Auf Wiedersehen!

As of 4:15 pm today when I finished my last class-  I am on vacation until January 2nd.

Naturally, Cecilia and I have planned an awesome trip and this time we have taken on quite a bit.  The last break when we headed to Normany & Brittany was great but relatively simple.  This time, we are going the full two weeks and exploring Germany and Austria.  Neither of us speak a word of German so it's going to be interesting.  Oh wait sorry- thanks to Heidi Klum & Project Runway I know how to say goodbye, "auf Wiedersehen!".  Of course I had no idea how to spell it until I looked it up right now.  NOTHING like the way it sounds when she says it.  Great.
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Tomorrow we are staying the night in Paris because we have an early flight on Sunday.  From Paris we are headed to Berlin for 4 days.  Then we have a flight to Munich (our friend Lauren is joining us for this) to spend 4 days including Christmas & I am pretty excited because Christmas is huge over there.  After Germany- we are taking a train to Salzburg, Austria for 2 days and then to Vienna for 3 days to celebrate New Years.

I am only bringing my backpack.   I have to fit a fat Europe guide book,  Cecilia & Lauren's Christmas presents & for one flight I have to actually stuff my purse inside my backpack because of some annoying rule about literally ONE carry-on, not a carry-on and a purse. We are most definitely going to need to do laundry at some point- but that's ok.

So, yes.  I will be signed off from the internet world for two weeks.  But, I will pour out a tell-all when I get back.  I hope we meet some cool characters and discover some interesting places.  We are pretty good at it usually.

Cecilia and I have actually never hung out in the states together- but we have traveled a whole lot in Europe.  We sometimes (jokingly) wonder if we would get along at home because we are usually speaking French when we are out together and are often traveling.  It's kind of crazy actually.

Sidenote:
Today at one of my schools- I got a gift from each class.  The youngest ones each made me a card and gave me a bag of homemade brownies that they made together.  The seven year olds gave me a star ornament that they painted and put glitter on with the name of their school. & The eight year olds gave me little candies that they made with nuts and chocolate along with a card signed by all the kids and the teacher.

This makes me think two things.

First- I feel loved.

Second- I feel old.  I am getting TEACHER presents.  Geezzz.
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To everyone who reads this crazy little thing,
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and that 2011 brings you good health & TONS of love.

;o)