Wordless Tuesday - Late Edition

Somehow, yesterday felt totally like Thurday.. Sorry for not delivering your weekly dose of the Doctor, Susannah and Janine. I'll make up for it today  :-)

Source

In my opinion, he's been unterestimated. This late Wordless Wednesday is in honor of Doctor No. 9!

Do They Believe?

It's that time of the year, the season of coziness, of baking, and cooking, and eating, of getting together and enjoying each other’s company cocooned in our warm homes as the end of the year (and the dark season at the winter solstice on December 25 according to the Julian calendar) approaches.

It's the time of the year for our children to leave through toy magazines, stroll by the displays in the mall, and meeting Santa to tell them their wishes for the holidays.

Well, now it happened that Santa (or Saint Nick) visited Lily and Violet’s kindergarten to give them some chocolate santas and listen to their songs. When I came home from work Friday night, a slightly annoyed Lily met me at the door, complaining that they weren’t visited by the ACTUAL Santa, but it was only Manuel, their intern, in disguise. Violet, at the same time swore that the REAL Santa had visited her class.

A few years ago, when Lily was born, Richard and I discussed how to handle Santa, the German “Christkind”, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy in the future. We strongly believe not to lie to children. On the other hand, we both remember fondly the years of being excited about the respective figures coming to visit at their appointed time. So we decided to let things go. To let them make their own experiences. To think for themselves what to believe in and what not. We do not heavily support either way, even though we are known to mention Santa or the Tooth Fairy on occasion.

I'm not sure yet how the experience with the false Santa  has affected Lily. We’re definitely going to make the wish lists and put them out for Santa to find. There will the customary “T’was the night before Christmas” good-night story on the 24^th. I know my parents will arrive with gifts that the “Christkind” has left at their house for the kids, and the in-laws will inquire on what Santa left for them under the tree.

Sometimes I think that they still believe in Santa and co. because they want to, not because they are deep-down convinced that they exist (except the Tooth Fairy, how else could possibly this coin have ended up under Lily’s pillow??). I don’t think there will ever be a “Santa isn’t real” talk at home; whenever they ask us whether they exist, we answer with the question “what do YOU” think?”, and leave it with that, because most of the time, they give themselves the best answers anyway.

Do your children still believe in Santa and friends? Do you support it or leave it up to them what to believe?

Out Partying

It's time for my office holiday party! I promise I won't drink too much, won't get food all over my clothes, won't give any embarrassing speeches, and be home before midnight  :-)

PS: I'm announcing a cookie recipe swap (link-up) next Tuesday, December 17 here at Life, Unexpectedly. I hope you'll all join in and share your very own recipes!!

RIP My Purse

My poor, faithful purse, which has been such a wonderful companion for the last few years, has drowned in a little bottle of elderberry liqueur...

On to finding a successor, that's willing to shlepp my stuff around while still looking great...



PS: would anyone be interested in a cookie recipe swap link-up?  Any thoughts?

Week In Review - Ten Things of Thankful 27

Weekend once more. I've been off the air for a few day due to professional reasons. The translation went well and I'm going to write my first official invoice!! Oh, and I'm planning on spending every single penny of this paycheck, just to celebrate it  :-)

Other things I'm incredibly thankful for this last week:

1. The first snow.

2. Spending an afternoon with Lily shopping and picking out our tree.

3. An awesome friend who invited us to the Cinderella musical she performs in. Next best thing to The Nutcracker if you're a little girl I'd say  :-)

4. Tons and tons of baking with the girls.

5. Finally been able to organize a D&D game again.

6. Hubby not getting hurt when he fell down the ladder this afternoon.

7. Having sent out all the holiday presents State-wards.

8. Spending my lunch-break with an Irish Cream Latte, writing holiday cards.

9. Cinnamon cookies. SO delicious!

10. Preparing dinner with the girls, and enjoying tons and tons for fresh roasted veggies.


Even though I was gone most of last week, I'll still take off tomorrow. Another Alien movie has arrived, which means date time!!  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Weekend Recap - Thanksgiving Edition

Friday's visit by the tooth fairy was the start in a fun and busy weekend:

Saturday:
Thanksgiving Day for us here in Germany! I started baking and cooking around 9 am, as the night before I had an ingredient for the pumpkin pie missing and the stores were closed already. So I had an early start Saturday. The food turned out wonderfully and the greatest joy of that day was to share it with a bunch of wonderful friends. Around 8, the house emptied again, we could calm the girls down and put them to bed, clean up, and prepare the advent calendar for the girls.

Sunday:
I got up with the girls at 6:30 am. I cooked them old-fashioned oatmeal with apple sauce, let them open the first bag of their advent calendar (yes, until December 24, breakfast WILL include chocolate!!), and watched a fairy tale movie with them. I love those lazy Sunday mornings! We played some games, had lots of couples., and after lunch, we prepared for the fun activity of the day: decorating the gingerbread girls (and man) and the gingerbread house. Let me tell you, the girls took full advantage of the "eat all the candy you want now instead of dessert after dinner" compromise. Violet ate 9 pieces of candy for each one she put on the house and paid dearly for it with a tummy ache later. Dinner was easy with turkey sandwiches and pumpkin soup. Despite the sugar rush, the girls went to bed at their normal time and hubby and I got to have a little movie date on the couch, watching The Thing (yes, he loves to watch horror movies with me!!).

Little announcement: I have just gotten in a major translation project that is due Saturday (yay for holiday money!!), so you won't see much of me until after the deadline!

Tooth Fairy Visits

Lily's been having a loose tooth.. since August!!  I don't know how she did it that is stayed put, until bathtime this Friday, when she spit it into the sink while brushing her teeth. A moment between terror and excitement was turned to excitement, followed by doubt about whether the tooth fairy would find her.. or would even bother to come visit her for only this teeny-tiny tooth.

Well, let me tell you, the tooth fairy found Lily, and she took that teeny-tiny tooth, leaving a coin in return. And from her running out of her room over-the-moon-excited with that little coin in her hand, I think it's safe to say, tooth fairy did her job.


On that topic, we had a little discussing while brushing Lily's hair tonight:
Lily: Mami, does the tooth fairy really exist??
I: I don't know, Lily.. What do YOU think?
Lily: Mami, I know the tooth fairy exists. She left me a coin, do you remember? That means she HAS to exist!!

Love my Lily!