Exceptional

Exceptional--that's how I would describe my week thus far, and I'm sure it will continue to be so.

30 hours left {for me, in Hungary!} until Christmas arrives...

The staircase at the Bridge has been adorned with Christmas banners and wreaths

and the stairs lined with the fresh branches of pine trees. The building

smells of evergreen and it's heavenly!

My windowsill displays thoughtful Christmas cards

A peek at my activies this week...

Sunday evening: A school Christmas program with families from the church

Tuesday evening: Our Small Group's Agape Christmas Dinner

I made this simple and tasty dessert for the Christmas dinner: peanuts, pretzels,
and corn flakes{they don't have Rice Chex in Hungary} covered with melted
white chocolate. I made two bowlfuls and it was a huge success!

Wednesday at noon: Bridge Staff end-of-year lunch at Divinus Hotel Restaurant

The Divinus Chandelier.

The two "Jozsi's."

Me and Csilla

Wednesday afternoon: Gingerbread cookie-making with a family in the church

The boys are carefully selecting their cookie cutter shapes.

We pushed cloves into fresh oranges to make fragrant decorations.

The cookies are ready to be popped into the oven...

The finished masterpieces!

I left the Baksa family home with goodies--gingerbread cookies to snack on,
an orange to fill my bedroom with Christmas spices, and a book by a Hungarian author.

Thursday: spending the day learning to make stained glass art with Tiffany glass at a workshop {photos to come}

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I was so pleased to figure out how to download and save YouTube clips onto my computer. I was able to find several of my favorite Christmas films on YouTube {in ten minute increments of course} and I am delighted to watch these cheerful children's films and be whisked back into my childhood.

Here are the films I'm enjoying watching curled up on the couch under a blanket with a mug of steaming hot cocoa:

~Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

~'Twas the Night Before Christmas

~Mickey's Christmas Carol

~A Garfield Christmas Special

~Claymation Christmas

~A Muppet Christmas Carol

I will spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the Steiner family. Who knew that way back in 1997, when the Steiners lived in America and spent Christmas with my family, that one day I'd be switching places and instead spend Christmas with them in Hungary!?!