We Are...

 

We Are...

• Still embracing the cold temperatures and making the most of the winter.
• Greatly enjoying the morning cup of coffee.
• Enjoying our museum pass and looking forward to seeing some great art at the Kuntsmuseum this weekend.
• Grateful for our healthy family.
• Listening to Ryan Adams and loving Come Pick Me Up and Wonderwall.
• Building forts with old sheets and watching how my children adore such simple fun.
• Listening to Tessa say just about everything and smiling at her ability to communicate.
• Enjoying Robert’s winter soups that keep us warm!
• Looking forward to a date morning on Saturday and so sad to see our dear babysitter move on to a new career path. She was a true gift to our family!
• Thoroughly enjoying my nighttime ritual of reading with Robert.  We are learning so much about our home country.
• Unable to believe how quickly our children are growing...please slow down our precious ones!

 This looks like a little scene out of a storybook.  Hiking in Muttenz.

 Weekend hike.

 Noah stealing Robert's glasses.

 My little gal squeezed into a box.  Love it!

 Noah and Geo

 Friday morning hike by the river with the kiddos.

 Noah loves the snow!

Robert and Noah enjoying a snowy nap!

We Are...

 We Are...

• Enjoying our new supply of Smart Wool socks as the temperatures plunge
• Happy that reviews are almost over and pleased that Robert made it through the stressful time
• Trying to ease into the fact that our son will be in Kindergarten in August and trying to sift through the Swiss school system and the language…this is when living abroad gets a bit tricky.
• Watching Noah embrace the cold and his time in the snow at forest school
• Enjoying new chapter books with Noah…thank you Michelle and Matthew
• Listening to Kindermusik CD's and looking forward to watching Tessa embrace all that the class has to offer starting at the end of the month
• Slowly put surely cleaning out, giving away and truly trying to embrace the simpler life…in all aspects from clearing clutter to what we eat
• Baking fresh batches of granola bars weekly because they seem to be the perfect winter breakfast and snack
• Starting a new German class and hoping that more of this tricky language sinks in
• Appreciating gorgeous sunrises as we race off to school and realizing the need to slow down
• Looking forward to our first ever Museum Night with Robert on Friday
• Eagerly anticipating our long weekend away in the beginning of February...that is all I will say for now...it is even a surprise for Noah!
• Grateful the weekend is upon us and looking forward to the gym, a long overdue pancake breakfast and possibly a ramble in the woods

We Are...

We Are…

• Enjoying long hikes in the forest and proud of Noah for walking the distance.

• Witnessing first hand the power of nature on the psyche, the soul and the brain.  There are gifts that await us in the incredible outdoors.

• Happy to have discovered Nicole Reynolds – impressed by her insightful and well crafted lyrics and her ever so sweet voice.   I am particularly enjoying her songs: Wonderin', Like a Movie and Juliana. 

• Reading and slow making progress with a few good books.

• Happy to have watched Bella – a great little movie about the complexity of life.

• Greatly enjoying tiny movie wonders by ARC’TERYX and their great film Roger Strong.  A nice little piece of inspiration for the New Year!

• My smiling heart so enjoys watching my beautiful babes playing peacefully with one another. 

• Adoring my nighttime ritual with Tessa – a feed, a cuddle and three songs that we sing together – Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday to Leo and ABC’s.  If I could hold those moments tight in a locket that opened on demand I would forever be a smiling lady.

• Happy to pick Noah up from forest playgroup unable to identify the color of the clothes I sent him to school in and a smile from ear to ear.  My precious boy is eating up that forest (in more ways than one) and this Mama is ever so happy for him!

Beautiful little chalet at the base of an impressive peak...hmm...future dreams in the making!

We Are...

 We Are...

• All settling back into our routines after a wonderful holiday.
• Grateful this was a short week.
• Dreaming and planning for where we will travel this year before our little gal turns 2 and needs her own ticket on airlines and before Noah starts Kindergarten.
• Greatly enjoying my new museum pass experience from Robert.  So far, we have visited 2 museums and the pass just arrived in the mail yesterday!
• Enjoying our new nightly read - The American Patriot's Almanac and slowly but surely making progress with Walden.
• Working on our resolutions.
• Looking forward to a relaxing weekend and wishing you every happiness in the New Year!

 

 Our gal and her smiling face.

 Noah all smiles with Geo.

 Beautiful winter sunsets at the zoo.

And a kiss goodnight!

In the New Year

 It was special, full and memorable.  

Our holiday time came as quickly as it went, but we made the most of it.  

We visited museums, took day trips, went to the Alps, spent lots of quality time in nature, had dates, went to the circus with friends, visited the zoo, and just enjoyed being together as a family.

It was beautiful and as we bid farewell to 2012 we take the time to reflect on all that was gained and lost over the course of a year.  

We remember with heavy hearts those that graced us with their presence and those who sadly departed all too soon.  

We give thanks for our abundant health, our family for for another year of happiness.

And as we leave this space for now, here is a quote I just stumbled across that certainly gives us room to think...

"Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"  -M.O.

Kandersteg - A Little Family Christmas Present

 Visiting the Alps around Christmas time has become sort of a tradition for our family.  Years past we would take the family to Grindelwald, and though the location is gorgeous, we wanted to try something different this year.

So, with the presents unwrapped and the family a bit itchy to get outside, we decided to make our way to the Kandersteg...just 2 hours by train from Basel.

 

It was our first trip to Kandersteg and certainly won’t be our last.  Wow!  What a beautiful place!  We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.  The blue skies, pristine trails, and great snow conditions all made for a memorable hike to Oeschinensee, which is a snow covered Alpine lake that sits nestled in the mountains.  Oh, we were one happy family taking in those incredible views and breathing that fresh air.   

Sometimes the best presents don't come wrapped in tight little packages that sit under the tree. 
Rather the best gifts in life are those that are given to us by nature, those that catch us by surprise and those that make us feel humble in her presence.
And for those gifts and all that has been bestowed upon us, we are most grateful.

 A little hike through the woods to get to the Gondolas.

 On the lift up the mountain.

 Noah and Tessa looking out the gondola.

 Perfect blue skies

 Family shot...or at least an attempt at one.

 How many people can you fit on a sled?

 Not sure what it is about this shot...just loved it

 Another shot I love...my family looking ever so small under the trees

 A little help from Noah

 The light dancing across the mountains

 Tessa and Robert on the way down the mountain for the night

 The light was awesome

 Our sweet girl needed a turn on the sled too!

Ciao Kandersteg...we will be back!

We Have Been....

Oh, it has been a busy month and we have been...

• Celebrating 4 with parties, cake, and indoor water parks
• Playing in the snow
• Taking day trips
• Visiting incredible museums
• Walking along the river
• Enjoying the sites and sounds of the Christmas Market
• Closing out Noah's school year
• Going to the little circus (no animals :)) in town
• Decorating the tree
• Being together

We wish you and yours a bright, healthy and safe holiday season!