HAPPY 2011!!!

.

We made it to Rostock and back home safely, and had a good time with Oma, Opa, Omi Lotti and Auntie Ulli. There were more presents (of course), we went swimming, to an awesome indoor play place, to the beach, out for cocktails (Neil, Claudia and Ulli), and even to the movies (everyone minus Omi Lotti). We watched "Rapunzel" ("Tangled" in English), and even though it was in German both Finn and Lily did really well and enjoyed it.

.

And since I've gotten a few comments on how Finn and Lily are in pajamas in about every other picture, here is one more. :)

They love their fleece PJs to pieces, and even though Santa brought them new ones they are still stuck with these because the next bigger size is MUCH bigger and the pants are falling off them still.

Lily got a preschool book for Christmas, and really enjoys doing "school work".

She also got some tattoo pens from Ulli, and sported a few new tattoos as a result (as did Finn).




Something that was really popluar 30 years ago and is still good today: "Eierlikör" (something like egg nogg, but stronger) in little chocolate wafer cups. Lily wanted some too, so she got some vanilla sauce in hers. She's hooked!

And are you ready for this?!

The AWESOME SPIDER FINN is on the move again!

Little sister is unimpressed though. Her new horsey needs some grooming.

When Spider Finn turns into a little boy again (although I am not allowed to call him "little" anymore) the good deeds do not end. It is his mission to keep Omi Lotti fit and running around for many more years. The ever popular "wheelbarrow" comes in handy for the purpose.

New Year's Eve we spent at home eating, drinking, and being merry. Opa made a fire on the patio, and there were fireworks!

The spectators getting ready.

Opa had a rocket for each of us, including Grandma and Grandpa. Did you see your rockets? :)

Hot punch to keep us warm from the inside.

And then some more fun in the house.

Finn's favourite fireworks were these little table fireworks. BOOM! Boy, did those caps ever fly off! Not putting it under a lamp was a great idea. Not only a few cheap toys but tons of aluminum glitter foil confetti came out, enough to cover a good portion of the living room (by the time we had used them all up).

New Year's Day we spent in Warnemünde. Feeding the seagulls:

Eating:

Trying not to slip on the huge ice puddles on the beach:

Trying not to be blown into the water. (Actually the wind was coming FROM the water, but it was very VERY windy indeed.)

And now we are back home. We still have a few days together before it is back to the grind. It's a new year and we hope it will be a good one for all of us - and for you, whoever you may be :) . We are not big on New Year's resolutions, really, but one of mine is to cook more vegetarian meals, and mostly avoid mass production meat. Personally, I am at the point where I'd rather eat some beans or an egg than some poor chicken that was raised under cruel conditions and is full of antibiotics and other stuff I don't even want to know about. We buy a lot of organic foods already (dairy, grains, eggs, bananas, vegetables), and after a trip to the organic foods store today I know I will cook more fish and try out new meatless recipes, because organic meat is crazy expensive. Luckily Finn and Lily like tofu and eggs. And I did buy some organic hotdogs for them too, so the poor kids won't be completely deprived of processed foods. :)

.