Oma & Mommy's Birthday Celebration

 A delay in posting but wanted to share.  In September Oma came up to help out with the kids while I took my Neurology certification boards.  This was right over both her & my birthdays and so we were able to celebrate together.  There is a great bakery near us which have cakes ready to pick up and personalize.  This was a choice which is not often seen.  I was told it was an order that was canceled that day and they were trying to 'get rid' of it.  What an opportunity.  The cake was gorgeous and I knew everyone would love it.  Izzy especially did as the flower were edible.

The best birthday present was..... I PASSED! (though I didn't know about that then)  

 A surprise was a beautiful Indian summer day.  We took the opportunity to drive up to NH in the White Mountains.  We took a short day hike through Franconia Notch State Park to view Flume Gorge and the beginning of autumn with the leaf changes.

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Christmas Cookies

 During Oma & Opa's visit, we partook in the tradition of decorating Oma's Christmas cookies.  This year was Victoria & Micah's first time.  The both liked to simply dump the sprinkles.

 Izzy loved it.  We had to have a contest of who decorated the best one.  Opa & Izzy decorated snowmen with some fine details.

 Micah nibbles on a cookie while decorating.  The rest of us also had a taste before they were stored in the freezer for later.

Thanksgiving with Oma & Opa

 We were grateful to have Oma & Opa visit for Thanksgiving.  On Thanksgiving we celebrated as well with my upstairs neighbor, Michelle, and her parents.  It was fun celebrating with friends and family.

 In true Thanksgiving celebration, we went to the place were the 1st Thanksgiving originated... Plimoth Plantation.  It was great to learn the history of Thanksgiving.  We were able to met members of the Wampanoag tribe who still reside in this area.

 Anything with water is always fun.  Even these out of commission canoes.

 Inside a traditional Wampanoag hut.  There were nice because it was so cold outside.  But I have no clue how anyone can stand the amount of smoke the fires produced.

 Then it was off to the English village of Plimoth.  The villagers kept to the 1600 times in speach, dress and demeanor.  It was exponentially funny to her Opa say 'Merry Chirstmas' just to be told to keep that to himself.  At that time, religious holidays were not celebrated outwardly.  However, she smiled and said that anything could happen behind closed doors.

 The final stop was visiting the Mayflower II.  A replica of the original Mayflower.  Hard to imagine 102 people in this boat crossing the ocean.

 On Thanksgiving, we headed out to the park.  It has snowed a bit the night before which lead to an impromptu snow ball fight with Opa.

One night the adults took in a very humorous show... 'Shear Madness'.  We were still laughing one the way home.  We also enjoyed some traditional German food at Jacob Wirth Co Restaurant.  On the menu was beers from Bitburger Brewery; memories from Di and Shane's stay in Germany.