We sing to Chiara in many languages.
January 2008 Archives
Chiara plays hide-and-seek.
For Chiara's birthday, in November, we invited some of her English-speaking friends to a party. She was very excited about the cake and candles and the singing (what's a birthday without those?).
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For Chiara's birthday, in November, we invited some of her English-speaking friends to a party. She was very excited about the cake and candles and the singing (what's a birthday without those?).
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In November the stores were already decked out with Christmas displays. Chiara wanted to know what each animal was doing.
Halloween was very exciting this year. First we got to carve the jack-o'-lantern and make scary faces. Chiara chose to be a ghost this year, and attended a Halloween party with her English-speaking friends. She also got to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night at a special event for Americans at a local school.
Chiara got a balloon and some flags at a skiing event downtown. And it's always a popular activity to set up a picnic in the living room (clothing optional).
Shortly after Halloween, Chiara's kindergarten celebrated St. Martin's Day with a lantern parade after dark and traditional German songs. There was also a bonfire on the kindergarten grounds, and some of the older children performed a skit accompanying the lyrics of a song about St. Martin, describing his act of generosity in sharing his cloak with a beggar.
"St. Martin's Day (or Martinstag) is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized when he was grown up and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold." (From Wikipedia) The last picture is of an early Christmas display window.
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"St. Martin's Day (or Martinstag) is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized when he was grown up and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold." (From Wikipedia) The last picture is of an early Christmas display window.
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Here are some pictures from this fall, including a picture of Chiara's soccer team. Chiara is wearing green shorts and standing next to the boy in the red shirt.
Unlike Cologne, Düsseldorf doesn't have any famous cathedrals that draw tourists, but it's modern architecture is well-known. Here are the Gehry buildings, then a view along the Rhine towards the Altstadt (Old Town) and Düsseldorf's historic harbor (now for display only).
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Chiara shows off her ball handling skills. She's in the green shorts and pony tail. (From this fall's soccer program.)
Chiara is a team member who feels her job is to watch the activity, and maybe do some twirls in the field. (From this fall's soccer program.)
