Shopping in Germany

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June 2, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Shopping in Germany is a delight if you know how to do it right on a budget. We get paid twice a month and need to make that money stretch – and have enough left over for fun trips!

We usually make a big trip to the commissary and a German grocery twice a month, then weekly trips to the market and stores for what we need to round out our meals.

How to save money shopping in Germany:

There are two deal cards – The Germany Card and The Payback Card

Bottle returns: you get cash back when you return recyclable bottles to stores. We typically do a big bottle return and turn in VAT forms the last week of every week. We do pay a deposit on the bottles, so it’s not like we’re making much.

Tax rebates: many German stores refund VAT with the form. Each store has its own policy. We stamp our receipts at Globus and return them all with one VAT form at the end of every month. Real doesn’t have a deadline, so we do it every couple of months after we collect enough receipts to make it worthwhile.

VAT forms cost $50 for a 10-pack.
Valid for 2 years from issue.
Only may be used by authorized family members.
You must return your used VAT forms before you will be able to purchase more. Learn more here.

What Shopping in Germany Looks Like for Our Family

We have a weekly village market with farm fresh eggs. We typically shop weekly at German grocery stores and the commissary to keep a well-stocked pantry.

We have a small German refrigerator and an American side-by-side fridge/freezer combo with an ice/water dispenser (yay!). We have learned to purchase fresh meats and vegetables frequently and we only use the freezer for homemade stock, fruit bags for smoothies, extra bacon and sausage, and a few emergency supplies.

We have to bring our own shopping bags to German stores. We have a great collection of market baskets, fabric totes, insulated sacks, and little cloth bags. Because we still forget to bring the bags back out to the car after shopping.

Saturday morning market – right outside our front door

30 farm fresh brown eggs and a red bell pepper every week
Potatoes (seriously, we can’t find potatoes like this anywhere)
Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts are typically available and lovely
Strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes, green beans, fresh peas in season

This week, I bought 30 eggs, a red bell pepper, a grapefruit, and a small bunch of tomatoes for €16.10. They were out of potatoes, wah! The prices are a tad higher than I would pay at a grocery or the commissary, but the quality is better and we love supporting local shops.

Drink shop – right in our building

Beer (we buy a case of this one favorite every month or so)
Wine (usually when I realize I need some for cooking – it’s only €4/bottle)
Soda (rarely since we have a Soda Stream and kombucha)
Treats – the kids love to grab an ice cream or candy and play at the park each week

Bakery/Dorfladen (Convenience Shop)

Deli – gorgeous salami
Breads, cakes, pastries – fresh, warm, and to die for

When I stupidly run out of milk or butter, they have it – at an exorbitant convenience price.

The German stores have better quality, cleaner items with fewer additives.

Globus

This was the first German store I shopped at and I still feel most comfortable here. Many compare it to a Super Walmart. It’s easy and they have a great food court.

German Bacon
Meats – they have a vast selection of absolutely lovely meat
Canned breads

This week, we stocked up on dairy, breads, pizza flour, coffee, German bacon and sausages, chips, and salad. The total was €133.65. I can save €10.36 VAT.

The local exchange rate: €1 = $1.09. The exchange rate on base: €1=$1.1247. We try to use ATMs off base when we require Euros. We have US banks and we are charged exchange rates and transaction fees when we use check cards and credit cards.

Either Globus or Real:

Dairy – milk, cream, pudding, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream
Cereal – no additives! We usually buy Toppas (like mini-wheats), Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and several types of kashi.
Cheese – Europeans know how to do cheese.
Coffee
Bagged salad. The fun lettuce blends are just amazing here. With parsley.
Potato chips (plain and paprika – I am so gonna miss this!)
Spices (they come in big bags and we refill our jars)
Olive oil
Vinegar
Soda – these don’t have the additives American sodas have, so we treat more often (and we have a Sodastream so we sometimes buy the natural syrups)
Capri Suns for trips – they have sugar, but no dyes or chemicals

Real

This store is more organized and decorated than Globus. They don’t have the stock on hand but I prefer some items here and the staff are super friendly. The shopping complex has several other stores that are convenient.

Lunch items – mini frozen pizzas that put those Bagel Bites to shame
Bread (their fresh breads are the best!)
Deli meats – salami, bologna, sausages
Beer (I like the big bottles of Radler they have)
Wine (They have the best selection and prices all color coded for convenience!)

Commissary

Most of the food available at the commissary is European, much from Denmark and local areas. There are strict laws about importing American food, and we are surprised by what is available and what is not. We miss some of the variety. We have been assuming that the commissary gets much of the wholesale leftovers after the German groceries since the brands are often the same, but the quality is less. The meats are prepacked and difficult to examine, so we often purchase off-base.

Items we typically purchase at the commissary once or twice each month:

Juice – bottled lemon and cranberry
Spinach because the local stuff smells funny
Sweet potatoes
Avocadoes
Romaine lettuce
Button mushrooms because they’re so much smaller than the local ones
Peanut butter
Steel-cut oatmeal
Grits
Baking items like baking powder, baking soda, yeast (the German items are just different and American recipes don’t quite turn out)
Peanuts and Mixed nuts
Breakfast sausage
American nitrate-free bacon
Corn on the cob as a treat – the price is good at $1.89 for a 2-pack!
Peanut oil for frying because I can get big vats cheaply
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Soft tortillas
Tortilla chips
Annie’s mac and cheese
Hebrew National hot dogs (because Alex doesn’t really care for German sausage!)
Toilet paper because I’m picky
Cat litter because the kitties are picky
Women’s items because they’re familiar.

This week, we stocked up on bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, nuts, chips, frozen peas, sour cream, Mexican cheese, avocadoes, and an eye of round beef roast (because we have no idea what it’s called in German! They don’t really do beef roasts like we do). The total was $150.13.

I scored these babies Memorial Day weekend for $1.89/2-pack! Back in the states, we used to get 4/$1.00!

There are some items we know we are spoiled with here. They have much fewer chemicals in the food here and we feel comfortable serving it to our kids, but we will not be able to when we return to the States.

We are loving the convenience of Capri Suns, soda, canned rolls, deli meats, frozen pizzas, bottled sauces, and boxed prepared foods.

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Fun and Educational Washington DC

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May 19, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Combine Fun & Education With A Trip to Washington, D.C.

There are many wonderful capitols in the world, but Washington, D.C. remains one of the best. It is an ideal location for a family vacation that will be entertaining for the adults and educational for the children.

I visited when I was 9. My grandma lived in nearby Maryland and I saw most of the sites after I had studied US history in school that year. It was very memorable and I can’t wait to take my kids to see these sites.

Although locations involving government and famous politicians obviously dominate the attractions that most tourists are interested in, there are many exciting things to see and do in the city that have nothing to do with politics at all. If you do the necessary amount of research, you should also have no problem finding affordable hotels in Washington, D.C. And there are plenty of great restaurants for all budgets and tastes!

Reasons why Washington, D.C. is a capitol unlike any other:

1. The United States Botanic Garden

If you have a deep passion for plant life, or if you simply enjoy looking at many beautiful flowers, the United States Botanic Garden will be the perfect place for you to spend an afternoon. A great deal of care has gone into the design of the building and the surrounding area. It has gained the reputation nationally as being one of the premiere botanic gardens in the country. Obviously, you will want to see it on a day when the weather is good to get the most out of your visit.

2. The Washington Monument

One of the most recognizable landmarks in all of the United States is the Washington Monument. It towers over the rest of the nation’s capitol, a lasting tribute to the father of the country and the first president, George Washington. If you are one of the people who are brave enough to attempt a trek to the top on the stairs, be prepared for a difficult climb. However, if you still want to see the top while avoiding the stairs, there is also an elevator that will take you 500 feet to the top in roughly one minute. You will be able to snap some incredible pictures from the top.

3. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

One of the most powerful experiences that a person can have when they visit Washington, D.C. is to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This is an enormous wall with the names of more than 50,000 brave male and female members of the U.S. military who gave their lives during the conflict in Vietnam. When you actually see how big the wall is, and how many names it contains, it is not something that can easily be forgotten.

4. The United States Capitol Building

The Capitol Building is where all of the senators and congressmen vote on the issues and create the laws that impact the world’s largest democracy. The building’s famous dome is one of the most iconic government structures on the planet. The building itself has remained mostly unchanged for the past 150 years. Tours are available. In the summer months, be prepared for a substantial wait because this is when tourist season is in full swing.

5. The National Archives

The National Archives are where the three most important documents in the history of the United States are housed. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence are all on display for tourists to look at. These documents are what gave the founding fathers of the country the ability to establish a new home for themselves, independent from England.

This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, a travel website that offers customers a fast and easy way to find the best travel deals.

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When a Parent Travels

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May 13, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

How we make our time special when Dad is away from home.

Lately, we’ve experienced more travel time with Dad away from home.

We survived one deployment. I learned to cope by making some days extra special.

When I’m on my own with four kids to feed, homeschool, and taxi to various extracurricular activities most evenings, I sometimes have to be creative and just let some things go.

How We Play When Dad’s Away

We don’t really play and we don’t disrespect Dad by doing anything he wouldn’t approve of.

I try to spend as little money as possible. We maintain our healthy lifestyle as much as we can while still having some fun and being just a little bit lax.

Meal Time

I like to make meals fun and interesting.

We’ll have a picnic in the living room with music and poetry or breakfast for dinner.

We’ll do a movie night with snacks and mocktails.

I’m more lax on juice intake. We have more cookies and snacks in the house during these times. The kids also are learning to be more independent and cook or prepare things for themselves.

I like to make dishes my husband doesn’t like. So, basically lots of dishes with bell peppers.

Occasionally, we’ll eat out for a real treat. It’s getting harder and harder to dine out with four kids and still be healthy and frugal.

I have to relax at meal times since I have no second adult to help with four kids. I’m quick to accept dinner invitations when I’m the sole parent. It’s nice to share a meal with friends.

Play Time

It’s no fun being home all day, every day.

We go to parks, movies, playgrounds, swimming – anything that Dad wouldn’t especially miss while he’s out of town. It’s getting easier now that the kids are a little older and I don’t have to constantly help or watch every single second.

If there’s a particular festival, I try to take the kids but that’s an awful lot of effort for me to take four kids by myself to a crowded fair. I usually end up feeling like a pack mule.

I make sure the kids have lots of attention and snuggle time. My teen gets to stay up later than the littles since I can give her more mama time.

Chore Time

We still have to keep the house running smoothly, but I don’t stress if the dishes or laundry doesn’t get completed every day.

Sometimes, the table won’t even get cleared after a meal until the next meal! And I just roll with it.

The kids step it up to help and they go above and beyond to do their share to make sure things run smoothly.

Honestly, it’s easier to complete chores when Dad is away. There is no change in schedule on the weekends. There is much less laundry and fewer dishes. Things run more smoothly. My way.

We do have mad cleaning sessions before Dad is due to arrive back home.

School Time

Thankfully, we don’t stress too much over lesson time since we school year-round and almost all day, every day. We have a lifestyle of learning.

I’ve become much more an unschooler and I love watching my kids become fascinated with a subject and do their own unbidden research.

We often start late, school in the evening before bed, take field trips, do lessons on weekends.

We’re more relaxed because I don’t have to plan for that couple hours in the evening for Daddy time. The dynamics are different.

We like to learn about where in the world Dad is traveling and what it’s like there – the time difference, the climate, culture, history, people, foods, etc.

How I Manage Stress

Sure, the kids are sometimes stressed when Dad is away. We read lots of books and go to the library to keep well-stocked. We make sure to visit the park and playground to let off steam. I assure them that Dad will home soon, most likely with souvenirs.

We often are able to keep in touch by chat online, sometimes with Facetime or Skype. We can view maps online or on our school room wall. I take lots of pictures so he doesn’t feel left out of events.

During deployments, we have a special clock on the wall for “Daddy time” so we knew what time it was where he was deployed.

Sometimes, I would like to be “off duty” but that’s even less possible when my husband is out of town.

I stay up late to get some alone time. I work online or watch Netflix or read. Sometimes, all of that at once, lol!

I send the kids to the playground a block away. I have a few friends in the neighborhood now where my kids can go play. It’s healthy and good to be apart sometimes.

During deployments or long TDYs, I get run down by the late nights and having no downtime.

I drink lots of water.
I take supplements and essential oils.
I detox after poor eating with juice and smoothies.
I make myself exercise and get fresh air outside.
On the days when we have no out of the house activities, I rest as much as possible.

It’s still difficult when Dad is away, especially on the younger kids. My son often gets confused about where Dad is or when he’s coming home. I do everything I can to make it easier on our family.

We make homecoming special with favorite meals and rest time.

What are your homecoming traditions?

Resources:

This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick
Almost There: Searching for Home in a Life on the Move by Bekah DiFelice
God Strong: The Military Wife’s Spiritual Survival Guide by Sara Horn
Tour of Duty: Preparing Our Hearts for Deployment: A Bible Study for Military Wives by Sara Horn
Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul: 101 Stories to Touch the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Charles Preston
Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith Deployed…Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith, Hope, Love, & Deployment: 40 Devotions for Military Couples by Heather Gray

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Netherlands with Kids

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April 9, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

We drove to the Netherlands for a long weekend.

It wasn’t that long of a drive from the KMC. It was about 4 hours for us.

We stayed at this absolutely darling farm in Vreeland – De Willigen Logies. It was only about 30 minutes from downtown Amsterdam.

Swans, storks, ducks, geese, sheep, cows, and a farm cat greeted us. It was magical.

We got to hold 5-day-old lambs, watch cows being milked, and pet the calves. They were all so adorable!

The storks were building a nest on a platform in a tree right next door.

We got the Holland Pass and it was worth it for the fast pass entrances, though we didn’t use all our tickets.

We ate breakfasts and dinners at our apartment. It was well-furnished and comfortable. We brought a grill pan and rice cooker with us, along with some basics. The village had an amazing grocery store where we stocked up a couple times.

Day 1: Downtown Amsterdam

We planned to drive to a train station, park the van, and take the train or Metro to downtown Amsterdam. We arrived quickly and easily to the parking area. When we found the train station, we learned that the electricity for the entire grid was down and might be hours before repair.

I had no intention of standing in the wind and cold in a train station, waiting for who knows how long, so we hiked back to the car, paid €3 for the parking that didn’t work out. Our train tickets were useless.

Driving downtown was an adventure with narrow roads, construction, cyclists everywhere, and no electricity. Trolleys were stranded and no traffic lights worked. We circled the museum district three times before we got the right configuration of one-way roads and constructions detours to pull into the parking garage.

The electricity came back on. Yay!

Then we rushed to the van Gogh Museum for the highlight of our trip. Photos are not allowed.

Shhh…we snapped a few of our favorites with our smartphone.

We were starving and bought some hot dogs at a stand to hold us over.

Since it was right across the street from the van Gogh Museum, we rushed over to see some of the Rijksmuseum before walking to the Anne Frank House for our evening appointment.

On the way to the Anne Frank House, we stopped at Sara’s Pancake House. I got the chicken and onions and the waitress suggested caramel syrup since that’s her favorite. I never would have thought but it yum.

We had a few minutes until our ticket time, so we walked around the block and just enjoyed the scenery.

The view of the Westerkerk from the canal bridge was beautiful.

We saw a few of these wheelbarrow benches in front of shops and had to try it out. Liz and Alex caught Tori unawares.

The statue of Anne Frank.

I highly recommend getting tickets online in advance to the Anne Frank House so you don’t have to wait in line. We rang the bell at a side door a few minutes before our appointment. They scanned our printed tickets and we walked on in. Perfect.

Alex did great all the through the house. He understood a lot more than I thought he would for a 5 year old! It really concerned him about the blacked-out windows. The museum-y part at the end was boring for him and he was tired. He just did awesome. No pictures allowed inside.

The canal boats docked early due to the wind and Alex was devastated. He cried the whole way back to the car. We had promised him a boat ride. We had boat tickets included with the Amsterdam Card.

I was upset too.

I wanted to cry and be carried to the car, but I’m a mom.

Day 2: Windmills and The Beach

We didn’t feel like going back downtown and figured we would explore Zaanse Schans. It was really close by.

I was worried it would be a tourist trap, but it was really quite delightful.

Each building has an educational demo or presentation.

The kids loved the shoe building with klompen demo, the clock museum, and the chocolate history presentation.

We ate pancakes at the café at Zaanse Schans. I love cafés in Europe. Pancakes, soup, beer.

We were getting cold and wet and it was still too early to head back to our apartment, so we drove over to the beach at Zandvoort.

Alex was born in Hawaii, but we moved when he was still a baby so he doesn’t remember the ocean.

We loved all the shells and sea stars!

We fell in love with Haarlem. The houses were gorgeous!

This would have been the logical time to see the Corrie ten Boom house, but I didn’t plan on that so we were probably like a block away and missed it.

Day 3: The Hague

We drove to the Maurtishuis for family day. The kids were ecstatic to do an art workshop and Aaron and I had a lovely lunch date in the museum cafe!

The last Sunday of every month is family day and kids workshops. I think it was €7 per child and well worth it! The workshop was in English and you can reserve a spot online but we just registered at the door for that afternoon (lucky!). They went on a tour looking for cloudy skies and then got to paint their own!

We saw The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. It really is that beautiful.

They also had a special exhibit from the Frick Collection.

The kids checked out the educational backpack and loved looking for the musical instruments in one room and food items in another room.

We ate at a darling little pizza place across the plaza. It was pouring rain. We drove around and looked at the pretty architecture. There was no one out on a Sunday.

Day 4: Keukenhof

We went to see flowers at Keukenhof!

It was amazing.

I wondered if it would compare to Callaway Gardens but it was so much lovelier.

We first visited the building with the history of the tulip business. We loved reading about that. The word “tulip” comes from a Persian word, meaning “turban.” Carolus Clusius brought the first tulips to Holland in 1593.

I think we got there a tad early. Daffodils and crocuses were in bloom but not many tulips yet.

Luckily, there are several buildings with spectacular flower exhibits and we got our fill of tulips!

The floral love displays were fun for the kids!

The kids wanted to cross the pond on these platforms

Inside the main flower hall, there were these amazing flower walls that were perfect for photo backgrounds. There must have been every kind of tulip in there imaginable.

And daffodils, hyacinths, hydrangeas, begonias, and lots of other spring flowers.

We spent too much money on a rather nice lunch. But we were starving.

Alex finally got to see a windmill up close and inside.

We really like the insect gardens with beehives and houses for bugs and flowers to attract bees and butterflies.

The best part was the van Gogh flower exhibit!

There were stages and displays set up with flowers for many of his famous paintings.

We stood around and noticed all these other people climbing in for pictures.

And in Europe, there are no lines. People don’t know how to queue. They just jump in, shove past, and it seems rude to us.

The kids really loved looking at all the flowers. We spent the whole day at Keukenhof!

We really loved everything about the Netherlands. It was one of our favorite trips so far. We hope to go back to see more!

We loved the food, people, scenery, museums…maybe not so much the windy, cold weather.

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Prague with Kids

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January 26, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

We fell in love with Prague.

We love the food, the beer, the architecture.

It’s magical, even in the bitter cold of late November.

Everyone speaks perfect English. Even the little bit of Czech I rushed to learn and the app I downloaded didn’t matter. I didn’t need it.

We arrived in Prague Thanksgiving evening.

We stayed at Hotel U Medvídků Brewery. It was absolutely delightful. Complimentary mug of house beer upon check-in! The keys are mini beer barrels. The kids stayed in an amazing loft room. The breakfast buffet was the stuff of dreams. We parked our minivan right outside and paid the hotel desk clerk each day. There were also parking garages available.

First night:

We went straight to the bridge.

We trekked across the Charles Bridge several times during our weekend. It’s so beautiful!

We walked across the bridge since that seemed to be where the crowds were going.

We were cold, tired, and hungry after a long day of being in the car.

We came across the 3+3+3 restaurant and had delightful, simple Czech food – schnitzel, pečená kachna (duck leg), this crazy delicious walnut chicken.

I much prefer Czech cuisine to German! I love the schnitzel and sauerkraut in Prague!

The kids crashed back at the hotel and Aaron and I tried the brew pub at the hotel and went to bed.

Prague is the birthplace of beer.

I had a lovely special 25th anniversary edition beer (For the 25th anniversary of the Prague Spring). Aaron had the 1466. We didn’t especially care for that one.

Second Day:

We walked across Charles Bridge again in daylight and took lots of pictures of all the saints.

Then we walked back to Old Town Square.

We saw the Astronomical Clock. It’s a bit disappointing.

A lovely British couple took our family picture.

We walked through the Church of Our Lady in front of Týn. It was just gorgeous.

So much to see in Old Town Square!

I love the Jan Huss monument.

I absolutely LOVED the Jewish Quarter.

We toured museums and synagogues. Pictures weren’t allowed. It was very emotional to see the names of people in the camps during WWII. One room showed an exhibit of children’s art from Terezin. The ancient Jewish cemetery was really interesting.

The clock is in Hebrew and moves backwards:

The synagogue where the Golem legend began:

The girls loved the windows and said the building looks like it’s watching us:

We had a lovely meal at Café Lamberty. The best spinach soup ever!

We took a rest in the afternoon. We walked a lot and were so exhausted. We ventured back out. It got dark about 4:30, so that didn’t help our bodies feel very awake.

Alex’s favorite part of the entire trip? The pretty Erpet Crystal store. We did love all these art tea sets.

We happened to time it perfectly to witness the tree lighting for the grand opening of the Christmas market!

We all fell in love with chimney cakes!

We dropped the kids off at the hotel and ordered them some dinner from the accompanying restaurant.

Then we took off to explore.

Aaron and I absolutely loved the Pivovar U Fleků. We sat in the Velký sál (Large Hall).

They leave a little tab on the table and mark it with how many beers and shots you get. Good thing we walked!

I had beer cheese. It was ah-may-zing!

Aaron and I wandered around Wenceslas Square and admired the Christmas market and statue of St. Wenceslas.

Last day:

We took the street trolley up to Prague Castle. We were much more cheerful without having to hike all that way.

St. Vitus Cathedral is breathtaking.

The lighting was so dim inside the palaces and some didn’t allow photography.

The kids loved the armory and The Golden Lane. We bought some lovely Christmas ornaments as souvenirs.

On the return trip, we got off the trolley at St. Nicholas church, before the Charles Bridge.

Katie and I really loved the graffiti at the Lennon Wall.

We had fancy traditional Bohemian food at the Pension U Tri Houslicek (The Three Fiddles).

Liz got lamb and I got venison. Tori got the delectable Svickova na smetane (Beef in Sour Cream Sauce).

We walked back all over the Jewish Quarter to find this one little antique shop where I had seen this lovely crystal set.

And Aaron bought it for me.

After we dropped the kids off to bed, Aaron and I finally found Kafka.

Then we trekked down to see the Powder Gate. We found the Café de Paris.

Loved the art deco and history at Café de Paris! I imagined I was chatting with artists and writers.

We did a lot in a weekend! I’d love to go back and see more. And eat.

The kids talk about going back to Prague in the summer. We all just loved it and made wonderful memories!

Tip: Don’t bother going to U Zlatéhp Tygra. They don’t really like tourists. They blocked our entrance and waved at us and shook their heads “no” until we left.

We drove our minivan and parked outside the hotel. It’s about 5 hours from Ramstein and bout 6.5 hours from Spangdahlem.

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Trier Harvest Festival

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November 21, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

The sign at the city entrance to Trier says “welcome” in at least five languages. It truly is an international city. Founded in 16 BC, it is considered the oldest German city.

I really enjoyed walking around Trier, experiencing so much history.

We saw the churches, listened to the mass and the lovely organ. The kids loved seeing the harvest parade. We got some delicious ice cream and rolls. Then we walked around, window shopping and people watching.

We first visited the oldest cathedral in Germany, Hohe Domkirche St. Peter zu Trier (High Cathedral of Saint Peter in Trier).

The Latin on the clock tower: “You do not know what time the Lord is coming.”

The interior has three Romanesque naves with Gothic vaulting and a Baroque chapel for the relic. It’s quite grand and humongous.

Looking west:

Closeup of the lovely carvings:

Looking east:

The history of the church foundations:

The reliquary supposedly contains the seamless robe of Christ.

The smaller Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady in Trier) is smaller, more intimate and possesses stunning stained glass.

The Gothic round cruciform floor plan resembles a twelve-petaled rose, a symbol for Mary. The Roman foundations are unable to be viewed by the public.

The Port Nigra dates from about A.D. 180.

There was a small market at the base of the gate with farm animals on display, honey, herbs, fish, cheese, and other fresh and handmade goods.

We enjoyed seeing the lovely symmetry of the buildings. We’d look down alleys and see monuments like this:

and gorgeous doorways:

What a cool fountain with moving parts:

We stopped in a café for a drink before heading home. All the restaurants were super crowded and having a family of six made it difficult to find enough seats for everyone.

We’ll definitely head back to Trier for some other events this year and next. The Christmas market looks amazing.

Check out some fun things to do in Trier for families!

Linking up: Makeovers and Motherhood

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10 Best Gifts for Travelers

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November 17, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

What do you buy someone who loves to travel?

Here are some unique travel gifts for your globetrotter.

10 Fun and Unique Gifts for a Traveler

1. eBags Packing Cubes to pack everything smarter and make it fit. Especially in those carry-ons.

2. A good quality small rolly suitcase (Europeans only do carry ons and I have no idea how they fit everything they need in that for a long trip – even with cubes!) Here’s one to fit your budget. They’re all fun:

Rockland for $53.54
Delsey for $127.49
Samsonite for $229.99
Victorinox for $379.99
Tumi for $396

3. Silicone Travel Tubes. These won’t take up as much space as the hard plastic containers!

4. A fun portable charger like this pink lipstick-sized external battery.

5. Fun Luggage Tags that personalize your bags.

6. Jet Bag for packing breakables. Padded and absorbent!

7. Aquis Hair Drying Turban. I love these so much we use them at home and when we travel! Wicks away the wet super fast.

8.Travel Wallet. To keep important forms, papers, ID. Don’t keep all your ID and currency and credit cards all in one place! Several colors to choose from. Unisex.

9.Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones. Trust me. You want these.

10. A fun and functional travel adaptor for all your electric needs worldwide (150 countries).

What are your favorite travel accessories?

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Kaiserslautern Volkspark

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November 10, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

We’re taking advantage of the pretty fall days by getting outside to admire the changing leaves and fresh air.

We spend Sunday afternoons walking and exploring while stores and shops and restaurants are all mostly closed.

This Sunday, we explored the Volkspark in Kaiserslautern.

There were seven lovely swans on the lake. Four young ones we had seen in the spring as ugly ducklings who still had some scraggly grey feathers and three gorgeous adults.

This beauty was showing off.

The ducks expected food but we followed the rules and didn’t feed them. There are signs everywhere that people disobey and the kids were mad.

We loved the golden leaves of this birch.

We love the green moss on everything.

The kids were ecstatic to ride this! I’d never seen anything like this anywhere.

I only panicked once or twice when someone put their little toddler on it and swung it round really fast.

Check out the cool video here on Instagram.

The girls really liked this merry go round.

Also a fun hamster wheel thing the girls loved. See the video. They found out it’s quite difficult to stay upright.

Also, on the hillside, there are built-in slides and a little creek and swings.

A stage hosts fun concerts in summer. And the ice cream man parks on the corner! There’s a public swimming pool in one corner. They had a huge medieval fair at the end of summer.

Lots of green space (about 17 acres!) and a lovely paved walking trail.

Parking is at a premium and I have a panic attack every.single.time we have to parallel park the minivan on a side street.

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A Weekend in Paris

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November 6, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

What can you do for just a weekend in Paris?

Quite a lot.

We took a very early ICE train from Kaiserslautern to Paris. We left our luggage at our hotel (Hotel Cactus) and took off for sightseeing. Not a moment to waste!

We were up early to catch the train and we knew we’d not be able to stay out late.

Day 1: As many of the famous sites before we drop.

Le Tour Eiffel.

Liz was thrilled to round a corner and see this:

We took an early birthday trip to Paris. How many teens get to do that?!

We had ice cream at the Trocadero and watched people.

We walked everywhere. A lot. Of walking. My Fitbit loved me. Liz and I adored seeing all these familiar street names and locations from books and movies and history.

l’Arc de Triomphe.

Quite a lovely view from the top. I highly recommend paying to go up. And having your kids speak French to the ticket agents is a great way to get smiles and occasionally discounts. Always check for family tickets to save money and some attractions have deals for multiple sites.

We had a late lunch at Chez Clément on L’Avenue des Champs-Élysées. I do not recommend this restaurant – or perhaps just this location. The restaurant chain was raved about in the guidebooks and online as a great affordable, family-friendly place. The food was just ok. We had other, much better dining experiences. It was fine for a first time munch for nervous and hungry travelers. (Did you know the name of that famous street is French for Elysian Fields?)

We were running short on time so we took a fun motorcycle taxi to Notre Dame. The kids absolutely LOVED it. It was about €30, but it worth these smiles and that it fit all six of us. The driver gave us all Gummis and played awesome French radio.

River Walk Tour with Paris Discover Walks. Lots of tours to choose from – all for the price of a nice tip. Great trivia and fun – all in English.

While we were waiting for our tour guide by Notre Dame, we fed the pigeons.

The college student who ran our walking tour was awesome and full of trivia, like an anaconda was found in the River Seine. Really, y’all.

Great restaurant recommendations and fun stories by a Paris local – all in English. Check out these tips for Paris shopping.

Look around! History and literature is EVERYWHERE. This was on the corner by our hotel. Rue Plumet.

We stayed at Hôtel Cactus. A great find online with free croissants and hot drinks in the morning.

Day 2: Churches and a Museum with a Grand Finale Evening

We checked out Le Cité this morning.

I love the Arte Nouveau look of the Metro.

This flower market was renamed in honor of Queen Elizabeth.

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

We got there early and viewed the inside in awe. We waited in a rather long line to climb to the top. They kinda corral you at various points in the tour – the gift shop, the gargoyles, the top level, before releasing you to descend.

The bells are outside in the courtyard. There’s a lovely garden and park too!

A fun café across the street from Notre Dame.

Check out this time machine rickshaw. Love it!

La Sainte-Chapelle

Gorgeous stained glass!

Everything was just stunning. The walls, the doors, the floor, the ceiling. A favorite.

Dinner at Ma Salle à Manger. This is our absolute favorite restaurant in Paris. Such fun and delectable food. The waiter was darling and took the kids on a tour of the restaurant to pick out their ice flavor after they ate.

Apparently, to the right of this sandy park, Johnny Depp used to live there.

Musée d’Orsay.

Pictures aren’t allowed inside, but we saw all this great Impressionist art! Statues for each continent are outside in the courtyard.

La Tour Montparnasse.

This was great fun for our whole family! We feasted on ice cream, macarons, peanuts, and Champagne while the sun set and the lights of Paris delighted us.

We skipped going up the Eiffel for seeing it all a-twinkle and the whole city of Paris from the top of Montparnasse. Well worth the money!

We loved seeing Le Tour Eiffel all sparkly. Magical.

Day 3: A lazy Sunday in Paris.

Le Jardin Luxembourg.

Of course, we had to play with the sailboats! This was a lifelong dream for me.

Liz, being a Whovian, chose the UK boat.

I lived vicariously through my kids, giving them pony rides through the garden. They loved it!

We admired the statues and fountains.

At the entrance, we saw this delightful organ man!

We walked to Ladurée for macarons and had dinner at l’Odeon. This was probably our least favorite food, but it was really fun and a great location! The wait staff were darling and impressed with our attempts at French.

Finally, a crêpe! This is all she wanted the whole weekend and I’m glad I kept putting her off, not wanting to get her a mediocre one from a street vendor, and found this darling little shop Amorino near La Cimetière Montparnasse with all-natural gelato.

Square Saint-Lambert. We really loved this park and garden. Free wi-fi, a playground, fountain, walking trail.

We spent the evening at this lovely Paris playground, relaxing on our last evening in Paris. Europe has the best playgrounds.

The kids loved speaking to other kids in French and English.

We purposely did not go to The Louvre. I just felt it would be a bit much for me and the kids on such a short trip.

This was a just a taste of Paris for our family. We’ve never really traveled anywhere outside The States so we weren’t sure what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised and delighted. Having a larger family, it’s sometimes awkward and expensive.

We had a delightful experience, no issues with tourist traps or rudeness at all. Because we all tried very hard to be polite and respectful.

We plan to return to Paris next year and see lots more!

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Bacon: American vs. German

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September 15, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

There’s only one brand of American bacon available at the commissary here in Germany that we will eat. There are a few cheaper, chemical-filled kinds. Ew.

I do love bacon in all its various forms: sliced thick, proscuitto, pancetta, speck, whatever.

I do miss my Farmland bacon.

Then I discovered this bacon at Globus.

Look how thin this bacon is. It reminds me of prosciutto.

It fries up in perfect little dimpled strips.

We really prefer the flavor and texture of the German bacon, even though it often takes two packages for our breakfast, since it’s so small and thin. I just wish it were nitrate and nitrite free!

And don’t get me started on English bacon. It’s amazing!

I’m very pleased with shopping at the German stores for our staples. We seldom go to the commissary to buy much, except when we run out of something and don’t plan well because all the German stores are closed on Sundays and the commissary is the only grocer open. I usually only buy toilet paper, Annie’s mac and cheese, cat litter, some organic crackers at the commissary. Everything else is superior quality in the German stores. Typically, no chemicals, additives, dyes or crazy sweeteners.

The kids love the German foods and we’re still always amused at the items in people’s carts. So much processed food! We buy all our produce and eggs on Saturdays at our little farmer’s market. We often buy salami and bread at our village bakery/shop. We go to Globus 2-3 times per week to buy meat and a few other things. We have a small German refrigerator in the kitchen and a big “American” side by side fridge and freezer in our dining area. We seldom use our freezer – except for homemade ice cream and frozen homemade stock and soup and berry blends for smoothies.

We love eating fresh and simple.

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