Meerfeld Germany

At the lake

Meerfelder Maar 

This lake was beautiful and peaceful.  You could hear people really well from the other side of the lake.  The acoustics were amazing.  We took a walk only around about a quarter of the lake and played tag with the boys.  It was so nice to just hang out and play as a family!

Enter at your own risk there is danger....... (somewhat translated)

Silly Bridger....I am lucky to get a regular shot of this kid but I love his personality and wouldn't change a thing for it :)

I am so white :)  It is hard to see the sun around here over fall and winter....Maybe I should get some vitamin D in a tanning booth

Some of the photographs I took

We stopped by on our way past Manderscheid Castle so Joseph could see it.  Too bad it was closed.  

Back to the lake Pictures

I love these next few!

And this is Joseph setting up his wood working room in the back of our garage.  He built the legs for this table .  I found the top on a bulk trash day here in Germany.  It is a funny thing, the Germans set out their bulk trash on the side walk and you'll see people going through it and taking what they want before it is disposed of.  Worked for us :)  He is hoping to get a scroll saw among other tools in the near future.

Christmas was Beautiful!!

Christmas eve activities were......

Reading books to brother

Priceless!!

Watching a movie.....they had the choice of all your typical Christmas movies like polar express, the grinch.... but they chose Man v. Wild.  So we got out the bench and ate dinner and watched a jungle series with 'torch' lighting and a tropical smoothie.....

and roasting chrismas marshmallows over the flames of our 'jungle torch'

after that we set the stage for magic with candles...... 

Gotta throw mom and dad in there too :)

Then Ding Dong!!!  The door bell rang......

Santa's elves have come and brought Gideon and Bridger matching PJ's and a new blanket.

Love this!  So cute!

My cute Husband......who was not too sure of the camera :)

MY BOYS!!!

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2009

Christmas 2008

Hiding under their new blankets... Bridger under RED and Gideon under BLUE

We then shared our favorite Christmas stories, The gift of the magi (a story of sacrifice and love), Christmas day in the morning (about a son who got up Christmas morning and got all the cows milked before dad woke up so they could spend Christmas together), then daddy did 'The Night Before Christmas' in the candle light because that is what his mother would do so he is carrying on the tradition in our family

Then it was off to bed and they were in bed and asleep by 7:30pm.  :) HHmmmmmm....

Santa was able to come early for their good behavior

Christmas morning...... This is at 6am...Gideon had been trying to get me up since 4am....

Yeah!!!  Presents!!

Do you think he is excited?!

My homemade gift for Joseph!!

it says,

Dare To.....

'be wise enough to learn from yesterday and brave enough to forge a better tomorrow'

Be Smart, Be humble, Be true, Be Grateful, Be prayerful, Be clean 

'Fear not...do good;  Let earth and @#!*% combine against you, , for if ye are built upon My rock, they cannot prevail.' ~ D&C 6

Joseph built me a cool wooden holder that he carved out of one piece of wood.  It is so cool!  He is getting into wood working and we are looking forward to future projects out of him :)

Boys playing with their new remote control cars

Me and my love!

Christmas Morning

stocking stuffer.... foam paper cut out with different shapes....

for more cool ideas go to my other blog The Fairy Blog Mother

A food chopper my parents gave to me.... Joseph put it to good use directly by making hashbrowns  YUM!

He had some good helpers too~

Joseph got me a sewing Machine!!!  I am excited to start using this and get used to it.  It is a little intimidating at first but I hope I can create some fun projects out of this. :)

Sunday Evening was filled with acting out the scriptures....This is the aftermath of the Nephites trying to throw rocks and shoot arrows at Samuel the Lamanite who prophesied of Christ's coming

We then acted out the Birth of Christ story out of the Bible in Luke.  It was a fun evening!!

The boys with their new headlamps being adventurers in their 'cave'