Dynamikum Science Center

No matter where we go, a science museum is one of our favorite places to visit.  The Dynamkium is a museum located in former shoe factory in Pirmasens which is about 1/2 hour from where we live.  It is a beautiful building that houses a science center the perfect size for our kids!  We went on a Friday that Cameron had off and we had the place all to ourselves!
Here is the website if you are looking for more information:
http://www.dynamikum.de/en/naven/the-dynamikum/dynamikum/

This was the amazing entry/exit to the museum.
What a beautiful room!

The museum is divided into two floors.

The first floor is about moving things.

The second floor was about learning how to move yourself.

Dee managed to find some yellow!

And a really cool slide!

Here are Cameron and Taylor applying the new things they learned about moving.

Any device in science is a window on to nature,

and each new window contributes to the breadth of our view. 

Cecil Frank Powell

Tanz der Vampire with Dennis Callahan

Just a few weeks ago, we went to visit my cousin Dennis in Stuttgart, Germany. 

We were so excited to see him and had an absolutely wonderful time.....after we finally arrived.  The trip getting there was a little hairy and we got lost a few times, and we didn't get to see his rehearsal (my fault for not understanding that we would get to go in the first place) but we got to see Dennis when we got there and went out for dinner with him before he had to go to back to work for the evening.  Before I go on, I need to tell you that Dennis is the choreographer for Tanz der Vampire.  The original production opened in Vienna in October 1997 and was directed by Roman Polanski.  One of the highlights of visiting Dennis in Stuttgart was that we were going to get to go to opening night of Tanz der Vampire the next night!

We met with Dennis the next morning for breakfast and spent some time throwing rocks in the pond outside of our hotel.

Then we took the train downtown and walked around Schlossplatz, Stuttgart which is where New Castle (German: "das Neue Schloss") located. 

We had a fabulous time and it was perfect weather for a walk.

We spent most of our time playing on the equipment they had along the sidewalk.

  At one point, D got focused on the pigeons and had us all in hysterics trying to catch one.  

 

 
   The kids were getting a bit tired so we started back to the train.   

 

  On the way, we walked down to the castle and let the kids play around in the fountain.   
 

It was a beautiful spring-like day and Dennis was so patient with the kids and they had such a great time with him.  He even got a big kick out of D wanting to go back to the first train station so that we could get back on the train because I had him jump on instead of walk on!

After a bit of a rest, we met Dennis and got to walk around backstage of the production.  It was so interesting to see the dressing rooms and see all the costumes and makeup stations.   I really enjoyed watching the production later and seeing all the props (and people) we had seen backstage. 

Originally, we didn't think Cameron would be able to go with me because we didn't have a sitter.  When we got to the hotel, we asked if they had one available.  When I let Dennis know this might be an option, he graciously said to just let him know.  We were lucky enough to get a sitter and Dennis gave us our tickets and bracelets for the cast party afterward.   Here we are on our way:

When we arrived at the theatre, we selected a place to meet during intermission.  Dennis said that he had to run backstage and take care of a few things.  Being naive, I didn't think anything of it when he said that he wouldn't be sitting with us.  Not until we were sitting in our seats did I suspect that Dennis may have given us his seats.  I realized that Sue, the costume designer, we had run into a few times was a few seats down and everyone seemed to know one another.  After the show began, I was sure of it.  We were dead center in the best seats in the house!  A perfect seat for a choreographer to see all the changes he had made (you'll have to ask Dennis about this).  What a guy!  I will tell you, however, that I truly enjoyed every single moment of the show.  You can ask the current director, Cornelius Baltus, since he was sitting next to us (I had no idea who he was at the time) and gave Dennis a full report about how I was "sitting on the edge of my seat during the dance scenes wishing I was up there".  I won't lie, I was! Cameron loved it so much he says he can't wait to go again.  The costumes were amazing, the music was great and the dancing was spectacular.  Of course it was, what would you expect with a coreographer like Dennis?

After the show, we went to the cast party and we had SO much fun!.  We called the babysitter to ask if she could stay a little later.   Would a couple more hours be okay?  She said that would work and called us at 2:30 AM wondering when we were coming home.  Cameron went back and let the sitter go and Dennis and I partied a little bit more.  It was so wonderful to see him in his element and meet his people.  So many people love and respect him and everyone was so welcoming, kind, and fun to be with.    A few people even asked if I was a dancer.  Dennis kept telling them that he didn't ever remember me dancing but I just told them he was jealous because I am a better dancer than he is.  We had such a good time that I didn't get home until 4:30 AM!

The best part of the trip, however, wasn't the show, the seats or the being in Stuttgart.  It was getting to spend time with Dennis.  What a great guy!

Happy New Year or Ein Glückliches Neues Jahr 2010

Happy New Year all around the world!


Since the kids are too young to stay up until midnight, a few years ago we began celebrating the New Year somewhere else in the world so they wouldn't miss out on a countdown and a celebration. When we were living in Japan we chose Kiritimati (aka Christmas Island) as our first (and only) countdown which is located in the Pacific Ocean and is the first place in the world to welcome the New Year.


This year, we began our countdown and visited countries all over the world. For every country we visited, we would look it up in the atlas and learn how to say "Happy New Year" in that language.


On New Year's Eve, We had a small Wii Tournament with the kids and then Cameron and I watched a movie.


At midnight, we knew the church bells would ring, but we were not expecting the amazing amount of fireworks that were set off for about an hour afterward! It was fabulous!


The next morning our last two New Year celebration's were in Hawaii (Hau’oli Makahiki Hou), and then an hour later in Alofi (Bonne Année)and Pago Pago (Ia manuia le Tausaga Fou).


We decided since the last New Year we would celebrate would occur in the Pacific, we would make a breakfast worthy of the islands! We made coconut pancakes with pineapple maple syrup. They were incredibly easy but if you'd like to know how I will include the recipe(s) on the side bar. We served it all with fresh pineapple rings (I got a pineapple cutter from Taylor for Christmas)and Kona coffee.


What a great way to start the year!

Fröhliche Weihnachten

One of my favorite things we did this Christmas was let the kids buy presents for one another. It was a bit last minute with the move and ideally I like them to try to make something for one another, but they had a lot of fun picking something out and giving their gifts to each other.
Here are some of the highlights:

Christmas Market at Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany

To celebrate St. Nicholas Day we attended our first German Christmas Market at Porta Nigra in Trier. Trier is about an hour from our house through the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Wine Region. Although the weather was less than perfect, we had a wonderful time!


Porta Nigra (which means black gate) was the Roman gateway into Trier. It received it's name in the Middle Ages because of the color of the weathered stone it is made from. The gate was built in the 2nd century. Porta Nigra is the oldest German defensive structure. In the 12th century, it was made into a two story church and used that way until the 19th century. I realized when posting this that the picture I took of the whole gate didn't come out (it was raining) but here is one of the kids and Cameron to show you the relative size of the structure. Please check out the following website, this gate is impressive and I can't believe I don't have a good picture of it!

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/trier-porta-nigra.htm

Walking to the market.


Here are a few pictures from inside the market.


















Here we are with our first Gluhwein and Kinderpunsch.


I have had spiced wine before but never Gluhwein in Germany at a Christmas Market. It was delicious. The kids loved the Kinderpunsch (a non-alcoholic version of Gluhwein) as well. I am making it my goal for the rest of the winter to make a great Gluhwein. Try them both, they are really very good. There are recipes listed on the sidebar.

We have pictures of the kids all over the States and Japan so it seemed fitting that their first ride would be on the carousel!


















If you know our Taylor, she isn't much of an eater. Every once in a while we find something that she can't get enough of and she found a dream come true at a stall that said Schoko-Fruchte aus reiner Schokolade.



At this stall were all types of fruit covered in chocolate and we discovered that "aus reiner Schokolade" translates to "from pure chocolate". The kids all picked strawberries and they loved them. Especially Taylor.



D decided right sround then that he had to use the bathroom so Cameron took him and here are the girls devouring what was left of his pure chocolate covered strawberries.


I think they may have tasted even better to the girls because of it. Luckily, he never even noticed.

We walked around a bit and found another alley with another section of the market. On the way down to the stalls and rides there was an accordian duo from Minsk. They took a liking to D when he tried to throw his Euro in their case and missed.




















They were fabulous and we watched them for a very long time.


It was beginning to get late and very crowded so we didn't shop but just wandered around enjoying the rest of the day.


We did buy the kids some candy and I got some spices and the most beautiful fresh mistletoe.



Our last look at the Christmas Market.


This is a picture right outside the gate. We can't wait to go back.