Squeals of delight

Forced to shovel snow after jogging in his swanky new duds.

This is a red back spider and meant that kids ate all their dinner and requested it again.

Something must have been in the air today or the moon was in the seventh sign and Jupiter was aligned with Mars as everyone woke up with a jump in their step and a snappy "Good Morning". It took over seven hours for the first meltdown which has to be a record. Snow melted over the weekend and today was clear, bright and freezing (-5 oC). first squeal of joy came when we realised we could all get back on the bikes (including the Mouse on the back of Herr Fitz's bike) and go off to Kindergarten, play group, work and grocery shopping. Later the kids and I biked to violin and rode back with (insert second squeal here) an extra part for the new sled to keep the Mouse, and probably the Monkey from falling off. The Monkey was on the back of the bike and had to hold onto the sled seat all the way home. She did a great job. We were talking about needing more snow then when I walked out of my German class tonight and it had snowed, just a little. Ok, that is a major understatement, there was about 4 cm of snow and the class only lasts an hour and a half and I was a bit late. So now Herr Fitz has braved the "fierce snow storm" or actually the lovely falling snow to bring in the sled so the kids can use it tomorrow. I knew we couldn't wait till Christmas. Just watching Herr Fitz relive all his scouting days glory as he fashions a rope handle on the sled. There are crazy knots and a gas lighter.

The last week has been so busy and when even I admit it then it must have been a bit crazy. Many squeals of joy were heard at the Christmas Market at Kindergarten on Friday night. There was singing in the church to begin and as I mimed the songs I can say it was lovely singing. Then we went out into the kindergarten where there was a carousel, craft that the Mamas had made which looked great in the dim light and which we bought lots of, waffle stand and hot chocolate and gluhwein. Not to forget the chocolate wheel which I made the Monkey play until she won the cookie cutter in the shape of a tooth which I had my eye on since I had helped sort the prises. She hasn't got RSI from spinning the wheel as there were lots of orange wedges so it wasn't to hard and only took two turns.

The Bear next to his Wackelzahn Gruppe poetry stall. How could we not buy his first ever pinch pot and candle holder.

The Monkey won her hat on the Schneeball Wurf (throwing a ball at tins...what is that called in English?) and loves it. The Bear showed her if you wear it sideways you are a rock star.

While Herr Fitz's (aka Dad) took the kids for a bit of culture at their violin concert rehearsal which the Monkey had insisted on practicing for at 7am that morning, I (mum) headed off to Holland for a day of shopping with a few friends. With permission notes signed, the best value ticket found (thank you nice train station employee) and a mud map of Enschende drawn 2 Australians, 1 German, 1 American and 1 Chilean assembled at the train station for "shoppen". Let's just say there were many squeals of joy throughout the day including finding Hema a shop full of colour and fairly price friendly items, delicious lunch, getting Frau M paged in the department store as lost (in Dutch) and the "Chariots of Fire" esque run for the train through pretty much the entire shopping district. Yes 4 mothers and one sprightly young thing (we found Frau M) running carrying shopping bags. In our heads we have a very funny version of the run but maybe in reality it was a little more uncoordinated. With the US army mantra of "not leaving a man behind" and the punctuality of the Deutschebahn it was going to take an epic final push to the platform. We made it to the rail crossing while the train was still at the station and a final charge to the platform saw us jump on one at a time and slumped into seats gasping for breath as the train started pulling out of the station. Luckily it was the right train and a quick gluhwein at the train station at the other end finished an excellent day.

Bought leg warmers not cheese but the picture wasn't as good. Don't laugh my knees are getting cold and I really want to keep wearing skirts.

After a joint breakfast with Frau M and our upstairs neighbours where we ate far to much old stinky cheese from the "cheese bag" we decorated our gingerbread house. For the record the cheese bag is a bag of mixed cheese ends from the cheese sellers at the market which costs 7 euros and is, quite frankly the best thing in the world. This was a mix of soft and hard cheeses, a huge thanks to Frau A and Herr J who gave us the said cheese bag. This is the second cheese bag we have received as a gift and if posting stinky cheese wasn't frowned upon by both postal systems I would have sent everyone one of Christmas.

Everyone love a space hopper ball even if they can't jump on it yet. this one miraculously popped up in our cellar and has been a big hit. It is very hard to be serious when the Monkey hops all over the house on it.

Home from German class after a new snow fall.