Christmas Time

This has been our 3rd Christmas away from home and family.  We are pretty used to doing things on our own.  And what better place to celebrate Christmas than in Germany.  They celebrate Christmas for almost a month.  It starts around the last week of November with Christmas markets, Christmas markets, and more Christmas markets.  They also celebrate something called Krampus (the evil santa clause) on the 5-6th of December.  We enjoyed the wonderful German Christmas markets and all the things the post put on for the Americans.  

 After several attempts to get a decent picture with Santa, this picture works.  Kate was a little leary of the jolly fellow, but warmed up to him after seeing friends do it.  Santa came to one of her playgroups Christmas party.

 We went down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen for Bryan's military ball and stayed with some friends, the Walkers.  We went to the small Garmisch Christmas market and let all the kids go on the merry-go-round.

 I took Bryan out for our 9th anniversary! 9 whole years with this guy. Crazy! We went rock climbing for the first time in FOREVER, and had a lovely dinner without the kid.  We don't go on to many dates, but it was nice to be alone together doing something fun.

 Our cute little girl ready for the Christmas Eve dinner with friends. 

 Bryan and I had fun playing Santa Clause this year, as Kate sort-of understands.  At least the opening presents part.  She got a kitchen with lots of kitchenware, books, table/chairs, play nativity set, polish pottery tea set, and lots of treats.  Bryan and I got a few items: polish pottery, bike trainer, medal holders to put our running/triathlon medals, Christmas movies, and some essentials.

 The stockings might have been her favorite part though with all that German chocolate!

 Christmas pajamas!

 The day after Christmas, it snowed for 5 days straight! I was getting a little worried that this might be a never ending mess.  Luckily, it melts within a few weeks and then snows again.  Not too bad.  Just wish we were a little closer to the mountains, so we could go skiing more often and have babysitters nearby.
This building is pretty cool.  I found it online, and turns out to be some famous painter/architectural designer from Austria, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, that builds buildings without corners and tries to involve nature inside.  It is about 45 minutes away from our house and is a building filled with his artwork.

This building was blocked off.  I didn't know that it would be closed.  The internet said it was opened.  Oh well.  It is part of the Abensberg Brewery.  This is the more famous building.  I really wanted to go up, but maybe we will go another time.  Maybe with some visitors?? {hint, hint}

A near-by castle, Prunn.