Today begins the slew of Fasching parties (AKA Carnival, Mardi gras, etc). I still don’t get how this wonderful pagan celebration of the end of winter is celebrated here. It seems that, in Germany, each region has it’s own traditions.
The big day here seems to be the Thursday before Fat Tuesday/Ash Wednesday. They call it Weiberfasching (women’s Fasching) Tonight in town, for example, most of the bars have women-only admission until 11 or so, and then guys are allowed in. If a guy is wearing a tie, it is the custom for the women to cut it off. It is basically a bit girls’ night. in north Germany, Monday is the big druken fest, but not much happens here on Monday.
Since I don’t really do girls’ nights at bars at the moment 
, I mostly only know what is happening with the kids. The Kindergarten and daycare had a big party today. The kids all wore costumes, and there were games and playing all day. We are hitting up another party in a nearby town with friends tomorrow, and then on Sunday, a local kids rock band, Donikl, is having a Fasching concert in the big hall right next to us.
I think we will be partied out by then (these parties tend to be very chaotic and loud, but the kids love them), but there are still tons of parties for kids all over the place until Wednesday when Lent begins and everyone stops wearing such bright colors until Easter.
So here is a glimpse into our first Fasching day. Since Fasching wasn’t even remotely a part of my childhood, this particular tradition reminds me that I really am a foreigner here!
Here is Princess Lily and Clair the Dragon
After the big party.
Decided we needed some fresh air so we went for a walk after Kindergarten. Lily is doing her ‘thing’ here, which was to stumble behind me whining, “mommy, mommy!!!” she is not really into walking about 50% of the time.
The girls and I were out for a good hour, and we managed to get about a whole 100 meters from the house. 
Not really a fan of the sudden snow storm that hit us (not a big fan of rain or wind os sun either – not really my outdoors girls)
Then, suddenly, What is that? The sun??
It is sunny!!
