Sharing Europe

The best thing about living in Europe has been the exciting times when we have had the chance to share it with our friends and family.  My friend Jessica's visit was particularly special because not only did we get to do all of the fun local things, her and I also took a quick trip to Paris.  There is a certain charm about that city that you can't find anywhere else and we had a great time.  It was hard to say good bye, but we have a full calendar over the next few months to keep us busy with lots of visitors and places still to visit.

Dinner at a fondue restaurant

"I don't normally eat fondue, but when I do-it's Swiss"

To answer your question:  I don't know why she is wearing a bathing suit...because she is Kami!

Sorry Amy, we couldn't eat there, they really were renovating.  

The kids LOVE going to all the tourist spots in Geneva.

We miss you already Jessica!

A Perfect Day

Jessica is here!!  I didn't know if I was ever going to be able to say that, but it's true.  Our dear friend arrived yesterday morning and we plan to party all over Switzerland and France for the next week.  Today we headed up to our favorite ski spot and had the most beautiful weather we have ever seen on the slopes.

The view from the top of the mountain

Not pictured (or invited), Kami

Video link

http://youtu.be/CPWKCgdQDjU

La Bise

Pronounced "La Beez," this is what the Swiss call the windy weather phenomenom from Siberia that sends winds upwards of 40 mph whipping across Lake Geneva.  Combine that with two weeks of well-below freezing temperatures and this is what you get on the boardwalk:

That is a fake person...or a frozen one.

The water is blown of the lake and forms layer upon layer of ice all over anything and everything.

Click on the link below to see video:

Iceland in Versoix

We Miss Football

What is a boy to do when he lives in a time zone where the Superbowl Kick Off is at midnight?  Set his alarm for 3am and watch the last quarter!  Jackson and Joshua were so thankful to at least be able to catch the end of the game that they didn't even complain when 6:45am rolled around and they had to get up (again) for school.  We will be happy next fall when we can watch our favorite teams on Eastern Standard Time!

Oh Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Finally!  We have snow in Geneva.  After 11 months I was beginning to wonder if we were going to miss the winter wonderland experience promised for this time of year.  Well, we are not! The start of the week brought snow, sledding, snow"queens" and a Siberian Weather System (that is what the weather people around here are calling it...you don't want to know what I'm calling it).  We are experiencing the coldest temperatures Switzerland has seen in over 30 years.  The wind keeps the "feels like" temperature well below zero, which is hovering just above my patience level for putting layer upon layer of snow clothing on my children.  But there is hope- the weather is supposed to get back up in the thirties...next week.  Lesson here?  I guess sometimes we should be careful what we wish for :).  And yes, I know what the temperature has been on the east coast all week.
I'm not talking to any of you.

Me: "Kami, do you want to go outside and make a snowman?", Kami: "No-I want to make the Queen of Sheba."
Well, there you go.

Real men slide on pink sleds.