We Are...

 

We Are…

Greatly enjoying the shining sun and the warmer temperatures.

Grateful for a beautiful weekend of hiking through the vineyards in Biel, seeing the Alps and the incredible lake.  Oh, day trips are simply perfect!

Feeling a heavy heart for the sad events that occurred in Boston.

Happy for Robert that he is able to get out there and ride again.

Still reading great books, and enjoying a children’s book swap with a good friend.

Smiling each time Tessa says, “Love you much or nope.”  Oh, and laughing at her shoe fetish - any size any kind...she has got to wear them.  Too cute!

Thrilled to see Noah back in the forest for longer periods of time.  Oh, that fresh air and natural world is so good for my little man.

Enjoying the following quote, "The very purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticize others. Rather, we must criticize ourselves. How much am I doing about my anger? About my attachment, about my hatred, about my pride, my jealousy? These are the things which we must check in daily life." H.H. Dalai Lama.

 Tessa enjoying the views.

 Robert with both kids.  Thanks babe!

 Noah relaxing right before his long snooze.

 Tessa on the train and looking ever so grown up.

 Awesome views of St. Peter Island.

 Noah and Robert on the train.

 Mom and Tessa enjoying the views as well.

Noah at the lake.

We Have Been...

 

We Have Been…

Waiting desperately for the sun to shine and the temperatures to rise. 

Enjoying two weeks of holiday – no school, no schedules, just fun.

Playing in awesome parks.

Visiting many a museum including:  The Natural History Museum, Tinguely, and the Toy Musuem.

Celebrating birthdays with Noah’s best friend Lena.

Truly enjoyed The Words despite the bad reviews.

Reading The Magic Tree House series with Noah each night and thanking Michelle and Matthew for the books.

Listening to Tessa talk, laugh and sing.  Oh, too sweet.

Preparing for celebrating six years of living in Switzerland!

Grateful for our apartment, our neighborhood and public transportation.

Gearing up for a busy week.

 Tessa at the Easter Egg Hunt

 Noah climbing at Kannenfeld Park

 Noah serious about digging

 Noah at the Natural History Museum

 Small jumps!

 Together at the park

 Studying the Earth

 Little bit of science for Tessa

 Noah fascinated by the Tinguely Museum

 Climbing together

Noah reading at the museum

We Are...

Grateful to all the volunteers at the BCT for putting on one awesome Easter Egg Hunt!  Thank you our children had a blast!

Grateful for living in such an incredibly B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. country!  Wow!

Happy to share some good laughs with Noah as we read bedtime stories tonight.  The heart warms with each giggle.

Delighted that my little gal is embracing the potty so early.

Happy to have shared a long weekend as a family.

Enjoying my long loved passion for writing.  It feels so good to dive into those pages, and see the words dance on each new page.

Kissing the rays of the blissful sun.  Oh, thank you for shinning, we have truly missed you!

Enjoying eating mostly whole foods…incredibly delicious.

Thankful for the awesome parks, playgrounds, trails, castles, museums, the zoo and so many other treats in this very small city.  Did I mention I love where we live?

Blessed that all of our family is healthy and happy.

Happy to have spoken to my brother and nephew on Easter.  I love you all and miss you!

Listening to Joe Purdy, and Ryan Adams…I know again!?

 More to come on our six year journey of living in a foreign country, embracing the small side of life, and having children in a country other than your own.  Oh, what an incredible experience it all is.

We Are...

 Noah after a long morning in the forest. 

We Are...

Watching more snow fall and wondering where, oh where is the spring?

Enjoying a couple of weeks break from school and regular routines.

Listening to Celtic Dreamland and loving every minute of those sweet sounds.

Reading our new subscription of Swiss News.

Entering contests, winning some and just having fun.  Check out our latest entry - http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/writing-contest-march-2013

Looking forward to the long weekend.

Hoping our little bundles sleep better...soon...right?!   This mama is T.I.R.E.D!

Humbled by the response on our blog http://m2explore.wordpress.com/ entitled, Painting the Wrong Picture.

  

Loving that Tessa now says, “I love you!” and smiling each time she says those three little words.

Truly enjoyed the movie, Life of Pi.  Well done and very powerful!

Grateful for our health and each other.

 Noah after forest school...yep, pretty much this dirty each time I pick him up!

 Tessa wearing a new hat...AKA Noah's undies.

 Sunglasses and molasses - whew knew?

 Tessa on the phone and on the table.  Oh my!

We Are...

 Tessa in Santiago de Compostela at the cathedral

 

We Are....

Grateful for Heather who allowed us time to sneak out for a great date night on Thursday.

Looking forward to the sunshine later in the week and greatly needing those warming rays.

Enjoying putting miles on my feet, weights on my arms and sweat on my brow.

Listening to Celtic Dreams at playgroup and immediately enjoying the calm this music induces.

Remembering (or at least trying) to smile as my children make enormous messes unable to believe that people so small can cause such incredible disarray.

Reading, writing and dreaming.

Thankful for the new book and clothes Oma and Opa sent.  Thank you!!!!

Sending warm hugs and deep smiles to family and friends.

 This is what it is all about.

 Tessa on the plane...I tell you...this child is edible!

 My children at a recent birthday party on a horse farm...more interested in mud and rocks than those furry animals.  Go figure!

 Kiddos

 Tessa - already picking out her own clothes.

 Muddied children enjoying the horse.

 A little rock climbing.

 Noah planting some flowers.

Tessa all smiles.

We Are...

We Are...

Completely enjoying the soundtrack from Celeste and Jesse Forever.  We are especially eating up Baby by Donnie and Joe Emerson.

Had a great time with Noah at a birthday party in Germany over the weekend.

Watching Tessa delight in her raisin fettish.

Understanding that though the world will forever have strong opinions on varying topics, hoping that we can find a mutual respect for those differences.

Loving the quote, "Strong women – may we know them, may we raise them, may we be them.“

Grateful that my awesome husband thought Mother’s Day was Sunday and surprised me with some delicious cupcakes and flowers.  Thanks Robert...though we don’t live in the UK (Mother's Day was celebrated there yesterday) I greatly appreciate the sentiment and look forward to celebrating again with you and the children in May!

Reading new books, finishing old books and happy to embrace them all.

Feeling especially pleased to see so many people make the shift to simple living understanding that things do not bring happiness and hoping we continue down the right track.

We Are…

Looking forward to shedding that heavy winter layer and welcoming spring.

Anxious to see the ocean this summer – if only for a little while.

Enjoying Radio Paradise…still.

Still reading Walden, but happy to say I quickly read through and thought deeply about Me Before You.

Enjoying the following quote from Walden, “While I enjoy the friendship of the seasons I trust that nothing can make life a burden to me.”  Seems quite applicable for this time and place.

Grateful to see our children enjoying the early arrival of spring on our recent trip to Spain.  The photos are all from our trip.

Happy to see the sun finally shining in Basel.. 

Unable to believe that in 3.5 months Noah will complete Spielgruppe, welcome the summer and then head off to Kindergarten.  Please time, pass slowly.

Looking forward to a wonderful week.