Time to paint

My sister-in-law, Lauren, reserved a table at a paint your own pottery place in Erie.  It worked out because it was on Liv's list of places to hit up while we were home for the holidays.  Gina and I took Liv and Cole.  Sophie and Piper stayed home with Nana, due to the fact that they are still in the throws of jet-lag...Lord, help us!

Liv made a platter for someone special and Cole decided to make a gift for Uncle Roy.  The kids had a great time and got to spend some time with their cousins too!  Many thanks to Aunt Lauren for the planning...good times were had by all!

Look out Princess Kate...there is a new "Mom-to-Be" on the block!

My sister, Gina, called me one day with the most wonderful news...SHE IS PREGNANT!  

I told her that I wanted her to wait to tell the kids until we came to Erie for the holidays.  She came up with the cutest idea to share the great news with them.  She made them all t-shirts that said, "This Little Monkey is going to be a cousin" on them.  Here is how it all played out in pictures...

THE LITTLE MONKEYS OPENING THEIR GIFTS...

READING AND REALIZING WHAT THEY MEAN...

COLE CONGRATULATES GINA...

SOPHIE GETS IN ON THE ACTION...

PIPER TOO...

...AND LIV!

GIGI AND THE LITTLE MONKEYS...WHO ARE GOING TO BE  COUSINS!

PIPER AND HER SHIRT...NOT SO MUCH!

WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Let the festivities begin...the Brussels Sprouts have arrived in the land of the Red, White and Blue!

After all of my worrying about how much snow would be on the ground in Pennsylvania (NONE, for a change), we ended up having more accumulation in Waterloo!  We ended up having a Snow Day the Friday before we left, but thankfully all of it melted and our flight took off as scheduled.  We flew from Brussels to D.C. and then D.C. to Buffalo.  

We were so excited to see Santa and his elf (aka Papa and Nana), and Aunt Gina waiting for us in order to take us to Erie in their sleighs.  Yes, Virginia, it took two to get us all home to Erie!

Happy 5th Birthday, Sophie

Sophie turned 5 on December 3rd.  I can't even believe that she is 5 already!  Who would have thought when I was pregnant with her and we were in the process of moving to Indy, just a short 5 years later we would be living in Belgium!  (There was also a move to Naperville in those years as well!)

I am so proud of this little ball of energy.  She took this move in stride.  She went from going to school 3 days a week for only 2 and a half hours each day to...BOOM...all day, every day.  The funny thing...she is LOVING it!  It helps to have the great teachers that she does, but she continues to amaze me every single day.

She got to celebrate in school with her friends and I made special carrot cake cupcakes for them.  She made a crown.  The weather wasn't very cooperative.  It was wet with a rain/snow mix, so after school when we were walking to get Cole and Liv the lettering ran...down onto her face.  You can see it in the pictures.

As many of you know, she is a lover of dressing up.  So...why should her birthday be any different, right!  She went to her dress-up bin and came out with this little number...a cupcake.  Her explanation, "Mom...it's a birthday party.  We are having cupcakes.  I should be a cupcake!"  Too much!

We will be having a Barbie party for her when we go to Erie, but on the actual day it was just us.  Piper decided to dress up as well.  She came clad in her go-to costume...Bat Girl.  Good times had by all!  

1st Belgian Snow

I was told that it rained a lot in Belgium, and that it does, but I was also told that it really doesn't snow.  Growing up in Erie, PA, Jason and I are not strangers to some serious snow fall.  We have walked to school in it, shoveled it, driven in it, etc.  I am not afraid of it.  What I am afraid of are those who do not know how to walk, shovel, and especially drive in it.  

We were surprised to wake up Monday morning to the large flakes falling.  It also seemed to be sticking.  It fell, and fell, and fell, but by time for pick up from school it had all soon disappeared.  Piper chose to stay inside.  She hates the flakes, after all:)

Monschau Christmas Market

We decided to hit up Monschau, Germany on the way home from Koln to check out the market there.  I have heard a great many things about Monschau.  It is a quaint little town close to the Belgian border. 

We were late getting out of Koln due to the crowds and traffic so we arrived in Monschau later than expected.  By the time we got there it was very dark and very cold.  We really didn't get the chance to see all that we could, but of what we did see...WE LOVED!

The town was too cute.  It's cobble-stoned streets were lined with little shops that had all different goodies.  It started to snow huge snowflakes and we felt like we were in a snow globe.  Piper was quite freaked out by the snow.  She didn't know what to make of it.  She wouldn't even let me pick her up because the flakes were sticking to my coat and hair.  She just shoved her hands in her pockets and walked on.  

CATCHING SNOW FLAKES...PIPER WANTED NO PART!

We stayed long enough to get a bite to eat and a mug of hot chocolate.  The kids walked their little legs off that day.  They were tired and cranky!  Jason and I kept quoting National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation during the part where Clark is making the whole family traipse through the forest to pick out a tree.  We kept saying, "Cole can't talk right now, dear.  His mouth is frozen." or "Liv will check out that store after her eyes have defrosted."  We were laughing and being silly.  The kids were not enthused!

 Monschau is on the list of places to visit again!! 

Koln Christmas Market

Another weekend...another market!

This time we headed to Koln.  We were told that this was one of the larger ones.  There were 6 markets in all and there was a trolley that took you from one to the other.  

Wel...they were right.  It was big.  BIG AND CROWDED!  We enjoyed seeing Koln, going to the markets, eating the food, etc.  But...there were just too many people.  The markets were also far from each other and we never saw the trolley.

We can say, "we came, we saw, we conquered", but I am not too sure if this one will be on our list for next year.  We definitely want to make the trip back to Koln, but not during market season:)

THE KIDS LOVED THIS BUILDING WITH THE ICE CREAM ON TOP.  THEY CALLED IT
"CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF ICE CREAM"

Dusseldorf Christmas Market

So many of our friends told us that around the holidays we, for sure, had to check out the Christmas Markets.  We wanted to make sure to get in as many as we could.  We decided to set out for Dusseldorf, Germany for our first one. 

Dusseldorf is a great city!  Apparently, it has even been called the "shopping capital of Germany".  It almost reminded me of walking through Times Square in New York City.

We had a great time at the market.  We got to sample a lot of great food and picked up some great little items to remember our trip there.  We also got to stroll along the streets of Dusseldorf when...what to our wondering eyes should appear...

BOO-YAH...DUNKIN' DONUTS!!!  

We enjoyed bagels, donuts, and coffee (for me) all while Jason laughed at us for being in Germany...AND...for being more excited to see that beautiful orange and pink sign.

Whatever, Jason...whatever!  

Thanksgiving...Belgian Style

I had heard from a couple of people that if we wanted a turkey for Thanksgiving we had to make sure to order it.  There is a British Store in Waterloo that you can order them from, but I had heard many people say that they were charging around 80 Euros.  

Well...for those of you who know me and how much I LOVE to deal with all things meaty and poultry"ish"...I was okay with just foregoing the whole...You have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving thing.  I don't like to touch it.  I don't do bones, etc.  

Thanksgiving was just a regular day here in Belgium, of course.  The kids had school.  When I dropped them off it seemed really odd to be wishing my fellow Americans a "Happy Thanksgiving" while we were passing each other by.  I actually got to a point of saying "Happy regular day in Belgium day."  

We decided that we would celebrate Thanksgiving the Sunday after.  I lucked out and found a turkey breast...yeaaaaaa...no bones.  I made mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberries, etc.  I had DvR'd the parade and we even settled in to watch that.  Surprisingly, Piper was in HEAVEN with the parade!

JUST THOUGHT I WOULD TAKE A PIC OF WHAT WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT DEAD...HAHA...IN MY HOUSE!

Go Liv...STAR STUDENT

Liv's class participates in an online Math program.  She usually tries to get on each day and does about 20 minutes of work.  Imagine her surprise when she looked at the rankings...CHECK OUT WHO IS #38 IN THE WORLD'S TOP 100 STUDENTS...

That's right!!  Liv M. from St. John's International School!  Congrats, Livy Lou!

My morning of listening...for a change!

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, Liv's teacher, Mr. Savva, has asked parents to come in and volunteer to listen to the children as they read to them.  I got the chance to go in and it was too much fun!  The kids get so excited to see who is going to come in.  Will they bring stickers or won't they?!  Unfortunately, when I made my trip in there was not a sticker to be found in Chateau Martin!  (Thank you, Martha Stewart...I mean, Liv Martin!)  I even tried to scam some Lego stickers out of one of Cole's books, but he was fresh out.  

Oh...well...there's always next time, right?!  I will FOR SURE arrive prepared with stickers in tow!

Pull up a lap and sit for a spell...

The American Women's Club of Brussels held their Annual Holiday Bazaar.  It was a two-day event that had crafter's and artisans from all over Europe selling their wares.  We picked up some great things, Liv and I got to work in the coat check for Daisy's AND Piper and Sophie got to sit on Santa's lap. 

I wonder if they said they have been good or bad?

Bernard arrives in Belgium....thank goodness!

As Thanksgiving approached and the time that our resident elf, Bernard, was due to make his entrance, the kids were VERY WORRIED that he would not realize that we had, in fact, moved to Belgium.  Have no fear...as usual...on Thanksgiving (even though it was just a normal day in Belgium) Bernard was found perched on our undecorated Christmas tree.  He came complete with a note from Santa and they Martin kids all breathed a sigh of relief!  

What mischief will he get into this year?  Will he make the trip with us when we head to Erie for the holidays?

STAY TUNED...

Shoebox Project

St. John's International School participated in a special project that is aimed to bring "shoe boxes" with Christmas gifts for a child in need.  Cole, Liv, and Sophie each filled a box for a special child.  They each had so much fun picking out school supplies, hygiene items, toys and as many other useful items that we could cram into the box!

After the boxes were all ready the kids took them to school and participated in a special assembly.  The boxes were then blessed and filled with well wishes.  The will now go to the very poor and needy children of the world in Africa and Eastern Europe.  Many of these children are abandoned in orphanages and hospitals.  

I was so proud of the kids.  They took extra special care (Piper even go in on the action) in picking out just the right items for "their child."  It was a great project that really made us all stop and think about all we have and how happy we were that we could pass it on!

Elementary Art Show

On the campus at St. John's there is an Art Studio.  It was one of the things that Liv was so excited about when we first showed them the school.  The Studio periodically has Art Exhibits.  The Elementary School Art Exhibit took place a couple of weeks ago and Cole, Liv and Sophie all had pieces in the show.

PreK's exhibit was titled "Disco Chickens".  Their garden at school comes complete with a rooster and some hens.  It is probably up there on the list of reasons why Sophie goes to school each day.  The buzz in PreK now is that some eggs hatched and they have baby chickens.

To produce their art they each got to make a chicken out of clay.  After they were completed they were placed in a black box that acted as the dance floor.  It even came complete with a disco ball.

In Grade 1, Liv's art was centered around Alexander Calder's piece of art entitled Calder's Circus from 1963.  They drew pictures and they created 3D art that was put together to form a piece much like the one that Calder himself had created.

Cole's class in Grade 4, took their inspiration from part of their Unit of Inquiry when they took a walk through the forest.  They were asked to create a piece of art that was based on something that they saw as they were walking along.  Cole made a spider.