Combined Thanksgiving & Birthday celebrations!

Since my (Kim's) birthday landed right ON Thanksgiving day this year, I got to have 2 celebrations in 1! But...since Thanksgiving isn't a Lithuanian holiday... (unlike all of you) we had a normal work day on Thursday. And since I was crazy-busy preparing for the 1st two events of my new (temporary) job as the LCC Holiday Coordinator, there wasn't a whole lot of birthday celebrating going on.

But we did manage to have our usual (and somewhat silly) American Thanksgiving tradition of going to McDonalds for Thanksgiving dinner. I don't know when this started, but we've been doing it as long as we've been here. I usually order a chicken sandwhich & splurge with an apple pie, as it seems like the appropriate replacement for turkey & pumpkin pie. We had a smaller group this year than last, but it was still fun, nonetheless.

The 2008 Thanksgiving McDonalds crew!

This year, I was suprised by two students (Ellie & Arunas) who happened to be a McDonalds at the same time we were, and presented me with a birthday chocolate chip muffin, complete with a lit candle! And then everyone launched into a fun but relatively embarrasing song of Happy Birthday to me, and since it was in English, it attracted the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Fun times!

Kim's birthday suprise at Micky D's!

Our real thanksgiving dinner took place on Saturday at the annual staff/faculty potluck! We had an abundance of turkey, gravy, stuffing & all the other thanksgiving fixins! It was a great time to fellowship with our colleagues (American, Canadian, Lithuanian & Russian alike). I didn't do as much fellowshipping (or eating!) as I would have liked since I was doing the coordinating of the event, but it still was a fabulous way to celebrate Thanksgiving! We are so incredibly thankful for the fantastic community we have here at LCC!

Sophie & Ieva checking out the dessert table. (If you look closely at the pumpkin pie, you'll see the finger-sized indent from Ieva's finger when she was taste-testing every dessert to figure out which one she liked best!)

The 1st Snow of Winter 2008

Last weekend we were blessed by getting covered in a gorgeous blanket of perfect white snow! And the best part was...it stuck!

Ieva & Andrew went out on the balcony & built a snowman during the beautifully sunny Saturday afternoon we had.

Then on Sunday it snowed a lot more, so Ieva went out on the balcony a few times in just her bathrobe, mittens & snow boots! The flakes were huge & so pretty!

Levi, Charlotte, Josiah & Ieva

Then on Monday evening we were all at LCC for a community dinner & walked home in the blowing snow with our friends the Kaethlers & the Boschs.

The kids (& dads!) had fun throwing snowballs the whole way!

After being out in the snow, it's always best to come inside & curl up with your best friend! Ieva loves her kitty Asti!

Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Our 2008 Fall Break!

Last week was LCC's annual Fall Break. Andrew went to the States with the LCC men's basketball team, the Moose, for a rigorous schedule of travelling & games. He was gone for nearly two weeks - all of fall break & all of this past week as well. He'll be back tomorrow evening & we can't wait to have him home!

Since Ieva & I were going to be on our own for the break, we decided to travel with our friends Jared, Carrie & Charlotte Schumacher. Thanks to the discount inter-European airline, RyanAir, we found cheap flights to Glasgow, Scotland. Since the flight departed from Riga, Latvia, we took a 5-hour bus ride from Klaipeda to Riga before catching our flight.

Ieva loves to hold baby Charlotte!

Upon our arrival in Glasgow, Ieva & I took a train to the city of Carlisle, England - just over the Scottish border - while the Schumachers trained directly to Edinburgh to settle into the apartment we had rented for the week.Maja, Kim, Kylie, Ieva, Kim & Devin outside the Hoelterhoff's cute English house.

Ieva & I spent two fun-filled days in Carlisle with our dear friends Kim & Mark Hoelterhoff and their kids Devin, Kylie & Maja. The Hoelterhoffs worked with us at LCC from 2004-2007 and we went through a lot together during those years. It was great fun to finally see their home in England and explore their fabulous city of Carlisle!Good Buddies Ieva & Kylie at the Carlisle Cathedral

On Wednesday morning, Ieva & I boarded another train bound for Edinburgh and joined the Schumachers in a fabulous apartment just off the Royal Mile (the central shopping street that ends at the Edinburgh Castle). We had a great time exploring this city with astounding architecture & an intriguing history.

A section of Edinburgh's Royal Mile

Kim & Carrie within the castle gates

Ieva & I with the Edinburgh Castle behind us

All said & done, Ieva & I spent this trip on:

• 2 buses
• 2 airplanes
• 6 trains
• 3 taxis
• and did a whole lot of walking

It was great fun!

GO VOTE TODAY!!!

(image borrowed from Facebook)

Sorry to go political on you, but it's difficult being on the other side of the world while one of the largest & most important elections (in my personal opinion) is happening in America today. I'm not going to get into my (our) political preferences, even though for the first time in my adult life I finally care deeply about the results of this election, but I do want to encourage any of you who happen to see this blog to please take full advantage of the privilege you have to go cast your vote today. Regardless of which way you vote, just go do it.

(image borrowed from Sandra McCraken's website)

As Americans living abroad, we had to go to great lengths to get our registrations & ballots cast. In my opinion, the work was worth it. If you're already registered, then all you have to do is make a trip to your local polling location & let your opinion be known. It's so easy, and truly SUCH AN HONOR to let your opinion count toward the future leadership of our country. Why not do it?

And even though it's probably way too late for this schpeal of mine, I still plead with you:

• Please don't be swayed by the media to swing the direction of your vote.
• Please don't vote one way or the other just because you happened to be raised in a Republican or Democratic home/community.
• And if you haven't already, please take some time to understand the major issues of this election and the stance each candidate takes on them.
• Make an educated vote.

In the words of a wise friend of mine: If you don't take the opportunity to vote, then you suspend your right to complain about the result of the election later.

Happy Voting!