What we've been up to... (in photos part 2)

December has been very busy, and in addition to everything, I have been substitute teaching at Bailey and Camden's school - which makes for very little down time to relish the Season. It is now officially vacation though, and the great thing about Germany is that everything closes on Tuesday by 2:00 in the afternoon and does not re-open until Friday! Finally, the quiet time I have been looking for to cherish the moment! We have been very busy with lots of activities that are fun, but I am really looking forward to a few calm days as well :-)

Bailey and Camden's school went on a field trip and this was the Chapel in the Castle in Nuremburg.

Looking out one of the castle windows...

The torture devices in the Dungeon underneath the city (O.K. sorry, not so "Christmasy" :-))

Camden has a fantastic class - I really enjoy the kids... Here they are in the Dungeon

The Christmas Market

More Dungeon pics...

So pretty!

Nothing like Germany at Christmas!

Dinner at my favorite Italian Restaurant

Coburg Christmas Market

Coburg Christmas Market - very traditional and not so touristy

Always, the contraptions to keep you warm (the Gluhwein always helps too :-))

The kids always love the Candy stands...

So many cute things!!!

A couple of photos from Bailey's trip - yes she survived the flight home from London and had an incredible time- yeah!! Here she is with her favorite guy - Nial from the Group One Direction (O.K. it is really him at the Wax museum - made out of wax :-)) It is funny... to me it looks like a school photo from the 80's :-)

A boat ride on the Thames.. She got to do all of the things that we don't always get to do as a family of 5 because of the cost multiplied by 5 (the London Eye, the Wax Museum. River Boat tour, Ripley's Believe it or not etc...) She had a GREAT time!!!

A day out with Mia - we went to a special weekend Christmas Market

She got to feed a Lama

I had to share this one... this is Camden's Christmas gift from his soccer team. We only pay the equivalent of 10 dollars A YEAR to play and they even get a free warm up suit for the Christmas gift - it isn't all about profit - instead, it is all about the kids.. (Notice Camden's goofy face - he wasn't so happy to have his photo taken :-)

This is funny too, the sponsor of the team is the local brewery :-)

One of our Advent Sundays with our neighbors brought us to the forest in a "Wald Spielplatz" - a forest playground... The advent Sunday "get togethers" have been a tradition for a couple of years now. It is such a fun time. Each family hosts one Sunday, but we enjoy 4 fun evenings with good food and great company.