All I want for Christmas... is the German language to be easier!

Kevin had an article in the monthly arena magazine this past month. After sending some home for family members, I thought I would try to translate it without typing it all into a translation website. Not only for our family to actually be able to read it, but also because I thought it would be good practice for me! Well, I'm more than 2 hours into my process and I only have a bit over 1/3 of it done. As much as my German improves with my class and spending time with Hans, this attempt was quite the awakening that I am still extremely raw and basic. I don't even know more than one tense to speak in! Not to mention that there are so many different ways to use a word and specific ways to have a saying. I'll keep trying for everyone but in the meantime.. here are some photos of the article!

 

I have already been able to attend 2 Christmas parties... in addition to the markets, so we are still feeling festive over here. Over a week ago, we had the team's party with all of the sponsors, team management, players, wives/gfs, and even some fans I think. It was at a beautiful hotel near the Reeperbahn and was such a great time! It started with speeches by the head of the fan club and some of the management (which they translated in English also so we knew what was going on). The speeches were all extremely nice and everyone seems very proud and supportive of the team. They had an amazing spread of food and after the speeches were done, the drinking began! Being a "work" party, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was so much fun and even a little wild!

Kevin's back-up career to hockey: a rockstar

Last night, I went to one of the other girls, houses for a Christmas party/Cookie exchange. Her home was beautifully decorated and there was a great spread of food and wine for us all. We had a gift exchange and all in all a great time together! Her husband, Serge, made an appearance to serve us our champagne.

what a trooper!

Our food and cookie spread at the end of the night

I'm by myself tonight since the boys are playing in Berlin. They are currently in a 3-way tie for 4th place in the league. The standings are pretty close, but hopefully we get a big W tonight! We have a pretty busy rest of the week coming up as well also! Kevin leaves Thursday for his game on Friday against Mannheim. Saturday morning, we have a Christmas Eve skate/potluck with the rest of the players and families. Saturday night we are having another couple over for dinner and drinks. Sunday is Christmas (holy moly, already!!) and we are headed over to the Scherenbergs for brunch before Kev's practice that aftenoon. And the day after Christmas, the guys have a home game. Busy busy! I still have a tiny bit of Christmas shopping left and lots of cooking and baking to do! The Christmas markets close on Friday as well, so I'm obviously dying to get down there at least once more before they close. I don't know what I'm going to do without them when January rolls around! Anyway, have a great week everyone, tschüss!

And since I may not blog again this week,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

FROHE WEIHNACHTEN!

Cheers Lagen!

Kevin and I are so spoiled here because we once again had visitors in town last week. Kevin's brother, Mike (or Slick, whichever you prefer!), and 2 buddies, Brad and Dan came to spend a week in Germany. And boy, did they have a whirlwind of a trip! They literally did a German tour in the span of 8 days! Let me tell you a bit about this trip!

night one on the Reeperbahn

Day 1. Arrival: The boys get into Hamburg on Friday, take a nap, and start drinking to pre-game for Kevin's hockey game that night. We go to the game (Freezers won) and have a few more beers there. Kevin drops them off at the Reeperbahn for a night out and I hear them fumbling with the key to get back into our place at about 6:45.  A.M.!! What?????? I have never been more impressed!

Day 2. Saturday: Kevin leaves in the morning to go down to Dusseldorf with the team for Sunday's game. The boys don't get up until late afternoon just in time to go to the Hamburger HSV soccer game. They were hurting pretty bad after Friday so they were home and on the couch before I was home from a dinner out with the girls.



Brad, Dan, and Mike downtown



Day 3-6: The boys take Germany's high speed train (travels 260 kilometers/hr) to Dusseldorf to watch Kevin's game. They proceed from there to Munich and Berlin before coming back to Hamburg. Somehow they also find the energy to stay out into the early morning hours in all of these cities as well! They get back to Hamburg Wednesday afternoon and treated Kevin and I to a steak dinner downtown.

Day 7: Thursday: Kevin had to leave once again to head down to Iserlohn with the team for Friday's game. The boys met me downtown after my class to shop around and go to a Currywurst restaurant. Shannon and I take them out for the night and trick them into a "boy band" karaoke sesh of "It's Raining Men" at one of the bars on the Reeperbahn. It's considered an early night for them and we are all home by 4 a.m.






"It's Raining Men, Hallelujah!"



"Wannabe" Spice Girls











Friday night is much more relaxed for these guys and Saturday morning, it was off to the airport we went! Needless to say, these boys enjoyed their trip, being able to run around Germany consuming countless numbers of beers and making up their own German slang, "Cheers Lagen!" What does that even mean???? Kev and I were really happy to have them here with us and wish their stay could have been longer!

Mike in front of the Schmidt Theater, a comedy theater on the Reeperbahn

As for a hockey update, the boys won their game yesterday and are currently in 2nd place in the league. They only have a game on Sunday of this week and then have a break for a week with no games. After last nights game, the team captain organized an amazing dinner at an Italian restaurant downtown for the entire team and their wives/girlfriends.

It's back to normal around this apartment and back to a regular work week for me! Hans and his father ended up just joining me for the game yesterday and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was Hans's first hockey game and the entire game he kept asking me where is Kevin, is Kevin playing now? He's taken a real liking to Kev and even saved him a seat in the VIP room after for dinner.

That's all from here for today, Tschüss!