The Chocolate Diet

I forgot to mention in last weeks post, that the kids are on their chocolate diet again. When December starts, they remind us very quickly that their advent calender must be put up. This is hung on their door and every day, Father Christmas fills up the compartment with chocolates.
This week started with some medical issues once again!! I took both Robert and Lara to the doctor on Monday evening. Robert for strange "ringworm" type lesions on his legs and Lara for a persistent cough which had her in "coughing fits" in the middle of the night. Lara was diagnosed with Constrictive bronchitis and Robert with Tinea.
We wake up on Tuesday morning to Steven barking like a dog. He came through to our room battling to get his breath and quite uptight. I nebulised him and off we went again to the Doctor. Of course, by the time we got to see Dr Becker at about 9.30am (after waiting for longer than an hour at the rooms)Steven was just soooo much better!! He had Spasmodic Croup and was told to stay at home for the rest of the day and lay off sport for 2 days. He had to be nebulised 3 times a day. This had put a bit of a dampener on the morning of St Niklaus. On the morning of the 6th Dec, the children put their boots out and St. Niklaus fills them up with chocolates. Left him at home and went to NKD and bought myself a nice brown jacket. Took Lara to dancing in the afternoon. Steven came along so that he could choose a present for his friend who was having a birthday. I also went into the hairdresser and booked to have my hair done. It was also Heidi's birthday today.
I had my hair done on Thursday morning by Simone. She cut and coloured it quite well. My husband's comment was that it looked like a 1960's style!!! I rushed into NKD to get Steven a snow suit for 12.99. Took Steven off to the Altenburg Sports club where his friend Marvin's birthday party was being held. Went to Eudorf to Textile Sagawe looking for a skirt. Landed up buying a skirt and top!!! Came home and had to take Robert and Alex off to soccer training.
On Friday morning I went off to visit Marcelle. She helped me set up a blog on 24 and also gave me a hand with my new camera. I am useless at these things and Marcelle is very clued up and loves all these gadget type things. Will have to call her Mrs Gadget in future. Had a lovely morning with her.
On my way home, I called into the shoe shop where I had bought a lovely pair of winter boots. The stitching had come undone and wanted to know if I could replace them with another pair. Unfortunately, they no longer had my size so refunded me.
Took Robert, Steven, and Alex off to their Soccer Christmas party at the Altenburg Sports Club. I came home, so that I would be ready to go off to our Tennis Club Christmas party. Patricia came over to babysit for us and she spent the night here.
Our Tennis party was the same as all the usual German functions. A smoke filled room of people all eating and drinking and talking. No dancing or music - dead boring!!!
On Saturday, we went to pick up our blinds from Deco Dormus and did a bit of shopping in town. Came home, picked up Robert and hit the road for Weiterode where Yvonne lives. We spent the rest of the day celebrating her birthday with her friends and family. Really nice but I am sure also quite fattening with all the cake eating. Got home in time to watch the semi finals of X-factor which is now so exciting. Ben was voted off much to my dismay but the other two were fantastic.
On Sunday, Gerard got up and took Steven off to a soccer match which started at 8.15am. I got up shortly afterwards and made a quiche. This was my bit towards the Kindergarten brunch that we were attending. Lara's Kindergarten put on a little Nativity play and then everyone tucked in to a wonderful assortment of food. Diet definately out the window.
Later in the afternoon, we decided to take the kids to the "Weihnacht Markt" in Alsfeld. Of course, it was very full with people coming and going, and after an hour or so, we were starting to feel cold. Lara had the most fun as she got to ride on the carousel and little train, but the boys have outgrown this and found it quite boring!!! We had a Bratwurst there for supper. By the time we left, the temperature had gone down to 3 degrees. Took a drive past some of the houses that really do their houses up with lights etc. Really pretty.