There's No Place Like Home

   

There's No Place Like Home!

     We got to Skype with my mom again. She's doing okay. She told us she is working a lot. And she is working out a lot. And she got our present, so she can watch some movies, too! It helps a lot to be able to see her face on the computer. It's kind of like we are in the same room, I guess. If I was her, I would be very homesick! She far, far away; we looked on a map.  So, my grandma had a good idea. My mom gave us her address and we've already sent her a care package. But now we have a lot of ideas to put into our care packages! We want to send her a little bit of America! My grandma has been collecting small boxes and you should see the dining room table! It's care package HQ! It's fun to pick things out for her. It kind of even reminds me of Christmas.

    Did I tell you about my first Christmas in Germany? Picture it: winter 2009. We had been in our new home only a few months. But already my mom had made some friends. Some good friends were Christine and Andrew. What was great about them, from my perspective, was they had a great little doggy, about my size, named Cammie. She is a Brussels Griffon. She looked a little bit like me. And boy, could she run! Sometimes, I'd go to Cammie's house and play while mom worked. Sometimes, Cammie would come to our house and play, while Andrew and Christine went somewhere. It sure was good having a new friend! When I tell you we liked to run, I mean it! Our house was an open concept-one big, big room. Cammie and I could round the kitchen, dining room and kitchen, hop on top of the sofa, then jump off and head under the stairs and start all over again in like 45 seconds! And we never got tired!

     In December, my grandma and uncle Eric came to Germany. It was nice to see them again. When they arrived, it started snowing. I really, really love snow! I like to run in it and stick my nose into it. I like the feeling of it on my fur. The more it snows, the more I like it! We went to a Christmas market Stuttgart. There were lots of people there. It was kind of cold, but they had warm wine, called gluhwein for the adults to warm up with (the cold doesn't bother me anyway). They had waffles with cream! There were lots of booths to shop at and lots of Christmas lights and decorations. It was a good day! I was pretty tired when I got home. I fell asleep on mom's computer.

     My mom and I got a tree and put it up. So, grandma and uncle Eric and mom and I decorated it on Christmas Eve. It was a nice! Mom and grandma made nut crusted salmon, which isn't really "my" thing. (Looked okay, but I'm not a cat!)
And we all opened gifts! Mom got a Snuggie and some zebra Christmas tree towels. Eric got some a cool new Ramstein sweatshirt, some videos and some Axe. I got some treats and a stuffed animal. (FYI-don't ever think of buying me a Christmas sweater. I hate sweaters. Don't like tee shirts or coats. Coats make me angry!)

     The next day, on Christmas day, mom decided to have her new friends over. April and Kalen came over. And Andrew and Christine. And Cammie!! Mom and grandma cooked a turkey and a roast. The electric was a little crazy in the Germany house, so they put the roast into the Crockpot and put it it on the floor! Oh, man, that meat smelled mighty good! I kept walking by it to get a whiff! They made cookies, too (but not the beefy kind that I like).

After dinner, the adults played games, like MadGab. It looked and sounded like they were having fun. But Cammie and I were having the real fun. We played chase each other. That included pretending we were fighting. It was a great day!

I have to admit, I was kind of liking Germany. We had lots of new friends, a neat new house and terrific weather (for a weather dog like me!). It was a long night, but that Christmas night, I felt really happy. I was starting to understand why my mom loves Christmas so much! I had a warm feeling inside. After everyone left, I snuggled up in mom's bed and dreamed of sugarplums (whatever those are) and Greenies. Life is good.

Mom, under the Christmas tree, looking for something.

Me, mom and uncle Eric at the Christmas Market

                           

                              Me, after the Stuttgart Christmas Market-exhausted!

Uncle Eric (wearing his new sweatshirt) and mom

                     

                             Me and Cammie on Christmas Day. It's okay; we're just playing!