"new" because it's been since March, but I am only posting now.
"kindergarten" because it is a kindergarten that is not officially governmentally bureaucratically a kindergarten. it cannot be classified as such because of one omission - it has no roof!
it is a waldkindergarten - a popular concept in germany. [answers to faq... 5 hours a day, heat up soup over a fire, 21 kids, 3 teachers, reading, playing painting, hiking, singing, dancing, stories, fantasy, no toys]
There is only one in our region, and it is so far away, but we decided it was worth the commute, and as soon as there was an opening for both of them, poof, we were there. (Actually, it was funny - two teachers came to interview us for the openings, and we had a rather chilly coffee in the garden just to prove our worth.)
The night before, we got our stuff ready. The list of things to bring with you to our new kindergarten are: A bowl. A Spoon. A washcloth. and....... A SHARP knife. Theodore also needed his birthday compass.
The first day of school it was a dreary rainy day. Brian had gone to London for the week, and we had rented a car. We didn't know the ropes yet. As we rode up the small mountain, on the narrow winding road, the drizzle turned to light fluffy snow. So beautiful.
This is the boys in their Christmas hats that I knit for them, with little bells on the end of the tassel. They are warm wool hats. Good thing, too. :)
The view from the top. In the distance is "Mariatrost" a church on a hill which is the destination of many pilgrimages, and at the very edge of Graz. The kindergarten is at a much higher elevation on top of a mountain.
Henry went right to work eating snow and rolling in it.
Theodore observed for a little longer.
Felix wanted to stay here too.
At the end of the day, I went to pick them up and was told Theodore had "lost" his first tooth.
"lost" because it was really truly lost.
The tooth fairy still came, and brought 1 of each kind of coin, covered in glittery dust, which we found for days after...