Day 353

I took Robert to the doctors this morning, she took one look in his ear and went "OH DEAR", he has a bad ear infection poor kid and will now be taking antibiotics for 7 days. Its hard enough remembering them 4 times a day on normal days, we'll see how well I do over Christmas! He took one dose and found his appetite again, so that was good news!

Richard is also fúll of cold, but he wasn't too bad, just a runny nose. He said if he walks around it doesn't get too blocked so at one point I found him marching round the lounge, too cute!

This afternoon after tidying up a bit, I sat down for 15minutes before I was supposed to help out a friend and pick them up somewhere. Well Robert and Richard came down from upstairs and Robert says "Mummy, what time is it?" Oops it was 4.50pm I was supposed to be there at 4.45pm, I had dropped off. I am getting old! It wasn't too much of a problem, but a bit embarassing!

I have been knitting this evening, this is Robert's hat, the colours on this picture are right, it really is that bright!

CU tomorrow!

Day 352

Quick update on Robert, then off to bed.
His temperature was down today, not right down but a lot better than last night. And this evening he even had the energy to start arguing with Richard, so he must be on the mend.
We'll see how he is in the morning.
Richard has a sore throat and runny nose too this afternoon, so I hope he isn't going to get the fever to go with it.
(In case you were wondering, I'm fine! Touch wood!)

Other than tending my poorly boys, I did some tidying up, lots of washing and ironing, and this afternoon the boys and I sat down and watched a Christmas film together. We watched "Polar Express" - cute!

Off to bed now
CU tomorrow!

Day 350 and Day 351

Too much TV yesterday stopped me from blogging, so its catch up time again!

Day 350 - Tuesday
I had to go to sport today without my friend, and today I did actually make it and not chicken out. We did a lot of work with weights today and it surprises me everytime, just how much I can lift and move nowadays - go me! (But I can feel all those muscles today!)

Back home I decided that I would make spaghetti bolognese for the boys, as Richard so wanted me too yesterday. Normally they love it, and Richard did, but poor Robert greeted me at the door in tears. He had a really really bad headache. I am such a horrible Mummy, cause all I said was, "oh dear, then why aren't you wearing your hat?" It must have been really bad, cause he only picked at his lunch. And by the time bedtime came around he was running quite a temperature.

I went to the hairdressers this afternoon and left the boys watching TV, they were going to watch a film, but they couldn't agree on one! Kids!

Day 351 - Wednesday
I was up for quite a bit of the night with Robert, his temperature was sky high, I decided somewhere around 2am, that I wouldn't be sending him to school today. I had hoped that he would maybe have a lay in, but come 7.15am he was downstairs with me. I wrapped him in a blanket and kept him quiet. His temperature didn't really come down all day, I did try "Wadenwickel" - the dictionary says that is a leg compress, it is supposed to bring the temperature down, And I made a potatoe scarf for him too, that went round his neck for his sore throat. He said that that helped.

I had to go out with Richard this evening, it was his Karate test for the next belt up, and I had promised to watch. With the amount of kids there it took forever, we didn't leave til 19.45pm. For that time, Robert went to Heike's and she watched over him for me. When I got him home and in bed, he had his highest temperature yet, lets hope it is down by the morning.
But back to Richard's test. here are a few pictures I took

CU tomorrow

Day 349

Why should the week be any less busy than the weekend! So first up on the agenda - a German test for Richard, "just" school for Robert and library for me!
From the library I went shopping, I got a few Christmas presents and food for the week. Tortellini today and Robert loved it, he had a double helping, I have a feeling I'll be buying new clothes soon, seems like a growth spurt!

Whilst out I also got new Christmas tree lights for the boys. But next year they'll be on our tree. They are electric candles, cute aren't they?!

The boys loved them, here they are posing with their tree, shame they couldn't find their smiles!

CU tomorrow!

Day 348

We like rolling lots of days  into one and today was no exception. It started about 8.30 am with breakfast, then Richard and I got busy practicing for his German test tomorrow. Then when Florian got up, we got the Christmas trees indoors. There was no time then to decorate as we had to go out, we had a date with Florian's sister and family at a very nice Cafe for brunch.

I grabbed this picture from my SIL's facebook. It's the hanging Christmas tree at the cafe.

After a very delicious brunch, we headed back home and had just enough time to finish decorating our tree.

Before

During

After

Then it was time for our dance class. It's been three weeks since our last one and we were a bit rusty. But we soon got into it again and had a great time.

It was a good day, but as you can see, quite busy.
CU tomorrow!

Day 347

I woke up at 9.38am - oops didn't really mean to sleep this long! Funny thing is as I woke up Florian was touching down in Frankfurt. Cause when I got downstairs I had had a WhatsApp message at 9.42 "The eagle has landed"!
Once through customs and baggage claim, Dad picked him up and took him back to them, where his repaired car was waiting for him! We didn't let him stay there long, as he had a busy day waiting for him here!

After lunch back home, it was off out to get our Xmas tree. Florian's car had a few surprises in store for us before we could leave however. We got in and Richard goes, I can't do my seatbelt up. When we looked, he wasn't being awkward, the buckle had gone back into the where the belt is all rolled up! Grrrr! Florian managed to get it out. But when he was putting the tool he used away the boys and I got in the car, and then Robert goes "My door won't shut" and yep, every time you slammed the door it bounced back open! AGH!!! Luckily when Florian was back near the car with the key, it decided to play nice again, and we could go and get the Xmas tree!

Here a few shots of our rainy outing. Its much nicer in the snow or dry, BUT as we were late going it was good that it had been raining, cause other people had not been chopping down all the best trees and we got "TWO" good ones! The boys are having their own in their bedroom this year! Here some pictures!

Once home from getting the trees, it was off out to Marcel's birthday party. It was a lovely afternoon, although I did feel a bit sorry for Florian who would have probably loved a bit of a rest. We got home at just after 9pm and both the boys and Florian went to bed!
And I am off now
CU tomorrow!

Day 346

First an apology, got my left and right mixed up again! Hopeless!!!

Now to today, Work this morning, and I left myself enough to warrant a visit next week too. No, I just didn't finish, and I wasn't trying to go slow.

This afternoon Robert had guitar, but his friends Dad took them and I only had to pick them up today, that was nice. Whilst he was out, I finished Richard's new hat off! I'm proud of it, and he loved it, a win-win situation (as they say here!)

Florian is on a plane right now on his way home from Brazil! Woohoo!

CU tomorrow!

Day 345

Work this morning, a bit later than usual as Robert had a late start at school. But I was busy all morning and surprise surprise I can even go in tomorrow morning too!

The boys came home from school together today, so we all got to have lunch and watch Gino cook on TV (I know shouldn't really watch TV at lunchtime, but we all love Gino!)

This evening it was Roberts Advent Concert. I don't really know what I was expecting. Probably an assortment of Christmas Carols, what we got, was a Christmas Musical. It was great. My first Nativity Play with one of my boys. Robert was part of the choir, but they were amazing, as were the actors and singers. An all round great evening!

Robert is third from the left in the back row

And then he moved!!!

The complete choir, apparently about 200 kids from the 5th class (I didn't count them, I'm taking Roberts word for it!)

Teachers joined in too, with a Christmas version of "morning has broken"

The complete cast!

CU tomorrow!

Day 344

This morning I had to take Roberts insurance card to the eye doctor, as we had forgotten it for our actual appointment. I think I wrote about how disappointed I was in the eye doctor and how I am looking for a new one. For some reason though I didn't just not want to go anymore I wanted the doctor to know why we were going. So I sat down and wrote him a letter, which I left there after cancelling our 2015 appointments. 

At lunchtime I had a phone call from the doctor himself, he phoned to thank me for taking the time to write and for making it such a friendly letter even though I was leaving. So I think I got my point across, and who knows maybe something will change for other patients. 

Richard had Karate today and I was there earlier to pick him up and was going to get some pictures, but my mobile decided that today was the day it was going to run the battery empty. So no pictures today.

I popped in to work, whilst Richard was at Karate, a colleague is leaving and was having his leaving party and I wanted to say goodbye.

CU tomorrow!

Day 343

I went to sport this morning with my friend, the trainer had something new planned for us, and I can feel it already in my bum and lower back - oops! Still enjoyed it though!
After sport I decided to go for the "Mum of the Year" award and took Robert's sport things to him at school. He managed to forget them for probably about the 3rd time in a row. I'm not sure whether he was happy about it or not, but it might have saved him from a bad mark.

This afternoon I took the boys into town and finally got Robert's glasses fixed (they were all crooked). Whilst at the opticians, I asked them about Richard's eyesight and if it was OK, when one can't read 7 of 8 numbers that he didn't get new glasses prescribed. She recommended I get a second opinion, and when I told her who our eye doctor was, she just rolled her eyes - that says it all, and we will not be going back there again.

After the opticians we went to the Christmas Market, where the boys had a candy floss, and I got a great picture of them!

Late blogging, cause I have been watching TV all evening - love Tuesdays TV!

CU tomorrow!

Day 342

Robert wasn't too happy this morning, when I made him read through his religion exercise book again for his test this morning, but he needed it! When he got home from school he told me the test was easy, let's hope so!

I went to school to this morning and entered about 25 new books into the system, still a lot more to go, but we'll get there before the Summer holidays, I'm sure. Richard got his new book at school today, he is now the proud owner of his first Harry Potter book. I know we have them all, but mine are all in English, he wants to read it himself. Bless! As long as he is reading I'm happy!

Robert had school longer today, they are rehearsing for their choir concert on Thursday night, that has thrown all plans for the week, as they are rehearsing on Wednesday and Thursday too, but they don't start school then until about 10 o'clock. Not sure how I am going to handle that one yet! We'll see if it sorts itself out tomorrow when I have to phone work and find out if they have something for me to do.

Robert had more practicing for the next test to do this afternoon/evening, so I found someone to take Richard to and from Karate. He didn't put up quite as much resistance today, and I think it had something to do with his Biology test that he got back today! All that practicing paid off and he wrote a 2 - so proud of him!
Hopefully he now knows where the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean are, and I hope he can remember what Australia is called, but other than that he seems pretty good at the rest. Fingers crossed.

CU tomorrow!
(Sorry no picture today, I forgot!)

Day 339, Day 340 and Day 341

So I had a good reason, why I didn't blog this weekend, we went away! This time last year we booked a weekend in the "Erzgebirge" for a Christmas break. Florian had hoped that there would be a nice sprinkling of snow to go with it, to make it look like a picture postcard, but that unfortunately wasn't the case, but we still had a GREAT weekend. But I'll start on Friday first!

Day 339 - Friday
I didn't have to work today, so I was able to get all the jobs I had done before we had to head for the station. First up was the ironing, Florian will need the shirts for next week. Oops! Then I had to head into town and get the rabbits a new water bottle, they managed to break theirs yesterday! I got all my jobs done, then cooked Schnitzel for us all (not the cleverest of meals, when you are short on time and have to coat them with breadcrumbs, but I had had to change menu plans, when Robert brought all those girls to lunch!) It was delicious though.

Robert was home a lot later and I did cook his fresh, and right after he had finished Marcel picked us up to take us to the station. You see Florian was already at our destination!
Here are the boys at the station!

The train journey was long but quite uneventful. The boys were really good. For the first part of the journey they read their Donald Duck comic that I got them at the station and for the next part they played on the mobiles! Me, I knitted a hat. I actually finished it, unfortunately the pattern for it wasn't quite big enough for me. So although I wore it to change trains, I did end up undoing it and unravelling it a bit of a way. Makes more sense if it fits properly!

Florian picked us up in Zwickau and we drove the last 45 minutes to our destination in the car. The boys were really excited we were going to a hotel. Here they are in their bed.

We had a "suite" which was basically a room with a sofa bed.
Luckily only Florian snored!

Day 340 - Saturday
This morning we took the boys to a place called Annaberg-Buchholz and there to the "Frohnauer Hammer". It is a water mill, that powered a hammer for the blacksmiths. And as Richard always says he wants to be a blacksmith when he grows up, it was a great choice for an outing! It was really interesting too.
Here some pictures from there.

Next door to the blacksmiths was a very nice quaint shop selling traditional Christmas decorations, which is what the area is really famous for. We had a good look round, and wanted to buy but decided to look elsewhere too.

We had lunch in the woods somewhere, very nice, I had pasta with a walnut and chicken sauce, lovely combination. Speaking of food, in the evening I had brussel sprout soup. That was delicious too. I just had to try it!

In the afternoon we went to the Christmas Market in the town we were staying in (Schwarzenberg). I think it is my favourite Christmas market ever and I have seen A LOT! It was in all through the old town. The pictures can't capture it, but it was beautiful, atmospheric and great fun. Even the boys enjoyed it!

We were all worn out in the evening and spent it all snuggled on the boys bed, watching "Santa Buddies" together.

Day 341 - Sunday
After breakfast we checked out of the hotel, but not before we got some pictures of me and the boys on our balcony. Yep we had the room right behind the great Christmas decoration. We look like royalty on this photo with all our fans down below (don't tell anyone that they were just tourists waiting for their bus!)

After checking out we took the boys to a model railway, which Florian's colleague had recommended for the boys. Well, turned out that Florian and I had just as much fun there as the boys! Here a couple of pictures!

After eating there too. It was time to head for home.

Back home the first thing we did, was to unpack our new treasures, Yep, we went back to that quaint shop on Saturday evening and bought ourselves some traditional German Christmas decorations.

Then after tea it was time for Florian to leave again, right now he is on a plane to Brazil, We were sort of hoping that Lufthansa would still be on strike, but no such luck!

CU tomorrow!

Day 338

Work this morning, and I had just enough to keep me busy until lunch time, but I won't be going in tomorrow, but that is fine by me this week.
Today is St. Barbara Day, and apparently it is tradition around here to bring in a cherry tree twig and come Christmas Day it should be flowering. Here is mine

along with the Amarylis that Mum treated me too. Isn't it beautiful!?!

Richard was really excited when he got home from school, he wrote a 1 (full marks in maths). So proud of him!

This afternoon Richard and I went to celebrate Marcel's birthday with him and his family. (Robert was still at school) We only stayed until 4ish, as we had to be home for when Robert got in. Robert just about managed to finish his homework in time for football, but when I asked to see his homework book, I found a message from his English teacher about missing homework (and from the looks of things it has been missing for most of the term) so I put my foot down and didn't let him go to football. Needless to say he was NOT a happy chappy. But school work comes first.

CU tomorrow!

Day 337

I had - what I thought - a very clever idea on my way to bed last night. I reset my alarm clock to 7am, cause I was driving in to school today for Richard's baking and crafting day, and Roberts bus doesn't leave so early. Perfect - or so I thought!
At 6.30am Robert was stood by my bed "shouldn't we be getting up, Mummy?", I sent him back to bed and told him of my plan.
After we had finished breakfast at 7.20am Robert stands in the middle of the kitchen pointing at the clock and says "OK, so I have to be at school in 10 minutes!" AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Why didn't he mention that at 6.30am!!!!
I could have kicked myself! Oh well, I wrote him a note as to why he was late, bundled both boys up and took Robert to school too. I think he was only about 15 minutes late in the end, could have been worse.
As I got to school with Richard, I realised that I had forgotten the drinks for the kids at home, so I dropped Richard off at school, and headed home to get them.
Back at school, before starting the crafting I did a small shift at the library. I just wasn't in the mood for Mum's and baking! Turns out though Richard missed me, sorry darling!

Here he is busy making an origami candle holder

he also made a woven basket, which was his favourite, I'll try to get a picture of him with it tomorrow.

Most of the morning I worried about whether or not Robert would be bringing his classmates home with him to go out and sell their cards, and if he did how many! Well he came home with all that were invited. My spaghetti bolognese went down well, and I think they had a good time going round Giesel selling them.
At 4pm I drove them all home again and Richard to Karate, I didn't go to sport today as Robert had to stay home and get his homework done. Poor guy has not warmed to long division and it takes him ages. Sounds like he needs more practice to me!

CU tomorrow!

Day 336

Richard had a day off of school today, the teachers had some sort of training course. As my friend was poorly I skipped sport, and Richard and I went out looking for Xmas lights for the lounge. We went to the mall (apparently Richard's favourite place to shop, probably something to do with Media Markt). I had no luck getting the lights, but we did find some wool in Woolworth. And I am now busy making Richard a new hat.
I took a picture just now, but the lighting won't let me get a picture with the right colours. The wools are black and bright neon orange - mmh, not sure why the camera thinks its yellow.

In addition to practicing biology with Robert today I have also been learning all about trees with Richard. I sort of wish I could go and take their tests and see how good I would really do!
Fingers crossed for Robert in the morning please!

CU then!

Day 335

Florian took himself and his cold to work today, I hope he feels better soon, cause he didn't really sound it tonight on the phone. Get well soon!

The boys and I were fine, the boys were at school, and me too for the  first two school lessons at least. I got 20 new books entered into the system, ready for the kids on Wednesday. After school I headed for Kindergarden, but they are still in the middle of  a building site, so we postponed again for a week.

Robert came home early from school, and I think he listed his whole class as to who I could phone to make sure he got it right this time, bless. I was glad he was home early cause that meant that this week, we might get all the homework finished in time for Karate and even have time to practice some more biology. And they both did. I had made a biology test for Robert and of the bits he chose to do, he got it all right. Now to concentrate on the bits he didn't do!

Whilst Richard was at Karate, Robert was at his mates and I did some shopping (normal and christmas). And you know how much I love Aldi, and how little things please little minds. I am over the moon with my new bags from Aldi - 60cts each, can't go wrong! They have three colours, so I have something to look forward to when I go again!

CU tomorrow!