Moran Family Fun

When we first moved to Germany one of the biggest stresses was getting a driver's license and learning the German rules of the road.  After almost four year here this time around, I like to think that I'm almost a native German driver.  I was worried about coming back to the States and not remembering how to drive in America.  For the first day or so I was a little timid behind the wheel but I quickly remembered how things work around here.  I also quickly realized what I like so much about driving in Germany and started wishing that some things were different in America.  Here's the things I miss about driving in Germany: 1.  Traffic lights that turn to yellow before they turn red AND before they turn green.  I really appreciate the warning that it's time to stop and the reminder that it's time to go.  I can't even tell you how many times I've been sitting at a light and feel surprised by the green.  A simple yellow light would help to get...

I felt as if I needed to spend one day shopping while I'm here.  It's not that I can't find all the things I need in Germany, it just that it's hard to find the things we need/want in Germany.  On base our only option is the BX and I have issues with the selection, prices, and customer service there.  Off base there are lots of stores but things are just different - different styles, different pricing, different currency.  Usually I end up ordering off the internet and hoping that I get what I was hoping for.  Shopping here in America is not only easier, it's cheaper, and there's more selection.  So I spent a whole day shopping, shopping, and shopping some more for clothes, school supplies, shoes, thank you cards, fabric, Christmas presents, and make up.  When I was done I realized that there was no way everything would fit in my one suitcase so I stopped by the post office and picked up boxes and customs forms.  Here's what I ended up with at the...

For my first full day alone in Alabama I decided that I wanted to explore the downtown Huntsville area.  I got out my trusty map of Huntsville and figured out how to get from my hotel to the tourist office downtown. I made it there without a single wrong turn (hooray!) and went inside to find some interesting things to do for the day.  The lady that works there was so friendly and helpful - I guess that's sort of a requirement for a job like that though.  She gave me a map of the just the downtown area and traced out the route I should take for all the things I wanted to see and do.  She also got me all set up with discounted entrance fees to the places I wanted to visit and told me about a free concert in the park that was going on that night.  And she gave me a free bottle of water.  I decided to leave my car there and walk everywhere I wanted to go that day so I set off with my map, tickets, and water. My first stop was the Huntsville Train Depot which...

Sunday was the day to take Madison to Space Camp and say goodbye.  Drop-off at the Space Center was between noon and two so we could have slept in a little, but Madison was determined to make it to church.  Because we  were still in Atlanta on Sunday morning we had to get up a little early and hit the road for the four hour drive.   We found a ward in Huntsville with 11am sacrament meeting and timed our trip to make it there by 10:30.  We had to stop at the Alabama State Line to take a picture and document our progress.  If we look a little squinty it's because we were looking East into the sun.   I love our GPS and often rely on it to tell me when and where to turn.  On Sunday it routed us away from any interstates and instead through some beautiful stretches of rural Georgia and Alabama.  Unfortunately, our GPS died a little while after we took these pictures.  It didn't need to be charged or anything because it was still on...

Madison and I had one full day in Atlanta before we had to leave for Alabama.  We decided to go into town and have some fun.  Our lineup for the day?  A quick stop at Whipstich Fabrics, a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, and a showing of the new Batman movie. The fabric store was not originally part of our plan for the day.  I happened to remember just that morning that Whipstitch , which I'd heard about on a favorite craft blog, was in downtown Atlanta.  When I looked at a map and realized that it was just a couple of miles from the Aquarium I had to add it to our itinerary.  We got there a little before the store opened so we stopped at a coffee shop down the street and had smoothies before walking over to Whipstitch to explore.  I found some cute Oliver + S patterns for the two younger girls, a couple of fat quarters (because I love fat quarters), some labels to sew into clothes I make, and enough fabric to sew myself another Schoolhouse Tunic. ...

Madison and I made it to America after the longest day of traveling I've ever experienced. We arrived at the airport in Frankfurt two hours before our flight left.  Then it was nine and a half long hours from Frankfurt to Detroit.  I watched lots and lots of TV shows on the little screen on the seatback in front of me to pass the time.  Madison learned that she doesn't like airplane food very much, or at least not airplane chicken curry.  We both learned that we just can't sleep on planes. We had three and a half hours in Detroit before our flight left for Atlanta.  Some of that time was taken up by retrieving our checked luggage so we could got through Customs and then recheck our bags.  Then we had to go through the security screening again.  I kind of understood the Customs thing; this was our first port of entry into the United States.  However, we were screened in Frankfurt before we left.  How much could have changed while we were o...

A few months ago I was mentioning to a friend of mine how my girls all needed haircuts, but I hated to spend 16 Euro (about $20) for each haircut.  That really adds up fast.  She told me that she cuts her girls hair herself and that I could easily do the same.  I was pretty skeptical, I can do lots of things but I'm pretty sure cutting hair isn't one of them.  However, my sweet friend was really encouraging and gave me some useful tips so I decided to give it a try.  Except for curly haired Emily, I gave all the girls haircuts.  They were simple cuts, really I just trimmed off a few inches from each kid so it was nothing special. Fast forward a couple of months and they were all needed their hair cut again, especially Emily who hadn't gotten her hair cut along with her sisters that last time.  I started with Samantha.  Her hair is thin, really thin and the longer it gets the worse it looks.  I decided to cut off a lot of her hair and...

Every year since we've moved here we've gone to Bad Sobernheim to do the Barefoot Hike at least once.  We went last month with John and had a pretty good time.  The weather was a bit overcast, but I'd rather have cloudy weather than hot, sweaty, sunny weather almost any day. The hike started with everyone's favorite, the long slog through a trough of muddy water.  Next to the river crossing it's the best part of the hike.  It was cold, slimy, muddy and fun all at the same time.   The hike is really more of a walk it's not at all strenuous and takes about an hour or so from start to finish.  What makes it fun is all the different textures and obstacles you get to walk through and over during the hike.   Besides muddy water, there's sand, pebbles, mulch, grass, corks, and bricks.  We also walked over wobbly, shaky, bridges and along balance beams and tightropes.   There's a spot in the river near the end of the hike th...

So we left Strasbourg and traveled on to Triberg in the Black Forest to see the tallest waterfall in Germany.  It was kind of a long drive from Strasbourg, about three hours, so it was nice to finally get there and stretch our legs.   As we got closer to Triberg there were little stores along the way selling cuckoo clocks and other traditional Black Forest products.  We even drove by the world's largest cuckoo clock.  In one day we got to see Germany's tallest waterfall and the world's largest cuckoo clock!  Not exactly things on my bucket list, but something, nonetheless.    The first thing we saw at the entrance to the waterfall was this amazing squirrel.  John really needed me to take his picture with the squirrel.  Okay, so the hike (if you can call it that) was short and easy.  It took about half an hour to make it all the way to the top.  This picture of super John was taken when we were at the very start of the hike....

I really love living in Europe and being able to easily travel to amazing places that I'd never see otherwise.  Most of the time I'm happy to travel and be a tourist. The only exception to that is when we travel to France; it's not even a teeny tiny bit appealing for me.  Mostly it's the language but it's also a little bit about the food and a little bit about the people.  However, I set all that aside and went to France with my parents and John while they were visiting.  It helped that our plan was to go to Strasbourg which is so close to Germany, it's practically not like France at all. Along the way we had to stop and take a picture at this wonderful sign.  We'd first seen it two years ago when my parents were here visiting, but we didn't take the time to get a photo then.  I'm sure the people driving by thought we were crazy; I know Dad and John sure did! In Strasbourg we went to the cathedral, the Petite France part of town, and walked alo...

A few weeks ago I was called to serve in the Nursery at church.  I've never served in the Nursery before so I was excited to do something new in primary.  I've taught every other primary class, been primary chorister, primary pianist, and served in primary presidencies.  All I need to do now is be the primary secretary and I'll have held every calling you can in primary.  Oh, except for Cub Scouts and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that that never happens! I know a lot of people don't want to work in the Nursery and until I started serving in this calling I probably would have been one of those people.  I always preferred senior primary to junior so it follows that I would prefer regular primary to Nursery.  However, I've really enjoyed my three Sundays in Nursery so far.  The time really flies because I'm so busy playing and singing with the little kids, I love the simple and plain gospel truths we teach in Nursery, and the other ladies I serve ...