Christmas, Paris and New Year's Eve

We couldn't have asked for a better holiday season.  Well, I suppose snow on actual Christmas Day would've been nice but, we did have a beautiful snow a few days prior so I won't complain!

This is the view from outside my craft room/closet/gym room

Pooped after running around like ca-razy in the snow!

As some of you recall, we bought a ridonkulously big, 12 ft Christmas tree a couple of years ago.  It was so big it we had to almost oddly position it an area where the ceiling vaulted past 10 ft.  Well, this is not Gigantor but it worked!  

                                       So, what did we do with all of Mike's time off?  Absolutely nothing.  No, really.  And, it was perfect!  Everyone has their own holiday tradition and ours is Christmas; spent together, alone.  This might seem hermit-ty to some but for us, it's special.  No traveling, no rushing...   Every Christmas Eve we stay up until midnight, pour champagne or Baileys (sometimes both), and open gifts while listening to Christmas music.

Our landlords dropped off a huge bag of bakery goodies right before Christmas.  

This was Mike's favorite!

Things are a little different here...  The base commissary is often out of things and you just never know if you're going to find what you need.  I don't mean to create an inaccurate visual-  This is a large and excellent commissary that just might be missing a few things only you need.   It doesn't normally bother me except when it potentially affected my Christmas seasonal creamers addiction.  I made sure I stocked up  because I couldn't bear the thought of being without...  There were more in our second fridge.  The check out lady asked me "You like creamer eh?"  I said, "I like having it when I want it!" and sure enough a week later, they were sold out for good--all except a few eggnogs.  I felt a tiny bit guilty for buying 50 because somewhere out here in Stuttgart, someone went without so I could have an excessive amount of seasonal creamer.  

One of the many homemade deliveries from our neighbors to us...

You know, I read Germans are more reserved.  I've also heard people say they are rude.  The latter is such a fallacy!  I have encountered nothing but fabulously kind and giving people here.  The reserved part is more truthful but, I've found it's nothing that a big smile and hug can't melt away. 

Mike thought giving me a monster box of chocolate was a good idea...  At the time it seemed marvelous.

Paris

The day after Christmas I went with five other ladies to Paris for a little girls' trip!  Paris was a quick and painless 1:15 hour flight from Stuttgart.  I had heard mixed reviews on Paris so I had low expectations.  It was amazing!  We did see the Louvre,  the Eiffel Tower, the Thinking Man, and Notre Dame but that was about the extent of tourist stops...  The rest of the time was spent walking, admiring, eating, and shopping-  My favorite way to travel!

Chocolate making machine

 .....for the best hot chocolate ever!

At the Thinking Man

I really enjoyed these girls' company!

at Notre Dame Cathedral

Cutest little tea/coffee/dessert place! One of my favorite memories!

the Eiffel Tower-  I was much more impressed by this than I expected!

New Year's Eve

We decided to stay home New Year's Eve for a few reasons.  1.  We weren't really sure where to go which is my fault because I didn't even look for anything 2. Because it was raining off and on all day and the main reason...  3. Because we were having such a great holiday time being at home together.  We had a little bottle of Prosseco-a gift from a neighbor ready to pop at midnight.  We didn't expect what actually would happen at midnight...  Nobody told us fireworks were allowed everywhere here!  There were people all in the streets of our little town setting off massive amounts of fireworks.  It was insane!!  I'm actually thrilled we had no idea because it made it that much more exciting!  We put on jackets and went outside and stood with our neighbors as everyone wished each other a Happy New Year with hugs and cheek kisses.  Even the little kids had their own little fireworks parties in the streets.  The smoke screen was ....wow-everywhere!  Heavy, heavy smoke from all the fireworks,  Pop! Pop! Pop! from all around you and the sky just kept lighting up.  Every fireworks display I've seen was organized so this was...something to see.  We loved it!  It was the perfect end to a Mario Kart marathon we were having that night!