Heidelberg

Feb 10: Kept the boys out of school for this trip. :)

I've visited this castle at least 6 or 7 times, but it never gets old. It's awe inspiring each time. I'm not a rock-star tour guide, but I could't let Charity leave Germany without visiting here. Unfortunately, we were too cold to visit the amazing extensive grounds. Guess she'll have to come out again. Darn.

Cameron was very enthusiastic. :)

Andrew... not so much. I think he resented being the only one strapped in the stroller. We let him out to play later in the deserted courtyard (which is the #ONE perk to traveling in the off season).

Isn't she gorgeous? I shamelessly made her be my model in the great light. :)

Elizabeth's gate. The legend is that one of the Lords of the castle brought his new bride home to the castle and over her first night there he had this gate built for her. It's lovely-- and we had fun taking pics of the boys on it.

Safety first! ;) Looking down into this old stairwell:

I'd say it's a fixer-upper.

Free to ROAM. These boys were in heaven running around.

Run,

run,

... fast as you can!

I *melt*. She's gorgeous.

The mother in me was kinda freaking out that she was sitting on this banister above a 3-story drop.

Monkeys in Elizabeth's gate. :) We toyed with the idea of stacking William in the spot above Cameron.... but decided against it... for now.

1.

2.

3 little monkeys sitting in a tree. Or... gate.

This was an opportunity fail. I should have taken a shot without her there so then I could work some photoshop magic and make her look like a

The wine vat! Again to the season thing-- in the summer this room alone would have about 150 people in it. And... it's a very small room.

Kids can be so weird. What goes on in their little heads to just suddenly lay down somewhere?! haha!

Another very cold day. See that barge in the water? It was making circles to break up the ice to keep it from getting too thick to melt when the temps finally went back up.

Famous bridge. That's all I know about it. Fabulous, eh?

Had the place to ourselves. That's the ideal way to travel!

Bus ride down the mountain. :)