Grandpa and Grandpa C. spent a week on a boat tour along the Rhine River before joining us. They’ve seen more of Europe than I have now. And I think they had a lot of fun. Bea is in school so during Grandma and Grandpa’s visit we are keeping it low key and staying close…

Dear Brian – Just in case you’re wondering why the house is in the state that it is lately.  Yup, I’m blaming Claire for my inability to get the laundry done, the messy bathrooms cleaned, the crumby floor swept…. With Bea in kindergarten now it seems like I would have oodles of time to keep…

Bea has always been happy with a just little bit of water on a hot sunny day. 2008: 2009: 2011:

On Saturday we went to a chilbi across the lake – it’s like a fair. We had a good day. Bea finally went on some rides. We convinced her to go on the swings ride and then she was invigorated and turned on. I want to go again is what she said as soon as…

We are about to start something new. My Bea starts kindergarten on Tuesday. We talked about the things that she would have to do every morning to get ready. I drew pictures of the things that will be her morning routine and she colored them. She was excited to tape them to her door and…

Summer is when laziness finds respectability.– Sam Keen I’m not sure I made laziness my mantra during our trip, but I tried. And I loved that all the beautiful things about America stood out for me: the architecture of old midwest homes, flags waving in the breeze, kitchy fair food booths, and miles of clean…

For the last part of our trip to the US I went out to California and joined Brian at his company’s annual meeting for principals and associate principals. We stayed at a very posh feeling resort. It definitely felt like we were right next to Hollywood. The LA Lakers had a party there on the…

We spent the first week of our trip to the US in South Haven. Lots of fun in a beautiful place equals lots of pictures. Nope, Grandpa doesn’t mind hauling the pink Hello Kitty ring back from the beach. Uncle Dave pointed out our daughter’s appropriate alternate name: Beach Apman. Bocce ball – Dave and…

We’re home – full of good memories and a little sleepy.   Claire woke up at 1:00 last night and wouldn’t go back to sleep so I laid down on the living room floor and let her play around me. She stayed up a couple hours. As soon as I got Claire back to sleep…

August first is Swiss national day it commemorates the swearing of an oath of confederation by three alpine cantons 700 years ago. We are sad to miss Swiss National Day but happy that we will be back in Michigan. Here’s the special bread that shows up in the grocery stores near August 1st.