Let the fasching begin...

Fasching is basically a German Mardi Gras or pre-Lenten celebration. I picked up the girls from school today only to find two strangers in their place...

I thought they looked precious. Unfortunately, we were headed to swim lessons after school and had to wash it off before getting in the pool.

Blast from the past!

This facial expression is a blast from the past.
Isaac, almost 18 months

Hannah, 1 year

Happy Birthday, Honey!

Hannah really wanted to surprise her daddy with a cake for his birthday, so she came up with a diversion and asked him to take her to the Backeri while I swiftly threw the cake together. Good plan, Hannah! I had just enough time to make the cake part. Later Hannah and Genna helped me make the non-sweetened (he doesn't like sweet icing on cakes) whipped cream topping and crumble Oreos on top of his Chocolate Mousse Cake. When we were finished and about to call the birthday guy in, Hannah asks, "Where's the moose, Mommy?" :)

Happy birthday to the best dad-husband combo ever!

"Choo Train Fast"

Isaac is suddenly obsessed with trains. He talks about trains all the time. I love when he tells me about the "Choo train fast" because he puts extra emphasis on the word fast and punches the air with his fist. So cute! I let him watch Thomas the Train once, and he was hooked. (It was a moment of weakness! I am not big on TV in our house, especially for toddlers. In my defense, he's not sleeping much these days and he's had a double ear infection.) Here he is in his chair watching Thomas with his friend, Pinocchio.

It is a miracle I don't smother this kid with kisses, because I absolutely can't stand not kissing his cheeks!

Well, I was going to keep it to myself, but...

yes, it is my birthday today. Somehow not as exciting as it used to be. When I told Hannah yesterday about my birthday being today, her face lit up and with awe in her voice, she said, "You are so lucky! Oh, you are so lucky to get my present!" She's right I am so lucky, or blessed rather! Thank you, God!

This morning both girls gave me a hand drawn gift. Hannah's was a treasure map directing me to look under her bed. She had a card there with a picture of me on it. I asked if it was me wearing a birthday hat. She said that it was me, and then she sheepishly apologized that she drew long black hair for me while muttering about not having a good reason for it. That made me smile.

My husband got the van stuck this morning while trying to take the girls to school. He eventually got his car out and went to work for some afternoon meeting he just couldn't miss. (Sigh.) I was hoping for us to be snowed in together for my birthday. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep our dinner plans in the neighboring village tonight.

Here's my favorite recent picture of myself, taken at my brother's wedding. One my adorable children happens to be in this picture with me, putting me to shame.

Jack Frost's still nipping at our noses!

I just can't believe the snow keeps falling! On Sunday, American Masses were canceled. Local German ones had no reason to cancel since every one can walk there. So that's where we went. Truthfully, this was the plan all along because some kids from the girls' school were acting out the presentation at the temple. We tromped through the deepening snow while Genna said her legs hurt the whole way there. (The girl needs more exercise, I guess.) The kids were excellent during Mass! We are actually considering attending this local Mass more regularly. We know enough about the Mass and enough German to get by and we found that singing the songs with the words in front of us helps us with our pronunciation (which stinks!)

Anyway, when we got back I decided to help out our neighbor and shovel his sidewalk so the kids could play out in the snow since we were all bundled up already.

This is our street if you can even find it under the foot of snow. I have never, in all my years in upstate New York seen a road this completely covered. It makes me want to throw my head back and scream, "Plows!" or "Salt!" into the quiet powdery village. I love snow, but I long for some confidence that I can get back up the hill when it is time to come home.

Shoveling

Snow Angel, in the pile of snow that I created by shoveling

I may have dumped a bit of snow on his unsuspecting head.

After some tummy warming potato soup for lunch and naps we went to our village ski/sled slope. The kids did not have as much fun as last time. Hannah and Isaac only went down the hill once, and Genna got all the rest of the turns. Genna enjoyed it until she got too cold.

Snowball standing...

By the ski lodge, there was a wine barrel picnic table.

All the Germans were laughing at Isaac's nose warming scarf ensemble.


Of course, we ended the day with hot chocolate and a fire

Blanket Time

I have tried blanket time out many times before only to quit because, well basically, I wasn't up for it. Blanket time , quickly summarized, is where you put your toddler on a blanket with a limited amount of toys and set a timer. The toddler has to stay on the blanket until the timer buzzes, increasing the time gradually. This is to teach boundaries and obedience, and the ultimate goal is to move to room time. I didn't do blanket time with the girls because I somehow skipped over it in the book Toddlerwise. I have friends that have had great success with this, and since Isaac is having trouble with naps I thought we would try this again to see if learning clearer boundaries and obedience in this particular way would help him in his crib during nap time. I started with 8 minutes and he did great this time. Other times he has thrown fits or had to be placed back on the blanket too many times to count. All I had to do today was explain the "game" and show him the timer. I asked if he understood, and he replied, "Ding!" So I took that as a "Yes." When he rolled his car off the blanket, I said, "Uh oh, you can't get that toy because you can't get off the blanket." Then he rolled another toy off (but not as far), and he looked at me and laid down on his belly to reach for the toy so he was still on the blanket. Yea! He started to get off one time, but listened when I told him "No." I hope I am not jumping the gun by thinking this is going to be easy now. Since we are snowed in with no place to go a lot these days, I think we shall dedicate some time to this on an almost daily basis.