Switzerland, day 1

Tuesday/Wednesday, September 27/28

Probably one of the longest 24-hour stretches of my life (and I know the ride home is going to be most definitely the longest 24 hours of my life). We had to wake the kids up super early to drive down to Phoenix so I could have a doctor’s appointment before our trip. We got to see the baby’s heart beat and got some ultrasound pictures. Everything looks good and my due date is May 5^th like I had guessed. Then we went to hang out at Kristi’s where I let Thatcher strip down and swim naked for a little bit, then Syd drove us to the airport where our real journey began as we…

- Frantically rearranged items to various bags to end up with the right weights

- Realized we left the car seat in the car and figured we would just survive without it

- Got covered in James’s blow out on the first flight which made us smell the rest of the trip (funny that James hasn’t had anything like that happen to him since he was a new born)

- Realized (after our first flight) that I packed a butter knife and got through security with it once (but not the second time in the international terminal)

- Almost didn’t sit together on the long flight after not sitting together from Pheonix to LAX, but got super lucky and ended up with an extra seat that saved us

- Somehow survived the 12-hour plane flight where the boys slept most of the time.

- Met my family at customs and then went to the train station and got our very expensive (but oh so worth it) swiss passes, then got on a train headed for Bern (we were quite the spectacle with Thatcher and James in a pretty tired/hyper state and all of our luggage, most of which was stuff we were bringing to my mom)

- Got off the train, walked to the tram, then took a tram 10 minutes, then walked to my mom’s house

It was pretty crazy to say the least, but at least I had Ty…I can’t even think about the nightmare that is ahead of me in a couple weeks when I fly home. We spent the afternoon/evening getting settled and eating dinner, then we took a walk to see a little of the neighborhood and came home exhausted and ready for bed. We all slept for a few hours, then James and both woke up around midnight and couldn’t get back to sleep. We ended up hanging out for probably 4 hours just talking and eating snacks. He was an angel the entire time and it made my jet lag seem less painful having him hang out with me.

Family Pics

My amazing friend Carol offered to take some pictures of my family before we left for Switzerland. Despite what we gave her to work with (I was already chubby from being pregnant, James looked like a little girl his hair was so long, and James was his impossible self the entire time)...she did a great job. I can't wait for her to to do them again when the baby is born and hopefully James can sit still for a milisecond.

before switzerland pics

I forgot these pictures were on my camera, and they made me laugh so I didn't want to forget them. Here are some prime examples of how my boys play. One day Ty and Thatcher turned the couch into a pirate ship,

another day the boys emptied their entire toy box on the couch after removing all the cushions and played there for the longest time.

We decided that Thatcher's haircut couldn't wait so Ty gave in right be fore we left and cut Thatcher's hair.

Here is James in his favorite outfit. He will find this shirt and these pants anywhere, beg to wear them, then scream if I need to take them off. I intentionally didn't bring them to Switzerland, but sure enough he found them and begged to wear them as soon as we got home. He cracks me up.

Thatcher's sleeping habits have struggled for quite some time and he ends up on the floor in our room some nights. I tried to take a picture this morning when Thatcher's head was off his mattress and underneath our bed...poor kid.

before switzerland memories

A few memories I had started to record, but then got side tracked with all the Switzerland preparations:

We spent Labor Day at the cabin. We had a really nice weekend and then on Monday morning we drove back up to Flagstaff and stopped off at the county fair. It was hot and dirty (and sticky as well thanks to the suckers the boys ate the entire time), but it was fun to see all the animals and tractors and Thatcher got spoiled by getting to do some of the things he was most excited about. He and I went on the ferris wheel (he was so excited he couldn't contain himself), then we all went on a train ride, and Thatcher rode a pony as well. Look at his face on the pony, I love this age.

I had also started to write about James's ability to hear anything. It is pretty remarkable. He can hear the train when we are inside as it passes somewhere outside. He knows what a truck sounds like and what a car or a fire truck sound like in comparison. He always has his ears ready to identify sounds that are going on outside and I love it.

Thatcher loved his first month of preschool and did great with the adjustment to structure and being away for a few more hours a week.

We also said goodbye to some friends who have been in Flagstaff since we have. Their little boys Skyler has been Thatcher's friend friend from the beginning. We are really going to miss the Ortons and all the fun times our kids had playing. Here are some baby pictures of the boys and some pics of them playing this summer.

I hope somebody's laughing

Last Thursday and Friday threw me for a bit of a loop. At the end of Friday I felt like laughing thinking of Heavenly Father and how sometimes it seems he has a sense of humor. Within those two days I:

-found out I was pregnant with baby #3. This is very exciting news and something we have been hoping for for a while. However, the irony is that this one month we were consciously avoiding getting pregnant because I didn't want to be sick while in Switzerland and the timing would be the absolute worst for our once-in-a-lifetime trip. So that threw me for a loop, as well as the reality sinking in of having three children. It is going to be pretty crazy.

- signed all the papers and officially became an aerobics instructor who gets paid to exercise. That was also pretty exciting and overwhelming too. There is a lot to do before we leave on our trip with orientations, CPR certification, and getting ready for the group fitness certification exam.

- Had a little pity party as I went to a friend's beautiful new home with tons of room and room to grow, then saw another friend's hopeful houses to move into which were all just incredibly gorgeous with huge yards, then found out from another friend that her husband got a job with a great starting salary and benefits and they are starting out a new life in a great place with a super cheap housing market and no student loans. This was all within a few hours and I couldn't help but wondering when our opportunity was going to come to get out of our two bedroom townhome and in a better situation for our family.

- Then found out the next day that the odds of moving down to Phoenix are practically in the bag and that the attorney down there wants Ty to start working October 1st...just weeks away, and when we are in Switzerland. Ty is really excited about the opportunity and went to Phoenix today to meet with a bunch of attorneys and see his new office. It isn't official, but pretty close to it and will most likely be a quick move.

It was all a lot to handle and my emotions were all over the place, but I really think things happen for a reason and I am grateful for change and the way it helps me to grow. I think the Lord has some great things in store for us and I hope that trusting in him will help me not have a panic attack!

never thought it would happen

Last Christmas each of the boys got a Zhu Zhu pet. They have played with their pretend hamsters off and on, but I think I thought they were cooler than Thatcher and James ever did. Until the last few days. James has had a blast with his hamster. He plays with it, follows it around, and takes care of it. Then today he snuck up behind me and let it "crawl" on my hair. I reacted quickly as the warning I had seen numerous times was flashing in my head "CAUTION: Motorized wheel toys have the potential for hair entanglement". I stopped the wheels with my hand and after a lot of struggling and winding the wheels backwards, I got my hair free (except for the embarrassingly huge chunk that was still in in the hamster's wheel. Those warning labels are there for a reason, and I guess sometimes we need to learn those lessons the hard way.

it's official

As of today, my name is plastered all over the September aerobics schedule, and I am officially an aerobics instructor. I am definitely going to get my initiation by fire because I am teaching a weight lifting class when all I have practiced for the last 8 months, and all I have team-taught for the last month is step classes.

I have a feeling the money I make is barely going to cover the gas it costs to get there and back, but it is a hobby. And at least it is forcing me to get to the gym a few times a week.

I am excited. I tried to simplify my new year's resolutions this year, and even then I am falling short big time. At least I have this one crossed off!