Christmas Cookie Decorating with the Eberts

Weekend Mornings at the Gym

Most weekend mornings after a good breakfast we head to the gym at the kid's school.  Dave and I can lift while the kids practice (?) basketball.  Many times, we have practically the whole place to ourselves.

Emily rested after 10 suicides.

Preparing for St. Andrews

The first day of Emily and Owen's two week break, we decided to start working towards our big 2019 family goal - playing St. Andrews next October. 


We went to Fontana, the Austrian golf club Dave joined.  We couldn't play yet, but instead wanted to check it out to see if it would be good for the family through the summer.  The kids played in the pool while we worked out and then had a lovely lunch.  I am hoping to spend a lot time here this spring...

We then hit the Golf House, an indoor driving range where Dave can start coaching us.

A Note From Emily

Emily performed at a Christmas Concert at the Rathaus, the Vienna City Hall located on Rathausplatz in the Innere Stadt district.  I forgot my camera but Dave took a few pictures from his phone and Emily described the experience below.

Emily:  We were in line, ready to go on stage in front of five hundred people.  I had never done anything like this before.  Mrs. Heedles was very nervous, for our previous performance had been a few hundred feet from being a total disaster. Our previous performance was at a very fancy hotel, that people whom were very wealthy could probably stay at for a few nights. When we got to the Rathaus, we (the entire choir) put our stuff in an area that I would probably never see again. It was beautiful. We had our own hooks and chairs, and there was a not-so-nice-but-still-very-nice bathroom right across the hall. We practiced for about ten minutes.  Mrs. Heedles then lined us up, but there was still, of course, some kids that weren't paying any attention, and didn't know where they were in the line. While the back of the line was scrambling like eggs, the lady who was introducing us told the front of the line to go. This made the entire line get even more nervous, because Mrs. Heedles didn't know what was going on.

When we got on stage, two boys whispered behind me, "Emily, move a little bit to the left. No! The other left!" Then the other boy said "No Emily you were fine where you were." I decided not to move at all, because I had no room.

Over all, we sang our songs amazingly. We were fantastic, and it was an honor to be a part of that experience. Mrs. Heedles was amazing, as always, and the audience loved us. Mrs. Carry (who was one of my Cross Country couches, and is a High School counselor) was on the flute, and was fantastic. Owen's music teacher was on the piano, and was also splendid.

After the performance, Katja, one of my closest friends, invited my family and I to walk around the Christmas Market with her family. It was so wonderful. Katja is such a wonderful friend, and I had an amazing time.

"Life is about having a good time." -Miley Cyrus

December Happenings

We spent December searching for the best kaiserschmarrn, our favorite Viennese treat, experiencing classical music performances, practicing basketball, and trying to escape the cold, grey weather.

Kaiserschmarrn is essential broken pancakes frequently served with either stewed plums or with applesauce.  We loved it on our food tour and on our trip to St. Gilgen. Determined to find the best one in Vienna, we started ordering it wherever we could.  Dave and I popped in a random restaurant at the Naschmarkt, Vienna's vast food maret dating from the 16th century.  We also ordered one at Cafe Landtmann, one of Vienna's Classic cafe-restaurants with an illustrious clientele including Freud.  Both tasted "okay" at best.  We also walked up to the Türkenschanzpark Weihnachtsmarkt 2018, the Christmas market at our local park.  While I liked this one best of all, the poor service hindered the taste.  The person at the stall refuse to sell or give us two plastic forks, which seemed preposterous since we were paying 10 euro for a dessert.  The next time we went, I brought my own fork.



We also attended an interesting music concert at the MuTh Music Hall, famous for its excellent acoustics and its chief residents - the Vienna Boys Choir.  AIS presented Carl Orff's 25 part Carimina Burana, a cantata from 1935 based on 24 poems from a medieval collection. It is part of a musical triptych and contains secular Latin, Middle High German, Old French, and Old Provencal - so we did not understand a word.  The high school choir along with teachers and parents from the community and several professional musicians performed.  I learned never to sit in the front row of an unknown performance.  I had to repress my laughter as the lead alto expressed the music with his face and body.  I could not laugh out loud as music is very serious in this country.

Emily competed in her first middle school basketball team while Dave assisted in coaching. 

Enjoying the Light

I admit I am not crazy about Vienna or our apartment, yet.  Most days I long for DC and my townhouse.  But sometimes, I see something that catches my eye.

Owen's 10th Birthday Party

Owen invited five friends to celebrate his 10th birthday with him.  He had a strict schedule - 5-6 play outside; 6-7 eat; 7-730 video games; 730-8 cake and presents; finally 8-10 a movie. His friends hail from all over the globe - Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and the US.

Dave hit the UN commissary for US burgers and hot dogs.  We "grilled" them on the stove-top and I made "french fried" potatoes.

The kids loved playing FIFA. They rotated in 10 minute shifts.

 Ivan gave Owen his favorite candy.

I can't believe he's 10!!

A Walk in the Park

The Rest of the Adventure

Emily and I took my parents to one of our favorite French cafes, Beaulieu.  We elected to skip the grandiose traditional Viennese cafe to instead enjoy delicious food.  Emily originally planned to hang back, but changed her mind at the idea of cheese.

We visited Sisi's ghost and toured her apartments.  I am not a fan.  I can't figure out why she is so idolized.  She seems selfish and narcissistic.  She obsessed about her appearance. (I mean who has ankle length hair and refuses to have her self photographed after age 20).  She used her money and power to escape rather than to improve much in society.  She neglected her living child....

Plus the museum is filled room after room of place settings. I just don't find china exciting let alone forks and spoons.  Why on earth does one family need dozens of china patterns with service for two hundred?

But my parents enjoyed the journey.

We also squeezed in a soccer match. My father watched Owen play in a few chaotic indoor games.  Owen participates in "Soccer Factory" every Friday.  They rarely hold games, but spend practices building basic skills and scrimaging.  They end each session with a parent versus child game - twenty versus twenty.  This indoor match felt as chaotic as these games.

My parents left a few days later.  I think they missed the turkey.