Switzerland Day 1

When we made our plans for Switzerland, we hatched a plan to meet up somewhere so we could make our l.o.n.g. flight all together.  My sisters and Dad met up in San Fran, and I flew from Omaha, and we all met up in Philly for the 9 hr. flight to Zurich.  We managed to get our seats together by sharing our sweet snacks!  Yes!  There is a reason I pack like a Mom even when I’m by myself.  Peanut butter M&M’s will get you a long way.

A few weeks earlier I made “travel packs” for my sisters and I. . .just like kids!  I got each of them a little bag and put in their favorite game book (variety, crosswords, sudoku), mechanical pencils (why has it taken me so long to realize the awesomeness of mechanical pencils?), pens, a sleep mask, lip balm, gum, tic-tacs, kleenex, hand sanitizer, lotion.  Honestly, I made them these bags as much for me as I did for them. . .after a long 9 hour flight, I need everyone to have tic tacs. . .and if you ask to borrow my lip stuff one more time. . .

Lisa and Heidi modeling their masks. . .Julie had a spongebob one.

(Me and my bloodshot eye sleep mask , and that neck rest thing I bought was worth every penny!  Thanks for snapping this photo Dad!)

One of the best parts of the travel packs were these

Please tell me you had a cherished childhood in which your parents bought you these for road trips, complete with the magic pen?  We seriously had the best time with these, and in true Schwendiman gamer fashion, everything was a race and contest.  We finished half the book pretty quickly, and decided we had to save the rest for the ride home.  If you need to know Lisa kicked our butt, just like she always does. . .

After a good sleeping pill and about 5 hours of sleep the flight attendants woke us up by cheerfully saying “good morning!” and handing us a danish.  Really, all I could think was why are you giving me a danish at 2am?  Ok, I’ll play along.  We landed in Munich and had to catch a little flight to Zurich.  I had an adventure in the airport trying to figure out why my baggage only got checked to Munich and not to Zurich, but I learned a few things. . .the Munich airport is impecably clean, that the old lady that tried to inch her cart past me in line was NOT nice, and if you find the right customer service person, you will learn that you can go in or out of security and down and back up from baggage claim as much as you like if you have a boarding pass.  I also learned that the baggage ticket for your suitcase will only hold 3 destinations, so in my case, I needed a second one. (Chicago, Philly, Munich, Zurich). 

Quick flight to Zurich and we were there!!  We picked up our rental van, a huge VW bus!  Sweet!  Heidi was our appointed driver and she rocked it.  We arrived to our hotel (in the red-light district. . .hey, it’s an adventure right?) just in time to have my good friend Julie walk into the lobby!  Yeah!  I was so glad to have Julie living in and around Switzerland for about 12 years (her hubby is Swiss) to bounce questions off for months about our plans.  She graciously agreed to meet us at our hotel and immediately walk us around town to keep us awake and get us to our reservations for fondue for dinner!!

Here’s a bit of what we saw

The Bahnhof (Train house/station!)

Loved all the flower boxes everywhere. . .little did I know this is a country-wide thing in Switzerland and in the smaller towns they’re even more spectacular!

 

This is Frau Munster (if you ever need to find the church in Switzerland, just find the clock!)

Lake Zurich

This is a delightful treat Julie got for us. . .they are called Luxemburgerlis.  Little meringue cookies in all kinds of flavors with a little filling. . .we devoured the box pretty quickly!

Fun little streets (“gasse”) in Zurich  

Sweets anyone??

The crew (ignore our clothes and faces and hair. . .it had been a long day)

Gross Munster (“Big” church)

Thanks for a fun little tour Julie!!!  So fun to see you!

We had a great yummy fondue dinner, then we got to find out all about the Swiss medical system. . .don’t ask.  But just so you know, 4 hours in the ER, a CAT scan and several x-rays will only cost 640 CHF (about $650. . .not bad huh?)  p.s. It wasn’t me.

Bustin’ out the BLOG!

Wait. . . I know you’re asking yourself who I am.  I know I’ve been gone a while but let’s just pretend that I’ve been here ALL along.

So, it’s time to bust out the good ol’ blog!  I’m headed on an epic adventure and it needs to be documented, so to ensure I do that, I’m starting it off before I leave TOMORROW! 

These awesome people are the Schwendimans.  Samuel and Magdalena Schwendiman to be exact.  Our Madison was almost named Magdalena, after this fabulous woman.  Samuel and Magdalena both grew up in a tiny town in Switzerland called Niederstocken (knee-dur-sh-token).  They joined the church (more on that story in a later post), and decided to immigrate to America.  They are pictured here with their 6 sons.  From left to right the boys are Christian, Samuel, Friedrich, Gottfried, Johannes (John--my great-grandfather!), and Rudolf.  This photograph was done they day they departed for America in May, 1886.  The circumstances of the move to America was difficult.  Much persecution was upon them, most of it from their own family.  Below is a quote from our family history book written by my Dad’s cousin Glenn.  Glenn compiled most all of the journals and documents we have and had them published and bound for all of the family members.

“The matter of fact account of the journey of Samuel and Magdalena Schwendiman and their children as written mainly in the memoirs of Sam and John do not convey to us a sense of the emotional feelings which they must have had as they left their homeland.  In a day when we drive to the nearest airport and are then air lifted to an overseas destination in a matter of hours, it requires time and effort to reflect and think what it must have been like for them to be taken to the nearest railroad station in a horse drawn wagon with all the family belongings.  The parents must have sensed the dramatic change that was coming in their lives for they paused long enough in Thun to have a family portrait made.  How grateful we should be that they did this.  It preserves a moment in time which enables us to appreciate and share what they experienced.”

That is why we are going back to Switzerland.  To get a taste of what life was like for them there, and to visit and bond with our Schwendiman family that still lives in that wonderful little country (and village of Niederstocken).  I’m so grateful for the strength of Samuel and Magdalena and the courage they had to begin a difficult journey with their young boys, and I’m grateful I get to make the journey back with all my siblings and my Dad to celebrate his 70th birthday! 

A Blogworthy storm

Wow, has it really been that long since I’ve blogged?  Sorry about that, maybe it’ll be my New Year Resolution. 

ANYWAY, we’ve had a huge storm and I wanted to send photos to all my family/friends that I’m sure miss living here in Nebraska and missing out on these storms.

 

 

Shall we have lunch at the picnic table today?

  The slide is even better with snow!!

They cancelled school the evening before about 7pm in anticipation of the big storm, Matt headed out for work (no early morning seminary—Yeah!), but State Farm sent everyone home at lunch—after they unloaded all the cafeteria food for free!!

Here’s some more photos from this morning, we haven’t had a storm like this for a long time, it started snowing Monday night about 8pm and literally snowed ALL day, finally today the bright sun is out. . .no school again today, no work for me, and Matt doesn’t have to go in until noon!  Happy snow day!

 

Umm. . .I don’t think I’ll go anywhere today.

Whoops, forgot to put the cozy coupe away, it looks like a rabbit is maybe hiding out in there?

Higher! Higher like a flyer!

He really is smiling under there.  Speaking of “he”. . . Simon is all big boy now.  When did that happen?  He is a toddling, babbling, bundle of big boy-ness.  Non-stop eating.  (I swear I really do feed him although he contests otherwise at all times.)  He bursts into laughter after someone else does, just so he’s sure to be in on the joke.  He constantly opens and shuts things loudly and tosses his toys around with joy.  He is one beautiful boy. . .so beautiful and fun that we’ve decided. . .

 

 

 

 

 

we’re done.  Really, as I discussed with my bestest the other day. . .I’ve been having babies for 10 years.  I know that some women have babies for much longer but I’m spent.  I also feel very done.  I had initially thought, well, I’ll give it until Simon’s a year old (I can make NO good decisions when I’m so sleep deprived and crazy. . ).  As Simon reached that one year mark I was so excited.  Ready to “move-on” in life.  I’m ready for all of us to go places, not to have to pack snacks, diapers, sippys, worry about naps and babysitters.  Most of all we just know it.   I really had been wondering, but the moment I knew was when I was holding someone’s little tiny babe (I LOVE babies. . .), and she started to fuss.  It used to be like a challenge to me when I was holding a baby and they fussed, like I was saying, OK, watch me in action, I can get this baby to be happy, go to sleep, let a little gas go . . .whatever.  But this time the first thought in my head was. . .yep, I’m done. 

I have 4 beautiful children and a wonderful hubby right along my side.  Those children are growing and growing literally before my eyes.  Madison can look me right in the eyes now and shares my shoes. . . I’m coming to realize  that in only 8 short years, Madison will graduate. 

I’m excited for “life” for my kids.  I’m ready to be that big momma bird that preps and talks and practices with them then sends them off flying.  Of course, I’m not ready for that but I’m excited for it.  They’re ready, and because they’re ready I have to be. 

Did you hear that?

Did you hear that noise?  I think it was jingle-bells. 

When the weather cools off a little I always start thinking of the Holidays.  I blame (praise?) my mother, Queen of shopping ahead of time.  In fact, I already have her gifts to my children for Christmas (wrapped, with bows, with a card) upstairs in  my storage closet.  I have a handful of things already, but I’m in the mode of finding things they will really love, not just play with for a bit, then toss into the never-ending pit that is “the playroom”.  Here’s a couple of things I’ve bookmarked from blogs that I’ve seen that I love.  I need to get in gear to make these. . .

http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/08/henrys-book.html  

How much do you love this?  Finding the things that Simon loves, pictured with the cute block letters?  Love this idea Liz!! 

http://youcanmakethis.com/info/featured-products/Personalized-Name-Pillows.htm

Really cute/designed name pillows for your kiddos to claim their turf (well, at least where they lay their sweet heads.)  I know that Design Mom posted about these as well, but I can’t find the original post.  Here’s a picture from a recent post where you can get a glimpse of Oscar’s pillow.  These would be super cute to make ahead for your kids bestest buds birthday gifts too!

Well?  Get to work!  Just hear those sleigh-bells jing-a-ling. . .