Sunday Expeditions

Last Sunday, we have been for a long walk through the Babelsberg Park. It turned out the be one of the most interesting and exciting expeditions for Anna! Rocks, wooden sticks, trees, flowers, leaves, snails, aunts, bumble-bees, sand and mud were all there awaiting Anna's diligent inspections:

Collecting little rocks (later geologically identified by her parents as either limestone, sandstone or granitic rocks)

Empress Augusta's bench was rededicated as climbing scaffold...

... and as laboratory bench for the study of aunts:

mud, Mud, MUD!!!!!

Teufelskrallen (Phyteuma) are usually not domestic in these lowlands, but there is a unique occurrence here in the park!


Studying the interaction of gravity, acceleration and wet sand on the shore of the Havel river:

On our way back home, our expedition leader declared one of our expedition members as her personal carrier:

Pentecost Vacations

In order to escape our every-day routine for a short while, we rented a vacation house in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommerschen Seenplatte over Pentecost. We invited Anna's two best friends Arne and Darius (and their parents, of course) to join us, thus we were a happy party of nine. Kamil and I spent already some holidays in this house in 2006, but our high expectations due to our good memories of this place were even outclassed! The kids were having fun, in the huge garden as in the house, we had great food (even some BBQ!), and lots of funny games and chatting in the evenings for the parents.
It was a lovely week-end, even though the weather was a bit unsettled (actually, we are still waiting for some warm days...crazy May!) and even though our Anna suffered from high fever for two days. We were well looked after and spoiled by our helpful friends!

Here are the kids and Mason in the sandbox: Darius, Anna and Arne

Anna and Arne on the sun lounger:

The kids and Petra playing with Lego (Petra tried to construct a Lego house - many times in vain!):

Arne and Anna on the patio:

Kamil brought our slackline, which we tried for the first time - argh! that's really difficult!!!!
Oh well, Kamil is doing so much better than I!

Darius and Arne as kitchen helpers:

Reading books to the kids:

And the most favourite place in the house - the appeasing rocking chair!

Kitchen Helpers

Today I was lucky to have Anna and Kamil helping me in the kitchen - serious business for the two!

Sunday Activities

After quite a long break in posting some news of the U family, I finally resume my blogging activities. Like the proverb "no news are good news" predicts, everything is fine, just the usual busy days of everyday live, Eastern were spent in Innsbruck and finally Spring arrived in Potsdam (which we really enjoy!!!!).

Today's Sunday was thus also filled with Spring activities: in the morning, Anna and Kamil prepared our little balcony and were busy planting flowers and watering their oeuvre.




In the afternoon, we took our bikes and the hanger and drove to the Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island), which is only about half an our away form where we live. We took the ferry to the island and enjoyed a stroll through the green and blooming park.


Anna was absolutely fascinated by the shouting peacocks and their impressive fans of feathers.

Anna Antanna

Serious Kitchen Disorder

Last week, I was making some muffins. My idea was to prepare them in the morning hoping Anna would be happy playing on herself in the meantime. I could have baked them also during Anna's nap time around noon, but I saw myself rather enjoying this short period of quiescence with a book in my hands than mixing eggs and butter.
Well, my sweet little daughter was not so happy about playing on her own but instead was standing between my legs squeaking and squealing to attract my full advertence. I did not want to give in and handed her a box full of little sachets of baking powder, vanilla sugar and lemon zest to play with. With great seriousness she spread the sachets across the kitchen floor. Unfortunately, she lost interest in the dispersion of these bags soon enough. As my muffin preparation was not finished yet, I prepared another distraction for Anna. Pushing her chair close to the cupboards, I opened a drawer for her. It contains all sorts of foils, baking parchment, freezer bags, kitchen towels, rubber bands, closure clips and the like. This worked perfectly! Anna was frenetically emptying the drawer, diligently examining all items which emerged from this treasure drawer. I barely saved the permanent marker from her hands before she had decorated something else than her hands with black lines. Thus, I could peacefully finish my muffins.
Afterwards, I spent the whole time of Anna's nap cleaning the kitchen...

A Walk In The Snow and A Walk In A Tropic Garden

Kamil's parents came to visit us last week-end, thus we could celebrate Kamil's birthday together! And Anna enjoyed it very much to have Dziadzio and Babcia around her - two more people to dedicate all their time and love only to her! For example, Anna found a new driver/pusher for her truck:


On Saturday, we went for a walk in the Babelsberg Park, taking the sedge with us, and were enjoying the snow.





On Sunday, we visited the Biosphäre Potsdam, a huge greenhouse full of tropical plants, some birds, fish, turtles and butterflies. It was a wonderful stroll through thick greenery, which strongly reminded us of Taiwan's flora!





Thanks to Magda and Marek for a wonderful visit!