The weather here in Switzerland has been so gorgeous lately. Seth and I have decided that we think Sept/early October can be even better than summer. Summer was pretty spectacular but not so consistent. Maybe we have been blessed with extra nice days but this Fall we have had only a few rainy days. The rest have been crisp and cool. Here is a snapshot of how we have been filling our Fall days!

I have been trying to get the boys outside as much as possible and to do as many fallish activities. Last week we spent the morning hiking down through the woods down the hill from our house. I wish I had taken my camera because the lighting was beautiful and the boys were all kinds of cute feeling like wilderness men. Owen was more hesitant than Jackson but they both tromped around like “Lord of the flies”. We took a ziplock bag and I told Jackson he could fill it with whatever he found. He focused on leaves, acorns and small twigs. I collected some branches and acorns as well to use for a fall wreath. When we got home I pulled out some crafts paper and glue and let Jackson work on making something with his finds. Free fun!

That morning we had a great time together getting out of the house and working on a project but truth be told I was in a bit of a funk that morning. You see I was so wishing I could pop in my car that morning, visit with a friend, grab lunch at Chickfila and pop in to Home Goods or Target to look for some cheap fall decor to spruce up the house. These days come and go. I do miss home and I do enjoy life here, yet some mornings the two worlds collide and I want to pop back to my All-American life. Anyhow, I pulled myself out of my funk and gathered enough things to make a wreath. I have never made a wreath so it is quite rough. But, it was so enjoyable to pull out the glue gun and just work not knowing how it would turn out. It does the trick of sprucing up the house a bit and it gave me time to process my funk.

So, here is my makeshift wreath….which may or may not keep the Chinese lanterns…I may keep fiddling with it!

Another morning last week I posted a recipe for pumpkin spice playdough on a link from a friend. Here is the link for the original. I cut the recipe in half and used a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice as well as a bit pf extra cinnamon…because it didn’t seem like it needed so much and I kind of ration spices here!  We added some orange food coloring to make it look more pumpkiny without the extra spices. It smelled yummy, filled some time with a project of making it, and filled even more time with the boys playing at the table with it. Owen is stepping up into the world of playdough. He attempted to pop a big bite in as we smelled it originally but after he knew it was salty playdough he was satisfied to play.

Last Friday I was missing my friend Leigh as I was praying so hard that she and her hubby would hear about a new job! Anyhow, as you all know when I miss a friend I normally end up cooking something that reminds me of them! So I got some fresh pumpkin and attempted to make some pumpkin soup. It wasn’t what I remember eating with Leigh at Funfshilling in Germany but it reminded me of sweet times!

This recipe is next on our Fall treat list…Pumpkin Gingersnaps!  Now to find molasses in Bern! Wish me luck!

This is my question for anyone I encounter that has lived in Bern longer than us. My Colombian neighbor that has lived here for years swears it will still snow again. The Swiss say we can count on another snow by April or even into April. What???? Let’s hope these snow-loving people are so wrong. Because I NEED Spring. Yes, I said NEED. I need some regular sunshine and time outside of this house. And so do the boys. We have had some really nice days this week and we have gotten out each afternoon after nap.The gardeners came and cleared out the old grasses and plants, revealing tons of tulip, daffodil looking plants! So exciting! I keep telling myself that the gardeners would not have cleared the winter plants away until winter was over. Right?!

Earlier this week when the weather looked promising we dug out some outside trucks and the t-ball set Aunt Sara and Uncle Thomas sent Jackson a while back. Spring training you know. Well, Owen, in case you all weren’t aware has some very promising baseball skills. The fact that the boy knew how to hold the bat, place the ball on the tee, followed by a vigorous and well-aimed effort to hit the ball off the tee, is amazing to me! Walking has given him a whole new lease on life.  He feels so liberated to try to keep up with Jackson.

sneaky guy

Jackson is also loving the spring fling. He is out the atrium door before I even know he is gone. Often half in pj’s and without shoes.   He is in teacher mode with Owen these days, showing him the ropes on the big boy bike, ball throwing and rock skipping. Owen is usually receptive. Usually.  Jackson is also staying busy with his English playgroup. We added a morning last week so he now goes Wed and Fri mornings. He loves it. This week they have been preparing for Carnaval that begins this weekend. We will be going to the kinder parade tomorrow afternoon. Pictures of that to come I am sure! Below is his clown mask he made!

Spring was trying to hard to spring here last week in Bern….now the snow is falling again. I am enjoying the snow but I am so thankful for the hope of the Spring to come!!! The winter blues get shaky when they see the rays of sunlight and feel the warmth of the season to come!

Lots of these pictures made it to Facebook but I realize some of our relatives don’t use facebook. We have been enjoying the snow so much. We have a little hill behind our house so on the weekends when we have a couple of free hours we have been gearing the boys up to sled. Owen actually enjoys it as much as Jackson and gets pretty annoyed when he has to wait his turn!

Every good sledding morning is followed by hot chocolate. Not too hot and with marshmallows please, according to Jackson.