Warning

Dearest children,

If you ever take all of the DVDs out of their cases and shove them under the guest room bed (especially in the five minutes it takes me to unload the dishwasher) again... "nice" Mommy might disappear forever.

I love you, Mommy

Dizzy Dazzling December

Merry (belated) Christmas!

We have been very much enjoying all of the festivities of this time of year... here are a few snapshots.

**Santa brought me a new camera (yippee), so I have been taking a LOT of pictures the past two days, but the first of these are from the old camera. Can you tell the difference? (I can.)**

Early in December, the kids and I started collecting pine cones on our walks in the woods to make some crafty ornaments. Then one night Charlotte and I glued silver glitter on them, and I tied some ribbon on, and Voila!

Toby has been REALLY interested in the workings of the woodstove this winter. No burns yet, thankfully.

I put icing on all of the sugar cookies, but let the kids do their own sprinkles. This was Toby's very own creation. :)

Charlotte's cookie masterpieces.

Of course, I like to decorate cookies too.

(Notice the blur? Guess which camera.)

In mid-December, we went to a Christmas concert and party at our church.

Rob and Toby looked dapper in their green shirts.

Charlotte is such a shy and retiring child. HA!

And finally, the main event!

Christmas morning was VERY exciting for Charlotte. She LOVES the dollhouse Santa brought her. (And all of her new toys, dress-up clothes, and books!)

(Blur, blur, grainy, blur.)

Toby also really enjoyed Christmas (though it took him 2 hours to open his presents.) Santa brought him a wagon and blocks and he received many other cool toys, (which he has had a lot of fun with already,) but he is just so cute taking care of the babies in Charlotte's dollhouse.

(Crystal clear photo = YAY!!!)

Today has been full of more fun with new toys and also with the new camera. :D

Crazy fairy princess in the foreground, singing Toby (with a spoon as usual) in the background.

I love this wild child.

(Fun new camera!)

Tickling and wiggling and giggling with Daddy.

(And not a blur in sight.)

Contrary to popular belief, Charlotte does actually stop moving from time to time, and always enjoys a good book.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

(See ya in 2010!!!)

Warms my heart

It's a cold day in Germany... so it made me feel very warm inside to hear Charlotte say, "Come on Toby, you're my best friend forever."

These two have their rocky moments (like when Charlotte nearly drowns Toby in the tub, or when Toby pulls Charlotte's hair in frustration) but it is my HOPE that they will have a close relationship and always look out for one another.

I grew up in the same house for the first 18 years of my life. I am still friends with many of my childhood neighbors. (Shout out to the Meadowlake Gang!) So, I feel bad that we move around on our kids-- and that the nature of the community we live in now, means that the friends we make here are also very transient.

The only upside of this, I think, is that in the absence of other long-term friends, Toby and Charlotte will be "best friends." Hopefully forever. :)

Rothenberg ob der Tauber

On Saturday we went to Rothenberg to visit the Christmas market there. Every town in Germany has a Christmas market of some sort-- but I wanted to visit this one because it is in Bavaria (it's like they invented Christmas here or something) and we hadn't been there yet (due to my goof-up back in June of getting directions to a different Rothenberg) and I really wanted to see what I had heard was the cutest little medieval walled city around. :)

Very life-like (almost creepy) Santa Claus sculpture.

This is one of the gates in the wall around Rothenberg.
It really is like an enchanted place from a fairy tale.

The view over the edge of the wall on one end of town.
(You can see the wall continuing to wind around the town.)

The ultimate "time out" chair. ;)

Music playing in the square near the giant Weihnachtsbaum. It was around the time we got here that the snow started falling! It was very Christmas-y magical. :)

Brats for everyone!
(Rob made an attempt to get us some non-alcoholic apple cider, but kept getting drinks that smelled (and cost) like the alcoholic ones and so we finally gave up on that.)

Happy little madchen--
with a Santa hat and a giant gingerbread cookie necklace.

One ride on the mini-carousel before we leave, as promised to the kiddos.

Toby was ECSTATIC about this.
He threw a fit when I pulled him out at the end of the ride.

Medieval German cuteness.