Rock -N- Roll with a Twist

Catching up...

2011-04-05T19:40:00.003+02:00

So I have been checking out teacher blogs and thought I should maybe get back to our own family blog. It's only been about 2 years since my last blog entry:) Since then we have had an addition to our family. Since Facebook arrived, it seems that all anyone does. I will still keep FBing but I wanted to keep families up to date on the goings on with us and the kiddos.

Speaking of which....
Ryan and Jakob are now both attending the same school as myself. This has actually been very nice. I love that I am more involved with the boys schooling and can talk with their teachers at virtually any time. I think the boys have enjoyed it as well. I'm sure there will be times when it isn't so cool for them (Ryan told me I was embarrassing him when I delivered his water bottle he left in my classroom:) ) but for the most part the pros outweigh the cons.

In December when I came down with pneumonia and was hospitalized, my colleagues and friends rallied around and took care of all my boys. They even took up a collection since I was on leave without pay - extreme generosity and another example of how the Lord takes care of his children.

Eli is the newest addition I haven't blogged about yet. He is quickly coming up on his first birthday!!! He just fell asleep next to me so now I can write. I'll write more about him soon. I love him to death and the bigger boys are so good with him. It's so sweet to see them together. Soon I'll have some fun photos to add.

I'm thinking of redesigning this blog and make it a bit more interesting. I am also considering beginning a teacher blog. I am new to teacher blogs but am so IN LOVE with them! There are so many fabulous teachers out there and it is inspiring to share ideas and keeps the fun in teaching! I see many are making money on the side by selling their lessons. I'm thinking this is a great idea to offset some of what I spend on buying things for my classroom:)

That's all for now....hopefully my next blog won't be too far in the future:)

Even Better - Jeff looks rather fetching in tights:)

2009-04-22T19:39:00.000+02:00

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Have a Laugh!!

2009-04-22T19:30:00.001+02:00

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Garden Update

2009-04-11T20:58:00.005+02:00

We have been trying to get our garden done but it is difficult while working. Since I had Spring Break this past week the goal was to get as much as I could complete in the garden and then this weekend we would tear up the yard to plant grass seed. Our yard was really looking awful. Working alone has been difficult as I just don't have the muscle Jeff does and time seems to slip away with the kids around. Friday was a holiday and in Germany that means you cannot be loud. Jeff and worked at pulling out bushes we no longer want which of course exposed more work to be done. The crossbeams on the fence are rotted :( Well we did finally get the bushes pulled and even moved a lilac bush to a more convenient location. Next job would have to wait until today as it is nosy work.

This morning we got up early and rented a rotatiller. Jeff was unhappy since it seems smaller than he expected and he wasn't sure it would do the work and definately in the short amount of time we had to work. BBQ plans at 2pm. In actuality we were able to get the largest part of the yard complete. Later we will have to do the raised area but I don't think we will need the rotatiller for that. With no grass the yard looked better than it had in since we have been here.

We were able to pull out a lot of the roots that seem to be growing like mad and vines as well. Then together we leveled it all out. Jeff returned the rotatiller and we had to get ready for the BBQ. I ran to our local garden center and bought grass seed which turned out to be VERY EXPENSIVE GRASS SEED!!!! This stuff must be gold and it had better grow into a lush green yard. Supposedly good for sport and animals so it should hold up against the boys and dogs. After the BBQ it was still light out so I threw seed and Jeff watered everything. We have it all blocked off from kids and dogs and it will need to remain as such until the yard is complete. Hopefully in a month we will have a yard. Now we have to keep it watered so the seeds don't dry out - RAIN???? I wouldn't normally ask for rain but it needs it. I snapped a couple of pictures of Jeff working. Should have taken a before shot of the yard but maybe I can find one somewhere to post. I'll keep you updated. :)

Lazy Weekend

2009-03-28T16:14:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone!! So now I have added Facebook to my blog in an attempt to keep you a bit more up to date.

Things are well with us. Ryan is working hard in 3rd grade and it is paying off - no more worries. Parent/Teacher conferences just around the corner.

Jakob is getting ready for first grade - where does the time go?

Today we went to a building expo. It was pretty interesting although I so many people that I began to have a sense of claustapohio (sp?)

One good thing was that I ran into a parent I had several years ago. I knew that she worked with horses but never really pursued the opportunity. Well today she was showing off their Arabians at the expo. The school she works at is locatd in Pressath which isn't far from here. I have been wanting to get Ryan and Jakob into horseback riding much to Jeff's displeasure. There is a lot of information out there that talks of the theraputic benefits horseback riding has or just being around horses. After the deaths of Andrea and Alex, Ryan was a pretty angry little boy. He is doing better but still doesn't open up and talk much. On the other hand, Jakob is a pretty emotional bundle with an explosive package. I can see this being calming for him. Maybe it is all wishful thinking...who knows until we try it.

In addition softball season is beginning! Jeff has already begun spring tryouts though he says he doesn't really have to tryout. In fact he says that the "old team" are working to find rookies that will fill the places of those players they have lost since last season. A bit comical to hear but it is good to see him excited about something and softball always has that affect on him.

He has always been concerned that the boys wouldn't like the game and he has tried not to push them into it for fear they will hate it. Now the boys are ready to begin Little League. They need coaches too so Jeff has to find out if he can do that as well as play on his own team. I think it will be a good experience for them. Personally I think I plan to sit this season out. Once again there is not a coach and the girl who plans to step up is also a player. Past experience shows this has been a poor practice and much animosity among team players. My goal for playing is to have fun while working out. That hasn't happened the last two seasons so I will sit the sidelines once again.

Well I hope everyone out there is doing well - I won't say I will try to keep this updated - those of you who know me know this doesn't always happen. :)

December

2008-12-13T10:44:00.003+01:00

Well I forgot to submit my last post but I was trying. Now it is December...

Ryan is doing well, enjoying the amazing snow we have right now. Let it snow more! Ryan and Jakob had recent hair cuts due to the neighbors investation of head lice. We had warned the children to stay away until they had were clear of all lice. Of course they didn't listen and as a result we had to deal with the nasty critters. We shaved heads and washed, combed, pulled, etc. Being a mom is so much fun:P

Right now we are wondering if keeping Ryan in the German system is the best for him at this point. We want him to feel great about school and to have success in school--that is a struggle right now. Communication is key and it is very difficult with the German school. Report cards come out in January and we will need to make a decision then.

Jakob has his glasses now and he is going a great job with them. Occasionally he "forgets" to wear them but for the most part does pretty well. We have to get used to seeing him with them and our friends are really helping making him feel better about wearing them.

I will update some more photos soon. The Christmas market is going on right now so we want to update some photos from that as well. I am trying to find a better site that it a bit more user friendly with more options as well. Hopefully one that friends and family can join in as well. I'll keep you updated...

In the meantime....MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! We think of you often and try to keep tabs through your sites. If you ever happen to be in this area again, stop by! We would love to have you as guests. Take care!

I'm back!

2008-11-04T19:03:00.003+01:00

Well a week later isn't bad for me to update again:) A couple of months ago we went to get new glasses for Jeff. While there I decided to go ahead and have Ryan's eyes checked. Of course with two kids, what one does the other must also. I had wanted to ensure that Ryan wasn't having any problems that hinder him in school. Turns out, he is fine but Jakob wasn't. We went to a specialist last week, what fun. When I took him, they explained that in his right eye he is far-sighted. They use percentages to explain the level of sight loss. They said he only has 50% vision in his right eye. We had to come back two days later for more tests. Unfortunately Jeff had to do it this time and from what I hear it was less fun than the first visit. Jakob later beseeched me to never take him to a doctor again, especially if they had to put eye drops in his eyes. Jeff walked out with a prescription for Jakob to get glasses.

As anyone can imagine, this was the least expected and least desired. I can't begin to imagine how difficult this will be to keep Jakob in glasses. Just the mention of it created quite a disturbance. He cried about how unfair life is that he must wear them but not Ryan. We bribed him with chocolate today to get him to just try some different frames on. First he was dead set on blue, then when the desicion time came, he changed to red, then back to blue. We finally decided on two different pairs that they will order for him to try next week. Then we have to get the prescription and get him to wear them ALWAYS!! Of course insurance only covers the cost of the lens, not the frames. Given his age and general boyness, we decided it was safer to go with a more flexible, can handle jumping off tall mountains and stay on his face, frames. More money but hopefully a wiser choice.

Ryan was a bit freaked that he too was getting glasses and didn't want to go with us. Now he has calmed down but if my own brother was any indication of teasing, I fortell arguments over the glasses in the future.

Starting Over

2008-10-27T17:39:00.006+01:00

Okay so I have gotten really bad at keeping my blog updated and several people tell me this or send me messages to update....I am going to start over in an attempt to catch up.

To begin with the boys are growing like weeds! This picture was taken this summer.

Ryan is now in the third grade! He is sometimes too smart for his own good:) He is still in karate and had to learn how to use it in action this summer with a bully. I never thought I would have to tell my kid to fight back but have learned that some kids come by it honestly and the only way to stop it is to fight back. Hilarious stories as a result but for another time.

Jakob is as hilarious as always thinking the world was creates for his pleasure and manipulations. Doesn't go well when it isn't his plan:) He is now a Vorschulekind which translates to the American Kindergarten. However he is also taking a language immersion class that is in Ryan's school for two days a week and in his Kindergarten two days a week. This is a great transition for him as he still has much to learn about following the rules even when he doesn't want to. He is interested in soccer (see the shoes) but when I went to go ask about it, he decided he wasn't ready to do this alone. Maybe a bit longer.

For those of you who didn't know...we bought a house in January and moved in the following month. Lots of demolition for rennovations but we are now done with that horror and trying to get things organized. This summer we had lots of visitors. First was my brother, then Jeff's dad and Marilyn, and last my parents. We had a wonderful time with everyone.

Next time I will try to upload a short video of our house to show all that was done.

I am teaching first grade again this year but moved to the new school built in the new housing area called Netzaberg. This was created to support the large groups of soldiers now stationed here at the US Army Garrison Grafenwoehr and the Joint Multinational Training Command. Translates to LOTS of people here with MANY more kids! Huge school but good light so it feels open and spacious. Check out our new school site for pictures. www.netz-es.eu.dodea.edu

Well I do hope that all is well with everyone else. I need to do a few things before we take off for bowling. Keep in touch!

Updating my Blog

2007-12-18T08:18:00.000+01:00

Hello! I am finally getting a chance to update my blog. Several people have commented on how lax I have been so here goes. I am actually at home ill with little voice which is why I have this opportunity. :)

So much has happened since my last post that I will try to give a summary.

In June my dear grandmother, Marie Jeffers, passed away. My whole family flew to the states to be there for her funeral. It was so good to see everyone and sad that it takes something such as someone dying to bring people together again. But that is life.

We spent two weeks in the midwest and then flew to the west coast for my RAT travel (to non military that means my return travel to the states that I recieve every two years at the governments expense). We went to Disneyland which was a first for me and the boys. We had a great time there, also Hollywood.
Then we flew to San Fransisco to visit Grandpa "Bear" (Jeff's dad) and Grandma Marilyn. They had a birthday party for Ryan which was really nice and we were able to meet up with many of Jeff's old friends.
Next we flew to Seattle to visit with Great-Aunt Sis. We only had four days there and it was a whirlwind of a time trying to find a dog for Jeff, family photos, and finally a chance to shop for things we cannot easily find here.

Before we had left Jeff and I had joined the community softball league. Upon our return we had lots of practice to get ourselves ready for the upcoming games. At the end of the season the Men's league didn't do to bad but the Women had struggled the entire season just finding enough people to play and no coach. Oh well....maybe we will have better luck next year.

Jeff found a dog in the Netherlands and flew there to pick him up. He is a red tri Australian Shepard named Mackenzie River - "Mac".

Ryan finished first grade with quite a bit of drama due to the fact that we had pulled him out for three weeks. We had to go to truancy court and deal with that. It finally worked out but we learned that the German system is much less lenient than the American system.

School began for me in August where I was told I would get to teach Kindergarten again. I was very excited but have since questioned the greatness of this descision. It took 10 weeks for them to hire an aide and it has been quite a rocky ride. Things are settling down now but because of my switch and the downsizing of our school next year as the new school opens, I have now been informed that I will most likely be excessed. This means I will have a job but we are not sure where or what I will teach.

Ryan began second grade in September. He has been doing awesome this year and we are so proud of him. He is a happier child who now participates in Karate twice a week and guitar lessons once a week. He just finished a four month program through his school where he learned to ice skate. He has several classmates living very close to us so he has playmates close by.

Jakob is still going to Kindergarten and has found a talent in his art work. He loves to draw pictures and they are quite impressive if I may say so. For a four year to include such detail in his work would impress anyone I would think. Of course I compare him to what I have at school where so many 5 year olds are still drawing tadpole people. Maybe I will scan in some of his work to share:)

Jakob has not yet begun sports full time as he doesn't have much of an attention span for such things yet. If we can work it out in our schedule we would like for him to begin indoor soccer here in our town.

Jeff is still working at POV shipping. Right now he is trying to find a newer older car to replace the hooptie he currently drives. It never bothered him until he got to drive our NEW car. We just bought an Opel Zafira. It is so nice that now Jeff dreads driving the older car. He was somewhat excited that I have been absent for two days allowing him to drive the NEW car to work.

Well I think that pretty much updates you to today. For Thanksgiving we went to Garmisch with friends and had a very enjoyable time. My parents are flying in next Monday to spend Christmas with us. It has been about 6 years since we have spent Christmas together so this will be nice. The boys are very excited! Jeff and I went to the ball on Friday night. Jeff says he hates those things but you should hear him when the time comes and he is getting ready. You might think he is more excited for a grand night out than I!

Easter

2007-04-15T19:26:00.000+02:00

Easter was more wonderful this year as some friends tried to make it extra special for the boys. A boy at Roll's school informed him that there is no such thing as the Easter bunny, tooth fairy, or Santa Claus. It is instead just the parents. Roll was a bit bummed to hear this but at the same time feeling very grown up in sharing his revelation. Of course we want the boys to know the true meaning behind celebrations such as Easter and Christmas but we also enjoy sharing in their joy as they envision a visit from mystical characters such as leprechans and Easter bunnies. I know many have differing views about this and I have no problem with parents teaching their children the facts of life but I really wish they would also teach thier child that all families are different and it isn't their job to inform the world of the facts they have learned. So a friends daughter who just loves our little boys decided she wanted to help put the magic back into the Easter bunny. We took the boys for a long walk with our friends family and ended up back at their house which has been visited by the easter bunny with all the wonderful eggs, candy, and chocolate bunnies to boot! I could see the wheels turning behind Roll's eyes as he tried to figure out how all that stuff got their to include their baskets when mom and dad never left his sight:)

Thanks Dunn Family!!

To our suprise there was another visit to our house when the boys got home. We have an idea where they came from but it was nice to hear the boys exclaim with merriment that the Easter bunny had visited their house as well!

Camping indoors

2007-03-26T20:04:00.000+02:00

J really made Rock and Roll's night Saturday. I was out with the girls and when I came home, I saw this....

J really made some brownie points with not only the boys but me. He sure is a great dad! The boys really enjoyed the indoor camping experience and wanted to make their "tent" their new bedroom:)

Here she is!

2007-03-26T19:52:00.000+02:00

Sophie is now 13 weeks old! She is a little pirahna with a toy chest of her own:)
We do so adore her though and she is growing so fast! She is getting heavy as well which makes it difficult for the late night bathroom breaks:( She also thinks my pants need more venilation so I have several new stylish holes in the ankles:)

CHECK OUT THOSE BEAUTIFUL BABY BLUES!

I will keep adding photos and of course more of my two favorite boys!

Sophie is growing!

2007-03-26T18:56:00.000+02:00

Well I promised some updates on Sophie so here they are. Her coloring is deepening. She is a little pirahna with a toy chest of her own:) I have several pairs of pants that she felt needed venilation holes.

Family Update

2007-03-13T21:26:00.000+01:00

Sorry it has been awhile since I have updated. Our new puppy joined us about three weeks ago and she is adorable! Roll was blessed with naming her and he chose Lady Sophia. We call her Sophie. The whole house has been turned upside down but you would find the way J acts quite hilarious. It is truly as if a baby girl has joined our family. We have had pups before but J was never so caring, patient, or willing to take the 2 am nature calls. Wait a minute, he didn't do that with the boys either! :)

Roll is doing very well at his studies and I am very proud of him. He decided to stop with Boy Scouts as that was adding a bit too much pressure with so much to learn at school. I hope that he will have more interest next year but I think it would help if we start to "play" with some American boys as well. The weather has broke finally so Roll is out on his skate board and roller blades. I hope he will finally let me teach him how to ride his bike.

Rock is entertaining as always. He takes the world by force and sometimes it isn't always pretty but usually he brings a smile to those around him. Rock loves to do what his brother does and this causes quite a bit of trouble between the two of them. Some times I think he is growing up so fast and then I catch him when he is tired twisting his hair and sucking his thumb. (Yeah that is a future battle.)

J is doing well but as most know him he likes to complain:) Present complaint is that I am on the computer rather than folding laudry. I just so hate housework and I am much better at finding other things to do. J will begin softball season soon and we are about halfway through our winter bowling league.

I began community level volleyball. Right now the team is a bit disorganized and I hope it will be straigtened out before our first competition. School is crazy with class sizes in the mid twenties and counting. We are currently over enrollment by about 120+. I have received a new student each month for the last 5 months. Last week I started a new student and was supposed to get another on Thurs. I dodged by a lucky colleagues generousity but I am expected to get one next week. We are drowning in kids while waiting for the new school and more teachers to arrive.

Well I not uploading photos but I will try to make time to update more often. It always brings me to check out my other friends blogs and see what they are doing. Sophie has grown so much that I will put on a new photo but I need to upload it from my camera later.

C-ya!

We're Adopting!!

2007-02-11T18:51:00.000+01:00

By the time we bring our little girl home we will have waited nine months! Much as if we went through a pregnancy ourselves. We haven't decided on a name for her and she doesn't get to come live with us for another week. We have visited her often though and she is very adorable, energetic, and a bundle to be loved. We have had to work with our schedules, educate the boys and ourselves, and really prepare for her presence in our family and the changes she will require of us. We know that she will will try our patience through her baby/toddler and later teenage years but she will also bring us much joy. Please welcome our newest addition!

When it snows.....IT STORMS!

2007-01-24T17:33:00.000+01:00

Well today we were awakened to a 3am call from school informing us that we are on a two hour school delay. Grrreat! I was surprised since the German street crews are usually on top of things and although we went from 0 to about 6-7 inches in a few hours, they seem to handle such things. Well when the time arrived to drive in I was very disappointed. The roads were declared red and they were! It was trecherous in several places and most roads were not cleared, even main roads!

The real kicker was arriving into work and receiving and email from our boss that stated though the students were on a two hour delay, the teachers were NOT. Evidently she was upset that teachers were not at work at 7:55am. AFN (our local radio program) announced the delay and stated red road conditions. They followed that up by clarifying that any non-emergency, non-mission essential military and civilian personnel were to be on the roads. Normally the message only applies to military but they did include the term civilian today. They even joked about how happy this would make the teachers.

Needless to say that the staff was extremely upset. Why call us at 3am if we are expected to report at the normal time? The tone of the message implied that we were not doing our job. This was offensive to all. As anyone knows teachers are not given enough planning time and often are found coming in early and leaving late. We have however noticed that our boss leaves before we do. Interesting... We were also expected to remain after school for committee meetings even though the weather has only deteriorated. That said, this is her first year in her current capacity so she is sure to learn by trial and error. As it is still snowing and doesn't seem to be stopping, I do hope she uses better judgement.

As for my own homeward travel, the throttle cable clip broke on my way home! This means that my car would only idle, no gas! Fortunately J was almost back from Schweinfurt and was able to pick me up. What a day! I will have to upload more photos.

I took Jakob to the doctor today and it is possible that he has chicken pox! We will know for certain in a couple of days! When is snows....it storms!

Back to Normal???

2007-01-21T18:27:00.000+01:00

I have found that recovering from the holidays can be as overwhelming as preparing for the holidays. This year our break lasted two weeks into January. It has been difficult to get back into the swing of things. We find that we have less time for relaxing without worrying that something needs to be done. Rock and Roll both returned to school and are doing quite well. Roll has been very busy with Boy Scouts. J and I returned to dancing on a different night. We also returned to bowling but also no a different night. We still have some holiday decorations up that need to be packed away but by the time the weekend arrives, J and I just want to relax and haven't found the energy required to get the house back in order.

Just after Christmas I found that my Christmas tree had been home to a few spider nests and the warmth of the house tricked them into thinking it was time to hatch. We had hundreds, possibly more, of spiders covering every available limb of the tree. A friend kindly rushed to my house to get it outside since J was at work with no desire to come to my rescue. I was alerted to the problem when Rock began screaming while I was cleaning downstairs. I ran upstairs to his frantic yells that a spider was in his plate. I couldn't understand how a spider got into his food until I looked down and saw several walking around on the tree skirt. Anyone knowing me, understands that this is my worse nightmare come true! J wasn't sympathetic then or now.

On a different thread....Roll has his first loose tooth!! Unfortunately it doesn't appear to want to come out on its own. The permanent tooth has aready come in behind the baby teeth with another soon to erupt as well. I was hoping that the baby tooth would come out on its own but now I worry that if it doesn't come out soon, the permanent tooth will remain crooked. I need to make an appointment this week.

We had a terrible wind storm this past week. J and I laughed with the way the locals were reacting as we have had some pretty bad wind storms on the WA coast. I have since revised my opionion as over 40 people were killed due to accidents caused by the storm. I was called during the day Thursday and told that all German schools had been closed due to the upcoming storm but that my Nanny would get the kids until I could get home. Next we heard that the American school in Hohenfels was closing early. We ended up canceling all afterschool programs in order to keep people off the roads. Teachers were told to leave as soon as the busses pulled out. I picked up the kids and and storm was still not here but the wind was picking up. We called out dance studio to learn that they didn't expect people to come so we should stay home. We cancelled out babysitter. The storm arrived that evening and while I was on the phone with my family the power cut out. The boys started freaking out although they were supposed to be in bed. After getting them calmed and getting settled in bed ourselves J came running in yelling that Roll was sick to his stomach. We used candles to try to avoid the mess and get him cleaned up and resettled in bed. Fortunately he had made it out of his bed but what are the odds that he would get sick after the blackout? The power came back on around 10ish but went out again for a shorter period about half hour later. It stormed severely all through the night. All German schools were cancelled on Friday so our Nanny once again took the kids. The drive to work was interesting. There were many trees that had fallen in the night but the city had obviously been hard at work and most was off the roads already. There were two trees that had fallen on the newly built section of the church next to our school. They considered the wind storm to be equal to that of a hurrican force and named it Kyrill. It is now Sunday and there is still much to be cleaned up but not a lot of damage to be seen here. Still terribly windy though!

I do hope that everyone else has recovered nicely from the holidays. Give me another week or too and maybe I will feel more caught up on things!

Merry Christmas!!

2006-12-26T19:34:00.000+01:00

Christmas has never been as fun as watching your own kids delve in and try to open all presents at once, at the same time trying to play with each new toy! We are truly blessed to have two wonderful children. I admit I was pulling my hair out dealing with them the closer we came to Christmas this year. Threats of calling Santa didn't seem to phase them the same as in years past. Roll actually asked for the number so he could talk to him as well! Rock follows his big brothers lead so this can create some interesting evenings in our house.

We shared the day with some close friends and new ones as well. It was truly enjoyable. The only damper was not having family near. The time difference creates a bit of a problem when trying to share your children's joy with grandmas and grandpas.

To those whom we have shared past Christmas's with, you were missed! Another pit fall to being in the military environment is that although we have many wonderful friends, once their tour is up, they move on. We miss each of you and keep you in our thoughts and prayers!

(J bought me an iPod!! He has already regretted that as I tend to get one tracked and he feels a bit left out. Although he wouldn't admit it, I think he is enjoying it as much as I and we may purchase one for him next!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Busy Week

2006-12-17T19:33:00.000+01:00

Monday night was the last night for the winter league bowling. We tied for 6th out of 11 teams. After I hurt my ankle I had some terrible games that certainly didn't help. For the most part it was quite fun and we will miss our friends whom were our bowling partners.

Tuesday night Roll's school was invited to "open" a window at the old Rathaus (old court house). The whole school turned out and sang together. It was quite nice although at the end St. Nikolaus was there to hand out gifts and candy. This wasn't organized and it quickly turned into a mob. Roll was exhausted already so the fact that he was too small to fight the crowd and they ran out by the time he reached St. Nikolaus just made his night. Fortunately our friend was with whom the boys adore and she was able to cajole him out of his bad mood.

Wednesday night and Thursday I was visiting a good friend who is in the hospital.

Friday night was the Holiday Ball for the Vilseck, Hohenfels, and Grafenwoehr Training Area. J nor I have ever attended a ball and I thought it would give us a good chance to put our dancing lessons to use. The sappy side of me loved the idea of my guy taking me to a dance as I never had that in high school. We were all decked out for the night and really enjoyed ourselves. The best part was that many did not recognize me and thought J was stepping out on me. I had received cool welcomes until they realized it was me. J says they don't expect teachers to clean up so well:)

Saturday found us running around doing things we can't during the week. Spending time with the kids and cutting down our Christmas tree. Roll helped J cutting it down but Rock was a bit afraid of the saw. We couldn't decorate as we had dinner plans with friends who flew out this morning. After dinner we met up with other friends to celebrate her completion of her Master's
degree.

Today we woke early and headed to Vilseck for some much needed Christmas shopping! The boys did get to meet up with Santa and ensure that thier orders were heard. It was quite cute to see them intently conversing with Santa rather than screaming in fear.
Then upon our return the family crashed. When everyone was up and about we spent the rest of the day decorating the Christmas tree. Now the boys are in bed and I will soon follow. Tomorrow will be equally crazy as I am pretty sure Rock has "pink-eye". I will be glad to be on holiday so that I can rest. There is just too much to keep up with on my blog!

Weekend Wonder - Historic Christmas Market by Naaburg

2006-12-10T20:11:00.000+01:00

Today the boys, J, and myself drove up to the old historic town of Naaburg. We heard through friends that there was a Medieval Festival this weekend. We had also seen advertisements for it throughout Weiden. They evidently have this yearly but we haven't been before so we thought it would a great idea to go today. When we arrived in Naaburg we immediately saw what appeared to be a Christmas market. After about five minutes we realized this couldn't possibly be what they were advertising as it was just a bunch of street vendors much like you would see at a Farmer's market. Sure enough after asking we found that we turned right off the autobahn but had we turned left, we would eventually have left Naaburg and came across the castle turn where the festival takes place in Guteneck.

Upon arrival we were worried that we had a made a poor choice and were thankful we were dressed warmly. This was due to the fact that the streets were lined with cars about 3/4+ mile from the festival and people were walking. We also passed a Shuttle Bus stop. Luckily we were able to park closer but still had a jaunt before arriving at the fest.

This was an impressive event. People were dressed in medieval attire and the entire area was transformed to create a middle age time period, knights, ladies, and all. By the time we arrived it was quite dark and fog had set in adding to the atmosphere. There were torches everywhere to light our way and such a crowd of people. The festival sports a menagerie of entertainment to include: flame throwers, jousting, trade work examples, theatre, mintrals, stilt walkers, dancers, etc. We were able to enjoy a man using glass balls that he rolled around his body and juggled. There were booths selling trade goods, alcohol, clothing, and food. Though some of the food was more comfort food for modern times, they did have several from the past as well. I myself enjoyed a fresh baked flat bread with garlic, tomato, and cheese. It was quite tasty! Of course we had hot cider as well. Unfornately for J they were sold out of Gluwein when we arrived so he enjoyed a beer instead.

They had a medievial camp showing how they may have lived at the time, an area for the animals, and other areas we did not get to see due to the large crowds. We did enjoy our time though muddy and cold as it was. We may attempt to go again next weekend but earlier in hopes of avoiding so many people or without the boys as the crush of people can be frightening to them.

The story behind this Festival is quite interesting. If you would like to read about it, check out the following link: http://www.historischer-romantischer-weihnachtsmarkt.de/en_index.php

Jingle Bells, Batman Smells...

2006-12-01T23:44:00.000+01:00

Roll learned long ago and has now taught Rock the infamous "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells" with great assistance from Daddy of course. Now rather than hearing their sweet voices singing Rock-n-Roll or more appropriately for this time of year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, we hear "Batman Smells". The only endearing quality is their pure enjoyment and heart felt laughter. Can you ask for bigger smiles?

King Size Bed

2006-12-01T18:24:00.000+01:00

Recently J and I finally bought a new bed. The old bed came with J and had seen better days. We finally decided on a King size bed rather than the Cal King. Our local exchange doesn't carry Cal King and it sounded like a head ache. Not to mention that the Day After Thanksgiving Sales were incredible for savings. We were getting a great deal! Many warned us that a King size bed is just too much for German housing but I was determined that for our peace of marriage, I wanted my own space for sleeping and J agreed. Of course we didn't really think it would be terribly difficult to get it up the stairs....

If our past neighbors are reading this, they completely understand what an undertaking that could be. Needless to say it was good that the children were not around. After much effort we managed to get the bed wedged tight in our winding staircase. Finally decided it would fit better the other way and had to shove it back down, turn it around, and start over. We finally got it up there and I am still thankful that the box springs come as two sections. After getting it settled on the box springs I just wanted to jump in an sleep! What a way to break a sweat!

I have found one fault with the bed now that we have had is almost a week. I don't want to get up! I have actually knocked my alarm off the side table in order to stay in bed a bit longer. Now this isn't unusual for a weekend, but normally I jump up during the week. Especially since J is off and I don't have to worry about the kids. I have the opportunity to go in early and get some extra things done for school. On the first night J commented that I "had my own zip code". This is nice as I like to take up real estate when sleeping and although he wouldn't admit it, so does J! Anyone who knows German housing understands that with a King size bed, we really don't have much room for much else although that is the next plan. There is a wonderful wood worker who custom makes furniture. We have already shared some ideas with him and maybe next year we can begin:)

It is funny how something as simple as a new bed can make me giggly. I find I can't wait to get home just to go to bed!

Cub Scouts

2006-11-29T20:33:00.000+01:00

Roll is still going strong in Cub Scouts although Mom and Dad have found this is as much our adventure as his. When doing something like this at this age it is a real commitment as we must attend each function with him to include meetings. We still need to practice the Boy Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack in order for him to earn his Bobcat patch. Several of the scouts are my students and it is odd seeing Roll standing in formation with them. He still seems as if he is my little boy at times but he is the same age as these other boys and I expect a lot from them. When I stop to think I realize he how fast he is growing!

Soon Cub Scouts will include a new group called the Lions. This will be for Rock's age next year (Kindergarten.) Prior to Roll joining I wouldn't have even considered this but now that Rock sees what Roll does, he is jealous and wants to do the same. I do hope that they have fewer requirments as I can't see Rock memorizing the Boy Scout Promise or such. This has been great for Roll to learn how to be a part of a "team" and that you cannot always win (this he still struggles with.) This has also been a great way for Roll to associate with other Americans his age.

Tonight he worked on the flag ceremony and carrying the flag. He was quite proud although had difficulty due to his height in keeping the flag off the ground. We will also be visiting a museum this weekend and going to a semi-pro hockey game in Weiden. Busy, Busy!! And Christmas is just around the corner!

Weekend Wonder: Garmisch-Partenkirchen

2006-11-29T19:53:00.000+01:00

Well I haven't kept up this past couple of weeks with the holiday but we went to Garmisch for Thanksgiving. Several other teachers went down as well and some other friends of ours so we enjoyed a large meal together in honor of Thanksgiving. It was nice although many other Americans had the same idea leaving the restaurant out of turkey by the time we ordered:)

While there we just relaxed. I tried to get in a bit of shopping but wasn't very successful. We just enjoyed being away from the rush and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Fortunately we had beautiful weather as well.

One heartstopping moment was when Rock decided to jump off a play structure from a height just over 5 feet. His knees buckled on impact and he didn't cry but I was concerned none the less. After assuring myself that he was okay, I calmly asked him not to do that again which he with equal calm replied "kay". Personally I think it scared him more than me and he was glad to be told not to do that again. Saving face you know...

The boys seemed to enjoy their time although the times they went shopping were not their favorite.

Weekend Wonder - Grafenwoehr Water Tower

2006-11-19T20:18:00.000+01:00

Today Roll's Cub Scout group met at the infamous Graf Water Tower. We have been here now almost six years and before today had never stepped foot inside the tower. It is quite impressive. This tower sits central to the military post.

In 1907 Bavarian Prince Luitpold directed the establishment of a training area at Grafenwoehr. From 1909 - 1911 craftsman from all over Bavaria were brought to Grafenwoehr to build the water tower and the original post. From 1910 - 1999 it served as the primary means of delivering drinking water from local wells on post to the kaserne and the field camps. From June 1999 to present day the town of Grafenwoehr supplies water to the main post. The water tower continue to supply water to the field camps as the Grafenwoehr city water systems does not have the pressure needed to push the water that far. The tower has served as a Boy Scout hut, the Post Fire Department radio relay, the AFN (Armed Forces Network) transmitter site, and a parade reviewing stand for the Bavarian royalty among other things. We were informed that many dollars went into reinforcing the walls to hold two conference rooms within in the tower. One is a pretty fancy and up-to-date with all necessities. Rock stated upon entering the fancy conference room "This room smells like Grandpa's car!" The room does have a lot of leather.

The Tower has ten floors (including the attic and basement) and is 137 feet high. There are 2 water tanks with a total capacity of 55,723 gallons of water. Most of the water pipes are original. It is divided into three distinct regions. The first has 68 hand-cut stone steps that climb from the front door to the fifth floor landing. We could see where the stone cutters wrote number with chalk or charcoal on the back of the stones as an assembly guide for the builders. The next section has an 80-step stone spiral staircase that reaches from the fifth floor to mid-way up the ninth floor. The last section of the tower starts with a metal staircase that leads to the attic room that is the top of the water tower. There are several windows to look out as you climb and today's view was spectacular!

When we reached the top we found that the flies nest there. It wasn't terrible but Roll found it really easy to catch them. We did keep several alive in a bag that I happened to have handy. This sounds horrible but I still have that spider in my classroom and I felt it against what I am teaching the students to let it starve to death and I am still to afraid to let it go. It would die outside anyhow. This sounds incredibly crazy as I write this but I have found that although I am still fearful of them, I do find them fascinating and the whole experience has been somewhat therapeutic.

Remembering a Fallen Soldier and his family

2006-11-13T21:56:00.000+01:00

Today marks two years since we received news that a friend of ours lost her husband. Only a year prior we shared Thanksgiving dinner with Heidi and Sean. Heidi was pregnant with their first child. The men were sharing Daddy "war" stories and advice with Sean. J was teasing him about the trials and tribulations of being a Daddy. Everyone was enjoying each other's company. A year later they had an adorable baby boy with which to share their love. Sean was serving in Iraq. November 13th his life was tragically ended.

Heidi has been a true heroine through it all. I am constantly amazed at her bravery and loyalty. She truly loved her husband and has done so much to keep her husband's spirit alive for her son. She is an inspiration to so many to include myself. Although we didn't know Sean well, we feel honored to have been blessed with the little time we had to share.

Please say a prayer for Heidi and Colin today as we remember CPT Sean Simms. Remember also that without soldiers like Sean we wouldn't have so many of the freedoms that we so easily take for granted.

A friend sent me this poem:

It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, and who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

Tub Racing!

2006-11-12T17:33:00.000+01:00

There is a new craze taking place in our bathroom almost daily now and it is termed: Tub Racing! It is often accompanied by the theme song to Acceleracers. The boys race their cars down the slope of tub to the other side. Amazingly this activity can keep the boys entertained for hours! I made the mistake of telling them that I didn't want them to do this thinking it may scratch the tub. They stopped but then began fighting over trivial little matters that only little boys find important. Of course as soon as they were told to go back upstairs, I could once again hear the theme song and wheels racing along the tub. (I have checked the tub and thankfully I don't see any damage from this sport.)

Today J and I decided it was time to make a dent in our house by cleaning. It has been pouring rain all day so we couldn't send the boys outside and they seemed really bored so I gave both of them a rag and told them to wash the stairs. This was great fun for them and soon they were washing anything available; heaters, cushions, door frames, refrigerator, trash cans...you name it and they thought of it. I only wished I had my camera available to take a photo of the two of them scrubbing the stairs together! Needless to say we ended up making a huge dent in the cleaning and I wouldn't be upset at having visitors.

As reward we pulled out the foam crocquet set and moved furniture and played a few rounds in the living room. It was a lot of fun although Roll still struggles with losing (I think he is more like his dad than dad wishes to admit).

The morning activities must have created some bond between the boys as they were playing in their room together creating a party for Mom and Dad. Unfortunatley they were supposed to be taking a nap. We had to pay to come to the party but were also paid in return for our attendance. Now if only I can teach them to fix dinner!

The First Snow of the year

2006-11-02T18:55:00.000+01:00

Having a class full of children who have rarely seen snow and then having it snow outside our windows made for a very interesting afternoon. Needless to say we ended up giving up on our studies and going out to enjoy some of the snow. Shortly after going outside a few began to complain of the cold :)

My own two little ones enjoyed the snow as well. It was the only way we were able to get Roll to roll out of bed! I have to admit...the first snow always brings a rush of excitement no matter your age. I hope it snows all weekend so that we can get some good sledding in! (Of course snow days are always nice...again no matter what age!:)) - J doesn't agree....bah humbug!

Halloween or not to Halloween

2006-11-01T19:37:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was the big day for so many children. Living here in Germany my kids aren't as exposed as if we lived in the states. Sometimes I think that is great so that when I fail to carve a pumpkin it isn't such a big deal. Normally J watches while I get the pumpkins, carve them open, encourage the kids to dig in, and decorate for Halloween. This year we have had so many things going on with Roll in school and Boy Scouts that we just didn't find the time. We had every intention of buying costumes but I didn't even get around to that! We didn't even buy a pumpkin which has never happened before.

At school I don't think it is a great idea to have Halloween parties for several reasons which most do not need explaining. Mainly though...if we can't celebrate Christmas, why would I celebrate Halloween? This hasn't been an issue at other schools since normally districts frown upon you celebrating holidays. This school though goes all out and declares that the last hour of the day will be dedicated to Halloween parties. Well I normally study the harvest and such so when others are having a "Halloween" party, we have a "Fall Festival." This usually goes over pretty well and this year several parents really pitched in! Since we were learning about pumpkins, we had pumpkin soup, pumpkin chili, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and other "harvest" foods. It was great. I did have a parent upset that we did not have a "Halloween" party. I thought it ironic! All in all though parents enjoyed themselves as well as the children.

So back to my own two little ones. Roll had a Halloween party at his daycare (this is a bit of a novelty for German children and Roll's school is out for the week since November 1st is a German holiday- All Saints Day). I didn't find out about the party until Monday night when Roll told me so we made cupcakes and found a Batman costume for him to wear. Rock really didn't seem to care about anything that Roll was doing. So as I am driving home thinking about a hot bath, movie, and early bedtime... Roll calls me with J's cell phone and asks if we are going Trick-or-treating! I had figured he would be too tired to go trick-or-treating. I brought home a special movie for us to watch together. We didn't end up going and Roll wasn't terribly upset about it but it took some convincing and then distraction. Rock woke in the night sick to his stomach so I was glad we didn't go. J and the boys didn't have school/work today and Rock was feeling better after some much needed sleep. I however had to go to work with 18 sugar hiped kids! I am bone tired!

Spiders this week in school

2006-10-26T19:57:00.000+02:00

So this year I am teaching first grade. This week we are studying spiders. For anyone who knows me, these are my least favorite of God's creatures. I created a huge spider web much to the children's enjoyment, along with a very large spider. Then that night I found a huge common house spider in our basement of which J trapped for me to bring to school. The kids have been catching flies to feed it and I have promised to release it humanly (of course if it happens to head my direction it will have an unfortunate demise as my arachnaphobic brain doesn't rationalize that spiders are helpful.) I have to admit though it has been theraputic to sit in a room filled with spider pictures, books, and a web large enough to trap a small child. My skin only crawls occasionally when reading to the students. :)

Living with a bunch of boys!

2006-10-26T19:04:00.000+02:00

Sometimes living with a house full of boys can be a bit exasperating. Burping at the table and other bodily functions, pointing out that Mommy's pants are a bit low by yelling "Plumber butt!", seats left up on the toilet for my middle of the night visits, among other things that we can't mention....wow do I need some girl power! This house is winning out with the male testoterone and I blame their father!
I do have to say though that it is always comic relief here as well. The boys say the funniest things. J wanted to know why they were in the kitchen playing with the toaster and Roll's reponse "Because I magic-ed it!" When I asked him what he did, here was his reply. "I made magic. I put some money in the toaster and then popped it. No money came out, that's why, I magic-ed it!" Of course my desire is to immediately go and check to see if the money is in the bottom and then to yell at them about placing metal objects (or anything else) in the toaster.
I did check, there is no money, it was an optical illusion. ha, ha

The other day J sent me an email about the things boys do. At the end it stated, Women will read this and laugh. Men will read this and then go try some of them. Well it was accurate. J wanted to try out one in particular where you mix bleach with brake fluid. He is curious to know just how much smoke you can create and how little brake fluid do you need to use? Such a man! It does make me worry about what I have to look forward to with two little growing extremely curious boys!

Okay so now I have to tell on myself...Monday night I couldn't get Rock to get out of the car and was busy unloading packs, mail, etc. J pulled up in his car and wasn't watching as I approached the car. He was jamming to his music trying to catch Rock's attention. I was going to startle him by kicking his car, problem was as I raised my foot to kick the car, my other foot slipped off the curb which is about 6 inches high. I landed on my ankle, lost all balance and pitched backward and then forward again hitting my shoulder into the garage and my lower back into the curb. Of course none of that hurt as much as my ankle. I have never had a sprain before but I knew immediately that this wasn't my normal clumsy stumble. J rushed out of the car and had to carry me into the house. Long story short, Rock got out of the car and I have sprained my ankle requiring wraps, ice, and raising my foot when possible. Of course with working full time and two boys with a winding staircase, I haven't rested it as much as I wish. Now I am worried since it isn't much better although the brace helps and those around me keep warning me that a sprain is worse than a break. I have hopes that it will improve and treat myself to nightly hot baths and massaging my aching muscles. :( J's side of the story? I was being stupid and I got hurt, quit whining!

Raingutter Regatta

2006-10-21T19:54:00.000+02:00

Roll joined Cub Scouts this year with myself as his adult partner. I felt with so many things taking me away from the kids, it was necessary for me to do something that would bring us close. Well that was the theory. We have been extremely busy pretty much every Wed. evening and weekends with various Cub Scout related activities. The only problem we have run into is that Roll is a slow warmer when is comes to new things and he is definately not into competitive sports. The first function we had was the Belt Loop Derby where the cubbies learned the basics of volleyball, flag football, frisby, and badmitton. Roll was extremely shy not knowing anyone but did pretty well. Later when they competed against each other it was a whole different story. I felt really bad since he is the smallest kid out there. Even in his own den, he is at least a head shorter than the rest of the group. I am sure that can be intimidating. Last weekend we had the Belt Loop Bananza with several packs from around Europe to include all over Germany, Czhech, and Poland. Roll learned how to shoot and arrow in archery, how to shoot a BB gun, and he earned his Science, Language, and Geography belt loops.
So today was the Raingutter Regatta. Roll actually enrolled Dad's help this week to teach him how to make a proper boat. Dad went online to research a bit but he was really good at letting Roll sand, paint, build, and decorate his own boat. The only thing that Daddy did was the super glue. The ceremonies began with the cubbies receiving their belt loops that they have earned. Next the competition began. There were raingutters set up on tables and the cubbies hold a straw in their mouths and blow the boats sail to reach the other end. The first to touch the other end wins. Roll lost his first race by seconds. His boat crashed just at the end and his referee wasn't watching to fix the boat (Roll wasn't allowed to do this on his own.) Unfortunately Roll didn't handle his loss very well. We had a serious talk and he almost refused to race again. But he did and he won the next two. Somehow though that didn't move him into the next bracket and I believe it had something to do with his attitude. In the end they awarded three cubbies for great sportsmanship, needless to say it wasn't Roll. I do think this will be a good experience and he knows the motto by heart which is to "Do Your Best!" Life can be so unfair to a six year old. :(

Marty Casey and the Lovehammers

2006-10-20T20:00:00.000+02:00

This past weekend J and I were laying in bed trying not to wake up when I heard "It'll be you and me, up in the trees, it's a combination for disaster!" I nudged J with a smile and asked if he could hear what I heard. He laughed and stated "Marty Casey and the Lovehammers". Who was singing at o'dark hundred? Rock! When he wakes on his own, he is quite the entertainer! Roll however is more like his mother and needs dropped in a bath of ice in order to really wake up. :)

Batman, Hitting, and Homework

2006-10-07T22:50:00.000+02:00

We are so blessed to have our two wonderful little boys. When we are having a bad day or feeling grumpy we can remember the little things the boys say or do and we find we are smiling in no time.
The other morning J called to Rock that it was time to get up. From a distance we heard a small Rock voice call out "Rock isn't here!" J responded with "Then who is that?" the small Rock voice replied "It is Batman!" We muffled our laughs and then J said "Well Batman, please tell Rock it is time to get up!"

So Roll has been in school for awhile now and he seems to be doing pretty well. One problem we ran into was with Roll's homework. His daycare has a homework program that he is involved in. This way he can have his homework done before it gets to late but more importantly he gets help from those who speak German to avoid some confusion we may have or cause. Unfortunately Roll's teacher stated that he was to do his homework at home with Mommy. Therefore when he was supposed to do his homework at the daycare program he promptly told them that he didn't have to since his teacher told him to do it with his Mommy. This was evidently a problem with others as well so the daycare asked the teacher to remind the kids to do their work in homework club.

Last week when I picked up Rock his teacher told me that he had a pretty bad day and that he had scratched another child, pinched, and hit. We talked about it breifly and I promised her I would talk with him. Next we went to pick up Roll were I was told that he too had had a bad afternoon refusing to do his homework. What a day!

I thought the entire drive home and came up with some ideas that I wanted to implement at hom but realized that J and I needed to be on the same page. As soon as I pulled in I jumped out and asked J to go up and talk with me upstairs where the children wouldn't hear. I explained what had happened and that I had a plan. We wouldn't yell or act upset, merely firm and consistent. The plan was that I would create a calendar for both boys. When they come home after we pick them up they will put a sticker on the calendar telling us whether they felt they had a great day, sad day, or mad day. Then if I received a good report from Rock's teacher that he had not hurt anyone, or from Roll's teacher that he had completed his homework....they could earn a star. Each day they recieve a star we can play a game, watch a movie, or anything else they may wish to do special together. If they didn't, Rock would go to bed directly after dinner and Roll would go to bed after completing his homework. On the weekend we will count the stars and if they earned a week of stars we can do something even more special such as going to the pool or to the indoor playland nearby.

So far this is working and although the first day wasn't so great for Rock, each subsequent day has been a great day for him with a star! The same for Roll although he sometimes still has work to do at home. Partly because he likes to do the homework with Mommy but sometimes there is just to much or too difficult for him to complete during their homework time. Let's hope we can keep it up but I will need to remain consistent with the rewards no matter how tired I may be in the evening. We have now created calendars for the morning routine so I hope it works as well.

New Family Member

2006-09-24T12:38:00.000+02:00

I never realized how hard it can be to try to find the right dog to join your family. We have always adopted dogs in the past but with recent heart aches we decided to go with a purebred from a reputable breeder. That decided we searched until we found the Australian Shepherd. They are so adorable and just called out to me. J has had an Aussie and he too thinks they are pretty dogs. I have been searching now for about three months and either they want over $1000 or they will not ship to Germany or there aren't any available. Of course I am looking for a blue merle and if it has blue eyes that would be great. Maybe I am being to picky but I figure if I am going to have to pay so much (and it looks as if I will for this breed) then I should a puppy that I really want. Some breeders have this crazy notion that they can control where their pup goes if you fill out a questionnaire. Sorry to tell them but people are not necessarily honest and though their questionnaire's may deter some bad people, it will also deter good people who do not feel they need to be scrutinized. Then there are the contracts as well. Many breeders will sell you a dog with papers but require you to neuter or spay the dog. Why would you want to pay the extra money involved for a papered puppy only to get it spayed or neutered which can limit their showing in some arenas and definitely deters you from any future breeding you may wish to do (responsibly of course!). At the same time these breeders do not want you to go out and purchase some farm muts which encourages irresponsible breeding! AHHHHH!!!

2006-09-16T21:34:00.000+02:00

This past week was Roll's first day of school. We were so excited. Having been a Kindergarten teacher, I often saw parents cry on their child's first day of school and thought it a bit silly. Now that my own child has begun, I have to admit that I too was a bit teary eyed. My whole being was filled with love for Roll and I was so proud of him.

The day began with preparation and making sure that everything was ready. When we arrived at school the children all met with parents entow in the classroom. There are 30 children in Roll's class, only 6 are girls.....24 boys!!!!

You can imagine the noise created by so many children and parents. To gain the attention of all the teacher stood at her desk with a rain stick and turned it over. By the time it had settled, the room was completely quiet. I was certainly impressed and will try this in my own classroom.

After a brief introduction, the teacher dismissed parents of non-bussers to begin filling out paperwork. The rest of waited to receive bus passes and sign forms. Then we too were sent out of the classroom to complete paperwork. The children remained in the classroom to empty their school supplies. Then they were all lined up with their "Schule Tuete" and headed out to the main autitorium.

Here the children sat at the front on benches and the adults behind or on the sides. The mayor, head of the police department, and many other important community leaders were present. Opening the ceremonies were children playing on zylophones. Next the officials began a LONG series of speeches regarding the safety of our children in which the children did not find the least bit interesting. Instead the children poked, prodded, and played with each other. The occasional yell for a mom was heard among the crowd. The new teachers were busy trying to quiet children as the parents weren't intervening. Roll kept quiet the entire time but he was squirmy. They continued with a skit and song about bicycle safety.

After the ceremony we all headed back to class where we were promptly dimissed. The children gathered their bags and we left. The local paper was present for photos and interviews. Roll's Grandpa was with us from the U.S. He was wearing his Bavarian clothes and was interviewed by the reporter along with a photo of him and Roll standing together.

Altogether the day was really nice and I was glad to be a part of it. I felt that there were some parts that I learned from and hope to implement in my own first day of school celebration.

First Time Blogger

2006-09-16T18:50:00.000+02:00

Well this is the first time I will have officially blogged. I was actually trying to reply to my sister's blog and accidentally created one for myself! So many blog nowadays...I haven't since my life seems to be filled with dramas that I wouldn't know how to write about. Some friends have found blogging to be healing....hmmmm.....what can it hurt? I guess it can be fun to see what others might think. Okay so here goes.....