Reflections

2012-01-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

In front of the Cathedral...more photos from our day in Pecs

2012-01-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

iN ThE mOdErn ArT GaLleRy!

2012-01-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

The boys in Pecs over the break....with mozart and his delicious candy.

2011-08-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

kangaroo kamp photos 2011

click on photo to see more!

2011-08-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of crazies in the woods!!

2011-08-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

In the middle
my brothers and I

2011-08-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

At the Japanese Steak House

Great time with my brothers and my boys!!!

2011-08-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Summer in Michigan 2011
Thanks for all the memories....

2011-08-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

CROATIA

Surfs down....

2011-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

My Mother Kept A Garden

My mother kept a garden.

A garden of the heart;

She planted all the good things...

That gave my life it's start.

She turned me to the sunshine,

And encouraged me to dream:

Fostering and nurturing

The seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rains came,

She protected me enough;

But not too much, she knew I'd need

To stand up strong and tough,

Her constant good example,

Always taught me right from wrong;

Markers for my pathway

To last my whole life long.

I am my Mother's garden,

I am her legacy.

And I hope today she feels the love,

Reflected back from me.

We miss you mom, you are close in our hearts. -Lisa

2011-06-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of wild and crazy guys!!

2011-06-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

2011-05-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

We had a long weekend in Szalsburg, Austria and Spring break in Italy. Great family roadtrips. Enjoy the shows below!

Movies

2011-05-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Movies

2011-05-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

2010-12-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, we got a wii

for Christmas so you know what the boys have been up to

I have posted a bunch of pictures, enjoy! I hope all is well with everyone and you are enjoying some relaxing time over the holidays!

2010-12-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

Aniken in the middle of the puddle

2010-12-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

Aniken

2010-12-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

Zander

2010-12-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010-12-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the Birthday present Uncle Joe, Aunt Lori & Colty

And thanks for my birthday present as well, the jewelry is beautiful!

2010-12-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

Aniken's gingerbread house, cooking club

2010-12-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

Aniken, all spiffed up for his school picture

2010-12-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

More cookie snowmen

2010-12-30T11:18:00.000-08:00

Zander eats his snowman in cooking club

2010-12-30T11:17:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at Susan's

my Dutch apple pie

2010-12-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

Aniken in the snow

2010-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Aniken making a snowman

2010-12-30T11:12:00.000-08:00

Aniken and the dragon

2010-12-30T11:10:00.001-08:00

Aniken

2010-12-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

Hiking to Janos Hegy

2010-12-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

Janos Hegy look out tower

2010-12-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Janos Hegy

2010-12-30T11:07:00.001-08:00

Janos Hegy

2010-12-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Janos Hegy(mountain)

a hike to the lookout

2010-12-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

BUDAPEST PHOTOS

The Chain Bridge and the Parliment

2010-12-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

2010-11-04T01:30:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN & AUTUMN!!!

Here we are into November already! This week we have a much needed fall break-a week off from school! We started it last Friday night with a Halloween Party at our house with lots of kids, fun and games. The pumpkins above show the guests' handywork. Then Satuday, Sunday and Monday we spent at the "horse hotel" The boys love the pool and it is a nice rest for us all. Monday was spent doing some cleaning up from the party and organizing some stuff at home. Tuesday was more of this and a visit to the doctor for a check up and the pharmacy for some vitamins. Wednesday we went into the city and picked up stuff at Zoli's office, and then went to the US embassy to renew our passports since mine expired on October 31 and the boys will expire in February.
I will be going to a conference in London in January and also taking my class, including Zander and Zoli will be the other chaperone, to England in June. So we had to get our passports updated. Today I went to have some blood taken and they will check my cholesteral and stuff, since I hadn't been to the doctor for a couple of years. We have three days left....we will probably go down to Zoli's mom's for a night. I still have a lot of stuff to do around the house....we'll see what gets done. My shoulder and neck have been stiff so I am not moving around so fast the last couple of weeks...anyway I hope all is well with all.

I have a few more pictures of the boys below. The boys at the Hotel, and Aniken with his cats...

2010-08-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

Michigan Summer

Wow, the summer has been great and busy. I have never missed blogging at least once a month...and I missed two, almost three. We were in Michigan for 5 weeks and enjoyed every minute, except those that found us sick with the nero virus we caught at millinium park. We had some wonderful times with family and friends, swam a lot, enjoyed our missed american food favorites, slept in the tent, shopped, garage saled..... the time flew by too quickly.

Once back to Hungary we spent a few days at Lake Balaton and then went to Croatia to the seaside for a few days as well. Then it was time for Kangaroo Kamp...that was a lot of fun, but by the end of that I was ready to rest a bit.

But not for long school starts for the kids on Wednesday, and I spent the last week at school preparing for that. I am no longer teaching science to every grade, but English, art, design technology, and drama just for the middle school kids. And of course I will have my cooking club. I am looking forward to this year... it will be good : )

I will try to post photos but I realize it is easier to post them on Picassa, so find I am not getting as many on here....I'll try.

2010-05-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

Some photos

The chickens want ouT!

Zander and Aniken biking

Aniken eats the last of the speghetti

2010-05-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Some Photos

an old apartment building balcony in Budapest

Irises, they are so colorful

Zander smiles, on our walk

2010-05-24T01:57:00.000-07:00

Here it is nearly the end of May!

This month was busy with many activities including my first trip to England! But not alone, the fun was to be had with my two English colleagues and our 24 middle school students. We hiked and sketched in the lake district, visitied a textile museum, ate "proper" fish and chips by the shore, shopped and visited the castle/prison in Lancaster, observed the paintings of Lowry and participated in a hands on portarit workshop, went to a soccer match, and visited Manchester United Stadium. It was a lot of fun, with many memories made.

The week after was the two cooking club dinners, one for the Tuesday group (31) and one for the Thursday group (25). My students served their guest speghetti dinner and cupcakes for dessert(I made about 200), and after we had a program with poems, a slideshow, and a raffle. It was nice and the parents and students seemed to enjoy it very much. I had lots of compliments and even flowers!

Saturday the 23rd we had a small BBQ with some friends over and of course it was nice all day but at about 6 when we started grilling and were heading to the porch, it downpoured. So it was an indoor event, neverthe less the shiskabobs were scrumptious!

Zoli has to get knee surgery on Friday this week because he ripped up a cartilage playing soccer. The boys are doing well and really looking forward to summer in Michigan. Only 31/2 weeks of school left. I have lots of reports to write and things to get straightened around.

The weather has been strange, earlier this week it was super windy and cold, it has warmed up some but it's still stormy. Yesterday we had a 10 minute ice/hail storm. Poor Zander hates this unpredictable weather.

I'll try to be back again soon...Above are some photos I took this weekend.

2010-04-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

Two Art Teachers

our Exhibition

Zoli made it home from Poland Sunday morning by train, because there were no flights and we zoomed down to the village and got the show set up in time, with a half an hour to spare! It turned out really nice. We had a few people come from the city that we knew and the rest were from the village, around 70 or 80 people that came through. Aniken showed his work too.

2010-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Painting #6

This painting is the largest a little over 2 feet by a little over 5 feet. It is Lake Balaton. I painted it from a photo I took this fall. Click on the photo to see it bigger.

2010-04-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

Painting #5

2010-04-06T05:12:00.000-07:00

Painting #4

2010-04-06T05:10:00.000-07:00

Painting #3

2010-04-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

Painting#2

2010-03-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Painting #1 I am so busy....I almost missed a month! I have started painting for my show April 17. I will post as I finish them. Here is number one. It is a favorite place of mine, Lake Michigan. Any title Ideas?

2010-02-21T00:06:00.000-08:00

My Orchids are blooming beautiful!!!

2010-02-20T23:58:00.000-08:00

Aniken the Rock Star

Aniken's class performed a rock song at the assembly on Friday

Aniken makes a bed for himself and his cat.

2010-01-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

SNOW!!

These are the trees I park by everyday. I had to take some pictures because the snow sticking to the trees was beautiful yes so lovely but a real pain when you try to get up the mountain to work. Last Monday it took me two hours. That is a long story...

Below my school, nesteled in the forest of trees and snow.

2010-01-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

Homework Help or Hinder?

Patches sits by Zander while he tries to do his work. He likes her.

2010-01-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

Meet Patches, my new pet

We did some more adopting last week. This cat was living in the well of an older couple. The couple is no longer at the house. She is very ill and he is an a nursing home so our neighbor was feeding the cat. Well it got very cold last week and so our neighbor convinced us we needed a cat. She couldn't keep it because she already has one and a dog as well. It wasn't to hard to convince Aniken, who could then boast of three pets (fish, gunea pig and now cat). The child who wants to know how to build cages so he can start his zoo. Anyway we went over to check the cat out. The house is just two minutes from here. We took her home. Zoli washed her up. And so now we have a cat.

2010-01-10T00:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!!!

On my birthday we went over to my friend Agi's who I use to work with at Kossuth. They fixed a great lunch, we talked a lot, went for a walk (above) and played some games.

A couple days after my birthday our neighbors(Zita, and Fritzi, and ?) invited us over for dinner and surprised me with a beautiful plant- for the crazy neighbor lady...that's what I always say to little Fritzi, he is pictured below with Zander. He loves to be by the big boys.

Aniken blows his horn, that was actually a bit taller than him!! HAPPY NEW YEAR-BUEK!!

Everyone watching the clock on the TV tick us into the new year!!!

2009-12-27T14:16:00.000-08:00

Weird Winter Weather

Clouds gather in the sky

I went out for a walk on Christmas day and the sun was shining so bright. The snow had all melted by the day before so it seemed like a spring day. Then clouds rolled in and a sprinkle of rain started. When I was coming down a small hill to an open clearing, I was stopped in my tracks by the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. It was so bright and complete, I just stood and stared at it, not believing it. Then I started to take pictures, looking at the pictures though they can't capture the size, and shine of it. It was a little Christmas gift since there was no snow, I figure.

Clouds move through the blue sky- no blizzards here.

The sun is bright making striking sillhouettes of everthing

NO SNOW BUT A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW!!

2009-12-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

More Christmas Pictures

Aniken and his transformer, and his new bug collecting belt. Thanks Grandma

The snow melted so Aniken was out looking for bugs

Zander and I go for a walk, I make him stop for a picture. He is good about this but after a few, okay a bunch...he says, "okay mom, that is enough now lets go."

By the Christmas tree

2009-12-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

The snow we had before Christmas

We made a snowman as the snow began to melt...

The boys standing by the tree. "Stand still or no presents"

A lava lamp for the boys

A new tag book, thanks Grandma

2009-12-22T04:41:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY

NEW YEAR FROM THE STEINERS

Can you find Zoli in the pictures?

......He was the school Santa this year!

2009-12-22T00:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the presents Uncle Joe, Aunt Lori, and Cousin Colty!

I love BUGS!!

Maybe more Bugs!!!

Zander got me a helicopter!!

2009-12-21T23:46:00.000-08:00

Aniken turns 7 on December 8!!

Aniken all slicked up and ready for his party.

By the sea cake with sharks and sea animals, made by mom

Pin the tail on the Donkey fun.

The boys brought some nice gifts for Aniken

2009-12-21T23:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas Cookie Making at Flora's!

Finished products

Making the frosting

lots to decorate

At work decorating, Aniken really liked it. Zander decorated and then ate it, every time.

Wow, all finished. Flora, Tibi, and Zoli admire the cookies...
YUMMY! Thanks for having us Flora!

2009-12-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

More pictures of the boys during our walk

Zander and the sheep in the park.

Aniken grabs Petrofi Sandor's hand.

2009-12-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

I passed!

I took the Hungarian citizenship test yesterday, written and oral. Luckily Zoli helped me study...making some use of his history degree.

Waiting for the results

My supporters, after the test we walked around the city a bit...Szekesfehervar

One of the many churches.

2009-11-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

Aniken missing his front teeth and a couple of silly boys

2009-11-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

Haircuts last week

Aniken had spikes, I had curls, and Zander had a buzz in the back. Zoli took the picture since he doesn't need haircuts

2009-11-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

Fall Tree

From our hike over Fall break, only four more weeks until Christmas break!

2009-11-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

International Week

It was International week at my school last week. During the week each class studies a country and decorates the room with what they learned. My class had Japan and in the photo collage you can see us building a teahouse, making susi, painting bamboo banners, and looking like Geishas! On Saturday there was an assembly of international performances, activities, and a big big buffet of every kind of food you can imagine brought in by the parents and staff. It was a fun week.

2009-11-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Ready set SLIDE!

This was taken at a late fall picnic, before the weather was miserable like it has been for the past week...

2009-11-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

Color for the artists eye

a building in Pec

2009-11-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

Aniken missing one front tooth

2009-11-08T05:23:00.000-08:00

Trees in the forest

from our Bakany Mountain hike over Fall break

2009-11-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Some fun with filters

ABOVE: Aniken sits on a bench outside the Castle in Deg.
BELOW: The boys stand in front of the Castle. Summer 2009

2009-11-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

Aniken, in August

I like to look back at these summer pictures because the days of November are dark and wet and cold and windy....

2009-11-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

Fall Colors

2009-11-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

An old boat by Lake Balaton

2009-11-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween

We had a fun Halloween, decorating the house, carving pumpkins and having a party last night. We took lots of pictures which you can see in my picasso web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/lisamariesteiner/Halloween09
There were 50 people in and out counting the super steiners...
More pictures from Girdy http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2881014&op=1&view=all&subj=682204025&id=608221644#/photo.php?pid=2881000&id=608221644
and more pictures from the long haired witch, whose hair I keep finding on my floor...
http://picasaweb.google.com/cocoradiohead10/LisaSHalloweenParty?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDDo_TR7_-3QA&feat=email

2009-10-30T01:13:00.000-07:00

On our hike, no treasure in here

2009-10-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Aniken in the airplane We visited an airplane museum. Check out the slide show

2009-10-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

Flowers

2009-10-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

A PICTURE A DAY
I have found this easy way to put pictures on through picasso this photo software, so I have decided to try and put on a picture a day, to help the memories stay...we'll see. I have so many pictures I will pick a favorite each day and put it on. I will still blog too of course, when I can but popping on a picture is easy enough...now that this desktop is up and running as long as I am home there is no reason I can't do it...so stay tuned...

2009-10-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Lake Balaton

2009-10-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Fall Leaves

2009-10-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

Fall Break!

Last Thursday we had a fabulous Halloween themed morning of activities with the middle school kids. Our middle school is grades 5-7, next year it will be 5-8. I am the 5th grade class teacher/advisor this year and I am really enjoying it. I still teach the little ones some lessons too but I am only teaching science and social studies now, no English.

So for the Halloween entertainment we watched Monster House, played games, and crafted a haunted house from many of those wonderful Halloween items I was fortunate enough to have my friends find for me and collect this summer. I then had a pizza making lunch with my class. The kids had a tastey time producing their own mini pizzas. After we finally cleaned up it was after one oclock. Freedom from the school for over a week was no longer something that loomed in the distance.

My friend Ester, who is the art teacher at my school, and I organized a couple of days to sort out the summer camp we are planning, to draw and to walk. She knew the perfect place. A place her family had been going since she grew up. Both of her parents are artists and in Hungary there were places for artisis and writers to come together -some of them still exist for now, but for how long no one knows. So we stayed in an old in need of repair but teribly romantic Esterhazi castle with a gorgeous gardens near Lake Balaton. We had a nice time- a much needed time to relax and talk, and not be rushing off to teach a class, to make copies, go on duty...we could talk without bing interupted ten times by childeren in one sentence. So it was very good for reviving our spirtits and putting some energy back into us for the next months of teaching. Thanks Ester.

After this Zoli and the boys came to get me and we went home for the night. They had been at grandma's with the guinea pig. Aniken learned to ride his bike without training wheels. We went home and regrouped and got ready to go to Kisber for two nights to enjoy the pool.

My friend Agi from Kossuth School where I used to teach, along with here husband and soncame too. Our neighbors also come for one night. We enjoyed the pool and ventured out on Sunday for a hike. Laci, Agi's husband found a walking tour online that he printed out. It wasn't too far from the hotel. We walked about 12 kilometers in the Bakony Mountains along the Cuha stream. It was beautiful. The trees were gorgeous and the rock formations very interesting.

Now we are home, cleaning the house and getting ready for our Halloween party Saturday night.

2009-10-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Some Pictures of my boys

2009-09-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

September is flying by bye.....
The fourth week of school where is the time flying off too? Things are busy, the boys are fine. I started a cooking club at school and have been doing some tutoring so I have very little spare time, not that I did anyway.
We went to a wedding of a friend last weekend. (An american I work with married a Hungarian lady)
Aniken and Zander both lost a tooth this week.
We have adopted a guinea pig and Zoli has been feeding the stray cat, well we found out tonight it is actually two cats, they must be siblings...
I hope all is well with all. I will try to write again sooner, I know you've all heard that before.

2009-08-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the rest of the summer
We are back in Hungary and the Steiner's are together again. We arrived back Thursday the 6th and then went on a mini vacation that we just arrived back from tonight. We spent three days camping with many of our neighbors right on Lake Balaton, then spent two nights in a wonderful little chalet in the grapelands near Balaton (complements of our neighbors), then we spent five nights at Grandma Zsofias. We had lots of fun. The boys swam, fished, and road bike. I even went roller blading which I haven't done in ages. I have to report back to work next week, but plan to go in this week just to get some things straightened around. So things will begin to settle with autumn approaching...now if I can get some pictures of the summer posted....

2009-08-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

5 weeks fly by!!
Our summer in Michigan is coming to an end. Tomorrow we fly back to Hungary. We have had a fabulous time catching up with family and friends. The boys look forward to going back, but like Aniken says, "awe man I have so much fun here in Michigan." We will have a couple of weeks and then school starts again. Thanks everyone for making Michigan memories with us! I have taken a couple thousand pictures and will try to put up a slide show....

2009-07-13T07:48:00.001-07:00

Michigan WavesThe photo of the summer so far...

We are having lots of fun. We spent time at the Lake fishing, swimming, walking, biking, and enjoying the company of family. We got to meet our new relative, baby Colty. We caught up with some old friends in Grand Haven at Joyces party and have done a little shopping. We went to the beach a couple of nights and tomorrow we are planning Michigan Adventure. The boys have been having fun with the cats and Aniken is in full bug catching mode. I am working on a slide show of these events.....

2009-06-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hello little guy..Aniken and one of his crab friends

A Wet Week

We had a good time in Croatia but it wasn't too much time by the seaside...we had a lot of rain, and cloudy weather. We did get a bit of sun now and then though and when we weren't playing cards or watching movies or reading we were at the beach or walking. Aniken caught lots of crabs. Zander watched the clouds and told us when we would get the next rain shower. We were together and that's what mattered....

2009-06-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last Day of School!

Today we ended the school year, well the boys anyway...I have to go in and work next week. Here is a picture of Aniken in his dance today at school. He is the one in the middle with a tie on.
Aniken had to draw a picture of his summer plans. It is above, showing Zander catching the big fish on the right, he is in the middle catching his little shark, and Shaun is to the left catching something as well. I am the green person on the far far right keeping an eye on them and getting ready to put worms on the hooks. And yesterday Aniken made a robot friend. Here they are watching TV together. He slept with him last night too, he was a little crinked this morning and we had to repair an arm. But he went to school. The boy that bit Aniken last week cut one of the robots legs shorter than the other and Aniken was not so happy about this so it was more repairs when we got home...The funniest was yesterday after he made it the conversations they were having. Robot- Have I been to school, yet? Aniken-Well of course not silly, I just made you a little while ago, but you can come with me tomorrow.

I have some pictures of Zander on sport day and of course others....they may be on here soon... Hope all is well and everyone is relaxing a bit with summer here.

2009-06-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

What have we been up to?

Yesterday we went up north near the Slovakian border to take the kids on a small train that goes in the mountains. Zoli and I had actually taken our kids from school hiking here years ago. Anyway we got to the train station just in time to catch the 1150 train. It took about a half an hour to the last stop where we got off and decided we would take a big hike. There are lots of trails here. The weather was beautiful at our home in Diosd an hour and a half away when we left, but here there were clouds and as we stepped off the train we felt a few sprinkles...then we started walking. Not even 10 minutes into our big hike...it started raining really hard. So we found an old playground and there was a little old aframe playhouse that we all four climbed into and we ate our lunch here because at this point the boys were sooo hungry. We ate among cobwebs and dirt sitting on the old boards inside this little house. The boys loved it, especially Aniken. Zander was just glad not to be getting wet. After we ate our sandwiches the rain seemed to have let up so we headed out to continue our big hike. We walked for about 25 minutes and then the rain started again...at this point it didnt seem it would be stopping anytime soon so we headed back to toward the train station, at least there were pavillians there we could stand under. We bought the boys some ice cream on the way and made it back to catch the 230 train. We were all soaked so we changed some shirts and then headed back. The boys slept most of the way home and later said they enjoyed the adventure but not so much the rain...me too!!

2009-05-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

May
Here it is almost the end of May and I havent blogged...I have never not had at least one blog in a month since I started this thing. I have been busy of course...with school, the family, the house and yard......but I will keep blogging because I like to look back at it. I am on facebook and seem to be able to connect with people there more easily... But the blog is different it is a place for writing, photos, things that capture those moments and events that slip by..so I will keep blogging and now I have to go work on the 96 reports. Only two and a half weeks of school left, another year slides by... 17 years of teaching. When I started I remember thinking of teachers that taught that long... wow I thought how could they stay at it all those years...time has told me how, you just keep doing it if you like it and yes I really like teaching......Night. Hope all is well with those who still check this on occasion.

Zander played in a piano concert today. Twinkle twinkle little star. It was a proud moment for mom:)

2009-04-26T05:01:00.000-07:00

Easter BunniesWe visited Zoli's cousins and got to pet the bunnies. Aniken loved them.

2009-04-05T00:50:00.000-07:00

GO SPARTANS!!!!!!
To the finals!!
We watched the game live, but for us it started at 1:30 in the morning...I had a hard time staying awake exciting as it was.... The final starts tomorrow night at 9:21pm over there so that means 3:21 Tuesday morning here.... I'll try to get up because it is best to watch it live... I don't like to turn on the computer and see who won and then watch a rerun...there is no fun in that.

2009-03-29T13:44:00.001-07:00

they won...
go MSU!!
To the final four!

2009-03-29T00:58:00.001-07:00

GO STATE!!!!
The spartans are in the ELITE EIGHT!!!

2009-03-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

a busy break... March moves in

fun at The Palace of Wonders

We had a nice week off at the end of Febuary. Monday we visited our old schools. Aniken's nursery school, where he spent his first two years when we came back here, was first and there we found old friends and his teacher. It was nice to go back and talk to her a bit. Aniken didn't want to stay though, "this is vacation," he said to me, "why do I have to go to school on vacation??" Then we visited Kossuth, Zander and I and Zoli's old school. It was a bit overwhelming for Zander and I realized, as all 29 kids in the class ran around, that he is now in a place better suited for him with his 8 classmates. The kids all gave me a big bear hug and it was such a nice warm feeling. I do miss this school: my teaching friends and all the students, with all my groups I had most of them.

Tuesday we went to the Palace of wonders, science museum. This was a very cool hands on museum. We hadn't ever been here before and we all enjoyed it very much. (pictures above)

Then on Wednesday we headed down over to our favorite hotel and we stayed there two nights, until Friday. We visited the Herron ceramics museum and factory on Thursday, which was really incredible. On Friday we came back and then rested on Saturday. Actually Zoli and Aniken went to a handball game, but Zander and I stayed home.

On Sunday we went to the zoo. We started in the new part that had been closed to remodling the last time we went so it was like going to the zoo for the first time. We had lots to see and laughed the most at mama bear and her meat discovery in the log.

Then it was back to school and a week flew by. We were at Zoli's mom's this weekend and then Zander had a fever this morning so I stayed home with the boys today.

2009-02-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

It snowed and snowed Our snowman

Aniken outside making snow mountains. He also found a catipillar which is now on the table in the habitat he made for it.

Zoli leaves for work, well tries it was slippery up the slope of road by our driveway.

Since we moved back here this is the most snow I've seen in Hungary. It took me two hours to get to work yesterday! It snowed more last night so today so I called in for a personal day. I just didn't want to drive in it up the mountain and down in so much snow. I felt it was dangerous and didn't want to take a chance. So the boys and I made a snowman and hung out at home today. I ran some errands this afternoon and the roads weren't too bad the sun came out and did a lot of melting. The sun was so bright today, with the white snow it was almost blinding.

Next week we have off so we look forward to that.

2009-02-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

What's new? Same old...SICKY ICKY

Zander got sick for a third time last weekend and then Aniken and I both got sick again this weekend. I was so sick Saturday morning, puke diaria, the whole works. I didn't go to work on Monday and I've been weak and tired all week. I am feeling a lot better today though.

Tomorrow is farsang at school. It is like Mardi Gras, Carnival. So the boys will dress up and have fun doing different activities. I plan to take pictures and post them on my blog. I have been asked to judge costumes so that should keep me busy. I dug out my long haired black wig and a tye-dye shirt so I can be a hippy, how do you exactly explain what a hippy is to 7 year old ESL students? It doesn't matter I will look funny and that's what they like.