Jan 26, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Things I Enjoy About Germany

There was quite a bit of discussion on Tuesday after I shared my “what I don’t like about Hessen” post…and apparently I got a lot of people thinking that I absolutely detest living here and should leave as soon as possible. Let me state for the record that although living over here has certainly had its ups and downs, I am happy living here and there are certainly some great perks... read more

Jan 24, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

What’s wrong with Hessen

You may have noticed that in general, I try not to be a naysayer. I like to look at life as if the glass is half-full, and think positively so that good things happen. I fully believe that if you focus on the negative all the time, you are only going to produce more negativity. But our trip to Florida over Christmas really got me thinking about what a miserable place Hessen can be to live. I mean... read more

Jan 15, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Auf Deutsche: What did you just say?

There is no doubt that one of the hardest obstacles to overcome when you decide to move to Germany is the language…assuming you don’t speak German already. Those who speak other languages like Spanish, Italian or French may find the sentence structure similar, but very few of the words sound anything like you hear in the more guttural German language. The first sentence I learned in German was,... read more

Jan 11, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Waiting on the electric bill

She came. The dreaded meter reader. Every January, we sit and wonder just how severe our bill will be for the previous year…and if the monthly payments we made in advance will actually cover what we burnt up in electricity. You see, since we first bought this house, one of the sorest spots of all has been the energy consumption that we use to keep this place going. Our first year was just crazy... read more

Jan 2, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

American expats and our shopping habits

As you have very likely learned in the last few weeks, we went “home” to Florida for two glorious weeks and spent Christmas over there. I will not even begin to rub it in regarding just how awesome the vacation was (because there will be more posts about that like our trip to SeaWorld and the amazing fact of being able to go swimming on Christmas day and get a sunburn on the beach the day... read more

Dec 5, 2011 Posted by Tiffany

Mingling with the locals

So you’re here in Germany and you want to find a place where you can really hang out and let loose with the locals. But you’re either apprehensive about the language barrier or you just don’t even know where to go to get yourself started when it comes to meeting your neighbors. Here are a few tips and tricks that we’ve learned over the years to get your foot in the door and on your... read more

Nov 8, 2011 Posted by Tiffany

Ten Steps to a Happy Thanksgiving

I know it’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is literally just around the corner. I kind of hyperventilated a little when went on eBay yesterday and it said 47 days until Christmas! With only 16 days left until the main turkey event, now is the time to start planning. Don’t wait until the very last minute so you’ve got to fight your way out of the store with the last box of Stove Top or... read more

Oct 17, 2011 Posted by Tiffany

Amazingly awesome neighbors

Regardless of where you live, there are few things as important as good neighbors. We have been incredibly blessed to live across the street from the nicest family on the planet. They go out of their way to help others out and he’s really a jack of all trades. We’ll call him R. Anything you can dream up that involves building, repairing, renovating or overhauling (from homes to bicycles to... read more

Oct 13, 2011 Posted by Tiffany

Family & Winners

First off, I’d like to thank the “family” of NOH readers who entered the Refueling Power Moms Giveaway this past weekend. What an amazing response from your all and I absolutely appreciate all the support and love you have not only shown to me, but also to all the sponsors. You guys totally rock! Well over 400 entries in just 5 days really blew my mind. So thank you all and I’m glad... read more

Jun 20, 2011 Posted by Tiffany

Auf Deutsch: Pork Cuts

Since the beef cuts guide was such a big hit, and so many people have asked when this might continue so you can all figure out the cuts of pork you want to be buying as well, I figured I had better get cracking. It’s time to delve into the world of pork and see just how the cuts compare in the US and Germany. First, lets look at the cuts that most of us Americans are familiar with: Ah, ham. Nothing... read more