Stories From A Life Gone Crazy: Registering with the city and we got cell phones

When you move in Germany you have 7 days to register your new address(Anmeldung) or pay a fine. Once the lease was signed the countdown was on. First it was the weekend, then I told Pete the office was opened until 6pm when really it closed at 4pm so getting there at 4:45pm didn't get us very far, then it closed at lunch for the rest of the day, and finally it was a success, but only after Pete couldn't find the entrance and had to be let in some emergency door by a very kind man.

We found that we needed cellphones to order furniture, arrange pickup times, and to generally keep in touch with each other. Pete made his way to the T-Mobile store (they are everywhere here) and picked out our plans and phones. Pete came home with two awesome phones, we have never been owners of awesome phones before, and Jack is in love because he can play Angry Birds-even Space Angry Birds. After he got his phone set up he was going to set up mine, but where was the envelope with the sim card? We looked everywhere: garbage, backpacks, under tables, under couches, and in the refrigerator. We didn't find it. He had to go back the next day and get a new sim card. It all worked out but after three attempts of going downtown to register with the city and not being successful and then not having the sim card-- it just was the topping to a bad week for Pete. I know it has been super hard on him having to do everything for us and try to squeeze in math, but it just shows what a wonderful man he is and how much he loves his family.

Pete and Jack have discovered a love for NordSee. Jack's new love of fish is surprising to me, but he says that he loves it almost better than candy. Now when Pete and Jack go out together (alone) NordSee is tops on Jack's must-do list. Other members of our family have been eating lots of fish too. Luke has been eating this:

Thomas has been eating this:

can you believe that there is fish baby food?

Trash separating in Germany is truly a big deal, luckily we have experience thanks to Granny. There are many containers in front of your residence. 1. Paper and cardboard (blue) 2.Plastic and compound materials( yellow) 3.Organic waste(brown container) 4. Household waste (black or grey container). There are also containers in the streets for glass. We have also seen containers for clothing and shoes. You also pay deposits on some (but not all) aluminum, plastic, and glass bottles. If you have deposited bottles you have to return them to the store you bought them. You can either hand it in at the counter or in some grocery stores there is a machine where you put your bottles in, the machine scans it (to make sure they sell that item) then you get a receipt to take up to the counter for either cash or store credit. Pete returned all the bottles in his office today and got 4 euro.

our deposit bottles

list of what can go in the Gelbe Sack

Organic waste

We bought Apfel liquor, which I think is actually Apple Schnapps. I heard you are supposed to serve it in frozen glasses and after it was chilled, but even warm it is so good.

Jack's shoes got destroyed. They basically fell apart, the insides ended up looking like wet cardboard, and they were no longer shaped quite like shoes. He got new shoes though-- Spiderman shoes. Since they have web power and other super hero powers they make him kick the ball harder/further and he can run faster than ever.