It's about darn time that I sat down and updated this sad blog. I've uploaded pictures and will explain each one. This is a run down of what we've been up to the past month. Really, we haven't done much but I guess I have to document something before my dear friend Dawn Taylor calls me up begging for updates. So, here you go Dawn! :-)
In Germany, when someone is lucky, it is customary to say "Ich Habe Schwein Gehabt" which means "I have had pig."
This tradition dates back to hard times, when if you had a pig to feed your family, you were considered fortunate.
We got these pigs from the bakery. They were super soft and a bit sweet. YUMMY!
I am giving everyone a history lesson here.....
The Greek word "Epiphanias" means "uprise, appearance", i.e. appearance of the Lord which was celebrated in the early Christian centuries on January 6. In the 4th century this holiday was shifted to December 25, and January 6 obtained the name of The Three Kings (the "Wise Men," the Magi), or simply Twelfth Day. According to an old legend based on a Bible story, these three kings saw, on the night when Christ was born, a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found there the Christchild and presented it with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
To this day, the doorways would be sprinkled with holy water and the initials of the Three Kings -- C+M+B (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar) -- plus the year are inscribed in chalk over doorways in German-speaking countries on the eve of January 6 to protect house and home. (Although historically the three letters are supposed to come from the Latin phrase for "Christ bless this house" -- "Christus mansionem benedicat" -- few of the people practicing this custom are aware of this fact. In many parts of Europe, including Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, the Christmas celebration does not end until this date, now considered the arrival of the three "kings of the orient" in Bethlehem -- and the end of the "twelve days of Christmas" between Christmas and January 6.
So, these are the village Children on 3 kings day blessing our home~
Couldn't forget a picture of my new clock..I love it!
We made pizza's while Nana and Papa were still here. We had a lot of fun!
Creative Lauryn's pizza
Downtown Kaiserslautern sets up a skating tent each year from the end of November until the end of January. We decided to try it out this year. It's not nearly as nice as the skating rinks in the states but it was still fun. We loved the penquin to push around. It helped the little ones keep balance. Brilee is a pro at skating, she has excellent balance.
There you have it, a glimpse into what we've been up to!
