case. In fact, he's been so busy that we haven't had time to sit down and blog about it. Today, I'll try to catch you up on his activities. On Saturday, Stanley went with us to Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Russ and I had to go there for an awards dinner, so we decided to spend the night and get a little shopping in as well. Spang is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from our home, and the trip takes us from Belgium, through The Netherlands, and then on to Germany. (Stanley is becoming quite the international traveler!) Stanley loved seeing all of the wind generators along the way. They are also called wind turbines, and are used to generate electricity from the kinetic energy of the wind. They are very popular here, probably because this region is VERY windy! The snow has melted and everything is starting to turn green again. Stanley was also excited about taking his first trip on the Autobahn in Germany. In the distance, you can see Spangdahlem AB, Germany. We had a great time there, looking around the Bx and attending the Awards dinner. Sorry, but I didn't take any pictures there. You'll be happy to know, though, that our base won several awards, and we were very proud! On Sunday morning, we got back on the road and headed back home to Belgium. There are lots of lovely towns that we go by, and this is one of them. On Monday afternoon, Stanley and I were invited to go with Brandon's school on a field trip to Geilenkirchen AB, The Netherlands, to see the USAFE Band perform. It's about an hours drive from Kleine Brogel, so we boarded a very nice bus at the school and took off. They were great. Everyone had so much fun singing along and dancing to the music. They played Our Song, Party in the USA, and a whole lot of other songs that the kids loved. Stanley even got to meet one of the singers in the Band. He's having so much fun in Europe! When the concert was over, Stanley and the other kids from Kleine Brogel went out to play for a few minutes on the GK school playground. Then we all got back on the bus and headed back to Belgium.

Stanley was exhausted, so he took a little nap on the bus ride home. (Sorry about the picture being sideways, but sometimes Blogger has a mind of it's own, and you just can't reason with it! This picture refused to load up the normal way!)