More Sledding

What else do you do when you live in Bavaria two blocks away from a sledding hill?

I see a future for Henri in competitive sledding. I'm serious. He was even too fast for me to take a picture.

Obeying Bavarian laws, every sledding session must be followed by a snow fight. Karls friend Nils was there, too. And yes, this is a memorial for the German Reunification. That's why it's a wall you can walk around. In our case it was used with no peace in mind.

This is what we call Apres Sled (not to be mixed up with Apres Ski). No alcohol involved even though it might seem otherwise here.

In the afternoon we went to another park to feed the ducks some of our stale bread. Man, were they hungry! The long period of snow really presses hard on them. One goose was hunting us down for more food and we had to run off.

Sledding

There was some glorious Alps style snowfall Saturday morning so we were finally able to head over to the sledding hill they built in the park. Instant winner. After our morning run the boys wanted to head out again in the afternoon. That's when we stayed until after dark and Fred texted us, if they recently installed floodlights there. Today it was another double header with a hearty lunch inbetween. Admittedly Henri was a bit apprehensive first, but he got a role model who loosened him up fast - Karl's atutally a pretty wild one on the sled (going belly-down backwards and all that early stunt stuff that makes you kinda flinch for a moment as a parent).

'Tis The Season...

... to eat Krapfen. Or Kreppel. Or Berliner. (The German version of a doughnut)

A Year Ago

On January 7, 2012 Henris old day care was shut down by some city officials. And that was just the beginning of a tumultuous kind of year. But I'm not complaining. Just like so often everything turned out just fine and we're all in a great place now. Not only did we make a very liveable and lovely home out of a deteriorated building which turned out to be the last buyable house in Munichs crazy real estate market. Or at least feels like it.

We also found a kindergarten that Karl doesn't hate (even though if he had a choice, he would still stay at home...).

And Henris current day care is just the best place ever. In Summer he's going to join his brother in Kindergarten.

The new environment had a positive effect on the creative development of our sons as well: It turned them into brilliant musicians as you can clearly see in these pictures.

One day looking back this past year might qualify as one of the most exciting ones in our family life, I suspect. And I'm not being ironic here.

The New Year

We hope everybody had a splendid holiday and a great start ino the new year. May 2013 be way more boring than 2012!

Andrian staged a little pre-firework in the garden for Karl and Henri. Big success.

And today we were off to a great start and played some soccer in the park. Those of you who know Karl might have an idea what a special day this was. It made my day!