pastry pro

the little gal went from "hmm, I think I like pastries" to "give me more of that and nobody gets hurt!"

Happy "Bers" Day!

June 29, 2008

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June 29, 2009Happy first birthday Analise! We've loved watching you grow this year and are so blessed to have you in our lives. We look forward to getting to know you better and better. We love you very much honey! - mom and dad

28

June 27, 1981
my birthday
(technically at the hour I'm writing this it's no longer my birthday - but lets pretend)
Today I'm 28 - which seems significantly closer to 30 than 27 does.

Let me tell you the difference between your 28th birthday and your 1st birthday - about four layers.
This evening we had our friends Bethany and KC over (along with their two friends visiting from the states) and grilled some hamburgers, sausages, chicken etc. for dinner.
It also just so happened that I had the bottom layer of Analise's birthday cake and some frosting left over in the refrigerator. So here I am, frosting the scraped up layer of cake and writing in a gel pen "Happy 28th Sarah."
Anticlimactic?
maybe a little

Notice no pictures on this blog? That's because when you turn 28 nobody thinks it's cute if you shove your face into your cake instead of using a fork.

Probably the biggest surprise to me is that I couldn't have been happier today. Getting up at 6:30 with an "awake" kiddo, doing errands at Hornbach (their version of Fleet Farm), going for a bike ride down by the lake, grilling out with friends, eating the leftover of someone else's birthday cake - it doesn't get any better than this.
The bonus material are the skype calls from family, birthday cards in the mail, unexpected gifts from my Swiss friends and the fact that my husband remembered that it was my birthday before I did!

I haven't always been so easily pleased, but a kid has a way of realigning expectations and priorities.

So, I guess that's about it. It's been a good year - now I think I'll go to bed . . .

party time!

Happy First Birthday (early) Analise! Today we had a birthday party after Kindermusik. A few friends got together for lunch and cake and presents. It was so fun! Claudia graciously offered her house for the party so we were able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the sunshine.

"Hmm, I think I want to touch that."
My first attempt at a birthday cake and I think it looks O.K. - if you like the "cake decorator gone crazy" look. This had a bit of everything - two colors of flowers, sprinkles, icing polka dots, layers, and different colors of frosting. Did I mention it was delicious?


"Umm, my fingers feel funny - can somebody do something about this?"

Yeah cake! After eating her muffin and almost half her weight in frosting Analise was feeling pretty good about this situation. (I secretly made the top layer of the cake a sugar free carrot and apple muffin - but don't worry - I'm not totally evil, it was completely encased in frosting)


Our friend Bethany has been super helpful with watching Analise so that I can teach a second class of Kindermusik while Analise comes home for a nap. Thanks Betty!!

friends Jennifer, Emma and Elaine

Claudia and Lea look like twins in their pixie hair cuts and polo shirts! A big thanks to Claudia for hosting the party at her place!

Emma (Elaine's 3 year old) helped Analise open the gifts. She was very helpful and kept the party rolling right along.
Analise's gifts included a xylophone, beach toys, stuffed animal, a top, a pull along telephone and a floaty toy. Analise says "thank you very much."

sitting in the garden . . .

Elaine, Claudia, Jennifer (with Jeremy in the car seat) and Alex - with a baby in the stroller sleeping behind the group). With the help of some friends Analise's first birthday party was a success!

walking . . . kind of

There she goes!

First pastry

Last Saturday morning we were all lounging around in our jammies drinking coffee and eating a pastry - so it seemed like a good time for Analise to have a tasty little morsel as well. She didn't try the pain chocolate but really like the brioche au sucre - who wouldn't like a little sweet bread with some sugar grains sprinkled on top?

"Hey, what'cha doing? Can I have some more of that?"

She's really pulling herself up on everything and moving more confidently around the table to the computer - but to get anywhere fast it's still better to drop and crawl.

Redirecting . . .

Just to let you know that I posted a video of Analise climbing the stairs, but for some reason it posted out of order. Please scroll down to check it out.

Day with Julia

Some of you know that we live in an old renovated house that has been split into four apartments. Our neighbors, Julia and Seigert, have the apartment just next to ours. We are so blessed to have such great people to live next to! Especially because the apartments aren't sound proofed very well and I know that we tend to make a lot of noise!

Julia, Analise and I took the boat across the lake to Yvoire (quickly becoming my favorite little place). We had lunch on the terasse of a Creperie . . .

"Hey, where's lunch . . . no smiles until I eat"


"That's more like it"
Julia sips the cider that is traditionally served with crepes. In a way it is like a very light, apple-y champagne . . . mmm

On our way back we sat by the boats to relax a little before our boat came. Analise quickly made friends and as it turns out the lady is an American married to a European and now living here.
This is also a good shot of Analise's gimpy crawl.

Fifth Anniversary

Saturday Daniel and I celebrated our fifth anniversary. (Five berries for five years) We took a picnic lunch and went for a hike in the mountains with Analise and Grady. After a little while of hiking I noticed lots of tiny red berries growing along the ground and sure enough - they turned out to be wild strawberries! (Daniel totally freaked out when I ate one - isn't that romantic?)

So of course I made us pick them, but it was worth the effort when we had a bowl of berries and a little vanilla ice cream for dessert that night. (Don't worry, I didn't eat any more until we googled "wild Swiss strawberries" and my worrier was fully convinced that they wouldn't kill us)


I was totally amazed at the beauty and variety of the wild flowers along the way . . . and of course had to pick some of them as well!

That evening we opened a nice bottle of wine and relaxed at home. Not exactly the glamor of going out to see an opera in Paris . . . but a great way to just appreciate each other and being together. For me the day resulted in an overwhelming sense of thankfulness. The fruit and the flowers are just tiny reminders of all the blessings God has put in my life - big and small.

Happy anniversary D, here's to many more!

Climbing steps

This has been going on for a few weeks already but I hadn't gotten around to taking a picture yet.
Thanks to a friend at church we now have a baby gate installed at the bottom of the steps.
She's a speedy little lady! Way to go!

Big Kiss

Mostly I just wanted to take a picture of the outfit. This was from Laura Schaefer and came in the "shower box" last year right after Analise was born and now she's wearing it (sniff, sniff - they grow up so fast). Laura also gave her some mini hair clips which she can no longer wear because she has too much hair!

I hope that you all feel loved on by Analise - all the love, none of the slobber . . .

Seelinger's Visit

Well, a chapter in the lives of our friends the Seelingers has come to a close. Alan has finished school and they are now moving from Paris back to the U.S. What a treat that they were able to visit us in Switzerland before heading back!


Splashing around in the bathtub . . .


So fresh and so clean - these two ladies are ready for bed - and the mommies are ready to relax, chat and just maybe sip a little wine!


Beth and Eloise came to Kindermusik with us on Friday. It was so fun having her in class and I think Eloise really enjoyed it!

Walking down to the park for a picninc that afternoon. The weather was BEAUTIFUL - so we enjoyed picnics by the lake . . .


Trying to keep the food going in and the sticks staying out of the mouths . . .


Time for Saturday morning cartoons! Eloise loves this video and was smiling and clapping away while Analise sat staring. It's kind of a Baby Einstein, but with Praise and Worship music - very relaxing . . .


Reading books by the lake while we get some lunch ready . . .


"Smile girls!"

I think this little gal is pooped out. She was a real trooper and held up well with all the carting around that she had gone through . . . now she's off for some R&R with family at the beach. Have fun guys! We'll miss you!!

Miss Piggy

It seems Analise is already developing her dad's love of books and her mom's sense of humor . . .
"Hey, lets read this one!"

"OK, I'll open it up"
"I mean, this is how I'll open it up . . ."

"I love this part - it's so funny!"

Pay close attention to the singing at the beginning of the video . . . that would be Daniel's rendition of a song from Kindermusik - nice one D.