Bavarian Forest

Adrian has settled in very well here enjoying the cold. Down to 10°C below at night and around 0°C during the day makes for fine days with lots of sun and ice everywhere. He is enjoying his morning trips with his Opa picking up rubbish (mainly cigarette buds), checking the fires and making sure everything else seems to be in order around the castle. Just the usual landlord kind of stuff...
We went for another walk down to the river yesterday which is slowly turning into ice. We also went to the very old cemetary to visit my grandparents grave. Here, the graves are decorated a lot nicer than in NZ and ours has even got a Christmas Tree with candles.
This afternoon they went back to the snow having fun. Photos to come:)
My friend Hannah and her baby girl Emma, Adrian's cousin, are coming for a visit for a couple of days which is great! We haven't seen Hannah for 18 months or so and have not met Emma. Tomorrow we will go out for dinner to my Dad's other Restaurant not far from here for a traditional Bavarian Sour Roast and then come back here in time to ring the midnight tower bell for New Years. There are not a lot of big firework displays, but everybody buys their own much like Guy Falks. It will be nice to see the fireworks around us and in the other small villages.
Hope you guys will have a great New Years' celebration and all the best for 2009!!

Giorgia's Christening

Giorgia's Christening was most beautiful and perfect just like her! We had a great day with family and friends. The ceremony was very nice and our lunch great. Instead of dessert at the restaurant, we opted for cake at home. There were 7, which is one thing my family is good at! Baking and eating cake. Giorgia did so very well all day and everybody had a great time! I will load photos next week, as my Dad's computer can't take my memory card.

Yes, we are at my Dad's place now. He lives in his castle in the Bavarian Forest and it is beautiful here. The castle has been purchased by my Great-grandfather and passed down to my father. It was built around 1200 and mainly used as a border patrol. It's more like a fortress and sits on top of a mountain surrounded by 2 rivers at the bottom. The website is: www.schloss-fuersteneck.de He retired here a few years ago with his wife and loves keeping busy. The restaurant has always been leased and he also has got a few apartments here rented to his friends and family. Always nice catching up with friends and famliy here:) And not busy ever and relaxed!
Today we went to the snow and had fun on the sleighs. Again, I will put up photos later. Adrian just loved it and couldn't stop going down faster and more daring each time. It is so funny to see how very similar he looks and is to my Dad. Now he's gone swimming with my sister Sabine.
Ok, that's us for now. Hope you're all keeping well...

Christmas Eve.

Sunset outside our bedroom window. Yes, my mum has got a round pen and paddocks in her garden:)

Lounge

Happy Adrian!!

After Adrian's tantrums that lastet the whole day had passed, everybody had been to church or the cemetery, we met back at the house (my mum and stepdad, my sister Christina, my nana, aunty me and the kids). We had a traditional fish dinner.
Adrian was very patient waiting to open the presents after dinner. And he was so spoiled and of course knows that there is more to come once my sister Conny gets back, we are going to my Dads and also once we are back in NZ at home and with his Dad! That's the good luck of broken up families- lots of presents at different times.
Oh, we also did the rounds in the afternoon and giving presents to the many people that live around this complex of my stepdads. There are 9 appartments people are renting and they all got presents from us! It was nice to give to strangers this year, as most of them I hadn't met. I hope you all had a nice day.
Today was my nana (Oma)s Birthday and we had lunch brought to us here which was nicer than going out with the kids. Smoking is still allowed in restaurants here and it's hard to handle at times.
And tomorrow is Giorgia's big day! The church was stuffed full of around 300 people yesterday- we are not expecting numbers like that, but you never know who will come and have a nosy. Lucky she's a Hope, so most people will not expect her to have anything to do with the mighty Schächs here:)

Adrian did well

at the raffle. He won 2 pocket knives, a towel, a soft toy, 2 caps, an umbrella, a clock, pasta, wine and beer. Lucky him!!
He's just having another swim with Oma.

Adrian riding Pele

Adrian had another great ride on Pele and here are some photos. Pele has been my sister's pony 20 years ago, he was then sold and we bought him back 10 years ago from the same people. He used to be an excellent bush pony and loved to jump! 25 now he's getting rather lazy.

Adrian is just enjoying the company's christmas farewell with sausages and raffles! Knowing his luck, he'll do well:)

We had to muck out the stable this morning and they all got Santa presents on their boxes which Adrian spotted yesterday. Lucky there were treats for the horses as well as their owners/carers, which today of course also included Adrian. Lucky him!

Adrian is having fun!

Well, on Sunday Adrian went to the indoor playground in Regensburg with his aunty Conny, her partner Rico and his son Tim, Adrian's new mate! Here are a couple of photos. They had heaps of fun and were exhausted once back home.

Yesterday he had a German haircut, which surprisingly enough doesn't look too different from a New Zealand one. We visited the city of Ingolstadt which is very old and has got a castle with a wall around the town which impressed Adrian a lot. I will upload a photo later, as my sister took it with her phone camera.

Adrian also had a horse ride on our very old pony Pele and wants to go for another one today. Last shop today also, and getting ready to decorate the Christmas tree.

Here's a photo of our breakfast this morning.

There's still no snow, but at least the rain has stopped. Fingers crossed it will get colder still! Also it is enough for Giorgia and I. Hate putting jackets on and off all day... Miss you all:)

I hate Yetlag!

Adrian, my Mum and Christina at a food stall.

Munich shops.

The play.

The biggest Christmas Tree Adrian has ever seen!

Adrian and his Oma in the pool.

Today was the first day I was actually "here". Jetlag hit Giorgia hard and it took the first two nights to convince her to sleep. Last night was better, also we all had a snack at 4am but managed to go back to sleep again. The last couple of days were spent organising the christening details, visiting more friends and family, and today I got to have 2 horse rides. Hard after not having done any proper riding in a while, but all good. We'll take photos next time...
We went to my most favourite town today- Munich! The Christmas market is on which is so beautiful and it was nice being able to see things from the touristy kind of eye. Adrian loved it there and enjoyed looking at the different stalls and the decorations and food they sold. He enjoyes the finer things in life and checking them out very carefully and thoroughly. I did some clothes shopping, but ran out of time. It's so nice to be at a place I am familiar with and enjoy so much. Munich is special, and so are the people that live there. Unique, warm and friendly. I have missed it and will have to continue to do so I guess. We also went to see my sister Christina's new appartment which is very nice and in a building from 1920 something.
Adrian has finally cought up with my sister Conny's step-son Tim and they went to his house now to check out his toys. This morning we had the mopst beautiful snow coming down for around half an hour- so so nice. But unfortunately it is just too warm (4°C) and has turned into rain fairly quickly.

We are here!!

Travel went ok- Giorgia did great with lots of sleeps. Adrian and I didn't get much sleep relly and by the time we got here he had had it and was very upset wanting to go back home again. But he soon came around after checking out the heated indoor pool, the snow, his bike here, the treats and our cool as toilet that has got loads of features (Iwill have to take a photo off it) Giorgia thought it was day time at night, but I managed to drag her out until 6am. She's back asleep now and my nana is very proud of her good baby:)
It's nice to catch up with some friends already and to have my family around us. My sister got us breakfast from the bakery at 6am. Yum. Oh, I realised that I didn'd miss snow that much after all. Adrian loves it though and had a snow fight with me and loves riding his bike here which Santa thought he could to with. Friends have dropped off so much for Giorgia. She's got a complete nursery here. And another friend dropped off lots of toys and art stuff for Adrian which he loves! Well, here are a few airport photos (at the top). We're off to the supermarket in the afternoon and I'll have a play with the horses. Catch you all soon. Oh, we do miss NZ and all of you...

We are leaving tomorrow.

Adrian has had a great day at the Races yesterday and Jodi did so very well! There were 15 greyhounds all together and all so very nice and beautiful. Some of the people were strange though, but that's what townies are like with their dogs I guess. Adrian did well on the betting side and won chips and $4.10:)
Our American Wwoofer Alison offerd to take Adrian to the beach today which was very nice of her:) He had a fun time playing in the harbour and managed to stand up on his board for 8 seconds.
Our next entry will be from Germany...
Wish us luck- I am still paranoid about flying:(
Talk to you all then.

Just a few more days at school left...

A couple of poser photos I found on here:) Adrian the player...

...for Adrian before we go. His suitcase is packed and so are the supplies in his onboard case. Yummy:) Everyday I hear at least twice: I am getting really excited now Mummy! Snow has been replaced by rain and mushy weather. But, we are hoping... My stepmother's sister has found a lot of snowy gear for Adrian from her boys, so we are prepared now! Oh, Adrian has lost his second tooth last week- this time the tooth fairy came:)