Tag Archives: Christmas 2014
Another Day, More Snow…
And Miss G could not be more thrilled about it. Why? According to her, the very best thing about snow is ‘always having a snack nearby’. Hah! Seriously. And not only does she eat it as we walk along the streets, but she regularly brings cups of it inside to eat with a spoon too.
A Cold Sunday in Heidelberg
On Sundays in Heidelberg, most everything is closed. And while that can be slightly annoying when you’re in need of milk or in the mood to browse, I sort of love it at the same time. Growing up, I lived in a teeny tiny town in northern Alberta where everything was closed on Sundays… It meant that on that day each week, our day was spent together as a family. Those days were slower than the others and I loved it.
Today was one of those days. A cold Sunday where we didn’t do much of anything other than force ourselves out of the flat for an hour to play at a nearby school. And it was lovely.
REAL Snow
Today, well into our morning routine of sitting at the table together sipping on hot drinks before the sun rises, we realized something…
Our balcony was covered in a blanket of snow! It was so dark outside we hadn’t noticed even though we’d been sitting right in front of it for nearly 30 minutes, but the moment we did, we threw on our coats and boots {in between shrieks of ‘It’s snowing, Papa! It’s snowing!’, of course} and headed outside to play. It was heavy and sticky – the perfect snow for building things with, which made it that much better.
SNOW! {Boxing Day 2014}
Today, after what was a fairly usual {holiday} day of exploring, visiting with friends, and playground fun, Miss G got the very best Christmas present of all… SNOW. Something she’s been patiently waiting for for nearly two years now {my poor little Canadian girl} and definitely a wish come true!
Christmas Day {2014}
Ahhh… Such a great day. There’s nothing quite like seeing Christmas through the eyes of your child. Everything is just so exciting and wonderful. And though I’ve come to the conclusion that Christmas away from Canada and our families will always be a touch strange, I think we’ve settled into a nice little holiday routine with just our family of 3.
Christmas Eve {2014}
Our Christmas Eve was a lovely one this year…
Our flat was filled with friends {who are also visiting Heidelberg} for brunch, Grae and I did some midday ice play, the sun came out just in time for a long walk and visit to one of our favourite playgrounds, and we came across huge piles of leaves on our way home {a treat for a desert-dwelling kiddo!} Upon our return, we found chocolate and a handmade card on our doorstep and finished off our day with a movie night {the original Rudolph} and Miss G’s Christmas Eve presents {Christmas jammies and books, as always}. Here is our day in photos…
A Lazy Christmas Eve’s Eve
Today was weird. The morning started off slowly, like many of our mornings have this trip, but then we just sort of stayed in pajamas and did nothing all day long.
Christmas Markets and Carousels and Cold, Oh My!
While we spent some time at the Christmas market both yesterday and the day before, we really only visited one of many small markets around Heidelberg, and since today is the last day they’re open, we set out to visit a few of the other {further away} ones today. Getting all the way down to the furthest one definitely took a little bit of strategic planning since it’s nearly 3 kilometres from our flat and we chose to leave our stroller at home this trip, but Miss G’s been doing exceptionally well. Besides being carried or piggybacked by Brad for short bouts here or there, she’s walked everywhere we’ve gone with quite minimal complaints. The key? Lots of little pitstops on the way, plenty of {distracting} chat while walking, and setting out exciting destinations along the way as goals {the toy store, the carousel, the castle, etc.}
Here’s our day in photos…
Exploring Heidelberg {Day 2}
Whew…What a day! After getting a fabulous night of sleep last night, we spent the majority of today out and about enjoying Heidelberg and soaking in crisp outdoor air – something we certainly don’t get enough of in Kuwait. A welcomed change.
Back in Heidelberg
Ahhhhh… Heidelberg. We love it here. After a fairly terrible night of sleep {the party upstairs turned out to be quite the rager and Miss G was up at 4 a.m. after an exceptionally late bedtime last night}, we bundled up and walked to the grocery store to load up on essentials. After everything had been washed and put away, we had some brunch and put our grumpypants girl down for a much needed nap, despite the fact that she hasn’t had one in months and months and months. Luckily for us, she fell asleep and stayed asleep for a couple of hours – woohoo! After the post-nap fog had worn off, she helped me take a couple of photos for a special New Year’s Eve post I’m doing for CBC Parents, then we bundled up and went exploring Heidelberg’s Old Town. We wandered the streets, browsed the shops, visited the Christmas market {where Grae rode the carousel}, and then had dinner out at a restaurant we really enjoyed last year. It was a day filled with walking, crisp air, bright lights, and Christmas cheer – the perfect combination for our first day of holidays as a family.
Making and Eating Gingerbread People Cookies {a first}
A Yearly Tradition: A Polar Express Viewing Party With Friends
This morning Miss G woke up to discover a jingle bell on a red satin ribbon and this little note in her snowman advent calendar. She was beyond excited.
Fun Stocking Stuffers for Miss G
Growing up, we didn’t do stockings at Christmastime. Don’t get me wrong – we always had more than enough of everything and my parents worked extremely hard to make the holidays beyond special for us. Stockings just weren’t our jam.
Christmas is Coming!
When you’re from Canada, Christmas equals cold, crisp air and snow-covered streets {or at least tons of rain and regular frosts if you’re from Vancouver}. Needless to say, that’s not the kind of weather we’re currently experiencing here in Kuwait. In fact, I’m fairly certain that this is the warmest December we’ve experienced in our six years here. Normally by this time of year, we’re wearing down vests and shivering during our afternoons in the courtyard, but this year it’s regularly been 21 to 24 ºC for the majority of the day, which makes getting into the holiday season sort of tricky. Don’t get me wrong – we’re certainly trying. Our advent calendar activities have been helping us along, but it wasn’t until today that I think it finally sunk in… Christmas is coming!
