Should I be worried?

Friday as I walked Lainey into school, we were stopped by the dad of one of Lainey's classmates. He smiled at her and said "Oh, Delainey, I've heard you've got lots to say!". Apparently his kid is going home telling his parents that Lainey talks a lot! Hmm...I think I'll be seeing the comment "can be a bit too social at times" on this one's future report cards!

She's so excited to start full-day school tomorrow! She's going all day on Mondays and Thursdays. But, she's worried about me. She said "poor mommy is going to be all alone all day, will you be okay?" I told her I think I'm going to make it.

That's so Lainey.

The Real Deal

We went to Parent's Night at Aidan's school last night. First grade is the real deal! The school does a great job informing parents about the curriculum and introduces all the grade level staff and support staff. The principal spoke, then the teachers as a grade talked about curriculum, then we went into individual classrooms for the rest of the "talk".

I think I'm going to really like Aidan's teacher. She's a lot like me :). She had sign up sheets ready, talked about how the kids need to be independent, described all the units in detail, gave us weekly schedules and homework helpers in plastic sleeves, and was just so organized! I heard her say many things that I know I've said at parent nights in the past...it's so weird for me being on the parent side still!

I liked his teacher last year, but I didn't really know what was going on in the classroom. I mean, I know it was Kindergarten and K is a little more loosey-goosey, but still. I think this year will be more structured so hopefully, the class will be a bit more behaved. That was my one issue with last year. Of course, I signed up to help in class. Jason did too, in fact! The first unit is about jobs, so Jason will come talk to the class about being an accountant. Hopefully, the kids won't fall asleep! (Just kidding, honey :)

First Day of School!

Today is the morning Lainey has been waiting nearly a year for...her first day of pre-school at Aidan's school! We had her parent night last night and the kids had a sitter. The sitter told me Lainey was super giggly at bedtime and saying over and over "I going to school tomorrow!" She even had the sitter read her Dora Goes to School and Biscuit Goes to School. She woke up 3 times in the middle of the night and at one time asked me: "is it time for school yet?"

So when I woke her up this morning she literally bounced out of bed and ran to tell anyone who would listen "I GO TO SCHOOL TODAY!". We left for school a bit early so we could take some pictures of Aidan at his school, then head over to hers (the pre-school is in a separate building). Here are some of my school kids: I like this one-notice their one-year-old portraits hanging above them!

Looking SO grown up!

At school (the big school)

Aidan's classroom 1M

Too sunny for a great shot, but here's his classroom

Again, not the best lighting but Lainey entering her school yard and holding a self-portrait she made for her teacher.

Hanging her backpack on her hook

Playing with her friend, Sara

Working hard on an art project

Lainey only had an hour of school today, and mommies had to stay. The kids ease slowly into eventually going for 3 1/2 hours all week. Lainey wanted to go by herself today, but I told her the teacher said I have to come. No separation issues here! In fact, I'm more worried about her trying to take the class over from the teacher! She can't wait to go back.

Aidan had a full day, and despite not having many previous friends in this year's class, really enjoyed it. He likes his teacher and is excited about this year's units.

I think if I can avoid doing too much with the Parents' Association I will really enjoy having some time to myself. I know the kids will be having fun, and getting a great education. I hope to have some fun myself!

What the H&%# Did I Get Myself Into?!?

So, as many of you know, I'm a joiner. I like to be busy and have a hard time saying no to people who ask me to help on committees, mom2mom sales, etc. I need to listen to Nancy Reagan and JUST SAY NO from now on.

I volunteered (read: got suckered into) being the Primary VP on the Parents' Association at the kids school. Now, when I "volunteered" I was supposed to have a co-VP to help with the work, but unfortunately she is on GM's first boat out of here, so now here I am-all alone. This is turning out to be WAY more work than I bargained for! In fact, I actually think I've done more work this week before school starts than I did when I actually got a paycheck from a school! I've had 2 meetings, spent hours upon hours on the computer ordering book fair books and responding to emails, and have had to pay sitters to watch my kids while I do this unpaid work. Next week, once school actually starts, I think it will even be worse! I'm pretty sure I'll be crazy with this stuff until Halloween, when finally my share of the workload will be done.

Why, oh why, can't I just learn to say NO???

Tiaras at Sunrise and Movies at Sunset

My little Lainey is such a character. Yesterday she came to wake me up at 7 am in her nightgown already wearing a tiara and carrying her princess purse. I got her settled in to watch a little Dora in German and went back to sleep for 20 more minutes. This is what she looked like at 7:05am: A girl's got to look good in the morning and be ready for anything right? She's like the old lady on Golden Girls always carrying her purse around the house. You never know when you might need a crayon, keys, 2 francs, and lip gloss!

Last night, my friend Sam organized a girls' night out. All summer in Zurich there are outdoor movies on the lake, but as I found out you have to buy tickets to the shows at least 2 months in advance or they are sold out. (Jason and I wanted to go, but I waited a week after they went on sale in late May and couldn't get any!) But, Sam found out that last night's show was a "ladies night" and that they didn't pre-sell tix for it, it was first come first serve in line at 7pm. She and a few others went to wait in the line for them (which is brave since I've already explained how the Swiss do NOT understand the concept of waiting politely in lines) and was able to get enough for all of us! Yea!

It was a beautiful setting right on the lake. They had beach chairs set up and full restaurants and bars, not just popcorn (in fact I didn't see any popcorn!) and pop and candy. Because it was ladies night, we each got a free ice cream too! Something free in Zurich????? AMAZING! Anyway, it was fun and we saw "He's Just Not That Into You"...total chick flick with tons of my favorite actors/actresses. Fun times.

View from my seat (the big orange thing is the movie screen) Sushi restaurant/bar to the left...

...ice cream stand and vegetarian buffet to the right. It was a gorgeous night to be out on the lake and watching the boats pass and listening to the waves crash as we watched the movie.

Aidan's New Accomplishment

Aidan can ride a 2-wheeler! For a while, I thought this day would never come. He's been quite content on his scooter. He'd ride his bike occasionally, but with training wheels and just around the house. He didn't have any interest in learning especially since he's the type of kid who, if he can't do something easily and right away, he'd rather not keep trying. We've been working on the whole "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again" attitude. I was determined to have him up on 2 wheels by the end of this summer. Some of his friends were riding last summer, and I was determined, even if he wasn't!

We'd been practicing on the paths outside our apartment, but they are kind of hilly and curvy so not the best place to learn. So yesterday, I decided to take him up to his school playground where they have a huge flat play area that is covered with rubber turf-like stuff. It's flat like cement, but it wouldn't hurt if he fell. Aidan was very resistant to trying, but (again, being a pushy mom) I made him try.

I couldn't believe it! Within minutes he was riding! Lesson 1: As long as I held him to start, he could go straight for almost the length of the field (and me with no memory card in my camera! Ugh.). After a few minutes of practice, we moved onto Lesson 2: Turning without falling. That took a bit longer, but still less than a half hour! Then we took a break to play on the playground. Finally, we attempted Lesson 3: Starting off on his own. This is still the toughest part, but he was doing it!

In less than 1 1/2 hours, Aidan went from reluctant non-rider to full-fledged racer!

Since I'd forgotten my memory card for the rides at school, here's a video of Aidan showing Daddy his new skill in our parking garage last night:

I believe my work here is done.

It's our Swiss Anniversary

Today marks the one-year anniversary of living in our apartment! We actually arrived in Switzerland on July 29th, last year, but spent the longest week of my life in a hotel before the movers came with our stuff. So, today is the anniversary of when we offically started living in Switzerland.

We sure have done a lot in one year! I think we've all grown "up" and have become more brave and independent. We've pretty much learned a new language, we've made new friends, seen tons of new places, and had experiences I never imagined having. I've explored new career possibilites, while putting my "real" career on hold. I've spent more time with my kids, but have had less time to myself. I've taken language classes and online classes about writing and teaching. I've finally gotten over the shock of Zurich prices (but I still get a little nauseous at the checkout!). Jason has made a good name for himself at work, but we don't know if the company will be around long enough for that to really matter. I've taken up running and have hiked mountains and ridden more trains than I can count. The kids have become so worldly and have friends from all over the world. They enjoy learning new languages and have become more independent and willing to try new things. They have learned to go with the flow and are seasoned travelers. It's been a BIG year in many ways!

But, we do miss the good ol' U S of A. I haven't seen my friends in 8 months! It was nice having our families visit, but we miss them again now that they are gone. The kids often just want to go to Pattone's house, or Mamaw and Papaw's for dinner or head to Greenfield Village or the Hands-On Museum. I miss Target and Macy's and the Gap. I miss the variety and cheapness of eating out in the US. I will never mind paying $4 for a grande Carmel Marvel at Beaner's again after paying $7 for a small latte at Starbucks here or drinking the Swiss swill coffee. As much as I like not having yard work and a mortgage, I miss having a bigger house that I can decorate as I want. I miss being able to go out shopping after dinner or on Sundays. We all miss Maddy.

I have mixed feelings about our anniversary. I really love living here in many (most) ways, but the uncertainty of how long we'll be here puts a big gray cloud over that enjoyment. It's like walking on eggshells, just knowing that one of the eggs will crack at any minute, but not knowing when that moment will be. Every day, we wait to hear about the fate of the company and what that will mean for us. Do we have 1 month left here, 3, 6? Is there any chance that we'll make it to our 2nd anniversary? It's all up in the air! And, as a girl who likes to plan...this is not an easy thing.

So, we are cramming as much in as possible while we're here. That's why we've been traveling so much the last few months. I've been really trying to practice my German so I can take a proficiency test and be able to come home with a certificate that may allow me to teach German back home. That's why I've been trolling the real estate sites back home and weighing the options of buying vs. renting. I've been taking online courses so that I can jump back into teaching when we get sent home.

As much as I enjoy not working, I do miss it. Plus, I've been reading this book "The Price of Motherhood" by Ann Crittenden and it has me a bit freaked out about how much women give up (current and future earnings, societal appreciation, societal status) when we take time off from work to do the most important job of all: raising kids. The book has reminded me exactly why I decided to work half-time (at least) rather than quitting when the kids were born and why I'm on leave now instead of quitting. That's why I've signed up to be on the sub list at Aidan's school and why I'm trying my hand at a mini-career of writing. (It's really a good read for all moms, but I wish the men of the world would read it and "get it" too!)

So, happy anniversary to the Swiss Family Barnett! I'm looking forward to milking this thing for as long as we can, but also planning our move home in the back of my mind. I'm going to enjoy being a stay at home mom of kids in school and take some time for myself while I can get it. I've got a lot to look forward to until we're kicked out of CH: Vice President of the Parent's Association at the kids' school, starting to play tennis again, running a 5K next month, taking a pottery class, a few more vacations in the works, Erin coming to visit, subbing at the International School, seeing more of my articles printed in the magazine...these are the things I'm going to focus on now. The uncertainty of life will always be there, but I'm trying not to worry about what's next. We're all going to live in the here and now for a while. And right now, the here and now is Switzerland.