Firewood Has Arrived

It's that time of the year... our firewood is here!

Although it's our third school year here, our third time receiving firewood, I still get super excited when I hear the tractor pull up front!  And so does Francis... this year he got to ride IN the tractor as they dumped the wood onto our driveway... every 2 year old boy's dream!!  And so crazy to think that 2 years ago, he was in Isaac's place - just parked in front of the firewood for a photo in the stroller.

Ellie also got to go for a tractor ride with our neighbor and Francis when our neighbor's wood arrived. 

We got a new fireplace last winter and it's been working great!  The perfect spot for a bedtime story or a place for mom and dad to retreat to after everyone else is tucked in tightly upstairs :)

Stay warm!  :)

A-maze-ing trip to Vienna

We spent two days in Vienna with the students!

Our first stop was Heiligenkreuz Abbey ("Holy Cross") in the Vienna Woods.  This Cistercian monastery "Our Lady of the Holy Cross" was founded on September 11, 1133.  It is the oldest Cistercian monastery in the world that has continued without interruption since it's founding.

After Mass, we were able to kiss a relic of Jesus' true cross.  It is the largest relic of the true cross north of the Alps.  It was donated to the monastery in 1188 by Duke Leopold V, at the time when Vienna was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

Heiligenkreuz Abbey

Then we were off for a tour of Vienna's city centre.  Here's me and the kids with a cute tour guide :)

St. Stephen's Cathedral

After checking into our hostel, we made our way to Naschmarkt - a vast open-air market with 16th-century origins - where we did a little shopping and enjoyed dinner.

Classic Ellie and baby batman

The next morning we woke up early (not by choice) and the kids enjoyed climbing the bunk-beds and watching Paw Patrols in German.

After Mass, we headed to Schonbrunn Palace.  The Palace is a former imperial summer residence, and one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historical monuments in Austria.

We had a picnic lunch behind the palace in the gardens.

Then we went to the Maze and Playground at the Palace.

Then we went to the Zoo (Tiergarten) at the Palace.  It is the oldest zoo in the world and has repeatedly been awarded the title of the best zoo in Europe.

Big moment: Isaac found his toes this weekend!  Which is pretty cool, because Francis discovered his toes in Salzburg two years ago... and now Isaac at about the same age (almost 4 months) in Vienna!

For lunch the kids shared their favorite kind of pizza served here - salami and corn.  Yes, corn.  Which is odd even for someone raised in Iowa, but here it's the norm!

Finally, the highlight of the kids' trip (besides the bunk-beds), the two-hour bus ride home.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

God bless!