Vienna has a ball season. I don’t know if there is anywhere else in the world where that is true, but it’s true here. From January to March, the Hofburg Palace, as well as other sites in Vienna and elsewhere in Austria, host balls — complete with live music, dinner and dancing. The first weekend of February, Dan & I are going to one, hosted by the IAEA, at the Hofburg Palace.
Author Archives: admin
Ben ist da!
I’m still of a split mind about B going to school. On the one hand, I think the socialization he’s getting is positive, and I know he’s learning German in a way that’s more accessible to him than it will ever be again in his life. On the other hand, he wants to be at home, and I want him to be here.
I can’t believe how I can!
We’re trying something new with Benjamin: an “accomplishment chart”. We’ve made a list of the things that he’s working on accomplishing, like dressing himself, drinking milk from a cup, and using the potty. Every time he does one of those things, he gets a sticker (which he gets to choose and apply to the chart himself, which he loves) and after every 10 stickers he adds, he gets a present. The presents started out as little things I’d had around the house that I’d been meaning to give him — new sheets for his bed, new pajamas, a truck — and I’ve progressed to toys and books he’s been asking for that didn’t quite make the Christmas cut.
Running with kids
We started running about a month agowith the “Couch to 5k” plan. We haven’t been perfect about it, but we’ve kept with it and now we’re on our fourth week of the plan. (And, to go along with my general directive to myself to not agonize about perfecting the details in favor of seeing the bigger picture, I am trying not to torment myself about having missed a few days.) I don’t love to run, but I don’t hate it. I do love the way that I feel when I have been running.
5 Reasons the Friend Whose Computer You’re Fixing is Frustrated (While Simultaneously Being Grateful)
I’m a computer nerd in my own right — I was a software engineer for 8 years. I’ve written and debugged code in C, C++, Fortran (yes, really), Perl, Pascal and Motif. I’ve developed on different platforms, I know what the command line is (and how to get there). I haven’t written any code in over 5 years, so I’m a little rusty, but I do know my way around my computer, at least a little. I’ve never really been a computer geek, though — I can write software, but I know only a little about hardware (enough to do my job) and I’ve never considered anything I do with my computer a hobby — it was just work. So, when my PC has an “issue”, I tread lightly — I know enough to help myself, but also to sometimes get into trouble. My husband, who is an “official” computer nerd (i.e., he’s actually built his own system and reads computer related publications for fun) is our household computer guru, and he does any fixing our computer usually needs.
Vacation is over
Well, our Christmas vacation is officially over: Benjamin went back to school today. Leading up to today, he was really looking forward to going back — he wanted to see his teachers and his friends, he wanted to ride tricycles in the garden, and play with the train set at school (which, I think, is pretty much like ours but without a Liam around to destroy his progress). He was really excited to tell everyone, “Happy holidays and happy new year!”
Mine, mine, mine!
In true “little brother” fashion, Liam likes everything Benjamin likes. Whatever Benjamin is eating, watching or playing with, Liam wants it too. Whatever Liam sees Benjamin doing, he is going to try. It’s resulted in some really cute behavior, like Liam already climbing up onto B’s tricycle (although he can’t yet reach the pedals), and Liam already attempting to figure out how to ride B’s bike (although he’ll need to gain a few inches before that’s possible). Generally, it’s cute to see Liam trying to be like his big brother.
Pottermore
I’m a “Harry Potter” fan. My sisters and my step-mother got me started on it around the time that book #3 came out, and I was hooked. I’ve read all of the books (several times), I’ve seen all the movies, I’ve played several of the games. One day, in the not too distant future, I will go and visit “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios in Florida. (I will probably act like I’m 11.) I look forward to the day, when they’re older and won’t be frightened by it, that I will get to read the stories to my boys. I’ve wistfully imagined what it would be like to ride the Hogwarts Express and go to school at Hogwarts myself (yes, I do realize that I’m a grown up, but a girl can dream).
I’m working on it!
Reply
Welcome to “A Mommy Abroad”! I’m thrilled (if a little surprised) that you’ve found us, but I’m really glad you’re here. I’m in the process of getting things up and running here (but I’m actually working on it, like right now, so it’ll be here soon) but in the meantime, you can check out my blog — which contains thoughts, experiences and suggestions (as well as a bunch of other random stuff, but a lot of it is good) — here.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you again soon.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
I acknowledge that the holidays are over, although you wouldn’t know it if you came into our house. Our tree is still up (with about half of its original lights illuminated, but it’s up) and not a single decoration has been taken down. Our stockings are still hung by our terrace with care (no chimney), we still have a wreath on our front door and the boys still have their (completely opened) Advent calendars hung on their bedroom doors. I enjoy the feeling of the holidays, and I’m not ever in a hurry to put everything away and get back to normal.