6-28: Shop til we Drop

So for today's adventure Tessi planned us a trip to the big mall in Oberhausen. The name of the mall was Centro and it is exactly what heaven will look like according to Tessi. Anneloes came over at breakfast and then we headed out(While we went to the mall Trevor and Leo decided to go ride go-carts and visit one of Leo's friends. Trevor told me when we got back that he had so much fun.) We got on the aotobahn, and let me tell you that that is an adventure all its own. Callie and I got a picture of the speedometer when Tessi was driving and she was doing 145!!!! My dad would freak out if he got to drive his Corvette here lol. So we got to the mall and there was a huge sale going on (which was music to my ears). Tessi and Anneloes showed us all of the cute stores and I got this dark purple (lila in deutch) top which I loved for really cheap. Then the moment of truth. Ever since Tessi and Anneloes have stayed with us I dreamed of going to their favorite store H&M. I walked into the store and I think I heard the hallelujah chorus (but tessi said it was just her lol). The clothes in there were so cute and priced really good. I got something for Kirby for her birthday that I missed and I hope she likes it. I've got to get Ramsey something for our birthday too. I got this really cute pink tank with black polka dots. I wish I could win like a shopping spree in there cause it was amazing. Then after a couple of more shops we went to the food court and ate lunch. Then we stopped by Starbucks for some coffee. After that it was time for shoes. Oh the shoes here are so so so beautiful "its like art for your feet"-(i think that's from P.S I love you). We tried on all kinds of shoes and I finally decided on some flat purple ones that I absolutely love. I found some white ones with rhinestone skulls on the toes but not everyone approved so I put them back. I have to buy some more shoes before i go back home tho. So we left the mall around 5 and got back home, we ate supper, and then Tessi, Callie,& I got ready to go to Jenny's house for her farewell party. It was so much fun. (and by the way all of the girls here are so pretty its ridiculous) We talked, danced, and just hung out. They are such friendly people here. So after the party we got back home at like 4 this morning and woke up at one to eat breakfast/lunch. Tonight is the the big soccer (fusbol) match between Germany vs Spain. Tessi is going to teach us their fight songs lol. We're pumped up. Well hope everyone is doing good back home. I love you all!!

Today's Adventure!!!

Well last night after we got to Tessi's house we put our stuff away and got ready for supper. We had spaghetti,salad, and a tomato and mozzarella salad with garlic, basil, and olive oil dressing. It was amazing. The food here is so great. Supper was fun to because we all talked and laughed and they got me to say "alter Schwede" which means old swedish man but it kind of relates to like "oh man" or something like that. Then we sat outside on their beautiful patio. Then Tessi's boyfriend Sascha came over. He is really cool and then her other friend Jenny came over too.Things here are smaller but the architecture is beautiful. Their garden is so pretty, Paula you would love it. I'm going to send picutres as soon as i can. This morning we woke up about 12 and had breakfast which was just as good as supper. Their breads are wonderful. So after breakfast we got ready to go to a water park called Atlantis. It was so much fun. Leo, Trevor, Tessi, and I rode the slides like 10 times!! I kept falling off of the donut that you sit on but is was awesome. We stayed there till about 6:30 or 7 and now we're back at Tessi's waiting to go to her friend Charlotte's house for supper with her other friend Jenny. Trevor and Leo are going to stay here and watch Deja Vu (in English luckily). We were going to go to a club but I think we'll save that adventure for another day. Again I love you all and miss you.

We're Here!!

Well we have arrived in Amsterdam right on schedule. Our flight from Nasvhille to Philadelphia was good just kind of uncomfortable. When we got to Philadelphia airport we went and ate at Friday's. It was delicious. Then we wondered around a few stores and went to our gate A4. We met another family that was also traveling to Amsterdam as well. They were really nice and informed us that our gate had changed so we checked it and it had. Our plane was suppose to leave at 6:30 and at 5:30 we saw that our gate changed AGAIN. Then we found out there was a malfunction on our scheduled plane so we had to get another plane which had to go through security check so we didn't board the plane until 6:30. Luckily however we still left on time. Our flight from Philadelphia to Amsterdam was long. They showed 27 Dresses as the movie and the meal wasn't that bad. Callie and I sat together and Mom and Trevor sat in the aisle beside us. We made friends with the guy beside us who was from Florida. His mom works for the Indianapolis Colts and he showed us his SUPERBOWL ring from the year they won. I am so jealous but he was a really cool guy and he even let me hold the ring, my uncle Shannon is going to be so jealous. After we arrived in Amsterdam Anneloes, Jeroen, and his sister Lichelle met us. Jeroen and Lichelle brought our luggage and Anneloes took us on the train. Holland is a beautiful country. Its flat but so green and lush with all kinds of flowers and trees. We got to Anneloes's hometown of Cuijk. Its pretty. Her mom served us "brunch" it was some kind of pea soup, different breads, and fruit. It was delicious. We also had hot tea which is NOTHING close to our southern sweet tea but I hope me and callie can survive till we get back. Well we're back at Ánneloe's apartment so I'm going to get off of her. We are waiting on Tessi to come pick us up and go over to her house. I'm excited to see her. I love and miss everyone back home and let everyone know we made it ok.

HERE WE GO!!!

The day has finally come. I'm all packed and ready to go. I'm just tingling with excitement. We are fixing to leave to house to go pick up Callie and Trevor and head to Nashville. This is probably going to be one of the longest days of my life but I'm to excited to care. I just want everyone to know that I love them and I will see you in 5 weeks. I'll try to keep my blog updated as much as possible. I'm going to miss everyone so much. Keep an eye on your mailboxes for my postcards!!! Lots of love-Regan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!!

My sister Kirby turned the big 2-1 today!!! I love her very much and hope she had a great day. She is one of the best sisters a girl could ask for (and so is my other sister Jennifer). Kirby is such a special person in my life and I hope that she has plenty more birthdays to come. I love you sis. Oh and Ramsey said Happy Birthday too. lol

Breaking Dawn

OK my best friend Callie Durham has started a summer reading list and her friend Lacy Pack had recommended she start reading the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. As soon as she told me about the book I was interested. So i borrowed her copy of the first one and read all of it in like 2 days. It was awesome!!! So then I went and bought the second and third books in the series and Callie and I finished them in one week. I seriously think they are almost better than Harry Potter but I'm a total book worm so don't just take my word on that. The fourth and final book of the series Breaking Dawn comes out on August 2, 2008. Callie and I are just dying for it to hurry up and get here. Luckily we both have our trip in a week to distract us. BUT as soon as I get back I plan on locking myself in my room and reading. I hope this makes you interested in reading these books because it really is a wonderful series. The first book is going to be a movie too. It comes out 12/12/08. That's two weeks after the premier of the new Harry Potter movie. I wonder who will win at the box office lol.

Behind the Blog

In a couple of days I will be traveling half way around the world to see some very important people. They are exchange students who have lived and visited with us the past two years and they are some of the most wonderful girls and boy (can't forget Leo) who I have ever met. It started when I was a junior. Anneloes Berkhout and Theresa (Tessi) Hegger were exchange students at the high school. I had never met them before until Valentine's Day when I went to my boyfriend's house. His mom was their mail carrier and she invited them to watch AMERICAN IDOL and eat pizza. They seemed like two really cool people. A couple of days later they wrote Karen a letter explaining that their host mother was trying to kick them out. They did not want to leave McMinnville because of all of the new friends they had made so she told me what was going on and then I asked my mom if we could help by letting them stay with us. My mom was having a hard time because it had only been 2 months since my grandpa had passed away. She saw this opportunity as a sign of someone new in her life she could take care of. So by the end of the weekend the girls were moving upstairs in our house and my poor brother Ramsey was kicked into my room. Anneloes, Tessi, and I would all room together upstairs. For the next five months I had two more sisters. It was awful when they had to leave but the next summer they came back and Tessi even brought her brother Leo. He was 15 and he stayed with my younger boy cousins. They all had a really good time. I even got the chance to take them to Disney World. As Tessi and I would say "you could feel the 'magic' in the air" lol. Now it is my turn to go and see my foreign family and in just a week my mom, cousin, friend , and myself will be boarding a plane headed for Amsterdam. It is going to be a wonderful adventure!!!!!