First Snow!

We had our first snow of the season last night and it's only October! I'm expecting a long winter. The great thing about where we live is that there are loads of hills right in our back yard. I took the girls out sledding today with their friends Ella and Charlie.

The Amalfi Coast: Driving it!

In mid-October we took a fun-filled 5-day break in the Amalfi Coast, Italy. We splurged and stayed in the Sorrento Hilton, complete with a huge indoor swimming pool. The weather was sunny and 70 degrees the entire time we were there. The first day there we decided to drive the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Salerno, passing Positano and Amalfi. The coast was picturesque -- just as one would imagine it. However, the driving part was horrendous. The narrow, windy route was crowded with cars that followed no traffic rules whatsoever and huge tourist buses, which were impossible to pass. I can't imagine what this place must be like in the summertime. I think we came the right time. I still found myself gripping my seat with terror much of the route.

Mariah and Anna Claire practicing their driving skills before they hit the crazy Italian streets.

A view of the town of Positano (I think).

The town of Amalfi.

Our attempt at a timed family photo in Amalfi.

We stopped for lunch in Amalfi--love that yummy Italian pizza -- especially the Napoli kind. The girls enjoyed chocolate gelatos by the fountain. (Thank goodness for water to wash hands and faces.) If you look in the right-hand corner, you will see that this is one of those "fertility" fountains.

Playing in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mariah's first dip in the Mediterranean, saggy diaper and all.

The Amalfi Coast: Pompeii and Paestum

So, one of the real reasons I wanted to come down to the Amalfi Coast was to see Pompeii, the Roman city that was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Pompeii is quite the site -- it's impressively enormous and overwhelming. We actually only saw a tiny part of it because it was extremely hot and the girls were not particularly cooperative.

Here are Anna Claire and Mariah overlooking the old Roman Theater.

Rob and the girls in the main forum, with Mt. Vesuvius looming ominously in the background. Is that smoke I see?

Mariah saw so many statues that she thought she could be a statue too.

Just a couple hours south is Paestum. Rob rode his bike along the Amalfi Coast and met us there. Paestum has the best-preserved Greek ruins north of Sicily. The setting is absolutely stunning. Grandiose Greek antiquity tucked away amidst green grass and wildflowers. One thing you can't really see in this picture is the huge swarm of MOSQUITOES above our heads. This was the downfall of Paestum and also the reason why the ruins are so well preserved. The city was abandoned due to malaria -- and not resettled because of the same threat.

Mariah and Anna Claire weren't really interested in the awe-inspiring architecture behind them. They just wanted to collect bouquets of wild flowers. But what a magnificent backdrop!

Here is another amazingly well-preserved temple. It's hard to imagine the scale of these behemoths.

We're making flower bouquets for Mommy. Who cares if this wall was built 2500 years ago!

The Amalfi Coast: Capri

Our day trip to Capri completed Amalfi Coast trip. Sorrento is only a 30 minute boat ride to the enchanting island. I must admit that, since I started drinking Capri Sun as a child, I've wanted to know about Capri. The view of it from the ocean is actually quite stunning, but Rob and I were not so impressed with the island itself.

The most fun thing we did was to take a private boat ride over to the Blue Grotto. The cave is unique because the way the light falls into the cave makes the water look neon blue. We paid a load of money for a 5 minute peek at this strange phenomenon. We had to enter the cave lying on our backs in a rowboat--the entrance is so small. Then, the boatman rowed us around while singing a dissonant "O Sole Mio". The girls' description fits it best: "dark" and "blue".

We're on our way! Anna Claire and Daddy on the boat.

Mariah and Mommy on the boat -- Mariah wanted to wiggle right out into the water.

Anna Claire and Daddy near the Blue Grotto.

After Capri, we returned to our hotel for fun in another Blue Grotto -- the Hilton's immense indoor pool. To Anna, this is what Italy is all about -- swimming.

Wägitaler Lake

We decided to picnic today at Wägitaler Lake. This is a comfortably rural mountain lake that Rob takes on his "usual" climbing bike route. We actually went biking as a family all around the lake the week before. However, I threw out my back doing it (at 5 1/2 months pregnant), which ended bike trips for me -- until after this baby comes. The backdrop is gorgeous -- bleached white cliffs surrounding green pastures. It's hard to hear the sound of anything here but jingling cowbells.

We set up this family photo -- but forgot to cut out Anna's camera!

Mommy and the girls.

Checking for fishies.

Smile at the camera girls!

Here's a shot of my almost 6 month pregnant belly. It gets bigger much more quickly with each pregnancy! I'm already ready for it to be over.

Throwing rocks into the lake with Daddy.

Bertie the Bear

Anna Claire attends two different pre-schools -- one is in Swiss German, the other is biligual English and High German. Confusing -- but she is getting ready to start kindergarten next year in Swiss German. And she loves it. Her "English school" sent her home recently with the class pet -- Bertie the Bear. She got to read to him, feed him and take him everywhere. Anna took him to her favorite play spot -- right down the street from our house.

Grandma and Grandpa: Guten Morgen Zurich!

We spent Monday morning wandering around Zurich with Grandma and Grandpa. The nice thing about Zurich is that the main sites can easily be seen in a morning. And the city is so pleasant and clean to walk around. The girls just loved all the attention they received from both Grandma and Grandpa.

Looking across the river at Fraumunster. (Excuse my missing umlauts.)
Don't move, girls, it's a long way down!

Yet another carousel!

Grandma and Grandpa: Einsiedeln

On Sunday, we did a little "pilgrimage" with Grandma and Grandpa to Einsiedeln. It's a Catholic pilgrimage spot only 20 minutes away. Apparently, in 964 A.D. when they attempted to create the original monastery, he was halted by a heavenly voice insisting that God had already consecrated it. They were doing a service inside, so we didn't get to see much of the sumptuous interior (rare in the mostly Protestant Switzerland). Mariah and Anna, however, still really enjoyed climbing around the steps.

Hi guys!

Grandma and Grandpa: The Jungfrau

Grandma and Grandpa are here! My parents stopped in for a quick visit after touring the Baltic states. The girls were ecstatic to see them. Over the weekend, we took a trip to the Jungfrau, for the first time since we've lived here, believe it or not. We took a cable car up to Gimmelwald and walked around, enjoying the peaceful grassy hills and spectactular views.

1-2-3 Swing!

In front of the Jungfrau (obscured by mist).

Grandma and Grandpa.

Here's a peek through the clouds.

Mariah stopped at every watering trough to wash her hands.

No trip is complete without some swinging time. . .

. . .or sliding time. This slide was actually almost scary for adults -- really long and fast.

Down the hill with Daddy.

Bye Bye KaRynn

We said goodbye to KaRynn today. It was a sad farewell. After driving to the Geneva airport in the wee hours of the morning, the girls were not quite sure what was going on. But they were definitely upset. We are really going to miss KaRynn!

Mariah is in the background making her sad face.

Fun with KaRynn

Ever since KaRynn arrived, the girls have been having lots of extra fun. KaRynn entertains them non-stop. They are really going to miss her when she leaves. Below are photos of fun times with KaRynn. Most of them were taken by her. (She's a great photographer.)

Fairy dress-up time.

Pretty in pink!

I'm the pink sleeping fairy. . .

Puzzle time!

I'm hiding!

Peek a boo!

Me too!

Peek a boo!

KaRynn was somehow able to convince Anna to let her do her hair. A miracle!

Pretty girl!