Friends and Cheesecake :)

After a look into the mirror this morning, right after I got out of bed, I was sure the day was ruined. God had a great way of lifting my spirit though. A friend called me on skype and we had a chance to connect again. Even though we didn't touch base with each other much, except the occasional hello on Facebook or through reading each others blogs, it seemed as though we sat together just yesterday. It was such a sweet surprise to talk to her and her children. It made my day, though come to think of it, I am not so sure I made their day. I was not the most pleasant sight ....

After we stopped talking, she had to go because her husband had made pancakes and everyone sat down to eat. That got me hungry and I ventured into the kitchen, only find that I was too lazy to make something for breakfast, so I ate a gluten-free Christmas cookie for breakfast. If you'd like a recipe, look here.     

The kids had fun decorating cookies :)

and they are very good as well :)

When I finally got done with my shower and looked much more presentable, I decided to make the cheesecake I had planned for yesterday. It turned out sooo good! I did make some changes though, because the original recipe calls for pumpkin puree - I made the cheesecake several time like that, but we didn't feel like pumpkin today. So I substituted sour cream for pumpkin puree and lemon for cinnamon and pumpkin spice.  If you would like the recipe, you can click here.

It actually looks a bit darker than it is.

very moist and yummy :)

After all the baking and warming up the left overs from yesterday I cleaned the kitchen, dropped off one of my daughters at the mall - insert rolling eyes - took my little guy to Target to buy Lego Batman 2 for the Wii. It was sold out and so we went to Walmart where he found his long desired game, which he bought from his Christmas money from Oma and Opa. Thank you both, you made him very happy :) Then I dropped him off at home and went to pick up my child and two of her friends from the mall, brought them all to our house and tried to ignore loud laughing of three teenagers. Then I started working on my goals and organization for 2013. I think I deserved that piece of cheesecake. It was a good day :)

Merry Christmas to everyone!

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration. Last night we went to church for Christmas Eve. That was very nice. It had been too long since we were last at church on Christmas Eve. It made everything just so much more festive and thoughtful.
Today we talked to my parents in Germany for a long time. My sister is visiting them from Portugal and we skyped with her, too. It was so much fun to connect with them and be able to at least see them and talk as long as you like. I remember when I first moved to the US in 1985 all I had was the phone. Believe you me, it was EXPENSIVE! to call Germany, so I tried not to talk too long. Of course that made the distance seem so much more. Now, thanks to computers and Skype, we can talk and see each other as long and as often as we like and it doesn't cost anything. I just love it!
Then the kids played "Mexican Train" while I made our Christmas dinner. I really wanted to make goose, but at a price of $ 70 I decided against it. So we had marinated beef, with potato dumplings and red cabbage ( Sauerbraten mit Kloessen und Rotkohl). It was really delicious. For desert I had planned gluten free cheesecake, but since I talked to my parents for a really long time, I didn't have time for the cheesecake. So we will have Jesus' birthday cake tomorrow :)
After that the girls played with their new iPad for a while and then we snuggled onto the couch with gluten free cookies and watched 631 of 1060 pictures my parents had send me on a DVD. The kids were surprised that I was once a kid ;-)  Well, not really surprised but you just don't think of your parents as having been a baby once upon a time. So we had a few laughs of how Opa used to look before him and Oma were even married or when long sideburns were all the fashion.  We looked at baby pictures of me and pictures of me and my sister in the 70's, boy the style during that time was a serious fail :D
It was a good celebration of the birth of Christ. Thank you Jesus for everything you have done and still do for us. I know that His birthday is not in December, but I don't really care, because no one knows exactly when He was born. I am just more than happy and thankful that He was born and that is what we celebrate.

This is a German tradition "Bunte Teller"
everone gets a plate with Christmas
Candy. Actually there also should be
some nuts and oranges on there but
nobody wants that :-)

In the process of setting the table 

Christmas dinner is served :D

Nina is having a deep conversation with
"Siri"  ;-)

IAHE Conference, Vacation part 3

It was wonderful to spend time with Lynette and Fritz. I even got to meet some of their friends. I had the opportunity to enjoy a Sunday service at a home church and met some people who prayed for us and supported us. If any of you happen to read this, I would like to thank you again! It was such a pleasure to finally meet you. You have all be so kind and welcoming. On the 3rd and 4th of June we went to the Indiana Association of Homeschool Educators (IAHE) Conference. It was about as big as the MACHE one here in Minnesota. Oh, it was so nice to once again look at all the books and materials! I didn't make it to the Mache conference in Duluth this year, so the one in Indiana made up for that. It was such a great time to be able to look at curriculum, books and other cool things. I went to workshops and listen to Mike Farris from HSLDA and other keynote speakers. I went to Joyce Herzogs workshop and listen to some others. Fritz and Lynette held several workshops, I got the cd and listened to them on our way home.
Lynette and I held a workshop as well. I thought it was really good and people seemed to like it. We had good questions at the end, that was really fun. People showed quite a bit of interest and seemed encouraged. The lady who organized it was very pleased and stated that she felt greatly encouraged. I am very happy that God can use our story for His glory. It was so good to be able to show how God is still working miracles today. Our workshop was also recorded on cd.

Pastor Fritz, B., Nina, Jamie, Jeremy, me, Lynette

Lynette and me with two very lovely friends of Lynette.

Vacation part 2

After enjoying two days at a very nice campground, it was time to continue our travels to Indiana. After driving for about six hours we arrived :>

It got a pretty warm in the car without a/c

though some of us are too cool to be hot  - lol

We were at our friends house early afternoon. It was so good to see them again! They are missionaries in Germany and they planted the church we went to in Berlin. We missed them and were really happy to see them again. The kids had a good time together as well. It seemed like we had just seen each other. It was such a wonderful time together.

Two sweet, lovely, cheeky girls  ;-)

Well this one can be quite cheeky as well....

It was fun....

I finally have some time to finish my story. 
When Joern and Sheila finally arrived at the airport it was as if we had just seen each other a little while ago. It was like it always was, just this time with more children and less space. We had a good time and it was great to catch up. Joern was gracious enough to agree to teach on prayer for two days! On the first day of teaching the younger of their sons had an unpleasant encounter with a piano. Fortunately no stitches where needed, though Mom and Dad were a little stressed and worried at first. After the appropriate bandage was found all was well again. The kids wanted to go out and play in the snow, I think it hurt the little guy more not to be able to go out then the pretty big bump on his head. Well, he was allowed to go out the next day in the afternoon, since his parents were fairly sure that he didn't have any more problems. The kids went outside for the majority of the day and played in the snow and build snow forts. We all had fun and I enjoyed having them here and talking, reminisce and catch up on what each of us was doing. I am thankful that God made it possible for them to visit. After a few short days they had to leave to Sheila's hometown, where they were eagerly awaited for her mom's birthday. While we watched them go through security at the airport, I was wondering when we would see them again. Through my tears I remembered though that God made it possible now and who knows - He can do anything. It was just a little sad to see them go because of course we enjoyed their company and it was also a little bit of home when they were here and they took that with them again when they left. So, good bye my friends may God bless you and your children richly. My prayers are with you as you give up many things to live in a country not your own, raising your children there and bringing God and His word to the people of Cyprus. 
I wasn't very good taking pictures, the kids took most of them :D

Sheila and Elizabeth are taking a nap....

 Nina didn't have jet lag, she claimed she had "Lange-lag"

Helen is really a sweatie.....

Katie, is so adorable......

the kids were playing some games, I think hangman in this picture

Lukas still has the bandage that is the result of him tackling the piano

no clue who took this picture, but obviously they had fun :-)