Peppernuts or Pffernuss

A Kauffman family tradition to make the little German cookie and then give them to friends at Christmas time.

Botanical Gardens at Christmas

On a nice warm evening, we all enjoyed the Christmas lights. 

Electric Light Parade

Victor at the Christmas light parade, it was a cold, but a bright parade. 

Kansas Cosmosphere

The musuem is filled with rockets, planes, a lunar lander, and a space shuttle. The museum explains the story of the space race. 

Victor saw Dr. Goddard's lab where they showed experiments and blew things up. 

Below is Victor next to the SR- 71 aircraft. 

Salt Mine

Victor the salt miner!

Hutchinson is known as the salt capital of the world. The elevator, built by Germans, takes visitors down 650 feet or 200 meters. 

Salt is mined and used mainly to thaw ice  on roads. The area that has been mined is then used to store medical records, government records and film industry memorabilia.  The temperature stays at a constant 68 degrees or 20 Celsius. 

First Thanksgiving

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole and salads. Then pumpkin pie, chocolate, and pecan pie. And repeat. 

Black Friday shopping a day early, it wasn't Target, it was a zoo. 

We all played ping pong and some darts in the basement. 

Lubbock Texas

Just two hours south of Amarillo, we went for the day to tailgate and watch the Kansas State vs Texas Tech football game. It was cold, about 11C and add to that a loss, 58-41.

Christmas Shopping at Wolflin Square

"Texaswurst" or Umbarger German Sausage Festival

This year marks the 67th annual festival in this small German town of Umbarger, which is about 30 miles south of Amarillo.

Sausage, saurkraut, mashed potatoes and green beans, served to raise money for St. Mary's church. 

Tascosa vs. Amarillo High

This game is a big rivalry between the two west side schools. The whole week prior to the Friday night game is called "Hell Week". Lots of pranks are done between the two schools during this week. The game this year was won by Amarillo High 14-7. 

Halloween

Carving pumpkins is something that most families do every year. We picked patterns or just free draw like Victor did. Then when it gets dark they are lit for everyone to enjoy. After dinner with our neighbor friends, Debbie and Doug, Victor went to a Haunted House with some Tascosa friends.

League House Fund Raiser or Victor's First Auction

Bryan went out of town to Denver, so Victor went with Tara to the fund raiser for the League House.  This is a home/hotel for families to stay while having treatment at the hospital or while their loved ones are in the hospital.  We had good food and Victor got to see and hear his first auction. We forgot to take a picture until it was almost over.

Maize Maze

CIEE activity this month was the corn maze. Not the first group out, but still had fun. 

Shooting corn at the pumpkin. 

Fair #2

Last weekend we went to the Kansas State Fair and this weekend to the Tri-State Fair in Amarillo. Victor met up with other exchange students and went to the rodeo. Bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing and saddle bronc riding were a few events. 

16th Birthday!!!!

After a day at school we went to dinner at the Amarillo Club, one of Amarillo's oldest restaurants, with a great view of the city.  Victor ordered sorbet for dessert and they added a candle and we all sang Happy Birthday.

From Fußball to Football

Crazy triple overtime game in Manhattan, Kansas. 33-39 win for K-State!!

Sporting KC Game

Took Victor to a US Fußball game in Kansas City!!

From our seats. 

Amarillo Chamber Barbeque

Good ribs, brisket and Victor's favorite the fortune cookies!

This is the pool next to my new house in Amarillo. It looks so beautiful. 😍

Victor Has Arrived!!

Victor came into Amarillo at 4:15 in the afternoon, said that his flight was great, everything was on time.  We took him straight home with a short look at Tascosa High School so that he could see where he was going to be attending school.  He unpacked and then we went for a burger at Applebee's.  Three internet connections, the iPhone, ipod and computer and he is off to bed, he is very tired and needs a good nights sleep.

The Beginning

Victor, we welcome you to our home and hope that you have a wonderful experience.  As you go through this year we can add to this blog and have a record of your year as a student in the United States.  We're looking forward to meeting you in person on September 4th!