Snow

It is snowing which means it is time for me to leave for warmer climates...

Christmas Time

Like every family, we are very busy in the days before Christmas. Daughter made Christmas wreaths with a friend, she attended a "Gingerbread House baking class" and took part in a Christmas play. We baked Christmas cookies (and already ate them all), went to the Christmas markets several times (and froze our butts of) and saw a musical with daughter's godmother. We attended Christmas parties and watched "Elf", like we do every year.

A few more days and you will find me sitting on a couch, eating chocolate and drinking "Gluehwein" and nothing will get me off it!

6am

It is amazing how much quicker someone will wake up in the morning when there is an advents calendar waiting for her...

Lemmy from Motorhead or Why it will be a Looong Day for Husband

Husband had to go to work early today. Very, very early. He left kind of in a daze and that was not only because I had forgotten to buy coffee. No, getting up a 5 am is not fun if you have only slept a few hours because you just had to talk to Lemmy from Motorhead. Who is, according to husband, one of the nicest and coolest musicans ever and worth sacrificing sleep for.

Barbie Pink Ticket

Three days ago there was a Barbie doll in daughter's advents calendar. Daughter was estatic. The Barbie is "the most beautiful" she has ever seen. The dress is perfect. There is even a Barbie purse and a comb in the package. Just when I am about to throw the plastic box all those treasures came in in the trash daughter takes it out of my hand and gaspes: "Look! I. Can. Win. Something!!!" She takes out a little piece of paper and waves it in front of my face.

Of course she wants to win this "Barbie gift" right then and there and neeeeeds to use the computer immediately. "No!" I say. "Get ready for school and forget this game. It's impossible to win anything at these contests."

She bugs me with this "special code" she has for the next three days and today, I give in. "You can use my computer" I say, "and then, please, no more contests."

A few minutes later I hear her squealing happily. When I look at her, I see her sitting in front of the computer with a big grin on her face.

And yes, she did win. Some kind of special Barbie doll or some Barbie furniture to be delivered to our house in the next few weeks.

Getting ready...

We are getting ready for Christmas and the cold. By now we are using our boots, hats, gloves, and scalves on a daily basis. And while wrapping gifts I am thinking about our last trip (as seen by my friend)...

Last Night of November

The last night of November always means wrapping little packages for the 5 "Adventcalendars" I give out every year. I am done with 2 of them which still leaves me with more gifts to wrap than I want to think about. Like every year, the 30th of November will be a loooong night...

Night At The Museum

Tonight I dropped son and a friend off for "A Night At The Museum." They will sleep in the museum between huge models and skeletons of dinosaurs and other creatures.

They brought their sleeping bags, lots of food and flashlights. And they assured me that they are not afraid at all...

Vienna, Day 3

On our last day the sunny, coudless sky made Vienna shine. And because of the beauty of Vienna's white, majestical buildings, the old copperstone roads, the delicious chocolate and my dear friend's refusal to leave, we almosed missed our plane back home. We really almost didn't make it.

Look! Finally a picture son choses to be in!!! Yes!

Of course, here comes his Buddy.

And his sister, who has been told that this IS son's trip, is also sneeking into the picture, with a pathetic look on her face...

Guys!!!

I knew she wouldn't stay in the back for very long...

And her brother must have had a very, good trip for letting her hug him like that...

Vienna, Day 2

On our second day in Vienna we woke up to light, drizzling rain. We took the tram to this oddly beautiful, shabby chic style - has Rachel Ashwell been here yet? - train station.

And from there we went to a coffee shop where we had the most delicious breakfast, served by a most patient waitress...

The rest of the day we spent mostly in front of the Hundertwasser Haus...

inside the Hundertwasser coffee shop,

before we went to the Kunsthaus with the Hundertwasser exhibit.

I do believe we all know as much as there is to know about Friedensreich Hundertwasser now.

Das Schwarze Kameel - The Black Cameel

A very heartfelt recommendation: if ever in Vienna, don't miss the "Das Schwarze Kameel", a tiny little patisserie shop, downtown Bognerstrasse. Make sure you purchase the dessert in a glass on the first day you are there. I bet you will return every single day during the duration of your stay.

A definite "need to try" is the "Apfelstrudel im Glas" with layers of vanilla cream, cinamon mousse, nuts, raisins and apples with caramel.

Vienna, Austria

Once a year, a friend of mine, her son, my son and I take a trip to an European city for a few days. We usually pick a city, explore it, go to museums, eat the local food and talk and talk and talk. It is great fun for all of us and it gives me the chance to concentrate on my son without being constantly interrupted because "something important has happened". Which is more likely than not, a dog walking by.

This year, we had decided on Vienna, Austria.

And we had extended an invitation to daughter because husband was gone himself. She had promised not to interrupt any conversations and to keep in mind that this was a trip for the boys and talk about dogs of any kind had to be limited.

View from the Stephansdom:

We have been taking those trips with the boys for a few years now, and it has been interesting to watch them approach a new city. When they were younger they were most interested in toy stores, where they could buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards and where we would eat lunch. Now, they clearly have an opinion on where we go and what sights we pick (and boy, there was a lot of grief when I made them attend a show of the "Spanische Hofreitschule".) They can spend hours in a museum and actually enjoy art!

HALLOWEEN

I was working on Halloween this year but husband was home. He and son got very much into son's costume and almost missed trick or treating. By the time they finally got on the road most people were out of candy! But I must admit - this is a scary face!

The Other Colors of Morocco or As Many Babouches As You Can Carry

There are only one kind of shoes daughter and I will wear inside the house: Moroccan Babouches. There are made out of very soft leather, have no soles and come in the most beautiful colors, the tip of the shoes are round, never pointy. For a few days they also have a very unique leathery smell, some people might say they stink...but they are so comfortable.

Unfortunately babouches are almost impossible to get outside of Morocco. So when husband called from a market and said there were market stalls next to market stalls loaded with the most colorful babouches we asked him to bring as many as possible.

And he did. Daughter and I are now proud owners of over 15 pairs of blue, pink, white and lavender colored babouches.