Hello again

We are back from America (since last Thursday). In fact, it was one of our easiest overnight flights - the kids slept and/or watched TV without much fuss, and then because they were so tired, quickly adapted to the European time zone. So that was nice.

So lets see what the photos remind me of. First, we spent a lot of time at the cabin on the cow farm. We took 3 day canoe trips (there was too much risk of flash floods to stay overnight), and these were very fun - the kids loved jumping of rocks, swimming in the water and even learning to paddle a small canoe. Also, Bluet really got into fishing and caught a number of different fish with her kids fishing rob (as she calls it). However, I have no photos of these water based activities as I didn't want to drop my phone in the rivers. Here are some other things we did
One game the kids invented while they were away was to run round and around the Ozark cabin as fast as they could





Here is a photo Bluet insisted I take



Back on the other farm, more playing in the paddling pool, here with Thane doing his best American Ninja Warrior impression



Not pictured: Ilona falling down these stairs twice





Then the other cousins, Lila and Nate, came to visit



OK, more tomorrow

BLOGSTRAVEGANZA III!

Belatedly we come to the third instalment of our trip to Missouri. Back off the river, I think we spent the next week mainly on the Charleston farm, and were visited by various cousins. And Emily had a slightly early birthday party, which was great fun. Let's see what the photos remind me that we also did,

Ilona successfully blows bubbles

This tractor was Emily's present for her 4th(?) birthday. Still going strong

Bluet decided she wanted a cowgirl hat, so we got her one from boomland

As you can see, the weather was hot and sweaty

Meanwhile, the thing that Ilona wanted most in the world was a backpack, so Nana bought her one, and sewed on velcro so she could fasten it in front, just like Bluet's backpack

We went out for dinner for Sarah's birthday. In a nice local restaurant

Then the cousins from Missouri (Nate and Lila) arrived

Ilona has a new role model

Early morning helping Nate build a playmobil campsite

Meanwhile, Bluet also really really wanted to climb a tree

Learning to ride a trike

Wayne built an adventure playground from an old tree

This is how you hold a cat

Sometimes we played inside with play-doh

Oh, and I took Bluet to see the Minions movie, which she enjoyed, mainly the bits when the minions fall down or do something similarly slapstick.

Another scorcher

Last weekend was almost as hot as the previous one. Anyway, on Saturday Bluet and Ilona had their hair cut (Ilona for the first ever time) and then on Sunday some friends came for brunch. Not as desperate a need to cool down in the river, but we did get the paddling pool out.

So here is Ilona playing in some sand at Sihl City

And here is Ilona at Sihl City another day (Saturday) post first haircut. Note plait

And here is Bluet at her playgroup, which she went to for the last time last week, as when the school year resumes she will be going to kindergarten every morning. She liked her playgroup (ever day she asks what day it is, and what we do on that day, except Tuesday and Thursday 'I go to playgroup' and Saturday and Sunday she plays with Mama and Dadn), so I expect she will like kindergarten just as much.

Just before we had visitors with kids we moved extra tables and chairs into the garden, including Bluet's painting table. Which went down a treat.

And as a treat, here is a happy Ilona the other morning,

So tomorrow we fly to Missouri. So the next post will be from there. (Today Maria and Andrew made a flying visit to Zurich, one night on their way to somewhere else, which was fun but all too brief. Too brief for photos, anyway. I didn't even get a picture of Bluet covered in spaghetti from her spaghetti and meatballs from spaghetti factory

Bon voyage!

Swiss weather (part I)

Last weekend it was summer. We purchased a paddling  pool for the garden, filled it with water, and Bluet and Ilona were easily entertained.

Another weekend in swimming costumes and sun hats. This made entertaining the kids ever so easy, as we could make full use of the garden

We also bought Ilona her own swing, so that she and her sister could swing together

Sunday, still sunny, so another playground, another swing

And even time for a game of snakes and ladders before snacks

Aside: Ilona is getting very big - there are some 3 word sentences these days, and she is getting very good at answering yes-no questions accurately. Mostly in English (to us at least). Her favourite German word for the last 2 or 3 months has been 'jacke' (pronounced 'Yakka', meaning 'jacket'. she says this a lot as she likes to put on her coat and go outside (to swing). She also says 'shoe' and 'milk' in a German way. Bluet meanwhile likes to tell us what the German word for various things is, but will occasionally be overheard counting to herself in German, often on the swing, or singing a German song from playgroup.

Instablog from the roof

We're on the roof of the metropolitan museum of art, soaking up the culture, sun and the last of the summer beer.