Stateside

We got back from our trip this weekend and are starting to recover from the jet lag and settle back in.

Outside Oma's house after we arrived.

Trip Facts:

Luggage: 9 suitcases, 9 carry-ons, 2 strollers, 2 car seats

Distance traveled in rental car: 3,700 KM

Fasted speed on the autobahn: 180 km/hour

Average weather: 45 degrees and raining

Snowflakes observed: 0 (!)

Pretzels consumed by Erik: 60+
Kinder chocolate consumed by Erik: 2 per day

Affect on Erik's weight: -3 pounds (??)

Books read by Erik, Iria, and Katharine: 12

Most homesick: Lukas

Times pick-pocketed: 1 (Keira's wallet)

Favorite foods: spaetzla, pretzels, croissants, rolls with honey or nutella, schnitzel, berliners, hot chocolate

Amount used on Erik's data SIM card for his iPad: 2 gigs
Number of times Lennon was approached in the Louvre because of his Brazil Neymar shirt: 3 (once for a photo)
Number of times our family was later recognized by a random person from the plane as that "big family who flew over to Germany in December": 2
Flight hours: 11 (and they went perfectly both ways!)

Itinerary:

December 15: Fly to Germany

December 16-19: Friends, family, and sites around Stuttgart

December 20-23: Munich road trip with Anita, Fritz, and the cousins

December 24: Christmas Eve with Oma

December 25: Christmas day with Anita, Fritz, and the cousins

December 26-29: Friends, family, and sites around Stuttgart

December 30: Overnight in Stuttgart with Iria

December 31: New Years Eve at Stefan's farm

January 1: Black Forest day trip

January 2-4: Friends, family, and sites around Stuttgart

January 5-9: Paris road trip

January 10: Packing and goodbyes

January 11: Fly to Texas

Best times:

Erik: Black Forest / Musee d'Orsay / Overnight in Stuttgart (with just Iria) / Disney Land / New Years Eve at Stefan's / food and family in Munich / walking to the bakery every morning for pretzels

Iria: Steiff Museum / Overnight in Stuttgart (with just Erik) / Black Forest train ride / Musee d'Orsay / Metz cathedral / Munich / Old friends / Time with her sister

Katharine: Steiff museum / The Louvre / Anna and Jakob visits / Disney Land/ Black Forest

Lukas: Disney Land (Thunder Mountain) / Munich (Allianz Arena) / Family and cousin time / Steiff Museum

Lennon:  Disney Land (Pirates of the Caribbean) / Munich (Allianz Arena) / Family and cousin time / Steiff Museum / sledding in the Black Forest

Keira: Disney Land (Haunted House and parade) / Christmas / Jakob (the tickle monster) / Steiff museum
Kassidy: the airplane ride / the car rides / the train rides / Disney Land (parade and Minnie Mouse)

Thanks so much Linda (Oma) for your hospitality, love, and spaetzla!