What's missing from 2015 (November-December)

In November we went to Tenerife for a week. Both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law were waiting for us there. (14-21 November 2015)

Auro and Tosca love staying in a hotel...

amazing volcano Teide

Tosca in her flamenco dress

the flamenco craze continued at home...

The one and only Saint Nicholas in Milan (28/11/2015)

The same Saint Nicholas brought all these presents (06/12/2015)

Christmas recital at the kindergarten: traditional Genovese songs and dances (21/12/2015)

Christmas cake

Christmas morning at Cesenatico (25/12/2015)

Whatt's missing from 2014 (October-November-December)

Warm autumn = lots of walks (mostly in Praglia)

Gymkhana in Cravasco (October 2014)

Halloween!!!

Arrival of Sinterklaas on Lago Maggiore (November 2014)

A warm winter in Liguria (This photo became our New Year's card!)

Christmas recital of Tosca's kindergarten

snowman Tosca

For Christmas and New Year we went to Belgium.

Introducing the kids to some Begian culture ;-)

What's missing of 2013 (October-December)

2 winners of the gymkhana in Cravasco (20/10/2013)

Christmas market (Leuven, Belgium)

Christmas market in Leuven

Back in time: December 2012

December: the month in which we put up the Christmas tree, Saint Nicholas brought many presents and we saw the first snow covering everything with a thick white layer. In December, Auro's kindergarten organised a Christmas recital (in which Auro was present, but didn't take part very actively due to a fever that made him miss 2 weeks of school and nearly all of the preparations for the recital). 

The first snow was good enough for this beautiful snowman!

On the morning of the 6th of December, Auro and Tosca followed the trail of tangerines and chocolates down the stairs, to find that Saint Nicholas had brought them a table with chairs, a CD, a puzzle and a board game of Barbapapa!

Happy kids!

Auro's school recital (Auro is in the right bottom corner, with a white t-shirt)

There he is, trying to find us among all the parents while he should have been singing with the other kids...

Here is one girl who really enjoyed the show (shouting Wawa every time she spotted her brother).

On the 23rd of December, we put all of our Christmas presents in our suitcase and took the plane to Belgium. We had a quiet (but nice) Christmas Eve in my dad's new apartment and on the last day of 2012 we went caroling in the street where he used to live. We even stopped at the house I grew up in and met the new owners (it felt weird, but comforting at the same time knowing the house seems to be in caring hands). 

Auro and Tosca ready to sing for candy

A pit stop at the house of friendly (ex-) neighbours  (cookies and a glass of water for the children, jenever and homemade Amaretto for the adults)

After about 10 houses, the children finally overcame their initial shyness and started singing louder than the accompanying adults (notwithstanding the jenever stop we had just had). Here you see Zita (my brother's daughter) singing at the top of her lungs ;-)

And they were well rewarded!

A final toast on the old year...

Year of the dragon

I'm a little late with this, but: HAPPY NEW YEAR! May the year of the dragon bring you lots of once-in-a-lifetime chances, countless happy moments and an inexhaustable energy supply to face the less perfect days!

To start the new year freshly, here is a long overdue update on 'us' ....

December 2011

Auro started December by going to school happily, but soon he caught a nasty cold and had to stay home with fever. Still not feeling too well, but wanting to sing "zie ginds komt de stoomboot" to a live Saint Nicholas, we took him to Milan where the holy man was visiting all the Belgian and Dutch children living in the region. A little scared and slightly intimidated by the Saint and his enormously tall black helpers, Auro patiently waited his turn and totally lit up after Saint Nicholas shook his hand.Totally worth the long drive!!

The rest of the month, however, Auro spent mostly at home: caughing, sneezing, vomiting and looking pale. Many sleepless nights and an intestinal flu attack later, he recovered just in time to celebrate Christmas, which, despite the big plans to have a big Christmas dinner with my in-laws, we spent at home by ourselves. It was just perfect! Remo cooked, I baked a cake for the first time in my life and the children where healthy and happy!

My in-laws finally joined us after Christmas and we ended up having a very relaxed time then ast well, so we really enjoyed our holidays!

Auro doesn't look very happy in this picture, but I can assure you that he was.

After meeting Saint Nicholas, the children got some candies and a little present.

And then they tell me I am tall!! Even Tosca was impressed!

ready for Saint Nicholas

the next morning ;-)

Xmas Eve

Xmas Eve

the Xmas cake

January 2012 

Right before the end of the year, Remo's parents took Auro to the mountains with them. The week he was there, he was outside inhaling the fresh mountain air every day while stuffing himself with chocolate and other goodies that he usually is not allowed to eat in large quantities. When he came back to us he looked slightly chubbier, but the healthy colour had returned to his little face!

Anyway, after the Befana's visit, Auro was ready to start kindergarten again. He lasted exactly 2 weeks, until, on the morning of my birthday, he woke up with a fever... again. Soon the coughing and vomiting followed, but, now, one week later he seems to be on the betterhand. Unless snow prevents us from leaving the house, Auro will give it another try on Monday ;-)

the money (=chocolate) and lumps of coal (=sugar) that Befana left for Auro

On my birthday... Auro enjoying the return of the sun on our house (after about one month without direct sunlight)