This is sadly the best picture we have of us. I made a bad choice for a picture-taker; Leor. He got this one and another even blurrier, and then took two picture of himself holding a water glass. Goofball.

This is the egg game in Zwergenland.

"Innere Bruecke, Pliensaustrasse. We waited for the ZL's under that sign. I also saw a pretty long-haired German Shepherd there and asked to pet it, and they let me! I explained I had one of my own back home, and I missed her very much! Give her a love for me, you guys!!

Here are the entrances to Zwergenland and a building in Esslingen that is absolutely beautiful and historic, without a doubt. It was wonderful! I think we met the Elders by that huge tree, too...:)

Weihnachten Just Wouldn't Be the Same without It's a Wonderful Life

That's right, folks! The film I(Katrina) always thought was so boring has now become a family favorite. We can just all add it to one of the many ways Graydon has made me a better person. :)

On Thursday I went to my visiting teaching appointment. I met Sister Benitz at our normal location at the train stop, then we both walked up to the Gierschke's apartment. We teach Marion and Melanie there, they are wonderful and we love them. Marion is the one I think we wrote about, who found out we were in Feuerbach and dropped a delicious cake by the apartment a day later. Mellie is a few years younger than me, I think, but I'm not sure and I do love her!

Anyhow, as I was walking with Brigitte up to their apartment, she talked to me about life in general, and I found out her son was struggling a little with his English. I told her I could help, if they would like, and that I had actually been an English tutor in the states! Yesterday she let me know that we could try it after she had talked to her son, and so we've got the first 'appointment' in Christmas break. I'm really excited! It will be just like the good old times. And Graydon's coming with so I won't be too boring. ;)

Graydon also did his home teaching Thursday night, in Vaihingen, which is about an hour away. I talked with my sisters for so long that I walked in the door just a few minutes before Graydon, who had an hour commute to and from Vaihingen! That is just one way I can illustrate how well I love those ladies.

On Friday we piled on the S-Bahn and headed to Esslingen. We asked someone on the train how many regions it was to get there, because Graydon only has a ticket for two regions. It was lucky we asked; Esslingen is a third zone away, so we stopped and bought Graydon another day ticket for the trip. I swear 90% of our money goes to DB and VVB, the train coorporations.

It was cool when we got there. We saw some Elders right off the train (we were actually meeting everyone at a Burger King--the Christmas Market was the institute activity), walked to the Burger King, and bought a little dinner. Graydon picked up the Elders' tab. I wasn't feeling well at all, so I got a kids meal. Which they call just kids menu. No idea. We ate and waited for the rest of the YSAs to show up, and then left for the Christmas Market! We walked over with the sisters, Sister Seidel is actually leaving Wednesday, so I like to spend as much time as I can with her. We both love those wonderful sisters!!! We got separated, though, when we got to the actual market, and stuck with the International Elders and Patrick. It was really fun. I made Graydon buy me some hard candy to suck on (it is next to extinct in Germany), and we walked around. There was a section called "Zwergenland" or midgetland, that was really cool. Every Weihnachtsmarkt has it's own 'theme' and Esslingen's is more of a midevil feel. They had a few games; Crack an egg (like the stacked cans game where you try to knock them down, except for it's just an egg on a log and you throw rocks on it), as well as an ax throwing game and an archery game. The boys were pretty tempted by crack an egg until they saw someone win, and all they got was a lighter. :) There was also a cool little carousel that children could ride in. It was run by a man in 'garb' as mom would call it, pushing handles on the outside to make the wheel spin, and the cars were actually just baskets made of sturdy wood.

There were basket stands, armor stands, period clothing stands, wood stands, whatever-you-could-think-of stands, and candle making stands. There were also a lot of food stands, which didn't help my stomach at all. We five wandered around for a while, then the zone leaders called, so we had to try and explain where the heck we were in the whole market. Just a note: THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. We were in one of the offshoots. We explained sort-of where we were, then waited, then went back to the main part, and we finally met them there. As well as everyone else! Then we broke off again, and our first group plus the ZLs plus Leor, a french-german from Paris, headed to a stand to buy mugs of Gluehwein--JUST KIDDING!!-- Kinderpunch, as well as the mugs with them. They were very good. We then went back to Zwergenland to show the ZL's, and because Graydon hadn't found the archery part which he wanted to play. We got there just in time for it to close. Bummer. So, we left and went home. I felt so sick all the way home, everyone was afraid I was going to throw up on the train. I looked so terrible Patrick told Graydon he'd better get me home fast, or to a hospital, whichever one came up first. :) It was all good, though, and we got to ride our first Regio-bahn, which has two levels just like the...what's it called?...Frontrunner. It was cool and we were excited to ride on the top floor.

Our Christmas tree is still dying, but slowly, so we're still holding on to the hope that it will still have needles by Christmas. And we're not putting lights on it, grandpa, so don't worry about the fire hazard!!

On Saturday we were mostly lazy, which was nice. We headed out about 3:15 for the ward building, because Enrico told us to meet him there at 4 for costumes. We got there, and waited outside, and guess who came? Gabi!! Unfortunately, she thought it started at 4, and had nothing to do with the planning or set up. She did help us figure out how to ring the bell so we could at least get inside, though. There was a nice man from our ward(I wish I could remember his name!) in the geneology room that let us in and explained that he didn't think the program started until 5:30. Then as Gabi was leaving to visit her sister, the missionaries came. Just as Gabi was pulling out and gone, we found out it started at 5 and tried to tell her. Too late.

After that more people started showing up. As Graydon and I were about to crack out a good game of Canasta, three of the young women showed up and we taught them how to play Skip-Bo! Lacey, I hope you're proud of our spreading this wonderful game around in Germany!! :) We played a round, and just as we were going to start another one Enrico showed up, as well as the Americans who were in charge of set-up. It turns out Graydon and I probably didn't need to come until...oh, I don't know. Maybe 5. But we busied ourselves and helped get things set up. It was all good.

Right before we started eating Sis. Jensen showed up and gave me a doll in a white shawl that was going to be baby Jesus. So I ate with him in my lap, hoping not to get any declicious american foods on him or the shawl. When it was about time for the program, we went up onto the stage and changed into our costumes. It was fun, especially with the five guys that composed the Narrator (Enrico), The three kings (Patrick & two other Young Men), and Joseph(my Graydon). They are goofy. I thought I was just going to be in the manger with the baby Jesus, but I had to walk around pregnant first and then go up to the manger, and then have baby Jesus. Does anyone else see a problem here? :) Enrico said, "Maybe just put the baby under your dress." I tried that, but when I just reached under my dress to get it back out, he said, "Maybe that's a little to graphic for the kids." We ended up tying Graydon's wadded-up sweatshirt on my stomach region, and I walked around that way. I wish you all could have seen the looks we got from the adults (haha) and the children were precious. One little girl looked at me and yelled for me to zip up her coat, so I knelt down and did the job. Precious. When we got up to the stable (composed of a soccer goal with pine branches stuck in the netting), I sat down with Graydon, and we tried (really hard!) to figure out what the heck Enrico was saying, as he was reading Luke 2 in German. We're looking at each other, going "Are we supposed to have the baby yet? Now? Now?" Not a clue. When we heard "Christkind" we decided it was time, and simply pulled the doll out of the manger where Sis. Jensen had planted it. I wasn't looking out onto our audience, but Graydon said all the Germans were laughing. Hahaha. I still don't know if we took the right cue. Everyone else came, though, including two darling little angels in wings, and it went really well. Finally Enrico said it was over and we got up and went back behind the curtains.

It was really fun being Joseph and Mary! Absolutely fantastic!

Yesterday we went to church came home, and I started watching Charly Brown movies while Graydon made me a plate of rice and himself an omlette. Don't think he's starving me, I wanted the rice!! Promise!! He then came in and finished Charly Brown with me, and after that we started watching It's a Wonderful Life on Youtube. It was really nice. We watched until we had to get ready for a choir concert and leave for the church again.

I had the worst headache at the concert and was extremely tired. I fell asleep for parts of it, I think, but I couldn't help it!! It was pretty in spite, but far different than anything we had expected. There was a broadcast of the General Christmas Devotional afterward, but I really needed to be somewhere where I could lay down, so we left. We're going to watch the devotional online tonight for FHE. We went home and layed down, and finished watching the movie. Unfortunately, the headache didn't go away, but then we went to sleep and that helped me a lot. :)

Well, all for now. We love you very much!! Have a great week!

No Socks

So, I have a funny/awesome story to share. 

Our friend Gabi came and visited us on Sunday, as I already told. I forgot to write, though, that on Monday she called me on the phone! I was worried at first, because usually it is because the landlady is calling to tell us we still didn't get the rent paid on time (I miss checks), but it wasn't for that, which made me feel better.

She told me that she had been thinking, that she'd noticed I wasn't wearing any socks on Sunday. And with my being sick with a cold and what-not, she though she should call and say that I really should be wearing socks all the time. :) "Consider it advise from your Grandmother," she said. She told me that she remembered her mother saying it, and that she'd often told Claudia, her daughter, and even her daughter-in-law that sometimes, so now it was my turn. 

I thought it was so sweet and cute. I put socks on right after she called and left them on, and I've even been trying to sleep in them! :)

Speaking of which, I'd better go put on my socks.

These are the finished pizzas. I wish I could figure out how to make it so they showed up the the order I wanted them to!

These are the sauced pizzas.

These are the delicious looking shells. I was surpised I could still do that shell making stuff!

This is the dough with my special rolling pin that was just a glass. Nice.

This is the plain dough.

This is me asleep on the Jensen's couch at Thanksgiving. It was so comfy and American! After that, though, we decided not to accept any american Christmas invitations. I think that's part of what made me so trunky, and it wasn't really worth the stress.

It has been quite a while...

Well, I'm really trying to remember when I last wrote, and everything that has gone on since that time. It's a little difficult to remember these things. I really should write more often. It is good that Graydon posted those cute pictures already.

I guess we will start with Thanksgiving! Preparing for Thanksgiving was a fiasco. We were invited to two dinners: One with the sweetest girl in the world, Marina Moore and her family, and another with the Jensen family that lives on the same base as her. For the Jensen's we were making potatoes. For Marina we were showing up. The only problem was, we didn't have a pot big enough for the potatoes! The Sunday before the feast, I asked sister Jensen about this, and she said, "Oh, pick something easy, like pie or rolls." I thought, "I guess we could do rolls..." but then I told her it would be fine, and we would stick with the mashed potatoes. It would all work out!

The night before she called to make sure we were coming, and then I found out that she had thought I said I would do the potatoes AND the rolls! That was a nice surprise. I had class until 9:15 the night before, so Graydon and I didn't even get home until at or after 10. Then we found out we needed to be at the George's the next morning at 10 a.m, which meant we had to leave here at 9. And I was so tired!

We got out late the next day, but only a few minutes, and we'd called and let them know. We left with our little pot of mashed potatoes, mashed with a fork, and another container of mashed-with-a-fork potatoes so we had enough. We stopped by one of our favorite little bakeries on the way and picked up some rolls. It worked well. We were loaded with food. 

When we got to the George's, who were taking us to the base, they were running a little late, too, which helped me really calm down. I was so grateful! And Davin and Andrew kept us company, which Jen did some finishing touches on the rolls. Such a sweet family! I love them all.

Then we went to Marina's, which was fun, and I felt at home there. There was a little drinking going on, and Davin almost got a swig, as well as Rock Band-playing while the missionaries were there, so that was a little awkward, but such things happen in part-member families, and the food was delicious. Marina is an amazing cook! She also had a dog and cat, so I was kept company. I didn't really want to leave when it was getting close to two, but off we went! 

We got the mashed potatoes from the George's car, and walked around the barracks trying to find the right place. After not being able to find them the first time, I sent Graydon up to ask for directions again, and we tried again. This time we had success. Graydon asked a girl outside if she knew the Jensens, and she said "I am a Jensen!" Hahaha. That was great. So she showed us inside. 

Even though I was reluctant to leave Marina's, it was nice to be at the Jensen's. Unfortunately, I was absolutely no good company because I was so tired, but it was nice and comfortable, there, and everyone was talking so I could listen and smile...and fall asleep without many people noticing.... It was funny that at the beginning sister Jensen was trying to resurrect our potatoes. First with a masher, then with whatever else. We really found it funny when we started hearing hardware in the kitchen. :) Old potatoes are never as easy as fresh ones. But she succeeded and they tasted...okay when it was time to eat. 

The Jensen girls are darling and love Youtube. It was really good, as well, to visit with Brother and Sister Jensen and the other adults that were there, and to play cards while the kids ran around. Even though sometimes I would have rather been with the kids. I'm still one of them, you know! Dinner was good, and Brother Jensen gave us a ride home after the festivities. I love cars so much more than trains. Even though I'm grateful for the trains. 

On Saturday we headed to the institute for German-practice with the missionaries. We wouldn't have gone, but Sister Seidel invited us. We love hanging out with the missionaries!! It was good, even though we didn't really have questions so it started a little slow. Then they began discussing real missionary things, so I decided it was time to pick up and get out. :D I was exhausted, again, and just wanted to go home and go to sleep. 

On the way home, though, we needed to stop at Aldi for some groceries, so we did. And we passed a sort-of home improvement store, OBI. And Graydon told me that's where we could get a Christmas tree. At first I was like, okay, not today. But when we came out of Aldi with ornaments, and we already had icicles from Switzerland, I said maybe we could go take a look. It was really fun. We found a tree for 35 Euro (though I was pushing for the 20 Euro ones), and bought an awesome german Made-In-Germany  tree stand to boot! Enough with those stupid screws and the cheap metal stands, we've got ourselves a high tech stand that clamps around the tree when you push a pump-like thingy! We really thought it was awesome. But heavy. :)

So, we brought it home and set it up. I believe Graydon already posted a picture of he and the tree on the train. Nice shot, in my opinion!

On Sunday the 30th we made and appointment with the Elders for dinner the next day. Graydon also got sustained and set-apart for his new calling as a counselor in the Sunday School Presidency.

The next day I wasn't feeling well, so I made Graydon cook. He made Maultaschen (tasty things like ravioli except we eat them plain, and they have different flavors), as well as a tomato-chicken stir-fry that was pretty dang delicious. 

On Tuesday we told the sisters something someone said the night before at dinner, and Sister Hewitt looked at me with this innocent albeit neglected look, and I realized promptly that it was the sisters turn for dinner. Sister Seidel only had about two weeks left, and they were so busy it was hard to find a time that worked for both of us. We finally decided on Sunday the seventh. We asked Sister Seidel what she wanted for dinner, and she finally decided "American pizza!!" Sounded like a plan. Even though we couldn't find cheddar cheese anywhere in this confounded country. 

Thursday Graydon went to the ward sport evening, and I stayed home and read. It was a nice break, I liked the  book I was reading. Graydon came home sweaty and happy as a clam, and that was pretty good all by itself. 

On Thursday or Friday I caught and obnoxious cold. It was (and is!) terrible. It made it hard for me to breathe, so I really couldn't sleep at all, especially Friday night. On Saturday morning we woke up early so Graydon could go to Stake priesthood meeting, and then our friend Markus came home with him to pick me up so we could go to the Weihnachtsmarkt in Ludwigsburg. I wasn't ready--I'd been up all morning trying to tidy up the apartment/ do the Kehrwoche for our week, and hadn't even showered. I also got a call from Gabi, where she asked if it would be okay to just bring us home and see how we were doing in our new apartment after church the following day, which meant we had no time to clean our messy messy apartment before then, and also made an appointment with Thomas upstairs to meet and visit with them around 3. When I talked to Thomas I'd forgotten I needed to make pizzas. My mistake. 

So I went already sick and tired with Markus and Graydon to the Weihnachtsmarkt in Ludwigsburg. We actually first went to Markus' apartment because he needed to do something, and I asked if he had any peppermint tea, which he did have. That helped my sinuses AND my stomach, and was a blessing in itself. It's like a candy cane in the form of hot chocolate. So nice and yummy and soothing.

THEN we went to the Weihnachtsmarkt, which was the first one I'd been to and absolutely charming. We didn't buy anything except for Angell's Christmas present and some pumpkin seeds for me. We would have gotten more, but we're looking for something specific for Grandma, and nothing else really popped out at us for anyone else. But Angell's is perfect. We then went back to Markus' and he made us dinner. I then watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off while Graydon got a haircut, and we finished watching the movie. 

By this time I was THE WALKING DEAD. I wanted to go home. Unfortunately, it was too early for Markus to let us leave, and so we just kept talking. Then he drove us to the Bahnhof in Ludwigsburg, picking up Strawberry shakes from McDonald's on the way, and then we sat and talked some more while we drank the shakes. I was dreading leaving the cold car for the even colder platform to wait for the train, and when I saw the second one go by, I asked if we could give Markus ten Euro to just take us home. He took us home without taking the 10 Euro. I was grateful. I was also exhausted, and we had an apartment to finish cleaning. I think we finally got home after 10:30.  We were grateful for the memories we'd made.

On Sunday morning Graydon woke up early and I woke up a little later. I didn't help much that I woke up because I felt like I was moving like cold molasses. We got the apartment tidies sufficiently, got ready for Church (again without a shower on my part), and were on our way, late, but still going. We got there just in time for the sacrament, which we took in the foyer. This was nice because it as just me and Graydon out there, and no one to watch me, or for me to be distracted by. I was actually grateful that we were late. It really helped me.

After I had a surprise meeting with the bishopric in which I was called to be A WARD MISSIONARY!! That was really an answer to prayers--the last few weeks I've become increasingly discouraged according to the question "why am I even in this accursed country, anyways?!" and was asking to figure out what I was here to do, and the answer came, loud and clear, (or, as Germans would say, "laut und deutlich"), and I could not deny it. And I was grateful for that calling. I can't wait to get rolling!

Gabi came home with us, and just visited with us for a while, which was so nice just in itself. We just talked about everything, and especially about missionary work. It was nice to have her here. She then invited us to Christmas on the 25th with the whole family (who we miss so much!!), and then to her seventieth birthday party in January! We were so happy about that. We miss Familie Vogt. 

When three rolled around I sent messenger Graydon up to inquire if we were leaving then, and I think we interrupted their linner, so we were invited up for...pizza! Funny, huh? Then it was about time to leave for the Weihnachtsmarkt in Feuerbach. I got sick and was not feeling like braving the cold, as well as needing to make fake-italian sausage and get the pizzas going, so I copped out last minute and asked Graydon to excuse me. I took a short nap, read and relaxed until about 5:30, then got to work in the kitchen. 

And it worked well! I will post pictures of the various stages of the pizza. I just can't believe I didn't get a picture of them as they came out of the oven! Aside from the salami that was so not pepperoni and made me sick just by smelling it, and the homemade italian sausage without fennel seeds/composed of half-hamburger, it couldn't have gone better! The last time I made pizza, it was in the breadmaker and it turned out terrible. This time I did it all by hand and it turned out PERFECT! I owe that to my wonderful previous place of employment. 

The sister came just as the first pizza came out of the oven. Sister Seidel couldn't believe I made it (they didn't know there were two yet), and said it looked like it was from Pizza Hut, where she had wanted to go for some time. It was a nice, enjoyable evening. I love those sister missionaries! They left with a spiritual thought, and left us 100% satisfied and at peace. 

Not much has really happened the last two days. I have to leave for institute pretty soon, and it's already cold and dark outside so it's really hard for me to pull myself away from the nice, warm apartment. I'll try to post a few pictures, though, before I go. 

We love you all!