Christmas & New Year 2013

We returned to Zürich on Friday and have been dealing with severe jet-lag ever since. We ate breakfast on Sunday at noon! It's a small price to pay for spending time with family and reconnecting with what life would feel like if we moved back to the States. The girls got to spend plenty of time with their cousins, Elizabeth and Scott, and Grandpa Tom made the cross country flight from Philadelphia to join us too. Our very good friends, Garrett and Akiko with their daughter Mika, surprised us by flying up from Santa Barbara on New Year's eve. The house was busting at the seams (and not just because of all the good Holiday meals).

I never thought I'd miss having a big home but entertaining friends and family is so easy when you have the space. My sister really made our time with her family very special. The girls decorated gingerbread cookies. hung lights, got mini pedicures, operated a play-doh factory, and so much more. The fun wasn't reserved just for the kids though. Rob was treated to an NFL game with my brother-in-law Brett (Seahawks won) and a Texas hold-em poker game with Brett's friends. And my sister and I enjoyed having lunch, getting manicures and pedicures, and shopping. I was a little embarrassed at how much I enjoyed the drive thru at Starbucks.

We ventured north to Mukilteo, a small town where I used to live when I was a 20-something living in the Emerald City. The views were stunning and I was reminded why Seattle is still my favorite U.S. city.

Spending time with family is also a favorite pastime and it's one that I think will matter in deciding where we live by the end of this year.

 We spent the night at the Frankfurt airport before flying to Seattle the next morning. We couldn't be this close to a Christmas Market and not partake of the festivities.

The girls enjoying their time with Aunt Daphne and each other.

The night before Christmas. Grace and Ally were in bed and still jet-lagged at this
point so Lizzie made sure Santa had a few cookies and carrots to nibble on.

Christmas morning and yes I bought them drums and voice changers.
Because I was jet-lagged :-)

Brett's amazing waffles! 

New haircuts on every trip. 

Boats on Lake Union. 

Downtown Seattle. The monorail and great sales. 

Enjoying an afternoon at Lucky Strike Lanes in Bellevue.

Scott was a great host and always made sure we had enough to eat.
I love the pic of Lizzie and Ally wearing Babylegs leg warmers.

Dinner at Cactus Mexican restaurant in Redmond. 

Akiko (middle) with me and my sister, Daphne. 

Rob and Grace in Mukilteo. 

Take out Thai food one night and Rob's homemade bolognese
sauce another were just a couple of the meals we enjoyed on this trip.

Flying back to Zürich and hanging out in the lounge before boarding.

We left with one carry on and two checked bags and returned with this.

Enjoying a stroll through our neighborhood the day after we got home.