Doors of Rome

I am a little behind in getting my blog about Rome, so while I get my act together I thought I would post this for you.  Once again....only a fraction of what I actually took.

Just playing with some textures here

Ettal Monastery

The town Ettal is known for it's monastery and Linderhof Palace.  

The town itself is small but being in Bavaria you can't beat the beautiful setting.

Here are a few pictures of Ettal Monastery.

 

For the history of the monastery, which is was to long for me to think about writing, check out the links I posted below:

http://larsthompson.8m.com/page8.html

http://www.brennendes-herz.com/index.php?id=ettal_abbey

http://www.tompgalvin.com/places/de/bayern/ettal.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettal_Abbey

Linderhof Palace

Linderhof Palace is the extravagant villa of King Ludwig II.  It is best viewed during the spring and summer months due to the gardens being closed in the winter.  We went and September and the gardens were still beautiful.

We were not allowed to take any pictures inside, so you will have to look online (link below) to see it. It is small and the tour is short (which is a plus if you have kids).  We did not have a long wait (we toured some of the grounds while we waited) so it wasn't bad.  If I had to wait a long time with my kids I think I would have been disappointed.

Here are just a few shots of the outside.  There are more things to see on the palace grounds, but with 2 kids and 2 castles to still see that day we didn't wander around to see all of it.

This is the grotto that Ludwig had made on the grounds, I had to stop myself from laughing...its so gaudy, but I guess back then it was great place to relax and "woo" the ladies.

This is the river that runs in front of the park /entrance to the palace.  I  loved the clear clean water.  The kids had the most fun here as well, walking in the water, trying to skip stones etc.

http://www.schlosslinderhof.de/englisch/palace/history.htm
gps address:
Linderhof 12
82488 Ettal

Recipe for Goop

I found a recipe for Goop that my sister gave me awhile back.  I STILL haven't made it with the kids yet (bad mom).  Anyway I am posting it for 'yal to give it a try and if you do post here and let me know how it turned out.  If and when I do I will post pics.

Ingredients:
1tsp 20 Mule Team Borax
8 oz white liquid glue
1 1/4 cup of water
15 drops of food coloring

Instructions:
1.  In a glass bowl stir together 1c. of water, white glue, and food coloring
2.  Dissolve all the borax powder in the remaining 1/4c water
3.  Add borax mixture to glue mix and stir until a slimy limp forms.  Stir vigorously for another 30 seconds
4.  Remove the lump of slime and kneed it with your hands to dry
5.  In 2 minutes or so you should be holding a ball of slime that pulls clean from your hand.

Good Luck!

My wonderful find

Today's goal was to go the flea market on base and sell all my crap....I mean wonderful items for someone else to enjoy.  Well, my goal was accomplished although I did wind up coming home with more than I wanted (meaning i wanted NOTHING to come back with me).  A little cash in my pocket and a few boxes empty, I came home satified.
A friend called and asked if I would drive with her to France to pick up an item.  Like I am going to turn down a trip to France...your smoking some crack if you think I would.
Anyway...A nice wonderful sunny drive down (she wasn't nice enough to stop the car for me to take pictures, but in her denfense we were on a deadline). She got the item she had ordered and there happened to be a flea market going on and so we stopped to have a look see.

This is what I came home with 

   


I think it is pretty awesome!  Pretty pink french fruit jar.  The lady said it wasn't an antique, but to American standards it might as well be.  I got it for next to nothing and I am still giddy about it.
Best part is, hubby liked it so no grumbling about adding more weight when we move ;)



This is what Abby had to say about today: />//..">..josjyso9uyso9uyseyspoe9uy09ey


Nathan's input:  my big car jcudeyuwwww7uu5yyyyyyaa

How I bought the express ticket to hell

Last week we went to Rome. We had an amazing 5 days there with the kids
One day we visited the Vatican.  I'm not catholic, but didn't feel I could visit Rome and NOT see it.
I made sure we were all properly dressed for going to Vatican City (knees/shoulders covered) and we headed out for a day of walking (yep, no buses or metro, just our two legs, well a total of 8 in our case).

We got the once over from the people screening and we were in.

   
We noticed someone in black robes talking and a crowd gathered (and occasionally cheering), but I didn't think anything of it.  As we were walking around the courtyard area (have no clue what it is called) I look to see a person this time in white robes talking.




My mouth drops and what comes out of my mouth??? "Holy f*** is that the Pope?"  Yep, in the holy city talking about the Pontif, Holy Father, I drop the F bomb.  I laughed at myself and knew I sealed the deal on getting an express ticket to hell.  It was almost like the Angles handed me My "sign".



A few moments later......
Kids: Mom what is he saying
Me: Thou shall not pick your nose or you will go to hell...I should know

ps. I was at the VAT office today and a woman caught my eye and was looking at me funny, but I just noticed how pretty her eye shadow was...anyway...she came around and said:
Eyeshadow lady:  I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry
Me: um, why?
Eye shadow lady: oh, well i thought you overhead me on the phone to my daughter and I was trying to be quiet but I said a word I wouldn't want over heard and I was worried you heard me.
Me:  I live in my own world and I was just looking at your eye shadow, but now I am sorry I didn't hear it.  Don't feel bad, let me tell you a little story (insert story above here).
She and the other lady in the office were laughing so hard they were crying.
Eye shadow lady: Girl, God must have known I needed that laugh, He knows your heart was in the right place even if your mouth wasn't

I'm glad my ticket to hell can make someone..even me..laugh.
(It didn't make my mom laugh when I told her though.  I'm sure she was sitting with the phone to her ear shaking her head at me)

It takes someone who really wants/loves this job to wear this uniform and be taken seriously!

The horde of people walking up the where the museum entrance is. (which is around the corner, up the hill and around another corner)

Only two of about a hundred priests, nuns, etc we saw here.  What could possibly be drawing them ???? LOL

What moves you?