February 8-February 12

Friday February 8

ME is at her friend's house. The Kindergarten was open for a 1/2 day but HR and MK were both at home and I didn't have the heart to make GE go to school when everyone else was at home! So J stayed with them for an hour in the morning while I quick ran some errands. Had an otherwise quiet day at home. GE wanted to play with our neighbor, T, so we went over there for an hour or so in the afternoon. HR was super tired from all the excitement yesterday and is a bit run down from having a bad cough, so she laid low at home with MK.

ME called late afternoon to ask how much later she could stay at her friend's house. J wasn't sure, so he said I'd call back when I came home from the neighbors. Once I was home, she called again and this time said she was invited to sleep over again! I said she could, forgetting that she had an overnight planned for tomorrow too... Oh well, she's getting lots of German! MK's friend, C, came over around 4 to spend the night with us, so at least we had another girl around!

Saturday February 9

Went to my running group in the morning and picked up some Karneval yummies from the bakery afterwards: Berliner buns (sort of like jelly filled doughnuts) with chocolate and candy confetti, fresh Brötchen and croissants. I realized when I was shopping that I'd need more than my usual stock-up for the weekend since the stores would be closed for Rosenmontag (Monday) as well. Thankfully, I remembered while I was at the store, not after!

ME came home just before lunch and had a quiet afternoon before she and MK headed to their friend, A-R's house for the night. Our babysitter came at 3:45 and J and I headed for the train to Köln. I was dressed as a 1920's Flapper, J as a monk. Since my dress was less than warm, I layered up with a sweater, extra scarf, pants, leg warmers, boots, and wool socks over my stockings! The train trip was easy--lots of other folks headed to Köln in their costumes too. VM (in her Princess Lea costume) met us at the U-bahn near their apartment and we walked back there for a quick meal. By the time we headed out again, it was dark. Lots of folks walking in costume, headed to their favorite Karneval party spots. We waited for a while outside one of VM and CN's favorite spots, but the line was going nowhere, so CN (dressed as The Hulk) left us to go check another place while we stayed in line. A few minutes later he called to say folks could still get in and so we walked a few more blocks to another Kneipe. Here were some of their colleagues from the schools where they teach, so we packed in and started dancing. The Kölsch made the rounds. The standard was for folks to take turns going to the bar and getting a Kranz (wreath) with about 11 Kölsch glasses. Then folks would take a full one and put their empty one in it's place and that would be sent back to the bar. Thankfully, the glasses are not that big and the beer is pretty tame (not heavy or high alcohol content), so people weren't getting ridiculously wasted. The crowd we were with were also all about our age, many with kids at home too, so we all behaved ourselves appropriately (just in case you were worried that we wouldn't!). There were no tables or chairs as everything had been put away for the Karneval party. Loud Karneval music blared over the speakers and whenever a favorite song would come on, everyone (friends and strangers) would link arms and sing at the tops of their lungs! Quite an experience. We lasted for a couple of hours and then decided to make a break for home. By the time we got our things from the apartment, made a dash for the U-bahn, switched to the regional train at the Hauptbahnhof and then the U-bahn home in Bonn, it was after 1 a.m. Our babysitter was sleeping in MK's bed since she was away at A-R's, so we just snuck into our own beds and went to sleep.

Waiting in line.

Inside the Kneipe where we stayed to sing and carouse!

My smartphone camera doesn't have a flash. VM took some with hers too and sent them to me (below)

The Flapper and the Hulk

Passing out the Kölsch.

The "bathtub bubbles" were one of my favorite costumes! They made them themselves.

Putting my layers back on when it was time to go! Brrr!

Sunday February 10

ME and MK came home late morning. MK's friend C was picking her up at 11 to go to a little Karneval party at her house then into Bad Godesberg for the parade there. The rest of us bundled up, borrowed a stroller from the neighbor for GE, and walked into Bad Godesberg with ME's classmate, Y, and her family. We positioned ourselves at the Galeriaplatz and waited for the parade to make its way to us. It was soooo cold! We stayed for about 45 minutes of the parade before HR was too cold to stay longer. J carried her most of the way home. ME rode her scooter, and I trucked GE in the stroller (she fell asleep!). Despite the cold, it was a gorgeous day with blue skies and sun. The rest of the week is supposed to be cold with clouds, but no rain for a while. At home, we dumped all the candy onto the dining table and sorted out what they wanted to keep and what to throw away. We're left with one big bowl (still too much!) that we'll pull out from time to time for a treat.

J talking computer games with Y's brother.

ME with Y, her mother, V, in the white coat behind her.

Despite long johns under her pants, undershirt, shirt,and scarf plus her costume dress, our little HR was still cold! Temps didn't get above freezing even though the sun was shining.

Huddled in the stroller trying to get warm.

Kamelle! Throw us some treats!

She should really be home napping, thus the stroller. I knew she wouldn't make it if she had to walk on her own today.

GE with her buddy, Y's dad, A.

Getting a lift from Daddy.

And by the time we got home... out cold, literally.

Monday February 11

HR is starting to forget English words: "Mommy, how do you say Schmetterling in English?" "Butterfly." "Oh yeah!" 

We didn't attempt to go to the big Rosenmontag parade in downtown Bonn or in Köln. We'd had enough, but to stay "in the spirit" we turned on the broadcasting of the parade in Köln and listened to some more Karneval music.

MK came home on her own with the bus from her friend's house where she had spent the night after the Karneval parade and party.

ME's friend Y called to invite her to go to Piratenland, an indoor playground on the north side of the city. The younger sisters and I could come too, if we wanted to. Since we had no plans, it's still freezing outside and I had no desire to make the kids scooter or bike in the cold, I decided to go along. A straight shot on the U-bahn through downtown and then about 4 more stops. A 5 minute walk and then we approached a large structure similar to the tent things that go over winterized swimming pools. Inside was a huge multi-layer labyrinth, giant inflatable climbing structures, trampolines, bumper cars, and a variety of tricycles, bicycles, and ride-ons for different ages and abilities. Y's mom and I sat at a table off to the side and let the kids run rampant for two hours. A quick snack and then we bundled up and headed home, tired, but content.  ME spent the night with Y (she's only slept at our place once since last Wednesday!).

Goofing off on the subway ride to Piratenland.

GE trying to climb up onto the base of the inflatable dinosaur.

GE in the labyrinth.

Y, ME, and HR on one of the trampolines.

HR and GE shoot out of the tube slide! They nearly took me out at the knees.

The dinosaur's mouth was sometimes "open" and sometimes closed (as now). Then they'd have to jump from the mouth down onto the base!

HR leaping from the jaws of the dinosaur.

GE: what should I do next?

Once she started, she didn't stop. GE rode one of these giant tricycles for most of the rest of the time!

Captured! In the tower of the "ship" structure.

After the little girls were in bed, I quick grabbed MK and we went downstairs for a late-night treat. I wanted to hear about her party and find out how things were going for her. She ordered a little cheese pizza and the chocolate Trufulo dessert. I had the Curry Taschen  appetizer and the Gebratene Apfel dessert. We giggled and talked over our secret "date". At one point when she was starting a story, she began it in German, but then caught herself and switched to English (she still doesn't trust herself to speak much German in front of her mom and dad!).

Tuesday February 12

Kindergarten as usual today, so I took GE and then did a big grocery shopping in Bad Godesberg. MK was home with HR and J went into the office. ME was still at Y's house. After lunch HR and I rode bike to her friend, E's house for a playdate. Then I rode to the Kindergarten to pick up GE. One of the KG teachers had painted everyone's face. GE had a butterfly:

Had to take a picture before we washed it off in the bath!

When I got home, ME was back. After dinner, E's mom brought HR home and introduced me to another friend that was playing at their house and who live in Friesdorf, our neighborhood. They invited HR to play at their house too, so we have each others phone numbers so we can make a date. Everyone's exhausted, but the good kind. School back in swing again tomorrow.