javajanie

We're Back

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:58:48 -0400

I would update, but I've got kids with Build a Bears to register on their online site (seriously, every stuffed animal seems to come with a virtual world nowadays!).

I do want to tell you that we got to meet Jamie, DeWitte and Nathan. They were among the first neighbors I added here at Vox. They are just as cool as they are on their blogs. So be jealous. Pictures to come later after all virtual bears are taken care of.

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How Bizarre

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:51:45 -0500

Gary was over the house the other night for our traditional Heroes viewing. While we were waiting for Steve to get home from work, we were talking about this tv show, Bizarre Foods with Anthony Zimmerman. He found it on our guide and set the DVR to tape it.

I must admit, as much as it grosses me out, I really enjoy this show. The kids love it too.

He goes to all sorts of interesting places around the world and eats the strangest local delicacies. It got me to thinking though. I love to travel and I would love to see the world. I'm wondering if someone offered me the same job, to eat this nasty stuff, but paid to travel the world at the same time, if I would take it. Would you? I'm undecided at the moment having just watched the dude eat Balut.

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Road Trip!

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:25:23 -0400

Steve is going on business again this week. This time, since the kids are out of school, we are all going. We are driving out to St. Louis with him, and then onto Kansas City later on in the week. Victoria is the only one not going. She is going to Teen Camp at my mom's church.

Any suggestions for cool places in and around those areas are welcome! We love getting recommendations for restaurants or places to see. Just don't suggest the Arch. Done that once in my life and I will never go up in that thing again!

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Georgia On My Mind

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:13:57 -0400

So we are near Savannah, just off I-95 for the night. We didn't get too far today. Steve had a migraine this morning, so we got a late start. Then he wanted to stop at the outlets in Orlando. Yes, I am a lucky gal, my man likes to shop. I scored a pair of sunglasses. Steve and Victoria both ended up with a pair of plaid shorts. Alex got a funky green polo shirt. Not so bad for a couple of hours of wondering around I suppose. As you can see from my mobloggin', Steve also made sure to stop and get me some boiled peanuts and pecans. The peanuts were really good. We couldn't figure out what they reminded us of, til Alex suggested potatoes. They did have a kind of potato taste to them. The pecans were ok. Not sure what possessed me to buy 10 lbs of pecans.

Steve insisted on driving today, so I was off the hook. I would've driven if he really wanted me too. I kept bugging him, asking whether he was feeling ok, did he want me to drive. He says the pain isn't as bad, so he's stopped taking the pain meds the dentist prescribed. Just going with good ol' ibuprofen now. He's much more himself than he has been since Wednesday afternoon.

I'm still a bit nervous about driving up the coast with this bad weather on the way. Looks like we'll just have to drive right through it.

I'm going to try and get some sleep now. I'm itchy. I have this thing about bed bugs when I stay in hotels. I get all itchy just thinking about them. So then I'm not sure if there are really bed bugs, or if I'm just being paranoid. Guess I can't complain. The hotel may not be all that fancy, but at least we have free internet!

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Just a Maryland girl at heart

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:43:05 -0400

So when I met Steve, I hadn't been much of anywhere. I had lived on the same street my entire life, bought a house a block away from my parents. As a child, we vacationed "downy ocean, hon". As an adult, I vacationed there too. Sure there were day or weekend trips to Virginia to go to an Amway convention with my parents, maybe Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens. My grandparents took us up to Amish Country in Lancaster PA too. The only reason I ever really left Maryland to see another state that didn't share our border was because my sister had married a Navy guy/nomad and moved from state to state. Oh, and there was the one childhood road trip down 95 to Disney World courtesy of my grandparents in 2nd grade.

I liked living in my hometown, on my childhood street. I liked that I had vacationed in the same place for most of my life. I was ok with my small world. I never cared or thought about venturing far. Maryland was perfectly fine with me.

Then I found myself single again. Never expected that. Then dating. Online. I was corresponding with this really nice single dad. He sent me a picture. I didn't know much about him. In my innocence I asked if the picture had been taken in Busch Gardens. It looked just like I remembered the "Germany" part looking. I gave the guy a good laugh, as the picture was taken in Germany. Who knew people actually went there? I ended up marrying the guy and never living that one down.

Steve Rothenburg

He was even sweet enough to take me there. I was scared out of my mind to even go. Seriously, not only go to another country, but one where they don't speak English?!?! Talk about stepping outside of my cozy little world.

Steve and Janie Rothenburg

We rented a car this trip and he drove me to as many places as he could in 10 days. We started in Germany. Then we drove to Paris for a couple days. Back down into Germany to see the Black Forest. Through the Swiss Alps into Italy to see Venice. Then back up through Austria to get back to Germany. It was a magical once in a lifetime trip for me. I still can't believe I went to those places. Places and things I thought I would only see in books, never experience first hand. I had my best friend as my tour guide. He even made sure he drove through Liechtenstein just so I could say we had been there. He stopped at a grocery store in every country, just because I wanted to see what kind of cereal people ate in other countries. We ate schnitzel, crepes with nutella, real italian pizza, bacio gelati, goulash, and Black Forest Cake. We drank cappucinos at little restaurants on the side of the road. We bought cherries and fresh bread from a roadside stand by the Rhine river. I would go into more detail, but I would bore you all. I could go on for days.

I never imagined wandering that far from my small town south of Baltimore. Steve loves me so much, he wanted to share Europe with me. He knew I would love it just like he did. I think I can take a lifetime of being teased.

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QotD: Next On My Itinerary

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:56:37 -0500

What's the next country you want to visit?
Submitted by Schomer.

I thought it was England. We didn't get up to England when Steve and I went to Europe a few years back. However, after doing some thinking and research, I really want to go to Japan. I just want to see somewhere so different from anywhere I've ever been or experienced. I'm a little scared, since neither Steve or I read or speak or even understand Japanese. Hopefully, Japan will be our trip this summer when all the kids are away.

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Vox Hunt: Candid

nobody@vox.com(java janie) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 09:14:27 -0500

Show us a candid photo.
Submitted by dearbarbz.

Baybridgesteve05

I love snapping pictures of Steve while we are driving. He hates it. He just looks so serious. It cracks me up. We were driving over the Bay Bridge coming home from Ocean City, MD.

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