HAPPY 12th Birthday

12 June - Jamie had a few friends over to celebrate her birthday. They had a "Bones" party. They all LOVE the TV show Bones........ Kim cooked her world famous lasagne, they opened gifts, etc. They were going to sleep outside until they found something that bothered them..........bugs!!!!!!!! back indoors. They fell asleep watching episodes of Bones on TV. We cooked them a traditional Southern Breakfast - none had grits before or sausage and gravy. The girls had a great time. Don't they all look alike - hair, glasses.............girls!!!

Heidelberg Castle and Schwetzigen Schloss

6 June - our Favorite Aussie living in Germany, Laura, visited. We took her and some friends to Heidelberg to see the ruins of the castle there (www.visit-heidelberg.com/tours/castle/htm). Then we visited the Schloss (castle) in Schwetzigen (http://www.schloss-schwetzigen.de/.) . Heidelberg is mostly ruins but a few rooms are rebuilt. It was destroyed 2 times by invading Armies and the 3rd time by lightening. The town took it as a sign by God that they castle should not be rebuilt. It was started in 1300 and lighting destryed it in 1764. It ahs various styles and and very nice. It has a HUGE wine keg that you can keep over 500,000 liters of wine. It was nice and only 400 steps to the top. There are over 100 weddings a year in the castle chapel. the grandmother of George I of England lived here. George I was from Hannover in Germany - yep a German ruled England. Now you are asking - so why are you telling me this. Well, George I's grand son, George III was the king at the time of the American Declaration of Independance and Revolutionary war. Small world :)

We had a nice lunch in Heidelberg and then drove to Schwetzegen about 30 minutes away. This was a get away place for the royalty of Baden Wurtenburg. We did not tour the castle since not much to see but the gardens are very nice and HUGE. It even has a mosque. Really nice visit.

Front of Schwetzegen Castle

part of the massive gardens of the castle. Very nice.

Courtyard of Heidelberg Castle. Concert ongoing

500,000 liter wine keg - best filled with Stoffel Wine :)

Our Chalet - Girl Scout Trip

29-31 May - Memorial Day Weekend. We took a weekend trip to one of the four World Culture Scout Centers. www.ourchalet.ch/en/home We met with about 30 other girls and parents and rode the bus to Adelboden, Switzerland. When we arrived, we received an orientation of the site and all the buildings. Afterwards, the girls received an Our Chalet pin in a traditional pinning ceremony that started in 1932. We checked in the rooms and the girls did a scavenger hunt. We had dinner of sweet and sour pork, salad and bread and butter pudding. On Sat night, we had Swiss Night where the girls acted out the story of William Tell and played a Swiss Trivia Quiz game. To top the night, we had a chocolate fondue with fruit and cookies :) Yes, Jamie is a fan of that!!

On Sunday, we had a traditional Swiss breakfast of meuslix, yogurt, fruit, bread, jam and cheese. Jamie packed us a lunch and we took a 5 km hike in the light rain to the second largest waterfall in Switzerland. When we returned, the girls worked on their Chalet Challenge Badge. For dinner, we had cauliflower and peas and a type of Shepards Pie, dessert was a berries and yogurt thingy. We cleaned up and then had an indoor campfire. The girls sang songs from around the world and then had smores!!!!

On Monday, standard breakfast, we packed up, cleaned the rooms and headed out on a 2 mile hike to a woodcarvers shop. The girls enjoyed seeing how it is done, did some shopping and then hiked back to the bus. Enroute to the bus, the girls were stopped to allow the daily procession of moving the cows from the barn to the field. They really enjoyed that!! It was a nice drive back and great memories.

The Chalet is very nice. It was built in 1932 as a gift from an American lady who was a girl scout. There are now 7 buildings. There is a small permanent staff and 6-8 volunteers for 3 months. These young ladies were from the UK, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, Denmark, Egypt, etc. There were girls there from England and a boy scout troop of Germans there to build a outdoor BBQ facility as their service project. It was a good trip for the girls who earned a patch, met people from other countries who are scouts and enjoyed the outdoors.

Patch board at the Chalet showing all the patches left by the different troops that have visited Our Chalet - just this year!!!!!!!!!!

Jamie on the hike - in the rain :))

Jamie and the girls at Our Chalet receiving the Our Chalet Pin.

Jamie receiving her Our Chalet Challenge badge. There were 20 activities they had to complete to receive the badge from knowing about the Chalet, Swiss life, World Association of Girl Scouts, Physical activities, etc.

James and Jamie at the waterfall.