Our lovely antique rocking chair...

So I went downstairs today to change the laundry over, and while I was down there I heard Luna start howling. After a couple minutes, I finally decided that it wasn't just normal howling, and ran upstairs. Here is what I found... Luna with her head stuck in the rungs of the cute, little, child's, antique rocking chair that I bought years ago...


And yes, wonderful Mother that I am, I stopped to take a picture for posterity... I tried for a couple minutes to get her head out, but it was full well and stuck. So I finally decided that she was going to have to be cut out (how does that work? I mean, if she can get it in, how come we can't get it out?) so I went down to the basement to see if I could find our hack-saw, but I couldn't find it (I was in a bit of a panic!) So I finally went next door to our neighbors, and she called the police, who sent the local EMTs over, who then cut her out. Poor little Luna was in a total panic, I felt terrible! She's still talking about it... "Lady cut it!" she says...

de Laats Thanksgiving 2009

The table was set (by the chimney with care) - 2 days ahead of time... we ate all of our next meals at the coffee table.... but boy, do I love the opportunity to use all of those linens, china, silver and crystal we have!

Thanks Bas for the beautiful silver chargers, they really made the table!

And here are the beautiful serving pieces, just waiting for the feast on our sideboard...

We took a break from prep on Saturday night and went to the Erlangen Christmas market. Wasn't much to write home about, but Luna got to ride the carousel!

Here I am with the turkey. It turned out perfectly. It was about 10 pounds, and the perfect size, both for the oven, and the number of guests. But it was an experiment! Learned alot about German ovens and rack navigation! The top racks slide out with the oven door, so when we had to add the stuffing to the oven, we actually had to pull out the stuffing, and the top rack when we pulled the turkey out for its final removal....

My Mom made the apron for me, I love it, Luna has a matching one! P.S. Mom, you can't see it, but I'm also wearing a long skirt - another Thanksgiving tradition in the making...

Our guests... Zoe, my new beloved friend, her Mom Linda, Nan - Sylvia, and husband Manolis. Welsh on her side, Greek on his... we had a blast, played Apples to Apples after diner, everybody had fun!

Here is Zoe's pumpkin pie. It was absolutely fabulous. I have to get the recipe. She, nor anyone in her family had even, ever tasted pumpkin pie, but I requested that she bring it, b/c it's tradition, but it's usually not my favorite (I prefer apple) so she bent herself over backwards to make us a wonderful pumpkin pie, and I can't tell you howe much I liked it. It was totally from scratch, since you can't get canned pie filling here; and let me tell you, it was fabulous!

Linda and the babies....

Luna never did get a proper nap, so here she is camped out on the sofa with her trusty "bwanknent..."

And after her "nap" but still very tired... Thanks Oma for the necklace, I love it!

Thanksgiving at the Hills...

Luna and the Hallmark Christmas dancers...

These are some of those little battery operated Hallmark toys, that dance to different songs, and when they're hooked together they all dance in coordinated unison (incorporating lead and following parts!) We got them last year, and Luna has been having a blast with them! She loves to pull them all apart, then push all the buttons so 3 different songs are going at once... :)

Look, Ma! No hands... Apple Pie!

Well, after the last disaster attempt at apple pie, I at last have success. Beautiful 1/8" thick crusts, even decorated with little berries and leaves... I think the trick was refrigerating the dough for a while before rolling it out. Rolled out much faster, too!

Sinterklaas Came!

We knew that Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands yesterday, because we saw it on the news. But we weren't sure if he would make it here on his horse - but of course, he did! Luna put out her shoe last night, and left a carrot in it for Sinterklaas's horse, and a bowl of water. Sure enough, when we got up this morning, it was full of candy left for Luna! Guess she was a good little girl! (But we'll see is he leaves her anything today... she managed to get crayon all over the couch!)

And here are a couple with the new galoshes that Gramma sent...

New Pictures...

Frequently, after dinner, we play hide and seek with Luna. Usually she counts with one of us, while the other one hides, but occaisionally - she hides. Here's her new favorite spot...

Can't see me can you?

And she also discovered what fun the laundry basket can be...

And here we are at the St. Martin's lantern festivities last night. Lots of fun. First we got together and teh kids did a performance, then we walked out into the fields near the school. There was a band, and firemen and everything!

This is the chain of people out in front of us, walking with the lanterns...

And here is Luna a little bit later really digging her dinner...