preparing for the new apartment

Preparations are hot. We'll move to our new apartment on January, 2nd. So I spent the last two days retrieving my old stuff from the attic, where it spent the last 1,5 years. Took it down to one of the guest-rooms. And that what it looks like:
I am so happy there are two big guys around (my fiancé and my brother) to help carrying around these things. My back hurts already thinking about it...

X-mas, second party

And now imagine you have a brother who happens to be born on December, 25th. And then imagine that your mother ALSO was born on December 25th. And now imagine that at about midnight the bell does not stop ringing. So: my brother and mother only had the time to exchange some presents... and zack, the apartment was full... my parents friends were sitting on the other side of the room ;-)

X-mas, first party

Well, first we went to church at about 16h, then we changed our presents and than we had this gorgeous dinner. Somehow we only made pictures while exchanging the presents, so: I got this fashionable Ipod in bright red, combining with my rose and fingernails. And I am REALLY sorry, but you just HAVE to know this, hehe.
He, who gave me that little toy, got a fork. And a knife. And a spoon. And all in one. And he was AMAZED!
Then it got later and i tried to bewitch the cat. It worked somehow. At least as long as I still had some food in my fingers. Then she somehow lost interest.
So, we thought we would end the night with some nice little candles and the fire burning. Burning. Burning. At present we have 25°C in our apartment. That's 77°F (see http://www.heise.de/ix/browser/javascript/fahrenheit.html with the usual disclaimer of course)

decorating the Christmas-tree

So, in Germany we have that Christmas tree. A real one, nothing plastic ;-). So, in order to make it more Christmessy, we had to put some things on it. Like little angels, stars, apples and stuff. So, here you see me and my little babybrother Danny (10 years) decorating the tree:

Daniel, my second brother (22 years until the 25th) also helped us, especially explaining Danny how he could put the decoration on the tree without hurting his fingers.

Well, then the tree was almost ready and we started to decorate ourselves. Here you see me and my brother displaying some nice little appels.

OK, and that's the result. A nice little (well, big) Christmas tree with candles, angels, appels, nuts and other things.

you can't always study

So, this is the proove: European Studies Master student ALSO go out to drink something from time to time. Please note the Caipirinha in Sophies hand ;-)

2. Advent

So, this is a German (?) tradition: we have this Adventskranz (literally advent wreath), just that in my case it's more a rod. But well, the important thing are the four candles, one for every sunday before Christmas. So, now you know: only two weeks left until the "Christkind" is coming to drop off some presents. Hopefully. If you behaved, at least, I guess.

So: enjoy the pre-christmas time.

Visiting Delitsch

After my seminar in Chemnitz this weekend I make a quick visit at my friend Marlen's house to meet her (after about 4 years of having had contact only via email and letters) and her children: Two almost-two-year-old-twins, Abbas and Zeynab (I hope I spelled them correctly though).
It was great to catch up personally.
Zeynab is trying to convince her mom that she has to sleep now, while Abbas is all fascinated by someone pointing a camera at us ;-)

Mommy, Daddy, me and my Cat ;-)

My mum, me and my Dad. Having fun while my brother is trying to get along with the digital camera ;-) Fortunately he somehow managed to take at least one photo.

Me and my cat.