Talia's 8 years old today!

I'm so glad she didn't have her cast on for it! She didn't want to do any kind of birthday party because she technically can't do any sports. I think she's shy about using it. She still has me do her seat belt since she has to snap it in with her left hand, the one that was in a cast.

She's still doing "modified" gymnastics. Don't diss me or send me nasty emails about what a bad mommy I am but we were very careful. This is a pretty competitive sport and keeping her out entirely would have really sunk all the hard work she's already put into it. I discussed this at length with the coaches and remember, this is not the kind of gymnastics with beams and bars. It's all done on a nice, soft surface and she is definitely not the first to have an injury. I want her to stay limber so it's mainly stretching she's doing. They've worked with these kinds of cases before...

No need to ask about ice skating. She is NOT doing that until next month. I might let her do the Xmas party but she wouldn't be doing a whole lesson.

They were taking photos for the Strasbourg GRS calendar and they were at first just going to wear their own outfits. I purposely re-washed her black tights and rebraided her hair for it. Someone found some small sized competitive costumes somewhere in the office and decided to try them on this group. I've actually never seen these get-ups in any competition so they must be old, but isn't it cute??

Here are the photos on the Strasbourg GRS site;

http://www.strasbourg-grs.fr/upload/images/img_091207184156.jpeg

http://www.strasbourg-grs.fr/upload/images/img_091207183532.jpeg

Or click on the pictures here;

http://www.strasbourg-grs.fr/site/index.php

I don't know why the links don't work on Blogger but you might have to copy and paste.

Saturday night I took the kids to the Christmas market, where we celebrated Talia's birthday last year. I felt badly for them having to kitchen shop with us the last two weekends.

This is the part of the Christmas market that has been going on since 1470.

Ronnie experiments with cross dressing.

Davina had to be held up to take this photo. I think this is as close as I'll ever get to putting Alsatian costumes on my girls;

We took a horse-drawn cab. I could only get Talia to pose in front of the horses. They were kind of big!

I sat on top with the girls. Ronnie was cold and wanted to sit inside.

Everyone look at the camera-not!

We got some good views of the city at night, all lit up for Christmas. Of couse, not having a good camera kind of bit.

The kids also wanted to go on the Merry-Go-Round, even though they're a bit old for them. They got in the sub, which they could control to go up and down.

Walking out, I saw this window display of a chocolate nativity scene. I'm thinking, who gets to eat the baby Jesus??

I took a few pictures of them in front of the big Xmas tree in Place Kleber (it comes from Norway each year). Ronnie is such a natural at ruining group photos. I think he's been reading too much Calvin & Hobbs!