STEVE'S NEW GRAND BABY
Aimilee had her baby Dec 16th.  Gemma Paige.  So sweet.  We are so thankful for our family.  How wonderful life is.  We are so excited to get to see her.

HEIDELBERG
We took the tram to Heidelberg on Dec 15 to do a little more Christmas shopping and see the Christmas Market.  The Christmas markets are different in each area.  Well, some things are consistent between them but there are local craftsmen and artisans that have their things to sell.  I like the hand made things the best.  They are a little pricey but hey, things like that take time to make so I would rather buy something made in Germany than made in China.  Next year we plan to be in Germany or another local country for Christmas and go see some other towns Christmas activities.  We thought the rain may keep some of the crowds down but it was crowded anyway.

It was VERY crowded as you can see.

You can see the Castle up on the hill in the background.

Along with things to sell, there are local entertainers.  This guy is a magician, I thought he was pretty good.

We had dinner here.  This restaurant has been here for about 400 years.  The food and service where very good.

We saw this set up from a window while waking down the street.  At least there is ONE company that is doing well enough to put on a very fancy Christmas party.

OUR STUFF FROM CALIFORNIA ARRIVES
DEC. 14, 2012, Friday
It has been so long since we packed things up we couldn't remember what we had packed to ship here and what we chose to put into storage.  So this was like a early Christmas present in more ways than one for us. This is just in time to find things to pack up for our trip back to the U.S. for Christmas.  We leave Tuesday Dec. 18th on the train to Frankfurt.  Then the next morning catch the flight to Los Angeles.  The next morning we fly to Montana.

This one is my sewing machine.  It will have to wait until next year to be used.

There where 46 items total.  We didn't unpack the bikes and backpacks.  They will have to wait until next year too.

I brought the window cat shelf.  I put it up for Muffin.  She does like it although since I put her there for the picture, she is frowning, she likes to do things by herself, not to be PUT someplace so I can take a picture.

I had to be creative and add a cardboard 2x4 to the shelf brackets to make the shelf level.   Hey, be inventive, it works!

You PUT me here to take a picture.

MAKING SOUP
On cold days like this, soup is a good meal.  Like my apron?  Be inventive, it works.

CHRISTMAS MARKET
I went into town again to the Christmas market.  Steve and I also met the Bishop near there and he showed us a fantastic chocolate shop where the guy makes all of his own chocolate.  Someone might be getting some for christmas.

This isn't the chocolate shop that we bought from today, this is one of the vendors in the Christmas Market.  This is in all the Christmas Markets around here.  It all looks like tools but it is chocolate, at least that is what they tell me.

I was cold so I had a cup of hot Kinderpunch.

CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY
We had a nice get together at the Church on Saturday.  The kids did some cute skits, they did very well.  In Germany, St. Nicolas visits the kids on December 6th and gives them a gift.  St. Nicolas showed up at the party to hand out gift bags to the kids.   I think the kids also put their shoes outside the door that night and someone puts candy in their shoes.  On Christmas Eve the kids will get a gift from Jesus and on Christmas morning I think they get something from family.

The two missionaries helped the kids with the skit.

Elders Kuttler and Sleeman both from Texas.

Day-Jee Broo and one of the primary teachers.

Elder Sleeman, possibly thinking about all those cookies that he wants to eat on the table.

Genevieve Kempermann - one of my many friends.  She just gave me a brand new pair of boots.  My stuff from California has not arrived and the boots are so much better than my tennis shoes.

SNOW - December 8, 2012

This was yesterday while it is snowing.  Taken from our kitchen window.  Large snow flakes.

 It isn't snowing today but it is cold.  We walked around the lakes to get some fresh air.

The large blue beach ball on legs is ME with 5 layers of clothes on and still cold. I'm feeding the birds bread crumbs.

The swan is pretty slow and doesn't get much, the little ducks and gulls are fast and usually grab it.

This Canadian Goose ate out of my hand.

This is on the crop side of the lake.

Such a Nice smile on such a Nice person.

The radio control beach is empty now because the lake is partially frozen.

This is the radio control dock. 

Standing on ice.

This is where the kids slide down the little hills on their sleds.

These two dogs had fun playing with each other in the snow.

A lot of the kids use these wooden sleds with the metal rails.  They will all be tired out at the end of the day.

The group of Canadian Geese.

Schwan

Notice the gull standing on top of the Mallard duck

CHRISTMAS WREATH

Here is a Christmas wreath I made for our front door.  I made it at the church during a Relief Society activity.  They provided everything, even the fresh green pines.  That is good because I still don't have any of our stuff from California.

OUR APARTMENT DECORATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS

Our tree

It is feeling like Christmas here with the cold weather and Christmas spirit everywhere.  

We have a little tree and some decorations.  

Wish you all could be here and have some hot chocolate and biscuits (aka cookies) with us.

A candle holder, it has 3 different Germany scenes

The star in our kitchen window