Hangin’ at the Beach

We spent an afternoon at the beach in Préverenges during Barb’s visit.  Préverenges is a small village next to Morges.  It was Finn’s first time playing in the sand and splashing around in the water.  The weather was hot so the beach was crowded, which meant some good people watching (no topless sunbathers this time though).

Chocolate & Cheese

What a perfect combo for a day trip! Barb wanted to visit the Cailler Chocolate factory near Gruyere so we ventured out while Matt was working. I’d been there several years ago when my parents visited so it was a repeat trip for me but I never say no to chocolate. I was pleasantly surprised to find they had remodeled since my last visit. The tour was well-done and informative (even the chocolatier from Peru who was in our group thought so) and it held Finn’s attention with the lights and sounds. The highlight of the tour was the tasting room. So much chocolate, so little time to try them all! We did our best and sampled a variety of the Cailler chocolates. The only thing missing was a big glass of milk. The photos are from the playground just outside the factory.

We then drove a few more kilometers to Gruyere and had a nice lunch on a terrace overlooking the Alps. Barb had fondue for lunch and I had macaroni de chalet, which is macaroni cooked in a cauldron over a wood fire with onions. Just before serving, cream and grated Gruyere cheese are added. Yum! No chocolate for Finn, but he did enjoy some Gruyere cheese from Gramma Barb’s plate.

Jet-Lagged

Finn and I had a great time in Minnesota.  It was so nice to be with family, to meet my nephew, Wyatt, and to attend my friend Shannon’s wedding.  Finn was an angel on both flights.  He slept almost the entire 8 hours from Minneapolis to Amsterdam.  I wish he was sleeping that well now that we’re back home.  He’s still struggling with naps and bedtime.  Lucky for us Matt’s mom made the trip back with me.  She was kind enough to take a few late night shifts with him. 

Minnesota Bound

Finn and I leave for a trip to Minnesota next Saturday. We have a lot scheduled for one week: a conference for me, a wedding (Yea, Shannon!), a birthday party, a baptism, a trip to the zoo with Gramma Barb and Grandpa Terry and a visit to Underwater World at the Mall of America with Grandma Thoma and Great Grandpa Klenz. All in just 8 days!

It’s going to be an interesting flight. Finn is in constant motion these days. He spends his time crawling anywhere and everywhere. He also has opinions about things and voices his dislike with a high-pictched scream. I’m sure the passengers sitting around us on the plane are going to love us.

Tulip Time Again

Matt said I’ve already blogged about tulips multiple times but it is that time here in Morges. We’ve had a lot of rain this month so we haven’t been out to enjoy them as much as in past years. In a recent trip to the tulip park Matt took the opportunity to teach Finn about the Sequoia trees, too.

Happy Purim

Earlier this month Finn celebrated the Jewish holiday, Purim, with his friend, Mali. One of the traditions of this holiday is for children to dress in costumes. Mali was dressing up as Pebbles from the Flintstones and she wanted Finn to be her Bam Bam. Mali’s mom, Ayelet, made the costumes. Finn was a little nervous about wearing a skirt (Matt said: “It was not a skirt. It was a loin cloth.”) but he looked great. He even had a chance to show off his six-pack abs.

Our Own March Madness

We’re getting back on track after a rough few weeks. Matt had surgery to remove his appendix on the 29th of February. He spent six days in the hospital due to complications because it had ruptured. He was one sick guy. It was scary to see him in so much pain and to go through all this without our family and friends nearby. Thank goodness for our friends here. We could not have done it without their help.

The experience at the local hospital was a challenge with some very frustrating moments. We struggled with the language. Not fun when you’re in a lot of pain (Although I got pretty good at ordering Matt’s meals by the end of his stay). There were some cultural differences, too, that really had us frustrated. We got the feeling doctors don’t like to be asked questions in Switzerland. We had one doctor come in and speak only to the nurse in French. Then he turned to Matt and said, “You’re okay” even though Matt was in a significant amount of pain that day. Plus, the doctor kept his back turned to me and never acknowledged that I was there.

Since coming home Matt’s recovery is going well and he’s feeling better each day. Finn and I have enjoyed spending so much time with him, especially now that he’s feeling more like himself. Matt has lifting restrictions so he hasn’t been able to pick up Finn but he’s been helping in other ways. Some of the favorite activities for Finn and Daddy are reading bedtime stories and going for daily walks. I’ll be happy once he can lift Finn again though because this mama’s back is a-hurtin’.