Wednesday, April 1, 2009
You say Too-mato, I say Toe-mato
Yesterday when we went to the doctors office, Chance and Ryan were sitting around the table I was laying on and we all were watching the sonogram of the baby. The doctors scanning around not saying much and we are anxiously awaiting him to tell us boy or girl. I hear the doctor say in his Swiss accent "I'm not hearing any gasses from you", and I am thinking, why is he listening for gasses? Is it a good thing I am not gassy? What in the world does this have to do with anything? So I ask, "Is this a bad thing?" and he says....."well dont you want to guess?".....clearly I hear "gas" and he has said "guess".
"Trashion" Show
Last week the parents were asked to come up to the "Clothes Atelier" and help the kids make their own costumes out of recycled materials for a fashion show to be held today. This kind of creative stuff haunts me, as I think I was born without the creative genes. But nonetheless we came up with something basic and Chance was happy, so that was all that mattered. Today he made his grand performance down the run way:
Monday, March 30, 2009
Weekend Update....Start of the Birthday Celebration.
We layed low again this weekend. I had high hopes all week of going somewhere, jetting down to Milan for a 24 hour whirlwind to indulge in Italian coffee, warm weather and sunshine. Then the Europe forecast really put a damper on my dreams.....rain and more rain EVERYWHERE. So my hopes of a warm quick get away were squelched. Ryan asked on Friday if I had prayed to the rain gods, and I said that instead I prayed to the babysitter gods and got us one lined up for Sunday afternoon so we could partake in a movie, a very rare experience around here. We went to see Slumdog Millionaire, one of the best movies I have seen in quite awhile! Highly recommend!
Friday night we decided to make Easter cookies. We are really getting in to the Easter spirit around here this year. Here's the little chef in action:
In hind sight making cookies isn't such a good idea......somehow 90% of them managed to make it in to my mouth. Houston we have a problem as the baby still weighs less than a pound but the scale is not showing such slight weight gain.
Sunday morning Ryan had to work before we met for our movie, so Chance and I milled around the house for awhile. I asked him to clean his room and he really got in to it! I was told not to come in his room until it was clean! Amazing! And look at the finished project.
I was so proud and so was he. He told me, "I am going to clean my room everyday mom!" I am glad to be writing this down in the blog as proof!
Later in the morning we headed off to the store. We get off the tram near a fountain that had been entirely frozen over this winter and he tells me, "You know mom, it's not frozen anymore cause it's spring time. Isn't it just lovely in the spring time?" I am wondering, "LOVELY"? It's 40 degrees outside, not a green leaf in sight and clouds so thick in the sky you'd think it was night. It is so cute the child's perception, it keeps things so light and happy!
As I am sure I've mentioned before, I love dragging out my birthday celebration over weeks.....so it started this past weekend. Ryan and Chance got haircuts Saturday morning and then out shopping for some presents for me. We decided to celebrate on Sunday night cause of Ryan's hectic work schedule this coming week and then we head to Ireland. I had thrown out a couple of measly ideas but come Sunday night, the boys really wowed me!
I managed to rake in some serious goods.....a fantastic necklace
, a salad spinner (that I had been wanting) and a gorgeous Swiss fondue pot and holder......it has been on my list of "must buys" before we move home and I am so glad to finally have it. We are looking forward to making queso in it once we move back to Texas.
Of course I had lots of help blowing out the candles on my cake!
Chance really liked it!
Chance made me the cutest card.....he really puts so much time in to the cards he makes.
More pics from the birthday celebration are to the right in the photos column.
Friday night we decided to make Easter cookies. We are really getting in to the Easter spirit around here this year. Here's the little chef in action:
In hind sight making cookies isn't such a good idea......somehow 90% of them managed to make it in to my mouth. Houston we have a problem as the baby still weighs less than a pound but the scale is not showing such slight weight gain.
Sunday morning Ryan had to work before we met for our movie, so Chance and I milled around the house for awhile. I asked him to clean his room and he really got in to it! I was told not to come in his room until it was clean! Amazing! And look at the finished project.
I was so proud and so was he. He told me, "I am going to clean my room everyday mom!" I am glad to be writing this down in the blog as proof!
Later in the morning we headed off to the store. We get off the tram near a fountain that had been entirely frozen over this winter and he tells me, "You know mom, it's not frozen anymore cause it's spring time. Isn't it just lovely in the spring time?" I am wondering, "LOVELY"? It's 40 degrees outside, not a green leaf in sight and clouds so thick in the sky you'd think it was night. It is so cute the child's perception, it keeps things so light and happy!
As I am sure I've mentioned before, I love dragging out my birthday celebration over weeks.....so it started this past weekend. Ryan and Chance got haircuts Saturday morning and then out shopping for some presents for me. We decided to celebrate on Sunday night cause of Ryan's hectic work schedule this coming week and then we head to Ireland. I had thrown out a couple of measly ideas but come Sunday night, the boys really wowed me!
I managed to rake in some serious goods.....a fantastic necklace
, a salad spinner (that I had been wanting) and a gorgeous Swiss fondue pot and holder......it has been on my list of "must buys" before we move home and I am so glad to finally have it. We are looking forward to making queso in it once we move back to Texas.Of course I had lots of help blowing out the candles on my cake!
Chance really liked it!
Chance made me the cutest card.....he really puts so much time in to the cards he makes.
More pics from the birthday celebration are to the right in the photos column.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Chance, The Photographer
For Christmas this year, Santa brought a "real" camera. Chance loves taking pictures (Baganz genes) and goes around the house constantly snapping shots. I thought I'd post a couple of his recent ones:
Our daily Skypes.....Here's Umpa (my dad)....
A recent playdate at the house with Jack, Ava, Gabriella and Kate....
Cyndy with Gabriella and Ava....
A view from Chance's bedroom window....
Cool lego "house" we made....
The photographer himself, after having a bump lasered off his face..
Our daily Skypes.....Here's Umpa (my dad)....
A recent playdate at the house with Jack, Ava, Gabriella and Kate....
Cyndy with Gabriella and Ava....
A view from Chance's bedroom window....
Cool lego "house" we made....
The photographer himself, after having a bump lasered off his face..
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Mama Mia
This weekend was packed full of fun.
Friday night we had a family party over at the Sacarro house. Always a good time for the old and young......the kids and adults each had our friends there to enjoy.
Ryan had his work ski weekend in Davos, so Saturday Chance and I were left to fend for ourselves. We had a nice day getting in to the Easter spirit and painted eggs for the first time. Chance really got in to it and made some nice creations! I hadn't done that for years......it was nice to start back a fun childhood tradition.
BUT the long anticipated day was today. Chance waited all week to go back to the slopes and give it another try.
Ryan drove our "borrowed" car (I'll have to explain that in another post some day soon) to Davos for his work thing, and then met us in Flumserberg this morning.
Chance was flowing with anticipation as we rode the gondola up the side of the mountain to the town.
To top off the day, his good buddy Ava and her dad, Mike aka Mr. Kelly, met us there to partake in the fun.
While the kids and dads were off skiing, I sat in the restaurant with a cup of tea and planned Ireland. It was nice to check that off the list. We all met for lunch and Chance inevitably tried to impress Ava....
and then it was back to the slopes for round 2, where Ava was nice enough to serenade us with some Abba, so we thought it would be fun to make a ski medley to show off the kids' blossoming ski skills:
Friday night we had a family party over at the Sacarro house. Always a good time for the old and young......the kids and adults each had our friends there to enjoy.
Ryan had his work ski weekend in Davos, so Saturday Chance and I were left to fend for ourselves. We had a nice day getting in to the Easter spirit and painted eggs for the first time. Chance really got in to it and made some nice creations! I hadn't done that for years......it was nice to start back a fun childhood tradition.
BUT the long anticipated day was today. Chance waited all week to go back to the slopes and give it another try.
Ryan drove our "borrowed" car (I'll have to explain that in another post some day soon) to Davos for his work thing, and then met us in Flumserberg this morning.
Chance was flowing with anticipation as we rode the gondola up the side of the mountain to the town.
To top off the day, his good buddy Ava and her dad, Mike aka Mr. Kelly, met us there to partake in the fun.
While the kids and dads were off skiing, I sat in the restaurant with a cup of tea and planned Ireland. It was nice to check that off the list. We all met for lunch and Chance inevitably tried to impress Ava....
and then it was back to the slopes for round 2, where Ava was nice enough to serenade us with some Abba, so we thought it would be fun to make a ski medley to show off the kids' blossoming ski skills:
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Family Update
The last 2 days the sun has been shining and Zurich is sparkling at last from the gloomy winter. Hopefully this weather is here to stay and we can start to see some signs of spring in our future!
I've decided that my kids' generation should be named the Starbucks Generation. Chance's first symbol recognition was the Starbucks sign. My friends and I have basically raised our kids sitting in Starbucks. Chance basically knows where all of them are located in town and that it's about the only place to get a doughnut here in Zurich. He also really likes the coffee-free frappuccinos and his make believe play in the bathtub is to make cappuccinos and lattes out of the bath bubbles. Maybe I should head up Starbucks next marketing theme?
The weekend before last we had what Chance calls "just a relaxing day", basically doing nothing despite the fact that I know we have very limited free weekends between now and the time that I am too fat to move around freely....like 5 total between now and June. So you'd think that we'd be a little motivated to get out and see some new towns, sights and such. But we just stayed home and made Monster Tents with really mean threatening signs......
This past weekend, Chance went to Gabriella's 5th birthday party at the acclaimed Starbies. You are just not 5 until you have your party there. At the end of the party he was talking with Jack and realized that all his friends are skiers except for him. That evening when we got home, Chance insisted on pulling out all his ski gear and trying it on, then decided he REALLY wanted to go the next day and give it a try. We toiled and toiled over committing to that....knowing we could trek 2 hours to the slopes for the kid to quit after 10 minutes. But something told us to go, and boy am I glad we did. It just clicked. He tirelessly went down the bunny slope over and over before lunch, and then afterwards the boys headed up the chairlift to brave the greens. On the steep parts Chance skied between Ryan's legs (thank goodness for studly super skier husbands) and on the flatter parts Chance was given the go and took off cruising. We bought these clips for the front of the skies that kept his tips together...thank goodness for inventions like that. He was able to mostly control himself and break with ease. He loved it, and told me his favorite part was going between Ryan's legs on the steep parts cause they went extra fast. He wrote in his journal on Monday at school "I went skiing with my dad. I went down the big boy slope". And we've promised to return next weekend. I'm so proud!
And no weekend adventure out is without it's Swiss quarks. I admit I am a bit on the cheap side, and so yes at the lunch buffet while skiing, I proceed to load the smallest 6 franc salad plate as full as I possible could. It's all about strategic placement of the veggies really. Well when I get up to pay the check out lady points to my plate, shakes her head and says something in German. I had a hunch what she said....but proceeded to act like I had no clue and asked her if she spoke English. She then told me my plate was too full and next time I would have pay more. I was reprimanded in the lunch room!
I've decided that my kids' generation should be named the Starbucks Generation. Chance's first symbol recognition was the Starbucks sign. My friends and I have basically raised our kids sitting in Starbucks. Chance basically knows where all of them are located in town and that it's about the only place to get a doughnut here in Zurich. He also really likes the coffee-free frappuccinos and his make believe play in the bathtub is to make cappuccinos and lattes out of the bath bubbles. Maybe I should head up Starbucks next marketing theme?
The weekend before last we had what Chance calls "just a relaxing day", basically doing nothing despite the fact that I know we have very limited free weekends between now and the time that I am too fat to move around freely....like 5 total between now and June. So you'd think that we'd be a little motivated to get out and see some new towns, sights and such. But we just stayed home and made Monster Tents with really mean threatening signs......
This past weekend, Chance went to Gabriella's 5th birthday party at the acclaimed Starbies. You are just not 5 until you have your party there. At the end of the party he was talking with Jack and realized that all his friends are skiers except for him. That evening when we got home, Chance insisted on pulling out all his ski gear and trying it on, then decided he REALLY wanted to go the next day and give it a try. We toiled and toiled over committing to that....knowing we could trek 2 hours to the slopes for the kid to quit after 10 minutes. But something told us to go, and boy am I glad we did. It just clicked. He tirelessly went down the bunny slope over and over before lunch, and then afterwards the boys headed up the chairlift to brave the greens. On the steep parts Chance skied between Ryan's legs (thank goodness for studly super skier husbands) and on the flatter parts Chance was given the go and took off cruising. We bought these clips for the front of the skies that kept his tips together...thank goodness for inventions like that. He was able to mostly control himself and break with ease. He loved it, and told me his favorite part was going between Ryan's legs on the steep parts cause they went extra fast. He wrote in his journal on Monday at school "I went skiing with my dad. I went down the big boy slope". And we've promised to return next weekend. I'm so proud!
And no weekend adventure out is without it's Swiss quarks. I admit I am a bit on the cheap side, and so yes at the lunch buffet while skiing, I proceed to load the smallest 6 franc salad plate as full as I possible could. It's all about strategic placement of the veggies really. Well when I get up to pay the check out lady points to my plate, shakes her head and says something in German. I had a hunch what she said....but proceeded to act like I had no clue and asked her if she spoke English. She then told me my plate was too full and next time I would have pay more. I was reprimanded in the lunch room!
My Koolaid Trees
My dad sent me this picture recently....the mountain laurels in Austin are so gorgeous, and the best part is they smell just like grape Koolaid. Ohhh I am missing spring time in a warmer climate. We're still grappeling with winter here!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Go Easy On That Coffee, Mom
Saturday was a big day for the little man. He had been waiting for several weeks to find out the long anticipated news. In hindsight, I should have positioned it that way, but I made the mistake of telling Chance on that day he would receive a surprise. He asked several times where I was hiding the present, and then the night before he asked if I could lay it out in his room while he was sleeping so he could wake up to it.
Saturday morning over a breakfast of pancakes, we gave him his wrapped gift......2 books explaining what it means to be a big brother. Kind of a let down really. It took awhile to sink in, and gradually he became more excited as he knew we would then go to the toy store so he could pick something out for the baby and for himself.
I think the big brother worry genes are already starting to set in.......see for yourself....
Saturday morning over a breakfast of pancakes, we gave him his wrapped gift......2 books explaining what it means to be a big brother. Kind of a let down really. It took awhile to sink in, and gradually he became more excited as he knew we would then go to the toy store so he could pick something out for the baby and for himself.
I think the big brother worry genes are already starting to set in.......see for yourself....
Friday, February 27, 2009
Today's Adventures in Food
You win some, you lose some, today, I am pretty sure I gained some. Baby is making me hungry and I am having a hard time controlling myself. I really need to get a grip. This will be what Ryan might say should our plane go down on the way to Ireland in April.
This morning after drop-off I left the train station and headed down the Bahnhofstrasse to get some shopping done. Had to get a gift for Chance's friends birthday party this weekend. I popped in to Jemoli, a fantsy department store and happened upon their grocery store in the basement. I found Cheerios for $8 per box, nice, and actual containers of real Baking Soda.....I won't have to go and ask the pharmacist anymore for a tiny amount. Do people here not use this stuff? We go thru it like mad with these nasal flushes we have learned about. Not to mention cooking. I also found frozen edamame which you'd never find in the normal grocery store. I was in heaven. I also had to drop off our very late taxes to the tax building of Ryan's company......which just happened to be on the same street as the very best bakery in town which sells HOT SUCCULENT MELT IN YOUR MOUTH Schoggi Gipfeli's - in English that would be HOT SUCCULENT MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHOCOLATE FILLED CROISSANTS. This picture doesn't even do it justice.
The best you'll ever have.....once you have one of these, no other will ever compare. So I just had to get one, I am never over there and the last time I had one was with my mom back in the summer of 07' or was is spring of 08'. I can't remember, but nevermind when, it had been a long time. And should I even dare to mention that it has really been longer than that, cause when mom and I went there to get them, there was only one left, and guess who got to eat it? So I endulged and inhaled that down while in line for my decaf latte at Starbucks. I'd really like to be able to buy a better one from a different store but Starbucks is the only place I can find decaf these days, so baby is forcing me to pay double for a lesser tasting cup of joe. Dropped off our taxes and prayed that they get them done on time....I don't like having to go to the post office to sign for threatening letters from the city saying we hadn't yet filed our taxes. Ryan's been a little busy with work, clearly. So then, I hopped a tram, rode home and the postman buzzed the door with my long awaited package from mom. She sent me the books I had ordered for Chance on "Becoming a Big Brother" among other things that I'll get to in a moment. We plan to tell Chance tomorrow, he knows that he is getting a surprise but poor kid might be disappointed when he realizes it's not the toy he thinks I've been hiding in the "cupboard" or the "big giant present I've always wanted"! He's soon to find out that his life will be forever changed and it's about to get a lot worse for him before it gets better. Poor kid. One day he'll appreciate this gift we are giving him. Back to the other contents of the box. I was expecting some Malt-O-Meal, a comfort food from my childhood that we would often have for breakfast. This pregnancy I am craving all sorts of comfort foods and malt-o-meal really satisfies at night before bed when my tummy is rumbling and indigestion is a flowing. I tore open the box, not to find malt-o-meal but
Mom, you are a god-send. I tore open the big bag and proceeded to eat the whole thing, and as I write I am clearly regretting this, as I am reminded of the cheetos every time they decide to run up my esophagus. TUMS PLEASE. You can't get cheetos here, it's a high commodity that must not be wasted......time wasted that is on eating them. So my nutrition today is quite lacking and I think my ass is growing at rates faster than my belly, but tomorrow's a new day. Today, I still have to go to an ice cream party after Chance's school. I think I'll go walk the hill now.
This morning after drop-off I left the train station and headed down the Bahnhofstrasse to get some shopping done. Had to get a gift for Chance's friends birthday party this weekend. I popped in to Jemoli, a fantsy department store and happened upon their grocery store in the basement. I found Cheerios for $8 per box, nice, and actual containers of real Baking Soda.....I won't have to go and ask the pharmacist anymore for a tiny amount. Do people here not use this stuff? We go thru it like mad with these nasal flushes we have learned about. Not to mention cooking. I also found frozen edamame which you'd never find in the normal grocery store. I was in heaven. I also had to drop off our very late taxes to the tax building of Ryan's company......which just happened to be on the same street as the very best bakery in town which sells HOT SUCCULENT MELT IN YOUR MOUTH Schoggi Gipfeli's - in English that would be HOT SUCCULENT MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHOCOLATE FILLED CROISSANTS. This picture doesn't even do it justice.
The best you'll ever have.....once you have one of these, no other will ever compare. So I just had to get one, I am never over there and the last time I had one was with my mom back in the summer of 07' or was is spring of 08'. I can't remember, but nevermind when, it had been a long time. And should I even dare to mention that it has really been longer than that, cause when mom and I went there to get them, there was only one left, and guess who got to eat it? So I endulged and inhaled that down while in line for my decaf latte at Starbucks. I'd really like to be able to buy a better one from a different store but Starbucks is the only place I can find decaf these days, so baby is forcing me to pay double for a lesser tasting cup of joe. Dropped off our taxes and prayed that they get them done on time....I don't like having to go to the post office to sign for threatening letters from the city saying we hadn't yet filed our taxes. Ryan's been a little busy with work, clearly. So then, I hopped a tram, rode home and the postman buzzed the door with my long awaited package from mom. She sent me the books I had ordered for Chance on "Becoming a Big Brother" among other things that I'll get to in a moment. We plan to tell Chance tomorrow, he knows that he is getting a surprise but poor kid might be disappointed when he realizes it's not the toy he thinks I've been hiding in the "cupboard" or the "big giant present I've always wanted"! He's soon to find out that his life will be forever changed and it's about to get a lot worse for him before it gets better. Poor kid. One day he'll appreciate this gift we are giving him. Back to the other contents of the box. I was expecting some Malt-O-Meal, a comfort food from my childhood that we would often have for breakfast. This pregnancy I am craving all sorts of comfort foods and malt-o-meal really satisfies at night before bed when my tummy is rumbling and indigestion is a flowing. I tore open the box, not to find malt-o-meal but 
Mom, you are a god-send. I tore open the big bag and proceeded to eat the whole thing, and as I write I am clearly regretting this, as I am reminded of the cheetos every time they decide to run up my esophagus. TUMS PLEASE. You can't get cheetos here, it's a high commodity that must not be wasted......time wasted that is on eating them. So my nutrition today is quite lacking and I think my ass is growing at rates faster than my belly, but tomorrow's a new day. Today, I still have to go to an ice cream party after Chance's school. I think I'll go walk the hill now.
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