THE FOUR MUSKETEERS OF LES HAUTS GRILLETS

A friendship that is sure to last them a lifetime...

Oliver, Misha, Pier-Max & Kajetan

After 4 years together in middle school, they'll be going their seperate ways next year for the lycée.

All for one and one for all!!!
Keep that spirit going....

ECOLE BEETHOVEN

So, our time at the Beethoven Maternelle is coming to an end as Ilya finishes off his last year.
I will no longer be spying out the window at break time to see if one of my little munchkins is running around playing tag or riding the train. 

It's been 5 years since Lara made her entrance, how about a little flashback???

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But back to the present now and for their end of year show, 

the school decided to honour the man after whom the school is named, Beethoven!

A rap version of Ode to Joy (European anthem) with a hip hop choreography and then in song! 

Lara obviously isn't the only hip hopper in the family!!!

Way to go Ilya!! You're set for 1st grade....

LONG TIME NO SEE...

Wow, hard to believe I haven't been on here in two years!! 

I guess in large part due to Facebook taking over with instant uploading being so easy,
but I thought I'd try and pick up again...

Let's see where it goes....

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS

Misha's off at Summer Camp in the mountains. It's his 5th time at camp so we're used to the routine of it all by now - at his end and ours! No news is good news as they say and he's not likely to call us unless it's really urgent... so we may give it a try on Saturday lunchtime to check in on him.

In the meantime I just sorted away the pics from this year's departure from the train station.

 

Pav, Tat, Mish & Nikolai

Ready to go...

His last phone call to mom!

He doesn't even look back anymore - snif ;)

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And I couldn't help but browse through the previous years' folders! 

2012

2011

2009

My have these boys grown!!

Looking forward to hearing all about this year's adventures...

OUR LITTLE ARTIST

Set of 9   16 x 16 cm
Crayon on White Card

Copyright - Lara Kobtzeff
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KÖLLE ALAAF!!!

At the time that I am writing this post we would normally all be reunited with family and friends in the Rosen Family Laundry Shop on the main street in Rodenkirchen, partying away, drinking Kölsch, eating spicy Gulasch and powder-sugar covered Berliner, admiring all the wonderful costumes, singing and dancing to all the cheesy Karneval tunes and catching tons of Kamelle & Stüssje!

But this year is different....and so will the years to come be...

I know that we will be back in full swing next year partying away, but it will have to be someplace else and with one person less. It will be the start of a new chapter for all of us, one that we don't really *want* to write, but that we will learn how to - together!

So, in the meantime as we decided to take a break from the big festivities this year, we did bring a little bit of "Kölle" to our home here in Saint Germain! And with a little twist....

Traditional German cuisine is of course no "haute gastronomie", but I do enjoy some of the great classics, so for a special evening I decided to spruce things up a bit with a little Apéritif Kölle Style:

Pumpernickel tidbits with Mettwurst & Zwiebelwurst, Kraut salad and Potato salad bubbles, Knackwurst balls with Curryketchup and my favorite of these delicatessens on stylish spoons...Leberkäse squares with fried Quail eggs on a bed of Ketchup!

For our main we had Reibekuchen with Salmon & Cream Cheese sauce, plus Knackwurst & Pommes (fries) for the Kiddos (with Remoulade of course!)

And what would a Karneval party be without Berliner & Kamelle for dessert??!!!

We watched part of the Mädchensitzung that I taped on ZDF Thursday night for background ambiance and I hired my favorite little artist to make my table settings, and I think she did a fab job!!

Inspired by the red & white clowns from my aunt which I used as my table decoration!

Quite a promising young artist if I say so myself!!

A big bützje to you all and until we meet to party in 2014, "Alaaf"!!!

 

KOBTZEFF KIDS 2012

 Finally got the kids' school pics in for this year!

Amazing how they can LOOK so sweet and docile.....

Misha 12
2nd year of Junior High
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Lara 5
Last year of Kindergarten
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Ilya 3
First year of Kindergarten