My Little Monkey

Silas's latest craze is to climb up onto our blanket chest and then jump onto the couch. Sometimes he will stop and stand on the chest for a bit - sort of do a little dance - and then jump onto the couch. He is such a little monkey. When I was taking these pictures the other day, he was just laughing and being so silly. You can sort of see in the one picture him doing his little dance thing! Then I also caught him standing on the highchair in the dining area. I think the expression on his face is saying "Uh-Oh, mom caught me!". What a little monkey he is. He loves to climb, climb, climb!

Scrapping!

Sunday - November 30, 2008. Today I pulled out my scrapbooking stuff. It has been about a year since I last had it out. Each year I take all the Christmas pictures I have received and put them into a book. Then each Christmas I set the book out and we enjoy looking through it and seeing all the pictures of our friends and family. It is great to see how everyone has changed over the years. We also reminise about the fun times we've had with the individuals in the pictures at different stages in our lives. The kids really enjoy this too - especially when they see familiar faces they haven't seen in awhile. Today I got all of 2007's pictures into the book! It may be 11:30pm - but I got it finished and had fun doing it. Now if I could only keep my scrapping stuff out and catch up on the books for the kids....I haven't even started a book for Silas, so that givew you an idea of just how far behind I am!

Christmas Cookies

On Saturday evening the kids and I headed over to the Panjwani's house for some fun. Jacob is a year older than Shane and the boys disappeared as soon as we got there. They appeared again for supper - but then went right back to playing. The girls hung out with Alyssa who is in 6th grade. Alyssa was such a super help with the kids. They made some Christmas cards with stamps, glitter, and other crafty stuff first and then after supper we made Christmas cookies. Shannon had this Spritz cookie maker - just like my mom had when I was a kid. It took me right down memory lane! A few years ago I purchased a Pampered Chef spritz cookie maker - but in our move to Germany it was one of those things that ended up in storage! The kids had a fun time making the spritz cookies, especially trying out all the different cookie shapes. Shaylee liked adding the sprinkles - and plenty of them! Silas even enjoyed watching the process - and watching them bake. Of course we enjoyed eating them too! Thanks Shannon and kids for a fun evening!

Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt

Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas markets) open across Germany this weekend. Almost all towns have their own little markets for just one weekend in December, but in most of the bigger cities the Weihnachtsmarkts run the entire month! Heidelberg's opened this week - so tonight we headed there for an evening of fun. We also figured it would be a good way to celebrate Thanksgiving as a family. We enjoyed checking out the little stalls with all of the unique wooden Christmas ornaments and decorations, the Weihnachtspyramiden, and other wares such as hats, scarfs, candy, smokers, nutcrackers, and the list goes on and on. The Christmas markets remind me of the bazaars I would go to with my mom as a kid - except that these are outside with lights and music and each person has their own little hut nicely decorated. Many people are all bundled up, walking about enjoying the sights, drinking gluhwein or eating wurst! There is such special feel to it - I really enjoy the Weihnachtsmarkts!

The Heidelberg Castle at night - with the Christmas market in the streets below!

The Weihnachtspyramide all lit up - walking along the streets of Heidelberg - and having FUN!

Purchasing a picture at one of the stalls - watching the iceskaters -and getting candy canes!

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. We are thankful for loving family and friends; both near and far. We are thankful for 4 healthy, lively, wonderful children. We are thankful for the opportunity we have to live and work in Germany. We are thankful for freedom to worship God. We are thankful that we have a hope and a future. We are thankful for God's faithfulness, his everlasting love, his grace. Even in the midst of trials and struggles we are thankful. Psalm 100 is a wonderful reminder of how we should give thanks to God. Not just on Thanksgiving -but throughout the year. May God bless each of you! Enjoy time with the ones you love - Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Schnee!

Saturday, November 22, 2008 - this morning we woke up to a beautiful dusting of snow! The rooftops were covered in white - as well as the trees and ground. We decided to go for a walk and play in the snow! We headed out into the vineyards. We had a wonderful time playing in the snow. (Note: Shane was at a friends birthday party - so that is why he is not in any of the pictures)

The kids were so excited to get to play in the snow.

Snowball fights! What fun! Watch out for a snow-wash from daddy! Put the camera away Jer - this snowball is coming right at you!

Mommy got one right in the face - thanks daddy! Silas got one on the head....he put his hand up to brush off the snow - with a question in his eyes saying "what was that?"

Sydney is SIX!

Sydney has been waiting patiently for her birthday to come. It is hard when you little sister, and then your mom both get to celebrate before you do! Friday she got to celebrate at school. Syd brought in banana muffins and candy for her classmates. They sang happy birthday to her and she got to wear a birthday crown all day. I worked on her cake - and had it ready for her when she got home from school. She designed her cake herself -telling mommy exactly what she wanted and even drawing mommy a picture of it.

Today is her day! She is very excited to be SIX! On her birthday she invited her friend Anna over to help her celebrate. We played games, opened presents, and of course sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY and enjoyed eating cake and icecream.

Playing pin the bow on Hello Kitty! How Syd managed to get the bow in the right spot -I'm not sure - maybe it is because she is the birthday girl!

More games - Ready, Set, Go...unwind your way through the web - showing off their yarn beards!

Musical dress-up. When the music stops, whoever has the ball has to pick an item out of a bag....what silly looking kids....many laughs with this game!

Opening presents. Syd with Anna - Thanks for the fun gift! And Syd with her other presents.

Birthday Wishes

I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to so many of you who thought of me on my birthday. I enjoyed the many cards, emails, e-cards, gifts and words of thoughtfulness and encouragement sent my way. Thank you! I am blessed to be surrounded my many caring family and friends. - Kimber

Sankt Martin

Tuesday, November 11, was Martinstag. This day is named after St. Martin who obtained sainthood from the Catholic Church for being a kind man, who cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm. In German class at school Sydney learned about St. Martin. Her class did a play for the parents - reinacting the story. Sydney got to be the horse! Her friend Alex was St. Martin.

The play - Sydney with her lantern - the kids checking out their burning candles in their lanterns.

In many parts of Germany it is traditional to hold a procession of paper lanterns in remembrance of St. Martin. Kids usually make their own little lanterns in school or kindergarten(as Sydney and Shaylee did) and then gather on city streets to sing songs about St. Martin and their lanterns. Most towns have a lantern procession where a man dressed as St. Martin with a long red cloak leads the parade on horseback. On Tuesday, Sydney's class walked around the school, holding their lanterns, and sang the traditional songs. Another part of the St. Martin celebration is to eat Martinsmannchen - basically bread in the shape of a man - representing St. Martin. In the above picture Syd is showing off her bread with her friends Anna and Alex.

Shaylee also had a Sankt Martin celebration at her Kindergarten on Friday evening. The kids in Shaylee's class also made lanterns. The Kindergarten also did a reinactment of the St. Martin story and then we walked around the school grounds. The little kids all with their lanterns, and all of us singing "Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne. Brenne auf, mein Licht, brenne auf, mein Licht, aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht."

After Shaylee's procession we enjoyed a bonfire(another common part of the celebration) along with Martinsmannchen, Gluhwein, and Kinderpunsch! It was a fun evening. I definately have the familar songs stuck in my head!