Fall Break - Lake Como

We love Italy, and there is so much of Italy to love. One of the great things about living in Switzerland is that we are so close to Italy. We take advantage of that as often as possible. Fall break was cut short this year because of a business obligation Steve had, but we made the best of it with quick trek across the Alps. Normally we take the Mt. Blanc Tunnel, but this time we headed through Bern and over to the Gotthard Pass and took the 15km Gotthard Tunnel. This was a first, as was the car ferry we needed to take from Lugano to Bellagio. We stayed at a lovely hotel in Bellagio with spectacular views. We took advantage of the ferry system and traveled to nearby Varena, a small and sleepy town. We hiked to the castle to take in the views before settling down to more wonderful Italian cuisine. Wine with lunch became an easy norm to adapt during holiday. We had dinner at a local farm  and sampled many of the local cuisine including polenta, a favorite of Maria. We had a wonderful time. 

Kids Off to Geneva Glen Camp

And they had another good year!! This time the theme was Knighthood which took them into their imaginations about Merlin the Magician. Their highlights were horseback riding, bow and arrow, swimming, seeing cousin Henry, and the dance party. They adored Ladies Court where they were awarded their special characteristic charm bracelet. Anna got a bracelet for courage; Kate for creativity. This was the first year they slept in separate cabins and it was a HUGE success. They both enjoyed their counselors and made very special friends. 

Beaver Creek 2011

The end of June brought school to a close and a visit home. Our first stop in the United States was Beaver Creek. The girls spent a day and a half with us, but then went off to camp in the Denver foothills. Steve and I spent our first two weeks alone together since the kids were born! We spent the couple days missing them terribly and wondering how to deal with the silence. But, we worked out way into a very nice time-- hiking each day, seeing a few concerts, doing some ski shopping, visiting cousin Michelle/Brent/Jasper, exploring Leadville, and dinning out at our favorite restaurants. We were extremely happy to see our little ones again and fell happily back into our noisy family routines. 

Mike and Penny Mihaly Visit

Very dear family friends and Godparents to Kate came to visit us as part of their European adventure this June. We took them to one of our favorite visitor spots, the ski town of Chamonix, France. In addition, we made sure that they experience the real local flavors-- a trip to the Sunday Market. Plus, they also attended our neighborhood BBQ for an afternoon. All our Swiss neighbors were welcoming, and they got a feel for what our life is like in Switzerland. Penny was busy sewing for us before she left-- cool pillow cases for the girls and a stylish cooking apron for me. Anna and Kate were so happy to see them. It had been almost four years! We hope they come back again very soon. We'd love to travel with them to Hungary some day- Mike's birthplace.

The Crans Chateau Opens for the First Time in 10 Years

This is the gorgeous chateau just up the hill from our house. They do produce a number of wines. We happen to enjoy the pinot noir. The caves are often open, but the home rarely opens to the public. So, the girls and I (plus Anna's good friend Mayu from school) made a side trip there on our way to the pool. We were glad that we did! I wish I would have learned more details about the home and it's history. The tours were in French and I had a couple girls who just wanted to walk quickly through the rooms dreaming that this was there house. It was a good dream. 

Girl Scouts This Spring

Axelle- My Fun French Teacher

This is how I am learning French-- hiking, biking, cooking French dishes, doing yoga.... Okay, yes I do have a number of workbooks, a notebook full of vocabulary, and homework, but I am having so much fun! Axelle comes to me twice a week. She didn't realize how much I looked forward to her visits early on when I knew nobody and couldn't figure out how to translate my bills without her! Nothing has changed. I still look forward to our lessons!