Back to the Future Day

All you nerds out in nerdville, Marty McFly departed 1985 on October 26. He then reinvented his family's past. If you are like me, you have at least once had a fanciful daydream of going back and doing a few things over. Righting some wrongs. Avoiding mistakes. Preventing accidents.

But here's the thing, if I were to suddenly wake up and it was 20 or 30 years ago, I think my main objective would be to get right back where I am. Strange though it may sound, this might just be the life I was meant to live.

Six Year Old Soccer, Germany Style

As written by Katie (then posted by Tim):

Only coaches allowed on the field. No yelling or cheering allowed. You may only clap when there is a good save or a goal. I don't think Nana would survive it. I had to chew on my collar to keep quiet.

Katie's view from the parents' box.

Other quirks: no referees at all. Kids self regulate the out balls, corner kicks goal kicks. Coaches only occasionally instruct. all games end with Penalty kicks (even though we won 13-0). At the end of the game I was handed all the uniforms... Apparently it's my turn to wash them. Yuck.

The Uplifting and Fun Playlist

I think most of my blog patrons are Mormons, so for many, the recent church General Conference is already old news. Living abroad, I don't get to watch it live and have been catching up on the talks a few at a time. The kids and I especially enjoyed this one (while Katie was partying in Monaco, by the way): Sister McConkie.

Now, sort of related, one thing I enjoy doing while away on business trips is curating new playlists for various family occasions. So with the inspiring conferences messages in mind, I put together the following fun playlist for spiritual recharge:

1. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Fiddlesticks
2. High on the Mountain Top, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
3. Israel, Israel God is Calling, The Lower Lights
4. Fantasy on a Scottish Tune, The Millennium Choir
5. How Great Thou Art, Holly Tucker
6. We Are All Enlisted, The Lower Lights
7. Lead Kindly Light, Audrey Assad
8. Be Still My Soul, Mindy Gledhill

Oktoberfest

Yes, I rang the bell

No, Caleb and I together did not ring the bell

More Heaven

We stayed at the Club Cordial Achenkirch and loved it, with one minor quirk. It had one bathroom, but in two separate rooms. Toilet only in one room, and then you walk through the living room to wash your hands in the sink.

If you were to mix the Teton area of Idaho and Wyoming with the White Mountain area of New Hampshire, add medieval castles, and then make it into its own country, that would be Austria.

Schloss Tratzberg, where they happen to serve killer schnitzel with cranberries.

I Found Heaven, It's Called Austria