Happy New Year

New Years Eve is kind of a big deal here in Germany. Last year was our first year here to experience it and I was shocked how everyone had fireworks to shoot off. I'm talking little old grannies out on their doorsteps lighting fireworks! The fireworks in my village started at midnight and solid noise from them carried on for over an hour. It was a little insane. The other thing we noticed about the fireworks here is they apparently are not regulated like they are in the US. The things people were shooting off from their houses were definitely stuff you'd have to have some kind of license for in the States.

Yesterday Colin and I went to the home and garden store to get some supplies to feed the wild birds and I ended up buying us a variety pack of fireworks. I made sure it was all innocent Colin sized entertainment and stuff I'd seen/lit off in the US and knew what to expect. Deployments are always when all the crazy shit happens...if I was ever going to set the house on fire or blow up my car with fireworks, this would be the time, so I'm not taking any chances! I was amazed at the crazy stuff they were selling to any Joe Schmoe that wanted it at the store. I'm talking explosives that looked like paint cans and some the size of my kid!


Tonight after dinner Colin and I went out in the yard and rang in the new year a little early. We enjoyed watching the fireworks and liked the spinner kind that bounced around. He wasn't so sure about those screaming volcano things, he had to hold my hand during those, but overall he was pretty excited about the show. I think his favorite part was when his little friend next door hopped up into his kitchen window, which faces our house/yard and watched the fireworks too. Colin and Christian waved frantically back and forth to one another and then they started yelling to each other through his window. They both thought it was pretty neat.

Enjoying a little snow snack while he watches the show, lol. Wierdo!

I'm doubting I will stay up this year to see the clock strike midnight. If I don't I'm guaranteed to be awake shortly after from all the celebrating and noise going on though. As long as it doesn't wake up Colin I'll be happy :)
Happy New Year!