This is it…the last entry of the Millie-meter. We are so appreciative of the support from our family and friends along the way, including all those people who regularly checked-in on us through this blog.
Our lives have forever been changed from our Switzerland experience. We will never forget the beautiful places we visited and the wonderful people we met along the way.
Au revoir Switzerland and hopefully à bientôt.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Adjusting
We’ve been back in Minnesota for about three weeks now. Most of our free time has been spent with family, and we are now starting to reconnect with friends. We have been asked numerous times how the transition is going. To answer that question, it’s been a bit of an emotional roller coaster at times. I think we’re doing the best we can considering our belongings are still somewhere on a ship in the middle of an ocean and we’re living out of suitcases.
A lot of people are also asking what we miss most about Switzerland. Our list is already kind of long. More than anything we miss the beauty of it. It really did feel like a postcard with the mountains and vineyards and lake. Matt and I are both struggling with the driving here. Matt is missing his 15 minute commute to Lausanne. He’s now in the car for over an hour one way and it’s only going to get worse with the snow this winter. I’m in the car everyday to run any errands, which is a big adjustment from our time in Switzerland. Plus it’s cold here and that’s only going to get worse. And of course we miss our friends.
There are some things we’re enjoying back home. It’s great to be able to understand what everyone is saying. I’m going to keep up my French if I can but it is really nice to be able to communicate everything I want. Finn and I are also having fun with all the activities that are available to moms and children, and they’re affordable! We’ve also enjoyed a few meals out, which is a fairly new experience for Finn. We rarely went to restaurants in Switzerland, mainly due to the crazy expense of it.
A lot of people are also asking what we miss most about Switzerland. Our list is already kind of long. More than anything we miss the beauty of it. It really did feel like a postcard with the mountains and vineyards and lake. Matt and I are both struggling with the driving here. Matt is missing his 15 minute commute to Lausanne. He’s now in the car for over an hour one way and it’s only going to get worse with the snow this winter. I’m in the car everyday to run any errands, which is a big adjustment from our time in Switzerland. Plus it’s cold here and that’s only going to get worse. And of course we miss our friends.
There are some things we’re enjoying back home. It’s great to be able to understand what everyone is saying. I’m going to keep up my French if I can but it is really nice to be able to communicate everything I want. Finn and I are also having fun with all the activities that are available to moms and children, and they’re affordable! We’ve also enjoyed a few meals out, which is a fairly new experience for Finn. We rarely went to restaurants in Switzerland, mainly due to the crazy expense of it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A Different View
Finn and Millie are often in this pose as they take in the view out our front window. Very different from the mountains and lake we had for four years. Finn enjoys watching cars and trucks go by, especially on garbage day. I prefer the boats we used to see out our window when we lived in Switzerland.
Our Last Désalpe
We spent our last weekend in Switzerland with a very traditional festivity. We returned to the village of Saint-Cergue for the Désalpe (the return of the cows from the mountain pastures). We were spoiled the first time we went several years ago with a beautiful sunny day. This time we were not so lucky with the weather. It was cold and rainy but it didn’t stop us. Despite the weather we enjoyed a few rounds of cows parading through town.
We will miss these Swiss festivities. Where else in the world do you find cows with treetops and flowers decorating their heads and enormous bells around their necks being herded through town while people drink wine and eat cheese?
We will miss these Swiss festivities. Where else in the world do you find cows with treetops and flowers decorating their heads and enormous bells around their necks being herded through town while people drink wine and eat cheese?
Monday, October 22, 2012
Goodbye Cain Girls
Finn had one last outing with his good pals, Eva and Zoe, before we moved. We spent a nice morning at the local zoo together. As they always do, the girls kept Finn thoroughly entertained.
We are missing our frequent playdates with Zoe and Eva’s babysitting skills. They could make Finn giggle like no one else. Sure wish we had them right next door again.
We are missing our frequent playdates with Zoe and Eva’s babysitting skills. They could make Finn giggle like no one else. Sure wish we had them right next door again.
Hello, Mickey!
We took Finn to Disneyland Paris for a long weekend in September. It also happened to be Matt’s birthday that weekend so he got to celebrate with Mickey and the gang. We spent two full days at the park with our friends, James and Leona, and Leona’s brother’s family. Although Finn won’t remember the experience, we always will.
Some of our favorite rides were It’s a Small World and the Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin. We also went to a show at Mickey’s Clubhouse and several parades. There were lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from Finn as he watched the parades. He did great with the lines and crowds and even managed to stay up late for most of a light show.
I think the highlight for Matt was the one-liter beers he and the other guys enjoyed while the kids took a nap.
Some of our favorite rides were It’s a Small World and the Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin. We also went to a show at Mickey’s Clubhouse and several parades. There were lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from Finn as he watched the parades. He did great with the lines and crowds and even managed to stay up late for most of a light show.
I think the highlight for Matt was the one-liter beers he and the other guys enjoyed while the kids took a nap.
Chaos
Whew! The last month has been a bit of a blur. We packed a lot into our last month in Switzerland.
No matter how much we tried to prepare for the chaos of moving house, it was still overwhelming. We were physically and emotionally exhausted by the time we got on the airplane to return to Minnesota.
No matter how much we tried to prepare for the chaos of moving house, it was still overwhelming. We were physically and emotionally exhausted by the time we got on the airplane to return to Minnesota.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
