The weather here in Switzerland has been so gorgeous lately. Seth and I have decided that we think Sept/early October can be even better than summer. Summer was pretty spectacular but not so consistent. Maybe we have been blessed with extra nice days but this Fall we have had only a few rainy days. The rest have been crisp and cool. Here is a snapshot of how we have been filling our Fall days!

I have been trying to get the boys outside as much as possible and to do as many fallish activities. Last week we spent the morning hiking down through the woods down the hill from our house. I wish I had taken my camera because the lighting was beautiful and the boys were all kinds of cute feeling like wilderness men. Owen was more hesitant than Jackson but they both tromped around like “Lord of the flies”. We took a ziplock bag and I told Jackson he could fill it with whatever he found. He focused on leaves, acorns and small twigs. I collected some branches and acorns as well to use for a fall wreath. When we got home I pulled out some crafts paper and glue and let Jackson work on making something with his finds. Free fun!

That morning we had a great time together getting out of the house and working on a project but truth be told I was in a bit of a funk that morning. You see I was so wishing I could pop in my car that morning, visit with a friend, grab lunch at Chickfila and pop in to Home Goods or Target to look for some cheap fall decor to spruce up the house. These days come and go. I do miss home and I do enjoy life here, yet some mornings the two worlds collide and I want to pop back to my All-American life. Anyhow, I pulled myself out of my funk and gathered enough things to make a wreath. I have never made a wreath so it is quite rough. But, it was so enjoyable to pull out the glue gun and just work not knowing how it would turn out. It does the trick of sprucing up the house a bit and it gave me time to process my funk.

So, here is my makeshift wreath….which may or may not keep the Chinese lanterns…I may keep fiddling with it!

Another morning last week I posted a recipe for pumpkin spice playdough on a link from a friend. Here is the link for the original. I cut the recipe in half and used a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice as well as a bit pf extra cinnamon…because it didn’t seem like it needed so much and I kind of ration spices here!  We added some orange food coloring to make it look more pumpkiny without the extra spices. It smelled yummy, filled some time with a project of making it, and filled even more time with the boys playing at the table with it. Owen is stepping up into the world of playdough. He attempted to pop a big bite in as we smelled it originally but after he knew it was salty playdough he was satisfied to play.

Last Friday I was missing my friend Leigh as I was praying so hard that she and her hubby would hear about a new job! Anyhow, as you all know when I miss a friend I normally end up cooking something that reminds me of them! So I got some fresh pumpkin and attempted to make some pumpkin soup. It wasn’t what I remember eating with Leigh at Funfshilling in Germany but it reminded me of sweet times!

This recipe is next on our Fall treat list…Pumpkin Gingersnaps!  Now to find molasses in Bern! Wish me luck!

Over the last couple of weeks Owen has been SO tired during lunch.  If I wanted to make you all haters I would be honest and tell you that he just recently gave up his morning nap and went down to one nap. The boy loves his sleep. And I hope each one of you gets a sleep lover like Owen.  What can I say, he scrapes the bananas and nutella out of crepes, stands on the dining room table and gnaws on his crib so if he loves sleep I will rejoice in it! Sleep on Owezer Dozer!

I finally had the camera close enough to grab as he dosed off during lunch yesterday. If you could hear the sound in the video you would hear us all talking and interacting. Jackson’s giggling and my camera didn’t phase him!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHdcYMPZT3k]

Almost done with the catch up folks I promise!  This is my last backtrack post!

The day Dan and Margo flew out was the first day of the church weekend away. We had reservations to go but for the couple of weeks leading up to it we waffled back and forth trying to determine if we should really go or not. Not because we weren’t interested but because we had many guests, as you already know, and Seth had to travel beginning the Monday following the retreat. Oh yes, and because for the 4 of us to go to the rustic weekend away it was going to be $350 Swiss Francs. Um, okay that’s a whole lotta mula. About a week before I emailed the coordinator and asked if by chance anyone who wanted to go wasn’t able to go because of space. I just could NOT fathom the packing, sleepless nights and exhaustion accompanied with such expensive fun! Another couple decided at the last minute to come and needed our space. Phew. But we still wanted to go for the day Saturday to spend time getting to know people and enjoying the scenery. So that is what we did. We drove the hour up Saturday morning to Kandersteg, listened to a speaker in the morning, spent the afternoon picnicking and hiking to a lake with friends and then enjoyed dinner with the group before heading home with two very tired boys!

The Lodge where everyone was staying was about 5 mins drive to the base of the hike that took us to Oeschinen Lake. We opted for the gondola with the stroller. It was pouring as we bought our tickets but about 5 mins into our walk to the lake the rain let up and we had a really nice time outside. Jackson and Seth got to go in a boat on the lake and we all visited over hot chocolate. While we were on the patio of the cafe having drinks we heard bells coming our way.  A big herd of sheep were making their way down the mountain and passed by on the path next to us. Jackson loved seeing the sheep dogs at work!

our pastor’s wife Margi is a retired Biology teacher. She loves Jackson’s curiosity and has so much patience to answer his questions!  He was the only big kid on the hike so he got to get all of the grown-up attention.

Daniela and Miguel with baby Anna. They are in our small group and have become good friends! Seth gets his Spanish fix with Miguel and Daniela has been such a sweet friend in this mothering adventure. She is so patient with my boys enthusiasm and even took them up the Gurten a couple of weeks ago so Seth and I could go out on a date!

Sue and Margi laughing hysterically at the boaters…I told them my thought was if the wives of the men wouldn’t get in a boat with their husbands that there was no way I would get in!!!

sweet Owen was snacking and content in his stroller so I stepped away to take his picture from afar…no worries the breaks were on and he was buckled in!

I think this is hysterical…everyone looks a bit concerned again about those silly boaters

This is Seth and Jackson on their turn. One of the ladies asked if they could “take Jackson”. I laughed and said “sure” thinking she was wanting to take him home with her. She meant on the boat. I told her I didn’t mind her taking him to live with her but the boat sounded a bit scary! No really, laughing aside, it did scare me. Seth assured me that he could handle Jackson on the boat safely.

don’t let this awake face fool ya, the next one is of him ten minutes later. He was exhausted from all of the fun!

We are drawing to the end of day trip and festival season. It’s about to get really boring in terms of pictures of the sights of Switzerland. Today the high was 45 degrees. And rainy. Lord, help me through this upcoming grey season!!! Last winter was tough y’all. The Swiss love the outdoors but haven’t mastered indoor activities and kid activities! So glad to have some better friends this year that I know well enough to call for emergency playdates!

In early September our friends Dan and Margo along with their twin boys, Seth and Bryce came to visit us for a week! Seth and Dan have known each other since their awkward teenage yrs! Dan and Margo were so brave to face the jetlag with 3 yr olds and amazingly jumped in and saw so many things!! We did our best with 4 little ones to get them around Switzerland and make sure they had yummy meals and warm beds! Jackson and Owen loved having brothers around and my Seth *may* or *may not* have said at the end of the week that he will let me adopt twins! I will keep you posted on that one. For now here are a few pictures from their visit!

The Saturday they arrived was the Sharing of the Cheese Festival in Magisalp

this doesn’t look so yummy but apparently it was so good Seth had to take off his glasses to eat it. toasted bread, sauteed onions and melted cheese poured on top.  not part of our weekly diet…more like once a yr!

i love this one because it looks like I photoshopped Owen in.

little boys gathered around a little frog

lots of bike riding and outside time!

fountains downtown

Cow Festival downtown

I don’t have pictures here but they also went down to the Aare for walks, Zermatt, Gruyere, Callier Chocolate factory and Old Towne Bern.