So we joined several thousand of our  Irish friends for the St. Patty's Day parade in Munich.  The festivities were fun and we had great Guinese.  Fun music, bagpipes, and irish dancers everywhere. 

After my crazy travel through the US, the next day home Greg took me skiing.  To our suprise several folks from the Munich Ski Club joined us.  We went to the highest point in Munich-Zugspitze it also crosses the Austrian boarder at the very top.  Check out these views and pictures in the Album.  THe views were amazing and the cinditions perfect Spring Skiing, it just stinks becuase everything is T-bars and on a snowboard that is a real pain.  At least for me, all I did was embarrass Greg falling off the T-bar.  We finally gave up and just did the boring run that was near the big lift.  Sorry honey, I don't think I will ever figure out the T-bar! 

 

After being abroad for 7 months it is always good to see family.  I had a chance to see my Mom, Greg's parents, my brother and my nieces and nephews.  Here are just a couple from my few days home.  They are so cute... 

I was excited to have the opportunity to host 40 of our Central Eastern Europe Press, Partner, Customers and Staff at this years WorldWide Launch in LA in February.  It was crazy with over 4000 IT Pros and Developers at the Nokia Center with Steve Ballmer Keynoting and Tom Brokaw doing the opening kick-off!  This served as the kick-off to more than 250 events around the world that will reach over 250,000 attendees in person and another million via online virtual events.  In CEE we will have over 30 events in 28 countries with more than 25,000 attendees.  I have already attended Croatia and next week I head to Slovenia and Romania.  The follwong week Greece, Czech Republic and then Malta, Cyprus, Armenia and Azerbijan.  I will have pictures up from every event.  Here are some pictures from LA, it was a fun event and it is an amazing time to be in IT and to be an IT Professional and especially to be part of Microsoft. 

 

The day after the event I had a chance to meet up with my best friend from elementary school.  I can't beleive we have been friends for 18 years, man that makes me feel old.  I had a chance to spend time with her twin daughters.  Lets just say I was more in to them than they were of their Aunt Rane.  They were ready to go home in the first 5 minutes, got to love 2 year old.   It was cute Mom would say, "Let me spend some time with my best friend, can't Mom spends osmetime with her friend?"  And the response from the girls, "NO, we want to go home and you need to play with us."   They are darn cute though...

 

So I had the opportunity to celebrate my 32nd birthday while I was back in the states with my buddies in Seattle and Portland.  Thanks to everyone who made it out to visit me.  I am truly loving life in Munich but it is always great to see family and friends.  Thanks to Dave, Daisy, Mary and Nicki for spending several evenings wih me in good old Bellevue and Kirkland, so I wasn't bored. Special thanks to Greg's Mom and Dad who had to nurse me back to health as I bragged about not being sick in 5 months and then the next day getting my worse cold!  A few pictures of the festivities below and more in the albums.