Kapusnice party #2

Tuesday was a normal school day, except for the delivery of a big box of Christmas surprises from the Comeys in Connecticut.  :-)  Thank you, Patrice!  We went to our Slovak lesson after school, and my students, Eva and Tana came for English lessons at 6:00.  

Eva made cookies, beautifully decorated and wrapped, for a
Christmas gift.  We'll save them for when the kids are here!

We played volleyball at school after that, and as always, it was a lot of fun!!  

Then this afternoon was the all-school kapusnice party at a large hall near the church.  There were about 70 people there, and everyone had a grand time!  

We were asked to bring sweet treats, so my Peanut Blossoms
(with Hersheys Kisses) were placed out on the trays!  :-)

This table had meats and sausages -- and jars of really yummy
mustard and horseradish!!  

There were speeches and a toast to start off the occasion ---
which is typical for every Slovak event we've attended! 

More pretty napkin decorations!  

This is the second pot of kapusnice that came in.  Both HUGE pots!!
(Kapusnice is traditional Slovak soup for any time, but especially
for Christmas.  It's basically sauerkraut soup with sausage and other
meats, plus perhaps potatoes, and dried plums.)  Delicious!!

We were called up to the front, introduced, asked to say a few words about ourselves to those who don't know us, (translations provided!), and presented with a really lovely coffee-table photo and history book on
the Lutheran churches of Slovakia.  Then they set it out for all the staff to sign for us.  Incredibly sweet!!
This is L-R: Patka and Janka (Deputy Headmistresses), Janka (Headmistress), and the pastor of our church,
who also teaches religion classes at school and does our staff devotions.  

The "Guys in Ties" - Tim and Erik (P.E. and computer teacher) - who is the one who
got us going to Friday night volleyball and basketball.  

The gals across the table - Janka (who teaches us Slovak!), Lucia (who actually taught math in the U.S. for a while),
and our Slovak "daughters", Katarina and Janka!  :-)  

Our side of the table, getting a little goofy!!  :-)   (You can see how soup is always served here - in the large silver
tureens with a big ladle.  They were placed all up and down the tables family-style.)

All the gifts people brought were placed under the tree originally, then loaded into this giant
basket.  Peter and Erik took it around so everyone could choose a package.  

Katarina reaching for her package, and Janka opening hers.   Everyone was supposed to bring a gift that begins with
the letter "E"  ---  it reminded me of Sesame Street --- today's program is brought to you by THE LETTER "E"!!  LOL!!
It was a super idea, and lots of fun to see what everyone got!!  Of course I had to be a jokester, and I wrapped an empty box.  Inside I wrote:  "E" is for "Empty" -- HAHA!!  Then below that, I taped an envelope which said, "E" is also for "Envelope" -- please open this one.  Inside was a message instructing the recipient to go get something "Extra" after giving Tim and Michelle a hug!!  So then we gave her the real gifts that began with "E" --- Earmuffs and an Emery board.  Our other, more normal gift, was a pair of Earrings and and Emery board.

This is our beautiful book.  On the cover is Sväty Kríž, the enormous wooden church which we visited in September!  

The Olson kids will arrive in Vienna in FOUR days!!!  YAY!!!   We are super excited to see them and to introduce them to this wonderful country of Slovakia!!