Christmas 2009

Here are some photos from Christmas Day, finally! Only three weeks late. I just got done weeding through all the December photos and we ended up with only 250 for the month. That's probably the lowest photo month for 2009, by far which is indicative of what a lovely month December was. Muriel and I were both sick on Christmas day. But the whole family has now been healthy for more than one whole week--it's been so nice! Hopefully we can put those pathogen filled months of November and December far, far behind us.

Anyway, here are some pictures. I only had the energy to take photos in the morning, but the rest of the day was pretty quiet and uneventful anyway.

Santa came!

And he was feeling a little crazy...


I'm not sure what got into him, but he gave the kids their first licensed Disney toys. And he didn't even give them grudgingly! He was, in fact, a bit sheepishly excited about it. 5 years sure can change a person.

Niamh received Snow White and the Prince.

Here is Muriel, up for the first time, checking out the shopping basket full of Swiss food. She didn't last long, and was asleep again about thirty minutes later.

Grammie and Bumpa gave Niamh her much longed for doll car seat. She was thrilled!

This is Muriel after her morning nap. Santa brought her one set of alphabet blocks in French, and one set in English.

Muriel felt a little more chipper once the ibuprofen kicked in.


My little Batman (shirt and mask from Santa). Notice the boots? Batman always wears boots. A little while later Ro added Daddy's black gloves to the ensemble.

Niamh and Muriel

Okay, these are pictures I took today and not catch-up photos, but wanted to post them because I don't think I'll get to catch-up photos today and this will hopefully appease the sisters and grandparents!

La Fête des Rois 2010

Yesterday was La Fête des Rois or Epiphany. My Kugelhopf has a good post up about Three Kings day in France and the German speaking part of Switzerland. I do not know if the "celebration" in Morges is traditional in the French speaking part, or maybe it's just a Morges/Vaud thing? I put celebration in quotes because I'm not sure that taking your sad, old Christmas tree to the train station to get sent through a wood chipper really qualifies as a celebration, even if there is a stand giving out tea, mulled wine, and couronne. Though this far past Christmas it does feel great to finally get rid of the tree that's been tied up on our balcony since the 26th.




In addition to the wood chipper set up at the train station there was also the more traditional and festive Gallette de Rois or Couronne (here they sell both) that could be bought at the supermarkets or boulangeries.

One boulangerie had les fèves for sale, so I picked up a bunch for hopefully baking into cakes on Three Kings Day when we're not living in Switzerland any longer.

We ended up with two Gallette de Rois. The first I bought at Migros (supermarket), thinking I'd be too lazy to go out to a boulangerie the next day. But once I got it home, I noticed that the box said it was not for children because it contained kirsch. The above gallette we bought at Fornerod tasted so much better though, I'm glad I was forced to go get a second one!

My mom found--or maybe I spotted it and gave it to her--the fève in the Migros gallette (which by the way did not taste booze-y at all), and I found the fève in the Fornerod gallette.


We also happened to have two kids who really wanted to be king, so having two crowns worked out nicely (Grammie and I didn't mind relinquishing our power). The very first thing Niamh did this morning when she got out of bed was to put her crown on again.

We took a bit of a blog break due to being sick, and having visitors, and all the usual holiday craziness. I'll hopefully be able to catch up the blog in the next couple of days with photos from the past couple of weeks.

Fine Art: Christmas Tree for Grammie and Bumpa

Rowan has been asking for this drawing to be sent to Grammie and Bumpa. I figured it would be easier and faster if I just posted it online.

Mes dessins de Noel

Rowan had been working on this at school and brought it home on the last day of school with strict instructions that he continue to work on it each day.

Merry Christmas!

Has the end of the world arrived?

This clock at the CFF station in Montreux was 7 minutes slow. I checked both my phone and my watch (sync'd to Morges train station main clock) to validate that it was wrong. I couldn't believe it. It is the only train station clock I have seen in Switzerland that has not been correct. It is a sure sign the end of the world is coming.

A visit to Pere Noel

It took 2 hours and 2 trains, but we made it to Pere Noel. Please note the following:

1. The lines across the picture are from an issue with our scanner, the actual picture is fine.
2. Niamh was totally uninterested in being on Pere Noel's lap.
3. Muriel was only slightly more interested in being on Pere Noel's lap
4. The spot on Rowan's head was caused by Emily letting Rowan play with the clippers after she was done cutting his hair.

Rowan actually talked with Pere Noel this year, which is a significant improvement from the last visit.

Somersaults!

Rowan learned how to do somersaults at school and now the girls are joining in on the fun.

Letter From Santa

Rowan and Niamh received their letters back from Santa (AKA the Swiss Post) last week.

The letter, in English, included a random short story about a snowman, which seemed to end and begin in the middle, as well as some Christmas window decals. It wasn't, in fact, really a letter at all, which I found to be slightly disappointing. But I'm glad that the Swiss Post went to the trouble to at least send something back!

Second Sight

Today I am feeling like I'm gifted with second sight, as yesterday I forced myself to go out shopping for snow gear for the kids in preparation for the train up to Rochers-de-Naye on Monday to see Père Noël. And then woke up today to snow! Coincidence? I think not.

My second sight must be a bit spotty though, because I was certainly caught completely unaware yesterday afternoon when Pat learned that his office here is to be shut down and we'll out of Switzerland sometime in the next nine months. Where next? Who knows at this point.

But for now let's focus on something a little more festive and cheerful, like unexpected snow! I hope it sticks around for Christmas, I can't remember the last time I had a white Christmas!


We were able to get out the door about 15 minutes early today so the kids could play for a bit before Ro had to go to school.

Later that morning I took the girls out to play.

Muriel love it....

for about two seconds. She spent the rest of the time in my arms, or looking like the above photo. Maybe gloves would have helped? The sleeves on her snowsuit go way past her fingers though, so I thought she'd be okay without.



Niamh on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed herself!

Cookie Thief

Wrapping Presents

We are having what is probably (mustn't get my hopes up) only a brief lull between illnesses, so I thought I'd use the respite to post a couple of recent photos.

I haven't wanted to put any gifts under the tree to tempt the children (mostly Muriel), so Rowan and Niamh took matters into their own hands on Tuesday morning. They spent a good hour or so making wrapping paper and then wrapping up various toys. If Niamh hadn't had to leave for school (Ro stayed home sick) they probably wouldn't have stopped until every toy they own was wrapped and under the tree.




Muriel has actually shown zero interest in the "gifts" under the tree, so perhaps I could put the real ones under it after all.

Letters to Santa

Last weekend we wrote letters to Santa Claus. We dropped them in them mail address to:

Père Noel

Pole Nord

Rumor has it that Père Noel sends letters and/or gifts back, but we haven't seen anything yet. Rowan's letter is below. His list includes:

• a violin
• a microphone
• cars
• chocolate
• a guitar

Niamh is looking for:

• a microphone
• ironing board
• car seat for her doll.
  

St. Nicholas Day 2009

St. Nicholas stopped by last night and left the kids each a new Christmas book, an additional piece for the nativity scene, and a few treats.

I felt so bad for poor, sick Niamh who just couldn't really enjoy the festivities. She did try and eat a piece of chocolate, only to throw it up a little while later.


Muriel's favorite part were the walnuts. She toddled all over the apartment with as many as she could hold clenched in her little hands.


Later that morning, while Niamh slept, I took Rowan and Muriel out to a boulangerie down the street and got some St. Nicholas bread. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of celebrations here in Morges other than the St. Nicholas shaped bread in all the boulangeries--probably because Vaud is not a Catholic canton.

For anyone in search of some good Christmas picture books, I can highly recommend all three that St. Nicholas left for the kids: Good King Wenceslas, The Little Drummer Boy, and Brigid's Cloak. Despite my bias towards books that can be sung, I think my favorite of the three is Brigid's Cloak. Lovely illustrations, and an equally as lovely Irish story (always welcome in this family!) about St. Brigid that mingles Christian and Druid beliefs.

Sick Sick Sick

Friday morning

this evening

Pat got sick last Sunday with what seemed like the flu minus a fever and it's been making it's way through the whole family all week. Me and Rowan on Tuesday night, then Muriel on Wednesday. Niamh was the last to get sick on Thursday night, when I think she only got an hour or so of sleep and spent the whole night vomiting. She and Muriel were both so exhausted they fell asleep on the floor next to each other on Friday morning as I was getting Rowan ready for school. She's also the last to get well, and I think it's lasted longer with her than with the others. Poor thing hasn't eaten anything to speak of in three days, so I think if she's not showing improvement tomorrow we should perhaps go to the doctor.

Thanksgiving 2009

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday with some people from Pat's office. Unfortunately, in the midst of all the cooking, baking, and cleaning madness (all twenty-four hours of it) the only picture I took all day was of the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie chilling on the balcony. Our wintertime "fridge" gets a lot of use under normal circumstances, but was a complete lifesaver for the Thanksgiving feast. It was a lovely day and definitely helped take the edge of our holiday homesickness.