Merry (late) Christmas!

Merry Late Christmas everyone!! Bryce and I had a wonderful first Christmas together! We woke up early Christmas morning and opened our presents! I got Bryce a surround sound system and he got me some Juicy Couture sunglasses and a new Chi straightener and some awesome lotion!! We also opened our gifts from our families!!

After that, we watched Christmas movies the whole afternoon and for dinner, we invited two of Bryce's guy friends over. The two guys didn't have anything to do for Christmas and we didn't want them spending it alone! Bryce grilled steaks and chicken and I made garlic potatoes, green beans, Bush's baked beans, and garlic bread. It was the best home made meal we have both had in awhile!! After dinner, we watched Step Up 3. Why that movie on Christmas? Because the surround sound system I got Bryce had Blu-Ray on it and we didn't have any Blu-Ray movies. So Bryce went to the 24/7 hr shoppette to get a Blu-Ray and it was the only thing there that looked good!

After our movie, we skyped with Bryce's family and my family until 4am! HA! Suprisingly, we weren't even tired! We even decided to put in Shrek 3 after we talked with our families but we got really tired so we just went to bed.

We slept in REALLY late today. Probably the latest I have EVER slept in!!! I am even embarrassed to mention what time it was! ha!!

We watched a couple of movies today (We LOVE movies) and then went out to eat at Big Emma's since I didnt feel like cooking anything. And thats been our life lately!!

We really miss our families over the holiday season but hopefully we will be able to make it home next Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and remember the reason for the season! Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Edelweiss

I know, I am a little late on posting about our trip to Edelweiss. Prepare yourself, this is a super long post!

Bryce took leave from Dec. 12-17th so we decided to plan a trip to Edelweiss since we were unable to go home for Christmas. Let me just tell you, we had a blast!!! There were a couple of things we weren't really impressed with but besides that, it was so much fun!

Edelweiss was about a 4 hour trip. I LOVE long car rides with my hubby! I love having all that time to talk his ears off! :) The thing I DONT like is that he is always HOT so I usually freeze to death in the car! Its worth it though! I've learned to never leave the house for a trip without a large blanket and warm clothes. ha!

Once we got there, it was about 4pm. We checked into our hotel and then we went and drove around town. We found the BX and commissary and picked up a few things that we needed. We were starving so we grabbed some Subway and then headed back to the hotel. We changed into our swim suits and went to the hot tub!

The next day, Monday, we planned to go to the Neuschwanstein castle but all of the trips were canceled because it snowed a foot and a half the night before. So we just decided to hang out at the resort and hopefully find something fun to do. Well, we very quickly found out that there was absolutely NOTHING to do at the resort! It shouldn't even be called a resort. There is only a hotel with a restaurant in it. It does have a pool and hot tub but besides that, that's it! So we decided to walk to the ski rental place to rent our snowboards so we could be ready early the next day to go snowboarding. We got directions from the front desk. They told us it would be about a 10 minute drive so we figured it would take about 30 minutes to get there. We followed his directions and ended up walking around almost the entire town and realized, his directions weren't legit. After walking for about 3 hours, we found the name we were looking for (supposed to be the name of the store). But instead, it was the ski lifts!!! It was freezing cold too!! It was in the low 20's and snowing! So we just decided to walk back to the resort.

Once we got back, we asked the front desk for a map and how to get to the store again! ha! And it turns out, the ski lifts is where the store is located! We were so close!!! So we just got in our car and drove to the store. We didn't even rent our snowboards! The people there told us to just come the day we are going to snowboard and rent our stuff then.

So we went BACK to the hotel, and relaxed in the hot tub! Then we went back to our room and took a nap. After our nap, we went to the restaurant in the resort. I wasn't feeling good so I didn't eat much but the food that I did eat was pretty good.

The next day, Tuesday, we woke up bright and early to hit the slopes! We found out that there were only about 6 slopes open and 5 of them were all BLACKS! Bryce and I aren't competitive snowboarders so we just wanted to go on the easy or intermediate slopes! Unfortunately, there was only one intermediate slope open and no easy ones open. We went down the intermediate slope and it took us 2 hours!! The runs are soooo long over here! We did stop and rest a couple of times but who doesnt?

Once we finally got down the mountain, it was lunch time. Bryce's board was way too small so he wanted to go trade it in. So we went and had lunch and traded Bryces board in and decided to go on the same run again since it was our only option...unless we wanted to get killed by going on a black! Once we got down the mountain a second time, it was already 2pm! We were exhausted and a little bored by the same slope. We decided to call it a day and we went and got warm in the...hot tub!! After that, we got ready to go to the GORGE!!! Now that was fun! It's like a cave that goes around a mountain and there is a water fall that freezes. You can kind of tell by the pictures I posted below. We hiked about 30 minutes to the Gorge and on our way back, we stopped at a small restaurant to have hot chocolate and dessert!

The next day, Wednesday, we decided to have a relaxing day! We found a spa in downtown and went and got massages!! Then we came back to the hotel and once again, we got in the hot tub! That night, we went to a German restaurant downtown. It was pretty good! Bryce really enjoyed it! He had a Pumpkin pesto pasta and I got potatoe soup!

On Thursday, we went to the Neuschwanstein castle!! Our tour guide was extremely annoying because he repeated everything about 5 times. Besides that, we had a blast!!! On our way, we stopped at a small gift shop and once we got to the castle, it was about a 20 minute hike up to the mountain. We got to go on a tour in the castle but they wouldn't allow pictures! I was so sad because the castle was BEAUTIFUL inside!!!!! Once that was over, we ate at a German restaurant downtown. It was really good. Oh I forgot, we also stopped at a BEAUTIFUL church on our way to the castle as well. I posted a picture of the inside below. That night, we went to an Italian restaurant downtown. It was okay. Bryce really liked it but I wasn't that impressed.

On our last day, Friday, we checked out of our hotel and went to the Dachau Concentration Camp. Now that was humbling! It was extremely COLD!!! It was around 18 degrees and snowing!! So miserable but it was still fun! After that, we headed home.

We had a really great and fun trip but it is good to be home!!

I doubt many people even made it this far in reading but good job if you did!! :)

This is the front of the resort

This is looking out from our hotel. The mountain on the far right is the tallest mountain in Germany

Bryce and I on our hike through the Gorge

In the Gorge

This is in the beautiful chuch!!

Neuschwanstein Castle!

So pretty!

Our coffee in our hotel is from TYLER,TEXAS!!! SO CRAZY!!!

Inside the Krematorium at Dachau

This is where all the prisoners would meet for roll call daily. This is also the center of the camp at Dachau.

Christmas Markt!!

This past Sunday, Bryce and I got to go to a Christmas Markt (spelling is correct, the Germans spell it this way). It was in Wiesbaden (pronounced Vease Boden). It was about an hour away from where we live but we took the train so it took about 2 hours to get there. We met at the train station at 8am and our train left at 8:20. Once we got to Wiesbaden, it was almost 11am and the Christmas Markt didn't open until noon so we went to an American/German Sports bar. From 11am-2pm, they had All You Can Eat buffet!!! It was soooo very good too!!! We had to make reservations to go and I understood why once we got there. There were people waiting outside the restaurant before it even opened. It was completely packed about 10 minutes after we got a seat!!

Once our stomach's were completely full, we headed for the markt which was right outside the restaurant. It was a good thing that we ate before we shopped because there was ALOT of good looking German food calling our name but we were way too full!! The Markt was alot of fun! We got to see alot of really cool stuff!! I wanted so bad to buy a nutcracker or this other really cool German thing that I don't know how to explain. There is a picture below of a HUGE one. Its like a wood tower thing and there are little people on each level playing a little instrument and there is a wheel at the top and at the bottom, there is a place for a candle and the candle makes the wheel at the top spin. Its really neat!

In America, most events have hot chocolate. Well, in Germany, they have Gluhwein (pronounced Glue Vine). Gluhwein is a hot wine. Bryce got it one time at a fest and I tried it, I do NOT like it at all! Its wayyy too strong for me! But ALL Germans love it!! Its like their hot chocolate. They also have a drink called Kinderpunch. Its for the kids. Some people say it tastes like hot Cool Aid but I think its sooo good!! Thats what I usually get! After the Markt, we headed back to the train station, about 5 minutes before it was time to leave, we found out that our train got canceled due to some train maintenance issues. So we had to catch another train that was leaving 10 minutes later than we were supposed to leave which made us 4 minutes late to our next train (We took 2 trains). So it took a little longer to get home but I was totally ok with it! I LOVE the adventure!! Bryce- not so much. He had to work at 4am the next morning. He was a trooper though! I had a blast at the Christmas Markt and I am hoping to go to many more!!

Here are LOTS of pics! Enjoy!

This is taken at the train station

Getting on the train!

This is an old fashion oven that the Germans were cooking a pizza dish in.

This was in a store and it had an upside down Christmas tree in it. HA

Dr. Pepper is unheard of here in Germany! They just don't sell it. In the train station, Bryce found a Dr. Pepper and bought it for me! The label cracks me up!! I guess the German's can't handle the taste! ha! Btw- it was the best Dr. Pepper I have EVER had!!!

This was a life-size nativity scene carved out of wood. It was soo beautiful!!

My cup that the Kinderpunch came in. In Germany, when you buy your drink, it comes with the cup but if you take it back, you get about 2 euros back which is about $2.75. Not too bad!

This was a food stand. When I was trying to explain the German thing that I wanted to buy, it looks like this but much smaller.

This is the place where we ate Brunch.

This is a beautiful church that was the center of the Markt.

These are all gummy bears. Germans give them as gifts.

These are the uptown town-homes.

The Train Station

Spiced Tea

A friend of mine invited Bryce and I over for dinner one night and after dinner, she made us spiced tea. I have never been a spiced tea kind of person. I always thought it tasted way too much like apple juice and I dont like apple juice. But this time, it was a totally different experience! It was heaven in my mouth!! for real!!! I cant express how much I LOVE this tea!! I have made it twice and saved the left overs and put it in the fridge for the next day. I have almost had this tea everyday since I went to her house last week. I MUST share the recipe with you! PLEASE try this at home! Its amazing!!!!

Spiced Tea
6 c water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp whole cloves
juice of 1 lemon (I just used about 1 Tbs of lemon juice)
1 c orange juice
1 c pineapple juice
6 tea bags (regular tea used for iced tea)

In large put, put spices, sugar, and water. Boil for 10 minutes
Take off burner
Add juices and heat again (careful not to let it come to a boil again- just let it get steaming hot)
Add tea bags
Let stand 15 minutes
Serve.
Delicious!!!

It is pretty sweet so if you dont want it really sweet, add less sugar.

Enjoy!!

Btw: I'm enjoying a cup of it right now!!

Let me know what you think if you try it!! :)