Warm Adventures: Fall Break Summary

Rare sunny outing

The kids have been out on fall holiday for three weeks which means Ali doesn't have playgroup two days a week. We were excited about all the possible places we could go. And she was excited to play with her best friend Avi, who started kindergarten this year. Unfortunately the weather has not cooperated. We are full on into fall, and unlike Florida fall weather, we are subject to grey rainy days, temperatures in the 50's and only rare (so very rare) glimpses of sunshine. But we did manage to get out and do a few fun things these past couple of weeks.

We had a great time at Papiliorama, a really neat butterfly exhibit. I've never seen so many butterflies in one place. The kids couldn't be still long enough but several Blue Morphos landed on the adults. Which is funny as I really wanted to see one on our pre-wedding honeymoon to Costa Rica six years ago but they kept eluding (only) me. Here there were so many of them and one actually landed on my hand. They were really beautiful.

The cows

A few Sundays ago we participated in our first Alpabzug in Elm, Switzerland. It is this annual tradition in many of the farming villages of bringing the cows down from the mountains to symbolize the end of summer. They decorate the cows with large bells and flower arrangements and parade them through the village. Apparently ours wasn't completely traditional - we may try to find a real one next year but it was a good starter one for us. Plus it coincided with a cheese festival and Alison got to ride on her first pony.

We went to the Basel zoo last week which is a nice city zoo. I don't have many pictures as it was six kids and three adults with my two being the youngest. And we almost lost two of the older kids on an inner city tram but that is another story.

Messy Miles (he likes to put food on his head)

Miles took his first steps. We knew he was getting close. He still prefers to crawl but he can walk if you put something in front of him that he wants. He is getting quite a personality. Quirky and messy but sweet as can be and still really tiny. He is almost 17 months old and still wears size 9 month clothes. He loves to laugh when other people laugh and tries to do everything his sister does (good and bad). He loves books, so much so that he gets mad when it's time to stop reading and go to sleep. He even woke up a couple of mornings really early (5am) begging me to read to him. Unfortunately those were the mornings Erik was in Spain.

Alison is full force into the "why?" phase. She never stops talking (even in her sleep). She loves bugs and dinosaurs and harassing her brother. She is a daredevil like no other and loves to climb trees, the higher the better. She still loves to sing songs and read books. It's hard to believe she'll be 3 next month.

Ali the chef

Erik has been very busy with work lately. A big project has him traveling quite a bit and working all hours. On top of that he is taking intensive college level aggregate management classes.

I finally joined a local gym that has day care in the mornings. Feels so good to be working out again. My goal is to lose a few before we come home in January so I can buy some new clothes. I also finally got a decent haircut after many horrible ones over the past few years. Feels good, almost like a new me.

Erik and I celebrated our six year wedding anniversary this past weekend with an amazing dinner at our favorite restaurant. It was so nice to get dressed up and act like adults - although all we talked about was our kids.

Other than that just (mentally) trying to get ready for the winter and looking forward to coming home in January.