Working on it

Cole has been infatuated with Spiderman for most of this year!  Before that it was all Disney CARS, which he still loves, but Super Heroes are starting to cut in on that.  When we needed some motivation to work on “anger management” with him, a costume just like his friend Sawyers, was just what we knew would do the trick.  He earned one sticker every day that he was able to make it through the entire day without giving in to his anger and turning into a crazy man.  It took probably 2 months to earn this.  There were lots of failed days, and I was almost thinking he wouldn’t still even want this costume by the time he earned it.  However, we were able to finally reach his goal!  He was really happy and wore the costume for two days straight. 

As for Anger Management, we are still working on it…… it is a daily struggle with him, but now that he’s almost four, we think he is getting a little better.  A little!  I love my Spider Boy even if he has “Super” anger managements issues!  Strong work Cole! 

The Hinterbrand Lodge

Located just 6 km from Eagle’s Nest, 12 km from Salzburg, and 8 km to Lake Konigsee, this is the perfect place to stay in Berchtesgaden.  It is subsidized by the US Army and used for “week long retreats” for military families with a common mission statement and purpose in mind for the week who come to be strengthened together.  You book it one year in advance, and have to submit a request and purpose for the visit.  Since all the Dad’s are in the medical field out of the 65 people there, our mission statement became:  to come and Strengthen our families by having fun together and doing team building activities (making dinner for one another, going to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest together, sliding down Salt Mine shafts together, screaming on the Alpine slides with each other, and hiking to Ice-caves!  I would say the week was a screaming success!  Unfortunately due to budget cuts this is the last year the Lodge will be available to Military families.  We feel so lucky to have been able to experience it once!  Oh and the best part…….get ready…….wait for it……..it is completely free to stay there for the ENTIRE WEEK.  

The lodge itself has probably 14 rooms upstairs in dormitory fashion. Then a main level eating area with lots of tables, and a movie living room area just next to the eating area.  Downstairs from that is a giant kitchen with walk in fridge, industrial size dishwasher and fully equipped with pots, pans, and cooking supplies.   Then up the giant cement staircase outside just up from the lodge are four huge cabins available.  That is where the larger families stayed….The Barclays, Johnsons, Chuggs, and Flakes.  They turned out to be really great.  They had 12 beds in them (bunk beds), a sink area, a fridge, and a big table for game playing at night.  The only down fall was cohabitating with some little creatures occasionally, but we didn’t have one problem with that the entire week, thankfully.  The poor Flakes had a terrible time of it and they were right next door!  The other families that came were the Bowsers, Tintles, Prices, Turners and Kartchners.  

This was our cabin:  C for The Chuggs!!

Only a portion of the offspring of the many families who came. Pretty much all of my kids best friends were here, what could be better than this for a kid?

Oh how the kids had fun just running around and playing with each other.  We love these families!

Last Day

Hellbrunn Castle:  In 1610 Archbishop Markus Sittikus had this lavish place and baroque style gardens put built just for pure pleasure.  He loved entertaining his VIP guests and friends here by soaking them with water by using his trick fountains.  Tour guides today seem to have inherited the same sadistic nature and enjoy soaking their tour guests all day every day!  We prepared the kids with swimsuits and comfy clothes and headed for the tour.  It was a highlight for our kids….they loved it and couldn’t stop giggling!  We had to wait for our English speaking tour so we viewed the gardens while waiting which were so beautiful! 

 

   

Cole was not so sure about this tricky, unexpected water coming from anywhere at anytime.  He was begging to leave and be held by the end of the tour. 

Hellbrunn Castle is right by the “front view” house they used in filming Sound of Music…..so I wanted to go and get a better look.  It is now a music school (how fitting!), and the gates are really hard to open and close BTW.  I tried…..of course I did because I’m “that america fan” who drives on this walking only path to get a better picture and then waltzes right in and walks to the back side of the house like I own the place.  Yeah, I was getting some well deserved crusty looks. 

“I have confidence in confidence alone……….”  can you just see her?????

I needed some surly, unruly, grumpy kids to pretend they are the Von Trapps…..oh look who was perfect for the part!  Just jokin. 

Next we headed back to the Lake Region that we drove through on our SOM tour, but it was raining that day, so I wanted to see it again and get some better views.  Its really a gorgeous area! 

Jake bought this hat as a souvenier in Salzburg and has MAD LOVE for it!  It’s quite cute on him!

 

Lake Konigsee

Lake Konigsee is a picture perfect lake situated in the scenic mountains South of Berchtesgaden.  We were told that the boats get very full in the Summer months so to go early.  I think in this case we definitely beat the crowds!  We were one of the first boats out of there and had the lake and the Church of St. Bartholoma to ourselves!  The boat electronically sails across the lake at a peaceful, slow speed allowing you to take in the scenery and enjoy it.  Once out in the open about 15 minutes in, the tour guide takes out a trumpet and demonstrates the amazing acoustical “echo” that this lake and mountain rages provide.  Pretty cool! 

Half way across the lake we stopped and got off at the Church of St. Bartholoma.  It was once home of a monastery, then a hunting lodge of the Bavarian royal family.  Now, it is surrounded by a fine beer garden, rustic fisherman’s pub and many trails leading into the nearby mountains. 

We chose the trail and hike to the Ice cave.  It took a little over an hour to get there.  To keep the boys going strong and walking for  longer, someone suggested they take off their shirts to be strong guys.  Cole was convinced he was the Hulk.  We got all kinds of mileage out of this….. and they loved the strong guy, super hero, photos that ensued.  These three have so much fun together! 

 

The ice cave was a little further and a pretty hard hike up to it.  Only adults and kids 9 and up went to it.  Mostly the group stayed down and had a great time wading in the water and playing in the frigid temperatures.  It was a really hot day so we welcomed some down time in the water.  

 

Jake, Hanna, and I hiked to the cave…..it was totally melting and you have to be careful when this happens because giant chunks break off from the inside and can fall down and crush people.  I didn’t let our kids get any closer than this:  When Jared and Chris along with Carter and Ryan hiked up here, they saw a huge chunk break off and it scared them! 

After the hike back to St. Bartholoma’s we hopped back on the boat and headed toward the end of the lake.  We got off there and hiked in about 25 minutes to another lake.  It was pretty, but definitely not as cool as the Ice-Cave.     

We did some great shopping for lederhosen and drindl’s right by the Konigsee landing and then headed back to the Lodge.  We were all sticky, hot, and tired at this point, but made a quick stop at the Alpine Slides to check them out.  The view was incredible….little Cole was soooo exhausted that he slept the entire time on a hard wooden bench.  I couldn’t believe it. 

If the kid is sacked out this hard on a wooden bench you know somewhere two parents are wanting to do the same thing.