Halloween 2012-Time to make my mom proud

My mom is always the best when it comes to Halloween and somewhere along the road I became a Halloween disappointment.  It probably has something to do with the fact that I have had all 5 kids wear the same costumes over and over.  The little lion (which she bought and probably regrets) has been worn for 9 Halloweens.  The years in which my kids didn't have to be the lion, sweet grandma came to the rescue and made them something new.  Which we then put on another kid the following year.  The boys don't wear costumes to school.  It is dark when they go trick (or trunk)-or-treating.  And usually a coat is covering them.  Really?  Why would I make a big deal?  They really only wear them for 2 hours one night. 

 

Now if there were a reason to be out in a costume, such as a party, then it would be necessary to have an awesome costume.  Especially if there were a costume contest...gotta win!  I am my mother's daughter!

Davis was invited to a Halloween party with a costume contest attached.  I needed easy and clever, but I wouldn't have time to beg my mom to help out.  So we went with easy, but awesome.  He won "Most original."

 

Clark Kent

I made the superman symbol out of scraps of foam.

The mean old witch!  This is another grandma made costume.  It was originally made for Bailee.

Pirate.  Grandma made for Jag one year.

Harry.  Grandma made for Davis and perfect now that Jag is Potter obsessed.

Last minute, as we walk out the door, recycled costume.

On the night of our ward Trunk-or-Treat Davis had a soccer game.  Darin saddly attended and I did the festivities with the other kids.
 

The vampire cookies that we made to send to Noah's kindergarten.  Halloween really isn't a German holiday, but we enjoy sharing some of our holidays with them.

On Halloween night we stayed home, invited friends over, and made donuts.  Because really isn't Halloween about homemade donuts!

Deutsch Dienstag-We Were Boo'ed?

The doorbell rang and we found a surprise on our porch.  A basket with tiny jack-o-lanterns.   There was also a brown (rotten) jack-o-lantern.  Excitedly we brought in the basket and we noticed that there were 4 small candies.  The boys instantly grabbed them and started eating.  How cute?  Who could have done this?  Then we decided to figure out what the note said. 

 

 

So the note says, "Give us Haribo (gummies) or Twix, then we won't do anything to you."  Oh, so we are supposed to give the basket back to the porch filled.  Uh. OK.  We happened to have both gummies and Twix in the house, so we filled the basket and put it back on the porch.  (But first, Noah grabbed the candle from the rotten pumpkin as a treasure, and Davis took the note off the basket to show to his German teacher and see if she could explain the tradition to us.)  Then the kids ran to hide and see who came to get the basket. 

We notice 2 girls coming to the porch.  They look confused.  They just stand and stand.  No grabbing and running back to enjoy the treats.  Now I am confussed.  Next, I see them talking to someone and notice Erica, our neighbor, coming down the sidewalk.  *Must be Erica's granddaughter and friend.  Then Erica starts laughing.  It is now I realize that we've done something wrong.

Finally, as they all stand on the porch, they ring the doorbell.  I so wished that Darin was home and could deal with this.  I hate feeling stupid in the language only to feel stupid in another way.  Erica was asking about something.  Took me a minute to realize that she was wanting the candle from the rotten pumpkin back.  Ok Noah gives.  Then, where was the lid to the rotten pumpkin.  Fell.  Then, where is the note that was on the basket?  Ok Davis gives.  Then they pick up all their stuff and leave.  We were really confussed.  They were wondering why we had taken everything apart and kept it I am sure.  One thing that I am really sure of is that we should not have eaten the candy that was inside the basket.  I think that is part of the reason that there was laughing. 

Still, I have no idea what went on.  All I know is that we've never been Boo'ed like that before.  I'm going to do it next year only my note will talk about delicious treats and chocolates not Haribo and Twix.

Deutsch Dienstag-Apple Picking

**I know that it is a day past Dienstag, but hey, I'd meant to get it posted.

 

We have a massive apple tree in our backyard. Our little neighbor let Darin use his apple picker.  It is a long stick and on the end is a little bag and some hooks.  You put the hooks over an apple and pull and the apple falls into the little bag.  So handy!  Now what do I make with tons of ugly, sour apples? 

They are fine tasting, but Davis refuses to try them, he prefers store bought apples because they are shiny and covered in wax.

 

Noah's job is to take the apples out of the little bag and put them into his bag.

 

Looking for red ones, which are actually pretty hard to find on our tree.

Heidlberg

**This has been sitting in my drafts folder since my grandma came for a visit in September.  Time to get my act together.

View of the city from the castle above.

Large church

Looking up at the castle

Maybe a little bit windy. 

Poor ladies just found them at the airport and hauled them up a castle.  Here they are doing "energy shots" to get through the day.

 

 

Inside of the big church.  Definately the brightest church that we've seen.  Most are really dark on the inside.

 

 

Resting.  The couple behind them sat and kissed for then entire time we were looking and hanging out...maybe 15 minutes.  I don't think that grandma and Jan noticed.

Time for gelato!

Final Update on the Question

In case there is anyone other than me that was wondering what I had agreed to at the Kindergarten for Friday, it was simply to pick up Noah before 12.  I guess that the school was closing early and they wanted to make sure that everyone knew.  I am sure that the Sub gave me the reason as to why it was closing, but the important part is that I didn't have to ask another question and confess my stupidity to anyone at the school.  They did what every teacher/caregiver would do if they wanted the parents to pick the kids up on time...they posted a large sign on the door.  I always take a camera with me to take pictures of any notes so that I can google translate at home.  Ta Duh!  Easy.

I also took a picture of a note this week that explained that they were going to be having a "potato fire."  After a lot of google research I learned that it is a farewell to summer and a welcoming of autumn tradition.  They start a fire, then toss potatoes and apples into it.  When the potatoes are done, they eat them with "white ketchup" (according to Noah).  I am thinking that just like all Europeans & fries, they also eat their potatoes with mayo.  Noah said it was tons of fun.

Deutsch Dienstag-still stupid

Went to the school and was met by the Sub.  Oh when will the regular teacher that knows I don't speak German come back?  She once again started talking at warp speed.  This time, however, she held a hand-out so I felt much better.  With a hand-out I can Google Translate until I am smart.  I understood several words...bring, potatoes, apples, apples, potatoes.  Totally got that she wanted me to bring stuff to school, so I thought I'd try and figure out what else she'd told me last week.  So I said, "OK, when?  Friday? "  Insert an 'I'm really smart smile' here.  She said no.  Tomorrow or the next day.   Shucks!  Now I'm still looking for what is up for Friday.  I'd hoped it would be easier to figure out. 

*The note said that I'm supposed to bring apples and potatoes and colorful leaves for the kids to do autumn projects with.

Alles Klar?

Many times as I walk into Noah's kindergarten I am approached by a little teacher who hesitantly approaches me.  Then in really broken English, she tells me about something that is happening or needed.  I often come home and complain that they, "Don't even try to speak German with me."  I mean, I am trying.  I knew the words and I would have understood...I think. 

Today I did it.  I walked in the school and a substitute was given the sad task of "letting me know" what was up.  Only difference?  She doesn't speak English.  She just starts rattling off way too many words for my brain to figure out.  When she stops, I say, "slower, please."  Again she starts slow and revvs up quickly.  I then give her the "I have no idea what you just told me" look.  Again. 

Finally, to save my self esteem and at least look like I have a clue, I did what I do with my neighbors.  I said, "OK." 

"Oh, gut  alles klar."   Then off she walks.  She informs the other teacher I just said Ok.  That was it.  (FYI, sound it out.  That German sounds just like what it is.)

All is not klar!!  What have I done?  "Ok" is such a small word to convey such a big message.  All I know is that I need to know something about next Friday afternoon.  I am hoping that my faking skills will be able to figure it out by looking around at the context clues between now and then.  Then again, I think I am going to have to pretend that I can't remember (that I totally agreed to teach the kindergarteners to dance or to bring 500 bars of strudel- just fill in the blank on this one and your guess is as good as mine) and have someone repeat themselves again...Oh, why had I wished that someone would speak German to me? 

Next Friday's lunch menu will be Humble pie served with a side of alles klar.  Who knows?  Maybe I agreed to make lunch for everyone on Friday.

Alles klar?