Fall Festivities

Ben's broken foot has really limited us on what we can get out and do... but he can ride his bike... so we went out for a lovely bike ride in ideal fall weather.
Can anyone find Caroline in this picture??
On the way home we stopped by a Catholic church and bought these flowers... vendors are selling them everywhere in anticipation for All Saints Day when the Poles decorate the graves. And no, Ben has not gained 50 pounds, that's just the wind blowing through his sweatshirt.
Daddy! It's a Q! What Emily exclaimed when Ben gave her this malformed pancake. I have to admit she's a smart cookie.
I know I already posted pics last week of the beautiful fall colors in Ujazdowski Park (no, I don't know how to pronounce it), but I went walking again with the nordic track group (that's what they call themselves because they walk with nordic poles) and I couldn't help taking more... so bear with me.
Em stretching with the nordic walkers
Mums everywhere! When we first arrived the parks were filled with red roses and geraniums. Now there are mums everywhere... it's so beautiful!
And this flower... not sure what it is but it sure is beautiful!





This is the street in front of the embassy. The embassy is on the right, behind the black fence. The actual building is not post worthy... it's quite the ugly building, even voted the most ugly building in Warsaw by the Poles. Ouch!
Halloween night... ok, I am a total lame mom and thought up and made Emily's costume about 30 minutes before going trick-or-treating. It's a pillowcase with the face and arms cut out and she's supposed to be a ghost. I know, so original. But she loved it! Hey, whatever works.
She looks a little spooked herself

The latest

Emily and Caroline have become such great little playmates. It's so fun to watch them interact. My sister-in-law inspired me to try out curlers on Em.
The results... so cute, but it didn't last more than a day.Between our household goods arriving in force and Ben's broken foot, we have not been able to get out and enjoy the fall weather. Finally Friday I was able to take the girls to the park across from the embassy.
This is the sweet playground...

Caroline after lunch. Her face is becoming permanently orange because of the stained baby food.


I was able to meet up the Nordic walking group... a group of ladies from the embassy who walk together every Friday afternoon in the park with their special nordic walking poles


After leaving them we made our way over to Lazienki Park, which is also near the embassy. This is a huge statue of Chopin, a national hero.
We stopped for ice cream...

Sorry that the subjects of my pictures consist of just Em and Caroline, but I didn't have much more selection. My mother always said you had to have SOMEONE in a picture or it was boring... so hence why Em and C are in almost all of them. I did violate my mom's rules in some of these... so sorry if you are bored but the park was so beautiful!




Hard to believe that this beautiful quiet park is right in the middle of the busy city!

Language Classes

I've started Polish classes at the embassy. It cracked me up that this is what we learned the first day:

Nie wiem

(I don't know)

Nie rozumiem

(I don't understand)

Prosze powtorzyc

(please repeat)

Nie pamientam

(I can't remember)

Nie mowie po polsku

(I don't speak Polish)

Jestem glupa amerykanka

(I'm a dumb American)

I just threw that last one in there.

Who? Me?

We're in the toilet training process... this is how I found Em when I went to check on her. She sat on the toilet for well over an hour and didn't go. Of course, five minutes after putting her back in her diaper she was wet.

He returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan unscathed... but within the first few weeks he's already a casualty in Poland. Go figure. This is one of the many reasons I love Poland... mmmm... the fresh outdoor farmer's markets!

Saying Good-bye

The night before we leave Virginia Em says good-bye to her bosom buddy Clayre. They will miss each other!Em's friends Clayre, Lexi, and Jace
Crane family... they are awesome!
The Payne Family... they have been so good to us!

Leaving the states

Em is at the age now where she understands what it means to ride on a plane. She was pumped!Our luggage: don't be fooled! It's mostly toys to last the girls until our shipment comes. Wish I had packed less toys and more warm clothes!


This pic was taken at the airport in Frankfurt during our layover. It was 7 a.m. there, but 1 a.m in VA where we came from. Em was a wreck until I pointed out all the planes to her. She loved watching them glide down the runway. The layover was killer. It was five hours and followed by our connecting flight during which Em ate all my icebreaker candies (unbeknownst to me) and then proceeded to puke all over ME! Her own mother! The nerve.Our first outing in Warsaw waiting for the bus
The Uprising Monument. Ben LOVED this monument. It was pretty sweet.
Our first visit to the city. Em looks thrilled.
Old Town... the more charming, quaint area of the city. Imagine, during WWII this was a pile of rubble... the Poles rebuilt it as closely to the original construction as possible shortly after the war.