End of Year Catch Up.

It seems I am always writing "catch ups", but life is just a little too ordinary for just blah blah.  I realised that I have not written anything since our big New Zealand trip.  I think the reason being is that we have just been happy living a day to day life where we know what's going on  - not too much excitement!  And now it's nearly Christmas!

Alex has become settled in kindergarten.  He took a little while of clinging onto me and I could only creep out once Morgan Kreis was in full swing but he got better quickly and particularly since Lina, our neighbour who is in his group took him under her wing.  He loves her now!  Katie has been continuing to enjoy kindergarten but she is excited to start school in September too.  I hope she lasts the year without getting bored.

We haven't done anything too exciting but we did have a lovely autumn walk at Wildbad Kreuth back in October. It was a beautiful day and the leaves were just lovely.

Playing by the river

Leaf throwing

Then we had Laterne.   We  spent time making lanterns and then had a parade from kindergarten with them with the "real" Sankt Martin on a horse at the front.

On the way to Latene parade.  The only time they run to kindergarten!

Mum and Dad came to visit at the beginning of December and we had some snow so it was suitably wintry.  We did some Christmas markets and Dad brought some flat pack bird boxes he had fashioned out of old pallets fro the children.  Not sure if they will attract any birds mind.  We shall see come the spring.  They enjoyed helping put them together though.

Glühwein at Tollwood

Making bird boxes

Ice skating. 

Christmas Window display

The we had a day were we went skiing and our lovely neighbours went too.  It was a great first day for the children.

Snack time with Lina

Katie did well on her longer skis

Every week, we go swimming with Celina and her children Wendy and Nico.  Katie and Wendy have been swimming together since they were a year old.  I always forget my camera but here are some typical ones of them under water. 

Katie and Wendy

Alex has suddenly stunned us all by going from an edge of the water potterer to suddenly launching himself off the edge and swimming!  He loves diving to get a ring and is always asking me to "push him down" ! 

Getting a ring

water baby

Christmas has now officially begun. We are staying here for two weeks (with a two day interlude skiing), and it's nice just to have nothing to rush about for.  Today we went to get the Christmas tree.  So, Christmas tree chosen and paid for we then went on a sleigh ride while Matt tied the tree to the car, then we had glühwein and sausages before heading home to decorate it.  It's a nice little tree. Not too big or large at the bottom. Sometimes I feel we get a too massive one.

Gingerbread house decorating

running through the cut trees

glühwein and sausages

A pirate princess tree decorating

And fling!

So Seasons Greetings to you all and we'll write some more in the New Year.  Have fun.