Berlin Zoo

The kids and I got up early checked out of our hotel and made the hour drive to Berlin.  

We got to hotel a little before 9:00am. I was a little freaked out because when we got to the hotel it was downtown in the middle of the city.  There was no where to park.  We had reserved a parking spot I was like what on earth.  We called the hotel and they didn't speak english.  I had Kayden go into the hotel and find out where our parking was. 

We had to drive to this little ally. My heart sank when I saw where I had to go
for this parking spot.  When Jeremy had called to reserve the spot, he asked if their parking
spot would be big enough for our American car.  The guy assured him it would fit our American car but not that it would be this hard to get to it.
It was kind of SCARY!

Our hotel was this beautiful 2 bedroom apartment.  

Look at this beautiful fireplace.

We had a full Kitchen

Another room. 

We totally conquered public transportation.
We had a rough start...  But once we figured it out we mastered it.
We were able to use the trains and the underground. Feeling super accomplished.
Jeremy made sure that we all knew the map and understood how to work the system.
It is a little confusing to know which way the underground was going.  But the Trains were awesome.
They totally told you where they were going it was super easy once we figured it out.   

Our first order of business was the Berlin Zoo
The Berlin Zoologial Garden is the eldest and the best known zoo in Germany.
This zoo was not as impressive as the Leipzig Zoo.  We absolutely loved the Leipzig Zoo.
The Berlin Zoo was super small.  We were really shocked at how little it was and how many animals
they were missing.  No lions, tigers, panda's, although all of those animals are suppose to
be at the zoo.   Someone even said this was the biggest zoo with the most species.  I do not believe them.
The zoo was lacking for sure.  It was still fun to hang out at the zoo with my kids. 

I love these kids of mine.
Spring Break 2017

The kids were trying to be like the Lazy Bear!

Loved hanging out with the Rhinos. 

We got to hang out with this babybear.  He was adorable.
He was running all around and jumping up on his Mom.
This cute little bear was so full of life and just made us smile. 

We got to watch this cute new little Monkey. I love spring time at the zoo.
You get to see all the new babies.  This Monkey Mother was so protective of her baby.
I was able to sneak this picture. SOOOOO Cute!
The kids hate how long I spend in the monkey building.  I think I could stay here for several hours.
I love them so much.  They are so fun they are always busy doing something. 

The Seals are always sunbathing. 

Kayden, Brooklyn, and Chandler at the petting zoo.

Brooklyn had so much fun feeding the goats. 

Chandler feeding the goats. 

We got to see baby sheep.  ADORABLE!

These cute little otters were making a nest.  

This was a mother and her baby and they were playing.
The mother would bite the baby and the baby would run around and come back for more.
It was so fun to watch this cute relationship it reminds me of my relationship with my kiddos.

I was mezmorized by these Jelly Fish.
There were so many and they are just facinating. 

Can you see all the goats on the rock?  How many can you see?

We bought a double ticket to the zoo and the little Aquarium.
It's funny how the animals in this building were animals in a regualar zoo.
So I'm not entirely sure why they were seperate?
But I'm glad we got to see the reptiles, fish, and insects.

Kayden (17) at The Berlin Zoo.

Brooklyn (14) at the Berlin Zoo.

Chandler (11) at the Berlin Zoo.

Spudnut, Fastnacht, Doughnut, "Hot Dots"

 Thanks to Michelle Jensen a dear friend from Korea, who shared her awesome tradition of homemade doughnuts for Fastnacht.  This is her story she gave it to me.  I wanted to continue her tradition so with her permission and blessing here is her story and her recipe.

"Fastnacht day is what the Pennsylvania Dutch call Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.  Fastnacht translates to fast night in English.  It is the day before Lent begins where usually people would eat lots of treats before giving them up.  Traditionally, fasnachts are made to use up lard, sugar, butter, eggs and other rich foods in a house before the austere diet of Lent begins.  I remember in high schools several friends bringing Fastnachts (spudnuts) to school to share, they were not Amish but their protestant  church celebrated.  In 2009, I decided I wanted to make fastnachts but it isn't worth it just for my family so I opened it up to my friends and the tradition began.  We had maybe 25 people that year and celebrated on fastnacht day.  It was so fun and our friends loved it.  And we have had a party ever since.  Every year it has gotten bigger and better.  It has been a fun way to bring back memories of growing up in Pennsylvania." 

Fastnachts aka Spudnuts Donuts

by Michelle Jenson ( a couple notes/changes from Tina)

50 regular size doughnuts.  150 Hot Dots.  Tina's Favorite. 

2 cups Mashed Potatoes(plain nothing in them you want them luke warm)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup shortening

2 tsp Salt

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons yeast dissolved in 1 Cup warm water and 1 Tbsp sugar

3 Cups scalded milk, (remember to put milk in pan turn onto medium heat and stir constantly until the bubbles start to appear on the sides and the milk gives off steam) let the milk cool to lukewarm

12-13 Cups flour

Cream shortening, sugar, salt, and potatoes together well.  Add other ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Let rise until double in size.approx 1 hour punch down split into four sections. roll out each section one at a time with a lightly dusted area until all the dough is cut into desired shape and size. Put doughnuts on a lightly floured countertop. (preferably close to the stove.)  Let doughnuts raise another 30 min or until they are double in size.  Heat oil in saucepan until it reaches 375 and fry in oil put the doughnut on a cooling rack and immediately dip in topping of your choice. 

Our very first Fastnacht Doughnut Party on Sunday February 26, 2017

We had Dennis and Sarah Kinsman and their four kids, Lane & Heather Hansen and their five boys, Doug & Mitchie Brown with their four kids, Les & Rachel Ambrus and their three kids, and Jason & Stevie Frisby and their two kids. 

The table is set with all the toppings.
Pink Lemonade, Cocoa and sugar, Powder sugar,
Strawberry powder, and chocolate milk powder, Tang, Cinnamon and Sugar
I also made three puddings (to stuff inside the doughnuts) Chocolate, lemon, and vanilla and homemade chocolate frosting.

The trays are ready.
 Packing paper is awesome for catching all the excess grease.

The house is clean and set up for all our guests. 

We only did the little doughnuts.  I do not like doing the full size doughnuts....
I like to do just the doughnut holes, that way you can have an entire plate with all the flavors.  YUMMMM

We printed and labeled all the bags front and back 

First batch of Doughnut holes rising the second time.  Almost time to start cooking them.

Our Friends ready to eat some doughnuts.
Stevie created a new name for them. She called them "Hot Dots."  I loved this name.  Yes,  they will be Hot Dots from now on. 

Rachel, was a huge help.  She was in the kitchen the entire time helping me
cut and organize all the Doughnuts.  You can see a little bit of me in the corner rolling and cutting out
all the doughnuts.   Woah! we were busy.... 

More pictures of our friends. 

Jeremy was the Frying Master....

 Les was a great assistant.  He never left Jeremy's side
So nice to have such great friends to cook and talk with you.

Stevie created a new name for them.
She called them "Hot Dots."
I loved this name.  Yes,  they will be Hot dots from now on.

I made way too many doughnuts...   Next year I will make half of what I made this year.  Holy Smokes we had a lot left over.
All the kids had already had seconds and thirds and went outside to play.
We made up several plates of "Hot Dots" For some soldiers and other families that couldn't come.
It really was a fun night.  I didn't get any pictures of the kids making their own doughnuts.  Next year...
I love this tradition and can't wait for next year.  

Grandma Clements Donut Recipe

3-4 Cups flour

1 Tablespoon yeast mixed with 1/3 cup warm water and 1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 cup milk, 1/3cup sugar, and 1/4 cup shortening heated until luke warm

1/2 tsp salt 

1 egg

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

add half flour with milk mixture, beat, add yeast mix, and egg beat add mashed potatoes beat, add rest of flour.  I add enough flour to make a soft dough ,a little sticky.  I turn out the dough and knead until smooth and not so sticky. When I double the recipe I don't' double the ggs just everything else.  Let rise and cut out, let rise again then fry.

Tropical Island Spring Break

Spring Break 2017.  We originally planned to go to Normandy France.  We even had a hotel booked and started planning our week vacation.  Well, things didn't go as planned and Jeremy couldn't take leave so unfortunately he wasn't able to leave.  Sad.  Since Jeremy really wanted to go to Normandy, we sat the kids down and asked what they wanted to do for Spring Break.  They chose Tropical Island, Zoo, Aquarium.  So we decided to book our Spring Break in Berlin.  The Tropical Island is about an hour outside Berlin.  I was a little worried not having my walking GPS, aka Jeremy, with me as we explored this new area.  But Jeremy help prepare us so well.  We had maps and directions and Jeremy even programed the GPS with Esso stop 1, 2, 3, etc.  He had everything prepared and ready for us to make the trip so easy.  He is awesome.  We missed him like crazy but so glad for the opportunity to explore Europe with my kids.  Grateful for a wonderful husband that takes such good care of us and provides so well. We left Sunday April 4 and came home Friday April 7, 2017

The kids and I ready for a fun week. 

This was the little village we stayed in.  It was about 20 minutes from the
Tropical Island. 

It's beginning to look like Spring.  BEAUTIFUL!

My kids are always so kind to stop for this picture loving MOM!

The kids loved getting to our hotel and finding Chocolate on their beds.

We made it.  We finally made it to the Tropical Island,

Tropical Island is actually a gigantic dome.
It was originally built as an airship hanger.  However, it was gutted and
turned into this massive waterpark.
The dome is 360 meters long, 210 meters wide and 107 meters high.
It's eight football fields.  CRAZY BIG!

The dome is also a huge Rainforest is has around 50,000 plants 600 different varieties also
flamingos, macaws,peacocks and pheasants.
They have all kinds of ponds with fish too.  They had statues all over the dome as well.
Brooklyn (14)  

Kayden (17)

Chandler (11)

I tried to take pictures of the kids in each of the sections.
This was one of the main sections
"Tropical Sea"

Waterslide corner. 

This was a little slide but man was it super fast.
People can rent these tents to stay in the dome.

I took this picture up from the Slides.  This is only a picture of the Tropical Sea
Can you see how huge this place is? 

The Amazonia was by far our favorite part.
Amazonia is Tropical Island newest park just opened in 2016. It's a
year-round outdoor water park.

One of the the guards let me sneak out the Employee entrance and snap a couple pictures.
The highlight is the White water River with a jet stream. It's 250 meters long
and has different branches and slopes.  This place was so much fun.
I think the kids and I must have ridden this ride at least 50 times.  Maybe more.
We spent an entire hour on it before they closed the attraction.  One ride after the other No breaks!

I really loved the whirlpool and bubble beds.  It was a blast. 

This is the massive drop off after the White Water River.

We even got to play and walk in the Sand.
It was perfect!!!

I really thought the Lagoon was pretty magical. 

This picture didn't turn out super clear but I just love that it documents
The kids and I with the waterfall in the background.  LOVE!

You can kind of see some of the Rainforest behind the fountain. 

Kayden having fun underwater.
You can see the bottom of the pool is metal.  

Cute Chandler.

Beautiful Brooklyn striking a pose underwater.

After 12 hours at the dome we were sooo tired.  We headed back to our hotel for a good nights rest
before finishing the drive to Berlin and checking into our hotel there.