Summing Up the 2-Week December School Holiday

(Update: More photos added in this post below).

I have made it to taking the boys out for breakfast.  The food is standard, but that is not the point.  Watching them going their rounds, helping themselves to what they prefer to eat and seeing their contented faces at the end of it is just priceless.  I would love to do this again when the next opportunity arrives.  Handling two is always easier than four.

They both are so happy at breakfast.  Would you have believed this is the first-time I bring them out to eat?  That's the downside of having many children (it all adds up) and ahem (or luckily)... being good at cooking.

The photos are taken on two different days.  The first (above), is with Johann and Enzian, when both Ludwig and Bart are staying over at their grandparents.  The rest (below), is with Johann and Bart.  Ludwig has not gone to the breakfast yet, but he is also the only boy who gets to stay over at both grandparents' houses.

This little man is the luckiest of the four.  He is the only one who gets the breakfast buffet twice in a span of 2 weeks, and the best thing is, he eats for free!  Wooohoo..

Awwe... even my heart goes soft and my knees go wobbly when I see this photo of him. People keep telling me he is a looker, now that I am looking at this picture, I have to agree with them!

My puffy eyes show a mother's obligation and promise to her children.  Getting up early enough not to miss the closing time of the buffet.  I always win when I take them out for all-you-can-eat buffet, not that we do that often, but when we do, they sweep everything into their stomachs and I pay kids' price (usually 50% off regular) for the twins, nothing for Johann and Bart eats like he is eating for 3. I shan't mention how many Christophe and I are eating for.

This two-week of school holiday is a nice change for the entire family.  Things are relatively more peaceful at home with fewer children, which translates to quality time for all of us.  The grandparents-grandsons bonding is a great big plus.  As the holiday draws to an end, I would like to note down what we have done in making us feeling so fulfilled...

1.  Cooked chilli and black pepper crabs, fried mantou for Christmas Eve's dinner.  Everyone happy with their Christmas presents.

Black pepper crabs.

Deep fried mantou.

Chilli crabs.

2.  Pepe and Meme invited us to their house for Christmas Day lunch. More presents.

They are so excited with their presents, the curiosity is killing them... it was hard trying to get them together for a picture.

Boys showing off their presents (sports jacket) from Pepe and Meme.

Christophe and I also received a present from his parents :)

 3.  Opa and Oma invited us to a German restaurant for traditional Christmas lunch, then to their house for Christmas cookies and coffee.  Even more presents.

The boys playing in Oma's kitchen.

4.  Bart began his 6-day stay at Opa and Oma's. He has been friends with a neighbour's boy since he was 6. They click very well and always arrange to meet during the school holidays. Opa and Oma dote on Bart, he gets his special time with them.
5.  Ludwig went over to Pepe and Meme the next day, for 3 nights. He had a great time too. Went to the mountains (Hoernle), visited the Deutschesflugmuseum, and went swimming at Erdingertherme.
6.  Enzian, Johann and I went jogging together for the first time!  And there was a second time after that. We went for breakfast and we did Chinese too. I had a little bit of me-time and did some shopping with a girlfriend.
7.  Our family was re-united on new year's eve. We ushered the new year with fireworks and champagne. 

8.  Enzian's turn to go over to Pepe and Meme, while Ludwig's 2-night stay with Opa and Oma, which fell on the same day, was last minute but welcomed.  Enzian visited the Deutschesverkehrsmuseum, went swimming at Ottobrunnbad, did NOT go to the mountains (Herzogsstand) as there was an Avalanche number 4 warning, went to Riemersee where he found out that the lake shore was covered with sand instead of the usual stones and watched "Ein Elch ist los" at the Stadtbibliothek.  Ludwig spent his time reading books and taking strolls with Opa and Oma.

9.  Bart revised his Chinese from lessons 1 to 8 with me, visited Tante Inge, read, played Wii with Johann.

10.  My Singaporean friend came to visit me with a durian, we had an enjoyable time.

11.  Christophe has more peace in general to work, he even attended a friend's BD party one evening.  He is also out this evening to fetch Bart who was invited to a friend's BD party, he called earlier to ask if I am ok with Bart sleeping over at his friend's.  It's been 3.5 hrs since the call and Christophe isn't home yet, so I guess he must be enjoying his conversation with the parents over there so much.  Good to see my man out on his own, he needs to get away from work too.

12.  And I am very sure my in-laws find something likable about my sons during their stay with them.

This has been an extraordinary holiday!