Indoor Winter Fun!

It is still winter in Germany.  We have been blessed with more sunshine than usual the past few weeks which has been great.  The Texan in me still gets a little confused.  I see the sun and think it's hot outside so I end up not wearing a heavy enough jacket and have to go back inside and get a different one.  My other southern friends end up doing the same thing.

Hopefully our snow days are over and we can continue to enjoy doing things outside.  But until the weather gets a little warmer it is easier to do things inside.  Several of my friends and I have been looking for indoor things to do.  We all get very stir crazy staying inside our homes.  Thankfully most people don't live more than about 15 minutes away and many closer than that, so it is very easy to visit one another.

Last Saturday my friend LeeAnn suggested that we go bowling.  Her son, Nate, is about one year older than Caden and has gone several times before.  I was wondering if Caden would be too young.  It ended up that he's not and he had a great time and so did the adults.  We went with our friends the Finchams and Millers.  We all have one boy.  So the adults had one lane and the kids another.  Caden ended up having the highest score.  The kids' lane had a ramp and bumpers which made it super easy for them.  There is also an indoor play gym at the bowling alley so that is something to consider going to even if we don't end up bowling.

Wednesday LeeAnn and I decided to go to Luisenpark.  I bought season passes last year and went ahead and bought them again this year.  My friend, Kaye, told me that January through March there is an indoor Spielplatz (playground).  It was really nice.  Caden had fun and even helped himself to a shovel of sand in which he did not like.  The playground is located inside an atrium.  On the way to the playground you pass several plants and animals.  We had a great time.  Luisenpark is one of my family parks in Germany.  It is huge!  When the weather is nice there are a lot of different playgrounds outside, also a petting zoo, a river with boats to ride, and several beautiful gardens to explore.  LeeAnn bought a season pass too so we will probably visit a lot this year.  Also she just moved to my town.  It is awesome having a friend within walking distance to where you live. 

I'm helping Caden bowl his first time.

First time to bowl and Caden got a strike!

Daddy and Caden bowling.

Somebody ran down another bowling lane and this Mom had to rescue him.

Matthew, Nate, and Caden

Indoor Spielplatz at Luisenpark.  Caden attempting to climb the rope ladder.
This indoor playground even has trees.  Very cool!

Caden and Nate in one of the houses.

Look at all those cactuses.  Reminds me of Texas. 
Germans don't tend to rope anything off so a child could easily walk right into them. 
Thankfully Caden and Nate didn't even try.