The Perfect Vegetable and Lemonade Stand

These girls spent their day planning this perfect vegetable and lemonade stand--completely without adult assistance.  

They harvested the veggies from our garden. Cleaned and prepped them.  Then, placed in colorful bowls.

Made the lemonade.

And, got their first lessons in Marketing 101.

With donations going to the local animal care league.

FANTASTIC JOB GIRLS!!!

Life After our Adventures

It's hard to believe that we returned from our adventures a week ago.  It took a few days but we have fully recovered. We celebrated Arose's 4th birthday last week, will be celebrating M's 8th birthday tomorrow and had a birthday slumber party over the weekend.

Chris has been off from school so we are reliving some of our pre-kid Chicago days and it's awesome.  Today we hit the beach and did a little first time SUPing (stand up paddle).  So FUN!!!  Will definitely do again (Lisa---here we come!)  Then, we spontaneously dropped in for a little late lunch at one of our favorite noodle restaurants --the Slurping Turtle.   Finishing our day at the Hole in the Wall.

Perfect day!

A Walk Through Bavaria

Spectacular!!!!

More Munich Fun!

Munich: Augustiner Keller Beer Garden

We said goodbye to Belgium a couple of days ago.   After 4 trains and 7.5 hours later (with one mishap of missing our train stop in Brussels :-0), we arrived in Munich and have been enjoying Munich with family ever since.  Can you tell we are having fun?

We need beer gardens in the States.  It's all about community and I love that!

What to do on a rainy day in Ghent?

Despicable Me 2 in 3D!

Belgium: The Picturesque Ghent

Ghent, Belgium

Known as Gent in Flemish and Gand in French, Ghent is a warm and charming medieval canal city.  Just what I had imagined and hoped for.  It's a real town that enjoys tourists but does not bend to tourists...that's what our taxi driver told us.  And, I agree and love that about this city.  Everyone was so kind.  We met some really cool people.  It was super funky and full of life without being overwhelming.  Unfortunately, because of the cool weather we missed the famous Belgian mussels which we were super bummed about but we were not disappointed with the local beers and pastries!  

I loved this place and this part of Europe.  

Can't wait to return one day!!

Purple Noses....a Ghent specialty made of Arabic gum and raspberry juice.
Check out the vendor in the back displaying a nose for us!

Cute little guy (or maybe 1 pint too many!)

Yunis, the mastelle genius....these are cookies made with brown sugar and butter.
Delicious!!

Our boat tour

Cool bike, huh!

Gorgeous views everywhere!

more

and more

Here We Come, Belgium!