Munich MLK Ladies' Weekend

When mid-January rolls around, it's time to round up my ladies and go on our annual getaway!

This was the 10th year for the MLK Weekend Girls' Trip. 

Sherri, Melissa, and Madds are the 10 year queens. This was my 6th trip.

Wine and dinner at the Naples airport 

Cuddling up in our house in Munich

So happy Angelia came from Kaiserslatern for the weekend!

Ready for our first morning exploring the city

 The crew in front of our house

 First stop: the Marienplatz

 Shopping for a new warm hat

Madds & I trying to stay warm

 Waiting for the noon Glockenspiel show

Lunch at the famous Hofbrauhaus

 The biggest and best pretzel of the weekend!

Guinness at a cool Irish Pub

Another sweet reunion with Jen, who came from Stuttgart

 Hard Rock Cafe

 Sunday morning we toured the beautiful Nymphenburg Palace

After the palace tour, it was time to warm up with some Gluehwein

The Naples girls in the snow

We enjoyed a delicious brunch and then wandered to the biggest beer garden in the city: Hirschgarten

Gluehwein and beer delivery!

What a perfect Sunday afternoon: keeping warm by the fire as we watched some locals curl. It even started to snow :)

Happy 14th Birthday, Emma!

There is a 14 year old in the family! 

We had a wonderful day celebrating our sweet Emma Louise 

Birthday donut

Chris was leaving for a basketball game in Rome, so we opened presents before school.

USA Women's Soccer Team jersey

Are these actual World Cup tickets?!?!?!

Clothes, Clothes, Clothes

Birthday dinner at Dom's with Caitlyn, Madison, and Izzy

 The adult end of the table

 The birthday girl and Frankie

 Make a wish!

Porto di Mola Saturday

Porto di Mola had been on my "must go back to" list for a few years.  Saturday was the perfect day for lunch and wine tasting

Emma, Zane, and Camden having some snacks before our tour

 

Love this almost 14 year-old of mine!

 Between every lunch course, Camden played on this little swing

 Beautiful Emma

 Ron, Sherri, Tony, Zane, and Lamar

Flashback to our last trip to Porto di Mola in 2015

2018 trip

I am so happy Zane captured this moment of laughter with my favorite people in the universe!

Selfie with the whole gang

 Sherri and Lamar

 The K kids loading up our wine

 We are sure going to miss Zane when he heads back to his final semester at Jacksonville University!

Let's drink some more wine!

Celebrating a Very Merry Christmas 2018

Last Sunday afternoon we were on a mission to bake cookies. We usually half Granny's recipe, but this year the kids decided to do the full recipe.  They cutout and decorated over 50 delicious cookies!

The 3rd Annual Christmas Eve Day showing of It's a Wonderful Life

Emma made our Christmas Eve traditional dinner

Handsome Camden and his shout out to Grandpa's hometown

Opening their new Christmas pajamas

All dressed up for Mass

Blessed beyond words!

Camden served his first Christmas Eve Mass

Lighting the Advent Candles

For unto us, a child is born

Back home after Mass for some laughs with Tim, Lori, Cole, and Bailey on FaceTime

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Herky decided he needed to be right there to listen to the story!

My Christmas morning kiddos!

Family picture Christmas afternoon at the Z's house

 Emma, Ron, and Chris surrounding the spread of my favorite Midwest holiday appetizers

Camden, Zane, and Emma

 Cheers to Chris and Ron

 Zane, Tony, and Sherri helping Emma and Camden with their Ancient Egypt Escape Room

This little angel celebrated her first Christmas! 

Sweet Francesca playing with her new toys

 Emma helping Gabriella with her new Barbie car

Mamas and their greatest blessings:

Madds, me, Sherri

Gabriella, Emma, Francesca, Camden, Zachary, and Zane

 The awesome dads (Dave, Chris, and Ron) with their greatest blessings!