Mark and Jessica Spangler

One afternoon Mark surprised me by meeting me at school with the kids. He packed a picnic too! We ate and then played at the park for a while.

This is a ginormous teeter totter. I’m sure there is a name for it in french but I’m not sure what that is yet. We had so much fun!

Micah enjoys being bounced around in the middle!

Mark and Zoe vs. Ali, Micah and Caleb!

So, one of the last things we got to do with our friends before they left for Cameroon is go to the Christmas Market.

We were hoping to ride the train and a drunk man holding a beer walked up to the engine of the train. It looked as if he knew what he was doing and was going to hop in and take us all for a spin! So, we started hearing people murmur in French the same things we were saying to each other in English. “Is that the conductor? Is he drunk? Look, he’s got a beer in his hand. If he gets in to drive we are getting out!”. Thankfully the real conductor came a few minutes later but some had already gotten off! We decided to wait for another day as well because it was getting late and the ride is about twenty five minutes long. I hope we get to take a ride soon!

We bought this foldable bike on sale and it helps us to get school, to friends houses, to the store and other such places. It has changed our lives here is France. When we get home we fold it up, put it in the elevator and take it inside. This is how we roll!

It was so beautiful!

Not only do we have Santa, we have a place that sure feels like stepping into a nativity scene! There is a huge tent and it is filled with animals and hay! How fun! And it isn’t even your typical petting zoo, there is a donkey too! I’d say the kids will get a real feel for what a stable may have been like for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus this year more than any other year. What a fun things to explore!

Caleb was a bit unsure about it all!

Zoe wouldn’t come in!

Hahahaha! This year we live right next to Santa’s photo booth. We were on our way out to look at Christmas lights when we noticed there was no live to see Santa. The kids were not surprised but slightly confused when Santa started speaking French to them! Hahaha! They all did good and thankfully the photographer helped translate for Santa. He asked them what they would like for Christmas and they were probably the only kids that didn’t know! It took them a few minutes to figured it out and then the photographer translated for Santa! This was all too funny! Well kids, sorry if you don’t get what you want! It’s just another thing lost in translation!

Above, is the kids all wearing their new snow boots, thanks to some good friends at home!!!

Micah did comment that Santa’s mustache felt funny.

Every year around this time we do a practice run of making donuts. Each Christmas eve morning we wake up and spend hours making donuts for our friends and neighbors. It is such a blast but we have to practice before hand so we know we can do it alright!! Right?! Well, this year our donuts turned out beyond great! We were so pleased.

Mark made a letter for each of the kids. Zoe’s was a Z she quickly tore apart and ate.

Micah had an M!

Ali was thrilled!

Caleb was copying both sisters! He gave it a sour look and then quickly ate it!

That is how this happened. We also posted the video on FB.

Sorry this is a bit out of order!

So, one of my teachers taught me how to do this! It is so beautiful and so much fun for the whole family! I know, be impressed! It is the new “green” candle. Hahahaha. The wick is the part of the peel that was in the center of the orange but comes out when you pull the peel off. We used olive oil cause that is all we had.