theres no place like home

but seeing lauras parents in germany was a close second. we spent a great week in southern germany, visiting the surrounding castles and villages and just catching up.

it was so wonderful to visit with them and comforting to spend a few days around some familiar faces. we loved staying in a real hotel room, riding around in a car, and all of the goodies (everything from board games to toothpaste) they brought. they even baked a birthday cake for lauras 30th birthday and checked it on the plane to germany -- we had a great little party with cake, streamers, and party hats.

we also got jim and joan into the backpacker adventure spirit with some alpine hikes, a few trips down a luge course, and a trip into the salt mines.