Victor & Veronica Visit!

Veronica, Missy, Steve & Victor - Herzogstand

Our nephew Victor and his wonderful wife Veronica visited us for about 10 days. We had such a fabulous visit with them. They were super busy and we joined in on some of their fun. Veronica gets bonus points because she did everything six months pregnant! They visited Rothenberg, Salzburg, Füssen and of course Neuschwanstein castle and Dachau on their own.

While their time with us was a little less busy they still did plenty. They also got to watch the girls play volleyball and soccer, fun for the girls to have family come to their games. We even got to celebrate Veronica's birthday. She fits in well in our family, she chose apple pie as her birthday cake!

Steve and I took them on a tour of Munich and of course to a brewery or two.  A drink at Hofbräuhaus and for lunch. It was a rainy day but V&V were good sports and game to explore.

Marienplatz

Hofbräuhaus

Of course we went to Andechs, every visitor gets to go to Steve's favorite monastery!

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One of our favorite places to take visitors is Herzogstand since you can take a cable car almost to the top or hike. Also there is a great hütte for lunch and a short hike to the very top of the mountain. We enjoyed our morning at the top.

Victor & Veronica

Steve & missy

Always fabulous views!

AND then we went to Oktoberfest. We had a table in the Marstall tent. While our band wasn't as good as the one in Stefanie's tent we still had a fun afternoon with Victor & Veronica and some of our friends too.

We do our best to outfit our guests in Trachten!

Appetziers at Marstall 

Prost to more great visitors!

EIGHTEEN!

STEFANIE!

And there is another "adult" in the house. Stef has turned 18 with all the proper fanfare she deserves! We celebrated a few different times just to make it extra special!

First we had dinner at our favorite steak place the night before her birthday. Delicious as always!

The next morning we did chocolate silk pie and presents for breakfast. Steve had to leave for the US that day so we celebrated before he left! That evening Rachel had a soccer game an then afterwards we did one of Stef's favorite things, we ordered sushi and watched Pretty Little Liars.

Her big celebration with friends was a week later. We reserved a table for her and her friends at the Weinzelt, a tent at Oktoberfest. The tent was a ton of fun with a great band and good food. She and her friends had a fabulous time.

Outside Oktoberfest

Before the tent filled up!

Steve and I and our friends as well as Stef's cousin Victor and his wife Veronica all joined them later. Our friend Kip asked the band to play Happy Birthday but they did him one better making up a Steffi song and singing to her. Definitely a birthday to remember!

Stefanie & Missy

Stef, her friend Tasha and Steve

Victor & Stefanie

Back to Ohio!! (Family,Friends, Indians & Buckeyes!)

I flew back to Ohio for a short visit with my parents and AJ. I decided to come so AJ and I could go to the Ohio State vs BGSU football game but I got to do so much more!!

I had two fun days shopping with my mom and hanging out with my parents. Life as an only child is so awesome. Plus I squeezed in lunch with my college friends Carla & Randy and maybe even convinced them to visit us in Germany...

Dad, Missy, Mom

Friday,  I picked up AJ at school. I got to see his new dorm room. He's in the newest dorm on campus and it's super nice. Lucky kid!

We did some shopping for AJ and then started our weekend of sports with an Indians game. It was a great night, the (W)Indians won and there were fireworks!  So much fun for me and AJ!

Saturday morning started with an early morning drive to Columbus for the Ohio State vs BGSU football game. AJ's friend Evan joined us for the drive, which wasn't just fun but informative. Evan shared lots of great stories on the car ride!

Evan, Missy & AJ
(AJ is representing OSU & BGSU, he doesn't lack confidence)

We got to campus early. I did some shopping and the boys met up with some friends for a short time at a tailgate. Then we met my college friends and did a little tailgating of our own before the game!

Tailgating at what was once known as The Flying Tomato

We met AJ's girlfriend Mary at the gate. It was so terrific to meet her and to go to the game with the three of them, especially AJ. AJ is by far our biggest sports fan and definitely the biggest Buckeye fan of our kids. He went to his first game last year with a friend from BGSU so I was glad I finally got to go to a game with him!

AJ, Mary, Missy & Evan

Script Ohio

After the game we went to my friend Letty's house for pizza and catching up with my college friends. The college kids were good sports and hung out for a couple of hours before it was time to head home. For me it was fantastic to visit with four of my really good college friends. 

Friends since freshman year - Eileen, Letty, Missy, Rojo & Erica

Such a great weekend! I'm so glad I got to go!