When we found out we were moving to Germany in November 2005 I wanted to start a blog to make it easy for family and friends to stay informed about our adventures here. This is actually the second incarnation of that original blog and now I primarily use it to talk about anything from kids to strange happenings around town to expat life. I’ve enjoyed the virtual friendships I’ve found through blogging. Twice I’ve been able to meet other bloggers during the Whiney Expat Blogger Meet-Up held here in Germany. It has become a great platform for me to talk about a wide variety of subjects.
I keep writing because I really enjoy it. Everyday I seem to find another great blog with a unique or interesting voice and I enjoy reading what other people have to say. Since I don’t work outside the house there are days when the only adult other than my husband that I talk to is through the internet.
3. From Naperville Mom at Ponderings of a Porcupine: How do you keep coming up with exciting topics?
I love doing weekly carnivals like Keely’s Random Tuesday Thoughts and Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop on Thursdays and Candid Carrie’s Photo Fridays. Sometimes things just occur to me that I want to write based on what happened that day or what I’ve read. I don’t know if they are always exciting but I’m glad you think so.
Currently I have three blogs; Blogging Mama for everyday life, The Literary Side for my writing and Venus vs Mars which I co-own with Shelle from BlokThoughts which feature some great writers.
4. From The Blonde Duck: Do I like pie? What’s my favorite food? Where would I like to be in five years? What does my writing mean to me?
Yes, I love pie. Strawberry is my favorite though its hard to find for some reason. Rarely will I turn down apple or cherry and chocolate anything is always a good standby.
For my favorite food Italian or Mexican. There is a fantastic Italian restaurant on the river that we love to go to. I asked my husband and neither of us can think of the name of the place we simply call it ‘the Italian place by the river’. They make the most amazing Grown-Up Macaroni and Cheese I’ve ever tasted. A little aged balsamic vinegar on the sides of the plate and it’s pure heaven.
In five years I’d hope we are settled permanently in the US again. My kids will be 12 and 8 then so no doubt I’ll be driving from soccer to ballet to swimming and everything in between. I’d love to be working for a newspaper or magazine as well as continue to write novels.
For me my writing is a way to express myself. It really started last September when I had this flash of an idea and sat down and wrote my first manuscript in less than a month. It grew from there and I now have four complete novel length pieces and several others in progress. No sales (yet) but I’m hopeful. Sometime it takes over though and the characters start talking to me when I’m driving or trying to sleep and I have to quickly jot down an idea. There are always scrap pieces of paper all over with scribbled ideas and paragraphs. I carry a notebook and no less than three pens wherever I go.
5. From Missty at Life is Good: What are the top three places to visit in Germany?
Berlin – The history is amazing. The Berlin wall, the markers in the streets all through the city that show where the wall used to be really make you stop and think about what it must have been like to live there. Friends stranded on opposite sides of the wall not allowed to talk to each other, it’s sort of hard to grasp in a way but it is very powerful when you are standing in front of it. Checkpoint Charlie (not for young children) is also powerful and many other memorials and sights around the city. We’ll be going back to Berlin in June and we hope to take in some more of the sights we didn’t get to see the first time.
We may not be able to do this since we have young children but visiting the site of a former concentration camp would be another powerful experience. I have read a few books (mostly fiction) related to this time period and I am a very visual person so being there would be very emotional for me. I think it would be a hard yet important thing to do. History repeats itself if we don’t learn from it.
A biergarten. Especially nice are ones near water like the one here on the Rhein River. It’s nothing fancy just a bunch of picnic tables and basic pizza and beer fare but it’s a very relaxing way to spend a few hours!
I have to include one more, Dom Cathedral in Cologne. It’s simply magnificent. There are churches and then there is the Dom. I haven’t minded any of the ten times I’ve been inside. I always see something new whenever we go. The wonderful thing about living here (and anywhere really) is when people come to visit and they want to see the town where you live. Be a tourist in your town, there’s a lot you can learn that you didn’t know before!
The rest of the questions will be answered tomorrow. On to the prizes! Which is the real reason you all came back anyway isn’t it? Everyone loves free stuff! Winners will need to email me their addresses to claim their prizes – momof2squirts {at}yahoo {dot} com
Winners of free chocolate. I drew from the people who wanted this option first and then threw in all those who left a comment and drew more names. I like to give away chocolate that way I don’t eat it all.
Robin at Cinnamon & Honey, Shelle at BlokThoughts, CK at CK’s Lunchbox, and Sara at Domestically Disabled Girl get all the yummy chocolate.
The winner of Anger Management is Dena at Thoughts by Dena!
I decided to give away the Weird Science dvd as well and that goes to Julie at Youngbloods4Ever!
No one wanted Along Came Polly. I can’t blame you, that’s why I’ve never opened it.
The winner of the German Store Surprise Grab Bag is Missty at Life is Good!
Anyone who requested a picture from my kids automatically gets one. So pictures will be sent out to ikkinlala, Kimberely Zook, Missty and Bex!
Please email me your addresses and I will get things out within the next week. It was fun giving stuff away and I can’t wait for everyone to get their prizes. If you didn’t win I may have to do this again when I reach 500 posts so be on the lookout. This post is plenty long so…
Go eat some cake everyone!
Hey, congrats on reaching 400! That’s great.I’m a big fan of Italian food. ANd while I love strawberry pie, rhubarb is one of my favorites. (Don’t tell my mom, because she’ll make it every time I visit, then I”ll get sick of it)Congrats again. Eat some real cake for me.
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Congratulations! I enjoyed learning more about you and life in Germany! I didn’t know you had three blogs. Could you post a link to the Literary Side for us? That’s great about writing so many manuscripts; I hope they will get published soon!
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Congrats on the big 400! We are going to Berlin first week of July.. (looks like we’ll just miss each other…)We are also doing Tropical Island outside of Berlin…(Have you heard of it?)
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Congrats on 400!That’s awesome.
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Congrats on 400! I love your blog! And I didn’t ask you a question, but after reading, I’d like some cake! I know that wasn’t one of the prizes, but your pics made me hungry!
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Happy 400!I’m glad that everyone asked such great questions. I meant to get back over here and ask one of my own, but my life got away from me. Again.I wish that I could send you a strawberry pie made with the berries we just picked. So yummy!Congratulations!
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Dadshouse – Oh rhubarb. That’s yummy too. I used to eat the stalks from our backyard plant growing up. Wash ’em off and eat them just the way they were, neighborhood kids thought I was nuts. I didn’t disagree ;)Kimberely – I left it on your blog but it’s in the sidebar as well.American – Yep we are going the second to last weekend in June for the Velothon my dh is in.Natasha – If you have a question you can still ask 🙂
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400 posts is an amazing accomplishment! Congratulations!We used to do the same thing with rhubarb. We had a huge patch in our backyard, and we ate it all summer long! No sugar necessary!
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400 is aweseome, and I thought I was excited for 100. 🙂
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yay for you for reaching the big 400!!!! and woohoo to all the winners and I won something….yay me..Im so excited!!!!! A movie….since I didnt win any chocolate to go with it I must run to the store and get me some…a movie..popcorn and chocolate…oh yes!!!!!!!!
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Great questions! I remember once driving to several different places looking for strawberry pie! lol
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Oh. My Goodness! Really? Yummy chocolate? All the way from Germany! You are just too much! Thank you so much!Congrats on 400! What a huge accomplishment!xoxo
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I just looked recently and realized that I have over 300 posts. Of course I missed my one year anniversary. But maybe I’ll get my groove back and hit 500 by year two. Maybe.And those cakes. Wow.
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Uh… something something, amazing cake, something else, amazing cake…I haven’t even had breakfast yet! Happy 400th!
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Happy 400!! Whoo Hoo You rock!! We really want to do a Germany trip in the next couple of years! I will have to get more info from you as I start planning! Thank you!And you got email! Can’t wait to see the grab bag and the cute, cute drawings from your kids!
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hurray! hurray! i win! i win! (and dankeschön).
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Wonderful answers!
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Congrats Andrea! It’s always fun to peek:) And do we get a bite of those lovely cakes too?All the best, with the manuscripts:)
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I love the cakes. And no I didn’t make them – I wish!Ginny Marie – Yep no sugar, just wash and eat!Dena – You may just find some chocolate in your package, I’ve heard there’s a chocolate fairy about.Valerie – I do too I believe we found it JB’s? Kat – I’ll bring the (virtual) cake!Captain – I made you think about cake all day didn’t I?Missty – Anytime. I’ll send you the guidebooks, we have three I think, lol!Bex – bitte :)Naperville – You’re sweet. I would actually enjoy a cake decorating class. I would love to be able to make one of those beauties.
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Those are some bitching cakes. Congrats on turning 400!! My father in law is from Germany. I want to go one day!
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Happy, Happy 400th post!! Wow – that’s very cool.Hope your internet stays up and running – and you can continue into the 500 post range!
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Well how nice to now know those questions/answers about YOU. I also wondered what in the heck you were doing in Germany. Did I ever tell you my great-grandparents were from there –Walburger—theres a good German name for you. Congrats on 400 posts!!!!!
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I loved reading all about you-congrats on four hundred posts!! Wow!
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fun post! itw as great hearing more about you! congrats on 400 posts!!
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Wow oh wow – so much interesting stuff in this post. Congrats on reaching 400!That’s very interesting how you got to Germany. It seems so odd to me since I left in April of 2004 to come back to North America reluctantly. We had the talk about going back while on my visit to California….Very interesting questions and great prizes!
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Congrats on your 400th! And good luck on your novels. I will definately read them. Thanks
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Woah, happy 400th! That cake is calling to me and I might have to ask that you take down the pictures in the name of all that is HASAY. Ok, nevermind… I’ll refrain.You have three blogs? How the heck can you keep up with them? I’m having trouble keeping up with one. Seriously, drowning over here.
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Seriously???? I think I am in total shock right now. You are fab! Do you even know the good memories? I am going to have to bust out the scrunchies, peg my pants, wear multiple socks and have on blue eye shadow as I watch it. THANKS! I’ll email you my address lady! You ROCK!
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I just looked recently and realized that I have over 300 posts. Of course I missed my one year anniversary. But maybe I'll get my groove back and hit 500 by year two. Maybe.And those cakes. Wow.
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