Venice

On our way from Austria to Venice we stopped for a potty break and found these hats and had to get them for the kids.  Here they are sporting their new ear covers and eating some icecream. 

On this trip we found one of the least expensive places to stay were camping grounds.  We were not sure we wanted to sleep in our tent, especially with the rain so we didn't bring it.  At these camping villages they have small trailers for rent.  These places were actually really very comfortable.  They have two rooms, one for the parents and the other for the 3 roudy kids.  The camping village also had a swimming pools, playground, restaurant, and small grocery store.  You wouldn't think it but this place was more comfortable than a regular hotel, and less expensive to boot.  Take a close look at Brecon, he is going down in his classic picture pose.  When he is getting serious about a picture he will kneel down, often trying to get us to do the same.  Watch for it in other pictures. 

When we went into Venice we got on a boat not knowing where it would take us, but hoping it would be something worth seeing.  There were street vendors everywhere and everyone trying to make a buck one way or another.  These were a couple posing for pictures. 

Cael lost another tooth just as we got there.  We were actually worried he was going to loose it because it was so loose so we ripped it out.  Very little screaming and only minimal bleeding. 

Gondolas in a small canal in Venice

We had a hard time finding any food besides pizza and pasta/spagetti.  The one thing we could all agree on is that icecream is an excellent breakfast, lunch, dinner, and anytime snack.  We have probably spent more money on icecream on this trip than all other foods combined.  Connor is the funniest because at first we would not buy him one and would just share.  That only happened the first few times, now he throws fits if he is not the one holding the cone

Cael has been constantly wanting to be the photographer.  Rarely do they turn out well, but this one was not too bad. 

 Cael and Brecon in the St Marks square

We did find a nice place to get some pizza.  We actually couldn't eat it all.

On a boat in Venice, going under a beautiful bridge.

ICECREAM, ICECREAM, ICECREAM- Platt family diet for hot days in Venice

We took an afternoon and went to the beach at Lido Island.  Connor has been loving playing with dirt on this trip. Every time we turn around he is picking up the dirt, especially after we have cleaned his hands and they are still wet.  He also has a thing for rocks and will stop frequently to pick some up.  Sometimes when he is in a rock pickup mood we can just give him a big one to hold and he forgets about picking up all the other ones.  At one point Cael thought it was funny to give him an especially large rock that he was trying to lug around and didn't want to leave behind.  Sometimes Cael isn't the most helpful brother. 

Its hard to actually get them together without a wrestling match breaking out.  Here was a special moment where they just sat for the picture.  Classic Brecon kneel. 

Doge's palace. 

Cael in St Marks Square

 Brecon has occasionally not been happy with what is going on.  There has been much weaping and wailing at times.  The good thing is it doesn't usually last long, especially after threatening no more icecream. 

Here the boys are feeding the pigeons.  Connor is funny about animals because he gets so excited when we see them.  He will practically jump out of your arms to show you an animal he thinks you didn't see, but when the oppertunity to touch one comes he usually won't do it.  He likes to keep his distance from them and will only go near if you go with him and help. 

Many people have taken pictures of the boys on this trip.  It is usually the asain people.  I think there is something about the boys blond hair they like.  We are frequently asked if it is alright if they take the boys picture.  Sometimes they don't ask, which is still alright with us.  Sometimes we will let them hold Connor or Brecon in the pictures but when we do that the boys will always make a pouting face for the pictures.  It is actually kinda funny.   This lady below wanted her picture taken next to the boys. 

Here area the masks we bought in Venice.  Cael was so excited about them.  All he would talk about after seeing them was when were we going to buy some.  They when we finally did he wanted to wear his right away, all through the town of Venice.  We waited until we got back to the campground to put them on.  Now we just have to get them through this trip without breaking them. 

The Eagles Nest

We visited the Eagles Nest, which was a birthday present for Hitler.  It is in an area that he loved to vacation in.  They built it on the top of a mountain and it only took just over a year to build.  They built a small road up to the top along with this building/house that was named the Eagles Nest.  Hitler didn't go there too often because he was afraid of heights.  This first picture is at the place where you get on a bus to go up to the Eagles Nest.  There is a museum and documentary of Hitler and the Nazi's.  It was a cold day and rained off and on.  The kids were cold and again we had no jackets for them except the ones we brought for the grown-ups. 

This was in one of the bunkers at the museum.  The boys loved running through the bunker.  Connor figured out that when he yells in places like this it is really loud.  Ever since then he has been yelling when he gets into places like cathedrals and other quiet rooms.  It has been a bit embarrassing.

 Cute family at the top of the mountain. 

The boys were pretending they walked up this entire mountain.  The brochure said it was a 2 hr vigorous hike. Had we hiked it, it likely would have been the end of most of the Benjamin Platt family.  Luckily there was a beautiful bus to take us to the top. 

As I said before, it was cold and rainy.  We were a bit scared because one family at the bottom of the hill said they were just coming down and it was snowing at the top.  Cael had this jacket on and was walking up the stone stairs and tripped.  He had no way of catching himself and chipped a tooth on the stone.  Luckily it was one of his baby teeth.  This was just after that.  If you look close you  can see those big tears as we are telling him to smile for the camera.



Beautiful.

There is a small hill you can walk up at the top of the Eagles Nest.  This is looking back at the structure and the surrounding landscape. 

This is the view walking up from the building.  It was sure cold. 

The Salt Mines

That same day we made it to the Salt Mine tour (thanks Leslie for reminding us) I thought all my boys sure looked awesome in their jumpsuits, especially little EWOK Connor. It was fun dressing up like "miners"- which made us think about our friends THE MINERS... They sure have an awesome name!

 We rode in on a train and the whole family slid together down the wooden rail slide that actual miners have used for making their way down into the mine shaft. The boys loved it. I was amazed at how fast it got going, but luckily it came to stop at the bottom.

 Deep inside the mountain we arrived at the salt lake. We couldn't believe how crystal clear the lake appearred. We were suruprised to find out it was actually the relection from the ceiling!

It was very interesting to learn about how they excavate salt from the mountains and how once salt was sold as the same price as gold. The pictures they took inside were pretty funny of us so we got them- even though at least one person is making a crazy face-- ya gotta love it!

Austria and the Sound of Music Tour

So we decided to take a trip and to start it all off we headed south to Austria.  On the way the boys needed a potty break and a good running.  So during our run into the woods around the pit stop was a field with Jesus in it.  What I like about this picture is Brecon.  He seems to be holding the other boys in line.   

We stayed in a town named Salzburg, just over the border into Austria.  It is the birth place of Mozart and is full of fun history.  It is also the town where the Sound of Music outdoor scenes were filmed and storyline was set in.  We went on a tour seeing the sites of where things happened in the film.  It was a fun tour but they didn't give us enough time at each spot to enjoy the area.  It was a big rush all day long but we had  fun. Here are some pictures of our day.


One of the fun things about Cael is he has a nose for funny and is always willing to exploit it.  If there is something funny that a kid can do he usually finds it and if he doesn't then all it takes is a suggestion and he is all over it.  Here someone suggested that cow needed milking.  Brecon is in there squatting below the business end of the cow.  It is so hard to get him looking good in pictures. 

This is the backyard of the Von Trapp family house.  It is not the house because they used a different one, but it is the backyard and the lake where they fell in the lake. I have put a picture of them falling in the lake as well. 

Here is the gazebo were the daughter sang "I am sixteen going seventeen"

This is the walkway were Julie Andrews walked from the Abby to the Von Trapp home. 

 This is beautiful country.  I love Caels smile here.  Its like he is trying to show off his missing front teeth. 

 The kids often needed carrying on the trip.  Brecons favorite saying is "my legs hurt".  We have suggested cuttting them off a few times but he doesn't think that is funny.

One of my favorite stops was at the chapel where they got married at the end of the film.  When we got there we didn't think we would be able to go in because there was an actual wedding going on at the time. In the end we were able to go in and actually watch some of the wedding ceremony. Here are some pictures of the wedding party, ceremony, and chapel. 

This is a picture of the wedding scene from the movie. 

This is the area they were singing the Do Re Mi song.  At the end of the song they hopped up and down these stairs, thus the hopping up the stairs below.  I love the unicorns and the boys sitting on them.  If you remember from the Playmobile blog previously, there was another picture of the boys on a unicorn.  I think secretly it is their favorite animal. 

I hope THIS works- IT DID!

Still can't believe I live here- it is amazing!

YEAH!!! IT WORKED!! NOW YOU CAN SEE WE WERE ACTUALLY THERE!!
A few of the things I will remember from this little outing.
1) Our morning started out pretty slow and relaxing. Giggling and tickling, walking to the backerei, and actually thinking we were getting out and about early. It turned out to be an hour later than my watch said. It was still cool that I didn't get out of bed until after 10, right?
2) Connor was hilarious to watch at the strawberry field. He insisted on carrying the largest container, but he never put anything into it. He would just walk straight down the row until he was all the way to the end. We finally got him turned around so he was at least by people. Right as we were about to leave he finally figured out that he could actually EAT the strawberries and that make things a bit more complicated. Somehow I was able to carry a squirming boy AND hold onto at least 2 of our strawberry containers up to the pay station.
3) Someone picking strawberries is going to have an extra lucky day. I didn't have pockets in my pants and put the money I was going to pay with tucked just inside my waist along with my keys. Well, at the end of our picking time and after reaching along my pants to grab the money I realized it was gone. It still makes me sick to think about.... but just know that it was more than $20 USD. Yes someone probably had a very great day after finding that in the strawberry field.
4) Still love how I made jam with my buddy. AND how delicious it tasted on warm biscuits...
5) I love living here. The countryside, forests, and rolling hills are beautiful.

**I have tried for about 4 days now to add a new post about our fun strawberry day but there is something weird going on here. Obviously the best part are always the pictures... so until things get straightened out here just imagine a beautiful sprawling strawberry field, rolling farmland, 3 adorable boys with containers overflowing with the most ripe and delicious fresh strawberries you have ever seen... and a momma trying to capture the memories and enjoy the moment. It was a good day.

Also fun making a triple batch of jam with Cael the next day. He was a champion stirrer (i am not sure that is how you spell that... but that is what he did!)

Just tried to add photos again. NO luck. Anyone else have the 'server rejected' problem?