She´s back!
Yes I am back...from the country of organization and the obligatory mullet. I had such a beautiful time and my nieces are growing to be very interesting and wonderful beings.
Germans overall were a pain in the butt though! Order needs to be maintained at all times and after living in Iceland for 9 years, I didn´t recall the "silence after 8 o´clock rule", the "please use the polite form of "Sie" when adressing a grown up" and the "please don´t cut the line although you are in a hurry and about to miss your over-prized flight".
Other than that I had a blast. Spring was in the air, my easter bunny was very generous and my sister a delight. I am kinda sad to be back. Although tomorrow morning I will appreciate to be able to sleep as long as I like. Should I mention at this point that three kids is a lot?
Anja(7) and Jessica(4)look like sweet little angels, but boy can they be tough. They rule the neigbourhood and are constantly teasing and fighting each other. That is the kinda stuff that, at 6 in the morning, is something I wish would happen to other people.
And the youngest Marie (1) is at that cute little age where the hands grab everything and she literally could be anywhere. And when I say anywhere I really mean it. At one point I thought I had lost her, when I found her after several frantic screams in the....washing machine!!! I kid you not. She thought that was really funny...me? Not so much!
But boy oh boy, did they steal my heart. It was really difficult to refuse them anything and I think I spoiled them beyond sanity. But I am there twice a year, so the parents have sufficient time to repair the damage. Easter was great. We made big easter-nests and decorated our trees (German tradition!), baked cakes and coloured eggs. The easter-bunny had such a fun time hiding these nests and I loved to see my nieces in the morning searching for theirs and shrieking with joy when they found something. They were high on sugar all day and I counted my blessings when they finally fell asleep shortly before midnight. Mon Dieu!
Apart from poopy diapers, spit and sticky hands they are the greatest nieces anybody could have. And here is a picture to prove it, one of my favourite ones.
All pictures have been published with permission of the parents and I encourage you to click on them for better detail. This few pics hardly do my trip any justice, so I have decided to add a little flickr-album to my sidebar...for those of you who wanna get even closer :)
34 Comments:
Wow back twice... does that mean you really are back? And I'm sure they're very cute... in spite of their orderly surroundings!! ;-)
Welcome back my pretty German sistah in Iceland! It's good to be back among our buddies in blogsphere isn't it? I think I'd like to spend Easter with you and yours, sounds wonderful. Okay, really, I'd like Aunt Monika to spoil me rotten too. :)
Welcome back, Monika! It sounds like you had a wonderful time with your nieces. I'll be looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Kids are such a joy. They are tiring and they never run out of energy, but they are so wonderful.
I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing them all.
You get the fun of spoiling them. I'm sure they think you are the best auntie in the whole world. Of course, you are!!
I look forward to seeing the pictures.
Glad u had a good time sweety. Also glad to have u back to the land of the ice and snow (I changed to summer-tires today and this evening it snowed), and I know there are some tiny one's that are glad to have their mommy back.
You know one day those girls are going to grow and grow to resent those pictures.:)
Wie süsse! I decided in February that the mullet is how you can still tell which side of the iron curtain you're on. Women had them in Brandenburg. Missionaries should add that town to their list. But not Baptist missionaries.
LOL at her in the dryer!!! :) It's fascinatin to see the culture shock of Germany versus Iceland.
In my mind I think of Iceland as a place where you feel safe, no crime and smilin happy people. Is this stereotype completely misplaced?
Those are SUCH cute pictures!!
They're still doing the mullet in Deutschland, eh? Schade!
Lisa, yeah I am back twice. Not willingly though;) I tried to publish a blog yesterday and it didn´t let me, so when I got home after work it had published the same blog twice-I guess to make up!
Sar, sistahs I spoil even more;)
Tim, yes I did and they are up now and to the side!
Jamie dawn, yeah I am the best auntie in the world to them, mostly becuase the next aunt in the row is 12 ;)
Tryggvi, I have to change my tires as well. But than I landed and saw all the snow and thought, maybe a little later!
janet, oh yes I know:) for now they are just very curious about my camera and how you can see the pictures straight away and they like presenting themselves. Nothing of that fake shyness we all went through at a certain age. But you know what? The pictures I used to resent in my teens are so special to me now...
Doug, you might be right. I think this haircut can also be associated with the social rank in Germany. But alas...please don´t send any baptist missionaries, that would only make the problem worse :)
aisha, this stereotypw is somewhat fitting. More so a couple of years ago. But yes, here it is all more layed back. Youd on´t really have to be exactly on time, becuase nobosy expects it. You can let your kids play outside with no fear someone will come and just take them. I saw how tightly my sister held my nieces when we were out and about! Not so sure about teh smiling here though. When you go shopping you can count yourself lucky if the salesperson says Hello to you! AT least that is my impression...
Ap3, it is harder for some people to let go of ridiculous things.
actonbell...I have no doubt it will get warm here some time, I have set the date for summer july 17th at 4 in the afternoon. I know that is hopeful, but I am not giving in on that! :)
Looks like you had a great time... good for you...
As for your girls... they are precious and the pictures are priceless... :)
Glad you are back...
Hey there, Shayna,...yes Moa is back adn I am actually getting used to be sitting again behind my laptop on this ice-cube!
nice one:)
looks like a wonderful easter. Quick question, is there a pickle on that tree?
and if there is, why?
YAY! The Ice Queen has returned!!! Loved the pictures and the Flickr ones too! Beautiful family and your sister looks like quite the amazing mummy! 3 girls and one more child on the way! Dios mio! Brave sistah you have my dear Monika! I am sooooo glad you are back!!!
Are you ready? Put on those dancin' shoes cause it's coming... here it comes!
DANCE THE DANCE ELECTRIC AND GET THAT GROOVE ON SWEET THANG! WOOH!
dewaker basnet-what kinda name is that anyway?:) But you are most welcome and thnak you!
Village idiot, are you seeing things again? I see no pickle. What are you looking at?
Cowgirl, you are most welcome and Happy Birthday one more time :)
Mi9z bohemia, "I shake it, I shake it...I´m in the groove, come fake it!"
whoa! You know that 50 cent is gonna want to talk to us, right?
silence after 8 o'clock, oh heaven... welcome back! all big and small girls are sweet, so are the Easter Nets. :-)
I've looked at the flickr photos, they are fun.
Your nieces are little blonde beauties!
The pics add a lot to the post. Visual images make the words come alive. Thanks for sharing!
Little Marie was in the bath and then in the washer???
Didn't she feel clean enough?? (Ha, Ha)
Good to have you back. It looks like you had a wonderful time. They do look like little angels so very cute. Now I am going to take a look at your flikr album....like all Icelanders I like to look a photos ;)
ariel, thanks and thanks for teh compliment...I´ll pass it on!
Jamie Dawn, I wrote the post with the pictures in mind, but darn blogger didn´t let me publish them last time. And I agree, the pictures sometimes give wrds more meaning:)
The little one sure loves her baths. Mind you I was there 10 days and not once did I take a bath by myself...unfourtunately no pictures of these incidents have been taken;)
Móa...well, off you go then and enjoy. Hope you like them. Some I tsill have to turn around though...:(
I think I can see why you didn't want to come back from your visit. Such cute and neat nieces.
Minka!! I am so glad you are back!
You can tell because I am using to many of these!!!
:-p
Visiting Germany from Italy the orderliness very much struck when I was there. It was spring and so beautiful. Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures.
Your nieces look sweet as can be.
I too have an Easter tree, I will post tomorrow, just for you.
Glad to have you back!
P.S.
I posted that Ogden Nash poem while you were gone, along with the Christopher Marlowe poem and then once I wrote, details available on my blog or via e-mail.
Ciao, bella
Welcome home! Your neices are gorgeous!
I'd have a heart attack if I found my nephew in the washing machine. Kinda like when I turned around and saw him balancing on his little activity table while contemplating the journey from wobbly plastic table to the arm of the couch. (gasp...wheeze)
I'll have to investigate your flicker photos after the hockey game (it's all about priorities)
Tim, yes they are cute...naturally! After all, they are related to my bloodline;)
logophile, I am so glad to be back and you know what brought me right back into the blogosphere as if I haven´t been away? Your Tuesday Trivia. Boy, do I love it. I am gonna check teh Ogden Nash thing now...
Glad to be back!
Johnboy, look who´s blogging! From which rock did you crawl out under? But, regardless, I am glad you are back!
Jenna, yes I was very glad that the cable was unpulgged, so there was no danger for her...apparently her MOm knows her quite well. Ah that cute little age when they know no fear and kill us with paranoia!
Welcome Star and yes they are. genes and everything create beautiful miracles. Although I might be slighlty biased ;)
What a bunch of cuties. I'm glad your trip was a good one.
Thank you and yes we are...a binch of cuties :) The trip was fab, I am going back in July!
great pictures monika.
yeah, that early rising thing can be quite tiresome! but you sort of get used to it. ok, I'm lying. :-)
I actually got quite used to it. The first morning I stumbled out of bad and slapped myself to keep my eyes open...7 days later I woke up around the time they wake up and expected them open-eyed in my room! But 10 days and 18 years is a difference I guess:)
OMG, how cute are those kiddies?! Great pictures Auntie Monika. I'm so glad you had an obviously great and happy time.
Now, about this spoiling, sistah..... ;)
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