Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Pictures From Germany
http://s836.photobucket.com/albums/zz287/laverty324/Germany/
Some pictures from Germany.
P.S. Mom, I made you a Photobucket account
Some pictures from Germany.
P.S. Mom, I made you a Photobucket account
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Smith Christmas
How did the Smith Family Christmas go? It didn't! As you can see in Donny's Facebook pictures, we had a little snowstorm on Saturday, the day of the party. About 20 inches.
I invited 30 people - 4 came. 2 were our next door neighbors and the other 2 were Pam and Eric, bless them. The house looked beautiful - fire in the fireplace, lights everywhere, snow falling outside, carols playing, food for 30 people including an entire red velvet cake, a 10 lb. ham, meatballs, cookies, cheesecake, presents piled high...my first Christmas gathering for my family...to say I was crushed is an understatement. Thank goodness for the 4 people that did manage to get there.
Pam and I are driving down to see Mom on Christmas Eve but other than that, we won't get together as a family this year.
I invited 30 people - 4 came. 2 were our next door neighbors and the other 2 were Pam and Eric, bless them. The house looked beautiful - fire in the fireplace, lights everywhere, snow falling outside, carols playing, food for 30 people including an entire red velvet cake, a 10 lb. ham, meatballs, cookies, cheesecake, presents piled high...my first Christmas gathering for my family...to say I was crushed is an understatement. Thank goodness for the 4 people that did manage to get there.
Pam and I are driving down to see Mom on Christmas Eve but other than that, we won't get together as a family this year.
Monday, 21 December 2009
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Christmas Greetings From Germany
It's -15 C here and it has snowed everyday since we got here. Our lodge is in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I hate the cold, but it is beautiful! We can see the Alps from our window and all around us when we're out and about. To get here we took the ferry to Belgium, and then drove the rest of the way. Rick is a true international driver now having driven in England, Scotland, Belgium and Germany.
So far we have visited Innsbruck and Dachau in Austria, and driven through Munich. Rick and Joe have tried skiing, but Julie and I opted to shop that day.
Yesterday we visited the Kris Kindle Market (Christmas Market). We had hot orange punch and cheese fondue while we shopped. Stalls are set up on the square with all kinds of things - it's very cute. This was the one in Garmisch - every town has it's own and each one is a little different.
We've also ridden the cable cars up to the top of one of the mountains, and took the train down. Well, Rick and I did - the kids opted for the train both ways.
We have two more days before we go home, getting home on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we're going on a night tour of the Gorge, apparently complete with lighted torches. Gotta love any activity that lets you play with fire!
Rick is taking lots of pictures to share later. Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas season so far!
So far we have visited Innsbruck and Dachau in Austria, and driven through Munich. Rick and Joe have tried skiing, but Julie and I opted to shop that day.
Yesterday we visited the Kris Kindle Market (Christmas Market). We had hot orange punch and cheese fondue while we shopped. Stalls are set up on the square with all kinds of things - it's very cute. This was the one in Garmisch - every town has it's own and each one is a little different.
We've also ridden the cable cars up to the top of one of the mountains, and took the train down. Well, Rick and I did - the kids opted for the train both ways.
We have two more days before we go home, getting home on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we're going on a night tour of the Gorge, apparently complete with lighted torches. Gotta love any activity that lets you play with fire!
Rick is taking lots of pictures to share later. Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas season so far!
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Happy Thanksgiving To All
Interestingly, even though Thanksgiving is not a British holiday, the turkey sales are pretty prevalent and the Christmas decorations are up, so it's almost like home. We started the day with a nice brisk walk downtown where we picked up a Santa suit for Joe. He's doing a charity run for St Michael's Hospice Sunday and all of the runners are wearing Santa suits.
We stopped at an outdoor cafe to get a cup of hot chocolate, and it started pouring. Rick was a good sport about it - we actually did sit and finish the hot chocolate in the wind and rain before heading home to put the turkey in the oven.
I like the ritual of preparing the turkey and the familiar side dshes (you know we'll have olives!). I always think about all of my family members preparing for the same dinner all over the world, and it connects us somehow.
For everyone out there, I wish you a glorious day spent in the company of those you love, with the knowledge that you are loved and remembered by those of us who are not there as well1
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We stopped at an outdoor cafe to get a cup of hot chocolate, and it started pouring. Rick was a good sport about it - we actually did sit and finish the hot chocolate in the wind and rain before heading home to put the turkey in the oven.
I like the ritual of preparing the turkey and the familiar side dshes (you know we'll have olives!). I always think about all of my family members preparing for the same dinner all over the world, and it connects us somehow.
For everyone out there, I wish you a glorious day spent in the company of those you love, with the knowledge that you are loved and remembered by those of us who are not there as well1
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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