Ellie's Kindergarten Lantern Walk 2014

While last year we enjoyed Böblingen's city lantern walk with some friends, I was very excited for Ellie to have this year's lantern walk with her kindergarten friends. This year the kids decorated their lanterns with fallen leaves they were asked to bring and (after a one-week delay due to rain) Ellie excitedly carried her lantern to school as the evening skies turned darker.

Parents, children and teachers gathered at the kindergarten gate where we received booklets containing the songs we would sing. In an attempt to not feel out of the loop I had asked to borrow one the week before so I could learn a few of the songs. This proved to be a smart move as Ellie shouted, "Sing with us mom!" halfway through the walk.

Ellie was stuck like glue to her favorite teacher (and such a sweetheart), Julia.

Afterwards, and in typical German fashion, we gathered outside the church next-door to the kindergarten for würstchen (german hotdogs) and bread for the kiddos and warm glühwein for the adults. I think Ellie had about three (würstchen, not glasses of glühwein) as she ran around in the dark with her friends, while I may or may not have sipped several glasses of delicious glühwein.