Fall and Halloween

Fall has been very beautiful here in Berlin.  I keep waiting for the COLD weather to kick in and so far it seems quite mild.  I know I will be biting my tongue once it hits and I am cold to the bone.  We all had different fears before we moved here and as dumb as it sounds, the long, dark, cold winters worry me. Apparently people don't ask how long you have lived in Berlin but how many have you wintered here.  Coming from Seattle I have to believe it can't be THAT bad, right??  Berlin is quite a bit north of Seattle, though and even north of London and Paris.  It is even north of Calgary and more in line with Dublin. 

So, yes, it will be colder and darker but just how much is yet to be determined.  I keep wanting to get back out to Schlachtensee and take pictures of the changing fall leaves but just haven't had the time.  The days leading up to our HHI filming were absolutely gorgeous but unfortunately the laundry fiasco took up too much of my time.  Maybe still this week I can get out there.  I fear by next week most if not all of the leaves will be down.  And the forecast looks to be quite cold starting next week.  People here say that it is "cold" pretty much from November until March. 

Today though, I was too warm in my coat and just wore a sweater.  Every day I'm not freezing I consider it a win. 


I thought I would escape Halloween by being out of the US but I guess they celebrate it here too. I have to say Halloween is the worst holiday for us non-creative moms.  I am the least creative when it comes to Halloween costumes and it kills me to spend a bunch of money on something that they will wear once, maybe twice. 

In Seattle, Josie normally just looks at  Amazon.com and we order one of the lesser expensive, all inclusive options... because if it isn't in the package there is probably no way I'll be able to make it.  And the times I've tried it has taken so much time and cost me more and it has never looked good in the end.  So today Josie and I head out to find something for her to wear as a costume. The kids plan to go trick or treating on the 31st but there is also a huge school party tomorrow evening called Spooktacular that only happens every other year. 
Thankfully in our rental house there is a dress up box.  Benjamin has found a Knight costume that he said he could wear.  This is pretty much what happened in Seattle too.  He would just find something in the dress up box- most of which were hand me downs from friends and he is happy as a clam, or superman or Mario or whatever costume strikes his fancy the day before Halloween.  Josie is quite different and cares a lot more.  She didn't have school yesterday or today because of school conferences so we hopped on the bus and headed into town.  I suggested she be a cat.  For those of you that don't know, kids who dress up in a cat costume have really non creative moms. 

She has been a cat many times in the past back before she really cared.  All you have to do is have black leggings, black shirt, black boots (all of which she has) then buy simple black ears attached to a headband that you can buy anywhere and then draw a black nose and whiskers on her face.  Viola!  Cat costume.  At first she really balked at the idea of a cat.  So we went searching.  Big problem, there aren't Targets here.  Where else does one search for a costume.  I don't know how to say "costume" we don't even know what we are looking for and to remind you, I'm not creative so if it isn't an all inclusive package we are in trouble.
After a few different stops on the bus and a few different stores she gives in and says "OK, I'll be a cat"  Phew!! Now just to find the cat ears and tail.  Normally these come together and are quite easy to find.  Nope!  Not here.  We searched everywhere!!  There were devil horns everywhere but not cat ears.  Then she says she thinks she can make cat ears out of a few of the items we have seen throughout our search.  We buy all the supplies (all for under 8 €) and she gets to work.  Her friend Aurora helps out. 

After a few hours she has ears and a tail and looks fabulous and feels proud of herself for making her own costume.  I told her that if her Aunt Liz were here she would have an amazing costume as Liz is one of the most creative and talented people I know.  I felt pretty defeated during our search.  I hate Halloween in Seattle when I know where and how to buy a costume even if they are never very good but today I was sad that I'm not more creative and frustrated by how hard things like this seem to be here.  But SO so proud of Josie for just doing it herself and coming up with a great costume.  The good thing is apparently black cats are not common here at all so hopefully she won't be one of a dozen as she was in the US. Meow!!   Josie the black cat.