Shaha Shenanigans: Odds 'n Ends

I'm still getting used to being a mother of a school aged child. It's weird, let me tell you. I feel like I've turned her over to someone else to raise. Like she's no longer completely mine and now she's open to all the worldly influences, both good and bad. I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Every morning at 7:30 Emily bounds off to school hand in hand with her dad, happy as can be. It's like she can't wait to leave behind me and Caroline. Sniff. I'm trying not to take it personally.

It's a long day. We pick her up at 2:20 and by the time we get home it's close to 3:00. The school is here on base, so we walk. I carry James in the Ergo and push Caroline on her tricycle.

Emily loves to walk home with her friend and neighbor Ellie. Ellie has older brothers so is a tomboy of sorts. She basically runs circles around Emily. She splashes through puddles and climbs up trees and runs fast as lightening. Em tries her best to keep up. It's hilarious. She'll come to a puddle and hesitate... doing her best to clear it. Then she'll complain her shoes got wet. She'll attempt to climb a tree, but doesn't get too far. She'll chase Ellie in tag but quickly give up. Let's just say I am very happy she's hanging out with Ellie. I think she's going to toughen her up!

One of several trees we stop by on the way home

Just the right height for 5 year olds

Once we reach home they find a worm. Fascinating.

And dig for more worms

And now I'm totally changing the subject:

The girls first visit to the German dentist. C looked WAY small in that chair.

But she was brave

And stake conference in Germany. Oh, the things we take for granted back home!

So, it's fun to go and see all the Mormon Germans. I'm amazed at how established the church is here, especially compared to Poland. But, the downside is everything is in German. So, we went to the RS room, watched the live stream, and this kind German came in and translated the whole 2 hours for us. He was awesome. His brain must have been killing him.

And my new favorite thing in Germany:

These are the most delicious whole grain rolls... soft and chewy and they have to be healthy, right? I eat them at breakfast, I eat them with a salad at lunch. I'm seriously hooked.

And of course, they're much better when dressed up like this, right? That's Nutella underneath. Now that is a tasty breakfast. Not sure it's helping me lose any of the baby fat though

Speaking of which, I think we may have a problem.

Nutella has become a staple in our home. When you send the hubby on a grocery run for milk, bread, and nutella, you know you know you have a problem.

When you join the family for breakfast Saturday morning and find that all the jars in the cupboard have been scraped clean and go into panic because the commissary isn't open yet, you know you have a problem.

This is the German version of nutella and I personally like it better. Maybe because the nutrition information is in German and therefore I can't read it?!