caution: read directions before use

ever eaten an alka-selzter?

i don't recommend it...

(i think smoke came out of my nose?)

add wasser (water) unless you like tiny explosions in your mouth.

blessed.

I have great friends.

My heart swells up everytime I look at these pictures and think of the time and thought that went into creating this masterpiece.

 Are you kidding me, Megan?

The most beautiful pumpkin carving dedicated to me!?

So thankful for this girl and her friendship.

[laughing until we cried was a daily activity our senior year]

I freaking love you, Megan Rouse.

pumpkin soup

oooops. It's been a few days since my last post. I've been a little preoccupied lately, but i'm back.

Carsten and Nicole had us over for an autumn-esque dinner.

PUMPKIN SOUP

I was a little nervous about trying soup, but then I came to my senses and remembered anything that Nicole makes is delicious and I LOVE everything else that involves pumpkins...

We had some sausages with dinner, I took a couple pictures of them, but sausages just really aren't photogenic, if you know what I mean. Mustard on the other hand is extremely photogenic, so we had a little photoshoot with the array of senf (mustard).

... then came dessert

Delicious!

Carsten's kaffee

Carsten started out chasing Luna, but looks like the game changed...

Luna is a great dog and very loved.

Nicole likes shoes almost as much as Luna.

Digestives

SKIP-BO!

Checking the standings (we're still in 2nd).

We beat the 3rd place team 4-0 on Sonntag (Sunday), Oktober 23, 2011.

No big deal...

I played the first 75 min; still working hard for the full 90!

Offenburg, Deutschland

 I left on my bike with no real destination in mind, but had looked up the way to Offenburg the day before. Just like every other day, I don't have too much planned except for an occasional Deutsch lesson and fußball training sessions.

So... I figured I would try to find my way.

 I weaved my way through the countryside and miraculously found my way.

(I didn't bring my camera bc I wasn't anticipating a 4 hr [round trip] to a pretty city...)

On the way back I went the correct way.

Where were these signs on the way there!?

bonjour madame!

I crossed over into France and saw this...

 A gaggle of riders with a police escort, a lead car that was filming them, and a tour bus in tow.

So, of course I had to race them...

 A mile later I decided it wasn't a real race because I was able to keep up on my cruiser.

At one point I was riding next to them and they were yelling out, "Bonjour, Madame." Haha, loved it. AND I think I may have made it in the camera shot because at one point I was towards the front of the pack (on the sidewalk).

These pictures make me crack up!

 Such a hard core bicycle...

Loving this European fall!

 Mom, will you send my tent? 

Can't believe I live here.

University of Strasburg parking lot

 Where's Waldo?

 yes.

 Am I dreaming?

For reals...

A scene out of 101 Dalmatians?

nomade (nomad)- A person with no fixed residence who roams about; a wanderer

Don't be fooled, there were a lot of pedestrians out, I just stopped in a less populated area to snag a pic.

It's taken so long to post this because my computer feels overloaded when I try to post 23 pictures... I can't help it, I love sharing my pictures!

2nd place!

 I felt a tinge of homesickness when I saw this today.

 It made me miss this ^ and my family.

But not to worry, there are mountains here!

 Bus ride to our game in Ausgburg on Sunday.
We won 2-1!!!! Which (I may be making this up... but I think we went from 4th to 2nd, hence the post title!)

I played 10ish min at center mid; I tweaked my knee at practice this week, coach wanted me to take it easy.

This is Maddi, I don't know anything about her (she doesn't know much English and I know even less German). Getting pretty good at sign language; in this picture she's saying, "I love Big Mac's."

I understand most of the schedule for the week! Tue, Wed, Friday at 7 pm.
Hopefully everything else is not important...

 I got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 beautiful countryside!

 these Germans... everything is so neat and efficient. 

 I biked to Sand.

I haven't been in this building yet, but I think it's the community center.

 We're training on this stuff next week...

 Our field!

 

 We went to a men's game to see our tour guide Dennis play.

 proud of him!

I tried to get a picture of the sunset from my room, guess I need to work on my photography skills...