Happy New Year!

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We had a really nice New Year's Eve celebration at our friends' house. We got home at 4am - can't remember the last time we stayed out that long. The kids had a lot of fun and enjoyed the fire works and drinking "champagne" to ring in the new year.

We hope 2010 will bring you all much happiness, health and love!

Christmas Day

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We hope you are all having wonderful, love-filled, relaxing holidays! We are enjoying spending time together as a family. Neil is happy to have a break from work and that he can do fun things with the kids all day. I (Claudia) braved the elements today (cold, wet, WINDY) and took my Christmas gift, an ipod shuffle (one of those tiny music things with earplugs) on a run. Neil put lots of music on it, and it definitely makes longer runs more fun!
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Here are some more pictures. Lily coloring on her new magic board in the dress that Omi sent her:

Christmas Day breakfast: baked French toast.

And this is what Finn's shiner looks like now. A few days ago he fell over Lily's outstretched legs (she was on the floor cuddling her Lenny). It bled quite a long time, and could probably have used a couple stitches, but I finally just taped the wound shut and it's fine now.

This is what it looked like the day after the fall. He fell on the hard spout of a water bottle he was carrying. I'm so happy he didn't poke his eye out!


The kids and their cats:

Daddy (sporting the "I don't need to shave I'm on vacation" - look) and Lily watching some YouTube tonight:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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Here are some of our Christmas Eve pictures. After we came home from church, Lily got her first present from Jana, tore off the paper right away and ...

... carried her new "baby" off to the safety of her room.

Then it was time to see what was under the tree!

The Playmobil castle and barn were a huge hit, and thanks to Oma and Omi Lotti even Lenny and Blue got some new toys. And while Lenny was more interested in the train going around the Christmas tree Blue instantly fell in love with the catnip filled play mouse.

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We had a really nice day yesterday, even though we did not get to spend it with our great families. It was nice talking to you!

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AND, again, a BIG

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HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA!!!!!!!!!!!!

December pictures

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Finn and Lily discovering on December 6th that St. Nikolaus (or "Niggelaus" as Lily calls him) filled their boots with toys and a little treat!

Lily got these cute little Playmobil cats, complete with a scratching post not unlike ours, a food dish and a boy and a girl to take care of them. There are 6 kittens, two "Lennies", two "Blues" and two white ones. Lily loves them all and if one goes missing we have to search high and low until we find it again, a major undertaking considering their size.

Sunday, Dec 6th, there was a Nikolaus party in our town, in front of the church. It was the usual: a few booths with food and drinks, an enclosure with sheep and a couple of freezing teenagers ("Mary and Joseph"), a visit from Nikolaus who gave all the kids fruit and chocolate, and most of our town standing around drinking hot sweet wine and chatting. And the ponies. Lily fell in love with a pony named Heidi (no offense, cousin :) ) and she wanted to ride again and again, sitting up there like a queen and chattering all the time (explaining to Heidi where the sheep were, asking her why she was wearing a "Niggelaus-hat" and making plenty of neighing and snorting noises). Meanwhile Neil and Finn were busy eating huge crepes filled with nutella; I think they managed three. The ponies belong to a stable close to us and you can rent them to lead your child around. They also offer classes for young children, teaching them about safety and horse behaviour, and of course how to groom and ride a pony. Lily (and Mama) can't wait! :)

Last week we went to Neil's work Christmas party. It was fun! There was lots of food, room for the kids to play and, of course, a visit from St. Nick.

They loved playing with the nativity scene and in this old sled.

Now look, who just came through that door, Finn!



Claudia got to hold the staff, and Lily helped.

Last Sunday it snowed, and Finn and Lily loved watching the yard turn white. Unfortunately it didn't stay because the ground still wasn't cold enough. Finn got to play in it though before it disappeared. Now that it is about -2 all day and the ground is cold there is of course no snow in sight. :(

They can be so sweet ...

Reading "How the Grinch stole Christmas" with daddy. I'm afraid Lily was not impressed.

Our neighbours won this awesome gingerbread house at a party and since little Katharina is only 3 months old they gave it to us. We took it to Finn's preschool yesterday morning so he could share it with his class. Lily got to break a few pieces off right away so she wouldn't miss out.

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We really have the greatest kids in the world; I thank God every day for them! Lily is so cute. Today we went shopping to buy things for a gift basket for her Zwergelpark (playschool) teachers. She asked me what I was looking for and I said "piccolos". Piccolo is what those small single-serving bottles of champagne are called here. She said, "Piccolos? I help you look for piccolos." So when we went down another aisle she shouted, "I see them, there, Mama, lots and lots of piccolos!" She was so excited and proud that she found them that I gladly put them in our cart - chances are we will need those pickles soon. :)

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And last night, when I tucked Finn in bed he hugged me and out of the blue said, "But Mama, I really really love you and I don't want you to go to heaven when you're an Oma." What on earth do you say to that? I told him I would stay with him for a very long time. I hope I'm right. :)

Finn the singer

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We have this big book of German children's songs. Finn likes to sing and Lily is learning a few songs too. Here are two videos. There is not much singing going on in the first one as Finn found something interesting to show me. :)

P.S. And just in case you wondered - yes, these kids live in their pajamas. Getting them dressed is a major chore every morning.

It's advent!

Happy December, everyone! The kids are very excited about their advent calendars; this is the first year I have bought them some. They each got a Playmobil one, and can hardly wait to open the windows every morning. My normally grumpy-in-the-morning Finn comes flying down the stairs right into my arms now, shouting "Good morning, mama!". And then, of course: "Can I open my door now?!" :)

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We also got the Christmas decorations out and Finn and Lily were so excited to help decorate the living room. Finn found a Santa Claus hat in one of the boxes that he took an instant liking to. He wears it around the house a lot these days saying "HO HO HO HO!". Then he took my Christmas lights that I bought in Sweden (and usually put in the kitchen window), a Merry Christmas sign and an angel and decorated his own little table. When he was done we were told to all be quiet, because he needed to "talk to God". :)

And while Lily was at it, she decided to put some decoration on her Lenny too.

Those cats are so laid back, it's amazing. I mean, they still run when things get too rough, but our old cat Aimee would not even have let those two wild kids within 10 feet of her, I'm sure! Finn has gotten into the habit of carrying Blue everywhere. I am trying to make him stop doing it, but I'm up against a grinning boy and a purring cat, and so far have not been very successful.