First of many summer days to come

Saturday morning, we awoke to bright sunshine. Our first destination was the market as Eric had not been to it yet. With the girls pushing their baby strollers and Eric pulling the wagon, we were on our way. We did our best to stay in the shade as the sun was already intense. After picking out our groceries and the girls getting apples and cherries this week, we stopped in the bakery. The bread loaf I picked out to be sliced was still warm so it could not be sliced. Bummer, we had to bring home warm fresh baked bread.

We spent the late afternoon celebrating Hanna's 2nd birthday. Melanie found a nearby bakery that makes cakes close to American style wedding cakes, so she had them make a small round one with a popular mouse character over here on the top. It was filled with raspberries and was delicious, right along with the assortment of cakes and tortes she had out to go with the birthday cake. Eric initially thought Melanie had purchased the dessert assortment from the bakery as they were all professional looking and tasty, until she informed him that she and her mother made them. I am looking forward to her and her mom teaching me how to make the yummy fruit tortes this next year.

Sunday was going to be another warm day, so we biked early to the nearby pool.  After hesitation and many loud "DADDY"s, Adeline liked riding on the co-pilot and being connected to Eric's bike. Emmie was strapped in the trailer with our towels and cooler. We learned the pool was closed last year and had just reopened. Good timing for us! The pool area was very nice with tiling, landscaping bricks, and grassy picnic areas around it. The pool bottom and waterslides were made of metal. It was a nice change from the concrete we are used to at pools. The girls enjoyed the kid's pool area, despite the water temperature being chilly. The hot sun must have offset it, as I had to bribe the  girls out occasionally with snacks because their lips were blue or they were shivering. Adeline thought she was Green Lantern with the one fountain she could go under for it appeared to her she was in the protective bubble shield. Adeline also liked going in the big pool with the waterslide and Emmie did not like the waterslide. Eric had to climb up the steps to get her down.  It too was a culture lesson for Adeline as she did not understand why some of the younger girls only had on bottoms and no tops. We ended up with one skinned knee, as Emmie started running after Adeline and I when we went to change back into our clothes for our bike ride home.

On the way home, which is all up hill, Eric's one shifter broke. Luckily he was in 2nd gear to go up the last big hill. Adeline and him made it back to the apartment, but it ended up being a tougher workout than planned. I took a little longer and then still could have used a pool to jump in to cool off when we made it back the apartment. I think it was the warmest day of the year so far with temps in the low 80's.

Sunday evening brought cool rain showers which meant Wii game night. We had a nice family evening before we start week 2 here which will now consist of taking Eric's bike to get repaired. He wrote me a note in German what needs to be done to his bike just in case.