Cassidy's Life in Germany

Well now that I am in school, I have been neglecting the kids from time to time. So tonight we had a great puzzle night. I really enjoy doing puzzles and so do the kids. So we pulled out most of our easy puzzles and each kid worked on their own, while I helped those who got stuck.

Cassidy has found out German's don't waste their money like Americans do. Back in Texas she could easily bring in a dollar or more per week, just by picking up coins off the ground. But not here. She is always looking and never finds even a Euro cent. Cassidy looks for money around the shopping carts, if American's used their cart system it would be the perfect place to find money. When you go into a German grocery store you have to put money into a slot to get a shopping cart. The shopping carts are all chained together, and you have to place 50 Euro cents or sometimes 1 Euro dollar into a slot that releases the locked chain. When you are finished shopping you lock up your cart and your coin pops back out, sometimes it pops out so fast it falls to the ground. But everyone seems to pick up their coins that fall. It is really a great system, you don't have to worry about carts rolling through the parking lots or taking up parking spaces.

Also in most stores around here, especially grocery stores, you must bring your own bags and bag your own groceries. I usually forget my bags in the car and end up just putting everything back in the cart, then bagging them when I get to my car. After working at The Home Depot and seeing all the shopping bag waste, I think it is a good idea. Cassidy, Zachary and I went into a German store a few weeks ago that was two stories. Cassidy wanted to go upstairs and was sad that we had a shopping cart and could not go up the escalator. But as I got to the bottom of the escalator she didn't find the stairs, but a moving ramp. She was really happy. She thought it was so cool, but made sure I held on tight to the cart. On the way down she was a little worried that Zachary and the cart might slide down. So what does any mom do, she lets go of the cart. Cassidy panicked at first, but then realized the cart could not move. We had to go on it twice, both Cassidy and Zachary thought it was pretty cool.

Cassidy has started to feel a little home sick. When I tucked her in bed the other night, she asked "What is home sickness?" "I think I feel a little home sick for our family in Utah." So now one night she will say she misses Grandmpa and Grandma Grover. Then the next night she says she misses Grandma Suzanne and Granddaddy. At least she doesn't play favorites. She loves all her Grandparents. Stewart went back to Texas in July and when he came home, she asked "Dad, when you were in Texas did you see any accidents?" Stewart said "Well yes, I think I did pass and accident, why?" Cassidy replied "Because I forgot what ambulances sound like in America."