Christmas Again?

Well, New Years Day was spent with us doing different things. Cathie was not feeling well and we had plans to go to Cologne. So Gardner went with his Dad to Cologne. He took Spencer and Hannah. But I stayed home with Shantal, Emma and Ian. Spencer and Hannah had a good time with Grandpa and Dad.

And while they were gone, Shantal and I got our Christmas Tree put away and everything Christmas packed back up. I cleaned house like crazy plus I did 5 loads of laundry. Having company here, even if they are not staying with us, throws us off schedule a bit and so my house and laundry was needing some cleaning. Gardner was very surprised to see how clean it looked when he got home.

Today, I went to the Rathaus again to finish up with my Visa. I did get my visa and so did the kids. It is only good until September 21, 2007. Then we will have to renew again. My visa cost 50 Euros and each childs was 25 Euros. While there, the lady was telling us that I had to go to school to learn German, even though I already know German. She said all new people coming into the country must take this German class. But Gardner kept trying to get me out of this class, as he took a test and got out of his a few months ago. Normally Gardner does all the talking because his German is so much better than mine. But I jumped in making jokes about me going back to school and then she said I did not have to go after all. I guess she did not realize how much (even as bad as it is) I actually do know.

After we got back from the Rathaus, The kids, Gardner's Mom and I all drove out to Toys R Us. We were on a mission of sorts. I was trying to find an exersaucer for Ian since ours did not make it on the ship. I really wanted one as they are one of the best things invented. And then Grandma and Grandpa thought they would take the kids shopping for Christmas instead of bringing stuff out for them since the room in the suitcase is not so big.

The kids had a blast going around the store. Shantal ended up with some Dress up clothes and dress up make up. Hannah a Car for her baby borne and a back pack for her baby borne that she got for Christmas from Santa. Spencer bought a Pirates of The Caribbean racing car set. And then Emma got a Winnie the pooh Kitchen Set. And of course, Ian got his Exersaucer.
The kids were all happy and by the looks of the living room, you would of thought it was Christmas Day all over again. Empty torn boxes all over the place.

Oh, and we finished the Star Wars Series. We watched Episode 5 yesterday and 6 today.

Sylvester

New Year's Eve was spent kind of quiet and as a Family. The kids wanted to stay up to watch the fireworks that happen at midnight. So they took turns choosing movies.

One video that Hannah chose was our wedding video. The kids were laughing so hard at hair do's from 13 years ago, and how young some people were compared to now. People that they really know looked so different back then. They also recognized my Grandma and Grandpa Astle, which my Grandma died this past year. So that was nice to know they remembered them. The kids were also making fun of the amount of kissing we did in the video. In all, they made us laugh.

The movie they were watching when it became 2007 was Star Wars, Episode 4, or the Original Star Wars. Spencer and Shantal were so into the movie that they decided not to go and watch the fireworks.

The fireworks here in Germany is so different from America. I seriously have never seen such a firework show without going to a crowded celebration of sorts where the firemen light them. Here, you can buy the fireworks that go up in the sky. Matter of fact, that is basically all they have. And everyone was doing them at the exact time and it made it so fun to watch. The show went on for almost an hour, non stop.

It was interesting as everyone came outside once midnight hit. Neighbors we had never seen before. They come out with their wine glasses to toast with those they see on the street and to wish them a happy new year. And the people who were celebrating was such a wide range of people. Even the older people were outside lighting their fireworks. It really was interesting to experience the New Year here in Germany.

The kids got to bed around 1:30 in the morning and I got to bed at 2am.

So, as the old year ends and the Neujahr gets off to what we all hope is a good start, I wish you "einen guten Rutsch!" (a good slide).

Tradition of Sylvester, or New Year's Eve

The night of the Holy Sylvester, the last night of the year, has always been the night of fools and a funny good time. The saint of this day, Pope Sylvester I, according to legend is the man who healed from leprosy and baptized the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

Sylvester was a Roman, the son of Rufinus. He was ordained a priest by Marcellinus. Chosen Pope in 314, he continued the work of organizing the peacetime Church so well begun by St. Miltiades. Sylvester saw the building of famous churches, notably the Basilica of St. Peter and the Basilica of St. John Lateran, built near the former imperial palace of that name. It is quite probable too that the first martyrology or list of Roman martyrs was drawn up in his reign. St. Sylvester died in 335. He was buried in a church which he himself had built over the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria. His feast is kept on December 31.

In many of the German-speaking areas the change of the year is celebrated noisily and merrily. Guests are invited, and groups attend a "Sylvester Ball." There is eating, drinking, dancing and singing. It may be accompanied by the popular "Sylvester" custom of Bleigiessen. A small piece of lead will be melted over a flame in an old spoon and dropped into a bowl of coldwater. From the shape you can supposedly tell your fortune for the coming year. At midnight, when the old year is almost gone and the new year is about to start, glasses are filled with champagne or wine, and toasts and hugs go with wishing each other "ein gutes neues Jahr". Some go out into the streets and listen to the bells ringing throughout the land. Others participate in shooting in the New Year, or put on their private fireworks.

Ian's Baby Blessing

I must first say, that I LOVE the outfit Ian is wearing in his picture. This is what he wore for his baby blessing He looked way too cute. Everyone at church did the ew and ah but of course, in German.

Gardner did the baby blessing in English. I was happy about that and since he did so, I was able to write down some of what he said during the blessing. Here are my notes I took:

*Bless Ian to grow strong
*Loved in Family
*Light and Example to Family
*Thanks for Light Ian is so far to us
*Blessing on Ian thy Spirit
*De well in this life in following the Savior

It was kind of crazy me trying to write while holding Emma and trying to keep her quiet.

We were taking pictures after church of our family including Gardner's Parents (Bob and Cathie) and just as the Missionary was going to take the picture, this man in the ward who is from Africa jumped in the picture and said I want to be in it. We went ahead and took the picture (It was a digital camera) and then after he stepped away, I politely said that I needed the family to stay so I could get one with just the family.

One thing that happened during church that was funny was the Bishop announced that Spencer was the newest member of the church. So he asked Spencer to stand up for everyone to see him. Well, then the Bishop said, maybe you need to stand on the bench for everyone to see you because he just blended in with us adults sitting down. Spencer thought that was great and jumped right up there. He was thrilled to do something that we continually tell him he can not do.

Spencer's Baptism

Wow, what a day! It started off all rainy and yucky. Cathie and Bob came over to the house around 9am so the women could go grocery shopping. I needed to pick up some stuff to get us through the holiday weekend coming up plus I needed to pick up some food for the baptism. It is so hard to plan food for an event when you don't know how many people are going to show up. No big deal.

So, shopping in the rain was crazy. Everything gets wet. Taking everything in was nuts trying to get it in without everything getting wet. That is when Bob said an attached garage is nice. I agree, but am happy I don't have to walk 15 minutes to the car anymore. Our garage is 3 houses down, not too bad compared to what we had before. We actually live in a town house. Germans call them row houses. And our garage is at the end of the row of town houses. There are a total of 4 houses and we are the third one down from the garage.

I cleaned house a bit before it was time to get ready for the baptism. Gardner, Spencer and Grandpa all went to the church about 1/2 hour before the girls did. And I gathered up all the stuff I needed for the baptism. As I looked around, I saw Spencer's baptism clothes sitting on a shelf. I grabbed those fast and ran out the door.

As I got to the church, I wondered if they would be happy to see me with the clothes. They had not even noticed that they were missing yet. But Gardner was still happy to see me with them.

The baptism was great. I worried for a minute there that Spencer might have to go again. But he did not. He got the OK and had a huge grin on his face. After the Confirmation, he started shaking the first persons hand (Elder Walker) and Elder Walker told him to hug his dad. Well, Spencer jumped up onto Gardner. It was really cute and then Spencer started to be silly and leaned backwards while Gardner was holding him, as if he was going to flip over. We could all see Spencer's face. He just lit up. Well, Spencer just had to jump up on Grandpa and the Bishop as well. (I think Spencer just likes to jump).

I took a lot of pictures of Spencer. We had invited a lot of people to the baptism and we had 12 non members (neighbors, co-workers and friends) come. Spencer got 9 presents from people. It is a big thing here in Germany to get gifts. I told Spencer it was a good thing he lived in Germany for his big day as he would not of gotten those things in America. Well, all his presents were books, in German I might add. Spencer could not believe it. The only thing he said is "WHAT?".

After the baptism, everyone hung out to eat. I had so much food there. Once again, I am an over-achiever.

Once we cleaned up, Sibylle (our Nanny from a few years back who is from Hannover), came over to our house for dinner. We did Raclette once again. Cathie actually bought us a raclette machine today and so it was fun to use it. The kids were thrilled to see Sibylle and to spend time with her. Sibylle brought all the kids gifts. That was really nice of her. It is nice that we don't live so far from her now. She lives about 3 hours away. Oh and I should mention that Spencer jumped up on Sibylle when she left tonight as well.

Wuppertal

First thing we did this morning was Gardner and I went to the Rathaus (city hall) here in Ratingen to get the kids and myself our visas. This is something we should of gotten a month ago, but with the move, we decided to wait until we were in our new home. Of course, we did not have everything we needed. They needed a passport picture of myself and Shantal (because she would be 10 next year). And then we have all this paper work to fill out. So we will be going back on Tuesday after the Holiday.

Then, we ventured out and went to a city called Wuppertal. It is a beautiful city (for the area that we are in). Gardner actually was a Missionary in Wuppertal back in 1991. We saw what apartment he lived in and then rode on the Schwebebahn.

The Schwebebahn Wuppertal is a suspension railway. Its full name is the "Eugen Langen Monorail Suspension Railway" (Einschienige Hängebahn System Eugen Langen). The people of Wuppertal know it, however, as the "Old Lady" or the "Iron Wyvern". Designed by Eugen Langen, who originally planned to build it in Berlin, it was built in 1900, opened in 1901 and is still in use today as a local transport system in the city.

The suspension railway travels along a route 13.3 km long, about 12 m above the surface of the river Wupper and approximately 8 m above the city streets, between the districts of Oberbarmen and Vohwinkel. At one point the railway crosses the A46 motorway. The entire trip, including stops for people to get on and off, takes about 35 minutes.

As we rode the Schwebebahn, It swayed the whole time. The kids enjoyed this part of our trip. We also ate something called Doener Kebaps. It is a Turkish Sandwich made of Lambs Meat.
We really wore out Grandma today.