Week of Jan. 15th, 2012

Sunday Jacob finished up his poster for his book report and started the outline for his oral presentation.  We also took the kids bowling.  It was fun, but a little smoky):  It took us a few minutes to figure out the kids shoe sizes since they are the european shoe sizes here.  Some of the kids shoes had that sizing in their shoes, but not all of them.  I of course already new my size as I have bought shoes here (:
They didn't have that medal ball rolling thing for young children, so Jason and I took turns helping Amber roll her ball down the lane.  She did very well, getting 3rd place out of all of us!  After that we went out to lunch. 
On Sundays since nothing is open but some restaurants and a few other places there is not much traffic on the roads.  So we drove around another part of town that is by the train station so a busy and crowded area during the week.  Lots of buildings and shops in this area too.  But there is the main post office there too so if you get a package via just regular mail you will have to pick it up here since the mailman walk around they don't take any packages with them.  They also don't deliver mail here on Sat.  We were looking for parking garages and could only find one of them.  It was a big area outside the city, and I had no idea there was so much there.
We got Jacob's goodie bags ready for his b'day party on Sat.
We made our gingerbread cookies today since we never got to it before christmas (:

Monday morning we had our PTO meeting to finish up things for the wine tasting this Friday night.  These meetings are once a month and pretty much take up my whole morning since I have to be back around lunch time to pick Amber up.
In gym class Jacob is now starting his gymnastics unit and he said they don't need tennis shoes at all. 
Tuesday I found some cleaning products that my friends had told me about. They are special bottles each for certain things.  One bottle for blood, chocolate, ketchup, etc.  What cracks me up is the name of the cleaning product- Dr. Beckmann.  It cracks me up b/c it is similiar to that guy in Ghostbusters, Dr. Veckman.
In French class one of the words I learned was for horse.  Later in the day I am looking at the menu for this new restaurant we want to try and it has horse on it- not for me!
I had to pull Jacob out of school early today for us to go to the Embassy and get his passport renewed.  It requires paperwork, pictures, form, passports and both Jason and I to be present.  So Jason picks us up at school and we have Amber of course with us.  Well I didn't even think about needing her passport just to get in the Embassy. I didn't say anything and just handed over the 3 passports-oops.
Also I didn't realize that you have to wait outside until it is your turn.  So I had made an appt. so we wouldn't be waiting forever and even with the appt. we had to wait outside until 1/2 hour past our appt. time.  It was about 33 degrees here today, so cold to be standing outside for almost 45 min. since we had gotten there before our appt time, but at least the sun was shining.  Then since it is running so far behind I am getting worried that I will not get back to school in time to pick up Sean and his friend that is coming over after school. Since we haven't even gotten in yet and this could take like 1/2 hour inside.  So I call the friend's mom and ask if she is going to be at school and she says no, but she will go and get the boys for me.  I feel horrible since she lives way across town from school. 
As soon as I get off the phone with her they get us in and we get it done and are back out in no more then 10 min.  I quickly call the mom back and luckily she was just about to leave so I tell her I can still make it now.  All is well.
Jacob tells us that today during recess he was playing soccer and was goaly and got the ball right in the face and his nose starting bleeding.  So he spent a bit in the nurse's office. 
Jason drops us back off at school.  Jacob goes to bball practice and I run and go and get the boys.  They were coming down the stairs just as I walked into their building, phew!  In second grade the children have to stand with their teacher until the teacher sees the child's parent and then they can be dismissed.  So by the time I go back to pick Jacob up from bball practice, I have now been at the school 5 times today!

Wednesday Amber had a girl friend over after school and they had fun dressing up and playing.

The girls helped me make cupcakes for Jacob's class.  Here we are allowed to bring in food for their birthdays so that is nice. 

Tonight Sean was reading to me from his Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.  Then he stopped and said "he was going to get his a... kicked"  talking about the boy in the book.  I just looked at him and then we had a little chat.  Jason and I don't really use that word, plenty of other bad words we have instead, so not really sure where he got it from and of course he wasn't really sure where he had heard it either.  Oh dear!

Thursday it came back!  The wind and the rain were back in full force today- ugh!

After school drop off I met 2 friends for coffee at a different mall then we normally go too.  I of course leave early to get back for French, walk in the door and guess who is calling?  My French teacher telling me she can't make it.  I am going to have a little chat with her next week!  She needs to call me earlier then the start time of class to tell me it is cancelled!  This is crazy and incredibly rude!

After Amber's gymnastics we pull in the school parking lot and of course the rain actually starts coming down harder.  So we get soaked going into school.  Then I took one of Amber's friends back here and her mom brought Jacob home after bball practice.

I came across a new saying today that I like-  Cleaning the house while the kids are growing is like shoveling the snow while it is still snowing!  So true, so true!

We frosted Jacob's cupcakes for school tomorrow and put on some sprinkles, and made his yummy chocolate cake for his party on Sat.  Here the cakes are not what we are used to and don't taste as good at least not to us and then of course they are extremely expensive.  So I am going to be making a lot of cakes.  I bought and have ordered some more new cake decorating things.

Friday was the day that Jacob got to bring in his b'day cupcakes.  Good way to end the week of school, right!  He said everyone enjoyed them, so that was good.

Today was a friend's b'day and so she invited some of us over for coffee and cake.  It was very nice.  She had quite a few ladies coming and going all morning.   The house they are renting got painted a lilac color.  I said Amber would love to live in this color house!

After school Sean went to a friend's house and had a sleep over and then I had a sitter come over and Jason and I went to the wine tasting event I was helping put on.  It was a very nice evening.  There were over 60 different wines and champagnes combined to sample.  There was also bread, cheese and appetizers.

We came home and decorated the house and Jacob's door for his b'day!

Sat. was Jacob's day to get breakfast in bed.  I told him I wasn't getting up like at 6am to fix breakfast, but I would get up at 8am.  So I know Jacob is always up before then so I said you can just wake me up if you want and go downstairs and then once I have the pancakes and breakfast ready we can go back to your room and you can have it in bed then.  He said "what's the point then if I already have left my bed!"  So he brought the Ipad in his room and woke up a little before 8am and just layed in bed playing that until we brought in his breakfast. 

He was so excited when we brought in his breakfast, so cute.  I made him a big pancake with choc. chips lined up in the number 10.   You can't see them in the picture.  Then he got fruit, one being choc. covered strawberries, and the a birthday cupcake on top with a candle!  Only my kiddos would actually eat all their breakfast first and then the cupcake last! 

Amber giving Jacob his b'day hug!

After breakfast he opened his presents.  The rest of the morning we spent finishing up preparing the food for his b'day party.

Today was also his b'day party.  He had chosen to have it at Lazer Tag.  He was so excited.  He invited his friends from school. 

 One of Amber's friends was nice enough to have her over for a playdate while we did the party, since she wouldn't have enjoyed it.  You have to be 7 to play and it would have been harder with her there, so instead she had a great time at her friend's house.

We came back from the party, picked up Amber and came home and Jacob enjoyed opening his presents. 

 Then soon after we left as Jacob wanted to try this American Sports Bar/Restaurant and go see a movie.  So we had dinner there and then went and saw Hugo.  It was a good movie.  Amber made it through the first 1 1/2 hours barely, so then we just sat on the exit steps and we finished watching the movie from there- long movie. 

So Jacob had a wonderful day of doing things all for him!  It is so great to just see your child so happy and smiling with excitment throughtout the day!  As Amber put it "This is one of Jacob's best days ever!"

Week of Jan.8th, 2012

Sunday we had a nice relaxing day at home and Jacob worked on his written part of his book report.

Monday Amber wasn't feeling too well so she stayed home from school and Jason dropped off the boys, so that was nice.  Amber felt better pretty quick and was so busy getting into everything all day.  The house was a diaster by the end of the day.
One thing I forgot to mention that we did on New Year's day was have this special cake here.   It is basically like a big round crossaint type flakey cake.  And you can either cut it up into pieces or we each took a piece of the cake and broke it apart.  Then when you look at your cake one piece will have a little Luxembourg token in it.  That person is suppose to have good luck in 2012 and the cake comes with a crown the winner gets to wear.  So that is cute.  And both boys in French class have had this too since school started this year!

Tuesday around 3:30am we are not sure if it was a dog barking or Jacob thinks it was a crow, but I am thinking more dog.  But it was going on for a few minutes enough to wake us all up.  Well of course once Amber is up it is difficult to get her to stay back in her bed so she was up about once an hour from then on- ugh I need naps!! 
Today is the morning is when the garbage comes for pickup.  So last night I handed Jacob a trash bag and said take this and the trash and put it out.  Well I guess he just thought I meant to put the bag in the trash and not actually pull the trash can out to the street.  So when we are leaving this morning in a rush as usual, I see the trash is not out and asked Jacob why.  He said he didn't realize I wanted him to actually take the trash out- ugh.  So I call Jason and ask him to take out the trash, but of course he is going to need to do it soon b/c they will be coming soon.  Then as we are pulling in the school parking lot I realize I didn't take Amber's backpack so I ask her if she took her school bag by the door, she said no.  So now I call Jason back and ask him to drop off the bag to us at school.  I think Jason was sick of us calling him by 8am this morning!
My French teacher came today and told me that I should listen to French while I am sleeping - yeah I am sure Jason wouldn't mind some French language CD going all night!

Wednesday Jason seems to have come down with something and is not feeling well.  In the morning he tried to go back and see about getting the car registered.  He got the paper from the seller that he was missing when he went last month to get this done.  Now something else is wrong with the paperwork.  Geesh how hard is it to register a car here!
After preschool pickup 4 of us went out with the kids to lunch at this good italian place that has a kid's corner for them to play in.  Amber who doesn't nap is always wiped out after any type of lunchin or lunch out and always falls asleep in the car on the way to school to get the boys.
Sean was excited to see that one of his friends has now joined the relgious education class that is afterschool.  When I came to pick them up he ran out with his recorder to show me that he finally passed his white belt test for it in music class.  He has been practicing to get it.

Thursday I met up with a few friends for coffee at the mall.  The last time we met was when we said goodbye to our friend who moved to Norway so I said we have to keep it going!
Today after school there was a very bad accident at the entrance to the school/highway.  It is a horrible interesection with many different lanes coming together and going all directions.  The school entrance is the last stop light before the highway starts and at that light there are 5 lanes I believe going one direction, and the far left lane has a light in which it crosses over and turns right in front of 4 lanes of traffic.  The 4th lane over turns left, the 1st lane turns right, and the 2nd lane goes straight.  It is crazy.  Anyway this little red car just got crushed and when I saw it it was facing the wrong direction.  There was a big truck pulled over and then a station wagon in the grass across the street also facing the wrong direction, so I don't know what happened, but it didn't look good for the driver of the red car.  I pray he is ok.  This is why I will never get a little car, one we don't fit very well in one, but I just don't think they are safe when you have bigger cars driving around and you get hit by one you just don't have a good chance of being ok.

Friday was coffee with another preschool mom, and then I had the rest of the morning and early afternoon to myself as Amber went home with her boy friend from school and had a great time playing at his house!  I got a lot done and then after school we had a family over and then our husbands joined us after work and Jason brought home pizza so everyone was happy!
Jacob's bball team traveled away to Germany for games this weekend but 4th graders can't travel so Jacob and his friends didn't go.

Saturday Amber had a birthday party to go to in the morning and so Jason took the boys and the 3 boys all got a haircut.  I took Amber to the party.  It was in the mall in the climby place where you can leave your kids to play while you go shopping.  It was nice and wasn't crowded with other kids.  Amber had fun.  It was all the kids from her preschool class so while the party was going on we couldn't stay in there so some of us went upstairs and had coffee at the cafe.  It was a nice time. 
After the boys got their haircuts they went out to this restaurant for lunch that has American style food like wings. 
In the afternoon Jacob worked on his poster to go with his book report.  He does a really good job with drawing things, but this took all afternoon!  For a break we went and drove to this place called Drink Shop.  It is part of a big grocery store, and is in the bottom of the 3rd level parking garage and it is way across town so I never go over there.  But it sounded neat so we tried it out.  You drive in and pull up to a desk.  You get out and turn off your car, open your trunck and tell them what you would like.  They have a list there and it is all drinks, larger quantities, laundry soap, and toilet paper.  Then you pay and they load it up in your trunk.  So that is nice b/c it is hard when you are grocery shopping and have a lot of things to get to also try and put these larger items in your cart.
We ended the night with movie night!  

First week of 2012

Monday the kids had their last day of winter break! 

Tuesday I put back on my rain boots, and drove the kids back to school on another dark, rainy morning!  Some of the kids were excited and some were not.  I was glad to meet a friend for coffee and some others and hear how people's vacation was.
Amber had her little boy friend over from school.  A new girl started in their class today since their friend moved to Norway and there is a waiting list to get into the school so she started today.  The kids said she only speaks Spanish.
Homework is back in full swing and the boys are not happy about it! 
Tonight I had review with the boys how to shower and actually wash all of our body!  It seems that both of them are not washing everything they should be!

Wednesday the sun was actually out.  I couldn't believe it and actually had to dig around in my car for my sunglasses, it was great!
After I picked Amber up we drove out to Jason's office and he wanted to drive over to Belgium (close by) since he had heard and thought he found a store called Carrefour close by.  Well we drive there and it is not the big supermarket like Walmart we were expecting but a little present store- nice Jas!  It was just the wrong Carrefour.  Now Amber is hungry and so we search for a McDonalds and end up eating there.  But it was in a mall so we were able to walk around and they had a Claire's Boutique Accessory store there just like at home.  Funny what makes it over!
Today Jacob said his music teacher was out and I guess she did something to her leg skiing over break and so the substitute was Jacob's guitar teacher!  Jacob said he enjoyed the class!

Thursday was a full day of monsoon rains!  And I am not the only crazy person always talking about the weather, it is quite the talk at school as well.  So last night the winds were so bad and the rain.  About 2 am I get a tap on my shoulder and it is Amber too afraid to sleep in her room anymore.  Later in the morning when it is finally light out to see I see that the wind trashed our trampoline.  The base has come apart on one side and the trampoline is on its side.  I have one pole that holds up the net on one side of the yard, another pole under the trampoline and one laying down near the trampoline, lovely!
Today about 10 min. after my French teacher was suppose to be here she calls and tells me something that I don't understand, but that she will see me next week.  Great, thanks for the heads up on that!
To get Amber out of school at pickup today I had to put her rain pants on because otherwise the poor thing would have been soaked.  Some people were saying they had streets flooding out by their houses.
When I went to pick up Jacob at bball practice I had a little boy try to get in our car.  He opened the door and was just staring at Amber not sure what to do.  He thought it was his car and was totally confused. 
Tonight Jacob got asked to do an interview with one of my dietitian friends that was doing an article about how children feel about having a dietitian as a mom!  It is for a couple of family publications in New York. 

Friday was my coffee with a few other preschool moms.   I then ran out to the import store to see about getting Hershey's cocoa to use to bake Jacob's cake and make frosting with for his birthday.  Unfortunately they don't carry it.  But a friend let me take her container that she had brought back from the states, otherwise another friend recommended a Belgium cocoa powder.  So that will be good.
After I picked up the boys we went to a friend's house for a get together.  Another family came as well.  The kids all played well together and the moms enjoyed some champagne!  Can't beat that!  Because we are so close to the wine growing regions, drinking wine and champagne any time is very common over here, so you know we are just trying to blend in- he he!
When I got home I turned the oven on to make chicken nachos and what do I find in the oven- a lobster claw- yuck!  Can you imagine how the oven smelled?  And the claw was turning black.  We boiled them Sat. night and then put them in the oven to keep them warm since we could only do 2 at a time.  The rest of this week we had leftovers and grilled out.  I can't believe we missed/lost a yummy claw!

Sat. we decided to take the kids to this indoor play place in Belgium.  It used to be where everyone went before they opened some in Luxembourg.  It was nice, a bit older, but the kids liked it.  It even had a disco room that Sean and Amber were dancing away in.  It also had a bigger smaller kids area which is nice b/c Amber doesn't like climbing up those big climby things and going down those tall slides.  We even had lunch there.  The best part was this place is in a huge strip mall and Jason and took turns going shopping.  The prices over in Belgium, which is only like 20-30 min. away are so much cheapier then Luxembourg.  So we both were buying things, plus this time of year there are sales everywhere even back here in town.  I was so excited to find those craft foam stickers and sheets that I buy at Michaels at home since Amber is a huge craft person always into this type of stuff.
We left here early afternoon and then had to drive to the mall back in Luxembourg so I could get Jacob's passport picture taken to renew his passport.
Then later in the afternoon both boys had a birthday party to go to.  Sean went to a party at a friend's house and then I took Jacob to his and the parents stayed at this boy's party at his house as well.  The mom had done a whole Harry Potter theme, with wands and sorting kids into houses and lots of cute things for the kids. So it was nice chatting with people there.  After this party I took Jacob and his friend and we went back to our house for a bit and then walked, like that about living close to the city, to dinner and met up with the boy's family and had dinner together.  It was a Japenese restaurant we had never tried before and it was really good and we all liked it!  It is a tiny place and there were 3 other families from school there as well, too funny!  After dinner we all came back here and had dessert and the kids got to play a bit more.  So it was an enjoyable day and evening!

Christmas and New Year's 2011

So this year the day after the kids got out of school we flew back to Chicago.  The  total trip door to door took 18 hours.  It was very long!  But we flew Swiss airlines which was one of the nicest airlines we have ever flown.  The food was good, even got ice cream between meals and then some yummy chocolates.  Each seat had a movie screen and many movie options and TV options and video games even for the kids.  Also the movies you could play and watch whenever so it wasn't on a schedule. 
When we arrived home my parents were waiting with some yummy chili and cornbread.  My parents had even gotten out some christmas decorations for us so it looked all festive!
We celebrated Christmas with my parents the next day

and then Jason flew out to NY for work.  We got to visit with friends, and I got to Target- (:, Costco, and the mall.  Sean and Amber got to do build a bear.  Amber did Hello Kitty and Sean did Alvin.  They loved it!

 
Before Christmas we drove to IN for 3 days and met some of Jason's college friends for lunch and then on to his sister's house where Jason's parents flew to as well and we spent 3 days with them hanging out and celebrating an early Christmas. The kids were so excited to see their cousins! We had a good time.

All the boys went to an IU basketball game which of course they won.  They are doing great this season.  The boys enjoy going down there and of course that would be great if they decide to go to school there,  but no pressure!
Christmas Eve we went to church and then to the kids' (boys) favorite restaurant- Kiku's- where they cook the food in front of you!

Christmas morning.

Then we finished up the week with lots of playdates, sleepovers, visits with friends and families!

We had a wonderful trip home and it was great seeing everyone!
Our time at home flew by and before I knew it I was packing everything I had gotten back into the suitcases- tough job!  The day we were leaving I checked us in online and it said that we were allowed an extra bag due to Jason's flying status now.  So we looked around in the basement but all we could find was an old big purple bag of mine.  Jason was not too excited about having to carry this around!  So we packed up our 6 bags and headed back to the airport.  Once on the plane we just sit down and Jacob, who was fine up until  now, just starts throwing up.  Ok those little bags are not too good for kids, as Jacob couldn't seem to keep it all in there.  At least he had one of those blankets on which kept it from getting all over himself, but it was a mess.  I couldn't believe it.  We got everything cleaned up and  after that I got him to sleep and he slept along with the rest of the kids for the entire flight- thank goodness.  We flew to Copenhagen this time.  This airport was a little different.  There are no seats at the gates.  There are just desks to check in when it is time otherwise the whole terminal area is filled with shops and food places, a crazy amount of stores.  I had never seen anything like this before.  So we find a couple of seats just a long a wall and are waiting and this mom and her daughter are sitting next to Jason when all of a sudden they come running toward me to get to the trash can next to me.  The little girl doesn't make it and gets sick all over the floor right in front of us.  The went to the bathroom but then never cleaned up the mess on the floor or told anyone about it.  Nice to look at that again! 

When we landed back here it was dark and rainy, great it looks the same as before we left I was thinking.  We came back to the house and Santa had come and left the kids their presents here.  They were so excited and couldn't wait to get to the tree.

We had christmas and then a light dinner and off to bed. 
The next day we have to start getting things ready b/c we are hosting a New Year's Eve get together with friends.  So busy day of shopping, baking, cleaning.  And cleaning up from Christmas is always a mess.  So we got it all done and friends arrived at 6pm we did a dinner for the 7 children, and then with the help of one of the guys we cooked lobster and steaks for the adults!  It was a bit messy but a lot of fun!

The city did fireworks at midnight and we went out back and did sparklers and watched the great fireworks display.  The kids all were great and all stayed up past 1am.  The next day my kids slept in so well.  Amber was the last one to get up at 12:20pm in the afternoon! 
So now I have one day to rest and then back to school!
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and may 2012 bring you healthy, happiness and cheers!!!

Week of December 11th

Sunday Jason took all the kids to a big indoor play, climby area here.  Then they went out to lunch at a place like McDonalds, a burger place.
I had nice peaceful morning trying to get things done around here.

Monday morning I helped stuff 830 invitations into enevelopes for the PTO wine tasting we are doing!  Only came away with one bad papercut.
Jacob only has 1/2 of the normal homework load this week.  Sean didn't have any besides reading.  He has his big concert this week at school.  I think a lot of kids are leaving for the holidays so their classes are going to be smaller this week.
The kids got their haircuts this evening after we picked Sean up from ball skills.  Amber did such a good job sitting on the booster seat and so still for her hair cut.   On the way home we saw this van that someone had painted to look just like the Scooby Doo Van- so funny!

Tuesday it poured, poured and poured.  It started raining in the middle of the night and then just never stopped until around 4pm today for a bit and then started up again.  It makes it very difficult to get the kids to school, one it is still dark out and then pouring and walking them all into school. 
I got quite a few inches cut off my hair today and then highlights as well so I look nice and young again- ha!
We did a make up gymnastics class for Amber today since I took her there last week and I couldn't get her to participate.  Then to pick up the boys from school was awful.  Did I mention it was pouring today?  When I went to park in the parking garage, I got there right before the last spots were taken and then people were just parking behind people's parked cars and sitting there.  It was crazy.  It was so windy and my hood wouldn't stay on, our umbrellas were turning inside out, and we got soaked.  I actually had to change Amber's pants when we got home b/c she was so wet.  I had those high rain boots on, my winter coat that comes to my thighs, and between those my jeans were soaked.  Nothing better then wet heavy winter coats, and mittens- ugh!
Rain, rain, go away!


Wednesday was raining again in the morning and I had to get the 3 preschool teacher's big gift baskets into school.  That was difficult since they were so heavy too.  What we did was each child brough in an item from their home country and I put them in a basket and wrapped it.  So it turned out very nice.  But 18 items in each basket made them quite heavy and in the rain to carry in!  Then I went to a travel agent to help me find some place to go for spring break.  Already thinking warmer weather (:
Then before Amber's day ended they had a little Christmas show with about 5 songs they sung and then we had some gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate with the parents.  So that was nice, and then I presented the teachers with their gift baskets as well.  Amber loved the singing and the dancing!
Then after school her one boy friend came over and they were busy playing, then cutting, coloring, glueing, and painting their projects.  They play so well together!
The boys had RE class today and the teacher gave them some yummy clemintine oranges wrapped up and an ornament.  The oranges are very good here this time of year!
Jacob's guitar teacher had canceled class for tonight and I was glad not to have to go back out in the rain.

Thursday Amber had a meltdown at school when I went to leave the teachers had to peel her off my leg.  That is not like her.
The electrician that came by a few weeks ago, just showed up today.  Luckily Jason was still here and hadn't left to come to Sean's program.
Sean had his Christmas concert during the morning, so both Jason and I went in for it.  They did a great job. Some kids had speaking parts and it was neat to hear everyone's different accents when speaking English.

 It was 1st and 2nd grade combined.  They sung some songs together and some separate.  1st grade did a dance to the Katie Perry song "Fireworks"  It was so cute.  There was this one boy that had his little suit on and he was getting his groove on.  He had all the beats and moves down and was totally into it. He was so cute!
Amber had gymnastics and this week they must have been able to wear costumes to class, but since I couldn't get Amber to go last week we missed the announcement.  So a few of the kids were dressed up in costumes.  But I get the feeling that since Amber doesn't have any good friends in the class she is not enjoying it as much.  She always seems to like a buddy to do things with and while she runs and plays with all of the children I don't think any of the other kids speak English.
Sean looked very cute in his nice clothes today, but then when he gets in the car after school he tells me that he didn't go to the bathroom all day b/c he couldn't get his pants unbuttoned- poor thing.  I said please ask your teacher to help you if that ever happens again. She is so sweet and would understand.
Here is Pinkilicious Minnie mouse

Friday morning Jason tells me he is going to take my car to get it registered in town.  He had all the paperwork ready, but also needed the car in case it needed an inspection.  So I go and get all my stuff out of my car that I need and he leaves with my car.  It is again pouring out.  His car is parked outside and we are getting soaked getting everyone in the car.  Once in the car Jason calls and says he forget to take his work badge out so if I could leave that at home for him.  So I go get soaked again. 

So his car is too technologically advanced for me.  I can't even get the car started.   It doesn't have a key just this box thing you put in and then you have to press the start button.  So I am doing this and still can't get it to start, so I call Jason back and I guess you also have to have your foot on the brake- ha.  I can't figure this car out.  Then I realize that he doesn't have the school sticker on the window, so I have to call him back and ask where it is.  He tells me it is in the glove box.  Ok how do I get in there.  I can't find the stupid button to open it.  It is still black outside and I am trying to open the door a bit to light the car up b/c of course I can't find the light button either and it is getting wet inside the car and I can't find the button at all. It isn't actually on the glove box.  If you don't have the sticker there is a chance you can't get in the parking lot at school and then if you park without your sticker you will get a ticket.  So now I am getting very mad at Jason.  So we get to school and I am able to get in the parking lot and once parked there is some light there and I finally find the black button just on the dashboard and put the sticker on- ugh so much for this car!

Jason waited about an hour at the car place only to find out that he is missing a document from the previous owner.  Luckily he didn't waste any more time there.  So now we need to find the previous owners through friends to get this done, and of course 2 of the documents we had were time sensitive so now we will need to go get these done again when he is ready to go again.  The good thing is that next time he won't need to bring the car b/c the guy said he doesn't need an inspection yet. 

So when Jason came home to get his work badge we just switched back cars, only to find when I leave a bit later that Jason has now left his phone in my car!

This morning I decided to drive to Belgium and go to Ikea.  It is only about 20 min. away, but it was raining so hard and so foggy I couldn't even see Ikea and it is of course right along the highway. 

I got some lamps, a rug and a table for behind the couch.  The table box was a bit heavy but I got it in the cart.  So when I got to the car if I knew that if I could get the seats down in the back it would fit in fine, well no surprise I couldn't get the seats down.  So I am standing there in the pouring rain trying to shove this box inbetween the back seats but it is too heavy for me to get up to the height of the seats.  So I see this younger guy walking in and I of course can't actually form a sentence but ask if he can please help me, and thankfully he is able to get it in the car for me- thank you!

Today the kids had Christmas parties and were very excited to be done with school for awhile!

Week of December 4th, 2011

Sunday after church we took the kids out to lunch at a kind of American BBQ restaurant.  Then we walked around the mall a bit before our movie was to start.

After this we went to see Happy Feet 2.  It was the only kids movie in English.  The other ones were in French and German.  If you want to buy anything for your movie you walk into this self service area.  They have all different sizes of popcorn lining the wall in the back so you grab what you want, they have ice cream bars, drinks, candy bins to pick out pieces of candy that you put in a bag, and slushies- the boys were so excited!  And of course Amber wanted one too!  Then you just take all your stuff to the check out line.  It is faster then waiting in line at home.  So we bought the ticket and told her we wanted the English version.  When we are in the theatre the kids that are coming in are not speaking English.  I start thinking I don't think we are in the right theatre b/c if the kids aren't speaking in English more then likely they wouldn't be coming to see a movie in English.  So I look at the tickets and it has a D after the movie, which means German.  So we go back and ask the ticket checker guy which theatre is the English version in and he tells us we need to go back down to the ticket booth and get a new ticket- ugh!  So a bit later Jason comes back with the right one.  This theatre wasn't too crowded.  But it is huge.  Bigger then the ones at home and the screen is like the full length of the wall in front.
I had gotten sausages for Jason to grill out for dinner, and it was so dark outside at 5pm and there is only one light outside but on the other side of the patio that he had to use a flashlight to grill!
Later in the evening I went out to dinner with 2 good friends, one of who is moving this week to Norway.  So sad.  So we had a nice evening out at a Thai restuarant.

Monday I had the PTO meeting and then after school Amber had a friend over for lunch and a playdate.  They had a fun time giggling and playing!  Then we dropped her friend off and headed back to school a bit earlier to help make the St. Nickolas goodie bags the preschoolers will get tomorrow for St. Nicholas Day! 
Ball skills has ended for now so home to do homework and work with Sean on his diaorama.  He is doing the desert.
Jacob came home from school today and told us the Black Santa story that his French teacher had told him.  Not a pleasant story or appropriate to tell children!
There was a butcher that lived in the forest.  One day 3 children stopped by his house and asked if they could come in and get something to eat.  He said sure and ended up chopping them up, putting them in a box with salt on it and storing them in the basement for 7 years.  Then one day St. Nicholas comes by the butcher's shop and ask for some meat.  The first plate he brings him, St. Nicholas says this is not good enough, the 2nd plate he brings to St. Nicholas he says isn't good enough.  Then the butcher says he has some good meat in the basement. St. Nicholas says stop, where are those 3 children?  The butcher takes him downstairs and St. Nicholas puts his hands on the boxes and brings the children back to life.   The butcher becomes the black santa and goes around with St. Nicholas all dressed in black and with tree sticks that if a child is bad he hits them with the sticks?  Ok nice story for a teacher to be telling.
My kids put their shoes out tonight in hopes of St. Nicholas bringing them a little gift!  Of course Amber had to put her pink sparkly shoes out for him.

Tuesday the kids were excited to wake up and see that St. Nicholas had left gifts.  They got a cholocate St. Nicholas, the boys each got a lego gift, and Amber got a princess ornament and a baby bottle for her babies! 

This morning at preschool when Amber went to put on her indoor shoes there was only one there!  St. Nicholas had come to the preschool and taken one of all the kids shoes and put it in the classroom with a goodie bag inside it.

Here St. Nicholas is very much celebrated.  So in the goodie bag was a St. Nicholas chocolate a yummy gingerbread type biscuit, and a clementine.
Jacob got a goodie bag too at school with a clementine and a chocolate St. Nicholas as well.
Since last month the stores have been selling certain sweet breads in the shape of a gingerbread man.  Some are plain, some have choc. chips in them, some all choc. on top, some like a fruit cake, and today was the Gingerbread Man Giant!

I bought 2.  One for one of Amber's friend who has been really sick, and one for us.  Sean saw it and went running out of the kitchen screaming the gingerbread man was going to get him! Ha
Tonight we baked our yummy Christmas tree cookies.  We got as far as making the dough, refrigerating it, rolling them out and baking them.  The frosting will have to be done another day.
Here is a picture of the view outside of Jason's office.

Wednesday we cut into the giant gingerbread man and he is delicious!  It is a very sweet bread with a little frosting on top.
The fog here has lifted and now the rain has settled in.  It has been raining on and off for a few days now.  We are using our rain boots here more then our winter boots!  And of course today I had to carry in Sean's diaoroma in the rain.  Not a good day for that., 
Today was suppose to be our going away party for Amber's good friend that is moving, but she has been really sick this week at home and another good friend of Amber's just came back to school today after being out really sick!  It is so sad that she is moving this week and hasn't been able to spend any time with her friends ):  So we are moving the party to Friday afternoon in hopes that everyone is healthy!
At guitar lesson tonight it just poured buckets, and I was worried how we would all make it to the car which is not close and no umbrellas.  But luckily it had calmed down quite a bit by the time we had to leave.
Tonight we were able to frost the christmas tree cookies we had made last night and then everyone got a nice cookie treat!

Thursday we had our last morning coffee at the mall with my good friend from Norway who is moving back home this weekend ):
Amber had her gymnastics class today and we went and I got her b'day party all set to be there, but she was so tired from not going to bed last night until way past her bedtime that she was so tired and crabby she wouldn't stay there, so we left.
Jacob had bball practice and I found out that I am housing 2 boys from Belgium who are coming down to play games this weekend,  Should be interesting.  They have 2 games on Friday night and 2 on Sat. morning/afternoon.  Alot of bball for one weekend!

Friday early morning it was so windy that the medal shutters that cover the windows on the outside were making a lot of noise and it woke Amber up who ended up in bed with us scared.
In the morning I had a few errands to do and then got the food ready for our going away party for my friend and her daughter- Elise.  Elise and Amber have had a wonderful time playing together and have really made a connenction.  She talks about her on the weekends and is always trying to invite her to come over.  Her mom and I got together a lot for coffee's.  They have been here for 3 1/2 years, so now they are headed back to Norway.
After school I picked up Amber and a one of her boy friends from school and we went over to my friend's house for the going away party.  It was very nice.  It was just a handful of close friends.  We had a lovely time, but a sad day.  We will hopefully we able to go and visit them one day.   So safe travels and we will miss you!

Amber has her arm around her friend!

Jacob had 2 bball games tonight and Sean had a party to attend on the other side of town so Jason went to the games.  We were suppose to house 2 of the opposing team boys, and Jason calls a bit after 7pm when the games were over to let me know they were on their way home so I could start dishing up their dinners and says we didn't have to take any boys.  I kept asking him are you sure.  I could just see 2 boys just standing out there b/c Jason left them behind.  But not all the players must have come or last minute older boys may have housed them.  So Jacob got to play one quarter of each game.  The size difference b/t the boys is pretty big.  The older boys are a good whole head taller then the 4th graders and Jacob is a good size for 4th grade! 

Sat. Jacob had to go back in the morning to school for 2 more games, but they were spaced out a bit one at 10 and one at 1pm.  So I had a handyman come over in the morning to take care of a few things here and then we joined Jason and went to the 1pm game.  Jacob played part of each game again.  Long day at school for him with basketball.  But he enjoyed it and has about 5 friends on the team so it was good.
In the evening we had Jason's Christmas work party.  My sitter canceled on me at the last minute but thankfully she found one of her friends to babysit for us.  So that was good.  The party was at Jason's bosses house.  They live outside of town so have a house, and not just a house I would say a US mansion.  It was amazing, and especially for a place like here you don't see anything like this.  It was a huge Italian Villa.  So beautiful.  I would have taken pictures if Jason would have let me (:  The woodwork in the house and built in's were amazing.  In the dining room all the furniture was built in except the table, but even had couches built in along the curved wall that jutted out with windows.  Over the buffet built in in the dining room, which was the length of the wall, was a glass scene from  St. Mark's Square in Venice.  I recognized it right away since we were just there.  Beautiful!

Week of November 27th 2011

Sunday we went over to the International Bazzar that was going on in town.  It was in a convention hall.  They had around 50 some countries represented there.  It was neat to see, but boy was it smoky in there from everyone cooking their different foods.  We left there smelling like a cross between Indian and Chinese food.  But we sampled some different foods.  Our favorite booth was the American one, of course.  We loaded up on our food supplies.  The American Woman's club was the one running the 2 booths so they were selling all their food we like to buy!  They also were selling chili, and nachos, so we had some of that too! 
This afternoon I attempted to put together the gingerbread house pieces I had bought.  I put together the house a bit wrong and of course the instructions were all in German so that didn't help.  After the kids saw what the house looked like only Amber wanted to decorate it.  Oh well, I tried!

Monday I had a meeting in the morning at a woman's house for organizing the Wine Tasting we are doing in Jan, with the PTO. 
At school this morning it was icy and wet outside and once we got inside the school, Sean slipped down the same stairs twice, poor thing.
I like our Monday afternoons since Amber and I have a longer time to do things together, before all the after school commotion begins.  So today we baked some Christmas cookies.  These are the ones we call Santa cookies (since we normally leave these for him) and they are peanut butter cookies with the hersey kisses on top.  Good thing the American Woman's club was selling the hersey kisses at the Bazzar this weekend, b/c they don't have them here otherwise.
Today at ball skills the boys played cricket.  That is something they wouldn't have played at home!

Tuesday Amber was going to do a makeup at her gymnastics class today, but she wasn't feeling too good after school, bad cough.  And she actually asked to take a nap.  I know my kids are sick when they ask to take a nap!  So I called them to tell them she wouldn't be there.  I spoke in French to the lady to tell her, and she answers me in English "I don't speak English.  I give you to my collegue"  Ok I was speaking in French.  So much for that!
Little Christmas tree stands have started popping up around town.  Mostly small and medium sized trees here. 
This week is the big 4th and 5th grade musical on 2 evenings so the 4th graders don't have any homework this week.  That made Jacob's week!
Jacob had his first basketball practice tonight.  Here the sport is not that popular and so the team is 4-6th grade.  The have practice 2 times a week and games on the weekend.  I am not sure that the 4th graders always get to play in all the games and no away games as they are in different countries so the kids have to take a bus and get housed with familes from the other school- kind of cool!  Here it isn't quite as organized as at home.  When they have a home game with a team from a different country we have to house 2 of the boys.
So practice is right after school.  They go and change into their practice clothes and have practice for an hour.

Wednesday Amber was still coughing so I kept her home from school.  Jason was able to drive the boys to school and they are old enough to just be dropped off in the parking lot on the side where they have people helping the kids out of the car.
Amber and I had a nice peaceful day at home and got a lot of things done here, ran one errand to go get a special ingred. for something I am making for a party next week but was at the import store.  We made brownies for the reception after Jacob's musical tomorrow.  And Amber got a nice 2 hour nap in! 
Today at school Jacob's grade performed the musical for the rest of the lower school.  And I guess during this the fire alarm went off.  So all the kids had to go outside with no coats on and then the kids in the musical either had bare feet or socks on so all of them were freezing outside on the wet ground.  There was no fire thank goodness but bad timing for all the kids.  I guess it was the Kindergarden class that burnt something and then the fire alarm went off.  Jacob's socks were soaked after that so he took them off and just wore his tennis shoes the whole day.
Tonight they performed the musical for the families so we all went to that.  It was very nice.  It was 4th and 5th grade together so about 160 kids.  It was 1 1/2 hours long with no breaks.  They did a great job.  Sean had seen it earlier in the day and still really liked watching it again and Amber did pretty good during it as well.  It was called Pirates of the Curry Bean.

Since today was Dec. 1st, the children got to start their advent calendars.  We bought them in Switzerland on our way back from Italy.  So every morning when they open a little door they get a piece of chocolate.  Not a bad way to start each day (:  I need to find one of these in a 12 month calendar for myself!
Later I met some friends out at the mall for coffee.  It was nice, but I left early and rushed home for French only for the teacher to call me and tell me she was going to be 1/2 hr. late.
At coffee the girls were telling me all these things I am suppose to be doing, like putting some stuff in my washing machine and my dishwasher b/c of the water here to help prevent mineral buildup.  Great my machines will probably explod!  I need an instruction manual to live here.
Amber didn't want to stay the whole time at gymnastics today so we left early.  Jacob had bball practice and then we rushed home for him to eat dinner and get ready for round 2 of his musical.  Jason got home early enough to stay with the other 2 so I could just go with Jacob.  After the musical they had a little reception for the kids in the cafeteria.  We brought in brownies.  They did a great job!

Friday was coffee with preschool parents and off to the crazy store.  Friday it is so crowded mostly elderly people.  Now that the holidays are here the stores are all open on Sundays too.
So the kids love having the elf here but it is actually quite a task for me.  I have to remember each night for the elf to get into something.  So the story goes that once the children fall asleep the elf flies back to Santa and reports to him how the children behaved that day and when he comes back to your house he gets into something.  When the children wake up the next morning they have to find the elf.  I am already running out of ideas and I have a whole month to go!  Sean just loves the elf and writes him notes every night.  So far I haven't forgotten this year yet, but last year I remember waking up in the middle of the night and realizing I hadn't moved him yet and running downstairs to take care of an elf!   So if anyone has any good ideas please let me know!

Saturday we drove about 2 hours away to visit the Christmas markets in Strasbourg, France.  This is one of the oldest known markets in France, dating back to 1570!  They have a huge cathedral in town and it reminded me a lot of the one in Colgone, Germany/

Amber and Sean on the merry go round in the helicopter.

 Strasbourg has some rivers running through it.

 There are about 10 or so different Christmas markets around town, mainly close to the Cathedral.  Here is one walkway that has beautiful chandeliers hanging up enclosed in screens.  My picture doesn't do it justice.

 Here is a double decker horse carriage ride.  So cool.  It looks like something out of Harry Potter!

The town has these beautiful stores/houses all decorated for Christmas.

Today it was packed with people as you can see. 

We had a fun time.  We got there around 10:15 or so and the markets opened at 10 and most of the garages were already full.  We ended up finding a spot on the street and just paid the meter for a ticket to put in our car.  Amber was mad this is what we were doing today so after about 10 min. she laid down in the stroller, put her hat over her face and fell asleep for about an hour.  It was great!  We walked around and saw a lot of the markets and sampled different foods/sweets/hot chocolate.  We picked up a few ornaments and Christmas items so it was nice.  It was a cold day today and when we were walking back to the car it started to rain.  On the way home Sean fell asleep. 

This morning when I went downstairs in the basement to get something out of the fridge there was this awful smell.  It was this cheese I had bought.  The cheese aisle at the store almost makes me gag.  It smells like moldy cheese/milk- yuck. So here of course they have their own cheese deli like counter for all the cheese people buy here, and then also a refrigerated section of cheeses where I bought this one from.  Then the milk is one the other side and the eggs are in a small aisle in the middle of those 2 aisles.

So for dinner I thought we would try this cheese.  It is kind of like a fondue.  You put this round cheese in a wood dish into the oven and warm it up, then cut it open and put it back in the oven until it is bubbling.  Then you can dip bread, potatoes, veg. or whatever you like in the cheese.  It was quite good.  Had some wine with it and the kids had some other things with it and it was a nice warm meal after being outside all day!

Here is a picture of the boys in the tree lot at one of the markets.  You can see they are not very big here, since most people have smaller places.