Ploom thanks for that information about how your foot's being treated - I have never heard of ultrasound used for things like that, wonder how it works? At the moment mine is improved, but getting the shoe on with the insole in is incredibly painful and anyone who speaks to me while I'm putting my snow boot on gets snapped at 
once its on I can walk OK on the flat, though for some reason stairs are painful - must use the foot differently on stairs. If it flairs up again I will ask about ultrasound.
The Monopoly is hidden away in the Keller as an extra Christmas present - it will be for all the kids but I was thinking of DS1 when wanting the junior version, as he'd need a lot of help with the money in the adult version, and also the playing time is more suitable, hopefully it will be an enjoyable game to play between Christmas and new year - I like board games as an alternative I can suggest to imaginative play with the DCs - I love it when they play imaginatively together, but have having to join in and play Playmobile or role play games! Maybe before too long the big ones will be able to play it together without me, like they do Nino Delphino (which is forgiven its plastic tack appearance because they play it without adult intervention, as they used to play Obst garden, though they have really grown out of that with its pleasing wooden pieces, sadly).
I was going to say our weather sounds exactly like yours - both now and forecast (boo hiss at the rain forecast - was hoping for a Christmas market and sledging based weekend, winter rain is so depressing as it keeps the kids you indoors more than snow) but then that's hardly surprising as you are not actually that far away from us, relatively speaking.
cheas well done on all the Pletzchen baking! I hope you make it through the snow this afternoon without it taking forever, which ever way you tackle it!
Linzer that is a lot of snow shovelling! When I mention the obligation to do it to friends in the UK they always question what people who are not physically able to shovel do, and I have said I'm not sure but there is more of a sense of community here in general so neighbours probably do it - sounds like that's true in your case at least but I'm glad we only have to do in front of our own house, and our own drive. Hope you get a decent turn out to the Adventmarkt after all.
Hupa hope your DD had a good birthday? MMost people seem to rave about the wii fit for the first few weeks then not use it for a year! DH had a wii (not fit) a few years ago but I made him persuaded him to sell it after he randomly went out and bought himself a ?500 electric guitar and a cheaper acoustic one for away from home, despite not being able to play the guitar... (he did teach himself to play it well enough to play simple songs, but it has mostly languished untouched after the initial enthusiasm, as predicted, which is actually a pity as for a few months he used to sing old folk songs with the acoustic ones for them to sing along... DD at 5 singing "Whisky in the Jar" through word perfect was quite funny :) ) Enjoy your DH's time off :)
Santa no Santa is an import here so santas grottos are not the norm - that said Nikolaus sits in a decorated wooden hut at one of the Christmas markets near us rather than walking around and children can write wishes on paper stars and give the to him, and he hangs them on a tree - so that is similar the santas grotto idea I guess. Like Ploom 's children mine were afraid of Nikolaus/ Father Christmas (or anyone in a costume that covered all or part of their face as the fake beard does, or worse still masks or costumes that cover the whole face like mascots with big padded heads... ) so I have never had any interest in seeking him out! They are not scared now, but plonking a 7 year old girl on a strange man's knee would seem a decidedly odd thing to do... Where we live you are more likely to see Nikolaus in the traditional bishops outfit than a coca-cola style santa, but I don't know if that is a localised / southern thing? I have read on a forum for English speakers in Munich that there is a shopping mall with a Santa's grotto in Munich, so that might be the sort of place to look in Frankfurt. You could try asking on Toytown's Frankfurt section (Toytown isn't the friendliest forum but useful for that kind of info).
Plantanos did you get to the doctor? Was he or she any help? I was at the doc with ds2 today as he's the only one still properly poorly now, and has had diarrhoea for 5 days now, which is too long, although as long as I keep him on dry, plain foods he's not being sick. Came out with prescriptions for dried yeast, which will apparently re-balance his digestion (and is hard to make him take even mixed with apple juice as suggested) as well as rehydration sachets and anti vomit medicine.
Nutella booking things like hair cuts for around your due date is an excellent way to tempt fate and hurry baby out :o Mind you I had my hair cut just before each of my children was born, on the correct assumption I wouldn't get a chance to do it again for years a while after!
I have never left any of my kids alone in a hotel room - I'd be more worried about them awaking up and climbing out of the window or turning on the bath taps and climbing into a scalding hot bath and/ or drowning, or one of a hundred other accidents they could have (quietly like every toddler up to mischief) unattended in an understandably not childproof room, than about them being stolen - only my middle one has ever really been a child you could rely on to stay asleep once asleep anyway, so it just hasn't been an option. We went away to an expensive ski hotel with my parents a few years ago, they kindly paid for us, so it was their "type" of place - with a 5 course evening meal... the hotel catered well to the children with their food brought first, but still they were horribly bored and so got naughty after a while, esp DS1 who was 2 then - my mother suggested I go and put them to bed and then come back down so I could enjoy my meal in peace, and I must admit I (metaphorically) bit her head off for suggesting it. I much prefer self catering holidays with small children to be honest, much less stressful!
Well that is much too long and DS2 is squirming on my lap, unable to get to sleep, so I'll move the laptop and try to get him to sleep!
Does anyone else have oil heating btw? Our oil provider is in trouble and we are nearly out of oil - looks like a big bill (in the ?3000 range) coming up - gulp! :(