Halloween / Lydia's Birthday

Another couple weeks have gone by without blogging.  Soccer finally ended on the 28th, so we're done running around 4 nights a week for a while.  Friday the 29th we were invited by one of Carissa' coworkers to a Trunk or Treat at his church.  Basically everyone in the church met in the church parking lot.  Everyone decorated their trunks while the kids were inside the church playing games and listening to scary stories.  Once the trunks were ready the kids Trick or Treated around the parking lot and then afterward everyone went back inside to admire their haul, drink hot chocolate and eat pretzels.   It was a great time and the kids got to do a little trick or treating.

 Trunk or Treat

From what our neighbors told us, Germans don't celebrate Halloween, except in our community because there are so many Americans.  Some of the Germans in town like it, and others can't stand it.  We had a few kids at our door and instead of saying "Trick or Treat", they said something in German which we couldn't understand.  Their costumes weren't nearly as elaborate as American kids, and some of the older kids I saw walking around the neighborhood didn't even bother with them at all.

Prior to getting invited to the Trunk or Treat we had told the kids that we weren't going to Trick or Treat at all since we were in Germany, but told them they could each invite a couple friends for a Fall party (no costumes).  We had that on Saturday and just played a few games, and decorated and ate cupcakes.

Cupcake Decorating

Bobbing for Apples

Sunday we went over to the kids surrogate grandparents, Jack and Judy Daugherty's.  Jack is another contract dentist from Minnesota and they have been great to all of us since we've been here.  The kids had dessert while the adults chatted.

This past Friday was Lydia's birthday and we celebrated by going out to our favorite restaurant, Tortuga's.  Afterward Lydia opened all her presents (everyone's got here in time) and then we hit the hay.  Saturday was a lazy day playing Lydia's new games and then watched the Blind Side that night.  Today we went to church for the first time in 6 months and then out to lunch with the other contract dentist and his wife (John and Clarise Bengtson), also from Minnesota.  After lunch we went over to their house and they played the role of surrogate grandparents as well, giving the kids all kinds of gifts.  As I type, the kids are at a church kids club having a little fun and giving Carissa and I a little bit of a break (only the 3rd time we've been without the kids since we've been here).

Happy kid

This coming week Carissa has the day off on Thursday (Veteran's Day).  It's a big deal around here as ESPN is going to be broadcasting from the parade grounds, in addition to all kinds of military vehicles on display.  That day also is a German holiday, and we will be participating in a parade at Haaken's school to celebrate St. Martin.  On Friday we plan to drive to Berlin and stay for the weekend.  We will see Siri, Jonathan and Solveig who are living there for the year, and luckily Chris and Lydie will be there at the same time, so it will be a mini Knutson reunion!