CHRISTMAS and a few others

THE FIRST SNOWFALL

The first snow fall and Zack's first snow experience. He loved it at first and then got so cold he wanted nothing more to do with it. Jakob, on the other hand, he could have stayed out all night. He didn't care that he was cold.

RUEDESHEIM CHRISTMAS MARKT
My first train ride. It was so easy and fun! These are some of my friends that I went with. Tammy, Yulia and Marnie.

The Market.

CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

Because of our dog we decided not to get a tree this year. So we used our craft trees. Yes, the same trees we've used for the last 3 years. It seems like there is always something coming up that prevents us from getting a tree and having to use these ;).

We did the German advent this year. I LOVE this tradition! If you remember, Elder Uchtdorf talked about it during last year's 1st Pres. Devotional. I thought it was a neat thing when he talked about it and then I learned that year that it is a very strong tradition today. So this year I found one and we did it.

4 Sundays before Christmas you light the first candle. We talked to the kids about the birth of Jesus and then learned "Away in a Manger" and sang it. The next Sunday we talked a little bit more about Jesus and his life and sang the same song. And we did this every Sunday ending on the Sunday before Christmas.

ASHLEY SWANK

This is our friend, Ashley. She came from BYU to spend Christmas with us. It was soooo fun having her here!!! We are already looking forward to the next time she comes to visit!

Wiesbaden Christmas Markt.
Ashley's first and only Bratwurst.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE NEIGHBORS

A little before Thanksgiving everyone in our stairwell and half of the stairwell connected to us got together and drew names for Christmas. This is all of us getting together for our party and gift exchange. It was awesome! I have the BEST neighbors ever! The family who had us gave us a bunch of kids games that I had never seen before and all of which the boys LOVE!! Rachel planned this event, hoted it and bought everything for the kids' games. She is the best and did such a fabulous job!

CHRISTMAS EVE

For the last 9 years we have had this Christmas eve tradition that has been past on to us from the Rasmussen family. We have potato soup in bread bowls and little sausages in a yummy sauce, frape' and a few other things as seen below. This year I found these awesome red bowls for the soup and the large christmas mugs for the frape' at the "Red Plate Factory". It is my new favorite place!!

We had a few friends spend Christmas eve with us. We had the Thomas family-Rachel and her two daughters. (Our friends and neighbor whose Husband is in the Sand box.) We had Brody and Brittany Blumel (a recently married couple who are students here from the States),Landon and Andre (Both are single soldiers. Andre is from here and Landon from Bamberg) and of course, Ashley.

I didn't get pictures of everything we did. After we ate we played the TOMMY RIGHT game, also a tradition from the Rasmussens. After that we acted out Luke 2. This was our first year doing this and I was sooo excited! And then we played one of the kid's game, HORTON HEARS A WHO. Also a really fun game.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Landon and Andre stayed the night and spent the day with us. We had Cinnomon rolls, thanks to Cinnabon, for breakfast and just hung out. It was a very relaxing day!

Landon

Andre