Kindergarten Spring Festival

Becca's Kindergarten had its Spring Festival today and the first activity was a walk through the fields behind the school. It may be the first day of Spring, but we still needed to bundle up.

We walked with our neighbors Anne, Jonna and Baby Jette. Jonna and Becca demonstrate how they share the task of pushing Jette's stroller. They walk home like this, at least part of way, every day from school.

Back at the school, the kids were all given their paper snowmen they made earlier this week. But, why were all those people gathered around in a circle over there?

Ahh! They're burning Frosty!! And singing a happy song about it!

Now, I know it was all to symbolize the ending of winter, but I couldn't help but think of that tragic scene from Frosty the Snowman -- you know the one I'm thinking of. Santa finds little Karen kneeling beside a puddle of water, sobbing for her beloved Frosty who melted in the locked greenhouse.

And to make matters worse, kids handed their own paper snowmen to teachers to be thrown into the fire. I wasn't sure if Becca would want to do it, but she handed over her snowman. Her reaction to seeing her snowman be quickly consumed in flame was one of bewilderment, but when I said, "Say bye bye to your snowman," she dutifully called out, "Tschüss!"

An official from the local fire house making sure nothing gets out of hand.

And I have it on good authority that Frosty will get his revenge. Rumor has it we're going to get still more snow -- next Wednesday to be exact.

Rebecca and Jonna eating Würste and drinking Apfelschorle. Apfelschorle is a popular soft drink made of apple juice and fizzy mineral water.

Jonna is sporting a Lillifee hat. German-born Prinzessin Lillifee (she's a fairy and a princess!) enjoys fame here in Europe similar to that of Barbie in the U.S.

There are Lillifee books, clothes, home decor, backpacks, etc., and next week, Lillifee's first feature film will be in theaters! Germans seem very surprised when I tell them we don't have Lillifee in the U.S. That may have changed in the last year or so. Let me know.

Enjoying the nice afternoon on the school playground.

I'm King of the World,....or at least King of this Stump!

A typical scene on the way home. There are several barns near our home and horses stroll up and down the streets regularly. Every morning, two ponies get trotted up our street right in front of our house and every evening, we hear them clip-clopping back down. That's the Gasthaus Rudolph on the right.

Gasthaus Rudolph is a traditional German restaurant located one street over from where we live. It is wonderful to be able to walk 3 minutes and be at a restaurant that serves delicious Schweinerschnitzel and David and James' favorite: BBQ ribs. OK, so not every dish is traditional German cuisine. Almost every dish. By the way, click on the picture to check out the date the restaurant was established.