Linz, The City!!!

I think it's only appropriate that my 115th entry be named after me...
So, I got lucky when Patrick and Koko woke me on Monday morning with news that they were taking me and the boys to Linz, Germany! Haha... Actually, I woke to the boys yelling, "Linze, we're going to Lintz! We're going to Lintz!" I thought that's how the city name was spelled cause it's how it sounds... However, I quickly understood while people here call me "Lintzay..." The first part (Linz) sounds like "Lintz" when said here, and the "e" on the end is said like a long "a." Different - and it all made sense that morning. Haha!

Anyway, once I discovered we were going to Linz, Germany and it was spelled like that, I freaked out a little bit. I mean, some of you back home have your name plastered on buildings or signs and it can be found in song titles, but my name is NOWHERE to be found in the U.S. Thus, I was ecstatic for a very dumb, but fun, reason to go to Linz... I was going to take a picture next to a sign that had my name!!! Haha! This will also take place in Austria (the street I'm staying off of is Linzergasse) and in The Netherlands (where the name comes from).

After getting ready at an ultra-quick speed, we all took off riding our bikes along the river to the docks. We rode a medium size boat up the Rhine till we reached Linz and then took our bikes, hopped off, and headed on a walk through the city. It was fabulous! The city was already exciting for me because of the name, but it was also the perfect place for a sight-seer. The city had tons of old buildings and streets, and it was BEAUTIFUL there! I'm going to post a bunch of pictures below and just let you enjoy - maybe adding tid-bits here and there - because it was seriously an incredible city... with a good name. Haha!
Me and Patrick - we decided that smiling pictures are boring... :)
This is a really cool (and really old) fountain right in the middle of Linz's city square! All the little characters around the top are stationary, but the ones below have movable joints. Below, Nico decided to make his character pick her nose... So, I told him to pretend to pick his nose too and we'd make a picture out of it! Haha... Com'on. What would you have done?
Below here is Linze in Linz with her bike - just livin' it up European style! Haha...
Above is the AWESOME new Trio-Bike that we got for the family - particularly the boys! It's got more room for them and allows them to see more while we're riding around town, or wherever. Also, it allows me to hear what they're saying and talk more with them while we're going from place to place. It's easy to use than the old kinderwagen too, though still heavy... It's built to use more of your upper-body strength to steer, so now that my legs are more in shape, my arms are about to get toned too! Haha... Anyway, it's a great bike!
Above: Excuse my dumb expression, but... THAT SIGN HAS MY NAME ON IT! Haha... Yea. Koko laughed at my overly excited expressions too - feel free to do the same, but I'm not ashamed!
Below: We were trying not to let the bridge crush us... Or at least I was. Good thing it was so easy for Finni! Haha...
We stopped in the city for some lunch at this little sushi shop, and I have to tell you... I tried to like sushi a few times in my life, and I gave it the benefit of the doubt this time... it was OK. I didn't HATE it this time, but I had an avocado one and not raw fish this time. Anyway, Koko knew the way I felt about sushi (apprehensive) and so she ordered me some teriyaki chicken and spring rolls that were fabulous! Not that you need my menu each time I travel, but that way if you ever come here, you'll know what to eat... Haha! SO GUT! Haha.... (P.S. The picture on the left is me in the middle of the streets of Linz... I love how NO ONE stopped even though the picture was being taken. I'm the only one standing still and it looks like kinda cool...)

Once we had finished lunch and our stroll through the city, we ventured back to Bonn via bike. We used the ferry to cross the river (cause there are no bridges for miles apart and the bike path is better on our side of the Rhine) and headed down the bike path. We rode right next to the Rhine the entire time and through some beautiful cities. It's so cool to see all the buildings here because of my fascination with architecture. While I was in London I was loving this, and it has been no different here in Germany. I find the use of stone carvings and textured stone to be so inventive and remarkable. I just love being around it and looking for types of architecture I don't see a lot back home. Plus, it's so beautiful here weather-wise! Oh my word, it's great! I know it's a bit rainy every other day, but it's fleeting and SO fabulous here otherwise... Spring HAS sprung! :)

On the way back to Bonn we stopped at the Ludendorff Bridge in Remagen. For those who do not know about this important spot, which I'm assuming is most of you as I did not know about it until I moved here, I will tell you some of it's WW II history. Let's see if I can get this right... The Ludendorff Bridge was used as a railway bridge in Germany before and during WW II. It was In the beginning of March in 1945, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the 9th Infantry Division of the Allie Forces overtook the bridge and, as a statement more than anything, had his men cross the bridge from Remagen to Erpel - It was part of Operation Lumberjack. After the bridge was captured, Hitler "fired" the captain there and spent efforts trying to destroy the bridge with his own bombs and artillery. Ten days after the capture, the bridge did collapse, but not until after the Allied forces had full use of the bridge and had established a camp on the opposite side of the bridge. The towers connecting the bridge on each side still stand and are left as a memorial to all who fought bravely there, and a reminder to overcome war.
Overall, my Monday was WONDERFUL, just like the rest of my weekend... I am LOVING the Spring and how amazing it is here in Germany. It's definitely not home, but it's slowly becoming a second home to me. I am SO grateful to be here!

... and to see Linz! (Next entry - Salzburg!!!)
*muah*

P.S. Really quick, because I know that we could all use even MORE pictures to look at, here's a picture of the little Easter basket Koko, Patrick, and the boys gave me - so presh!

Song of the Day: Today I discovered that Dave Barnes, one of my FAVORITES (Thanks to Ashley & Matt's wedding song choices - haha! There's a little Shout-Out there!), had a new album out! I was thrilled... and thus, I went and bought it. Haha! It's great - everyone should check this guy out... Love him. Here is Dave Barnes performing one of the songs from his new album, Little Lies. You can see more of him off that page too - SO good! Serious. Enjoy!!!

Life Is Wonderful!

My life is great. Really, it's just fabulous. I know that by writing this, something will undoubtedly happen soon to add stress or discomfort, but for now, life is grand. This weekend in particular was was one of my favorites that I have had while in Bonn, which spawned from a culmination of recent events.

First, my best friend came home from her mission! Sarah and I have been best friends for the past five years and I haven't seen her in a year and a half! Now, because I'm in Germany and she's in Georgia, I'm not actually able to have a face-to-face chat admits lots of hugs- though that time WILL come. Haha! However, we were able to speak to each other via Skype so that we could still see each other. Skype is another thing to add to this list that makes me so happy - seriously! I have been able to talk to SO many friends and family members for free and randomly because of Skype. What a COOL and AMAZING concept and gift! Haha...

So, talking to Sarah was FABULOUS and tomorrow morning we have a phone date set up so that we can REALLY catch-up. Before we only spoke about 30 minutes and that is NOT enough to catch-up on a year and a half... even if we DID write each week of the mish. Haha! (Sidenote: She's gonna HATE that I put this pic up - haha! It was from the night before she left... WEIRD!)

My other best friend, Nicole, comes home in three weeks! :)

Second, I got to meet some new young adults in Koln and make new friends, as well as spend some time with some old friends. I'm getting to know more people, and as much as I'm chill doing my own thing, it's nice to feel more connected. I'll probably be going up to Koln once a month for church, just to get to know some people. It'll be a nice change from time to time! Also, I'm getting to know the missionaries in Bonn better and they really are stellar people... Elder Gunnell and Elder Rogers let me ride the train with them from church both days and it was great to visit with them and get to know them better. I know they're missionaries, so I can't exactly call them to hang out, but I still maintain that we're friends. They're both people I would hang with when I got home - even if they are youngins'... Haha!

Third, when I came home from Conference in Koln I found a cute, little Easter basket from Koko, Patrick, Nico, & Finni on my bed. It was full of little chocolates, two cookie cutters (a cow and a flower) cause Koko knows I love to bake, and.... a bottle of Heinz ketchup! HAHA! People know me SO well... I love me some ketchup! Haha... It was really quite funny and creative... Koko and Patrick may be two of the busiest people in the world, but no one can say they don't make time to care about others. Not only is that the main part of each one's job, but they truly make an effort to make their boys and me feel special and loved. They are GREAT people and know how to make someone smile! :)

Fourth, GENERAL CONFERENCE! Haha... General Conference was FABULOUS this weekend. Seriously, I was SO uplifted and set some great goals for myself. Many talks gave me a lot to think about and ponder upon, as I try to press forward and improve myself and my relationship with my Father in Heaven. I felt like Childcare and Parenting were such a focus in this session too, which is cool because I'm so involved with taking care of Nico and Finn right now. It was a time for me to reflect and think about the future too and how I want my family to be focused. It was a time for me to realize what I can do to help Nico and Finn now, and be a great mother in the future...

It was also a time for me to realize how I have grown more comfortable over the past few months with the idea of marriage. This does not mean I'm rushing to slip into a white dress, grab the first RM I can find, and make a mad-dash for the Frankfurt temple. It'll be a beaige dress. Haha! Just kidding... really. It simply comes down to the fact that I'm finally feeling comfortable with dating for marriage when the opportunity presents itself... I've never felt that before. I've always been too closed-off to the idea, and dated for fun or cute boys, but I'm now more open to the possibility when the timing is right. That time might still not come for a few years, but I'm finally feeling like I gear myself in that direction.

Along with that, I'm more geared towards the temple. My life has finally become more focused on the path I need to trod and I'm ready to really think about what going through the temple means. Without getting to personal, I'm excited to delve deeper into the meaning of the temple in my eternal life, and how I can get where I need to be in order to make what I know are sacred and special promises.

Other than parenting and the importance of how we bring up our children, other main topics I noticed were Obedience, Spiritual Warnings & Ignoring the World, Love, and The Atonement. I would love to talk more about these talks too - I seriosuly am on SUCH a spiritual high right now from conference. I love that I have the opportunity every few months to hear directly from a man I know is a prophet of God. I love that he can help me grow and constantly stretch myself to greater heights. I love the gospel, and know it's true. I'm thankful for that.

Now, who can argue that life ain't good?
*muah*

P.S. On another note, but it can be added as number five to my above list, I did a flight "pot-luck" for next weekend! This is where you put in 40Euros and see where the airline sends you, but you don't know till you pay... There is a list of cities and you can narrow it down to a list of about 15-20 cities, and then anything past that it's 5Euros extra... Anyway, I did the "pot-luck" flight for this next weekend and I'm heading to Salzburg, Austria! I'll be in the land of Sound of Music and Hitler's Hide-Out (The Eagle's Nest) Friday-Tuesday morning!!!

Song of the Day: So, one of the missionaries was telling me about this guy and I fell in LOVE when I looked him up. He has a great sound and tons of good songs... I still need to get through the whole album, but I like what I've heard so far! Here Josh Radin's video for I'd Rather Be With You! Enjoy!!!


Another appropriate song for this article is "Life Is Wonderful" by Jason Mraz. Just sayin'... :)

NY Trailers and a day in the Park

Breaking Upwards Movie Trailer from Breaking Upwards on Vimeo.

For some reason, this trailer and story REALLY grabbed my attention. It's a low-budget indie film, where the two main actor also wrote the script based on things from their own lives. It seems like a cliche tale, but with twists and not necessarily a happy ending... I don't know, but I'm thinking it's not a perfect fairytale end - like 500 Days of Summer, which I LOVED. I think they seem to have good chemistry and I REALLY like her mannerisms and acting techniques that I see in the trailer.

There's a part where he asks, "I just want to know what he gives you that I don't give you!" Her response is, "He's not there all the freaking time." I found that thought SO intriguing. Too often that is the case in relationships... It's a space and balance issue. You start off wanting to always be with each other, but it's true... people need space and time for themselves. It's good to do MOST things together and try new things together, but it's also important to have SOME distance. I think this is hard for those of us who thrive on quality time as their "language of love," but even I really like my own time. I think it's interesting to watch films that are more than the romance and goo (though I admit, I like those ones), but ones that delve deeper into the underlying of a functional (or dysfunctional) relationship.

I don't know... The trailer just grabbed me.

Actually, I am quite grateful for the New York Times and their weekly "Movie Update" email I am subscribed too. Over here in Germany, I don't always get the heads-up on new film and music. However, thanks to Turell and Chad, I get the music covered, and thanks to NYT, I get the film aspect covered. Awesome! Haha...

Another one that grabbed me is the one below:

Lbs. Trailer - Watch more Funny Videos
Again, it just grabbed me.

Today was spent with the boys, as they had off of school for Good Friday. I got up made pancakes (apfel ones for me and regular for them) in the shapes of Mickey, stars, and hearts. Haha! Sidenote: I want TONS of silicone baking supplies for wedding gifts one day - They're AWESOME!

We had one GLORIOUS afternoon in the local park. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the waterfalls in the Japanese gardens were flowing freely, and the trees are starting to blossom. It's fabulous! Give it another two weeks and every morning will be spent outside in those Japanese gardens - SO beautiful! The boys were awesome too - doing their "rolling down the hill the fastest" contests and trying to blow the longest snake bubble - OH! I found this idea on someone's blog for homemade bubble blowers and it has been a BLAST - check out the link below! I wish I had my camera as we made really awesome bubble snakes and fed the ducks... SO cute!

http://www.howdoesshe.com/making-bubbles

I dropped the boys off a bit ago with Koko for the rest of the afternoon, and here I am - typing away. Haha!

Other things to tell... I'm WAY stoked for General Conference weekend! I'm heading up to Koln for tomorrow evening's session, but then listening to it here on Sunday. See, the broadcast is done at 6pm (live timing) in Koln and then Saturday afternoon's session is shown Sunday morning and Sunday's are shown Sunday night and Monday... Kinda crazy, but the way it is with the time difference. Anyway, everyone should post and let me know what your favorite talks are... I'll probably make that suggestion again in a later blog - just so you know.

Quote of the Day:
"What has four legs and can fly?"
"A Purple Grape!"

... I guess you had to be there.
*muah*

Song of the Day: I found this girl on a music site a little bit ago and I really like her. I don't always like twangy country, but she's great! Check out some of her other stuff too, like Outside My Window. For now, here's Sarah Buxton with Innocence. Enjoy!

Discovering Yourself Over Sprinkles

I discovered something about myself today. I think that really comes with the job here in Germany... You figure out a lot more about who you are and things you like about yourself, as well as ways you need to improve. Anyway, today was one of those moments that I noticed how a good trait within me, can become negative if used the wrong way.

What could she possibly mean by that, you ask? Well, I'll tell you...

This afternoon I thought it would be a lot of fun for me to decorate Easter cookies with the boys! So, I got up this morning and after taking the boys to Kindergarten, I made some sugar cookie dough only to find we didn't really have Easter cookie cutters. Thus, I used gingerbread men, stars, and bells for our Easter cookies! Haha...

When the boys came home I put frosting into three separate bowls and added color to them (green, blue, & yellow), placed the sprinkle boxes out for use, along with the "gel icing" pens, and we all got to decoratin'! This lasted a good chunk of time, but not without incident. Nico LOVED the frosting (points on me), but while I was into decorating a cookie took the bowl of yellow frosting and ate most of it using the butter knife as his spatula. I had to remind him that we needed frosting for ALL the cookies and that he was not allowed to do that anymore. That's the side-note story...

Now, here's where I really learned something (besides watching the kids and the frosting bowls...). Finni was decorating a star and pour HALF the little container of sprinkles onto this one cookie. I wasn't upset, or angry, but was worried for some reason because in my mind I was thinking, "Oh no! He might use them up and we won't have more left... He's not doing it right. I need to help him!" So, I said, "Nein, Finni... Let me show you." I took the sprinkles and added them to my gingerbread man slowly and evenly... Then I took his hand with mine and showed him how to do it. He said, "Beautiful!" Then, he grabbed the spoon for the sprinkles and dumped more onto the cookie man, shouting, "Now he's even more beautiful!"

Haha... Less is more kid.

The point of the story is found back at the point where I had my mini "moment-of-panic" over nothing more than "too many sprinkles." My thought was really that he was "doing it wrong." However, is there really a wrong way to deck out a sugar cookie? Nein. I mean, I guess you could say ketchup on it or something is definitely wrong, but then again, not if you're a ketchup-on-your-cookie-lover. Hm... Haha!

I think that sometimes I like to be in charge a bit too much. I like things done a certain way and to be on a level I deem acceptable. I think most people feel this way to SOME extent, but it runs a bit higher or faster in me. I want to help others "do things right," but in that desire I sometimes hinder others in the opportunities to learn, grow, and try new things. Sometimes I need to just cut others loose and let them fly on their own accord. I don't believe that I do it often, but I do it sometimes. I apologize to anyone who has ever felt that I have held them back from soaring... seriously.

Needless to say, I let the boys decorate however they wanted to after that.

Finni needs to learn how to decorate a cookie, and yes I can show him how I think it might look nice. However, perhaps I'll learn something from his ideas. Why should I deny him the chance to create what a beautiful cookie is too him? Because I'm too worried about running out of sprinkles? So, we'll buy more! It's no big deal. His face, beaming and ecstatic, as he held up the final product is a big deal though. His feelings of success in that he created something beautiful... That matters. Not the frosting, sprinkles, or even the cookies themselves matter in comparison.

Plus, you know what? We still have plenty of sprinkles left to decorate with next time.
*muah*

Song of the Day: Today's melodical piece of magic (haha!) is a little flashback to the 1990s in my opinion.... It's a recently released song, but it's got a little of that 90s beat and background sound. Here's The Spell by Alphabeat - whom, I love! Haha... Enjoy!


Disclaimer: I did NOT take these pics.... If there was any question about that to begin with - haha!

What Once Was

"Maybe the first time that you know you really care about something is when you think about it not being there, and you know - you really know - that the emptiness is as much inside you as outside you." - The Wednesday Wars

"For it falls out, that what we have we prize not to the worth whiles we enjoy it; but being lacked and lost, why, then we rack the value, then we find the virtue that possession would not show us while it was ours. " - Much Ado About Nothing

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till it's gone?" - Joni Mitchell

I think that this is often the case in our lives... Once we lose something, or are separated from it, we are torn. We feel loss and pain and by the time we recognize why we feel these emotions of sadness or lack of comfort, it's oft times too late.

Is it just that we want what we don't have, or we truly don't recognize what we once had? Can it be both?

That's the challenge. If you have something you want back in your life, are you longing for it for the correct reasons? Once you figure this out, which only you can do for yourself, then you can decide what the next step should be. Do you venture to regain what you once had, or do you let it go and find yourself at peace with a new path?

I think this is an interesting topic to think about, or discuss.

I'm pretty sure some people just get comfortable and then miss the old because the new is “too new.” However, there are many people who go through their life wishing for "more" and never quite finding it. Especially those individuals who always say, "The next job will be better. The next boy/girl will be a better match for me. The next year's events will make me happier. When I'm one year older, it'll be better..." Statements like that lead to unsettled hearts and unsatisfactory lives.

The realization that you want what once was is hard... cause you simultaneously know that one can rarely get something back to how it once was.... Maybe it can be better though.

I also think that you can have this realization about wanting something that once was back in your life about a person. Yep, I'm pretty sure you can.
*muah*

Song of the Day: There are some great dance songs that I would put up, but this post is too tender to not use a more affectionate song. Thus, I bring you Ray LaMontague's song, Be Here Now. For some who might be wondering where you've heard it before, it is on the 27 Dresses Soundtrack... if they had one that is. Haha! I love this artist – so chill, and SO good. Enjoy!

P.S. Next topic for thought.... We all want peace in our lives. Whether it is peace in the land from war or gang violence, or peace in our personal lives and our homes... We want peace and contentment. We want peace, but what are we willing to do to get it? Results require action.

Food for thought.

Get Your Hair DID!

Well, you asked... and you shall receive. Okay, so only a few people asked me, but you ALL are receiving. What are you receiving you ask? Well, pictures of the hottest girl you've ever seen... maybe.

Here are some grainy pictures of the new do, taken with my computer because my camera is still broken. I'm going to order a new one this week. I hate broken cameras... Boo.


It's a cut I feel like I've had a million times, but when you are explaining what you want in a language the hairdresser barely knows... Under those circumstances, I think she did a pretty good job. As for the color - it WAS orange... Now, it's red/orange and better.... Still a bit bright for me, but it works for now. In the words of Miley Cyrus & Timbaland, "I've got a brand new hair-do... with my brand new attitude!" Haha... classic.
Now I feel subsequently vain with my little photo shoot.... Vain and "really really good-looking."
*muah*

Song of the Day: Yesterday a friend sent me this link to check out the mutual theme for 2010... The video is awesome! I really love that they didn't necessarily pick tons of perfect singers, but youth from all over with all types of voices. What an amazing opportunity for all those youth involved... Check out the video and then the website for resources whether you're a youth or not - it's really awesome! Here's the Mutual Theme for 2010, Be Strong and of a Good Courage - Enjoy!


Sidenote: The boy from the Philippines made me want to learn the language - SO beautiful!

Creepy Crawlies... Ew.

Today I had the wonderful idea that I should get a spring haircut. In fact, upon seeing an add in the paper that advertised cheap cut and dye jobs at a newly opening place, I decided to opt for the cut and highlighting option. So, this morning I went with Koko and the boys (as they needed haircuts as well) to Badgodesburg to do just that...

I was excited. Let me tell you... I was going to get a head massage and that warm water while leaning back when they rinse my highlights is so good - you know what I'm talking about. It was going to be relax central, and to top it off I was going to look AWESOME once I was through.

It started that way... sitting in the seat as they started the weave for my highlights. However, about twenty minutes into the job Nico finished his haircut and Finni hopped up for his. That's when the hairdresser found the crawlies.... Yep. Lice.

I've been itching all day thinking about it, even though they found NONE on me and I still did the treatment to be safe. I still had another hour in the chair, but I couldn't help but think about the little critters on Finni and PRAYING they weren't in my hair. Ew. Haha!

THEN, when my hair was finished I was a bit astounded at how orange it was, rather than the rot (red) I picked, and how short it had gotten when it dried - I warned them it shrinks a LOT. However, on a positive note - it was still a cute cut - I like it!

The color though.... I guess the lice had one positive not regarding this. The treatment I used on my hair washed just a TAD of my color out and made it not SO orange... perfect. Haha! Now I am fully happy with the results from my haircut today.

All in all, we now have a ton of laundry and such to do, but the kids are lice free now (as are the adults, though I think we were all fine before hand) and I'll have some nice clean sheets to sleep on. Brilliant.
*muah*

Song of the Day: Big Yellow Taxi by Amy Grant. We listened to TONS of versions of this over the last few days and this is STILL my fave - over all the years. LOVE IT - Enjoy!