Of fireworks and blind people

Yesterday we broke in our Christmas gift from Grandma and Gary - a annual family ticket for the Experimentarium (comparable to the Childrens museum although with focus on science). We had a grand day were we tested the speed of sound. "Talk into one tupe and test how long it takes before you hear it at the end", the sign said. Rita really enjoyed the exhibitions were you could try how it is to be blind. It was a pitch black room where you had to feel your way through. The boys got excited about the fireworks show. In the show we saw fireworks but also heard about the science behind it. Fascinating!

It was a great gift. Thank you Grandma and Gary!

Finally Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve last night. This years big present was a Wii we had bought in Berlin. The kids were excited. We have spent most of the day bowling, golfing and playing baseball. I'm certain we have burned off all the calories we got at the Christmas dinner last night.

The last day before Christmas

It is amazing Santa came with gifts from the US during the night. Rita and Axel were up early checking out the gifts under the tree. Thank you all for the little dog, the girl's book, rubi cube, Colts watches, soup, Jack's Snowman and the Star Wars book! (Grandma and Gary's gifts comes this evening).

Alas we didn't win anything on the lottery tickets -not even the smallest prize. And we had 6 chances!

Now we are looking forward to Christmas Eve. We will go to church at 4 PM and then it is home to roast duck and pork. We will, naturally, conclude with living candles on the tree, singing and gifts.

Christmas is wonderful.

On the second day before Christmas

We had a wonderful evening. Dinner was cold cuts and lobster soup. We read the last chapter in the book we've been reading for Christmas. And then we played Tripoley. Axel was happy he won. Rita was certain she heard Santa on his sleigh. They are all so excited. I wonder when they will fall asleep.

Hot news flash

- - - This is a quick news update in between the picture entrees - - -

We just scraped our lottory tickets and although we didn't win we now how 6 chances of winning tomorrow: Ellen has 8 Santas (50.000 dkr), 6 drums (1.000 dkr) and 4 Christmas candles (100 dkr); I have 9 Christmas trees (1.000.000 dkr), 8 Santas and 3 Glass ornaments (40 dkr). We are bound to win and hopefully not just with the ornaments :-)

On the third day before Christmas

We went to the Royal Theatre to see the Nutcracker. It was a whole new production. The scenography was spectacular as was the costumes. The kids really enjoyed it - and so did we. On the way home from Copenhagen we came by this house were the whole front yard was decorated with lights and Santas, reindeers and what not. We had to stop and take a look. Now we really are in the Christmas spirits.

On the 4th day before Christmas

We celebrated pre-Christmas with my parents and Merete and her daughters. Before exhanging presents we had a good game of bingo. Felicia was happy she won two times! We had a fun evening and - as usual- plentty of good food.

On the 5th day before Christmas

The excitement is rising. Nine Christmas tree have now been uncovered on the lottery ticket. And we are only missing 2 Santas on the other ticket which holds a prize of 50.000 kr. The kids are very excited. Keep your fingers crossed that we win on at least one of the tickets!

- - - - -
I have to correct myself. We are only missing 1 Santa!

On the 6th day before Christmas

Rita went to the dentist and had a baby tooth removed. The permanent tooth had started growing up behind it and didn't push the baby tooth out. It was kind of awesome to have a kid with sharks' teeth as long as it lasted. Rita did very good at the dentist. She just lay there and let him do the work.

On the 7th day before Christmas

We celebrated the 3rd Sunday of Advent a day late due to our Berlin tour. We keep it a tradition to take some time off in the evening and prepare for Christmas singing Christmas songs and reading the Christmas Gospel.

On the 8th day of Christmas

It is in the middle of winter and we have this rose blooming in the front yard. In the news we hear of deathly snowstorms in the US. My wish for the new year is that the world's nations will be able to find a political solution to global warming and prevention of climate changes.

On the 9th day before Christmas

We had to say good bye to Berlin. It had been a fun and very enjoyable weekend in Germany. Last night we witnessed the Santas on wheels parade - it was a huge parade of santas on motor cycles riding down the center of Berlin. We also had to give our farewell to all the plastic bears placed all over the city. It definitely won't be our last visit. Next time we bring the kids with us.

More from Berlin

... and we had ice cream fondue.

On the 10th day before Christmas

We went sightseeing in Berlin. We saw the place of the Berlin wall and
did our giftshopping in Ka De We and the nicest little markt at
Ku'Dam. The kids will be happy!

On the 11th day before Christmas

Ellen and I enjoyed glühwein and a yard long bratwurst in Berlin. The glühwein was served in mugs that looked like a Christmas stocking.

On the 12th day before Christmas

Axel hung up the Christmas ornament he got from Grandma this year. Thank you Grandma and Gary!

On the 13th day before Christmas

Erik and Rita made butter cookies. The recipe should have made 100 cookies. We only got 30. But they are good! Now, I must admit I was happy it was Ellen's turn to do laundry.

On the 14th day before Christmas

Axel and Ellen made bourbon balls. You can trust Ellen to make enough so that they will last until Christmas although Axel did his best to challenge that.

On the 15th day before Christmas

The excitement is rising. Six Christmas Trees are we up to in the Christmas. And we have almost two weeks to get the last four. It is certain to be a winner.

1.000.000 Danish kroner, now what kind of Christmas gifts could we get for that amount of money?

On the 16th day before Christmas

It was time to decorate the Christmas tree. All three kids were dedicated to make it the best looking tree ever. Each spent a good part of the time trying to find the decorations Grandma has given to each of them. And it is beautiful.

We did put the tree up after a good lunch, but I'm certain this is not the cause of the tree's lack of straightness.

On the 17th day before Christmas

We got our Christmas tree. We went to a near by plantation and cut it ourselves. According to tradition it is 8 feet tall and must be cut quite a bit to fit in the livingroom. What would life be without traditions.

On the 18th day before Christmas

Ellen and Rita scraped the lotto Christmas calendar and got a Christmas tree. Nine more of these and we will win the grand price of 1 million Danish kroner.

On the 19th day of Christmas

We all got gifts from Saint Nick. These included among other things:

• Christmas pudding
• Oreo cookies
• English Ale
• Fresh Figs
• Licorice pipes
• Brandy butter
• Cactus fruit
• Chocolate
• Ale sirup
• and pickled cod liver.

Thank you Saint Nick!

On the 20th day before Christmas

Erik and I saw FCK loose 2-0 to Atletico Madrid. Unfortunately FCK wasn't even near to win the game.

On the 21st day before Christmas

The kids made Christmas decorations.

On the 22nd day before Christmas

Rita helps Fr. Leo hanging up the advent wreath at church.

On the 23rd day before Christmas

Erik rushed to his calendar when he woke up this morning around 11 AM (so he wasn't more proud than that). He looks very happy for the tickets for the UEFA game between FCK and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Just 24 more days

Rita and Axel were early out of their beds. They knew it was the first day of December and somewhere in the house there would be a Christmas calendar with their names on it as is the Danish tradition. Axel got a thing ma jigger and Rita a toothbrush. Erik thinks he is too old for a daily calendar so he has to wait until tomorrow to see if he gets an advent gift.