Day 1-3 of our Vacation

I decided since the internet is so great here in Germany that I would write some blogs and keep you all posted on what was happening with us here. :) We left Thursday for Germany, and got on a flight at around nine at night (flights only leave at night from Congo), and started on our way. Tyler had a business class seat while Spencer and I sat back in coach, but oddly enough there was no one really sitting by us!!! No one in front, next to, or behind me! Tyler wanted to give me business but I thought since he would be driving mostly on Friday...he needed the sleep. So Spencer fell asleep on the way to the airport which meant he didn't fall asleep on the plane till way after midnight! I can't ever sleep on planes and I think I only got two 30 minutes naps that whole night. Needless to say on Friday when we landed I was tired!!!

Crazy looking trees in Germany. :) 

We got off in Paris, RAN through the airport to make the connection and got to the next plane just in time! Short flight into Frankfurt and when we took off from Paris I actually got to see the Eiffel Tower and the whole city! It was beautiful. :) Got to Frankfurt, got our rental car, and started on our way to Hiedelberg Castle....except we were all too tired and decided that since we saw a McDonald's right off the highway we would go eat our first Americanized meal! :) IT WAS DELICIOUS! The best meal Spencer said he had ever had! We devoured it, and then went on our way. Since we didn't go to the Castle we just went to Deric and Stephanie's. We met at the base Deric works at and went onto it and just kept having our mouths drop open.

 Beautiful yellow flowers we saw all over Germany while driving. 

It was fabulous being where everyone spoke English, and there was shopping, and Taco Bell, and Baskin Robbins, and movies to buy, games to buy, just pretty much EVERYTHING! We bought some movies, then had some ice cream, then went onto the commissary to get some snacks for the week. We walk in, and no joke, Spencer is just a talking and then he looks around and says: "Holy Cow! Look at this place!" He was in heaven, as were I and Tyler. We bought WAY too much, and stuffed our faces on Friday, but it was great! :) We went to a restaurant close by Stephanie and Deric's that had some great schintzel(?). Spencer had the Hawaiian pizza but it was still great, compared to Congo pizza. OH OH OH...AND we got Dr. Pepper, A&W Root Beer, Grape Soda and Sunkist! The little things in life are so grand to us!  

Saturday we slept in and decided to go bowling. It was so much fun. I won both games, but not by much. In the first game Spencer came in second! I was 106 and he got 102!!! A 4-yr. old that can bowl (although he did have bumpers and we didn't). Then we went to get an Xbox for Tyler for staying on his healthy diet, and then went and ate at Taco Bell. We came home and watched TV then got ready for bed. Today, Sunday, we went to church and had a good time. Tyler left today to do his training and Spencer and I are excited to spend time with Deric and Stephanie, even if they have to work. 

It's weird to think that just getting out of Congo for a short time revitalizes us so much! It was well needed, although by the time we get back, Spencer and I will only have 7 weeks left there! Congo has been great, but sometimes you need a break in the routine, this is such a wonderful break from that routine! :) 

E A S T E R

I took a few pictures of Spencer finding his Easter basket and looking at his goodies. We had a small easter egg hunt in the house too. We didn't get new Easter outfits so there are no family pictures in this bunch...sorry. :) I gotta remember to take more pictures! Enjoy!

The Easter Bunny left a surprise for Spencer in his bed. When he woke up he found an egg in his bed. He was quite excited about that.

Hunting eggs in the house.

Finding his basket and going through what he got.

Looking at a chicken that "lays" eggs, but Spencer always says it poops the eggs. (thanks grandma and grandpa price!)
Reading the directions on how to properly install the eggs into the chicken.Looking at his Chocoloate Sheep...hey we're in Congo...no bunnies here!
He was happy to get BOLT.

The rest of the candy.

Workout and Diet Plan Update and Trip to Germany and Paris

UPDATE
So I am still following my diet and workout plan. I have to admit I haven't followed it exactly, but it is hard to get some of the food variety here that I want, but I have been working out at least three times a week. In fact, with my self-paying reward system, I currently have $335. I just need about $200 more to reach my goal and buy my XBOX 360. I have basically hit my wall as far as weight. For the last 3-4 weeks I have fluctuated between 187 and 189. I think the reason I have hit the wall is because I am not following the diet as much as I should. I am still eating healthier and I have been taking my cholesterol medicine religiously. I probably will go and check my cholesterol sometime this week or next, hopefully it is around 180-200. My only problem with the whole exercise and diet program is I am still tired and at times exhausted. Part of this could be I eat too many carbohydrates, but if anyone has any ideas on how to increase my energy level let me know.

TRIP TO GERMANY AND PARIS
The first part of May we have planned a small vacation to go see Deric and Stephanie in Germany, and then take a few days and go visit Paris. We are excited for this trip, but are still worried about doing Paris with Spencer. If anyone has any tips or ideas for vacationing in Paris with a 4 year old then please leave a comment. We plan on taking the train from Deric's house to Paris, and we think Spencer will like that. We are planning on staying in the Holiday Inn Republique in the 11th androssissment (I know I spelled this wrong). So the hotel isn't right in the center of the city, but it is close enough and close to a large metro station. I am just excited about the food (Yes my diet will most likely go out the window while we are there as I will eat McDonalds, Croissants, Crepes, Ice Cream, and a zillion other French pastries. I still plan on getting my exercise in though with all the walking we will be doing.)

Meet the Bonobos!

This past weekend, Tyler and I and a few friends from the Embassy went to go see the Bonobo monkeys that are from Congo. There is a reserve for them about an hour away from where we live. So we packed lunches, water, and ourselves into two cars and were on our way. Getting to the Bonobos is quite a feat. We leave the area of Gombe and travel outside of the downtown area we live in. Where it breaks my heart to see the way people live out there, but that's where most people live. For about 30 minutes we are on a paved road going towards the monkeys and passing by things you can't even put into words, so I took pictures.

After the paved road you get on a paved road that is covered with dirt. Which is convienent since it was raining the day we went. Here we were able to see the countryside a bit and see the country folk of Kinshasa. :) The kids always wave to us here, which I love, they seem so happy even in such poor conditions. Which goes to show money isn't and won't bring happiness.

Then we get on just a dirt road, which by the time we got there was a muddy road for another 15 minutes. Tyler says we went mud-bogging, but I just put my head down and closed my eyes and prayed we'd make it through. We did.

We get to the reserve and some of the Bonobos won't come out because of the rain, so we have to walk to the end of a path and we see some. They are some crazy human like creatures! I swear it was very eerie. We had been warned before going that they were known to throw dirt, and well their poop at you. So I didn't get real close. Spencer and Tyler, of course, waltz right up to the fence and start handing out bananas. One of the monkeys didn't get one and so he then proceeded to throw dirt/mud onto Jose (a local who works at the Embassy who came with us). He yelled at him in French or Lingala, and the monkey backed down. You could really tell which ones were the moms, since they had the babies hugging their middles, and the young males (but some of them were probably older males too), mostly because they were the ones who would get aggressive and start picking up the mud.

The monkey that was throwing dirt/mud.

While walking back to take a look at a baby Bonobo, we saw one monkey right by the fence. Jose gave him a paper towel, and the monkey then went to the water, got it wet and started wiping his face! It was incredible to see how human-like these creatures are! Then he spread out the paper towel and laid it over his face like he was hiding from us. He sat there for a while and just stared and then we continued onward to the baby.

The baby at first was shy, but then we all squatted down to eye level. We don't think he liked Spencer much, because he probably looked like a threat to the monkey. Meaning, that it was another little one that could get the attention or food from the big people. He kept shrieking at Spencer, so Spencer put his hands over his ears and said he didn't like this monkey. Tyler on the other hand became great friends with this monkey and he gave him a banana, rubbed his belly, and almost got close to holding him. Another girl in the group was able to get the baby up on her lap. It was incredible to be so close to them. We then got back in our newly washed cars (some of the locals washed them while we were at the reserve, probably hoping to get some money, which we gave them some and some left over lunch), and headed back home. Before we left though we saw some ladies with some chickens on their heads (that's how they carry everything here). We thought it was just a bunch of chickens in the bucket that were dead and were about to get defeathered and cleaned, but no the chickens were still moving a little. We think they were just knocked out or dazed or something.

Which was another adventure. One driving adventure was that one of the roads was blocked, by water. It was about three and a half feet deep and so no one could go through it, so we all went around it through the gas station. But then you did have some drivers who thought they could cut a bit more off the corner than they should have. A couple of cars got stuck and had to be pushed out. All in all it was a fun adventure and not one I will likely forget. Crazy to think we only have a short time left here, but new adventures await.

To My Valentine(s)....

I love you with all my heart, and am so glad that we found each other. You are everything to me, and I love you for all that you put up with me. You make me laugh, and help me calm down when things get crazy. I know sometimes I give you a hard time about bringing me here to Congo, but I'm glad you did. It has brought us closer together and our family closer together. I love having these adventures with you and hope we can do more adventures in the future. You push me and encourage me to do things I never thought I would be able to do, and I'm grateful you do because I find out later you were right all along that usually I do love it. You know me better than I know myself, and I'm truely blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for all the love that you give me. I love you!!!!

TO MY OTHER VALENTINE:

I love you Spencer. You bring a smile to my face everyday, and we are so lucky to have you. I love how smart, sweet and charming you can be. Sometimes we spoil you rotten, but how can we not with a little boy that tells us he loves us everyday, and usually out of the blue. I love that you love to dance with me and be goofy. You can be crazy at times, but so loving at others. You always are there to help Mommy out when she is having a hard day. Thank you!!! I love you Spencer!!!

Week 2 and Disneyland

Okay so this last week I did not lose any weight. I lost 2 pounds, but over the weekend I did not eat as well as I should have and ended up gaining those two pounds back. I did exercise three times during the week and I have started taking my cholesterol medicine every day. I have been eating alot of peppers sauteed in olive oil. I think they add alot of flavor to rice, or spaghetti, or even a wheat pita.

DISNEYLAND
Okay so Becca and I have finally decided it is time we take Spencer to Disneyland. He is always hearing his cousins and aunt Ally talk about it, so we plan on taking him for his birthday in August. We plan on being back in the states in between our move from the DRC to Zimbabwe, and 5 days of that "vacation" (I say it in parentheses because alot of the time will be spent going to the dentist, doctor, buying new clothes, and buying a whole bunch of food, like 1000 pounds of food, to ship to Zimbabwe so we will have food when we get there.) will be spent at Disneyland. As I was talking with my mom about the trip I was reminding her of the one time we went to Disneyland when we were younger, I think we were around 8 years old, but I am not sure. I had alot of fun on the trip but this one story sticks out so I will tell it. Now some people will say I am exaggerating in parts, my mom and dad, but I don't think I exaggerate that much.

"It was the last day of our Disneyland vacation and I had been bugging my parents for money so I could buy a delicious, sugar coated churro. I have always loved churros and think they are one of the best foods you can buy at fairs and amusement parks. Well my parents continued to tell me "NO!" Well eventually my parents made a deal with me. On the last night they said if I was able to stay awake for the electrical light parade then they would give me money to go buy a churro. I thought this was a great deal and knew I would be able to stay awake. So during the whole parade I kept thinking of the warm churro that would soon be mine. Eventually the parade was over and my parents holding to their end of the bargain gave me the $1.50 for the churro, in pennies, nickles and dimes. Normally I would have been annoyed with carrying all that change around, but not tonight, because I knew a churro would soon be mine. So I began walking through the park in the dark, now remember I was only eight and have no idea why my parents allowed me to walk through the park all by myself. I searched all the churro stands I had memorized throughout the week, but because the park was closing all the churro stands were closed. As I headed back to my parents I remember that there was one stand I hadn't checked and as I ran to its location I could see the light was on and that there was one person standing in line. As my heart jumped with the anticipation that my blood would soon get a sugar kick, I ran toward the stand only to have my heart drop at the empty churro case. As I walked back to where my parents were, head hanging low, 10 pounds of change rattling in my pockets, I realized that Disneyland was NOT the happiest place on earth.

When I finally wondered back to my parents the only thing they asked me was if I they could have the extra change back (I think they could hear it in my pockets as I walked). They did not notice that my lips were not caked in sugar, or that my hands were not greasy, or that I was frowning. As we walked back to the hotel I couldn't help but think that my parents had planned this all along. They must have been aware that the electrical light parade would have lasted until closing, and that all the food vending places would have been closed. They must have known that in the end I would not have obtained my churro."

Now although I do make this story sound really bad, and yes I do exaggerate for dramatic effect, I actually had a great time and was happy my parents took me.

Spencerisms part 2

I was trying to get some videos of Spencer dancing on here, but our internet connection must be too slow, so I couldn't get them on. But I will continue trying. For now though I have a couple of funny stories to share with ya.

Sat. night we were having breakfast for dinner. So we had pancakes and bacon. Spencer was eating a piece of bacon and was just gnawing on it with the rest of it hanging out of his mouth, without holding onto it.

Mommy: Spencer take a bite, and put the bacon down. Nobody wants to see you gnawing on your food like that.

Without missing a beat Spencer says: Well then they don't have to look at me.

How he figured that out so quickly I'm not quite sure, but Tyler and I couldn't help but bust out laughing.

Today, Sunday, Tyler woke up sick, so we didn't go to church. While Spencer was eating lunch he was asking about things we were going to do today and tomorrow.

Spencer: So are we going to church tomorrow?

Mommy: No, we were suppose to go today, but Daddy isn't feeling good, so we aren't going.

Spencer: Oh, well, I don't think Heavenly Father is going to be happy with us.

Such a sweet boy! I reassured him after that that Heavenly Father would understand.