We went up to the Jura yesterday to spend some time with a family there. They took us up the hill to find the sunshine by tractor, some in the shovel and some on sleds behind the tractor. It was a great day and mostly because of the company but seeing the sunshine was awesome. They have FOUR cute little girls. Their cousins were also there, two boys about the same age as our two older ones. They had a lot of fun together.

The last few days have been a respite from the pigging out we did the first few days of vacation (but maybe not quite so fun and gluttonous:) We spent Friday night at Kim and Aschi's and enjoyed a beautiful dinner and dessert and then stayed the night as our stomachs never would have fit in the car...Saturday found us with a big breakfast again and then late lunch at Ralph's mom's place. Saturday night we made our way home in the snow and then had a turkey lunch on Sunday with some old friends. It was very cold and beautiful and we braved the minus temperatures to go outside with the sleds for awhile. Monday was a clean up day and an outing to find some material for another bathroom renovation. Today the boys have friends over and I am enjoying a quiet moment in front of the fire. I haven't had too much time to call family or friends but have been thinking about you all.

a day in the sun

The kids begged and pleaded to get up into the snow today so we finally set off in the afternoon when the fog had lifted in the mountains. It was well worth it so thanks kids for getting us out of the house!! It turned out to be a beautiful clear day even if it was VERY cold still. Alinya got to try out her new snow suit and she was really happy at the few runs we took down the hill on the old fashioned wooden sled. Liam got on his skiis again and seemed to enjoy himself on the bunny hill. Hannes and Dylan went up the hill on their own for the very first time and it worked out great. It's nice to be able to let them do that and it gives us some more time with the little kids. We are all tired and happy and have our sandwiches all ready for sp mtg tomorrow. We jumped in the hottub when we got home and took Alinya in for the first time and she calls it the 'teeny bath' which I love! What a kid. She loved it and kicked and splashed the whole time. The fire is burning strong and I will be headed to bed soon....zzzzzzzzz

It's taken me awhile to catch up here...we've had a very sick Alinya and that meant holding her for about three days nonstop (what a chore eh?!) I am relieved that she is better now and she has even been out in the snow. All of the kids are mittened, hatted and snow panted as they leave the house and when they go out on break. It must be chaotic for the kindergarten teacher to get the kids ready to go outside on recess when not one out of 25 can probably get all of their snow gear on alone!

Liam sings

Liam was willing to perform today and I actually caught it on the camera! I am not exactly sure what the song is about yet...cute though. I wish I had caught Collin and Mariska's Melissa singing her dutch song. It was adorable.

Alinya goes to school

Maren

Hungry kids in sombreros

Our last week in the USA

Here are some of the events of our last week in the US. We are back on Swiss soil and trying to get back into the time zone here, which has not been so easy. Thank goodness we have had to jump back into a schedule so that has forced us to sleep during the night, or at least try:) Last night nobody had an awake period so I think things are in order finally.
Our three weeks went by so quickly and yet we did so many fun things and saw a lot of the people that are dear to me. This lot of pix includes our visit to the Sullivan Farm, Cherry Pie and Sausage reunited (Liam and Brent), meeting Sandy and Robin for coffee in Albany, Mom and Aunt Bonnie and I doing pedicures and breakfast (after skipping our WW mtg :), visiting Uncle Scott at his new shop and the boys going up in the forklift, Silver Creek Falls with Gpa, Hannes and Dylan going to the Holley School with Milah and Maren, where they gave a little report about what their life in Switzerland was like, and just general last week fun. The first two pix are actually here again, pumpkin carving and Alinya with Liam's school stuff on. She loves to wear it! I guess this bodes well for the future.