Catching Up

Lots to catch up on since the last post in November.  Here is a quick summary of what the Lewis's have been  up to over the last month and a half...

We had our friends and neighbors the Fergusons, from Moncks Corner (now living in Stuttgart) come to visit us for Thanksgiving.  We had a great feast and wonderful weather.  It snowed a tremendous amount on Thursday and Friday, but tons of sunshine for the weekend.  We visited the Bad Hindelang Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market), Saturday Tommy, Pete and the kids went sledding and to round off the weekend we all watched the Gamecocks beat Clemson on Sunday morning.  Great visit!

The next weekend was the Weihnachtsmarkt in Immenstadt, and even though it was only about 10 degrees we enjoyed it very much.  Christmas here in the Allgaeu is really something special.  Even though I will be happy to be with family and friends next Christmas back in the States, I will miss this magical time here in Germany.  Here are a few pictures...

Kids at the Immenstadt Weihnachtsmarkt

If you have kept up with the blog you will remember last year about the Klausentreiben.  This year we visited the Weihnachtsmarkt on the night when the ladies dress up and run around beating up the men.  I have to admit the women were much scarier than the men! 

 It was so cold that night, that Tommy decided he had to have this to drink.  It is called Feuerzangenbowle. It is mulled wine with a rum soaked sugar cube placed on top and then set on fire. 

 Immenstadt Weihnachtsmarkt

 Lore Mae decorating the Christmas tree.

 Grace...don't know why she decided to wear the ribbon as a head band.

 Cyrus

This is the Christkindmarkt in our village.  Cy and Lore Mae enjoying waffles.

Christkindmarkt in Rettenberg.  This is the Christkind (the angel) that we learned brings gifts to kids on Christmas eve. (not Santa)

Rettenberg church on Christmas Eve.  Grace was Mary in the Lutheran church's Christmas Eve service.

Christmas morning...before

Christmas morning...after!

The day after Christmas we went on a hike with some American friends through the Kemptener Wald.  It was  a winter wonderland.

Kids on a rope bridge over the creek.  Don't fall...that water looks pretty cold!

Yes, she is spoiled!

Grace on the rope swing.

Sarah on the slide.

Cy on the rope swing, pre wipe-out.

Post wipe-out.

We had Gela visit for New Year's eve and she, Tommy and the big kids joined in on the fireworks display that I can not even begin to describe.  Everyone at midnight shoots off fireworks for about 20 minutes straight.     The church bells ring like crazy and folks are running and shouting through the streets.  Even with a thick layer of fog this year it was still pretty awesome with all of the colors reflecting off of the snow. 

Now school has started again and it is back to the old routine, and I guess the count down to our return to the States has begun...7 months and counting!