Happy New Year!!!

We went back to Bamberg for New Years. We have been celebrating New Years with the same group of friends now for 6 years. The first year we were here, we had little kids and were in bed before midnight - little did we know what "Silvester" (New Years) means to the Germans. It is insane! We woke up to the feeling that we were under attack!!! It is extremely fun, but insane! Those calm and collected Germans let loose and it is truly one of the highlights of our year! Of course there is the arsenal of fireworks, but there are also the games, the party favors, and the melting of the lead to see what your new year will bring! It was foggy and a bit rainy/snowy this year, so the sky full of fireworks was not quite up to par as normal - but it was still a really fun time!!!  *of course I am not the best photographer (especially at midnight on New Years eve :-)), but if you go to youtube and type in "Germany New Years" or even "Bamberg New years" or Silvester - you can get a much better idea of the true craziness that exists throughout the country here!! As a side note too, they allow you to shoot fireworks all over the city, but the only 3 restricted sights are those next to; the Cathedral, the Castle and St. Michaels. Other than that - everything is game!!!

The night before New Years' eve, I went out with some friends. There was a fresh  layer of snow - so pretty!

Gorgeous!!!!!

Hard to believe places like this exist!!! 

My kids are not all huge fans of our apartment. We only have 1 small couch (need to get another one) - that is why the kids are all snuggled together. Our heating is electric and it doesn't always warm up so well (notice the huge blanket). So for the exact same reasons that my kids DON'T like it so much - I LOVE it!!! There is not very much to do inside the apartment (although we do have a bunch of board and card games). It either makes us "hang out" inside or get out and enjoy the outside - truly a win win in my book!!!  *Our schnitzel Sandwiches were a tradition every Thursday when we lived here - so they are a real treat for us now!!!

A game of Skipbo (and a selfie) on our bed before heading to our friends' for New Years' Eve!!!

This is the table on New Years at 8:00 pm!! Our friend went all out on party favors and let the kids go to town throwing them all! So glad I wasn't the host :-)

Electronic Darts and "sing star" was the theme for the younger kids. Mia loved the Sing Star - Camden loved the Darts - and Bailey hung out with the adults!!!

They have such yummy food each year!!! I am not a big cook - so I always appreciate yummy food! I helped roll the Spring rolls!! Delicious!!

How many people can you fit on a Balcony at Midnight???

Happy New Year Xuey!!! Mia enjoyed a yummy "Kinder Hugo" for her Midnight Toast!!!

Happy New Year Cam!!! (told you I wasn't that good of a photographer at midnight!!! :-)

And the show begins!!

You hear nothing by Rockets over the sky until 3:00 am or so!!!

Love these girls!!! Happy New Year!!

And then before heading home - you have to melt the lead to see what kind of luck the new year will bring! This explains the tradition...  http://www.alpinevillagecenter.com/bleigiessen-lead-pouring-predictions-new-year/ 

And on the way home, the impeccable streets of Bamberg are completely covered by New Years' remnants!!

The best thing is that at 2:30am - although the streets are completely littered, the streets are still so safe - gotta love it!!

So grateful for our New Years' Tradition!!!