So we not only had the easter bunny at our house a few weeks ago, we also had the tooth fairy! She came to pick up two teeth that Max lost on the same day. He was so excited, and so nervous, that he came into my bed at midnight, asking if I thought she had already been there! We were dicussing her size. Sid thinks she looks like a little hummingbird.
The boys and Emmy started t-ball last weekend. So fun and sooo American. I felt like I was in a small mid-western town. They have no idea how to play. Sid hit the ball and just kept running! He ran all the way to the back of the field. It was soooo funny.
I hope this volcanic ash stays away, and we can go about our normal lives. I have friends stuck in NY and Florida.

I need to start dinner for the kids now. Please if you read this and have any fun recipe ideas let me know!!! I am so sick of making the same things each week!

I am sitting here in my kitchen with Elvis. Georg has called into work sick for the next two days so he can teach a group of 13 year olds how to make a film. Our friend runs a camp, and she offered a film camp for today and tomorrow. He is really happy with the kids. His project he is working on is horrible at the moment so he has been feeling kind of down. I hope this cheers him up!!

I met a woman today who had two sets of twins! I asked her if they were two sets of twins, and then I answered her like EVERYBODY does me...Oh that must be hard. DUH!! I really don't like when people tell me that or ask me that... It just came right out of my mouth, like I was programmed to say it!!! Now I feel bad for everyone I have rolled my eyes at!!!! Sorry!!!

I am finished with my final papers and my semester doesn't start until April 21st!!!! Going to enjoy my time off. The weather is awesome, and I am ready to hit the gym-.

Kids are good, and they have been pretty good. We watched Marry Poppins on Easter and they have been humming the songs ever since. I am a bit frustrated as we watched it in German so a spoon full of sugar, is a lot longer and harder to understand....Sid thinks Marry Poppins should go on American Idol. I had to break it to him that she was a bit too old. He then asked me if I was too old for American Idol. I told him yes, and then he said, "well you would have been kicked out because you can't sing anyway"....True.

I thought my kids were smart 6 year olds, but yet I wonder when they start talking about the Easter Bunny coming with presents and candy! Do they really think a bunny comes to our door and leaves them something? When do I break it to them? Lucy was so excited that she came running into the bedroom yelling that the Easter Bunny made poopies in the toliet. Sid said it was he that went poopies, and Emmy said, '"if the Easter Bunny went poopies the poopie would look like little balls, so it had to of been Sid." They all agreed!! Oh what deep conversations they have!!!

I am sitting here watching Georg do his taxes. He hates doing his taxes! He is gluing the receipts into a folder, kind of like a scrapbook, and I am not sure why!
It's Monday, and kids are in school!! I just walked the dog, and now am about to start on some school work. Kids were home sick again last week, and after our little excursion yesterday, I am afraid the sickness is not over yet!!
Yesterday, it was cool and cloudy. We decided to go on a walk to view some castles near our friend’s new house. As we were deep in the park, from nowhere, came the rain. Then the hail. Then the snow! We were getting drenched and the kids, and I and Georg, looked like drowned rats. As we were running back to our car, Sid had the brilliant idea of taking off his jacket, and his sweater, and running through this rain/hail/snow in his t-shirt! I think he thought it was funny......I think he will come down with yet another illness!!! After our little "spring" walk we went out for Mexican food. Sidney ate his entire plate of beef tacos (adult portion), rice and a side of nachos (he split with his brother). He then finished off his sisters left over pasta. On the way home he was telling me he thinks he overate! At 11:30pm. He was up going poopies and still complaining he was full!!

G leaves next week, and then will be back and forth traveling through the entire months of April and May. During the week, it won't be so bad, but weekends are going to be hard.

It's 9:30am and Emmy is breathing in her medication, and Sid is sitting next to her holding his head. Emmy is home with Bronchitis and Sid is home with a tiny hole in his head!!! I heard Emmy yell at Sid this morning at 7:55am as I was getting breakfast ready. And then I heard something slam against the door. That slamming was Sid's head, and Emmy yelled, "That’s what you get!" What he got was a trip to the ER and a hole is his head that is too small for stitches!! I am tired and annoyed and now just mad at all!! Lucy is going over to her friend Bella's house for a sleepover! Her first sleepover without her sister. And her second sleepover ever! I hope she is as brave as she promises and I won't have to go and get her at 2am!

I spent two hours this morning going from room to room at the kid’s school for their parent/teacher conferences. Sidney, Max and Emmy are doing great. It was so surprising to hear that Max was the class leader, and just an all around "good boy." Sidney is funny and makes his teacher laugh. She is worried about his voice, that it may hurt him to speak, but other than that she thinks he is very smart, and gets along really well with others. Emmy is a "super star" according to her teacher. She loves to talk, and use big words. Her German is as good as her English. She is popular and so "self confident".
And then there is Lucy. Lucy lucy lucy.....Her teacher told me she is always the last into class in the morning, the last to get dressed in the afternoon. She acts quiet and shy, and only plays when invited. She acts nervous and is scared to make a mistake. If you haven't been over here, and you don't know my house, Lucy is the loudest, biggest, bordering obnoxious, one of the four! I am totally shocked that she acts like she is quiet and insecure. She gets the most playdate invites out of the four, and has kids calling to just talk on the phone to her! Not to mention that she runs this house like she owns it. Scott, our aupair once had a dream that Lucy was controlling him in every sense of the word. From how he moved to what he said. I have always known that Lucy finds different ways to fit into a group. And I really think that she uses her new found shyness in her favor. If you also don't know, Lucy was the last to walk; however, I would catch her secretly walking. When she saw me she would fall to all fours and cry out her favorite word. uppy....
So I am not sure what to do. Jane, her teacher told me that there is nothing to worry about, and that she is doing fine, and I told Jane, to not let her get away with her behavior. I told Jane to challenge her fears a bit. Make her understand that it is OK to make a mistake.
I have decided to sign Lucy up for Ballet. Two of her friends are doing it, and maybe something else without her "over confident" sister will do her some good! She is at a birthday party right now, and I will have some alone time on the train ride home to see what exactly is going on. She says school is great, and she loves her friends. Maybe being without her siblings is hardest on her! But that really surprises me, as my friend mentioned the other day, that Lucy is the one who really suffers in being a quadruplet. She thinks she is always trying to break free of that label. I think that too, and am confused at her approach in doing so!!
Any suggestions??

The birthday party was a huge success! We took the kids, and four of their friends, (20 kids in total) to an indoor playground. The kids all got along, there were no injuries, and no one fought! I actually had a good time too!

The girls have been fighting so much lately, I am at a loss of what to do with them! They act like little monsters. Slamming doors, throwing dolls, screaming....I swear our neighbors must think we are nuts. I try and talk to them,to understand what it is that is making them so mad with eachother. But their logic doesn't make sense. "Emmy says her bed is more comfy!" "Lucy said my hair looks long!" I mean come on!!!! If they are going to fight can't it at least be about SOMETHING!!!!

The boys on the other hand, are so close it is sometimes scary. They call each other brothy, and when one comes back from the bathroom, or the kitchen, or just another area of the house, they scream BROTHY! And hug.....A bit strange, but cute...

I am off to go get my back checked. It's been hurting for weeks. I think I may have pulled something!

Well, It's January 15th. Tomorrow the kids turn 6! I can't believe it! Today they are celebrating at school. I had to bake cupcakes for each class. 5 hours later and too much frosting all over the kitchen, 96 cupcakes were baked! I dreamt last night that I was stuffing my face with them! I had blue and pink frosting all over the place, and I was so upset with myself!

Anyway,

Max broke his toe. (The first break in the Hartmann clan) He is doing fine though and walking around. He uses it as a great excuse. "I can't eat meat because I broke my toe!" Or "I don't think I can color this picture in because my toe is broken!" He is however still chasing his brother around the house!

They have been making really good friends, and they all seem to be very happy in school.

I am working so hard in school, and I am totally enjoying it!

Georg is working on a few shows and he is happy, although he started smoking again!! After 8 years of not smoking! Why? I have to say, although I hate the fact that he is smoking, he seems to be much calmer and happier, so I just think as long as he is happy, so are we!!!

It's cold and has been snowing and icy since before Christmas. The other day I fell on the street. Not only did I crack three out of six eggs I had just purchased, but I was helped up by an old lady in a mink coat! Embarrassing!

I will post some photos of the birthday party we are having on Monday. Each kid was allowed to invite 4 friends. There is no school on Monday, and so all those friends are coming! We are hosting a party at an indoor playground for 20 kids!! I will let you know how that turns out!!

We have officially moved! And like I say every time, we will never move again! But those of you who know us, will know I am lying. We have lived in Berlin for four years and this is our third place! Although we have no kitchen yet,we are happy. Kids and Georg and I get an extra hour of sleep in the mornings, and we walk or bike to school, depending on the weather! I love being right in a mini-city again. Starbucks, bookstore and Woolworth's across the street. I mean what more can I ask for ;)
classes for me are going well. A lot of work... to move, have school, have "duties" for kids school and have four almost 6 year olds fighting with each other every afternoon. I have come to realize that I am not a referee and if they are going to fight, they will have to find a way to make up.

Lucy hit her nose on the wall the other night. I heard her crying, but I thought she was just over-reacting. That is until she came out with blood pouring out of her nose! All over her hands, her PJ's, everywhere. I cleaned her up, and then went to check on her bedding. Not only did she have bloody hand prints all over her sheets and pillow, but our new white wall was smeared with blood!!! We haven't been here a week!! I can't keep up!
I think today I will take a break from my school work and do some shopping. Hanukkah starts on the 11th, and the kids need to start knowing about it. So I am off to find some Hanukkah candles in Berlin! Wish me luck!