Measurements of Merriment: Good Bye 2015....Hello 2016!

So, since we moved here we have been told the Germans really go out for New Year's Eve. Ok, ya ya, sure...well come to find out, it's TRUE! During the day we didn't do much, kind of just hung out. Around 7ish we headed over to our German friend's house for their traditional German Raclette dinner. It was a lot of fun coming up with different combinations to grill and roast. Very tasty too! After dinner, they showed us how to play the game Bleigießen, which pretty much is melting down a piece of metal (usually lead or tin) in a spoon above a burning candle. Then, once melted, drop the liquid metal into a bowl of ice water. Next, you decide on what shape the metal has taken. On the back of the package there is a huge list of predictions for the new year depending on what shape the metal is.
When we had all had our turn, we filled our flutes with champagne, grabbed the packages of fireworks (and I mean the REAL kind, with rockets, not just firecrackers!) and headed out to the street where the rest of our neighborhood was already celebrating.
It wasn't even midnight yet and fireworks were lighting up the night sky everywhere we looked.
BOOM.....Blue! BANG......Red! POP......Green!
Everyone was setting them off, I was surprised even some of the kiddos were too. They hubby even showed Liam how to light a few. Kinley got to wave around some pretty sparklers. We were all having a great time! When midnight finally came around, we all toasted each other with a "Happy New Year!" We, and I mean, the hubby, Kinley and I stayed up to almost 2:00AM, while Liam headed to bed around 1:00AM-ish. It was an A-MAZ-ING New Year's Eve, definitely one to remember! We can't wait till next year to do it all again!