Hitscherhof Pumpkin and Corn Festival

I love fall! The trees around here are starting to change into beautiful orange, yellow and reds. All I needed was this festival to really get me pumped up for the arrival of fall.

The town of Massweiler hosts a pumpkin and corn festival here in a small farming area called Hitscherhof. There are different vendors with food, crafts and other business as well as some amazing food. We came to this festival last year not long after we moved here so it was good to be back. Bear with me for all the pictures...I had a hard time choosing so just decided to put most of them in! ;-)

The vendors
Aren't these beautiful?!
The kids posing in front of the giant pumpkin!
The BEST pumpkin soup I have ever had!
And a new food this year...pumpkin brat and brotchen. It was good, but I think I stick to the traditional ones from now on. ;-)
Our friend Jaimie's baby girl, Audrey. Isn't she beautiful?
They had bales of hay set up for the kids to play on. Jackson loved it!
Grace wasn't so sure at first, but then when she realized she could pick up the hay and toss it in the air she was all about it!
This man was carving these clogs by hand. It was really amazing to watch.
Jackson had a choice between going through the corn maze and getting his face painted like spiderman. No brainer!!
Grace loved seeing Jackson with his face painted. She thought it was so funny.
Unusual pumpkins
Crates and crates of them lined up!
Good buds Ella and Grace.

Brad's visit to Deutschland

After months of talking about it, Uncle Brad made a visit to our house for the first time. He was traveling with his boss, Blair, (and his girlfriend Kristen) because Blair bought a BMW and came here to pick it up and do some traveling around Europe.

We only had 24 hours with him so we soaked it all in. It was so much fun for him to come to our house and see all the things that we talk about over the phone. He also got to meet Emma for the first time!

We spent the afternoon going on a walk around the trails and staying outside to keep them from succombing to the effects of jet lag. Thankfully the weather was beautiful so we took full advantage of it. Brad went with me to pick up Jackson at school in the afternoon while Blair and Kristen relaxed at the house. Brad was very interested to see what Jackson's school was like. I don't think he had any idea what to expect when we picked him up. Jackson was so excited to see Uncle Brad as he had been counting down the days until his arrival.

Jason got home not long after that and we enjoyed the backyard while Blair and the kids jumped on the trampoline. Blair had been craving schnitzel so we decided to head to a restaurant close enough to walk to for dinner, Bauer Schmitt's. We had an excellent dinner some great conversations!

I truly treasure the time that we had with him during his brief visit. He says he will be back again...and I'm going to hold him to that!

Big sister and little brother ;-)

Jason and Brad having some morning coffee bright and early.

Uncle Brad with the kids.
Blair jumping and doing flips on the trampoline with the kids.
Blair putting Grace's shoes on. She didn't quite know what to think of that!
Picking Jackson up from school. He was so happy!!
On our walk to Schwedelbach while AJ was at school. I love this photo!
Brad wearing Gracie's sunglasses. Cute, huh?!
Blair and Kristen

Jackson and Pre-Karate

Karate is something that I have wanted to put Jackson in for some time now, but the classes have always been full. So, finally the beginning of the week we got a call that the sensei had some openings.
Jackson was so excited to find out he would start to take classes that afternoon.
He was so cute when the class started. He listened so intently at the sensei and did just as he told them to do. The sensei did some great games with the kids to warm them up and get them used to the experience. Towards the end of class they practiced kicking, which Jackson loved!
After class he asked the teacher when he was going to get his karate belt. I think it was a success and something this boy is really going to love!
More updates to follow...

Getting started with some warm-up exercises

Bowing to the sensei
Kicking!
Action kick!

Days with Grace

I have really been enjoying the time during the day with Grace while Jackson is at school. At first it was sad not having him here everyday of the week, but I know that he is having so much fun at school so that makes me feel better.

Grace is my little sidekick these days. She is my sweet little helper around the house. Although I don't know if her being with me all the time is causing her to have some separation anxiety issues again, but either way we have some good moments together.

She loves to help me fold the laundry. When I shake out the laundry to get the wrinkles out she loves to help me, "get the sprinkles out." She loves to sort the laundry by who it belongs to. Very observant she is!

She has to do makeup with me in the morning while sitting on the bathroom counter. I have saved a few things for her after I empty them to play with. Her favorite is my concealor. She loves to dot it on her face in random spots. And oh, the eye make-up. She has made herself look more like an clown more than a girl!

She loves to help me clean and most of all vacuum and dust. I have her swiffer the playroom and vacuum around the downstairs. I do remember Jackson going through this cleaning phase when he was this age.

I look forward to having my days with Grace and doing the mommy/daughter things. Although at times we do miss Jackson and all of his superheroes battles he likes to put on! ;-)

She continues to make me smile and laugh all the time by saying the funniest things. I love the 2's and all the things that go with them...the good and bad! ;-)

Helping me clean the playroom.

"Getting the sprinkles out"

First week of German Kindergarten

Jackson has survived his first week of waldkindergarten. I have to admit at first I was very apprehensive about it, but now I can say I am extremely happy after this week. He loves talking about what he did for the day and generally seems more upbeat about school. On a positive note he is eating so much better than the weeks past. I guess being outdoors and hiking all morning has a effect on his appetite! Which is a good thing after pushing him to eat!

Here are some highlights from the week:

Monday:When I dropped him off he was so excited to be there that he ran off without saying bye to me~which was a sad moment for me because it makes me realize he is getting older and more independent. But I didn't leave without a hug and kiss from my sweet boy! When I picked him up he told me about his day and preceded to tell me that he pooped in the woods and his teacher burned the toilet paper. Wow! Thanks Jackson for that wonderful information! I guess when in Rome do what the Romans do!

Tuesday:He brought home a mushroom that Herr Stephan had carved out of a tree branch for him. I am just glad that he didn't break out his pocket knife for the craft and try it himself. When I dropped him off they had trimmed a bunch of trees around the kindergarten for the kids to play and explore with. How fun!

Wednesday:He brought home a piece of wood that he cut with his teachers help. He was so proud of it too! It poured down rain in the morning so you can only imagine what he looked like after school. I am working at mothers day out at our church on Wednesdays so Jason has to sneak out of school to pick him up in the afternoon. To make a long story short, Jason took him back to school with mud on his clothes and face. I can only imagine what he looked like!

Thursday: The end of the week was catching up on him and poor thing he was falling asleep on the way home. The weather was beautiful so the class went on a hike through the forest where they ate lunch and saw the livestock that surround the area.

Friday: The weather was beautiful yet again and they went for a hike for a good part of the day. I picked him up at the bottom of the hill where all the kids were playing soccer with the teachers. I can tell he is very active in the morning because he ate me out of the house that day. This is what he ate: two waffles, sausage, sandwich, crackers, yogurt, nutrigrain bar, granola bar, and entire apple (the big ones), two pieces of pizza (which I snuck in butternut squash in the sauce), another container of yogurt and oddly enough a scrambled egg which he requested to have with dinner. That is a lot for AJ!

While we were making dinner last night Jackson was singing songs (as he usually does), and Jason and I noticed that it was in german. We smiled with delight knowing that he is picking up the language already.

Jackson with his new backpack ready for school. I had to buy him rainpants that hooked to the rainboots because his other ones would creep up at the end of the day and his boots were filled with all sorts of goodies from the forest.

One happy boy after his first week of waldkindergarten!

Here is the mushroom his teacher carved as well as the tree branch he cut himself.

The kindergarden has the popular german phrase:

"Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur falsche Kleidung."

"There is no such thing as bad weather, just improper clothing."

I just love that...it is so true!!

Package from Australia!

When we were "stranded" in Madrid last April because of the volcanic ash from Iceland we decided to go to the Madrid Zoo for the day. While waiting in line at the entrance we met a mother and daughter from Australia. We started chatting about each of our situations and ended up hanging out at the zoo together for the day. Jackson was so excited to have another girl to run around with! Tahlia and Jackson were connected at the hip for the rest of the day. Jackson I think had a little crush on her. ;-) He still talks about her to this day.

Yesterday Jason came home with a package for us from Tahlia and Jennelle full of all sorts of goodies from Australia! The kids were so excited! As you can see below it was like Christmas morning. I especially love the sweet treats they sent. There was some Vegimite in there that I am not quite sure of what to do with it just yet. Very interesting! Tahlia made Jackson a collage of animal pictures to hang on the wall. See...isn't she sweet!?

I know we will keep in touch with them for the years to come. It's funny how stressful situations while being stuck in Spain ended up giving us friends we thought we would never have from another part of the world. God gives us unexpected surprises in the most trying ordeals!

Jackson and Tahlia

Here is the gang!
All of our goodies!
Jackson showing off his kangaroo backpack.
Grace showing off hers.

Waldkindergarten~Jackson

We have enrolled (for a one month trial basis) Jackson in german kindergarten called a waldkindergarten for his last year before he starts kindergarten at the schools on base. It is something that Jason and I both wanted to do with him when we first found out we were moving to Germany, but had a hard time finding one that accepted students in our area. After talking with another parent at the school Jason works at (who also lived in Okinawa), she decided to enroll her children in this school as well. We went yesterday for a couple of hours to try it out and see how he liked it. When we woke up it was pouring down rain. I just decided it was a good way for us to see what the do when the weather doesn't want to cooperate. While a friend of mine took care of Grace, Jackson and I put our raincoats and boots on to check this place out. It had no idea what to expect. Jackson is already fully enrolled at the preschool at our church and he really loves it. So, it is a hard decision for us to take him out of what he knows to something that is so foreign to him and even us.

We drove up the empty road up into the forest and came upon the kindergarten literally out in the woods. The kids were all out doing what they wanted at the time. Some were playing in the mud, some were helping the teacher and others just played games with the other kids. It took Jackson no time at all to go out and start to play with the other kids. I am reminding you that they all speak german...no english. ;-) I don't worry about him. He is social and loves to get out and explore outside whenever he can. This place looks just perfect for him. After walking around a bit and exploring with him they started to get things ready for lunch. Every Tuesday the kids help to prepare and make lunch for the day. Jackson started to help by cutting up potatoes and bread for the lunch. Oh, and another thing...all the kids get to carry a pocket knife. Crazy, I know...but it is all under supervision. He did a great job helping out. I have to admit it was neat seeing him in a whole new environment! So the pictures pretty much explain the place and what they do.

I asked what they did when it snows and Jutta, the headmaster said that they have a warming hut they meet in when it gets too cold. Other than that, they are out playing and exploring in the snow!

I have to say that this place is not for every child. But I do think it is for mine. Jackson loves to explore, play outdoors and just enjoy the nature around him. This place is perfect for him to be able to explore God's great earth and give him opportunities that he would of not had. I am hoping that he will be able to pick up the german language and feel more comfortable when we get out in situations within our german community. This place is going to open up doors around him that he would of never dreamed of!

Below I copied a little write up on the waldkindergarten so you can get a little more information about it:

A forest kindergarten is a type of preschool education for children between the ages of three and six that is held almost exclusively outdoors. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged to play, explore and learn in a forest or natural environment. The adult supervision is meant to assist rather than lead. It is also known as Waldkindergarten (in German),outdoor nursery, nature kindergarten, or nature preschool. A forest kindergarten can be described as a kindergarten "without a ceiling or walls". The staff and children spend their time outdoors, typically in a forest. A distinctive feature of forest kindergartens is the emphasis on play with toys that are fashioned out of objects that can be found in nature, rather than commercial toys. Despite these differences, forest kindergartens are meant to fulfill the same basic purpose as other schools, namely, to care for, stimulate, and educate young children.

Activity	Developmental benefit
Playing imaginative games using whatever resources and ideas come to mind	This helps children to explore their own thoughts without the guidance of a toy designer
Role play	Shared imagination, drama, team work, recollection of models of behaviour
Building shelters or other large structures from branches, with the help of other children and adults	This requires goal definition, planning, engineering, teamwork and perseverence
Counting objects or looking for mathematical patterns	Mathematics, visual recognition
Memory games using naturally available objects	Memory, naming objects
Listening to stories; singing songs and rhymes	Art, drama, concentration
Arranging items to make a picture, or building a toy	Art
Drawing scenes	Art, creativity, accurate inspection and copying
Climbing trees and exploring the forest	Improves strength, balance and physical awareness
Playing hide-and-seek with others	Develops children's theory of mind by rewarding accurate anticipation of the thoughts and actions of others
Walking to the woodland, from the building.	Improves strength and stamina; preparation (e.g., route selection) improves planning and communication skills
Exploring or reflecting alone	Aids self-awareness and character development
Resting

The sign that welcomes you to the kindergarten.

This is the boat where they eat lunch on rainy days.
Jackson washing his hands before lunchtime.
Playing in the "mud pit" with some other boys.
Jutta making a delicious lunch with potatoes, bread and a type of spatzle.
This is a place under the boat where the kids play.

Jackson cutting up potatoes and bread for lunch.
Making the fire to cook the lunch over.
Jackson helping to break twigs for the fire.
A mud hut that the kids can play in.
A part of the outdoor play area for the kids.

One hut where the kids can go. This is where they were cutting up things for lunch.