How We Celebrated

We do not usually do much to celebrate Valentine's Day mostly because Anthony's birthday falls in the same week. This year, however, our chapel sponsored a dinner for couples. How could we pass up a free dinner with friends at a cool place?!





Our friend, and single coworker, Heather, watched the kids for the evening. They love her, so it was a treat for them too. She is also one of my most fashionable friends with the added benefit of being my size, so she gladly took the role of my personal dresser for the evening. It was really fun to get dressed-up and feel pretty for a night.










We are blessed with many good friends at our chapel. So, on top of a nice meal, we had great company.





And some fun entertainment which included Anthony serenading me. You have to admit it takes some guts to pull out Boys-2-Men at a church function! :)

It was really a wonderful evening! And I even got a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from Anthony on Valentines Day. I know, I'm spoiled! ;)




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Random Snapshots of our Holiday

First (and only so far) snow

Making Christmas cookies

Christmas parties with the youth groups

Christmas celebration with the CSM Europe team

Shaun (one of Anthony's closest friends here) got back from deployment

Christmas markets...this one was in Koln

Christmas eve with friends (Misty)

Our good friend Tony came for a long visit

Christmas morning

The 12 Days of Christmas

That's what we fondly called my mom's visit in December.  This is one of the longest stretches that we have gone without seeing family, and I have really felt it!  The reality of being so far away from loved ones has weighed heavy on me this fall.  So, it was really special to have my mom come .  And since it was during the holidays, we got to do lots of fun, festive stuff:

The Ktown Christmas Market

 

Swimming at the German Schwimmbad

 

 

Christmas Market at Valkenburg Caves, Netherlands

Going for walks

Alethia showing Granny her school

Seeing Santa

Alethia's dance recital (more on that later)

We also had a little early Christmas celebration so the kids could open their gifts from Granny.  I'm so glad that my kids get to know their Granny even from such a distance!  We had a great time together, and it was sad to see her go.  We are hoping for more extended family time in 2012!

Happy New Year!!!

I cannot believe we are already a week into 2012!!!  December flew by even quicker than usual for us.  I have lots of blogging to catch-up on to end 2011.  So, I'll be working on posting all about our holiday season to catch us up.  Until then, let me just wish you all a very blessed 2012!

Below is a video I took as we rang in the new year with friends.  The video really does not capture how awesome it to be surrounded by a panoramic fireworks show, but it gives you an idea.  We are so blessed to get to experience Germany at this time of year!

Happy Halloween!

We spent time Friday celebrating friends and getting to dress-up and eat candy.  We have a small stash of Halloween costumes from previous years and hand-me-downs.  I let the kids raid the stash and pick what they wanted to wear.  Alethia chose a penguin costume that was meant for Masami, so it was about 3 inches too short in the arms and legs, but what is the point in arguing.  Masami chose an adorable monkey costume from cousin Micah and announced that he was Curious George. 

At Alethia's German class on Friday afternoon, the teacher Miss Jenny, asked each kid (in German) what costume they would be wearing for Halloween.  Then, she taught them the German words for their costume.  Many of the kids had chosen classic Halloween characters like zombies, witches, and Frankenstein's monster.  When it got to Alethia, she proudly replied that she would be a penguin.  Immediately, one boy about 10 yrs old (who is going to be Frankenstein's monster) said, with surprising tenderness, "Ahhh, she is going to be a cute penguin!"  He then asked how to say "cute penguin" in German.  Such sweet affirmation for Alethia from such a surprising source. 

After German class, the kids got dressed in their costumes and we met up with friends to join their unit's trunk-or-treat.  It was everything I want out of a Halloween experience: short, tame, to the point...candy!  We shuffled around a parking lot admiring all the fun costumes and creative trunk decor and filled-up the kids candy bags. 

Alethia, Kylie, Emily, & Masami

Afterwards, it was back to the Kouba's for pizza and fun.  The only thing missing was mulled apple cider...but I put my order in for next time. :)

2nd of July Celebrations!

This was the first year in several years that we did not have the privilege of celebrating the 4th of July with my mom.  It was a bit sad not to get to be with family, but we really enjoyed the festivities on base. 


This year the fest was on the 2nd of July, so our celebration was a couple days early.  We headed over to the fest in the afternoon and made a bee-line for our favorite food tent...the Filipino booth.  They make such yummy pansat and adobo.  Once we had full tummies, we headed over to the kid area.  It was a field full of bounce houses, face painting stations, various carnival games and rides, and sumo wrestlers.  Our kids played happily for hours while we visited with the many students and friends that we ran in to.

Eventually we meandered out to the softball field and found a place to lay out to watch the fireworks with our friends, Jennessa and Heather.  The fireworks were great.  I was so proud to be surrounded by the many individuals and families that sacrifice so much to serve and protect our country as we celebrated the freedom they help to protect. 
 

Easter Festivities

We really got festive this Easter week.  Easter is a very big holiday in Germany, so Alethia was hearing a lot about it at school and was very excited about it.  For months (ever since the commissary starting stocking Easter candy in February) Alethia has been asking me, “Is it Easter yet?”  I was happy to declare last week that “yes!”  Easter was upon us.  So here is a window into our Easter celebrations:

This is one of the three eggs that Alethia painted at kindergarten.

Making cookies with Heather (our new co-worker, temporary roommate and friend):

Dying Easter Eggs with Dadda:

Chapel Easter Celebration:

Alethia with her Chapel friends: Akeera, Aleera, and Tameera

 Easter Egg Hunt at home:  Alethia was so excited about it.  I wish I had video-taped it because she was like sprinting to find the eggs even though she was the only one.  It was really precious.