IKEA deja vu

To blog about my day today would be repetitive. Just go back and read one of my very first blogs, the one about IKEA, from August 2008.

Today was just as bad, except that I was at least able to pay for my purchases.

I'm really beginning to hate that place.


Tomorrow, I get to take the kids to an IKEA competitor, Mann Mobilia.

Looking forward to it. Should be fun.
(please note heavy sarcasm...)

Open to Suggestions

Now that we are (halfway) moved into Germany, I need a new name for my blog! I have no creative juices left, so I'm looking for suggestions.

Give me ideas and the winner gets a free stay at Gasthof Barnett! (Transportation, not included).

Comment below or send me an email!

Tschuss Zürich! Auf Wiedersehen!

Tomorrow is our last day in Zurich, at least for the kids and I. Jason left for Germany this morning to meet our belongings (which will probably be the topic of a future blog), but the kids and I had to stay here to finish school and deal with the apartment hand over (which is a HUGE ordeal in Switzerland).

The last day of school was pretty emotional for us all, but we made it through. When I have the camera cord again (it's in Germany) I'll do a post with pics from today. But I thought I'd post a few of the pics I have from the town we have called home for the last 2 years.

This is the group at my going away lunch last week. I've been lucky to have met a bunch of great women here. Some are sure to be life-long friends, others I may lose touch with, but I am grateful to have met them all. This is a picture of one of my favorite days paddle-boating on Lake Zurich

One Sunday morning as we were going to breakfast in the city, this cow was being "walked" around Paradeplatz. Apparently, it was having a training session...don't ask.

Here are Aidan's best buds at a friend's birthday party at a Waldhutte, like I tried to do. They had warmer, sunnier weather in April than we did in June!

A view of Lindenhof up above the Limmat River You can't see it with a camera, but in person you can see snowcapped mountains in the distance. And, here is one of Aidan's beloved trams at Burkliplatz.

The towers of the FrauMunster and St. Paul's Cathedral (which has the biggest clock face in Europe)

The GrossMunster

A view of the Altstadt including FrauMunster and St. Paul's

I'm sure I've got loads more great pics, but these are just a few I've taken recently. I think a whole Snapfish book is in order someday!

I'm really going to miss this town but I'm also looking forward to our new adventures. I hope to come back someday because I think I'll feel about Zurich like I do about East Lansing...it will always feel a little bit like home.

(Translation of title: Goodbye Zurich! Until I see you again!)

Aidan's Birthday Party

Even though his birthday isn't until July, we had a "friends" party for Aidan yesterday since we won't be here in July. He really wanted to have his party outside in the forest. So, I rented a Waldhütte (a forest house) and planned hikes and scavenger hunts and marshmellow roasting and soccer playing. Then the weather happened. For 2 solid months it has rained, so I don't know why I was surprised to see the weather report for the weekend state cold and rainy. But, I figured the boys (all 20 of them!) could deal with it, since they all have rain gear for Waldkinder. So I went to the site earlier this week to check things out, only to see that the grass had not yet been mowed. It was past my knees, and when we rented the place I was told it would be cut by mid-June. It was June 17th, and no grass had been mowed.



Now, this is why Switzerland is crazy sometimes. I called the Gemeinde (city hall) to ask why it had not yet been cut and to make sure it would be mowed by the weekend. I was told that it was special "bio" grass. Huh? Organic, in other words. There are special regulations on cutting such grass. It cannot be cut before June 15th in any given year. AND, the grass must be dry for at least 4 days prior to mowing it. So, even though last week, we managed 4 days in a row dry, it was prior to June 15th. So, in answer to my question the grass would not be mowed for our party and as far as I can see with the weather, may not be mowed until June 15, 2011.



I could have dealt with cold or wet or long grass, but not all 3!!! So we ate the rent on the place and moved the party indoors to Trampolino. Trampolino is Jungle Java on serious steroids, and pretty much the only place open on a Sunday in Switzerland. Luckily, they were able to reserve party tables for our crowd (did I mention there were 20 boys?!?) and the boys had fun. The place was jammed with people because (did I already mention it was rainy and a Sunday?) so there was basically nothing else for kids to do in the country. No matter, the kids had fun, Jason and I survived, and Aidan was thrilled with his soccer cake and soccer and lego gifts.
Sweaty boys and Delainey singing to the birthday boy

Make a wish and blow out those candles!

Trampolino

I couldn't manage to keep all 20 boys in one place long enough for a group picture. 4 at once wass the best I could do!

Lainey's Graduation

Last Friday, Delainey graduated from EY1. It's not the end of her pre-school career, she still has one more year, but at this school, the next year is in the main building. So, the EY1ers graduate from the little school to the big school. It was quite formal with graduation caps, diplomas, and even the Head Master congratulating them. Of course, we toasted the graduates with Prosecco. Delainey is a Graduation Girl!

I can't believe how long these kids sat still waiting for the speeches and their names to be called! I think Mrs. L. tranquilized them! They were all SO proud.

Getting her diploma from the Head Master.

Pre-school BFFs

Proud Daddy

Proud Mommy

Sports Day 2010

Both kids had Sports Days last week. Delainey's was very cute, just in the garden at her tiny school. They did a few races, then they made the parents join in! She was the leader of the red team, and very proud of that! At the end of the events, she even got a badge that said "I did my best at Sports Day". Then, as is completely normal in her pre-school, we all went inside for a pot luck lunch and some Prosecco. Gotta love Switzerland!Getting her badge from the Assistant Principal

Running in a race

Proudly showing off her medal, with her penguin "Flower"


Aidan's Sports Day was cold and rainy. Fun times in the country where it has rained for 2 straight months. (no exaggeration!) Since the saying here goes "There is no bad weather in Switzerland, just bad clothing", the kids went out for 2 hours in 50 degree temps and rain. My not-so-bright-at-times child decided to forego the rain gear and sweatshirt I had packed him and went out in just a T-shirt and shorts. Needless to say, I was really glad I came to watch so I could force him to dress a bit more appropriately! He still refused the rain gear, but I did get him in a sweatshirt and hat. Can you believe I wasn't shocked when he complained of a sore throat the next morning??

Here's our super racer! He won the long jump!

Go Speed Racer!

Time Capsule

Yesterday, we buried a time capsule in "our" woods. I'm certain this is probably breaking some Swiss law of damaging protected forest paths or something, but I love the idea of our kids coming back here someday to dig it up and relive our lives here.

I don't have any photos of this momentous occasion (I left the battery in the charger) but I do have video and we drew a map of where we buried it. We put some memories and artefacts and a letter from each child in our cookie tin. We wrapped it all in plastic (for waterproof safe-keeping) and dug a hole at the bottom of a Wanderweg sign.

Our kids buried their time capsule with their friends and our neighbors, Teddy and William. I have a story book hope that someday, Aidan and William (or Teddy and Lainey, or all 4) will end up in Zurich on business at the same time. I hope that they will meet up again and dig up their time capsule (which will not have been plowed up and apartments built over) and reminisce about the fantastic time they spent in this wonderful place.

I hope they will remember going for Waldkinder walks in the woods, playing soccer at the big field, having picnics at the big rock, playing at the ducky park and all the other playgrounds, running back and forth between each other's apartments, carpooling, playing on our playground while the moms enjoy a cup of tea and a moment of peace, having their first sleepover at each other's house, collecting rocks, making friends from far reaches of the world (Turkey, Sweden, Australia, England, USA, Austria, Denmark, Norway) at our own backyard pizza and wine parties, scootering, learning how to ride 2-wheel bikes, collecting Panini World Cup stickers, and just being wildly silly with each other.

These are just a few of the things that I will remember of these 2 years on Rietholzstrasse. I never thought that we would live so fully in just 2 short years. I came here thinking that we'd hash it out for 2 years, never really having friends or people who are close enough to be like family whom we've come to count on and know that they are there for us. It's different from "normal" reality. People who are expats figure out how to make friends and rely on them like family very quickly. It's a form of survival, I guess.

When we left the USA, I was nervous and sad to leave friends and family behind, but I knew that we'd be back. That (God willing) the people we left would be there when we returned, and hopefully, we'd be able to continue our friendships and relationships. This time, moving is harder in someways. We won't be coming back to Zurich once we leave, most probably. And, even if we do, we lived here in an expat cycle...the friends we have here now won't still be here if and when we return. They will be on to other adventures-very few people we know are "locals"- and the whole culture of lives would be different. We are living in a pocket of time, at no other moment will the same people be in the same place again. It's very different from the reality I (hopefully) can count on back home.

So, in this last week in our apartment I am trying to reminisce about the last 2 years. I am so glad I started this blog (thanks Katy and Kirste for the idea!) and that I've done a pretty good job of keeping up scrapbooks (thanks to the playgroup girls and Andrea for the scrapbook and thanks to Jeannine for giving me a place to scrap around here!). We have been blessed to have had this opportunity to see the world and meet people we'd never otherwise know. We have grown in many ways and accomplished many things we never thought we could. We miss our friends and family back home desperately and can't wait to see them all again next month, but would we change our decision to come here if we knew then what we know now? Never.

I'm sure things won't be exactly the same when we move back to the US (or even when we visit next month). We have missed out on many events in the lives of our friends and family, and that is the negative. But I optimistically hope that the friendships and relationships we've left behind are strong enough to be rekindled upon our "re-entry".

I am thankful for this blog, the blogs of my friends, Facebook, Vonage, and email for letting me feel connected with people wherever they may be. I hope to stay in touch with many of the friends we have made here, too. Even the kids are thinking of ways to maintain friendships:

Delainey to Kate (who is moving to Chicago): "I have to move to Germany now, but then I'll move back to Michigan."
Kate: "We live near Lake Michigan, so it must be close!"
Kate's mom: "It's about 4 hours"
Kate: "That's nothing, just like going to Grandma's!"
Delainey:"Maybe I'll move to Chicago after Michigan and we can be friends again!"

William to Aidan in the car: "England isn't so far from Germany."
Aidan: "I think it's only a quick plane ride. But when I move back to Michigan it will be worse. Like a whole day on a plane."
William: "I wish we could take scissors and cut Michigan out of American and glue it by England."
Aidan: "Maybe someday I can come live in London by you and James!"

We are all adjusting and accepting this change in our own way!

International Fest 2010

Today was the International Fest at the kids' school. We had a great time eating foods and drinking booze from all around the world. I believe there were at least 14 countries represented! The kids had fun doing crafts, jumping in the bouncy house, playing soccer, and just hanging with friends. Here are a few pics from the day. American branch of the parade of nations.

Our kids walking in the parade.

Family pic...supporting team USA for tonight's big match!

The New Background

Tomorrow is the start of a big sporting event. A huge, sporting event that everyone in the world is excited about...except Americans. Who out there reading this knows what I'm talking about??

It's the World Cup! Soccer, football, Fussball...whatever you call it, it is MAD here. Aidan is in the thick of it collecting stickers of all the teams and players (a quite expensive habit, I must add-although bribing him with these stickers is making my life easier!). He lives and breathes it. He plays on 2 teams and only wants to wear his soccer jerseys and shorts. Restaurants and bars are adding TVs and making parties out of it. It's like the Superbowl for Americans but it lasts a month!

So, in order to support Team USA (considering we may be the only Americans who will) I changed my background. That and because the International Fest at school is Saturday so I have to get my patriotism on. Plus, I'm looking foward to coming back to the US next month! Just 5 weeks then we are there Just in time for the street fairs to begin! Yea!

A few updates...

No particular order, just a few tidbits of life:

1. We just found out we have places for both kids at the school we want! RELIEF!

2. Sometimes being social bites you in the butt. I purposely blocked today off of my calendar so I could spend one whole (last) day in the city. Then, on Saturday I get an invite to a going away lunch for a good friend. She's coming to mine, so I have to go to hers. Of course it's right in the middle of the day, so there goes my relaxing-wander-the-town-shop-and-go-to-the-Frauenbad day. Everyday from here on out has something planned. It's tough having so many friends ;).

3.Maggie the Macaw, Aidan's class pet from the rainforest came to visit us this week. She helped him with homework, his chores, and played a little soccer and tennis with him. I love seeing that he's still young enough to have the imagination and interest in things like stuffed class pets! He even made sure to feed her nuts and clean her beak before bed!

4.Jason is in Germany this week. He's measuring all the rooms in our house today. Hopefully, our furniture will fit! I kind of forgot to do that before deciding on the house. Duh. We'll post house pics soon.

5.I'm getting so excited to come home this summer! My lists of people to see, things to do, places to eat and shop, are getting really long!

That's all I've got today!

"Sun, Sun, Great Big Golden Sun...

...won't you please shine down on me!"

I learned this song while teaching pre-school at MSU and I have been singing it all month. Finally, yesterday we saw Mr. Sun again! I had forgotten what it looked like!

Since May 1, we have only had 3 days where it didn't rain at all. Seriously. 3 days out of 34. The other days it rained at least a few minutes to all day. It has been gray, gray, gray. The local paper, the Zwanzig Minuten (20 minutes), said that last November had more hours of sun than May! That is so wrong.

I blame it on the volcanic ash. I think the ash got in the clouds and made them heavy and caused all the rain. Or, God and Mother Nature hate the Swiss. Either could be right. It's a toss up.

Anyway, yesterday was GORGEOUS! And, as is typical, I had to be inside for meetings most of the day! I had a PA meeting, then a lunch, then had to sort books for the International Festival. But, at least, we got to go out last night! Jason and I spent the evening wandering the beautiful altstadt.

We had dinner at a vegetarian restaurant called Hiltl www.hiltl.ch . It's very famous in Zurich and we hadn't made it there yet. I wasn't sure if we'd like a vegetarian restaurant but it was SO good! I understand the hype now, and wish we'd have tried it sooner! It had a huge buffet with everything from jalepeno poppers to Indian curries with quinoa and other wild stuff.

This whole weekend looks promising. We are off to hike and bike and go to the Badi (beach) today! Then the rain starts again on Monday, for all week. Next Saturday's forcast isn't out yet but it better be nice for the International Fest. That is the biggest party of the year at school and it would be such a bummer to have it rained out!