Tell Me One Good Thing From Your Day

Nearly every kid pick up from school starts with that question, and Emery had one heck of an answer today: "When we played 5th graders versus everyone tennis baseball today at lunch, the 5th graders said they wanted me to play on their team because last time we played I had a really good diving catch!" OK, that's the condensed version that actually required about 8 clarifying questions to get to. In this game he was the only non-5th grader on the team and had one good hit and two good catches. He says he's not a power-hitter, just a solid line drive hitter - got himself a double today. So, should I start planning now that he'll be able to put himself through college on a baseball scholarship? And pay for my retirement? Sunday is skills assessment for the spring season. Em is terribly excited. Me too.

In separate news, last night was Martinstag. We had a great time last year with Greta's kita. We built paper lanterns a week before and then met at the kita in the evening for glühwein before going on our laternenumzug. We walked around the neighborhood and through the nearest park with our lanterns, singing 2 songs (over and over again). A definite highlight was the guy playing the accordion.



This year we decided to go it alone. With lanterns purchased from Cost Plus. And no glühwein. But I really like a ritual to mark the beginning of the dark time of the year. We're lighting candles every night, wearing jackets, and eating squash. OK, they don't know they're eating squash, but I am putting it in things! Anyhoo, here are the pics from last night:

Reading the words of the Laterne songs in preparation - sie trägt schon ihre österreichischen Umhang.


Laternelicht, verlösch mir nicht!


Mein Licht ist aus, ich geh nach Haus!