cutest thing ever

OK - I have to start out by saying I didn't take any of these pictures... I actually googled them, and stole someone else's pictures. I realize this is creepy on a couple of different levels, but I really, really, really wanted you to see what the hell I was talking about.

SO - with that little disclaimer out of the way...

O.M.G. The freakin' cutest thing I have seen since I came to Germany has got to be all these precious little toddlers strolling along on their balance bikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These little kids.... sometimes I swear they can't even be two years old yet... strolling along on these little bikes-without-pedals.

They just go cruising around and sort of make themselves glide around. They can steer, go up hills, appropriately use the right part of the sidewalk at crosswalks and not just fall off the curb. It's PRECIOUS.

And.... I really think it's probably a better first stage for learning to ride a bike. I haven't seen a single bike with training wheels - just these bikes with no pedals and regular bikes. These little ones get much bigger in size, it is just cuter to see the little babies riding around. They make me smile. Also - for the parents, they seem to be a little better for walking around because the kids can move faster. You don't have to constantly wait for the little toddler legs to run run run and try to keep up with your big, grown-up steps.

I love it!!!

Lazy Sundays

I can't remember if I have mentioned it before, but the whole country shuts down on Sundays. Well, I actually haven't been too far yet, but the whole town of Oberursel shuts down anyway, and I've been told it's pretty standard across the country. The only places that might be open are restaurants... so the only thing to do on Sundays is eat or go for a walk or both (or stay in bed recovering from massive hangovers, but I've already tried that one and it's a much less appealing option). Luckily, the weather has always been surprisingly nice on each Sunday I have been here!

There really is nothing to do, though. The grocery stores are closed. The shops are closed. The malls are closed. The bakeries usually close by eleven or twelve. The malls are closed. There is really not a lot to do. If you're planning to make dinner, you have to make sure you get all the supplies you need before hand. If you want to run errands, forget about it, there is nowhere to go!

Last Sunday I went for a run/walk on the 5K loop in the woods near my place, and then cooked dinner for some friends. They had just gotten back from trip week on Friday night, and it was nice to have them back. This week was pretty typical - busy with normal school stuff. Some of my classes had their first test on Friday, which is what led me to this post - I'm procrastinating. In the past I have often spent Sunday afternoons grading papers and preparing for the week but still never seemed to have enough hours in the day to get things finished. Last year, I just stopped doing it. I don't know how or why or when I made that shift, but I stopped bringing papers home and left work at work and had my time away from school. Mentally, there is no turning off the teacher brain, as I was always thinking about lessons and students and ideas, but physically there was nothing at home for me to work on. I got my nights and weekends back. But here, there is nothing to do on Sunday. I need my afternoons and evenings to get things accomplished, and Fridays and Saturdays for fun. That leaves grading for Sundays again. I walked to school this morning and brought everything home, but I really just don't want to work on it! I know the kids are going to ask me about the tests (over and over and over....) if I don't get them graded, but I keep weighing my options... Lazy Sunday? Or grading tests with some Glee in the background? *sigh*

In other news... a friend and I went out to a bar and danced the night away last night. In true Kelsey fashion... we ended the night with a long list of hysterical commentary. We managed to lock ourselves in a hallway outside the bar looking for the non-existent elevator that leads to the bathroom, get yelled at by the door guy who let us back in for using the toilet for customers (we later decided he meant employees), discover the reason Europeans wear so much black is because you can sweat like a whore in church and no one can tell, and feel like we're in college again because you can take the night bus home after the trains stop running. They leave downtown Frankfurt towards all the surrounding towns and neighborhoods at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30am. I felt like I was on the E-bus with Brady! ;) It was a great night!