Lunch with the Delmolinos

We had a fun treat this afternoon.  Our friends were on their way through Munich so we met that at the Englischer Garten for a lovely lunch and of course a bier or two. Dominic and Steve have been friends since their Cornell days.

Dominic, Wendy, Missy & Steve

It was fun to catch up with them and to compare stories about raising teenagers in the US and Germany. Final Decision? It's tough anywhere! ;)

Rachel, Joe, AJ, Dominic, Peter, Frankie & Stefanie

Alpine Coaster!

Dominic, Stefanie, Rachel & AJ

We had a fun day with all four kids today. For the past five years Steve has wanted to ride the Alpine Coaster in Oberammergau, today was finally the day.

We hiked to the top of the mountain, much to the chagrin of Stefanie since we could have taken the ski lift. It was a nice day and good for us to go on foot. We had a terrific lunch at the top and then it was time to go down.

Part way down the mountain!

The Alpine Coaster is a little sled that 1-2 people can sit in and fly down the mountain on a roller coaster like track. I rode with Steve because I was of course a little nervous, the girls went together and the boys went separately.  It was a blast. The kids loved it so much they did it a second time - taking the chairlift to the top this time!

Happy Father's Day Steve!

Rachel and AJ were the only kids home this morning. (Stef is away on a class trip and Dominic is on his way) They did not disappoint and made Steve an awesome breakfast to eat while he watched 24 hours of LeMans.

We went to see Wonder Woman and had a great lunch at one of our favorite burger places.

Then we picked up Dominic - great to have him home!!

A visit with the Spencers!

Steve, Missy, Carla & Randy

Our friends Carla and Randy and their kids Pete and Nicki came to visit for a quick two days on their travels through Europe! It was so awesome to see them. We of course squeezed in a visit to Andechs Monastery and a day tour of Munich. My kids are starting to think I should get a job as a tour guide!

We also had a fun dinner at the lake, enjoying the beautiful weather and pretty views. Another terrific visit!

Third Time's a Charm

My parents and sister all came back to Germany for Stefanie's high school graduation. We had a fun visit with some lower key sightseeing.

We of course spent some time walking around Starnbergersee since the weather was so beautiful.

The weather was kind enough to accommodate dinner outside at our favorite Italian restaurant.

We spent an afternoon walking around the lovely and quaint town of Garmisch. What I love about it, is that it is truly nestled in the center of the mountains.  Sorry no photos of that!

Stefanie's graduation was of course fabulous - read all about that here.

One last touristy thing after graduation celebrating was a trip to Nymphenburg Palace. The best part of this is the gardens. Unfortunately for us, after touring the apartments it poured. We did make it to a lovely cafe in the garden and then my dad waited for us in the gift shop while we checked out the seashell chapel and walked over to the carriage museum. BUT we were soaked.  Even with umbrellas, it just poured.  Maybe another time...

Stefanie is a Graduate!

It's Stefanie's day to shine! Today she graduated from the Munich International School. She has spent five years here and has completely and totally blossomed, she is ready to tackle the world!

Stefanie and Rachel

Stefanie & AJ

          

Grandpa Teddy, Granny, Steve, Missy, Stefanie, Rachel, AJ & Auntie Meli

We had some time in the morning to do photos and got some great family photos. We are sorry that Dominic is not here to celebrate with us. Unfortunately the army doesn't adhere to my calendar. It is super nice to have my parents and my sister Melanie here.

Stefanie's graduation took place at the Prinzregenttheater in Munich. It's a lovely ceremony with all the proper pomp and circumstance. It is followed by cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the garden.

This year was an especially fun year. Not only were our friends from Stefanie's class there but many from AJ's class as well. Many families from our circle of friends moved after AJ graduated two years ago. They used this year's graduation as an excuse for a reunion of sorts. It made for an extra fun celebration!

After graduation a parent committee organized a dinner at the Bayrischer Hof, a very lovely hotel in Munich. We had a terrific dinner and then stayed until the wee hours dancing in the bar. It was a terrific way to celebrate Stefanie!