I love the Alps!

So I never would have guessed last Christmas that I would be spending this Christmas in Switzerland! It is so beautiful. Just like the pictures in the tour books. The skiing is fantastic and our chalet is wonderful! We are having a great time. The only thing missing is our family. Hopefully Skype will work and everyone will be home!

We arrived in Grindelwald on Saturday after spending Friday night in Bern. Bern was wonderful too. We enjoyed the Christmas markets and a great Italian dinner. When we first arrived in Grindelwald we had a tough time finding our chalet. It is an actual town, but there are no street names! Our directions were all landmarks. We missed the very last one, a pole with a safety crossing sign on it, and we went too far down the hill. Once we realized we were too far we couldn't get the car back up the 20 degree incline. We spent 45 minutes trying unsuccessfully to put tire chains on. Then Larry decided to give it one more try. We buckled in and he floored it. Well we still didn't make it! Luckly a nice couple in a little car offered to pull us up (in a huge luggage filled mini van). Turned out Grandma was in the back of their car and they had her get out and walk up the hill to direct traffic! So 70+ grandma hiked up hill while we felt like idoits in our huge American van. We eventually made it and all was well. Our place is great, it's about 900 sq.ft. in a great location. We have a small Christmas tree that is quickly going bare as Landon continues to pull off one ornament at a time. We have built snowmen and went ice skating. Alianna started ski school today and Landon did well in the nursery. We all took the gondola up to the top of Mannlichen. It was a 30 minute ride and the kids loved it! The nursery is at the top so we could check in on Landon throughout the morning.

well that brings you up to date with our trip so far. I will hopefully post some photos and/or video soon.

Ruldolf the Red Nose Reindeer

Alianna had her school concert Friday night. It was a wonderful evening with the kids showcasing their hard work in music class. It was a strolling concert since the school is not yet finished and doesn't have a space large enough for all of the parents. So the children had to sing their parts three different times. Alianna surprised us with a special song. This video is the third time they sung the song so the enthusiasm had declined! They also sang Jingle bells in english, spanish and german! It is amazing and so much fun to watch Alianna speak German. I know I keep saying that, but if you saw her you would understand why. I am also very jealous of how easy german comes to her!

Landon also did a great job of behaving for his sister! It was a long time, it was hot and there were many people. But he was a champ and sat in stroller while munching his way through the concert. He even held his arms above his head and yelled, "WooHoo! WooHoo!" for his big sister. He proudly clapped at the end of each song. The evening was a great success!

St. Nicholas Day

This is Alianna's class celebrating St. Nicholas Day.

It's been a little while since the last post. Things have been busier then ever. We are preparing for the Christmas season and our VACATION! Can you tell I am excited? We are off to Grindelwald, Switzerland for a week of skiing in the Alps. If they make boots small enough we are even planning on putting Landon on skis! And speaking of the little fellow...more great news! He is over is egg allergy! What a blessing! We are down to just peanuts. While peanuts are very scary to me, it is such a huge relief to be down to only one allergy. It has been so much fun to watch him fall in love with chocolate and eat his very first pancake (ok, he really just licked the syrup and got pretty sticky!) He is turning into such a little boy. His babyness is going away. He is talking a little more and we found a new kindergarten. He will start mid-January. I really like this place and it will fit my schedule well with my german lessons. I just hope I am not disappointed again. He seemed to feel right at home when we checked it out. I think he will be happy to make new friends.

Alianna as always is flourishing here! She told me the other day she is German. Not like a German, but acutally German. And I and all of you as well, are no longer allowed to call her Ali. Her name is Alianna! Got that mom! she said. Let's hope Santa get's it right. I don't know who will get the presents with only Ali written on them!

This weekend is the much anticipated Weinachts markt at the castle. We are holding a small open house on Sunday for friends to stop by for some gluhwien and cookies while they check out the markt. I'll have to post some pictures.

Larry is very busy at work. While I hate that he works late every night and we are on our own for dinner, I am thankful he still has a job to keep him busy! We will be very happy to spend time with him on VACATION! I think I mentioned that already! We are going on VACATION! A vacation that I don't have to pack an entire kitchen with me. While I still have to be very careful with Landon, we are actually going to be able to eat at a restaurant with him!

Enjoy the holiday season, relax a little and remember we are really celebrating Jesus' birthday! Even though times are tough we still have so much to be thankful for! Being away from home always reminds you of all the important things in life and all of the blessing we have... family, friends, a warm home, food on our table...
Have a very Merry Christmas!