Showing posts with label Xmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xmas. Show all posts
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The little star (continued)
Both Lenara and I really enjoy our new little tradition. She wants to read the book about the little star about every night. We light up the room only with candles and I read it to her. A magical atmosphere. Last night Lenara surprised me. After I had read the book one time, she asked to look through it again. She recited every (EVERY!) line of the book - correctly. And it's not an easy language - but rhymes. Children remember rhymes so quickly. Amazing!!! It was so fascinating to watch her. And she was proud of herself indeed.
This is what our scene looks like right now:
1st Sunday in Advent = Scenery
2nd Sunday in Advent = Stars, Sheep & Cock
3rd Sunday in Advent = Ox & Donkey
to come:
4th Sunday in Advent = Flower (Christmas Rose)
Christmas Eve = Baby Jesus with Maria & Joseph
This is what our scene looks like right now:
1st Sunday in Advent = Scenery
2nd Sunday in Advent = Stars, Sheep & Cock
3rd Sunday in Advent = Ox & Donkey
to come:
4th Sunday in Advent = Flower (Christmas Rose)
Christmas Eve = Baby Jesus with Maria & Joseph
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Christmas Memories 2010
I have a bottle of wine next to me (I decided against a glass, in the end only one more item I have to clean)... some left over christmas cookies... simfy (simply red style) turned on the headset (hope I'll still hear Lenara if she wakes up)... way of celebrating my evenings (lately)... and enjoying those last christmas hours. It all passed so quickly. Weeks and weeks of preparing, waiting, celebrating advent... a couple of hours and it's all done.
We had a nice quiet Christmas Eve this year. In Germany, Christmas Eve is the main day of the festivities. The schedule of this day is the most special Christmas tradition to me. We went downtown Kirchheim in the morning as there are booths selling hot wine punch, where lots of people meet (that's why I go, not bc of the wine... really). Usually lots of old schoolmates are in town as they visit their families. I was looking forward to it, as lately I felt quite socially isolated. Unfortunately the weather had turned bad in the morning (snow storm), which I guess is the reason, why I didn't see many old friends. Or maybe they showed up later, but I couldn't stay much longer as (we were all wet by then) and it was nap time. But I did see three dear friends and talked a bit, which was great.
Then we went to pick up my grandma and drove to my parents house (20 mins). I was happy, we didn't have a long trip, as the snow was quite bad to drive through. Maybe you happened to hear some German news which reported about the unusual heavy snow and the traffic chaos all over Germany on Christmas Eve. I like getting that much snow. But this amount in such a short time was really unusual. On the other hand, if it hadn't hit that hard so suddenly, we wouldn't have had a white Christmas - everything was green and brown in the morning. Unfortunately my other grandma and grandpa couldn't come (bc of health issues and the weather conditions). We had a small lunch at my parents' and Lenara and I took a nap.
After that my brother also arrived and we dressed up to go to church. I have to admit we never go to church during the year (for different reasons, but this would be another post). But Christmas without mass is not Christmas to me. It was the first time for Lenara to join us, which made it special. I had taken her to a choir concert in a church just recently, which lasted over an hour and Lenara loved to listen and she sat still on my lap the entire time. I was wondering how it would work this time. She walked around the church in the beginning as we went early. She inspected everything: the nativity scene in the front, the huge christmas tree, people arriving. I took her on my lap when mass started. But after a while she got unquiet. An old woman (really old) sat next to me and I was worried that we would disturb her. But instead she encouraged me to put Lenara down and let her walk around. While my family on the other side gave me serious looks and told me to take her back on my lap. I didn't really know what to do to be honest. I didn't want to disturb anyone. At the same time I wanted it to be a good experience for Lenara, too, as this was also supposed to be a children's mass. The old woman reassured me I should let her walk around and explore, which really calmed me down. I don't know what it was about this woman, but I could have hugged her for assuring me I was doing the right thing. Lenara explored the church. She went down the aisle to the back of the church and found more children who she connected with. They played quietly (doing faces at each other or whatever). I couldn't really see her from my seat anymore at one point, which first made me nervous. I kept turning around (which probably was the most disturbing part about the whole scene). But then I told myself, there are families back there, so they will also have an eye on her (like I automatically have an eye on any child in my view), there's nothing really that could happen. She kept walking up and down the aisle and instead of seeing angry faces like I expected, I saw many many faces (old and young) smiling at my little girl and enjoying the spirit of this little blonde angel. Those delighted faces are one of my favorite memories.
Then we walked back home through the snow. The church is just down the street. Flo and Lenara read a book while waiting for the "Christkind" (christ child), while my parents lit up the tree and prepared the gift giving. Then Lenara and I waited for the bell while sitting on the stairs. Just like my brother and I back in the day. I sang a christmas song to her and for the first time she repeated the word "Christkind" - which was also a very special moment to me. She wasn't excited as me as she didn't know what to expect. But I could tell she felt my anticipation and she enjoyed it. Then the little bell rang.
I guess seeing a child catching sight of the christmas tree and all the gifts and the ceremonial atmosphere... can't be topped by many things. I was so happy I could have cried. One ornament on the tree (a heart) caught her attention and she tried to get it in her hands many times that night. I hadn't wrapped Maruun (the doll), so she was one of the first gifts she discovered. Seeing Lenara picking her up and holding her tight was another about-to-cry-moment. I liked that we didn't have a crazy amount of gifts. Lenara enjoyed unwrapping. She did it very carefully. I loved watching her little hands be so gentle. She loved all her gifts. But her favorite is a watercolor set. She took it everywhere and opened and closed it all the time, reorganizing the colors. This fact is special to me too, as this was a gift from an anonymous donor. We were invited to take part in a social programme (see pics and learn more about it here - GER) where the kids of low-income families could write down one wish, which was put on a Christmas tree in a store downtown and people willing to donor a gift could pick up the wishes. A couple of days before christmas I picked up this anonymous gift. The sight of this room full (!!!) of donored gifts for children almost made me cry as well - bc of all the love and generousity being present through the gifts and bc I realized we belong to the poor people around here right now, which makes me sad and usually I try to avoid thinking about it.
Another special and funny Christmas memory 2010: After dinner Lenara played another little while with her new gifts. Then I told her we should pick up the toys before going to bed. I asked her to put Maruun in bed (meaning, wrap her in a scarf like she found her). Lenara clearly seemed to understand. She turned around, whiped out the wooden (brand new!) nativity scene - Maria, Joseph, baby jesus, donkey, cow... woooosh! Not taking out one by one, but - WOOOOOSH! Then she placed Maruun in the little house and covered her with the scarf! I don't know how she came up with this idea. But she went forward with her action so straight and confident... it was hilarious. Later my Mom put all the figures in the lego building - our interim nativity scene. Why buy an expensive wooden one, if lego does the same job??! ;)
I think those will be the most special memories of this year's Christmas Eve.
P.S. There are more and better pics - but not on my camera. :(
P.P.S. I just got them...
We had a nice quiet Christmas Eve this year. In Germany, Christmas Eve is the main day of the festivities. The schedule of this day is the most special Christmas tradition to me. We went downtown Kirchheim in the morning as there are booths selling hot wine punch, where lots of people meet (that's why I go, not bc of the wine... really). Usually lots of old schoolmates are in town as they visit their families. I was looking forward to it, as lately I felt quite socially isolated. Unfortunately the weather had turned bad in the morning (snow storm), which I guess is the reason, why I didn't see many old friends. Or maybe they showed up later, but I couldn't stay much longer as (we were all wet by then) and it was nap time. But I did see three dear friends and talked a bit, which was great.
Then we went to pick up my grandma and drove to my parents house (20 mins). I was happy, we didn't have a long trip, as the snow was quite bad to drive through. Maybe you happened to hear some German news which reported about the unusual heavy snow and the traffic chaos all over Germany on Christmas Eve. I like getting that much snow. But this amount in such a short time was really unusual. On the other hand, if it hadn't hit that hard so suddenly, we wouldn't have had a white Christmas - everything was green and brown in the morning. Unfortunately my other grandma and grandpa couldn't come (bc of health issues and the weather conditions). We had a small lunch at my parents' and Lenara and I took a nap.
After that my brother also arrived and we dressed up to go to church. I have to admit we never go to church during the year (for different reasons, but this would be another post). But Christmas without mass is not Christmas to me. It was the first time for Lenara to join us, which made it special. I had taken her to a choir concert in a church just recently, which lasted over an hour and Lenara loved to listen and she sat still on my lap the entire time. I was wondering how it would work this time. She walked around the church in the beginning as we went early. She inspected everything: the nativity scene in the front, the huge christmas tree, people arriving. I took her on my lap when mass started. But after a while she got unquiet. An old woman (really old) sat next to me and I was worried that we would disturb her. But instead she encouraged me to put Lenara down and let her walk around. While my family on the other side gave me serious looks and told me to take her back on my lap. I didn't really know what to do to be honest. I didn't want to disturb anyone. At the same time I wanted it to be a good experience for Lenara, too, as this was also supposed to be a children's mass. The old woman reassured me I should let her walk around and explore, which really calmed me down. I don't know what it was about this woman, but I could have hugged her for assuring me I was doing the right thing. Lenara explored the church. She went down the aisle to the back of the church and found more children who she connected with. They played quietly (doing faces at each other or whatever). I couldn't really see her from my seat anymore at one point, which first made me nervous. I kept turning around (which probably was the most disturbing part about the whole scene). But then I told myself, there are families back there, so they will also have an eye on her (like I automatically have an eye on any child in my view), there's nothing really that could happen. She kept walking up and down the aisle and instead of seeing angry faces like I expected, I saw many many faces (old and young) smiling at my little girl and enjoying the spirit of this little blonde angel. Those delighted faces are one of my favorite memories.
Then we walked back home through the snow. The church is just down the street. Flo and Lenara read a book while waiting for the "Christkind" (christ child), while my parents lit up the tree and prepared the gift giving. Then Lenara and I waited for the bell while sitting on the stairs. Just like my brother and I back in the day. I sang a christmas song to her and for the first time she repeated the word "Christkind" - which was also a very special moment to me. She wasn't excited as me as she didn't know what to expect. But I could tell she felt my anticipation and she enjoyed it. Then the little bell rang.
I guess seeing a child catching sight of the christmas tree and all the gifts and the ceremonial atmosphere... can't be topped by many things. I was so happy I could have cried. One ornament on the tree (a heart) caught her attention and she tried to get it in her hands many times that night. I hadn't wrapped Maruun (the doll), so she was one of the first gifts she discovered. Seeing Lenara picking her up and holding her tight was another about-to-cry-moment. I liked that we didn't have a crazy amount of gifts. Lenara enjoyed unwrapping. She did it very carefully. I loved watching her little hands be so gentle. She loved all her gifts. But her favorite is a watercolor set. She took it everywhere and opened and closed it all the time, reorganizing the colors. This fact is special to me too, as this was a gift from an anonymous donor. We were invited to take part in a social programme (see pics and learn more about it here - GER) where the kids of low-income families could write down one wish, which was put on a Christmas tree in a store downtown and people willing to donor a gift could pick up the wishes. A couple of days before christmas I picked up this anonymous gift. The sight of this room full (!!!) of donored gifts for children almost made me cry as well - bc of all the love and generousity being present through the gifts and bc I realized we belong to the poor people around here right now, which makes me sad and usually I try to avoid thinking about it.
Another special and funny Christmas memory 2010: After dinner Lenara played another little while with her new gifts. Then I told her we should pick up the toys before going to bed. I asked her to put Maruun in bed (meaning, wrap her in a scarf like she found her). Lenara clearly seemed to understand. She turned around, whiped out the wooden (brand new!) nativity scene - Maria, Joseph, baby jesus, donkey, cow... woooosh! Not taking out one by one, but - WOOOOOSH! Then she placed Maruun in the little house and covered her with the scarf! I don't know how she came up with this idea. But she went forward with her action so straight and confident... it was hilarious. Later my Mom put all the figures in the lego building - our interim nativity scene. Why buy an expensive wooden one, if lego does the same job??! ;)
I think those will be the most special memories of this year's Christmas Eve.
P.S. There are more and better pics - but not on my camera. :(
P.P.S. I just got them...
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas - finally!!!
That pretty much says everything, I wanted to post today! Jen, I'm glad you had the idea of doing a blog together. By now it means so much to me. I'm so grateful for our families' friendship ACROSS THE MILES.
God bless you all.
LOVE,
From Kerstin & Lenara
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Blue Christmas Time
As much as I love the Advent and Christmas time, as much it's hitting me again that I'm alone and I'm feeling this deep sadness about the family I had once pictured, but which never happened... I hope there will be a time when Christmas time is just a peaceful loving holiday in my heart again.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Big News (Doll Making Part V)
I tried to finish the hair today - and first big news: I'm running out of hair to finish the hairstyle I was planning on! Ahhh! So I thought about my options: A) ordering more yarn and hoping it will be here on time (last delivery took more than 2 weeks) or B) doing a different hairstyle. Eventually I went for the ponytail style and a parting on one side - as you can see in the pictures. It's still a bit wild and not as "well-behaved" as I imagined a ponytail in the beginning. This way I just had to add strings of hair around the far outline of the wig - and not all over. I'm not stitching the hairstyle tight and securely to the head yet, as first I want to make sure, this hairstyle works for Lenara playing with it. If there are any disadvantages to it, I can still change it (after ordering more yarn, of course).
But, second big news are even B-I-G-G-E-R - by finishing the hairstyle a name popped up in my head - out of nowhere! I have no idea, how I came up with it. And I don't think I've ever heard of it as a girl's name before (I'm quite sure though, it is a girls name). During the day today I was actually convinced that since I put out "Lizzy" last week, there'd be no way of changing it again - since I've been thinking of "Lizzy" being hidden behind my couch all this time until now. Funny, now that her real name got revealed, I can't see "Lizzy" in her anymore. ;)
Tataaataaaaa:
Hi, I'm MARUUN (Maroon), Lenara's best friend!
What do you think? I had to look up the word as I wasn't quite sure, what it means. I like the meaning of the noun. But I'm not so happy with the verb. Do you think it matters? I chose a German way of spelling it, just bc she's German. I made it up, never seen it before. So in the end, I think it's just bc of her somewhat German-North American origin (*smile*). I can see people ask me (and Lenara): "why has your doll such a weird name?" and I feel bad... bc I really have no idea. Is it my fault, that the revelation said Maruun?
Up next:
- sew buttons on the pants
- finish crochetting coat, sew together
- maybe crochetting shoes/socks
- is that it?
- oh, and find a nice box to wrap her
I feel bad, is it ok, to hide a little blonde girl rolled up in an old sweater behind my couch for weeks and then put her in a dark box? Seriously I feel guilty every time I wrap her in the sweater... (I'm alone too often, it's too obvious now that I said it).
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Window Winter Wonderland
Hey, I have lunch ready b-e-f-o-r-e I pick up Lenara from Daycare! That's a first! Yeah! Super-Mom! (Explaining: Usually I almost forget to pick her up, make her wait when we get home while I improvise some "lunch"... or whatever.)
And here is our new window decoration I meant to post for a while. Paper and cottonballs - 20 Min. project. I love it!
And here is our new window decoration I meant to post for a while. Paper and cottonballs - 20 Min. project. I love it!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hoppe. hoppe, Reiter!
This is for my friend G., who has sent us her first time ever Christmas cookies. And we enjoyed them - for real! I think this cookie angel has never taken a ride on a cookie rocking horse before... Rated R!!! Angel dies at the end of the video... (I turned off the camera, may it rest in peace!) - so don't have Olive watch this!
(It was all her idea! I swear!)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Advent Day 1
There won't be a gift everyday. In fact, most of the days are activities (Go look at lights, make cookies with mom and deliver them, sing a Christmas song, listen to carols and dance...). David's mom sent a few gifts and we have some small presents for Olivia so we are going to space them out a bit so it's not so crazy on Christmas morning. This is the little bowling set. Olivia loved holding the little red Teddy bear most.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Advent calendar
I'm glad it's finished! Lots of work - until 1 am last night. But I still like my idea and the result. Tomorrow the first package will be opened. Let's see if Lenara likes it too! I'm so excited! She isn't yet, as she didn't seem to realize what all the fuzz was about, when the advent calendar appeared in our living room today. ;))
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