2014 in Pictures

In 2014 I

took care of these psycho kittens for a while,

had visit from my sister Carolyn,

and my parents,

ran (swam) a 50k

got to see Betsy,

ran Hood to Coast in Oregon,

left my 2nd job at the Boys and Girls Club, but continued coaching recreational gymnastics and doing social media for Seattle Gymnastics Academy,

went on several hikes but wished I did more,

got to go to Austin for Thanksgiving and see the other Elizabeth Peckham, my grandmother,

won Employee of the Year at my job,

and ended the year with another great Peckham Christmas (28 of us!) in Chicago

Home again

I've been home in Austin for a couple weeks, and it's weird. Germany feels a long way away, and things here are just like they always have been. I start driving to Seattle tomorrow, so I've been spending all my time packing, replacing things from my lost wallet (it was stolen from a swimming pool a couple weeks before I left - fun, right?), getting things taken care of, and applying for jobs. Lots of jobs. And I still don't have one. At least I'm not homeless anymore!

I've been meaning to write this for a while. Between France and Germany, I was in Europe for just over a year.

In that year I went to 9 Countries (France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal. and the USA for vacation, so it counts)

and 9 Cities in Germany (Hanover, Frankfurt, Bremen, Goslar, Berlin, Lüneburger Heide, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Hildesheim

flew on 21 planes, and ridden on numerous trains, buses, trams, boats, and a couple times in cars.

eaten apples, potatoes, strawberries and raspberries that grew right outside my front door

rode my bike 1200 miles through the Alps, ran my first half marathon, and did the first ever Tough Mudder in Germany

took care of 5 beautiful, adorable, crazy, high energy children

and most of all had a fun year. It wasn't the easiest year, mentally and emotionally, but I really did enjoy it and was sad to leave.

So long, Farewell, Aufwiedersehen, Goodbye

I promise I didn't do the Sound of Music thing on purpose. But the twins do love that song. We have to sing it every night before bed and Philippa always says the "no" part of Liesl's line.

It still hasn't hit me that I'm leaving. Sunday night, the family had a kind of surprise going away party for me, except all my friends that haven't already left couldn't come. Which was like 3 or 4, apart from Rachel and Max who were there anyways. So it was just us, the grandparents and Sigrid, and Sonja, who was staying here the first month I was here. We sat out in the garden and grilled, and they hung up the Texas flag that hung at the capitol once. It was really nice, and I'm glad it wasn't a big thing. I don't like being the center of attention. I'm going to miss a lot of things here, and most of all my kinders! I love them all a whole bunch!

Greta's still convinced she's coming with me, flying away on the tram and eating ice cream and fries in the airplane. Johanna would come, but she told me she doesn't have enough money.

Happy Birthday America!

I need to get this video to work


They both say this, and I also got them to say "USA!". Except the best version so far has been more like "you say say!"

Happy 4th of July!

Sunday Picnic

We had to get out of the house with the kids last weekend, because we were going crazy, and so were they. The start of the strawberry season means working Sundays, so here we go. We made a picnic and took the kids to the town hall in Hannover, where they have a playground and lots of grass to run around.

we made them hold hands all the way there until they were happy

the closest we got to a family picture

magnus

future rock climber philippa

greta

henriette

johanna

philippa waits for no one

sharing your chewed up leftovers is caring

she was pointing at a "fart"

cheez

my real partner in crime, rachel

Trinkle Trinkle Trinkle Trinkle Halla Apple Pie....

First off - it's strawberry time!! They came on Wednesday. Finally, but it also means the crazy is starting. Well, the even more crazy. They ended up opening the pick your own this weekend, and now I'm working on Sundays too. But yum.

Apparently this has turned into the never ending song:

We've gone from "fwee" to "thwee"

Secret disco fist pump lessons

My beautiful face paint creations at the Kapellenfest yesterday. And a rare moment of Henny helping her sister. Until the other swing was free, and she left Greta hangin.

Fridays

safety first Greta

what, she has to know all the words

movie night!

My Partners in Crime

These aren't our best creations, but these two could beat me every day in a face making contest. We followed Johanna's lead on this one. Apparently she likes to stick her tongue out.