Christmas Market with the Neves

We had been so busy the weeks leading up to our friends arrival that we literally had no time to enjoy all the Berlin has to offer at Christmas.  It REALLY does it up right.  I feel like I need a redo for the pre-Christmas season here as we missed half of it.
But Chris, Amanda, Elliott and Sydney arrived and we were all so excited to meet them at the train station.
They definitely weathered that LOOONGG flight and travel day better than we do or they are very good actors because they barely seemed tired.

We made our way back to our new apartment and their new home for the week. It was hard to peel Josie away from her best friend whom she hadn't seen in nearly 5 months but we eventually headed back to our home just a 15 or so minute walk away.

The next day our kids still had their final day of school before the break so Elliott joined Josie at school for most of the day.  It was super cool because all of Josie's friends and even her teachers were excited to have Elliott come visit.  We all went to dinner in Zehlendorf and then hit or first German Christmas market of the season!  In the end it was nice to have saved all the Berlin Christmassy things to do together with the Neves.

Our teeny tiny little Zehlendorf Christmas market came complete with a fake, plastic ice skating rink.  Every time we would peek in throughout the weeks leading up to our first visit it looked like the kids and those skating spent more time on the ground that skating. 

Our kids were no different in the beginning but near the end they were all skating like champs.  Although very difficult to get a picture with them all up at  the same time.  They had a

BLAST.  So many laughs and even though it was pretty cold outside they all took their coats off from being too hot.
A successful first visit to a Christmas market for all of us.

Yummy German Gluwein (warm, spiced wine) and this one was actually on fire. 

The Amazing (Apartment) Race

During the first few weeks of December Marty and I often felt like we were on the TV show The Amazing Race.  I always felt like I'd be good at that game.  I love to travel, I love to check things off a list and I love to WIN.  Well, at the end of the few weeks leading up to Christmas I discovered that the Amazing (apartment) Race was fulfilling, yes, but also utterly exhausting. 

We both said it time after time that we were thankful that Elliott and Family (Chris, Amanda and Sydney) were coming otherwise we would have been living in a home half done for months I'm sure of it.  There is something more satisfying in getting something ready for someone else than for just yourself.  I swear we would have all been sharing a bed for weeks had it just been for us four!!
So, we often were racing around on public transportation, sometimes making the connections and some times missing them and checking things off our list. 
Even the kids helped. 

They set up their rooms for their friends.  Benjamin helped mop and we worked literally right up until their train arrived in Berlin.  Phew!!! 

By the time they arrived we had the basics... beds for all and bedding, dishes, silverware, pots, pans, knives, cutting boards, glasses, washing machine, towels, hand towels, TV, 2 couches, a few sitting chairs, dining room table and six chairs, 3 desks and a lamp or two.  It was a bit bare but we were hoping it was enough. 

Bit by Bit and Biking

Every day since getting the keys to the new apartment we had the date December 19th on the calendar as THE DAY we needed to have the apartment in at least living condition. 
Josie's best friend since kindergarten, Elliott, and her family - who have become very good friends of ours as well, were landing in Berlin on December 19th to spend Christmas with us and since we were already paying double rent for our old place and our new place for the month we decided to cancel their Airbnb we rented and have them stay in our new apartment. 

And every day we got something done, even if it was small we saw progress but it was SLLLLOOOWWW going.  We doubted we would have it ready in time. 
Often after school Benjamin and I would bike over to the new place to get a few more things set up while Josie was at swim practice and Marty was doing his radio show. 

Biking in Berlin knows no season (well, I highly doubt we will bike when it snows... too slippery) but we all have bike masks and gloves and bright, yellow safety vests.  And I actually love my bike.  I've never been much of a biker mostly because I've had back issues and biking has always aggravated it and because we live in Seattle where the hills can be quite intense but here in Berlin it is flat as a pancake and a dream to ride your bike in. I have to say having the little pass through for my legs instead of a bar it makes it so easy to get off and on quickly for a crosswalk (which you get yelled at by car drivers if you don't actually dismount while crossing a crosswalk on your bike!) and my basket can hold SO much.  I never ever thought I'd like biking so much but when you are faced with either walking and carrying all of your stuff or riding your bike, which is SO SO much more efficient and fast, 

My purse and my hugely filled grocery bag.  Love
my bike and basket. 

and having all your stuff in your bike basket  - unless it is cold and rainy, I almost always prefer biking.

Our Irish Angel

One of the several times we borrowed
her car to pick up furniture.  Certainly
too big to carry on public transport. 

Our new friend, Fionnuala, has been such an amazing example of hospitality, generosity and unconditional friendship.  She has offered support when we first started looking for a new place to live as she used to work in relocation and had so many handy tips and suggestions that certainly helped us in the long run. 
She has cheered us on all along the way and listened intently to our many ups and downs throughout our new home search.  She offered her car to help us collect furniture or to go shopping.  All with a smile and a warm heart.   We are so so lucky to have her as a friend, and she is super fun and cool to hang out with.  Bonus!!  Thank you, Fionnuala!!!  We love you💗

Christmas Concerts

Both kids had Christmas concerts at school on the same day but thankfully at different times.
In the morning we showed up for Josie's first orchestra/band concert of the year.  She played the violin last year and didn't really take to it much.  She desperately wanted to play the guitar last year but we thought if she show interest and progress in the school sponsored orchestra program while playing the violin then we would fork over the money for private lessons.  Well, she didn't really show much progress or interest.  But this year she is taking it all over again and is actually enjoying it and it isn't painful anymore listening to her practice! Her concert alternated the band and orchestra playing traditional Christmas songs.

I know I've said this before but it is still somewhat shocking but nice to hear "Christmas songs" in a public school.
Benjamin does a weekly "singing circle" as part of his school day.  He doesn't get formal German instruction like Josie does but they sing songs in both German and English to help the non native speakers in each language group learn the other language.  His singing circle incorporated all five 2nd grade classes they way I imagine they do every week.  They had a huge Menorah in the middle of the circle as well as a huge advent wreath with huge, lit, advent candles.

They sang Silent Night and We Wish You a Merry Christmas and then a bunch of songs in German.  They sang the dreidel song and then a lovely song about Lighting the Menorah on each night of Hanukkah.  Both Marty and I were brought to tears by the beauty and innocence.  The embracing of both/all/no religion.  No one was offended about mentioning Christmas or Hanukkah even if one does or doesn't celebrate it.  It truly was beautiful.  I'm very thankful that we are having this experience, in a different country that does so many things so similarly as we do in Seattle and yet so many things, seemingly small things - but they certainly are not small, are so very different.

Pho and Snow

My very favorite type of food is Vietnamese. I could honestly eat it all day every day.  Marty likes it but not quite as much as I do.  Josie is starting to love it nearly as much as I do and Benjamin up until recently just has tolerated it.  Over the weekend we went to our/my favorite Vietnamese restaurant and everyone was happy about their meal choices and we all gobbled up the Pho and spicy tofu vermicelli bowls.  YUM!!
While we were eating the snow started softly falling and it was beautiful.

St Nikolaus Day

One of the many ways I'm failing here is on things like "Saint Nikolaus Day"  I knew it was coming. I knew it was kind of a big deal here and I knew I should probably have something for the kids but the day snuck up on me and before I knew it it was the night before I needed to "fill their boots"

So, St Nikolaus is a German holiday where kids leave out a boot and over night St. Nikolaus fills the boots with goodies and candy.
Well, in addition to the kids singing Christmas and Hanukkah songs at school and at home they also were bubbling over with the idea of St Nikolaus day.  So I rifled through the candy drawer and took a last minute bike ride to get some last minute candy and voila - St. Nikolaus came... even if he came hobbling along at the last minute.

Apparently when a child leaves out two boots they are considered greedy.  So Josie put a bunch of sticks in Benjamin's second boot and wrote him a "stop being greedy" note in German. Ha!