A Fun start to December

Aachen Christmas Market

We came to this market last year and enjoyed it, but it rained the whole time.  We decided to stop again on our way to Cologne, and Mike had to be here for a meeting anyways so it worked out.  So Mike went to work and I took the kids to the market.  It was a short walk from our hotel and the weather was chilly but nice.  We saw a Subway on our walk and the kids begged for it the entire time we were at the market, so our trip was short and sweet that's for sure!

Hot chocolate in cool Santa boot mugs!

Same pic as last year, we just added a kid :)

Beautiful Cologne, Germany
This was a new market for us this year.  It was opening weekend, so they were jam packed, especially by all the beer and gluhwein (warm, very strong wine) tents.  Our hotel was called The Dom because well, it was right beside the Dom (Cologne Cathedral).  As we walked out of the hotel we walked into the market and the Dom high above.  It was a gorgeous place!

I also liked our hotel because it was right beside some great shopping!

We had to get a picture with Santa, especially since his sign said "damit,"  Drake's favorite word lately.  It's actually asking for donations so all the children will get gifts.  Of course we donated but we thought it was a little fun too.

The big gingerbread house inside of our hotel.

The DOM

The next day we walked around the city to find another market.  Well, we found dunkin donuts and my kids were in heaven!

Getting their angel dust.

A big yummy ham sandwich that we found.  I think we ended up with three of them...sooo good!

These are actually made out of chocolate!  They looked amazing.  It took Mike and I a few minutes to be sure that they were chocolate, but they were!

Decorating our little Charlie Brown tree

Drake grooving to some Christmas tunes

Loves to dance!

Sisters decorating the tree

                          

SNOW DAY!!

Little E's first tree!

Sinterklaas came to visit!

She received a Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet little people set!

THOR!

Preslee with her friends after their orchestra concert.

Santa came early to the Keown house

Baby's first Christmas
She just loved the paper.  After Kade zoomed through his gifts, he decided to help Emerson out with hers...she didn't seem to mind.

Lego sorter...he's gonna need that!

She was very excited to receive another itouch after she had lost hers on the volleyball bus!  This one will have to stay close to home for awhile.

This is one happy kid!  He's been asking for this Death Star lego for a couple of years.  It only has a HUGE instruction book and about 14 boxes full of legos!!  But if any 8 year old can do it, this one can.  He was half done with it in less than a week!

Drake just loved every present he got!  Such a fun age!

Dibble told the kids goodbye til next year!

The mess after...and no kids anywhere..??  Well, we had to get this cleaned up and pack to head to the states for the holidays!