Found a snow hole

Found the perfect retreat from the snow today—all day—as we caught up with Sarah (my Irish buddy) and her girls, and ended up making mince pies for tea ("znuni"). Bea was inspired with Fiona's violin playing. A nice mellow day.

Snow snow snow

The children were super excited when they woke to see white rooftops and snow falling this morning. No sledging, but they played out in the school playground after afternoon Kindergarten. Bea's teacher flew back from Hawaii today, so she will be in a state of shock, and we say goodbye to the relief teacher as she takes them to the woods for the last day tomorrow for fire and sausages. Tonight we had the third evening of German/Swiss Christmas songs at the neighbours regular gathering—it's very cute—and we're starting to know the songs well.

Champagne and candles

While papa arrived in Sandakan (beautiful flight over the mountains of Sabah—I think this is Mount Kinabalu), we were out having a play date with Theodore (the little boy who's birthday party Bea's scatterbrain parents forgot to take him to) and his father in the tipping rain. The young lads wanted to go candle dipping, so we obliged. Bea was feeling super creative dipping two then twisting them together. Then off for piano practice, and on for some Bubbly at our friend's place (Gnome's impromptu birthday celebrations), which was a very nice way to lift a wet afternoon! The photo is of Zeki with Bea (Gnome's oldest, of her four children).

Island life

Apparently, this is a "stopover"! Papa has arrived in Kota Kinabalu and is in a room with a view by the ocean. Looks lovely. The real work, so he says, starts tomorrow.

Watching the wabbits

Just around the corner, in the garden of who I would say is Bea's favoured friend at the moment, they feed Vincent's rabbits before heading off to football. In footy, Bea was very chuffed that he set up a goal, and his team won!

Fondue

I received some pictures of Bea and Ili at the home of one of our neighbours. They went to play, and ended up staying for a Sunday night fondue supper.

To fly or not to fly

On a final practice run before papa heads off to Borneo tomorrow, they all tried to fly the plane that will be equipped with camera and GPS programming to fly over the rainforest. Unfortunately, it was way too windy!

Saturday night sparkles

The Christmas lights were lit in Zurich tonight. So after a takeaway dinner by the river (in our favourite spot) we toured the town. True to Zurich style, the decorations were very subtle and solely white—not a Santa Claus or Rudolf trying to get in a window anywhere. Shame! I must admit, I like a little more glitz and colour, but Bea and Ili were happy with the sparkles. While out window shopping, we couldn't help but notice this absolutely awful outfit for someone not much bigger than Ili — a fake leopardskin coat. Yuk! Nothing subtle about that ;-)

Pom poms

In Bea's Kindergarten this year, each child was given a little box to decorate and fill with a small gift. Day-by-day one is selected as a gift for another child. Last year, funnily enough, I remember Bea received his own gift back. This year he made a woolen pom pom that we had to squeeze in to the box. And we made our first Christmas cookies this afternoon too.

Candle dipping

Candle dipping started today, and for the first year both Bea and Ili pretty much made their colourful candles by themselves. One year I recall we could nip outside in the snow to help cool the wax in between layers. This year, as last, they had cold water butts to plunge the hot wax into. Not quite as fun, but certainly a lot quicker. Then off to piano, where Bea has to practice Jingle Bells. We also had a visit from our neighbours in France this evening, Jean-Louis the Lizard expert, and wife who have a son in Zurich.

Cooling the first layers in chilled water . . .

. . . and they start to grow . . .

. . . and grow more colourful.

The finished candles.

Keep on moving

Forgetful

Bea had a birthday party to attend today for Theodore—the little boy who looked after him in his first year at Kindergarten, Sorry Bea, but mama and papa forgot! I've made apologies to the mother, and we're arranging a special playdate (with present!)

Autumnal Art

Ili spent the morning with one of our new neighbours. Jonah has just turned two and besotted with Ili. Spent time out in the park this afternoon with a couple of friends from Kindergarten (and mothers), and we got creative with the autumn colours.

Christmas singing

Every week from now until Christmas, one of our neighbours is hosting a Christmas carol session in their apartment, so Bea and I went along this evening. Bea knows a few tunes already — I know none (Googled them all when we got back). All good German practice, which is just as well as our German teacher has quit on us (she's going back to Germany).

Leaning German Christmas Carols.

Piano progress

Here's the latest tune that Bea has been playing, which has four fingers played simultaneously. He has no problems learning new notes, and his teacher is happy with his progress—he just needs to do those 10 minutes per day. We can whiz back now that Bea has his new scooter and they are both on wheels. Double trouble!

Another day, another dance

Ili has her Tuesday music and dance session at 3:30, and Bea normally joins in for a while — along with other big brothers — before his group starts at 4:30. Here they both are . . .!

Post party

We took more birthday cakes in for the children's znuni (elevenses) today, and Bea looked absolutely exhausted and yawned his way through the morning. No big birthday ritual at Kindergarten (like last year), as they currently have a relief teacher as Frau Da Mutten is surfing in Hawaii for six weeks! I didn't think he'd make it to football this afternoon, but he was determined to go.

Birthday Boy

Wow. Can't believe Bea has turned six! He started his birthday morning hunting for the presents we'd hidden around the apartment, and he now has even more wheels (skateboard and new scooter) to whizz around on. Then onto party preparations and making the cake. He drew me a sketch of a three-teared, chocolate and vanilla cake, with a big number six —so that's what he got — and he helped me decorate it. Party was actually great fun, and we were able to have games here, and in the old apartment. Traditional party games (apple bobbing, musical cushions), with some local variations they play at Kindergarten, made it fun for all the kids, and they all enjoyed — no squabbles, problems, just lots of laughter. Bea had a ball!

A good reason to dance

Here's Ili doing a twirl in her new leotard. No frills, no lace — very cute.

Old friend

Antonia came over for a playdate this afternoon, and as Bea hasn't been seeing her on a weekly basis this term, they were both very happy to see each other.

Soon six

After Bea's fifth birthday party ending up with his friend breaking an arm, I wasn't overly excited at the thought of another. But on hearing him telling his friends on the way to school excitedly that he was soon to be six and was having a party, we had to get those last minute party invites out, and all eight invited agreed to come!

Night on the terrace

We're still loving the roof terrace, and after being out in the fresh autumn air on a manic scoot back from Bea's piano lesson (where he's still progressing very well), we all went up to the roof to see the city skyline.

Banging the drum

It's becoming noticeable now how Ili is starting to understand Swiss-German, and she has uttered a few short phrases lately. And she loves the singing! Here she is banging the drum to a song about an Affe (monkey) at our Tuesday Swiss-German singing group.

The Turnip Parade

It's not often you start the day carving turnips, but here in Switzerland it happens at least once a year in November. So this morning we created our own unique designs of 'vegetable lanterns' for this evening's parade whilst sitting on the hard floor in Kindergarden for a couple of hours. The best bit is, of course, after dark where Bea's school is the start and end point for several other local schools to meet, sing and walk — very slowly — through the local neighbourhood on the Räbeliechli Umzug. Unfortunately, one of Bea's lanterns dropped off the cart somewhere (minor pandemonium followed), but luckily we had another — phew! The Kindergarden children push the cart, and this year Bea was one of those keen enough to push it all the way round.

Neeps!

It's that time of year in Zurich when the turnip lantern parades start! By now, we're even starting to know the songs so we might be able to yodel along with the children tomorrow night as they have their school Räbeliechtli parade. It's actually quite cute, and a lot of fun for the little ones. Here's Bea and papa starting on their first lantern, and I will go to Kindergarden tomorrow with Bea to carve his Räbe for the Kindergarten lantern wagon.