Joyous Signing at the Elementary Christmas Concert

This year our theme for the Elementary Christmas Concert was Candy Canes.  Throughout the night we clearly laid out the story of Jesus' birth and how through this baby we have the opportunity for salvation.  It was a wonderful concert with great singing and speaking from all the different students.

Prepping before the Show

Primary-2nd Grade

This Year's Theme

3rd-5th Grade

Entire Elementary

How cute it that!?!  The little brother of one of my students.

Primary-2nd Grade

Entire Elementary

IBCV Children's Christmas Concert

Here's a portion of the children's Christmas concert from my church.  A combination of cuteness and funniness!

One of my 4th Grade students (on the left)

Happy Holidays Gift Exchange!

For the past few years my friends, Amanda and Carrie, have hosted a Secret Santa Gift Exchange.  It allows a special time for the ladies of ICSV to get together and encourage one another through gift giving.  I particularly enjoyed this year since I had been able to get to know my "secret Santa" a lot better this year than last year.  It was fun trying to shop for her and find just the right thing!  Unfortunately she wasn't able to come to the party, so she didn't receive her gift until a few days later.

Look at all the presents!

Yumminess

The Hosts

Great Time on a Field Trip to the Christmas Markets

Continuing in the Christmas tradition at ICSV all students went on a field trip to the Rathaus in order to create some beautiful Christmas crafts and shop at one of the biggest Christmas markets in the city.  This year 4th and 5th grade went together again and we had a blast!  Check out some of the pictures of our time below.

On Our Way :)

Creating Picture Frames

Making Candle Holders

My Group :)

Waffle Time!

4th Grade

5th Grade

Walking Back to the uBahn

Forming Clay at Potteria

Our first field trip this year took us to a pottery store called Potteria.  This art field trip, with the art teacher Mr. Reynolds, was one of my favorite field trips in all my years of teaching.  Not only were the kids able to use a block of clay to form whatever we wanted, they were also able to use a potter's wheel to create a bowl.    Since there was one extra potter's wheel I was able to make a bowl too.  It was hard!  If you don't put your hands in the exact place they need to be your bowl will be lopsided or too thin or completely destroyed.  While my bowl turned out rather well for my first attempt, it was still flawed.  

Looking back on our experience I can't help but think about the passage in the Bible that talks about God being the potter while we are the clay. Before God uses His hand to mold us into the "bowl" we are meant to be we are just a lump of clay waiting to be formed.  Once we've come to the potter's wheel (through salvation) God begins to shape us into the form He intends us to be.  Along the way we show our flaws, but God works on smoothing them out and continuing to shape us into our ultimate form...into the form He always knew we would become.  A "bowl" that focuses on bring glory, honor, and praise to God.

I'm SO thankful I'm not the potter.  No matter how hard I try I will NEVER be able to create something perfect.  It's only through God's hands we are transformed into who He wants us to be.  Even though we are stubborn sometimes (like clay can be), we need to submit to God's ways and understand that He is the one who knows what is best for us.

Isaiah 64:8 says, "But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You are our potter; And all of us are the work of your hand."

Ready to Go!

Working on our Bowls

Making our Unique Creations

The Group

Notice the "Big Kid" in the far right corner :)

Excellent Christmas Markets

Just like last year, the Christmas Markets were once again excellent.  This year we were able to enjoy them without the presence of snow. :)  It was so much fun shopping for Christmas gifts, eating yummy goodies, and enjoying the "Christmas Market Atmosphere."  The markets help make a winter in Austria bearable.  Enjoy some of the pictures of my adventures below.  This year I was able to go to 7 different markets!

Shopping with the girls

Ball of Chocolate from Germany

Crepe-YUMMY!!!