Cooking Class

I think I've shared that I teach a cooking class at South Bay Faith Academy. It's an easy thing to do for me and I have a great class.
Two Academy Days ago one of our little boys, I think he's somewhere between eight and ten years old, came in quietly saying that he had been on vacation in Germany. Any mention of Germany makes my heart whirl around like someone is speaking of an old crush since I lived there for so many years. It just brings so many fond memories of my childhood. So, anyway, back to this little boy, I asked him where he stayed in Germany. He mumbled something I didn't recognize. Well, not a huge surprise. There are cities in Germany I don't know, obviously. I dropped it.
Later we were looking at the world map trying to find where our empanadas had come from. I asked this little boy to show us where on vacation he had gone, but he didn't know. I pointed out Germany. I asked him again where he gone, but again I couldn't understand his answer. I asked once more and he mumbled a bit louder this time. "The Red Woods," he said. I thought, "The Red Woods? In Germany?" Then I began to think maybe he had gotten the Germany part wrong. It didn't take me long to realize he probably meant the Black Forest!
Last Academy Day it was my turn to buy the ingredients and bring all the dishes and utensils we'd bring. I really thought I had it all together. I had the kids breakfasts made since we get there quite early, our lunches for the park, diaper bags, etc, and all these pots and pans and ingredients for Swedish Meatballs. Well, I later realized I had forgotten the flour, sauce, salt and pepper. :( But, they turned out fine regardless.
This recipe for meatballs called for onions. The children were having a blast cutting onions and peeling, but after a while we all began sniffing. I had to leave to ask a question to the first hour teacher and had begun crying just enough for her to laugh and say, "Janna, you really need to teach those children to stop beating you!"
I went back into the onion-filled room and found all but two of the children crying. Of course, it was the onions, but it really looked like several of them had been sobbing for hours. I wish I had had a camera.