Great Times in Gaming

For the first time in forever (sorry, too much Frozen around here) we didn't travel anywhere!

We had a great time at home in Gaming!

Friday night was the students' Austrian Ball....beginning with everyone posing in their dirndls and lederhosen in the field in front of our home....

After dinner, the ball began with traditional Austrian slap dancing....these are the professionals.....

At one point they carried in a log and began hacking away, while drinking a beer.....

Then it was the students turn to dance....

Saturday we went to the nearby HochrieB-Wildpark with our neighbors.  They have stables...

Trampolines...

A playground with kiddie-toys....

Swings, slides built into the hill, and teeter-totters made out of logs....

Spinny-rides and pony rides....  You pay 2 euro and then you can just grab a stick and a pony.....

And you're off....  No professional supervision needed....

The pony only stepped on Brian's foot once....thankfully, no broken toes....

The perfect weather continued for a lovely day on Mother's Day (yes, they celebrate us moms here as well :)  

The Otscherland Festival was going on outside the Kartause.  Basically it's a 2-day Oktoberfest - lots of food, drinking, music and dancing.  We went during the day and Ellie enjoyed dancing with the "real Austrian children"....

Drinking....(it's apple juice, I promise!)....

Bumper cars....

And cheering on the students (and daddy) at the volleyball tournament....

Tonight were the big play-off games for the Intramural Ultimate Frisbee teams.... here's Brian's team (The Year of No Mercy!) practicing for the big game (with a little help from the kids)....

Ellie posing near their intramural field (I love how gorgeous it is!)....

Here was the starting line-up tonight....

Sadly, after a close game and a lot of cheering from the sidelines, the faculty/staff team lost....(yes, I rarely hold my kids in public ;)......

So yeah, not traveling around here is NOT a bad thing!  

It's been great to have the time at home....Francis loves the freedom and being able to practice his walking....

And his dumpster diving.....

Tschuss!  (Bye!)