Germany Adventure: November 26, 2006

Sunday was the last day of our weekend off and we decided to go up to Haochblauen for a picnic. It was rather cool and windy at the top and so we turned our seats around in the van and enjoyed a picnic inside. It was actually alot of fun.

We wanted to try and get a "jumping" picture like Connie and Al did. We spent more time laughing and trying it over and over. It was so funny trying to set up the timer and run back to get the picture and guess when the picture was going to click. We never did get a good one but we sure had fun trying.

Jumpin Jake

These pics actually turned out pretty good setting up the timer on the camera and balancing the camera on a rock.

View from the top.

Mark jumpin.

Kandern in the distance.

On our way back down the mountain we decided to hike up to an old castle.

Signs along our walking path to Sausenburg Castle.

Walking in a leafy wonderland....

The boys had so much fun chasing each other through the forest, climbing mountains and trees, breaking trees (oops), just being silly & having fun.

The Sausenburg Castle...
This is where Connor and his class camped out last year with their dads. We decided to hike up here on our way back. It was such a gorgeous walk through the leaves. We got there a little bit before the sun started to set. The sunset was so pink and it made it feel like we were in this glowing dome.

View from the top of the castle looking over to Haochblauen where we had just picniced.

The tower was very high...you can see Connor standing at the top. We later discovered that he had actually climbed over the railing to sit with his feet dangling over the edge until Tiera walked up there and told him to get back "NOW". He got in big trouble needless to say after our heart stopped pounding!

In Switzerland with A. Pat...

Auntie Pat came to visit us for a few days. She then continued on to Al and Connie's and will then go to the UAE. We had a great time together and it was really relaxing. It was our weekend off but we basically stuck around home. Thursday Tiera took the day off and we went in to Lorrach to do some shopping. Friday we picked up a Christmas tree and had fun decorating it with the kids. Saturday we explored the countryside in (Langenbruck) Switzerland finding the place where A. Pat worked at back in the 1970's.
On our way back we found a bobsled run and all took a ride down the thing. Was great until we got to the end where you go through a "finish" of hanging pieces of strips of plastic. We got smacked pretty hard in the face. I think I actually have a bit of a bruise under my eye as a result! We also explored a christmas market in some small village. It was packed out and we could hardly get out of the lane of christmas stalls. Later that night we had the christmas banquet at school. A. Pat and Connor stayed home and played games and watched a movie.