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| Felicity, Amèlie, Lily, and Grace |
June 29, 2012
Smile
On the way to our car from the badi, Grace stopped by a tree to play with some friends. Isn't the green stunning? It really is that green here all of the time. The alps are even prettier. I have yet to take a picture that can truly capture how breathtaking the alps are but I am enjoying trying.
Grace's new kindergarten
Grace "graduates" from kindergarten in a couple of weeks. In Switzerland, children attend two years of kindergarten so she technically is graduating from what's referred to as KIGI-1. Up until now, we have had Grace enrolled in a private Montessori school for the last year but this fall she will move to a public local school. I am a little lot nervous about this change. I take German classes weekly but I still do not know enough to communicate with others easily unless someone wants to know the time or how much something costs. At the public schools, only German is spoken. All correspondence to parents etc. will be in Hochdeutsch. I see a baptism by fire in my near future.
To help with Grace's transition, she will be given (free) German language courses at her school until she is up to speed with the rest of the kids. Lucky girl, I say. She will also come home every day for lunch! Did I mention ALL of the elementary school children walk or bike home by themselves or in groups when it's time for lunch or time to go home for the day? Finally, after a year, I am accustomed to seeing little ones walking home alone but it took close to a year before this didn't seem too dangerous or just wrong. I would also have more reservations if I didn't live right across the street from the school.
Here are a few pics of Grace's new classroom. We visited yesterday and she loved it. We loved it.
To help with Grace's transition, she will be given (free) German language courses at her school until she is up to speed with the rest of the kids. Lucky girl, I say. She will also come home every day for lunch! Did I mention ALL of the elementary school children walk or bike home by themselves or in groups when it's time for lunch or time to go home for the day? Finally, after a year, I am accustomed to seeing little ones walking home alone but it took close to a year before this didn't seem too dangerous or just wrong. I would also have more reservations if I didn't live right across the street from the school.
Here are a few pics of Grace's new classroom. We visited yesterday and she loved it. We loved it.
June 25, 2012
June 21, 2012
Scott Thomas
I am pleased to
introduce Grace and Ally's newest cousin, Scott Thomas. He was born June 20 at 7:18 p.m. PST and weighed 4lbs. 5oz. He's 17" long. Mom and baby are resting and doing well. My sister has been in the hospital on bed rest and it's been a very emotional couple of weeks. If you're thankful for the small things in life then the big things can feel like miracles. I am flying out to meet him next month for a couple of weeks. I don't think I have been more excited to make someone's acquaintance. I will post photos as soon as I get them. In the meantime, isn't this nursery beautiful?
Oh, my sister and Brett just bought a new home and the move-in date is this Monday!
Oh, my sister and Brett just bought a new home and the move-in date is this Monday!
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| photo: http://emilymccall.com/ |
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| photo: http://emilymccall.com |
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| photo: http://emilymccall.com/ |
June 19, 2012
June 09, 2012
Brussels & Amsterdam
What a trip! We are back home now but had an unforgettable time in Brussels and Amsterdam. Mostly Amsterdam. Brussels is much smaller and slower paced and everything you'd want to see i.e., Mannenken pis, the Grand Place can be done in a day or two. Read about the Mannenken pis. It's an interesting story and I wish we had more time to visit the museum that houses all the costumes this bronze statue owns. It is custom for visiting dignitaries to bring a costume for the Mannenken pis that is representative of their country. As you can tell from our pictures, the weather was less than inviting in both cities but we made the most of it as do the locals. When the rain starts coming down you can duck into a cafe for a cup of coffee.
Now Amsterdam. This city is my favorite! The Dutch speak near perfect English and are very open and friendly. Being able to get around by bike with the kids is just so incredibly freeing. The City of Bikes has bike only lanes and stoplights just for cyclists. There are parks and open spaces every few blocks and Vondelpark is immense with several cafes and restaurants at its perimeter.
We found a babysitting service and had dinner without the girls. We enjoyed ourselves so much and liked the babysitter that we did it again. If you're ever in Amsterdam and need a sitter, contact Pamela at kind4kids and ask for Malou. Amsterdam is very diverse and our half Barbadian half Dutch graduate student babysitter is a reflection of the interesting people you can meet in this city.
Why am I just now finding out that there's a robust experimental economics department at one of the universities in Amsterdam?
Now Amsterdam. This city is my favorite! The Dutch speak near perfect English and are very open and friendly. Being able to get around by bike with the kids is just so incredibly freeing. The City of Bikes has bike only lanes and stoplights just for cyclists. There are parks and open spaces every few blocks and Vondelpark is immense with several cafes and restaurants at its perimeter.
We found a babysitting service and had dinner without the girls. We enjoyed ourselves so much and liked the babysitter that we did it again. If you're ever in Amsterdam and need a sitter, contact Pamela at kind4kids and ask for Malou. Amsterdam is very diverse and our half Barbadian half Dutch graduate student babysitter is a reflection of the interesting people you can meet in this city.
Why am I just now finding out that there's a robust experimental economics department at one of the universities in Amsterdam?
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| Begium: an escargot lunch truck! |
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| The shops and museums around the Grand Place |
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| The Grand Place. The buildings have gilded facades. |
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| Riding bikes in Amsterdam |
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| Walking around town |
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| Museumplein "museum square" |
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| Grace and Ally must have spent a good 30 minutes waving to the passing tourists in the boats |
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