It is a wet, overcast day here in Bavaria. Still beautiful though, I guess I got used to the overcast skies once again during my year in Washington. The weather really is so similar thus far. More deciduous-I'm not spell checking that-trees though. So we have some absolutely gorgeous colors. I love the weather, but it doesn't really motivate me to be super-energetic, I should be cleaning and doing laundry while the girls are asleep but I couldn't resist the blog.

You all look so cute in your Halloween pics. I love Isaac's costume and I'm so impressed with all the grown-ups costumes. You guys are amazing. I wore a black t-shirt with a shiny silver bat on it to our branch Halloween party. I will wear it again tomorrow for Halloween. It says "Batty" on it and Mike thinks that's appropriate. That's about as dressed up as I got. This year was easy, Jane still wanted to be a pioneer and Sadie wanted to be a Barbie princess. Done and done. Ellyn was Snow White, also done. We spent the weekend munching down on all the girls Trunk or Treat candy. Good thing they're going out tomorrow night, all the good stuff is gone.

Well we are finally finished with soccer. We just weren't quite into it this year, too much to do and see. Jane would have two games a day on Saturday, one at 10 and the other at 1 or 2. We went to some of them, but we missed some too. I told her coach that we would send her to practices but that we had just gotten back together as a family and there were things we wanted to go and do while the weather was still good. I feel like I've written this all before, so please forgive me if you are reading it yet again.

So Saturday Mike and I had to drive out to Nurnberg (this is spelled several different ways here, depending on where you're from (U.S., Germany, etc..), mine might possibly be a combo of two or more spellings) for the adult session of stake conference. Our friends watched the girls and we'll watch theirs next weekend (I need to find a good babysitter)while they get to do something fun like go out to dinner. After the meeting one of the counselors asked to meet with us. I assumed it was to give Mike his assignment for High Council, which it was, but it was also to call me to be the first counselor in the Stake Primary. Pretty much you can just count on our family being translated any day. We are that righteous. So that was kind of a surprise but we are both really excited about being able to visit other wards and branches and not just stay in our insulated little 90% american branch. Both the women that I work with are German, the other counselor just got off her mission to Washington D.C. in February and she's absolutely darling. I think Mike and I are both a bit apprehensive, but we'll be blessed right? As for the translation, we'll make sure we request a visit CONUS first.

Besides that, let's see. I don't think I mentioned on this family blog that we've been puppy sitting a yorkie. Very good thing for us to do. We for sure don't want a dog right now. UNLESS- it was potty trained, a year old, didn't shed (which yorkies don't), yorkie,FREE, and could help Jane with her math. To pay almost a thousand dollars for one of these jewels and then have to deal with potty training and behavior issues is just more than we can bear right now. The dog is darling, BUT not at all potty trained and so he must spend most of his time in his crate where he yelps pathetically and annoyingly I might add. I've crate trained how many dogs now and this one seems the most clueless. He also poops about 10 times a day as opposed to Bailey or Max that pooped once, maybe twice. If this is usual with Yorkies I can't keep up with the scooping, plus it's so tiny it's hard to see on the lawn, with leaves, twigs, weeds, and such. No doubt the girls will be able to find it with a shoe or hand one of these days. Plus of course the whole travel issue. It is easier to travel with pets here, especially the little ones.

I think I have babbled for a sufficient amount of time. I need to go wake up Ellyn. Tracey, we have her on a very specific bed time routine as well and it is working beautifully. Daylight savings did throw her off this morning, but I somehow woke up at 4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep so it didn't bother me too much. I don't know what I will have to say for tomorrow.

Oh, one more thing. Christmas, Anne and Kim, I need to know if you girls want something specific, if you want me to pick out something here, or what. Barb, it's too late for you. I already have yours and Kenn's present and I'm so excited about it. Adina, anything specific for Taylor? Also, Anne as I was reading your blog I realized that I never got back to you guys about the family sponsor thing, do you want another $20.00? Did you get enough covered? We would be happy to send it out, it just came up in the middle of the craziness around here and it slipped my mind.

Well I love you all, wish we could have been there for the Halloween festivities. Wish me luck, I'm trying to build up enough energy to carve pumpkins with the girls after school (no procrastinating there). I love you all. Love, Brooke