Merry Christmas!!

I hope that you are all enjoying your holiday. Here in the "Land Down Under" Christmas was VERY hot. We're in Alice Springs, a small desert town near the middle of Australia. Nearly everything was closed for Christmas here so we had a quiet, relaxing Christmas. My day consisted of sleeping long, breakfast outside in the sunshine, planning for Sydney (our next destination) and then lunch in the city in the ONLY cafe we found open in the whole city. It was a nice day.

Christmas eve we went on a tour to Uluru and Kata Juta. This was incredible!! These are two inportant historical and religious sites for the indigenous people of Australia. Very beautiful. I can't wait to share photos with all of you.

Tomorrow we will be in Sydney and I have to say that I am looking forward to being in the city. And certainly Sydney! There is so much to see and do there.

Happy Holidays and lots of love to all my family and friends!

Until next time.... :)

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

Actually, it has been looking like Christmas here in Germany for a while. Even more so lately with the snow!!

Right around our Thanksgiving time cities all over Germany begin setting up their Christmas markets. Weihnachtsmarkt, they call it. Most major cities have some version of the Weihnachtsmarkt, big or small, and people come and sell all kinds of things for decorating, eating and of course, gifts. I have of course been to the Stuttgart Weihnachtsmarkt but I've also been to the Weihnachtsmarkts in Ludwigsburg, Esslingen and Koln. I'm a bit of an expert now :)



The Stuttgart Weihnachtsmarkt. (the best, by far)


Ice skating.


People in Stuttgart (and most major cities) sell their items from these little wooden "houses". Stuttgart has something special though and that is that all these houses are decorated lavishly. Especially the rooftops.


One rooftop with the Manger.


More lights and decoration.


The live Manger.


This is inside the old castle in Stuttgart. There is a choir in the background singing. Every evening at 6 there is a different choir from the churches in and around Stuttgart. The acoustics are incredible.


Miniature city with trains.





Ludwigsburg. The castle.


And again.


Beautiful.


And the Ludwigsburg Weihnachtsmarkt. Maybe you can see that the houses are not decorated very much, but they do have lots of lights strung up. Different.


And all the yummy things to eat!!. You will find several of these kinds of houses at each Weihnachtsmarkt. They all have mostly the same kinds of Christmas sweets. And don't forget the Gluhwein!!! Delicious!! Gluhwein is hot spiced red wine. Very tasty but be careful if you have to drive later.


Ludwigsburg is a beautiful city will gorgeous OLD buildings. Unfortunately, we went into this church and it was totally modern inside!! I mean, glass walls, steel, and colored lighting. Its a tragedy really.


More of the market.

Unfortunately, here is where I tell you that I don't have photos from the Esslingen market because I forgot my camera. A shame really because that market is a Middle Ages market. Tents instead of houses and the people are all dressed like they are living in the Middle Ages. The music, the crafts, everything was back in time. Very unique. Also the photos from Koln I have to get from David and Simeon still. So that's the end of the Weihnachtsmarkt photos.


Our Weihnachtsbaum.


Its a German Christmas tree....

Well, now I'm leaving all these Christmas things behind. The cold, the snow, the markets.....and I'm going to where its summer. Beaches, sand, sun.......

I wish you all a very merry Christmas!!!
Safe travels to all.

With Flying Colors

I walked out of the final part of my test today and I wanted to cry. Not because it didn't go well, exactly the opposite!!

We have had three days of tests starting Friday and finishing today. The tests was in five parts: text production (writing), listening, reading, grammar and speaking. Today we finished with the speaking part of the testing and as I walked in they told me that I had already done very well on the previous parts of the test and by the end of my 15 minute speaking test they were also very happy with how well I am able to speak German. Yay!! I am so, so happy. I didn't realize it until I walked out of the test but being able to do well on the test means so much more to me than just the passing grade. Lately I have been feeling a bit discouraged with learning the language and wondering why I thought I could do this, but now I have some confirmation of what I have learned and the feeling that can manage it.

I know, because you are all wonderful and supportive, that you will all tell me that you believed in me all along. I believed in me too, but it also feels good to have these positive test results.

Yay me!!

:)

Another First

As they say, there is a first for everything.

Yesterday a new guy joined our class. His name........Kaya. What!!! Granted he spells it wrong and he's a he but, its my name! Okay I'm kidding really.

So the new game in class goes something like this: Teacher calls 'Kaija', my head jerks up and I'm ready to respond, but she's looking to the back of the room, over my head, waiting for his reply. Sigh. C'est la vie.

K.

Yawn

I don't know what it is exactly, the changing weather, the uped intensity of my language course this week or just the general submersion in a forein culture and language, regardless of the reason, ich bin ganz müde!!! I am so tired!! By Friday it was a 'hit the snooze five times and take the last train to class' kind of morning. Now the weekend is here and if it isn't exactly lazy, I'm finding a bit of time to relax and enjoying at least the change of pace.

This morning we had a nice breakfast all together as usual. Something I enjoy about the weekends. Stephan's sister joined us as well. She is leaving on Monday for the last stops on her world wide travels. She has literally been traveling the world and on Monday she leaves for ANTARCTICA!!! So jealous. Well, after breakfast I went into the city with Sabine and Lili for a bit of shopping and then lunch. When we came home Lara and I baked some cookies, and worked on some puzzles (a favorite past time of hers) and then we all (Stephan, Sabine, the girls and I) had a small something to eat and coffee before heading out for a lovely evening walk, arriving home just as the wind and rain swept in. Now I am cozy and dry, enoying my cup of tea (and a delicious homemade cookie) and a quiet relaxing evening. *Sigh* :)

K.

The last couple of weeks have been so busy. Whew! I started my German course and so far that is going really well. I'm learning all the important things......

like BIER!!

And some of the not so important things, like grammar and verb conjugations :) Kidding. It is an intensive course and it really covers everything and we are learning SO much. There are only 10 people in the class which is perfect. The other students come from all over, Asia, France, Brazil, Panama, England and there is also a woman here from the US. Everyone is really nice and friendly and its just a great atmosphere. We have two teachers who rotate through the week which I wasn't sure about at first but it works. They are both really great teachers, very friendly and helpful. To summerize, the people are wonderful, I love learning the language (AND having to immedeately apply what I learn to my daily life), and its great to get up in the morning and have somewhere to go and something to do. Plus, I love it when we have homework!! I don't think I've ever said that before.

As for the other areas of life here.....good, good, good. Family life is great. Still. This last week we could really feel in the house that the girls have become very comfortable with me and have really accepted my being here and my role in the family. Every day we are getting more and more comfortable with one another and life flows pretty easily. Our schedule, or routine is very relaxed and not at all like, now you are working, and at this time you can do your own thing. It really just feels like I'm a part of the family and I'm a friend to Lara. I help out around the house or play with the girls, and then sometimes I have my friends over or I have plans to go into the city. Its just life here.

Well, here is a bit of visual representation of what I have been up to these last several weeks.

On our way to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch FOOTBALL!! VFB Stuttgart vs. FC Shalke.

The Stadium.

Support Stuttgart!! Red and white everything.

VFB Stuttgart on the left, FC Shalke on the right.

Woooo!! Football!

It felt kind of strange not to have more pre-game stuff. And no anthem or anything.

This is the Stuttgart fan section. There is no seating it is standing only.....and they stand, AND cheer for the whole game. I tried to take a video, it didn't turn out very good, but they are loud and seriously, there is hardly a break in the cheering.

Mmmmm, half time was beer and brat time......and then back to the game.

Now that my German class has started, I have to wake up ear-ly. Oh man. But, on the plus side, somedays I get to enjoy a beautiful morning sky.

Okay, okay, maybe it isn't so aweful getting up early.

The results of my last baking day with Lara. In case you were wondering these are not from scratch, they're from a box and I had to buy them because they're called Mini Americans. I thought this was hilarious. I have absolutely no idea why they are called Mini Americans. Silly Germans. The cookie should actually be frosted, half chocolate and half citrus but, we thought just chocolate was better. We also added some M&M's because, well, they're fun.

Mmmmmm. Delicious. Lecker.

This I took last Friday when Sabine and I took the girls for a walk in the woods not far from the house. Absolutely gorgeous with the sun coming through the trees. Lara was always asking me 'what is that?' and testing me on my knowledge of German.

Fall is beautiful here. I love it.

Sabine and Lara.

Lili at the playground.

So sweet!!

Oooops, Lili dropped her Rice Cake. 'Look Mama!'

Lara inside of a little house someone made out of tree branches.

German Class

Tomorrow is my first day of my German language course! I'm a tiny bit anxious because I really have no idea what to expect. But I'm also excited. It will be great to have something more to do here, a reason to get out and go into the city and of course, to learn German!! I am really looking forward. Oh, but it means that I have to get up so early! No more rolling out of bed at 9, having a long relaxed breakfast and an even longer lazy morning. I'm a little bit sad about this, but I'll adjust to my new schedule. So, bright and early tomorrow morning, half past 8.......


:)
K.

mein Wochenende

Freitag:
I ate at a Turkish restaurant with Stephan and Sabine. It was the kind of restaurant where you have to take off your shoes and sit on pillows on the floor to eat. I thought this was great, except I don't think it provides the best conditions for degestion. Also while we were eating they had a belly dancer for entertainment. It was great fun. And it was so nice to go out. Sometimes, because I don't have a reason to go out, I forget to even go out during the day!! So this was nice.

Samstag:
We had a relaxing morning. A long breakfast, Frühstück. And in the afternoon I joined Stephan to go to the football stadium. VFB Stuttgart vs. FC Schalke. Wow, the atmosphere in the stadium is amazing, so intense. VFB Stuttgart was placed at 11 I think going into the game and FC Schalke at 2, or something like this. The final score was a disappointing Stuttgart 1, Schalke 2, with a foul called just before Stuttgart's second goal was made. Even so, it was so much fun to have the chance to be in the stadium for a game and it was really an experience. I don't think we have anything like it in the US.
(I thought of you the whole time Nils. Stephan even said that someday you have to come visit and go to a game)

Sonntag:
After another long Frühstück, Sabine and I went to what was basically a garage sale. It was a photographer friend who was selling clothes and shoes and all kinds of things which she had used in photo shoots. Better than your average garage sale. She had all kinds of things and they were in great condition, and still cheap. I found a few things for my room and also a book to start scrapbooking with some of my photos from Germany. I figured I get started now and maybe I will actually finish it one day. One can hope. In the afternoon then we went out, Stephan, Sabine, the girls and myself, just for a nice walk in the city. The weather was good and it was very nice to be out a bit all together.

Another great weekend past!!

K.

Cookies!!!

Ready to bake :)

Hehe, smile Lara.

Being silly here...

Yumm, this is the best part. Lara was totally into the eating part. I have her a ball of dough to roll in her hands and she imediately put it in her mouth! HAHA. She will like baking.

Our lovely cookies. Interesting also to see how she makes the faces. Where the eyes and mouth and nose are placed. Very interesting.

Ready for the oven!!

In they go...

and then we wait.

Oh no!!! I have to get used to a different oven and different temperatures :( Something to learn for next time.

(They still dissapeared with the blink of an eye)

K.

Food for Thought

I'm starting to realize how much I've taken for granted just being able to communicate with the people in my life. How often do you think about how to communicate with your friends, children, spouse, the person at the market, or the bank? Probably never, right? I mean you think about what, but not HOW. And I don't mean via telephone, or email etc. But it adds a whole new spin on the day, on life, when you can't just open your mouth and express yourself, or explain what you're thinking, what you need etc. And sure there is a lot that can be 'said' without being verbal, but that really only goes so far. But even as frustrating as it can be here at times, not being able to communicate, I am still not at a total loss, and I can only imagine those who are.

Just a thought for the day.

Baking Day!!!

Friday of last week Sabine and I sat down to discuss a kind of weekly schedule. It is a flexible schedule but it will give us an idea of what is happening every week, who is with whom and doing what. This is great because now I can plan activities with Lara and know when I am with Lili and at what times I maybe have a break.

The biggest days for me are Wednesday (today) and Thursday. Wednesdays are baking days!! I'm very excited about this. Its something new for Lara, something I can introduce that can be my thing with her, and I think she will really like it. Then on Thursday Lara and I will have a two-way tutoring session. She will help me with my German (she LOVES this, and its good for her to feel that she can help me with something) and I will work with her on some English. This will also be fun and beneficial for us both. After a short German/English lesson then we will work on a craft project which can be carried over from week to week or from day to day if we need to fill time anywhere. My creative juices are already flowing!!! I have a long list of ideas which keeps growing!

So, today is our first baking adventure. I think it will be a good exercise (Occupational Therapy!) for Lara to use her hands to roll the dough into a ball and then we'll have some fun using M&M's to make faces in the cookies. Its a very simple cookie recipie to start, better not to plan too much. Who knows, it could be a total bust!! But I'm hopeful. I think it will go well. I'll update you tomorrow with photos :)

K.

The times they are a changing.....

We have had beautiful weather here in Stuttgart since I arrived. Gorgeous sunny days and quite often very warm. Usually I wake up and the sun is coming in through my window....but today, I woke up and saw this.....

And because you all know PNW weather you can imagine with a sky like this that, yes, it is raining. On the top of that hill there is also a television tower, can't see it can you. Oh well, I have no where to go and its nice and cozy inside.


So, I spent the morning making a weekly schedule with Sabine. Planning what we will do each day with the girls. Who is with whom and doing what. This is very, very good. Just what we needed. And we both were getting excited and brainstorming all kinds of activities and crafts and baking things we could do with Lara especially. This is what I love. Then Sabine's mother came for a visit which was very nice and after our Mittagessen I put together a small Tisch for my computer which we bought at Ikea the other day. And now I think I will sit down with a latte and my book and have a few quiet hours before Lara comes home at 5. All in all a nice and a productive day.

Look at the colors on this tree! This is also just outside my window. I guess I can't pretend anymore that it is still summer. But if it means I get to look at these beautiful Fall colors then I'm okay with it.

:)

K.