Warm Adventures: One Week in July

Dwarf house on the trail

Summer is in full swing and we are enjoying it to the max. It is amazing to reflect back on the variety of awesome things we cram into a short period of time. This past week was no exception. Starting on Sunday the 5th, we went hiking in the mountains to try and escape the heat. While it was a bit cooler, it was still quite warm. We revisited the Muggenstutz trail - aka dwarf trail, with several interactive activities along the way for the kids to do. We visited this one last summer but didn't give ourselves enough time to enjoy it all. You take two gondolas up and follow the trail down to the next station but you have to be at the gondola by 5pm or risk walking a really long way down a mountain with two tired kids. This year we gave ourselves extra time but still found ourselves running to catch the 5pm ride down. Poor Erik was shlepping two kids on his back - well one on his back and one sick one (Ali had gotten a bit dehydrated) on his shoulders. It was still lots of fun.

Fire pit in the woods

A few days later Miles and I joined in Alison's last farm playgroup day. All the moms were invited to their hut in the woods and we got to see what the kids do - play in the forest and creek, swing, climb trees, tend to the animals and basically run wild. It was pretty awesome. Afterwards we were invited to swim in the pool at the farm which was very refreshing and a nice way to clean off two dirty kids. Alison starts kindergarten in August and then Miles will take her place at the farm. It has been an experience Alison has really enjoyed and I know she will miss.

Heading to Jungendfest parade

On Friday was our towns annual Jungendfest, a celebration of all the children in the town and the symbolic end of the school year. All the kids wear white and the whole town lines the streets to cheer on the kids as they parade through town. Next year Alison will be in the parade for the first time. There is a big carnival and amazing fireworks display above the schloss. We tried to wake up the kids for the fireworks but they were too tired from the days events to even stir. Erik and I enjoyed them from our bedroom window.

Another awesome playground

Ali making friends and practicing her Swiss German

On Saturday we discovered yet another incredible Swiss playground. It was amazing! We went to the mountains to hike and the kids and I ended up at this playground all day. It had a very Huck Finn feeling - wood rafts you push around in the river with a big stick, mud, islands, swinging bridges, slides and covered wagons. What more could a kid want? Erik went for a short hike by himself, then came back and grilled us some dinner. The kids were so tired and dirty when they got home. It was a great day.

This was all literally in the course of one week - no wonder the kids and I are so tired. We love the summer here - it is an amazing adventure.