Shabbat Shalom

Mini was a busy girl today. Decked out in her marie Chantal tunic for breakfast and a brand new bow from cousin Rebecca, who at ten feels she has outgrown her own obsession with bows and has kindly donated quite a few of her stash to mini. Post breakie it was off on a long sledge walk with sarah jane along the eichhornliweg or squirrel path while big bro Phin braved the blizzard (I do not exaggerate as only four lifts were open today due to heavy snow and wind) with a two hour ski lesson followed by a quick ski up the mountain with mama and papa.
Decked out in her Gap white all in one, pink balaclava and sj's snood mini was prepared for the sledge run home after lunch. She's definitely perfected that nonchalant sledge slouch.
After a lengthy swim we all celebrated Shabbat together with mini donning her H&M deer dress with another of Rebecca's bows, this time a purple one and polishing off a fair amount of challah. Shabbat Shalom.

Ski ski superstar

Phin is loving his skiing. He looks mighty dapper in his orange j crew puffa scooting down the slopes in between my legs shouting faster mama, faster.

Away to Arosa

Don't worry we haven't taken the private jet again! No, mini is just stretching out with Enid on the way to Zurich from City Airport. What a relaxed way to travel, the airport is so small there's no queuing for anything. We breezed through security had a spot of lunch and jumped on the plane. Phin and mini were sporting identikit looks. Cute for travelling and garners extra help from the stewardesses. Stella McCartney reindeer sweater dress did the trick with phin in his sweater version and grey jeans.
We arrived in Arosa and Phin and mini were so excited to be back, they were running around not knowing where to go first and all Phin wanted was to go skiing. We tried to explain it was dark, lifts are closed but it didn't wash. Tomorrow can't come fast enough for our dynamic duo.

Boxing Day Delights

In the mayhem of Christmas day grandma and papow totally forgot to give mini her gift. To be fair she'd had so many it was hard to feel any pity but the plus side was she got another surprise today, her very own pink car. And she was thrilled to take it for a spin in her red velvet smocked pie collared dress. Her outfit was yet again in a festive vein and came via Ruby our lovely massage therapist Julie's daughter and it fitted the occasion perfectly. We played all day, mini in her car, Phin with his Lego plane and me with Beckett. Later the kids were allowed to tackle the knusper haus id made for phins nursery christmas fair and then we all went crazy on the karaoke machine with the Hirds. With Tom belting out such classics as Vanilla Ice's 'ice ice baby' and me singing alot of Take That and The Cure. Bliss.

Beckett Swift the Christmas Gift

Meet Beckett Swift the Christmas Gift. That's his full and proper name, as befits a cat who will soon take up residence in a house of Hairy Mclarey lovers. He's actually my incredibly gorgeous Christmas slash b'day gift from my equally thoughtful and generous parents in law who hunted the outer Hebrides in search of the perfect Silver Spotted Silver Shorthair. What a Christmas morn! A six hour dash through the night and greeted with the soft purr of a kitten. Mini was smitten of course. Decked out in her red reindeer knitted Ralph Lauren dress, gap glitter tights and ballet slippers topped off with her new gold bow from her nanny Sarah-Jane she had an utter blast. From opening her stocking filled with glorious gifts from father Christmas (although to be fair it's more of a sack to hold all those gifts) she then promptly tried to open everyone else's too. Phin was equally excitable in his Stella reindeer sweater (you fashion filers know how I love a Christmas knit and they're so hip this season too) and ran about all day munching chocolate coins and flashing his two torches and electric hand held fan in everyone's faces. They really were his favourite gifts.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas fashion filers! Being part German and all we got in early on the old Christmas celebrations last night. The evening started early (well there are quite a few little ones) and we had a wonderful tea with homemade biscuits from my cousin Katharina followed by a mash up of German and English carols. Phin did us proud decked out in his Marc Jacobs flannel pants, Bonton checked shirt, toffee cardigan from Cos and H&M braces. He sang his heart out, hits included 'hey du weinachtsman' and his all time fave jingle bells, while tom and I sang a rather harmonious good king Wenceslas. Mini was gloriously attired head to toe in Gap with her cream and silver polka dot dress, glitter tights and black satin ballet slippers. Note the toe point and skirt lifting, she's becoming a pro at showcasing her cool style choices.
After carols it was time to open gifts and minis top one came from her great Grandma uhr omi or mimi as we call her for short - a fuschia sports pram. Mini promptly stole her 8 month old cousin Lea's new baby and took it for a four hour stroll. Phins top toy was his buzz light year duplo from oncle miki and orca whale from tante Jutta. And both caned the knusper haus with utter abandon. But then what else is Christmas for.

Knusper knusper

Every year on the day before Christmas eve we head into town to visit the Christmas market. We tuck into bratwurst and chips with mayonnaise, potato latkes with apple sauce, donuts filled with apricot jam and a glass of gluwein. After our heavy lunch we took to our skates with Phin taking a spin with the help of this little penguin while mini watched from the sidelines.
After a much needed nap we gathered round the dining room table to decorate our home made knusper haus. It's not the most elegant but it was huge fun to decorate and come tomorrow night it will be great fun to demolish.

Carousel crazy

Mini and Phin had a blast on the carousel yesterday. It's a real walk down memory lane as most of the vehicles, horses and rockets were there when I rode it every Christmas all those years ago. Phin was busy honking while mini shouted out hello and waved to all that passed.
We spent most of today indoors what with all the terrible rain and fog, mini wearing her gorgeous pansy print dress from Caramel and her chocolate velvet Bonton Mary-Janes, ready for Papa's arrival this afternoon. So happy to have him here.

Preparation Go Christmas Eve!

Today we got on with the important job of Christmas preparations. First task decorate the tree and in true tradition ours in Germany is a family tree. There's no colour coordinating, instead everything that every grandchild once made at school is hung with gusto. There are clay painted hearts my brother George made circa 1982 and glass beads and mini metal cars from when my grandmother was a girl. Phin had a blast hanging decorations in his underpants while mini was bonpointed out in her grey flannels, floral blouse and paprika cardigan. Later, once our angels slept I endeavoured to make our Knusper Haus. We usually buy a gingerbread version already made and then simply smother it in sweets however we couldn't find one so out came 15 bars of chocolate and icing sugar. Let's hope it holds up once we start the sweet sticking. Those little fingers can be pretty forceful.

Let it snow

Our Christmas wish came true. It snowed last night so Phin and mini got up early and put on their JCrew and Bonpoint skiwear to build their cool snowman

Guitar hero

Today Phin and Mini opened a few more gifts from friends and relished every one of them. Phin rocked out with his new electric guitar from our very talented and extremely generous massage therapist Julie. Mini wiggled her hips in time to his strumming, decked out in her new Elfie of London patchwork sweater from Daisy. While both enjoyed wearing their H&M glitter masks from Minis godmummy Karen. However it was Karens Musgrove the nanny of Notting Hill featuring the heroine Hermione that really got my heart racing. I can't wait to read them to my little mini.
We're off to celebrate christmas in germany tomorrow so no fashion file for a few days but wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

Prancer and vixen

Phin and mini went to the zoo today to see the reindeers before they head off on their world wide delivery endeavour. There were two beautiful ones, one cream and one fawn whom Phin was convinced were prancer and vixen.
Mini was obviously well attired in her own reindeer ensemble by Ralph Lauren. While Phin wore his new knit from godmummy daisy. A beautiful handknit from Elfie London complete with a quirky little mouse on the shoulder.

Scootastic

Mini is having a bit of a kitty moment this Christmas. Today she received her gift from our nanny sarah-jane and mini went scooting off as soon as her candy pink striped whizz mobile was up and running. Phin of course wanted to ditch his ole red one but mini held firm.
Today mini wore her grey Bonpoint denims with a mushroom lace collared shirt her uggs and peach bow for a day of jumping and sliding at Bramleys soft play. What a full on day of fun.

Go go kitty ears!

Mini went for her last swim lesson today with BF Aurelia. They love each other so obsessively that each of them chants the others name repeatedly on the car journey over like a bizarre mantra. Of course once they lock eyes it's all grabbing each others biscuit and screaming in a high pitch yelp.
Their competitiveness certainly helps their swimming with each one trying to out do each others backstroke kicking and humpty dumpty dives.
Post swim mini put on her bros old Bonpoint grey skinnies and ugg boots (kindly inherited before him from cousin Gigi), her hand knitted lilac sweater from Penny and a liberty print neckerchief. The piece de la resistance was her Hello kitty earmuffs, her Christmas gift from Aurelia. Her BF certainly knows how to give good gift.