Fasnacht - Kids get to dress up...

Everett was pretty devastated that they do not celebrate Halloween in Austria with trick-or-treating (or trunk-or-treating for that matter). It is an American rite of passage to dress up as whatever you want. Needless to say, we jumped at the opportunity to let Everett dress up this year for Fasnacht. Which originates from the period of fasting before the Catholic Lent, where certain foods and activities were historically frowned upon (or even forbidden in certain time periods). So people would dress up and go crazy before Lent began. These days, it is just a whole bunch of fun, with music, festivals, and food. For kids, they allow them to dress up as whatever they wanted. Everett chose to be a ninja. And boy did he look great. He was the talk of his class, and his sword was a winning touch.

Here is Everett posing with his classmates... can you find the ninja?

As a father, this is one of my favorite pictures of Everett of all time... he really looks like he knows how to handle that thing... and I have a few bruises on my hand to prove that he does!

A master at rest, look how he blends into his surroundings!

Fasnacht - Austrian Carnival!

Everett made it back to Kindergarten just in time for his Fasnacht, the Austrian version of Carnival. It is basically an opportunity for kids and adults to dress up and have some fun. Everett and his classmates dressed up as Native Americans, Asians, and peoples from other regions. They are learning about different countries around the world, and this gave the kids a chance to dress up and walk around the old city in Feldkirch.

(Note: For adults, the activities usually include some pretty interesting articles of clothing, marching bands, and alcohol. Some of the costumes were really cool. We saw smurfs, colored bears, and lots of costumed brass bands, which are part of the celebration. Additional note to anybody with kids: you might want to avoid riding the buses and trains at night during this time of year)

Here is Everett's teacher, rallying the troops.

Here is Indian Everett with one of his best buddies, Dennis.

Dennis and Everett are loving their face paint!

No idea what is going on with this fountain, but it is cute!

What a studly warrior

Day #22

Here are some pictures of Everett at his school. Notice the whirlwind around him, as the kids work and play. Everett remains completely focused on his coloring. Have we mentioned that Everett loves going to Kindergarten? Well, he does. But each day, Liam has a really hard time saying goodbye. Sometime he whimpers when he has to give Everett a hug and kiss before leaving. Liam really wants to be a Kindergartner soon, too. His time is coming soon enough. Our boys are growing like crazy!

Day #21

Everett's Kindergarten had an open house day, and the parents were allowed to come and see what the class is up to. We were able to drop Liam off with a babysitter, so that we could both go. Everett was so happy to show us the songs he is learning, and he loved introducing us to his life as a Kindergartner in Austria. He loves his class, and he feels right at home. Steve took half the day off to be there, and it was a huge success. The kids sung songs and showed us their shadow story. It was a wonderful experience. Afterward we all had some cake and treats. All of the parents and teachers were so interested that Steve spoke German, and when he showed the teacher where the Smith family had lived in the US, the entire classroom of parents and children watched. That dispelled most of the rumors that we were from England.

Here is Everett's teacher, Christiana. She has taken a special interest in Everett. She has been teaching Kindergarten for 30 years!

Everett is showing daddy the dance he has been learning at school.

Now it's Mommy's turn.

Here he is dancing with one of his best buddies, Abdul!

Here is Everett sitting around the table during the event.