Lexie's hat obsession

While the older girls are playing in the snow outside Lexie was trying on all different kinds of hats inside.  The girl loves hats!

Snow Fun

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

Science Project

To keep the girls entertained in the long, cold days of winter we decided to try a science experiment.  Here we are attempting to make lava lamps out of oil, water, food coloring, and Efferdent.

Mom's hypothesis:  Maybe we could do this project with half as much oil if we modify it a bit.

Result: Failure of project :( but time well spent exploring.

Aubrie's 9th Birthday Party

For Aubrie's birthday this year we promised her a skating party.  It just so happened that Lake Pfaffikon was opened that day for people to skate on.  The first time in quite a while, so I'm told.  That should give you an idea as to how cold it has been lately and for sooo long!  In attendance at Aubrie's party was Andrja Gjordorvic, Laura Glesti, and Sweeja Pakeetharan.  The best part- doing a bunny hop dance with Dad!  (and warming up afterwards)

Lexie's teeth and bread obsession

Lexie's big choppers...

to help her eat this big bread!

A big girl with a big appetite.

Fasnacht at the girls school

Fasnacht is the celebration at the end of lent (Carnival in the States, Faschings in Geramany).  It is a very big deal here!  It is honestly bigger and funner than America's Halloween.  Kaitlan's class all dressed up as clowns and joined the village parade following behind the Kukoburra band, even though the weather was extremely fridgid that day.  After the parade there was a huge party at the school with loads of confetti, techno music, and lots of silly dancing in addition to the ear deafening band performances (their awesome costumes make up for it though).

Kaitlan's Ballet class

there is a little movie that I need to upload here!

Technorama

Not too far away is the kids science museum, Technorama,  this is the best place ever!  The girls have spent tons of time learning all kinds of things like how electricity works and magnets and gravity and spatial relationships and holograms and basic chemistry things.  There is so much to learn and I really appreciate this place providing it in such a fun atmosphere that my girls want to ask the question "Why?".  Plus it's all in English, German, French and Italian-gotta love that!

Lexie walking

Here is a cute little movie I made of Lexie getting even more proficient at walking.  Just 12 months old and she can get around pretty good.  Consequently, she can terrorize my house in 10 seconds flat!

Girls Club Change

This month in Girls Club, Nilsa Stettler stepped down after being the leader for the last 5 years.  I will now take over the job of teaching these girls.  We sing and play and craft and wiggle and giggle all with other English speaking girls once a month.  It's a great way for Aubrie and Kaitlan to relate to other kids who are English speaking, (many are expats at well), while learning some things in English using words that they might not be as familiar with.  They also learn to relate to other adult leaders all while  having loads of fun.

Skiing trip to Halls (Innsbruck) Austria

During the Christmas break we went for an extended weekend to try out the skiing in Austria.  The first  there was a terrible storm so we headed to this museum in Halls Austria where we learned about coins and money throughout Europe's history.  The girls loved making their own coin.  The next day we enjoyed hitting the slopes at the Patchof ski resort.  Aubrie did her first ski lift having graduated from the bunny hills.  Kaitlan was doing great gaining more confidence on her ski's while Lexie hung out in her sled.  The best part of the trip was eating Kaiser Schmarin at a beautiful restaurant down the hill from the resort.  We now make Kaiser Schmarin (scrabbled pancakes) quite often.

It was still a cold and snowy day but little Lexie had an enjoyable nap all bundled up in her sled.

Skiing at Flumseburg

We rented the girls skis for the season and hit the bunny run at Flumseburg right after the New Year.  It was a beautiful day.  Lexie did great hanging out in the sled with Dad while I tried my hand at amateur movie making on skis.

New Year's

This New Year's eve we enjoyed a nice dinner then lite fireworks with the girls then took turns playing Rayman on our Xbox.  At the stroke of midnight explosions could be heard around our village although we couldn't really see much from our place.  The girls easily stayed up till midnight, they are naturally night owls!

Some of our new resolutions include:

Mom and Dad: exercise with our new Insanity DVD's, keep learning German

Kaitlan:  Keep learning to read, and write the letters

Aubrie:  Keep practicing the piano and English spelling

and our #1 family goal:

Think positively!

(hoping to cut down on the squabbles)