Europe Extravaganza 2026–Day 7

 We didn’t get out the door in time this morning, so we missed our train to Bratislava, Slovakia. We were able to purchase new tickets and even upgraded to first class which had sooo much more leg room and wider seats. It was worth the extra cost. 

By the time we arrived in Bratislava, instead of having a few hours to check out the city as we’d planned, we had three minutes to find and run to our next train. We felt like experts at train stations by now, so we were confident we could do it. Well, we hadn’t come across the Slovakian train system before and were unprepared for it’s ridiculousness. In the other countries we’ve been to, we just looked down the departures board until we found the information that matched our tickets: departure time, train operator (company), and train number. Once we matched the info, we would see the platform number we needed to go to catch our train. EASY!

Well, in Slovakia they only show the departure times and the trains’ final destinations. I’m not sure why they think foreigners will know their trains’ final destinations if they aren’t going there. PLUS some cities are called something different here than they are in the U.S. For instance, we needed to take a train to Breclav, Czechia, but the train’s final destination was Praha (known to us who are from the U.S. as Prague). Um, how exactly were we supposed to know any of that?! So obviously, we missed our NEXT train too.

After attempting to speak to several people at the train station, but being unable find anyone who spoke English (another first for us on this trip), we were able to purchase new tickets to Krakow. Yay! Things were looking up until the train we were to catch arrived 20 minutes late due to mechanics, then lost another 25 minutes due to construction on the tracks. 

We finally made it to Breclav, Czechia, but our connecting train had left long before we got there. So, after a looong day of missing trains, I was unwilling to rebook our tickets for tonight with 2 additional stops before Krakow, and decided to stay in Breclav tonight and start out refreshed in the morning.

Europe Extravaganza 2026–Day 1

 Jackson and I are all smiles at the San Francisco airport, where Judy Mollo was kind enough to drop us off.

On the plane, Jackson decides he will perfect his “sinister” look while on this trip, so there is a common theme in most photos of him. 😁

Norwegian Krumkake

 

• Traditionally made at Christmas time.  
• Must contain cardamom to be considered Norwegian.

INGREDIENTS

SCALE

• 2 ¼ cup of sifted all-purpose flour
• 
  
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¾ teaspoon crushed cardamom
• 6 eggs
• 6 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoon melted butter, but not hot 

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add flour, sugar, cornstarch, and cardamom to large bowl. Mix well.
2. In smaller bowl, beat eggs and then add cream, vanilla, and butter. Mix well
3. Add liquid mixture into dry mixture and combined until a smooth peanut butter like consistency
4. Preheat krumkake maker (set between 4 and 5)
5. Each Krumkake will require about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter. Add batter to your Krumkake maker and cook until golden brown. For my tool, this is about 2 minutes.
6. Remove with fork and use Krumkake tool to form into cone before it cools down
7. Allow grill to heat back up, repeat until batter is gone
8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill with whipped cream and fruit. Eat! 

Makes approximately 30 krumkake

Our House Is Sold!

Thanks to our house looking so great and the housing market being so crazy right now, we found a buyer within a few days.  It closed escrow in only 21 days, so just a little over a month after putting our house on the market, it was sold, we had moved out, and the new owners had moved in.  So fast!

On the day we moved out, Jackson and Tera still had a week of school left in the school year and Jackson had over a week left in his Little League season, so we stayed at the campground nearest to Davis, which is in West Sacramento, and drove them back and forth.

I am happy to say that a family bought our house.  The husband works for Morgan Stanley, the wife is beginning her medical residency, and they have a four year old child.


Family Reactions to Moving

Matt:  Relief and excitement.  He couldn't wait to leave Davis.

Jackson:  Not sad.  Ready to move on to something new.

Tera:  Sad, because she will miss her friends.

Judi:  Sad, but excited.. sad...looking forward to new adventures...tear-eyed, sad, and nervous...and I'll miss my friends...but relieved.

Our Davis Home Goes On the Market

Today is a bitter-sweet day for me. We put our home for the last 12 years on the market today. We are moving on to bigger, better things: traveling around the U.S. for several months and then relocating near Santa Cruz, CA. We're excited to live near the beach and coastal mountains, and nearer to the many family members that live in the Bay Area.

But it's hard leaving the only home that Jackson and Tera have ever known.  They came home to this house after they were born, and their hand and foot prints are in the cement by the playhouse that Matt built for them, and we have celebrate many birthdays and holidays here.  It is also difficult to move several hours away from our many wonderful friends that we now consider family. *wipes tear*

 Living Room

 Jackson hanging out in the living room

Kitchen

 Kitchen

Desk in kitchen

 Master Bedroom

 Hall Bathroom

 Hall Bathroom

Jackson's Bedroom

Jackson's Bedroom

Tera's Bedroom

Tera-isms

These are a few cute/funny things Tera says:

oatmilk = oatmeal

peckeroni = pepperoni

Uncle Judy = Aunt Judy

dunk my head = duck my head

Tera's First Work Of Art

Notice that Tera's first work of art was done in the same medium as Jackson's first work of art.  :)