Ski trip to the Feldberg

We left Kandern and in less than an hour had entered this winter wonderland in the Black Forest.




We stayed in a holiday apartment and were given a free pass to ride the train. The station just down from where we were staying had this name. We decided that this is the place to be when you have one of those "A-ha!" moments.
A very fancy but very traditional-looking sign.
We had a glorious day of skiing and enjoyed being with 3 of the 5 Moench girls. From left to right: Meredith, Mallory, and the mom, Laura.



The Swiss Alps could be seen so clearly off in the distance. However, these pictures did not do them justice.

Christmas market

After Katy was finished with her last exam, we all jumped in the van and zipped over to a Christmas market in France, about 40 minutes away. It was a cold and damp day (yes, even for hearty Canadians), but the market was beautiful.
This is Raclette chesse which is melted and spread on potatoes. It is a delicious meal which we also enjoy at home, but our house has a rather strong odor for several hours (sometimes days) afterwards!


We found something to eat, similar to what we called "churros" in Brazil. These "massive french fries" you can see are deep-fried, rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and taste much like a donut. You can see the little pot of chocolate for dipping "on the side". They were hot and delicious!

Christmas markets are always set in the town or city square so the beauty of the surrounding buildings adds to the charm of the market.
The region of France we live close to is called the Alsace. It is quite famous for its amazing Alsatian fabric. The prints are very unique and look like something from the East.


All kinds of cookies.
My dad would have loved looking at all these creations made from tin, nuts and bolts.
These ceramic tea light houses are actually replicas of houses and buildings in the area.
We found a real Canadian - a Quebecois - selling maple syrup and other Canadian goodies. His sales weren't very brisk, so we bought a small (but pricey) pot of maple butter from him. I think it is something we will have to ration! It was neat to talk to him. I think he was homesick for Canada (and Canadians) because he wouldn't let us go!
Howard visiting with our Canadian friend. You can see the cathedral in the background.
The night view from the steps of the cathedral.

Midterms can be painful

The girls are finished their midterms! It's always a relief when the books can be put away for a few weeks and routines can be forgotten, at least for a little while.

Weird Santas

It was another one of those days in the life of our girls. I'm not sure where they come up with this stuff but at least they enjoy each other in the process!

Ready for Christmas

It took a bit of planning to manage to find a time when we could all be together to decorate the tree! But, we worked it out and had a great time listening to "Emmylou Harris" and making memories once again.

Christmas Concert

The concert is over and I am breathing a little more deeply. It went VERY well! I actually enjoyed playing like I have never enjoyed it before. Thank you for your prayers!

Goodie Bags & Candy Canes

Well, the goodie bags for our Janz Team kids are likely pretty much devoured by now. I finished them up last week and Howard helped me stuff them into the kids' mailboxes at BFA on Sunday night after the concert. We also put candy canes from Janz Team into the boxes of every BFA student. Thank you to Janet (in the Winnipeg office), Rachel (in the JTM office here) and the Klassens (who are visiting from Manitoba) for their help in making that possible!

Christmas banquet - finally!

the sisters - Bethany & Katy and Meredith & Mallory


I apologize for the delay in posting these beautiful pictures. It's been rather quiet and slow around the computer this week as our internet service has been out. Actually, I've rather appreciated it!
Sunday is the Christmas concert and I am feeling very prepared with the "big" pieces I will be playing. The kids are singing well and sound so good. I hope I will be able to be a good support to them and that my nerves will stay calm. Please pray for me! The concert begins at 3:00 pm. By 4:30 it should be over and then my life will resume a much more manageable pace once again. Even with all the extra stress it has involved, I really have enjoyed this opportunity to get back on the piano and I know I'll miss it once it's over.

A bit of a shock

As you all know, the Canadian dollar has made some remarkable gains in the last few weeks. It has been a bit of a boost for us over here as well, as the dollar gained significantly on the Euro for a few days at least. A few weeks ago I was able to get 710 Euros for 1000 Canadian dollars. We felt like we'd been given a pay raise! However, today I went to do our monthly transfer, and we can now get only 660 Euros for 1000 dollars. Ouch!
The Christmas banquet was on Saturday night and I will be including a few pics from that later on this week.

It's been a full week...

Yes, it's been a full week. Howard left on Monday morning for Portugal and returned on Wednesday afternoon. He took the camera with him but did not take any pictures, so our blog is blank this week. Sorry. Howard had a good but busy time in Portugal, and was reminded again what life indoors is like without heat when it's cold outside!
The choir concert is in two weeks and I feel like I'm making good progress on the pieces. They are challenging and there are some "big" moments in a few of them. So, I would appreciate your prayers for me that I would be able to stay calm so my hands will respond to the signals from my brain when those big moments come! It has been really a good time working with a choir again, and especially fun doing that from behind the piano.
The girls are busy with school and it's only getting busier as it gets closer to Christmas. There are only 12 instructional days left before break. Yikes!
We are looking forward to being in our own home for Christmas this year. We've have been away the last 3 years so this will be a special time this year.
Have a great week!

God's creative gifts

I looked out the window one morning this week and was struck by the amazing colour of this tree.

Bethany and Jack having a jam session.

Bethany's creative writing class. The students interact very frankly and openly with each other, accepting this as a very necessary and good part of the process of the pursuit of excellence.

Choir, quilts and yellow boots

As of Monday, I have been playing for the High School choir. The regular accompanist had to return to the States to be with her mother who has been diagnosed with cancer. An SOS went out from the choir director and I answered it. I am enjoying playing the piano again, even though it has made my schedule quite a bit more hectic. This is my first formal accompanying assignment at BFA and I am quite thrilled. The kids are full of energy and enthusiasm. This picture was taken at the beginning of the practice on Thursday as the director was attempting to gain some order!


These are two small portions of the quilt I am making for Bethany for her graduation. I am making pretty good progress and am quite sure I will have it finished before the end of the year.

Katy loves her yellow boots.