Meet Velma!

I'm not sure about this, but I'm ASSUMING my kids are not the only ones who do this.... or are they?

Whenever they have a favorite movie (the one they watch over, and over, and over, and over again.....) - they assign "roles".

For example - Kung Fu Panda - Anya is Tigress, Nina is Viper, Alex is Monkey, Elia is Mantis, Nico is Po, Mike is Master Shifu, and I'm the wise turtle :-))
(Oh, do you want to hear a funny airplane story? On our way back from Switzerland they showed Kung Fu Panda on the plane, and Elia watched, and laughed and giggled.... . Once we were home, he talked about watching the movie, and he said with a shrug: "But it was in a different language"..... that goofball watched the movie in a foreign language, and never said a word. He told me "I know what they were saying anyway!" Silly kid!)

Same went for the movies "Cars", "Over the Hedge" , "Open Season", and so on.

Well, the latest craze at our house is about Scooby Doo. The boys have really liked Scooby for a long time, and the girls are totally into it too. Well, Nina more so than Anya.

To be honest with you, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND... Maybe I'm just not "American" enough (Mike said he grew up with Scooby), but I think this show is so out there. I'll spare you my other opinions about Scooby *LOL*

Anyway, all kids have their roles - again: Nico is Shaggy, Anya is Daphne, Alex is Freddy, Elia is Scooby, Nina is Velma, and Daddy is the Mystery machine *Haha*

And Miss Nina CANNOT stand watching Scooby Doo without her Velma glasses!! It's hilarious!

Here she is!

Amazing!

Here is the latest video I've been working on.
We had a chance to go watch our favorite Big'e Anja train. She does aerial skiing competitively, and although I only have footage of her doing it "on water", she will actually perform her jumps on snow (once there is some).
Let me tell you - standing at the top of that ramp is quite something (scary, freaky, and more along those lines), and I could never, ever do what she does!!
Look for yourself!
(For my "newer" blog readers - Anja is my cousin's daughter from Switzerland, and one year ago she came to stay with us for three months)

This really means a lot to her...

This is so fitting....
This morning I did a little bit of cleaning before the kids woke up, and I came across one of Anya's writings. I will tell you again - I just love anything she writes!
Anyway, she wrote about her last trip to Switzerland, and her impressions of this country that is so dear to her. She would love to live on a farm in Switzerland, she says.
Here is how she sees it (I'm typing it just like she did)

Riding planes is so much work! Here is my airplane schedule. First, we drove to **** (removed for privacy reasons). We took a plane to Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake City to Atlanta. Then eight long hours on a plane to Switzerland. (It was worth it!)

When we got to Switzerland our swiss family was waiting for us. Not all of our family was there though, but soon enough we would see them! So let me introduce my swiss family.

My cousins are Moritz age 13, Rico age 10, Kaya age 7, Loyel age 5, my Aunt and Uncle Hanna and Bruno, and My grandma and grandpa.

Sometimes we spend the night at Grandma's or my aunt's. When we spend the night at my grandma's house, our grandpa takes us for a drive. In his car he has swiss mints. When you take one he laughs and says "toech nuemal enie!" (Take another one!) When we spend the night at my aunt's house we play on their playground. When it's time to go inside we crawl into our sleeping bags, say prayers, then go to sleep. In the morning when we wake up we go down the spiral staircase and go sit in the booth. My aunt has a glass stained table, a wooden bench with cushions, and a hammock.

I have a cousin Anja. My name is Anya as well. Exept her name is spelled A-N-J-A. My name is spelled A-N-Y-A. So when my cousin came we called her Biga Anja. So they called my little Anya. Biga-Anja got along well. When she was here we didn't have a baby-sitter!

We didn't drive that much. We usually walked everywhere we went. At my Aunt's house there is a little pathway that leads up to the woods. When we go there we pack a lunch. Once we hike up there we turn and find what we call Big Rock. We play hide-and go - seek!

School there is very diffrent. You have to go to Kindergarten twice. But here is the good part you only have to go in the morning! The starting of first grade is when you go full time. But you get to go home for lunch!

Here is the part you've all been waiting for... the chocolate part! We never go home without it! Speaking of home it's time to go home!

Switzerland is the best you should go there! It's the best!

Another Swiss Farm impression :-)

This was one of Elia's favorite moments - watching the little piglets when we visited my brother's family.
The scene in the video happened over and over and over. We watched them for quite a while. They were sooo curious, but so skittish, too, and it was plain funny!

There's no place like home...

This was a grueling trip...
I really can't complain, and the kids were as good as they could possibly be, but it's long, long, long!! The overseas portion was a good 10 hours, and no one slept. Then we had a 5+ hours layover, and that was tough, but I made the kids lay down, and they slept for most of that. I spent those hours working on a fun little project that I'll share later (wink to Big'e Anja - yep, it's coming, girlfriend!!). Of course the last flight, which was only a little over one hour, seemed to drag on FOREVER, and after having been awake for 24 hours, I deliriously dozed for part of it. Well, I had some EXCITED kids at the airport!!!
Now, I have to brag about my sweet and thoughtful big girl (and after all, she is only 9!!). She had a little welcome present for all three of us, a welcome at home, and she already had milk poured for Elia and Nina, so when we got home, she popped their cups in the microwave, and had their drinks ready to go. How sweet is that!!
We all slept quite well, and so far this morning we've been digging through suitcases, feasting on Chocolate (who needs breakfast, anyway!!)
It's good to be home...

Zoo!

Allright, this is my last post from Switzerland :-(
Suitcases are packed, full of CHOCOLATE, of course, and other goodies and special surprises for the family at home (sorry for teasing, you "Far-away-ers").
Tomorrow, we'll be on the road by 5:30, and we're home by 9:20pm. I know this does not sound bad, but then please add 8 hours for the time difference - I would REALLY like for all of you to feel sorry for me!! Haha, just kidding, we'll be fine. Tired, but fine (I hope...)
We had another fun day at the Zoo today, and I'll throw some more pictures at you, and then I'm done blogging until I'm on my home turf....

Wild west kids meet Swiss farm...

We had a great day yesterday visiting with my brother, his family, and more family, and more friends :-))
The kids had a blast, and Nina is completely astounded by all those new cousins!! Last night, she came over to me and whispered in my ear: "I have five big cousins, I counted". Of course, remembering names was kind of too much for her, but they even LISTENED to "cousin!!". They played and played, and we went and looked at some neighborhood farm animals ( I have some funny videos, too, but Youtube is down right now), even some goats!! And we ate all day - it was wonderful!!!
I would have many more stories, and late last night on our way home wayyyy past Elia's bed time, his "eyes were not ready to sleep" and he talked non-stop (big surprise, I know), but we had some of the most precious conversations, and I may share about those at a later point.
Right now, I have to get the two sleepy-heads up, and get ready to head to the Zoo with my niece and Elia's Godmother Dina and her hubby....
I know it'r rough being on vacation :-))

Elia sniffing a Swiss manure pile *LOL*Playmobil City!!
Some farm impressions for you!
Cousins, uncles, aunts, and other wonderful people...

Does this look enough Swiss for you???

Here are just a few pictures I took on a daytrip yesterday.
Yes, you may drool - it IS a beautiful country!!
Nice brother *haha*

Swiss kids (after all, they are 5/8th Swiss - no kidding!)

The view from the top of the mountain

And no, they are NOT enjoying the spectacular view of the Swiss Alps, but merely spitting over the wall :-)

On the way down by train

Do you remember this?

Do you remember this post?

I just found this video, and just had to follow up on my own posting *Haha*
Here you go:

Jet lag is a beautiful thing *Haha*

We made it!
Good kids, uneventful flights (no turbulences, thank God!), and now they are SLEEPING! I think Nina and Elia are going on 15 - 16 hours right now. And they are OUT. I've tried waking them up, but no such luck. It's almost noon here by now, and it would probably be good if their day would start sometime soon :-))
Elia was SO excited when we boarded our first flight (in one of those tiny little airplanes). Although this was his third time making this overseas trip, it seemed so new to him, and his eyes sparkled, and he laughed and talked pretty much nonstop. It was this kind of talk:
"Mama, is the plane gonna go fast now? Hey, Nina, the plane is going to go super fast - oh, it's going...... uhhhhhh, this is fun....... ohhhh, this is scary, we're going to die, whheeeeee......, yeah, we're up in the air now..... " all the while his eyes are huge with excitement. He is so funny!
Our "big" plane, leaving from Salt Lake City a couple of hours later, however, had Nina totally stumped. A couple of hours into the flight, while we're served dinner, she asked: "Mama, are we eating dinner just sitting here on the ground? " She seriously did not believe me when I told her we had been flying for quite some time already. Gotta love those big, smooth planes!
Anyway, we had quite a welcome reception at the airport, and the kids were so excited to see the family they love, but see so rarely. Nina was a little shy since she really didn't know anyone except for my sister, her youngest daughter, and Big'e Anja.
She definitely has some fears in her little heart about the finality of this trip. We've talked quite a bit about VISITING , and then going back HOME, but she has made comments about having to stay here. Last time she flew with us, it was a final thing too, and even though she doesn't seem afraid, she has to learn again that she is stuck with us forever (poor thing! Haha!), and we're not going anywhere without her.
They both received some sweet treats from their favorite "Gotti's" (=Godmothers), and that of course won Nina over right away!
Did I ever tell her that in EVERY report from China is said that she loved candy. Boy, that was the truth!
Anyway, I will try to do some blogging while I'm here (Yes, I feel like a total geek now, I traveled with my laptop for the first time ever!), and even though the weather is cold and a bit gloomy (welcome to a Swiss Fall!), I'll hopefully get some nice scenery shots for all of you! If there is something in particular that interests you, let me know!
I'll leave you with a picture of my sleeping beauties - about 15 hours into their "night" :-))

So lame!

I know, I know, you're wondering what happend to us??
Do you REALLY want to know??
Well, here you have it:
Nina started preschool and ballet - loves both.
Everyone else is playing soccer, so - between practices, games, tournaments, swimming, ballet and school, oh yes, and a little bit of work *haha* - I have NO time for anything else.
And guess what - I'm leaving for Switzerland in FIVE days!! Yes, that's totally a reason to cheer (Nina and Elia are going with me), but I have so much stuff to do get done yet!!!
Anyone want to come help???
So, no time for blogging for this girl.
Sorry!!

Last day of SUMMER

Oh, it took a lot of begging, but if I had only one word to describe Alex, it would be PERSISTENCE! He has been begging and hinting and pleading for weeks to go a certain amusement park in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
He finally got his way, and Grandma and Grandpa took the whole crew there yesterday. It was hot, in the 90's (which is very high for this time of the year in our area), so they especially enjoyed the bumper boats and soaked each other good!
I included quite a few pictures in the collage below, so just click on it to enlarge it!
Today is a different story, as it is quite cold (only in the mid 50's right now), so I'm glad we went yesterday.

Something just HAD to happen....

...to that little Kindergartener :-))
Well, when the boys got off the bus this afternoon, there was no sign of Elia anywhere.
OH -OH!!!
Where was he? Nico and Alex said they saw him in the bus line. The bus driver even went to the back of the bus and checked for him everywhere. Nope, not there!
I called the school, and they called the bus garage, and they paged the other bus drivers, and they finally found him. Somehow he ended up getting on the wrong bus.
I have to say, I was not worried about him being on the wrong bus. He doesn't get scared very easily. What worried me is wondering if he just decided to walk home, maybe because he missed the bus??? I would so not be surprised if he'd pull something like that.
But in ended up being okay. The other bus driver brought him home at the end of his normal route, only about an hour later than anticipated.
And tonight, his eyes had that dangerous little sparkle in them when he proudly told Mike "Guess what, Daddy, I was on the wrong bus!"
Just pray for grace for that little boy.....

Salon Beauties

While the boys are at school, the girls get to do the fun things.... like getting haircuts and going to lunch with Daddy.

Nina really, really needed a haircut, and her hair is almost the same length now all the way around. Given how short it was 14 months ago, it is growing so fast (she cut off at least 2 inches in the back!) !

Anya wanted some layers in hers, and of course she is always beautiful (yep, I'm biased :-)) )

Just thought I'd share the new hairdo's...

One excited Kindergarten boy...

Elia has been bouncing off the wall from the moment he got up this morning.

FINALLY...

His day had come, when he would ride the bus to school, get his own lunchbox, and all those exciting things that he watched his siblings do for five years now. Yesterday was only orientation for one hour, and that's always such a letdown for the excited kids.

But today was the REAL DEAL!!

Just look at his eyes, and you'll see just HOW happy he is....

Whewww, made it!

First day of school is over!
I think everyone had a pretty good day, although Anya has been a little bit teary all day. I really, really hope that she will like being home for school, but I guess only time will tell *sigh*

Here are a few pictures of our day...

Elia at his Kindergarten orientation

This afternoon, we headed to the park, where Anya did a hands-on science project.

And then we did lots of "dressing up nature style", and building a sand castle.

'twas the night before school started....

... and the emotions are very mixed around here.
Nico feels "weird" going back to "regular" public school.
Anya wishes she could go back to "regular" public school (she chose to do the virtual school from home this year)
Alex is worried about finding his new classroom in the morning.
Elia is SUPER excited, eyes glowing kind of excited about starting Kindergarten tomorrow.
Nina had a complete meltdown at the school tonight (we brought supplies and met the teachers), worrying about preschool, and about who was going to be there for her and taking care of her, and was saying totally strange stuff like "but nobody is going to hold my legs", and "I'm going to get shots at my preschool" and sobbing her little eyes out. The whole madhouse atmosphere was obviously too much for her. I explained that at her school she could play and have fun and color and go on the playground and listen to stories, and that Mrs. Terrell was going to take good care of her. She calmed down some, but I sure do wonder how it's going to be next week when she starts.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to think about a new school year either. I'm glad to have a little bit more room to breathe during the day, and to have a little more structure again, but it's also sad to have the kids gone so much. I can't imagine my days without Elia, to be honest, and I really enjoyed having Nico home last year. This year will be a "girly year", and I think that will be really good for us, too!

We had a little before-school celebration with a yummy dessert before bedtime, the little boys got their hair cut (so did Daddy), their clothes are laid out, bread is baked for their lunchboxes, and they want waffles for breakfast, so the important stuff is squared away, right??
The Lord will be watching over my little warriors going out into the world tomorrow, and oh my gosh, I'm getting all teary now.....

Time to call it a post, I guess :-)

Tomorrow I will have beautiful NEW pictures, I promise!

The pictures below are from past "First days of school".

2003, and Nico's first day of KindergartenElia and Anya, the same year
2004, Anya's first day of Kindergarten, Nico in 1st grade
2005. Nico in 2nd grade, Anya in 1st grade
2006. Alex in Kindergarten, Anya in 2nd, Nico in 3rd grade.
2007. Alex in 1st, Anya in 3rd, Nico in 4th grade.

Please pray....

This story has made national news this morning....
Our former church here in town has always supported this ministry, and I have heard Pat Klein speak. It's AMAZING what he and his group have done, and how the Lord has protected them over and over again!
Please pray for their safety, and that these bibles will be returned to them, or bless SOMEONE, regardless!

So happy!

Better than Beijing (closer, anyway!)

We're enjoying the benefits of having a pyrotechnic guild convention in our town. All week long we will have firework displays that take your breath away: The newest, the coolest, the fanciest... you name it! Bonus #2: We can watch it from our yard!! Wohoo! And you guessed right: I had to find out how my new camera would fare with fireworks. I think the pictures turned out in a fun and imperfect way!