Schloss Schwetzigen

Matt will be deploying very soon. Which, couldn't come at a worse time because Olivia is having some pretty serious behavioral issues related to the move. So, we're trying to spend as much time as possible together as a family. It's not always easy to remember to remain in control of our emotions in front of the girls when the housing situation has been difficult (We do have a house - the one we wanted. That has been a great relief. We move in on Friday. However, I'll refrain from talking about it further until our lease is signed on Thursday).

I had wanted to drive into France this weekend. There is a pottery shop over the border, about an hour away. Not that I need any pottery - I really only wanted to take a quick peak at the pottery and then head to a grocery store to pick up some French wine. But, it was forecast to be rainy and we decided to head to furniture stores for playroom/family room furniture instead (Ikea had the only reasonably priced items).

Today, the weather was cool and pleasant and so we drove a few miles to Schwetzigen, Germany to tour the Schwetzigen castle (more like a palace). It reminded me a little bit (just a little) of Versailles in France. Our tour guide gave us the best tour of a castle I've been on in quite some time.

The tour was especially nice because Olivia and Lila were exceptionally well behaved. Hardly a peep out of them. Olivia, in fact, was quite interested in the tour. She wanted to know where the family slept and why the beds were so short (they slept sitting up during that time period due to superstitious reasons-laying down reminded them of the dead. Many also believed they could get sick if they didn't sleep sitting up).

We learned that Mozart and Casanova spent time at Schwetzigen. In fact there was a Mozart celebration at the castle this evening.

Obviously the guardian of Schwetzigen Castle

Checking out the animal display at the castle - there was a garden scene in his stomach

Liv checking out the wolf display

Daddy, Lila and Liv looking at the fish and swan

This coming week sees us wrapping up some lose ends (picking up my car, deployment paperwork, signing lease, setting up delivery of appliances that the Army lets us borrow, etc.) before we move into our new home. There isn't much to see of our home yet, as yard work is being done and, therefore, it's quite a mess. I do promise to take pictures as soon as it's looking better and post them here and on Facebook.