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Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Saturday, February 14, 2009
for my future husband (#1)
Pink is not my favorite color, but I like this rose...
The picture was taken in my mom's living room a couple years ago;
I dedicate it to you, wherever you are today and
I hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's Day!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Xmas Questionnaire...
I was tagged by Amy
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Well, I think I never had Egg Nog, but when I "wikipedia" it, I think I'd love it...
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrap
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope...never did in our family
5. When do you put your decorations up?
I have no special day or time when I start to put my decorations up. Something between end of November and Christmas :-)
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
In Germany the favorite Christmas dish is roast goose. I love that very much with red cabbage and dumplings but I also like roast duck which we had since a couple years because that bird is smaller than a goose and so you don't have to eat from it for weeks...
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
One Christmas my mom got very sick and could not decorate/cook the holiday dish/buy gifts. My sister and I got ill, too, and so we all spent the holidays in bed, candles were lit and my mom read a lot of stories for us. It was very special.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
In Germany nobody "believes" in Santa - we have the "Christkind" (which is litterally translated as "Christ-Child") or "Weihnachtsmann" (= "Christmas-Man", that guy equals Santa, I think). Thanks to God and my mom I learned the truth about Christ when I was very young, (and I never thought HE would bring the gifts although I knew it was because of Him that we were blessed with gifts).
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Here in Germany you always open all the gifts on Christmas Eve. Traditionally the whole family goes to Church in the afternoon on the 24th and when you come back around 4.30pm it is actually dark outside. The children are asked to sit and wait in a special room until they hear the gentle sound of a small silver bell. Then they would open the livingroom doors to see the illuminated & decorated christmas tree (which was just brought in that day) and the gifts underneath. Then they are asked to say a christmas poem or sing a christmas song for their parents/grandparents and after all they could open the gifts.
In my family we didn't go to church on 24th; my mom always baked a special cake and served it with coffee and tea around 3.30 pm. Then she read the christmas story for us. And we had to play the piano and sang songs altogether. Later on we could open all the gifts and play. For dinner we always had potato salad and wiener.
As we have 2 Christmas Holidays in Germany -25th and 26th- we went to see my grandparents on 25th and had the roast goose on 26th (or the other way around).
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I don't have a christmas tree. But if I had one I would decorate it with dark red christmas balls etc.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
For Christmas, I love snow! Unfortunately we don't have snow very often in Wiesbaden. So this year I decided to go to Fischen and celebrate Christmas there with my mom.
12. Can you ice skate?
Well, I used to ice skate when I was younger and I didn't fall down. I never was a figure skater but I loved it. Since I have my hips and one knee replaced I don't dare to ice skate again.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
When I was twelve or something I got a boombox. It was not a big and fancy one but I remember sitting on an armchair all night long (it was very late when I finally had to go to bed) with that machine on my knees, listening to christmas music in the radio.
14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with my mom, especially since my sister, her husband and the kids moved to the U.S.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Vanilla ice cream served with hot raspberries
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
see number 9
17. What tops your tree?
What tree? (I think I would have a star)
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
O du fröhliche (a german song which has a special meaning to me because of its origin)
O Holy Night
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I think yum... (we don't have it here)
21. What do you want for Christmas?
I have no clue
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?
we meet at Weihnachtsmarkt and go out for dinner with work.
23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?
We used to dress up on Christmas when I was young.
24. Do you own a Santa hat?
No
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
my mom
I tag Mr. Jim and Anju.
Thanks, Anju!
Mr. Jim, I can't wait for next christmas ;-)
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Well, I think I never had Egg Nog, but when I "wikipedia" it, I think I'd love it...
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrap
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope...never did in our family
5. When do you put your decorations up?
I have no special day or time when I start to put my decorations up. Something between end of November and Christmas :-)
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
In Germany the favorite Christmas dish is roast goose. I love that very much with red cabbage and dumplings but I also like roast duck which we had since a couple years because that bird is smaller than a goose and so you don't have to eat from it for weeks...
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
One Christmas my mom got very sick and could not decorate/cook the holiday dish/buy gifts. My sister and I got ill, too, and so we all spent the holidays in bed, candles were lit and my mom read a lot of stories for us. It was very special.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
In Germany nobody "believes" in Santa - we have the "Christkind" (which is litterally translated as "Christ-Child") or "Weihnachtsmann" (= "Christmas-Man", that guy equals Santa, I think). Thanks to God and my mom I learned the truth about Christ when I was very young, (and I never thought HE would bring the gifts although I knew it was because of Him that we were blessed with gifts).
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Here in Germany you always open all the gifts on Christmas Eve. Traditionally the whole family goes to Church in the afternoon on the 24th and when you come back around 4.30pm it is actually dark outside. The children are asked to sit and wait in a special room until they hear the gentle sound of a small silver bell. Then they would open the livingroom doors to see the illuminated & decorated christmas tree (which was just brought in that day) and the gifts underneath. Then they are asked to say a christmas poem or sing a christmas song for their parents/grandparents and after all they could open the gifts.
In my family we didn't go to church on 24th; my mom always baked a special cake and served it with coffee and tea around 3.30 pm. Then she read the christmas story for us. And we had to play the piano and sang songs altogether. Later on we could open all the gifts and play. For dinner we always had potato salad and wiener.
As we have 2 Christmas Holidays in Germany -25th and 26th- we went to see my grandparents on 25th and had the roast goose on 26th (or the other way around).
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I don't have a christmas tree. But if I had one I would decorate it with dark red christmas balls etc.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
For Christmas, I love snow! Unfortunately we don't have snow very often in Wiesbaden. So this year I decided to go to Fischen and celebrate Christmas there with my mom.
12. Can you ice skate?
Well, I used to ice skate when I was younger and I didn't fall down. I never was a figure skater but I loved it. Since I have my hips and one knee replaced I don't dare to ice skate again.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
When I was twelve or something I got a boombox. It was not a big and fancy one but I remember sitting on an armchair all night long (it was very late when I finally had to go to bed) with that machine on my knees, listening to christmas music in the radio.
14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with my mom, especially since my sister, her husband and the kids moved to the U.S.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Vanilla ice cream served with hot raspberries
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
see number 9
17. What tops your tree?
What tree? (I think I would have a star)
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
O du fröhliche (a german song which has a special meaning to me because of its origin)
O Holy Night
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I think yum... (we don't have it here)
21. What do you want for Christmas?
I have no clue
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?
we meet at Weihnachtsmarkt and go out for dinner with work.
23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?
We used to dress up on Christmas when I was young.
24. Do you own a Santa hat?
No
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
my mom
I tag Mr. Jim and Anju.
Thanks, Anju!
Mr. Jim, I can't wait for next christmas ;-)
and this is for you, Amy :-)
Advent Wreath Story
There are different stories about the advent wreath in Germany/Europe and I want to share some of them.
This is the story I found at Wikipedia:
Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor, is widely credited with inventing the Advent wreath as a way to count the days of Advent as they moved towards the Christmas feast. During Advent, children at a mission school founded by Wichern would ask daily if Christmas had arrived. In 1839, he built a wooden ring (made out of an old cartwheel) with 19 small red and four large white candles. A small candle was lit successively every weekday during Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit.
A friend (Miss Hanni from church) told me this story:
There was a pastor who used to work with poor people that couldn't read. He gave them food and stuff they needed.
So four weeks before christmas he used to put an advent wreath in his window so the poor people knew it was not a long time to have christmas. Each Sunday the pastor lit a candle and the poor people would know they were asked to come into the pastor's house to have dinner altogether.
Hanni told this story when we came together at the church building to craft some christmas decoration.
I made this advent wreath (I took it to my work place):
And Hanni gave me this one as a gift. It's on my livingroom table now.
This is the story I found at Wikipedia:
Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor, is widely credited with inventing the Advent wreath as a way to count the days of Advent as they moved towards the Christmas feast. During Advent, children at a mission school founded by Wichern would ask daily if Christmas had arrived. In 1839, he built a wooden ring (made out of an old cartwheel) with 19 small red and four large white candles. A small candle was lit successively every weekday during Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit.
A friend (Miss Hanni from church) told me this story:
There was a pastor who used to work with poor people that couldn't read. He gave them food and stuff they needed.
So four weeks before christmas he used to put an advent wreath in his window so the poor people knew it was not a long time to have christmas. Each Sunday the pastor lit a candle and the poor people would know they were asked to come into the pastor's house to have dinner altogether.
Hanni told this story when we came together at the church building to craft some christmas decoration.
I made this advent wreath (I took it to my work place):
And Hanni gave me this one as a gift. It's on my livingroom table now.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
some more thoughts about resolutions
As most of you commented on last weeks WW, new-years-resolutions are not very famous.
I was glad to see that because the only reason I put up the "resolutions-o-matic game" was to show that wether you make your own resolutions or you "get" some it's kind of a senseless venture. Sometimes it is already one week later that you find yourself back in old habits or you give up.
On one hand I think it sometimes is good to draw a balance and why not do it when one year ends and a new one starts? It's like a new chapter of your life and you will have so many new chances. But this works best for me with long-term-goals and does not necessarily start at January 1st.
For me the small things are those that count and I only try to do it one by one and in one-day-terms only, not in a whole year. And since I experienced it many times that the single wish to make something better doesn't help in most cases, I found somebody I can ask for support and guidance.
That's why I usually start my day by reading the bible and pray that Jesus helps me holding on to my resolutions... For example today I actually decided to be more encouraging and at the same time not to talk about others in a bad way any longer. I know I will fail... especially if you are trying something NOT to do it seems it happens more often. But I will continue to pray and I know that over the intervening years it will be fewer. So a short term goal ends up in a long term goal.
One important resolution for some people is to exercise more. I found that when I am in no mood to exercise and I pray for that issue it happens that after a short while I suddenly have a mind to exercise. Then I turn some rocking music on and - have a guess - well, have a lot of fun exercising!
And it also works with cleaning up my appartement ;-)
So isn't it a good news? You don't need to be disappointed if the "resoltions-o-matic" doesn't work... Just pray!
I was glad to see that because the only reason I put up the "resolutions-o-matic game" was to show that wether you make your own resolutions or you "get" some it's kind of a senseless venture. Sometimes it is already one week later that you find yourself back in old habits or you give up.
On one hand I think it sometimes is good to draw a balance and why not do it when one year ends and a new one starts? It's like a new chapter of your life and you will have so many new chances. But this works best for me with long-term-goals and does not necessarily start at January 1st.
For me the small things are those that count and I only try to do it one by one and in one-day-terms only, not in a whole year. And since I experienced it many times that the single wish to make something better doesn't help in most cases, I found somebody I can ask for support and guidance.
That's why I usually start my day by reading the bible and pray that Jesus helps me holding on to my resolutions... For example today I actually decided to be more encouraging and at the same time not to talk about others in a bad way any longer. I know I will fail... especially if you are trying something NOT to do it seems it happens more often. But I will continue to pray and I know that over the intervening years it will be fewer. So a short term goal ends up in a long term goal.
One important resolution for some people is to exercise more. I found that when I am in no mood to exercise and I pray for that issue it happens that after a short while I suddenly have a mind to exercise. Then I turn some rocking music on and - have a guess - well, have a lot of fun exercising!
And it also works with cleaning up my appartement ;-)
So isn't it a good news? You don't need to be disappointed if the "resoltions-o-matic" doesn't work... Just pray!
Friday, November 23, 2007
the ankle that made me bake some cookies
As some of you know I have some strange problems with my bones and joints. So it happens more or less every year in fall/winter (depends how cold and humid it is) that my joints hurt and/or do strange things. That happened on monday.
My right ankle was already hurting during the weekend but I am used to some kind of pain so I just stayed at home last saturday and had a cosy time watching TV and drinking tea instead of going out together with A. and H. to a movie and checking out a new pub that had opened last week.
I really thought that would help so far for my ankle to calm down but on monday, right after I arrived at work it turned so bad that I couldn't even step on my foot without pain like hell. I waited (and worked) until noon, because I knew some colleagues would leave work at that time and could give me a ride home (I wasn't able to take the bus). Miss K. was so friendly to drop me in front of my house when she went home after work.
I was a good girl and went to bed and put a hot-water bottle on my foot because that's the only way I feel a little better. I stayed at home on tuesday and thought I could go back to work on wednesday but my ankle upset my plan and turned worse again late tuesday evening. So I called the doctor on wednesday to come over.
And I stayed in bed.
Only got up to eat something or drink.
And to reheat the water for my hot-water bottle.
Reading one book after the other.
And did some little blogging stuff.
I hate times like these because they make me feel bootless... Yesterday I was fed up with that "hanging around" and I decided to bake some cookies for christmas. I had all the ingredients I needed at home and I made sure to sit the most time :
so I made some Ginger Cookies, Schmalz Taler ("lard thaler" lit. translated) and my favorite christmas cookies: Vanille Kipferl (there's not such a word like Kipferl in english. It looks like tiny little croissants), see picture. This is how they look like BEFORE baking -->
and this is how they look like AFTER baking:
My right ankle was already hurting during the weekend but I am used to some kind of pain so I just stayed at home last saturday and had a cosy time watching TV and drinking tea instead of going out together with A. and H. to a movie and checking out a new pub that had opened last week.
I really thought that would help so far for my ankle to calm down but on monday, right after I arrived at work it turned so bad that I couldn't even step on my foot without pain like hell. I waited (and worked) until noon, because I knew some colleagues would leave work at that time and could give me a ride home (I wasn't able to take the bus). Miss K. was so friendly to drop me in front of my house when she went home after work.
I was a good girl and went to bed and put a hot-water bottle on my foot because that's the only way I feel a little better. I stayed at home on tuesday and thought I could go back to work on wednesday but my ankle upset my plan and turned worse again late tuesday evening. So I called the doctor on wednesday to come over.
And I stayed in bed.
Only got up to eat something or drink.
And to reheat the water for my hot-water bottle.
Reading one book after the other.
And did some little blogging stuff.
I hate times like these because they make me feel bootless... Yesterday I was fed up with that "hanging around" and I decided to bake some cookies for christmas. I had all the ingredients I needed at home and I made sure to sit the most time :
so I made some Ginger Cookies, Schmalz Taler ("lard thaler" lit. translated) and my favorite christmas cookies: Vanille Kipferl (there's not such a word like Kipferl in english. It looks like tiny little croissants), see picture. This is how they look like BEFORE baking -->and this is how they look like AFTER baking:
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Easter Monday Trip
Today Sigi, Klaus and I went to Trippstadt area (near Kaiserslautern) to hike. We had wonderful weather and a lot of fun!
Aaaaaand: surprise! We do have really BIG trees here in Germany (we call it mammoth trees, it's like Redwood for the US)! Not far away from Landstuhl (Pfalz).
Video-Impression:
If you want to see more pictures of that day go to my webshots
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Easter Sunday Miracle
When I heard the weather would be wonderful this Sunday I wished I could go out somewhere because I LOVE spring!!! All the trees and flowers blooming... and the last days were like nature "exploded" and wanted to show all it has to give...
Mario (from Karlsruhe) and Tonia (from Belgium)
today in church in WIESBADEN! They were travelling around and I asked them if they would like to see some special places in Wiesbaden.
So we went to Neroberg and rode the Nerobergbahn up to the top of Neroberg,
So we went to Neroberg and rode the Nerobergbahn up to the top of Neroberg,
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Easter Eggs
Two weeks ago a friend from church, Frances, wanted to go to the easter egg market in Wiesbaden to see (and maybe buy) some nice easter eggs, but when we got there, they had nothing nice to offer... And we missed the "famous one" at Kloster Eberbach/Rheingau, March 3/4. 2007
So I thought I'd like to try and paint some by myself for her. I made four but unfortunately one of them broke as I tried to varnish it :-(
So I thought I'd like to try and paint some by myself for her. I made four but unfortunately one of them broke as I tried to varnish it :-(
Monday, January 1, 2007
Happy and Blessed New Year 2007!
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
an Irish blessing
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
an Irish blessing
Saturday, December 23, 2006
I have come into the world as a light. ***********John 12:46***********
Lord, the light of Your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining;
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us,
set us free by the truth You now bring us:
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father's glory.
Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!
(Graham Kendrick, w. 1988)
Merry Christmas
to all over the world!
In the midst of the darkness, shining;
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us,
set us free by the truth You now bring us:
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father's glory.
Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!
(Graham Kendrick, w. 1988)
Merry Christmas
to all over the world!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
wiesbaden @ night during advent - time
Tuesday evening I attended a concert at the Kurhaus Wiesbaden (titled "Christmas in Europe"). A professional choir sang songs from Lithuania, Poland, Spain, France and - of course - Germany. An anchorman read stories about the traditional christmas of each country before we listened to the singing. Famous conductors of Lithuania, Poland and Spain directed the songs of their countries... it was GREAT! But this is actually not the event I want to talk about...
When I approached the building before the concert started I was so impressed - I totally forgot how nice it looks in the dark! I thought it would be cool to show it to some friends, who are not from this area.
I wanted to meet with Antje, Wioletta and Luca on Saturday, anyways, and we had already planned to go to the Wiesbaden Christmas Market, which is not far away from the Kurhaus. I also asked JR and Steve, if they liked to join us. So we met yesterday afternoon at my place.
At the time, we wanted to go, it was raining, so I was a bit disappointed (because I wanted to present "my" town in its best condition...). Anyway, we left at 8.00 p.m. to see the Kurhaus, first. And let me tell you - after we had seen everything we wanted, we went to the Christmas Market. And as soon, as we entered the place, it stopped raining! And again a bad thing (that kind'a long-term-rain) turned out to be a benefit. Why? Usually the Christmas Market is totally crowded on saturday evenings... but people don't like to go out at a rainy evenings. So we had much more space to move and so much fun! See the pictures:
When I approached the building before the concert started I was so impressed - I totally forgot how nice it looks in the dark! I thought it would be cool to show it to some friends, who are not from this area.
I wanted to meet with Antje, Wioletta and Luca on Saturday, anyways, and we had already planned to go to the Wiesbaden Christmas Market, which is not far away from the Kurhaus. I also asked JR and Steve, if they liked to join us. So we met yesterday afternoon at my place.
At the time, we wanted to go, it was raining, so I was a bit disappointed (because I wanted to present "my" town in its best condition...). Anyway, we left at 8.00 p.m. to see the Kurhaus, first. And let me tell you - after we had seen everything we wanted, we went to the Christmas Market. And as soon, as we entered the place, it stopped raining! And again a bad thing (that kind'a long-term-rain) turned out to be a benefit. Why? Usually the Christmas Market is totally crowded on saturday evenings... but people don't like to go out at a rainy evenings. So we had much more space to move and so much fun! See the pictures:
Thursday, December 7, 2006
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