We Made it to Berlin

The long awaited trip has arrived!  For the second Thursday in a row, we woke up at 5:30 to leave the house by 6:15, but this time we took Matt with us and drove away in a taxi.  His day off the day before was mostly filled with last minute shopping and errands.  He and I did still manage to go to the pool and swim a mile.  The girls tagged along and played with a new girl they met.  While walking back home across the street in the bright sun with the temperature in the perfect mid-80's, it was weird to think that in 24 hours we would be bundled in coats, hats, gloves, long underwear.....  Yet here we are!

I wanted everyone to have a backup pair of shoes in case their main pair got soaked due to rain/snow. This proved a problem for Makenna and myself.  We own running shoes (her feet have had a big growth spurt recently and she has taken over one pair of my running shoes, so we currently have one pair each) flip flops and sandals.  Fortunately I remembered a possible solution.  There were two pairs of dressy heeled leather shoes that I bought 8-9 years ago in Germany that had been residing, untouched, in the dusty back bottom shelf in my closet.  The last time I had worn them was in Vegas, and then only occasionally.  They are here because they were in an "Italy" box when we packed up. Luckily, they were still in good repair and Makenna loved the idea of adding two inches to her height.  But oh man, she looked so grown up.  Matt and I kept catching each other looking sadly at her in the airport.  She is supposed to only be 12!  Who is this young lady??

We bought these tickets in April or May...it's been a long time.  Little did we know at the time that Lufthansa pilots would be going on strike and the day we had two flights with them, there were over a thousand!! flights canceled.  We had a moment of panic as we checked the night before and again this morning, but miracle of miracles, ours were untouched.  There were flights on either side that were, but we were good.  Phew!

Waiting to board a flight to Munich.

Jess loves her fleece.  How fortunate the Grandma Chris headband matches it perfectly!

Girls catching some zzzzs during the 7 hour flight.  Lufthansa ran a very nice plane.  Best screens yet and the kids loved walking downstairs to use the restrooms. 

Okay, besides "selfish pilots" Jess loves Lufthansa.  At the gates in Munich, there were stands with coffee, tea or hot chocolate to drink while waiting, or take on the flight.  She had two chocolates.  

Within 10 minutes of leaving our hotel we found a mobile wurst guy.  Actually there were two!  My parents prepped us to watch out for them.  Piping hot and so tasty!  

An hour later we also itched the urge for Düners.  Isaac's face says it all.  Joys of favorite, missed foods!