The Kids

Chris and Marissa made a trip to Alameda to spend the weekend with Craig, Trista and kid's. They had a very busy but fun weekend--beginning with a trip/tour to the Jelly Belly Factory.

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When I first saw this picture, I almost cried! I just can't believe how much Shealynn has grown!! She look's so grown-up! Brady has gotten a bit taller, but is still our little one!
On the way Marissa took a couple of pictures of the kid's:

Always the loving big sister

So grown-up!

Our silly little boy!

  They also got to attend a Football game for Shea and Brady's school. Shealynn made the cheer-leading team and they are still waiting on uniforms to arrive. In the mean time- this is their outfit: colors are Black and White.

Go Pirates!!!

 Craig and Trista are very involved with the kid's and their activity's. When there wasn't enough room for Shealynn in the Girl Scout troop, Trista took a class to become a GS Leader and began a new Troop. " I think she's at nine girls now" Also Craig is very involved with Shea's cheer leading...he learns all the cheers and moves so he can help Shealynn learn her routine!! I was speaking with him yesterday and he's looking forward to Brady getting into sports next year. I love that they're so involved with the children!!
After what I'm sure was a long day; it look's as though they were able to take a break in the park for some R&R:

Brady with his "Uncle Fish"

Shealynn, with her Daddy

And here are Chris and Marissa "our next Family in waiting"........

Biel

Yesterday we went to the Town of Biel. They were having their Old Town Fest, so we decided to go with some friend's to have a look. It's a quaint little town with some new but mostly old structures.
When you first enter the Alt-Stat your greeted by this beautiful Fountain. 

Next comes a booth with the "Traditional Cow Bell" that of course is selling local cheese: which we just had to purchase...so delicious"!

 And here in Switzerland they have the Cow Bounce!

They had all the regular booths...jewelery, toys, clothes, table linens/toppers and the Gummy Booth along with chocolate covered fruit. I took two pictures just for the boy's who used to eat these thing's all the time and still do when they can find some good enough!

After three or four hours of walking around and grabbing a bite for lunch, we came back home for a "rest" before meeting-up with friend's for dinner. It was a beautiful day and we managed to dodge the rain. While we were eating dinner I got a call from #2 "Chris", he and Marissa had the grandchildren in their car and were on their way to the Jelly Belly Factory Tour; they just called to say hello!! Tomorrows post will be a story along with pictures of their adventure.

Marines

We went to the Marine House last night for a BB'Q/ Get-together. They have a beautiful house with all the bells and whistles; their are a total of Five Marines living there. Beautiful large rooms, one held a large pool table, another was set-up as a home theater and they had a wonderful Bar-room complete with all you need for entertaining. They even have a movie theater popcorn machine!! I was very impressed with the house and giving the fact that 5 men live there it was pretty clean!
Rich and I had a good evening talking with a nice couple..she is from Maine and her husband is Swiss. She moved here years ago when the factory closed in her hometown, I think she said Presque Isle.. "she was a weaver and chose to move to Switzerland where she knew she could find work, and has lived here ever since. It was an interesting story.
When we were leaving, we left through the kitchen- which is where I really fell in love! They have this HUGE kitchen complete with everything one could want and then some! The finial straw?? Was a built in stone waist high wood fire pit complete with grate to open cook bread's, pizza, stews, etc... PLUS it has an area large enough for comfortable seating for guest to visit while you cook.
Bottom Line??  I'm moving in with the Marines!!!!!!!!

Fun

Our life here in Switzerland can be a bit overwhelming at time's. "especially when one want's to do-it-all!" There are so many fun thing's comming up. Begining this weekend, with an Old Town Fair. They will have over 150 venders and 50 food and wine bars. We plan to attened tomorrow. Also tomorrow and Sunday is the Autumn Festival called Snef and Benichon which is "the" place to go to get Traditional food dishes and I'm told is the ideal place to discover the best mustard!
Next weekend on 4 September is the chocolate Festival and there will be the Grindelwald Alpine Cheese Festival on the 18th; plus many more that are not as highly published. These are often small local fest- which are even better, it's just a matter of going out for a drive in the countryside and seeing what you come across. "Have I told you that this is a fun place to explore?!" Never a dull moment- there's always something going on!!! Even when the towns are quite; the Embassy has functions. Tonight we're going to the Marine House for some kind of bash, should be fun! I'll bring the camera this weekend and take lots of pictures to post for you to see. {wish me luck} sometimes I get caught-up in the moment and forget to take the pictures...but I'll try to remember just for you.

Now I have a couple of pictures to post of Chris "on the job" Marissa went on a Ride-a-long the other night and took these action shots:

OH-O searching

 And booking...

Now I don't like to think about the danger he put's himself in everyday, you see I taught him to stay away from people like that. But here he is....going up to the very same people... crack addicts, gang bangers and people who would rather shoot you than look at you! I can understand his career choice but "I am his Mother"
To leave on a funny note, he goes through a lot of hand sanitizer on his shift's. He calls it "Ghetto Be Gone" LMAO!!!

Success

PX- Commissary, all done! We now have a variety of meat in the freezer and dried/ baking goods in the pantry. It was for sure a long but enjoyable day, we met-up with my cousin Linda and her husband Mac for lunch and we all went shopping after. Mac saved the day for us when we were checking out...a NEW thing was German coffee is now rationed and we didn't have a card so: Thank you Mac for stepping up with your ration card so we could get the coffee: {I think of you every morning while enjoying a cup!!!} "kisses and hugs" I can tell you that it was a challenge getting everything to fit in my kitchen; but it's done! I'm betting that I'll be re-arranging thing's at least twice!
We were able to talk plans for October Fest in Munich, another upcoming event we're looking forward to! More info on that, at a later date.
Last night I accidentally locked my IPhone and my pass number did not and will not work, so I was preparing to go into town this morning to have it "unlocked" when these men showed up to fix the back garden door...so here I sit, waiting........ I have no idea how long they will be!
Last night Rich filled out my Security Clearance paper work on-line and printed it off for my signature's. So- if a Government Official comes to you asking questions about me; relax, it's just for a National Security Position at the Embassy.
 

Toblerone

By the time Toblerone was first created in 1908, two generations of Toblers had already dedicated their lives to the art of chocolate making. Jean Tobler, patriarch of the Tobler dynasty, opened his “Spezialitäten Confiserie” in Bern as long ago as 1867. One of Switzerland’s best known exports, the chocolate-nougat bar Toblerone, was invented in Bern a hundred years ago. On September 4, 2010, the Toblerone chocolate festival (Toblerone Schoggifest) will take place in Orphanage Square (Waisenhausplatz). Come and taste all the different Toblerone delicacies. Highlights will include the 102-kilogram giant Toblerone, appearances by 3 bands and an exclusive free concert by Seven, a cabaret performance, and a games trail with 10 stations for our little guests. Starting at 7:00 p.m.: Concert with Seven 3:30 p.m.: Cabaret performance “Einzig. Nicht artig.” (Exceptional. Without exception) with Michael Elsener 4:30 p.m.: 102-kg giant Toblerone - Join us in savoring the world’s largest Toblerone 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Chasperli Theater The whole day: Children’s games trail with 10 stations

A thought

While on the tread mill this morning I was thinking about our "Fisher Family Vacation". In addition to the day devoted to the "Amazing Race" I thought it would be great fun to devote one "evening" to a Talent night. How you chose to do it is up to you! You can each do something on your own or each couple, or you could do something as a group; you have a year to come up with something and work it out, I can't wait to see what you kid's come up with-- I look forward to "The Show"!!!!
Rich and I met in town last night and purchased our one year pass for the SrasB "a great investment" since we take it almost always. After that we went to the Beer House for dinner and ended up having a very nice evening. We also went to a friend's house to pick-up a very large cooler for our trip to the commissary Saturday. Time to fill the freezer... Needless to say, we have been on the go a lot since moving here. There's just so much to see and do..no time to sit around in Switzerland!

Before Pictures

Hello everyone, Chris is really on top of thing's! Here are the Before pictures of their backyard:

 As you can see, they replaced to old fence with the stone wall, added plants and grass. It's a big wow factor looking at the before and after!

Swiss Day

Another beautiful day in Switzerland, although a bit windy and rainy I still love it! We have a couple of pine tree's out back and I guess it's the time of year when their needles begin to fall. The wind blows them everywhere...but it smells nice. Settling in is coming along nicely...seems that everyday there is less to do, "finely" with the exception of the laundry. I of course have a European washer {for those of you who haven't seen them; there small} Mine is a bit new in the fact that it functions as both the washer and dryer. Which brings a new problem. See, the drum is small, so the laundry it does hold hasn't much room to move around and there is no "shaking out the clothes between wash/dry, so despite my efforts the clean clothes come out very wrinkled. It seems I must iron everything!!! Such a pain!
I've got to begin working on my shopping list for Saturday. We will be going to the Base in Heidelberg and plan to make all the stops: garden center, furniture store, PX and Commissary. It's going to be a long day indeed!
On a lighter note Chris sent us pictures of he and Marissa's yard, they have put a lot of work into it since moving in...I'll try to find a before picture for you..it was dirt, dirt and dry.

 They have done an amazing job!! Chris also informed me that he put closet doors in the nursery! Well, the yard looks wonderful Chris! I'm so proud of you!!!!

Week..

Monday: worked in the house and went shopping, Tuesday: Lunch with the girls downtown, "what a fun group of women!"Wednesday:worked at the house, and got to cuddle with the 14 day old baby next door...so cute! Thursday: got brave and had my hair done by someone who could only say "hello & goodbye" in English. So when I sat down in the chair- my thought's were- it couldn't look any worse- and my hair grows fast. However to my surprise, it came out just fine! Today-Friday, Rich will bring our long awaited car home after work and tonight we'll be getting together with friend's at the Brau'House or the Buskers Fest. It all depends on the weather, we're going to have a wet weekend. Saturday afternoon they are sending someone to show me how to work this new oven! It also works as a steamer and has a warming draw. They had finely sent me the instructions in English..but apparently if I use the wrong pan or foil..I will ruin the inside of the oven. Now, if your familiar with my past experiences with ovens, you now know if there is a way for me to mess-it-up..I WILL find it! We're unable to leave the area this weekend because Rich is on-call for 24hour duty until Wednesday; so our commissary/PX trip will be next Saturday. That's a good thing because it will give me the week to work on my list of what we need to get.

Inside/outside

Pretty crazy at the moment. I'm working hard inside the house- but with all the windows I get beautiful views outside while I work. It's like pulling the outside in, so to speak. Everyday I'm noticing how bad the outside living space is looking and no matter what I accomplish inside the neglected yard just pulls the satisfaction away. Now, we have a push mower with a grass catcher, {since I'm a Green kind-of-girl, I love it} The problem at the moment...the wheels lock when I try to push it. Now it will go backwards..but that doesn't cut the grass. It looks as though I'm going to have to take a day and just work outside; either that or hire a gardener!
I was able to chat with Katrina last night on FaceBook, she had sent me a letter filling me in on Corey's life and her's as well. {Thank God for girls!!} Otherwise I would never know what my boy's were doing. Her advise to me was: Perhaps I should Fire them, and get three new one's!

After the weekend

The house is beginning to look like a home. Each day thing's are coming together..slowly. Friday we were taken to a Brewery for dinner...interesting because every Friday at 4pm, people in town show up with their "Brewery Stine" and for 10$ they fill up the jug (about 4 liters}- Fear not, if your new and haven't got a Stine yet; they sell them there} glasses are supplied as well. Everyone just stand's around drinking and socializing until 7 ish. When the open tap closes- it's time for dinner {or not...some people went home and others continued to hang out} But the company was fun, the people friendly and the food Delicious!! Another plus to the evening was that Rich and I were able to get there on the StraB so no worries about driving. The Brewery is about ten minutes from our place and it only takes us 3-4 minutes to walk to the StraB, making everything very convenient! 
We were able to talk with Craig,Trista and the kid's yesterday..their just growing-up way to fast!! But it was good to hear their voices; I sure miss my family!

Our car part 2

Yesterday afternoon while at a business luncheon, Rich saw our car. Yes, it finally made it in country. Upon inspection Rich noticed a rather large dent on the top of the hood; someone had obviously dropped something on it! So it will be next week before we actually get to pick-up the car. They will be fixing it first. Oh well, just one of the "little things that could go wrong" while moving around the world! Very productive day yesterday, once I get everything taken care of .....I'll spend the following month re-arranging everything!! And then re-arranging that to decorate for the Holidays, and of course re-arranging After the Holiday's; then of coarse we have Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter cleaning......See?? It never ends! But as Martha Stewart would say: "It's a good thing."

Settled? NO!

Everyone keeps asking me if were settled in yet, oh my gosh no...I'm "still" unpacking thing's, during the day "AND" in my sleep! Hum-mm, wonder if that's why I wake up tired?.! Thing's are beginning to come together though.. slowly; one room at a time. Which is hard to do because I keep taking thing's to the proper room- and end up wanting to take care of it. Plus "sometime" today I need to go to the market and get something for dinner. I also have a guy coming to replace a mirror on one of the closets today...so I can't be gone when he shows up. What I'd really like to do is take a long hot shower, go get my hair done and have Rich bring home Chinese tonight! It's always nice to dream!

Fireworks

Yesterday was a great day in the sense that we were able to get a lot accomplished in the house. Rich was able to hook-up the surround sound and hang up a few thing's, he also tackled his office "as much as he could- until we get some bookcases". 
We went down town for awhile yesterday morning to check out some of the festivities going on; while it was nice- it was a bit disappointing. The Swiss don't celebrate like the Germans; and I really have to stop comparing to two country's!! It's beautiful here- just different! Last night we were invited to Doug and Lisa's to watch the fireworks from their high rise balcony...what a view we had! We could see the entire city and "ALL" of the fireworks- both professional and personal; along with wine, cheese and great company the evening was a success. I'm sorry there I go again! Doug Reynolds is the new Army Attache' here in Switzerland. He and Rich went through the German course together in DC. Very nice family!