You are invited....

There are many traditions at Herning friskole that I have really enjoyed. For example, after every birthday party there is a coffee for parents and siblings. I have found that this really convenient for newcomers to get to know the families of the children that spend time together on a daily basis. It has provided me with an avenue to put faces with names, while in an informal setting. After mentioning this practice to my mom, she says that this tradition was similiar in her childhood, and good for the same reasons!

What is interesting to us is that in every celebration there is room for displaying the Danish flag. No, not room, rather every reason to hang it proudly! Throughout the year it is normal to see homes with a smaller penant version of the Danish flag flying, but on birthdays the full sized version comes out, in more ways than one! It is on table coverings, little toothpicks, and even party favors. (note the flags on the cakeman too)

Everyone in the entire class is intvited to every birthday party. I thought the shot below was cute, because it is customary for people to remove shoes upon entering anyones home. When you have a party with a lot of little people visiting, that makes for a lot of shoes!

Anders sits in front of his cageman (cakeman). The crowd sings a rowdy version of Happy Birthday på dansk, and then it is time to cut the cake. Tradition says that the only way to begin is to cut the head first while the children scream! It was so fun to see all of the kids shrieking with happiness as the cakeman was beheaded! :)

The children all sit in a circle surrounding the birthday boy or girl and play "spin the bottle" to decide whose gift gets opened first. It is really a great way to allow everyone to see what gift was given and yet feel as though they are still a part of the fun too.

A vistor from Saline...but he's a DANE!!

Our first visitor from Saline...and there is just one small catch...he is a DANE! Bent Andersen, my wonderful and solid friend and ex-collegue came to dinner last week, and we could not have been happier! It was great fun to catch up and I am sure it was a hoot for him to hear all of us go on about our Denmark experience. This poor soul spent many looooong days sitting next to me, and yet still has a smile on his face! Amazing! He witnessed my first attempts at Danish licorice, and laughed at my expressions...that is he laughed until I became addicted and asked for more every time he came "home" for a visit!

It was Bent that I bugged incessantly about his knowledge in the wood industry, and Bent who rolled his eyes every time I asked one too many questions!

Bent was sooo happy to get rid of me that he even came over to help pack all of our bins for our shipment. It is funny to think that he almost beat them here! Bent, you see, is a professional mover having helped various danes move back home throughout the years.

**Bent originally planned to work in the states on a two year assignment...about a decade ago! :)

He is just that kind of solid individual that you can call friend and be proud to say it!. Prior to his visit he met with my parents and carried the most valuable items with him...two boxes of mac-n-cheese, a bag of army men and a Hannah Montana t-shirt. The kids couldn't believe it they were sooooo excited! Sophie held the mac-n-cheese boxes in her hand and looked at them for a very long time, before deciding that she would like some for a bedtime snack! She was really exhausted, but stayed up long enough to eat the entire bowl full!

Tusind tak min ven!

Fuglesang

Fuglesang or Birdsong lake is one of our top choices for diversion in Herning. It is a really beautiful place to walk, picnic and of course swim and on any given day you will see kayaks and rowboats too. It is easily around five minutes from our home, which for a day at the beach just ain't bad! The weather turns for the worse...just ride bikes or drive the short distance home! It is really cozy, with families and young people milling about. The lake itself is COLD, at least according to the writer, but the kids and Finn have no problems jumping in and splashing around! What I love about it is that is so clean! Every evening after the crowds have gone home a special work crew cleans up debris and rakes the sand. Outstanding! We have decided that at some point we will come back and have a bonfire along the shore. At this point though, we are probably talking next spring!

Below you can see Finn slowing moving after his opponants...it is time for a "re-match". A tradition that began in South Haven continues in Denmark. The children combine forces to see who can take Finn under. I do mean all of the children, because I distinctly remember Daniel and Simone silently stalking their father too! :) To date...he stands uncontested. I hate to tell him, but I think his days are numbered. The way this clan eats...they could easily be his size by next summer!

On this day Sophie was keeping a safe distance from the mele'. Believe me, when she does participate, the entire community can hear her squeals! It is really funny because she approaches slowly and then runs away as fast as she can!

After the "re-match" Finn sits patiently listening to why each an every rock she has chosen is special! When we recently unpacked our containers Bailey's had the most rocks, sticks, twigs and shells! When we teased her about it she said, without missing a beat, "Every single one of my treasures has a story!" " That is more than you can say for a bin of Legos" "Those are things you could sell at a garage sale in a few years!" Yep, we hear you, the value of something is truly based on the one who loves it most! So even if no one else would ever buy those rocks, sticks, twigs and shells, their owner with her treasure is priceless!

Sophie spent hours creating the perfect heart in the sand with her feet. Every time it did not look just the way she wanted - she erased it and began again!

The boys were occupied with their record setting castle and moat structure. Max repeated at least a million times that we should perhaps send a picture in to Guinness because he was convinced that it had to be the largest on record. Unfortunately, it was sooooo BIG that I couldn't fit it all in one frame. So Guinness will have to wait another year!

Sophie perched on the hill alongside the walkway to the beach. Doesn't this remind you of the scenery in the old version of the German tale "Heidi"? I can almost see the goats and sheep running around behind her! It truly feels as though we are on top of the world sometimes! The clouds are so full and look so close!

We spent a solid chunk of time skipping stones too! I am not sure who had the best score...that is if we leave Finn out! ;) But I know we had upwards of 4 and 5 skips per person...even me!