February 11, 2010 - Sorry no updates, Happy Birthdays!

I've been overwhelmed with life the past 6 months and I've fallen WAY behind on a number of things...this blog being only one of them. I think most people know it, but if not, we have returned to the U.S. Our landlord in Fribourg needed our house and that triggered discussions with Dave's company which resulted in a new job for him based in Atlanta. So, we had all our stuff packed up in October and we moved with our suitcases into a temporary corporate apartment...thank you Ms. Landlord. On December 13th, we left that lovely apartment in Switzerland and flew to Atlanta (many thanks to Tom, Katie, Manuel and Valerie for helping us with the bags!) And we're living with my parents until we find a new house (many thanks to Rymon and Patricia!!!).

I'm the definition of a creature of habit, so no move or change is ever easy for me. With that in mind, I can't call any of what has happened enjoyable except knowing that our families are thrilled about it. We miss our Swiss friends and life there...it was a really pleasant place to live. But we do enjoy the comforts of home and I think it's good timing for our family to make this change.

With all that summed up, we have a couple of birthdays to celebrate!
Alexandra...Happy Jumping...wish we were there to dance and jump with you!!!!!




Jacob, Happy Birthday plus a day...



LUCA, Happy Birthday to you!

September 8, 2009 - School starts at Coffure Magique (the magic treasure chest, I think)

The first day of school.

September 2009 - Blonay Train Museum with Mary, Dan, Eva, Jacob

In Blonay, just outside of Vevey, north of Lake Geneva, is a little train station that offers rides on very old trains...steam engines, electric trains.    Dan and Mary live in Blonay and invited us to come along with them...I'm sure Jacob was the event planner for this one.  The ride is up the hils to a train "museum" which is run by volunteers ... they were "southern style nice" with an accent.  A very pleasant day.

The engine backing up to get us in Blonay.

Cambelle, with Will, the one sock wonder.

Jacob, his favorite t-shirt, and "the G"

Eva and Kacey

Silly girls!

Don't smoke ... actually becoming more common here!

Peeking out the windows...

Cambelle and Jacob on their own little train.

Lake Geneva in the back ground.

Being chased by Cambelle...the live of Jacob...

"Mom, please sew a button on my pants!"

Mary chasing my kids...thanks!

The train museum kitty cat...apparently, all the volunteers are worried about what to do with this cat for the winter...it's the big talk.  She's got quite a life there...as my dad would say, "she walked plumb into heaven."  The kids cause that phrase to change a little (as you see, the poor thing can't take her nap with them around, even though she's has her own coned off spot on the bench), but when they aren't there, it's a true statement.

A million pictures of the kids...in an attempt to get the one good one!

Trying to get a good pose...Jacob is not happy with where Dave positioned him, so he's moving...

Now he's back over by Cambelle, where he wants to be...

And now Will looks away! So we have to take more...

Okay, we give up...and will just have to show 15 pictures!

Some shots of the trains...

A family portrait...

"Too many trains for me...I'm signing out."