tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64011127770856477152011-12-22T22:41:11.679+01:00The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.comBlogger4011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-23111678490120065122011-06-14T12:17:00.000+02:002011-06-14T12:17:46.052+02:00

Well here it is, the end of the beginning. The packers come tomorrow and the next day. I will be loading my beast of a computer into boxes and onto a container for the next 6 weeks, so no more major posting or images (well..... maybe there will be). But this is in fact, the final Swiss Family Birkelo Post. Those of you wanting to see what we're up to, follow me on my new blog, From the Alps to

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-80558038451892947092011-06-11T14:52:00.000+02:002011-06-11T14:52:23.386+02:00

So one of Nichole's teacher's took her and another child out to lunch at McDonald's last week. This was because of intensives and they were the only two students who showed up that day, so she thought it would be fun. It was Nichole's first time to go to McDonald's since living here, and her first time to eat fast food since we moved abroad. She ordered a happy meal (1 cheeseburger, fries, a soft

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-84323123496223192372011-06-07T14:19:00.000+02:002011-06-07T14:19:13.588+02:00

When the kids ask, "What's for dinner?" I look into the fridge and cupboards and say, "Ketchup, french fries, peanut butter, and tortillas." Does that make me a bad mom?

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-26700357666767874622011-06-06T19:40:00.000+02:002011-06-06T19:40:22.585+02:00

So I've been very busy since I last posted. My apologies. Brad went back to Colorado on Tuesday after being here and then in Vienna for a week. I have been keeping very busy de-registering, canceling services, and generally preparing for the movers. We have to have an inventory for insurance purposes. Incidentally, for those of you wondering how to de-register in Switzerland, it's not all that

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-85050203413537226672011-05-29T19:05:00.001+02:002011-05-29T19:06:17.265+02:00

Turns out, our neighbor has a couple of rats as pets. She brought one out to show Tabby, who wasn't the least bit interested and even tried to get away. The rat didn't seem to concerned either way. Last night we went over to the Teel's for dinner. They have such a wonderful view of the valley towards Chur and it was an amazing night. We ate outside and enjoyed the view. I'm going to miss them,

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-59395201654051902572011-05-27T15:15:00.000+02:002011-05-27T15:15:06.300+02:00

Another post on the differences here—here's a picture for all you smokers out there. You know it's bad for you, and you know it's expensive. Check this out, though! If this wouldn't give you a reason to quit, I don't know what would! Let's do the math... we'll round it off to 7 CHF. That's over $8 a pack!! You're talking $3000 a year to smoke! SO GLAD I don't smoke!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-46446304560239381062011-05-27T15:09:00.000+02:002011-05-27T15:09:06.312+02:00

It's a busy time for us right now. I had the movers out again yesterday to make sure we could fit all our stuff in the container, including some items we didn't sell. I updated my portfolio on my Cypress Graphic Design site just in case I decide to go to work in Colorado (which I would like of like to do, actually). I'm spending most of my time taking inventory, trying to come up with a value for

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-2010688618422019832011-05-26T14:08:00.006+02:002011-05-26T14:21:20.380+02:00

Kristine and some other 9th grade girls presented a drama performance of an excerpt from Steel Magnolias. From the movie, Kristine is playing Dolly Parton's role, Truvey. They had a lot of dialogue to remember and I was impressed at how well the kids did, all of them. Of course Kristine, as usual, was very uninhibited. It was great! Check out the video. Act 1 / Click here Act II / Click here

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-60117784991829721652011-05-20T14:56:00.002+02:002011-05-20T15:04:05.938+02:00

Sunday was a busy day for us. Actually, the entire weekend was! Roman Brunner had his 50th Birthday party on Saturday night and that was a great time. He hired this beatbox entertainer, who is this guy who makes all these sounds with his voice (like musical instruments). He was pretty funny. I posted some videos on my shutterfly account. Just go to the second page under the tab "What's New" to

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-60298470123233126042011-05-20T10:42:00.001+02:002011-05-20T10:44:07.446+02:00

Just in case you didn't know, and assuming you can't read German, anyone can figure this sign out! (I like how someone made it even more clear with their addition to the sign. Click for larger view.)

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-1146587544871962692011-05-20T10:35:00.001+02:002011-12-22T22:39:52.478+01:00

We've all had those moments where you hit "send" before you looked at what you wrote, only to find out that your stupid auto-correct corrected something incorrectly! It can be embarrassing, but usually funny. So my sister sent me this hilarious link to images of people's "failed" text messages (shout out to Damn you Auto Correct, for setting this up! Thank you, thank you.). I had tears in my eyes

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-13093675458284938462011-05-20T09:51:00.001+02:002011-12-22T22:40:08.637+01:00

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-29385824525345583502011-05-20T09:49:00.000+02:002011-05-20T09:49:36.817+02:00

Here's why living here is entertaining, yet convenient. They leave nothing out! It's one stop shopping, even at a vending machine! Right below the Maltesers (malted milk balls) is a box called "maybe baby" which is the pregnancy test. Next to it is a box of condoms (little late for that, don't you think?). Next to it is a package of cigarette lighters (for after you use the condoms). And for you

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-64130603907155614462011-05-20T09:40:00.002+02:002011-05-20T09:40:48.382+02:00

This is Kristine's room. Nothing more to say.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-84056013496171458642011-05-20T09:38:00.001+02:002011-05-25T13:08:39.464+02:00

I forgot to show you this. When we were in Belgium, we went to this restaurant, and everything in there is fried. EVERYTHING! So I took these pictures while I was there. This is the display case, which looks ok, only most of it is breaded. Apparently they are famous for their french fries, and a lot of people go here to buy those (in bulk) so their house doesn't smell like fried food when they

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-48435255379318382032011-05-20T09:30:00.001+02:002011-12-22T22:40:23.129+01:00

Hugh Grant works at Tres Amigos in Winterthur! Check it out!! (I had to take a picture. He was a good sport, as you would expect from Hugh Grant.)

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-44637904202353279802011-05-12T13:15:00.000+02:002011-05-13T22:41:24.523+02:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of watching my girls perform in an all girl cast in ISW's rendition of the Wizard of Oz. Nichole was a munchkin and a tree and played along side of some of her classmates, including Vonja (Dorthy) and Giulia (another munchkin and tree). Kristine was the Lion and she played along side her friend Michelle (Tin Man), Ladina (Gabriela's daughter who played Glenda), Edith

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-70495959872934751292011-05-07T11:29:00.003+02:002011-05-07T11:30:43.940+02:00

So I created a Coloardo Blog today, called "From the Alps to the Rockies." Check it out when you get the chance! Just so you know, this one will remain active until the movers come, June 15th. I'm sure I have some more Switzerland news to tell before we leave, but I wanted to let you know where the new information will be once we're gone! Enjoy!!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-564048830756685892011-05-05T09:07:00.002+02:002011-05-05T09:07:59.658+02:00

My E! Online Royal name is: Marchioness Ruth Arabella Birkeloham of Winterthurshire

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-60804997301354593712011-05-02T22:43:00.001+02:002011-12-22T22:41:11.691+01:00

I have only a few weeks left in Switzerland before we move back to the USA and with the girls having two weeks off of school, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity, so this past week we drove to Belgium via Germany. There are not speed limits in Germany, by the way, so I did get to go a little faster than usual. Of course my car needed a little servicing when I returned, so maybe that

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-88190407713455065542011-04-25T16:22:00.001+02:002011-04-25T16:24:08.252+02:00

It's been a wild few days here in Switzerland. As I told you in an earlier post, Kristine had friends in from all over Europe for a big "going away" party. The girls spent the night on Friday after bowling. They had a great time together. I had to put the picture of Michelle on here. She's such a goof! Here's a shot of a few of the kids from the Saturday night. They apparently had a great time

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-20371518599240562342011-04-21T11:39:00.001+02:002011-04-21T11:40:06.136+02:00

Kristine's good friend Isabella arrived yesterday for 6 fun filled days her in Switzerland. The girls just relaxed last night, I'm sure facebooking the night away. Today they are headed to Zurich to go paddle boating with the rest of the gang, who by the way, also came in from different parts of Europe. Asta (from Denmark) and Nola (from London) and DJ (from India) also came in. There's a big

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-82843709468371429452011-04-16T12:42:00.002+02:002011-04-16T12:42:47.887+02:00

Train ticket — 20 chf Document notarized — 50 chf Postage — 73.50 chf Trip to Zürich to get a POA notarized and mailed urgently to the states, which will still take about 3 days because this is Switzerland and nothing gets done fast NOT SO PRICELESS, PEOPLE ________________________ That's the pessimistic version... here's another. Train ticket — 20 chf Document notarized — 50 chf Postage

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-43897162597546570162011-04-13T17:45:00.001+02:002011-04-16T12:43:57.996+02:00

Ever wonder how big Switzerland is compared to Texas? I have...

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-30689877899668552512011-04-09T16:00:00.000+02:002011-04-09T16:00:25.715+02:00

I volunteered at ISW on Wednesday, as we taught all the students, from early years on up, to make origami cranes. We made well over 1000 paper cranes, or “Senbazuru,” as their called. Senbazuru is a group of one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-9897457129192114982011-04-09T13:39:00.000+02:002011-04-09T13:39:39.489+02:00

Only in Switzerland. You know how in the states you might see a sign in a convenient store that says, "We don't accept bills larger than a $50." Here's Switzerland's limit: And here's a shot out of Kristine's window today. The grass is covered with these little flowers and they are so pretty. Makes you want to go out and plant a bunch of weeds in your yard!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-92023877774327759742011-04-06T19:03:00.000+02:002011-04-06T19:03:10.977+02:00

The upside to living abroad is all the cool places you get to go and the lifestyle you embrace. The downside is your husband is never home (or mine) and so.... for the first time in my 40 some odd years of life, I mowed a lawn (such that it is). I even trimmed with an electric hand held trimmer. I know you're not impressed, but if it helps, it was a push mower and the lawn is not even! Waaahhh...

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-12734299133164530012011-04-02T17:39:00.001+02:002011-04-04T16:19:07.236+02:00

It's unbelievably beautiful here right now. The blossoms are all blooming and the weather is to die for. 23 today (which is about 73). We had dinner at the Brunner's last night and we got to sit outside for a bit before the sun went down. They were both amazed we were doing this on April 1st. I know once we get to Denver we'll have many sunny days and time spent on the deck. Brad's pretty excited

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-46614666937398611592011-03-31T21:07:00.000+02:002011-03-31T21:07:53.550+02:00

I took the first part of a two-part course today on first aid and CPR from Lui Holzleg, is an MD who gives classes for certification in CPR (a requirement for your initial Driver's License here), babysitting, and first aid, as well as other training. Gabriela set this up and I jumped at the chance to do it because I've always wanted to learn about CPR. It was a great class and I intend to share

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-71201921162504128392011-03-31T19:57:00.000+02:002011-03-31T19:57:21.614+02:00

I love living here. I think it is one of the prettiest places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting and experiencing. I've carved out a nitch for myself with our school and the community, and I am comfortable here with many great friends. But.... there are still some things that bug the dickens out of me about this place. The top one being that nothing is free. A waitress will actually stare

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-37340152586251537222011-03-28T11:49:00.001+02:002011-03-28T11:52:04.459+02:00

This was funny....

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-37363360506711169452011-03-26T16:59:00.000+01:002011-03-26T16:59:48.867+01:00

So you know how I have slowed down on my blogs? And you know how I use to tell you week to week what I had been up to? Yeah.... kind of quit, huh? It's because I've been so busy since Christmas, I haven't been able to see straight. It messed up my sleeping, interfered with personal projects, and my running around / doing things has gotten out of control. Part of the reason (aside from the

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-71221286375990721132011-03-26T09:10:00.001+01:002011-03-26T09:10:26.955+01:00

So I went to the Giardina Zürich on Sunday with the girls. We met up with our friends the Teels, in Zurich and later that day they came over for dinner. It was a beautiful day outside, and unbelievably nice inside where they brought the outside in. The displays were spectacular. I only took some pictures with my iPhone, and it didn't do the place justice but it was really a sight to behold. I

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-52310282905837011752011-03-22T18:19:00.000+01:002011-03-22T18:19:34.518+01:00

So it looks we are going to be Colorado home owners by the end of April. We found a home in Golden, Colorado in the Genesee area that we can't live without and were lucky enough to get the owners to accept our offer. I have not seen it yet, so I'll show you the same pictures I made the decision by. Brad went a couple of times and we both felt like it was the best choice of the 4 we were

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-54901966360535148572011-03-15T08:53:00.000+01:002011-03-15T08:53:29.938+01:00

Wow! Buying a house takes a bit of time! We are in the process of trying to find a home in Colorado. As a home owner, you become very attached to your house and the memories you've made, so any offers we make for our new home will be taken personally, good or bad. I remember when we sold our house, we were not in any hurry, so any low ball offers we ignored. We didn't get offended by low offers,

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-6101833847176545852011-03-05T14:23:00.000+01:002011-03-05T14:23:39.257+01:00

We are still doing Neurofeedback twice a week in one hour sessions. In the beginning we could not get two one hour sessions so we settled for a 30 minute one. 30 minutes is not long enough, in my opinion, so we are glad to have had the opportunity to increase it to two 2-hour sessions. One day, the therapist came out to speak to me because she was puzzled with the day's results. She didn't

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-45876880589694242472011-03-02T22:02:00.001+01:002011-03-02T22:03:41.906+01:00

Nichole was sick on Sunday night and Monday with a fever, so I kept her home from school until today. Oddly enough, I recovered from my trip home quickly, so I felt pretty good (lucky for us both). She went back to school today and seems to be on the mend. Yesterday I had a PA meeting in the morning, then in the afternoon I went over to Gabriela's house and we made Apfelmacronen (apple macaroni)

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-27382497451369282032011-03-02T21:47:00.001+01:002011-03-02T21:48:10.998+01:00

So I went to Denver last week to check out schools for the kids. It was a very busy week, hectic, and tiring... and worth every bit of sleep loss! I had a major productive week, meeting people I've never met, running around with a Realtor, visiting 17 schools, and doing some state side shopping for some items I need in Switzerland. I narrowed down our areas to the BVSD school district near

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-18063267308647733562011-02-17T18:56:00.000+01:002011-02-17T18:56:08.993+01:00

Here is my friend Michelle in a video of her working on collaboration with Mike Albrow. I've never met him, but I love this little video. It's hyper fast and shows how they put together a piece of work from start to finish. Pretty cool! M&M Michelle Bird & Mike Albrow collaborate in Heimat Dialogue. from Michelle Bird on Vimeo.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-22097230096532462662011-02-16T16:35:00.000+01:002011-02-16T16:35:51.898+01:00

We went to the Hotel Kulm restaurant this past Sunday with the Teels, which is on Uetliberg, otherwise known as the "Top of Zurich." It is about a 1/2 mile high and overlooks the lake and city of Zurich, and on a clear day, quite a site. Our lunch was very good and I'm glad we went. Even Flat Stanley went with us. On Monday I took the kids to Stein am Rhein, only the city was closed. OK... it

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-72665588619562428222011-02-12T11:44:00.002+01:002011-02-12T11:50:47.797+01:00

We use to bathe Tabby all the time, like monthly, when he was little. We stopped when we moved to Switzerland, but lately he's seemed less soft. It probably has more to do with age, like the rest of us. His fur gets less soft as he gets older just like our skin. Who knows? Never-the-less, much to his dislike, we bathed him in our kitchen sink today (yes, I know, gross...). Tabby is not your

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-23090415178692975212011-02-09T15:40:00.000+01:002011-02-09T15:40:19.732+01:00

Kristine, who is a very good child, has her moments. Last week I told her she had to come home from school to do the recycling with Nichole (she missed it the day before), but she managed to come up with a good excuse not to on this particular day — she wanted to go over to Ladina's house to work on German, and Gabriela was going to help her. OK... I'll bite. By the time Nichole and I got there,

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-67330538028380665362011-02-09T15:28:00.002+01:002011-02-09T15:28:49.883+01:00

I am a blog posting fool today!!!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-15422421066159466272011-02-09T15:27:00.000+01:002011-02-09T15:27:13.742+01:00

Brad is in Houston right now, to return tomorrow morning bright and early. He went on business, but was conveniently there for the Super Bowl, of which he watched at Susan's house! I'm so jealous!! Mark the super bowl as something I will look forward to when we move back. I like watching football! Speaking of which, I've started making a mental list of the things I am looking forward to when

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-36535545664421257212011-02-09T15:18:00.002+01:002011-02-09T19:26:45.138+01:00

ISW Student Council hosted a winter formal dance on January 28th. Both girls went, Kristine in the dress she wore on New Years Eve (the one from the pictures on our New Year's card), and Nichole and I went out and bought her a new one (since she's always wearing Kristine's). They both looked very pretty and two of Kristine's friends spent the night on this night, Michelle and Cassandra. I went to

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-66908799806474153562011-02-09T15:10:00.002+01:002011-03-05T13:28:56.819+01:00

We are still going to Neurofeedback regularly, and believe it or not, we are seeing results! We've had about 12 sessions so far. Are her changes from the Neurofeedback or a coincidence with Nichole's unusual growth spurt and puberty? We don't know, but we'll continue to plug away just the same. So what's happening is better math and science, more independence in all her subjects, and less

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-65669912817040704402011-02-09T15:05:00.000+01:002011-02-09T15:05:17.886+01:00

By the way, before we went out to dinner with our friends, Friday evening Nichole had a slumber party with 3 other kids from her class (all girls — odd I even have to mention that but in Switzerland, boy-girl sleepovers do happen). Anyhoo.... Her friends mostly stayed upstairs, playing Wii, and making music videos on their iPhones/pods, when I suggested that they all four go out to dinner at the

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-32163337622370053662011-02-09T15:00:00.000+01:002011-02-09T15:00:36.531+01:00

So you'll like this.... The family went out to dinner with the old gang from ISW (the eighth grade parents) and a couple of things happened on this eve. First, I bought my ticket to Zurich (after nine, all zone) and we took the train to Adlisvil. We were having dinner at Felsenegg restaurant which is on the Uetliberg, just opposite of a restaurant I've eaten out called the Kulm. You get off in

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-20940233414919888202011-02-09T14:06:00.000+01:002011-02-09T14:06:03.233+01:00

So look! I have a post from a relative I've never met! Turns out there are several Birkelo's in Colorado, so we may actually have enough for a family reunion. I'm really looking forward to meeting them, and first on my  list is Rich's parents, Alden and Delores, who live in Colorado Springs (I should probably let them know I want to come see them when we move there this summer, huh?). Before I

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-84737182539526191032011-02-09T14:02:00.000+01:002011-02-09T14:02:15.465+01:00

I did my last blog post January 18th, and so much has been happening!! I had to research all the schools in and around the Denver area to narrow a list down to a reasonable amount that I could actually visit. This entailed going on to website after website, district to district, and decipher which ones I thought were "top notch" by preliminary test scores. Then I had to email all the schools and

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-947121523198495922011-01-31T18:29:00.000+01:002011-01-31T18:29:07.760+01:00

More coming on this post, but since I've sent my blog to people I've never met, I thought I better have something up that didn't begin with Teenagers are a pain in the butt!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-21951730382678966662011-01-25T20:06:00.000+01:002011-01-25T20:06:25.806+01:00

If it's not "take me somewhere" or "can I have," it's drama at school, problems with homework, or just plain attitude! Someone tell me again why I had children?

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-51500390453595491982011-01-18T16:40:00.000+01:002011-01-18T16:40:26.918+01:00

So sorry for the delay in writing on my blog!! I've been absolutely swamped since returning from Christmas break and haven't had a chance to breath lately, so I apologize for not keeping up! Well the biggest new is that we are moving back to the US this summer. We are very sad to leave Switzerland as we have enjoyed living here very much. I for one, could have used one more year to travel here in

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-1746127012120025742011-01-05T16:16:00.000+01:002011-01-05T16:16:08.778+01:00

It's hard to believe it's 2011. We went to Arosa for a week and got back on Sunday and it seems like all I've done is laundry (too many loads to count), clean the house, and catch up around here! We had an amazing week in Arosa and the weather was just perfect. The Brunner's were still there until today, and they must have made it home and brought the beautiful weather with them, because it's

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-63900612224596936312010-12-26T21:37:00.002+01:002011-01-05T21:28:19.127+01:00

Merry Christmas everyone. Frohe Weihnachten is the German way to say it. It reminds me of "woman wine not." Don't ask, but it's how I remember the saying. Anyway, we are in Arosa enjoying some amazing weather. We arrived today and did a little sledding. Brad and Kristine will ski tomorrow while I take Valentina (Gabriela's daughter) and Nichole out for some more sledding. We are here at the same

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-60338121723193500012010-12-21T18:34:00.001+01:002011-12-22T22:33:59.672+01:00

So I went over to my friend Gabriela's house today to visit for a few minutes and suggested that her daughter make me cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Ladina is much like her mother, one of those freakishly talented little people who can make a lot of things from scratch. Gabriela, by the way, is horrified when I tell her I make something from a mix, so it makes since that I tease Ladina and make

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-24439584886693710742010-12-17T17:04:00.001+01:002010-12-17T17:04:14.837+01:00

When telemarketers call, "I can say, I'm sorry. Do you speak English?" Most of them can't. hee, hee, hee...

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-57463900282888377012010-12-14T07:22:00.001+01:002011-12-22T22:34:15.157+01:00

Here are the other pictures of the snow in Minneapolis. This is Brad's mothers back yard. Once the sun came up, this is what they were left with. Uhg....

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-27373429234159979162010-12-13T08:30:00.000+01:002010-12-13T08:30:08.376+01:00

I posted some more pictures from night photography. I went out on Saturday night with a friend from our photography club and we practiced shooting. I messed up by having my ISO on auto when I thought it was on Low, but they're still ok. You wouldn't want to enlarge them, but they're not bad for a stab in the dark (ha...). I also put up the Denmark pictures which are really dark, but that was the

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-91709758061352522622010-12-13T08:08:00.000+01:002010-12-13T08:08:54.753+01:00

If I were going to open a store up in Switzerland, I believe it would have to be centered around wrapping paper and boxes! Wrapping paper is so ridiculously expensive here and don't even get me started on what gift bags cost. You need to budget in an extra $10 for any gift you buy if you want to wrap it. And boxes??? Not to be found unless they are already pre-made, thick, decorative stuff that

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-46685492365972957282010-12-12T10:31:00.001+01:002011-12-22T22:34:39.606+01:00

For those of you Swiss people who read my blog and live in the city...don't complain about the snow! This picture is the halfway point of a snow storm in Minnesota that my sister-in-law took. That's the back door and how high the snow had gotten so far. There's at least a foot worth on the grass and more to come. They do live in the city!! We don't get this kind of snow in Winterthur, Switzerland

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-85503352014426855272010-12-08T18:41:00.000+01:002010-12-08T18:41:40.460+01:00

Today I went to Malans to visit my newest friend, Lisa. I wasn't expecting to see Glen, but for some reason, Liechtenstein has a holiday today, so he was off work! It was unbelievably beautiful, with temps in the 60s down at her house. I say down, but she's right in the valley of mountains where she lives, just a stone's throw away from Davos. We went shopping, bought a Christmas tree, went out

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-43061508598408215612010-12-08T18:30:00.002+01:002011-03-05T13:26:59.660+01:00

Nichole's first "real" Neurofeedback session was a couple of weeks ago, but they only did a beginning check where they get a baseline reading of her brain activity. The good news is, she has a brain. The next session was the following week, Novembmer 25. This was the infamous turkey ball day, so we didn't see much results, or I was too busy with balls to notice. The following week we had Humbug

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-7288883706782337312010-12-06T19:40:00.000+01:002010-12-06T19:40:51.167+01:00

I took a night photography course last Wednesday and have the pictures posted on Shutterfly for those interested. These are not the greatest shots, but I learned a lot! It was FREEZING and snowing like crazy, so we didn't do much, and I wasn't thinking clearly, but I still enjoyed the experience. Nichole was also in a play this past week called Humbug High where she played the ghost of

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-37471342468591679752010-12-02T22:17:00.001+01:002011-12-22T22:35:17.100+01:00

We spent Thanksgiving at home with our new friends the Teels, who just moved to Switzerland from The Woodlands, Texas. Here's a funny story (well there's a couple). Let's start with my mom. My mom sent me a book of an email telling me all about her wonderful Thanksgiving in Arizona (Hello, Switzerland, remember? They don't care about Thanksgiving, so thanks for rubbing it in.) Anyhoo... she went

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-11277525585301767692010-12-02T21:55:00.001+01:002010-12-03T06:57:39.626+01:00

I've been busy (sorry). Here's the latest. Brad went to the 2010 SEG convention where he received a lifetime achievement award. I made some Warhol prints for Gabriela. We hung our picture over the futon in the playroom that we did with Michelle Bird. Kato thinks she's a lap dog. Brad went hunting in Kansas with Kato for 10 days. And I'll do a separate post on Thanksgiving.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-38304507346646885602010-11-22T18:17:00.000+01:002010-11-22T18:17:55.729+01:00

Kristine and I just got back from a trip to Denmark and we had the most wonderful time visiting with Brigitte and Asta and Klara. Ole was there, too, but we didn't see much of him, although he's always nice to see as well. The weather was like being in Switzerland in the winter, a bit gray and rainy, but that didn't stop us. Actually, I was surprised at how cold it was—considerably colder than in

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-25166307038116759432010-11-18T11:30:00.002+01:002010-11-18T11:30:43.484+01:00

I added some pictures of St. Gallen to the Shutterfly account, if you're interested. Most of them I took using Lisa's camera, but the outside beginning ones are hers. This is a great town if you've never been I could live there! Gabriela and Roman are both from that general area, and Roman works there. :)

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-58055904833350159972010-11-16T08:43:00.000+01:002010-11-16T08:43:46.202+01:00

Today we are getting our first snow of the season. You gotta love this country. It was in the 60s this past weekend, blue skies, walking around without coats... simply stunning. Then today I wake up and it's snowing big flakes and only 32 degrees. I don't think it will last because it's so wet. I think it's only snow because it's early, but it will turn to rain, which is more typical this time of

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-73546060115240316272010-11-16T08:40:00.002+01:002010-11-16T08:46:47.679+01:00

I woke up a tinsy bit late this morning because Kristine went to see Lady Ga Ga last night in Zurich (her first concert) and my sleep was very disrupted. It's a weird sensation sending your kid off to a concert in another city unchaperoned when they're only 15, so I kept looking at the clock. She had a blast though, so I guess I'll have to quit calling the lady "gag gag." Anyway, she said she was

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-92075438457178232462010-11-14T18:41:00.002+01:002011-12-22T22:37:26.799+01:00

This is unheard of, isn't it? It's been so beautiful here lately! Here are some pictures I took when I was out with Susanne when we went to Rote Fabrik. These were taken with my iPhone while walking along the lake. Here's the sunset that same evening. It was truly pink and blue. Again, with my iPhone from my back door. Here's the picture of the Birkelo Masterpiece hung in our game room. And these

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-37049998623484060132010-11-13T10:15:00.000+01:002010-11-13T10:15:57.503+01:00

I woke up to a frisky cat this morning. Cats can be so obnoxious sometimes, especially mine. He bites when he's really frisky, which he did several times to me this morning, all because I dared move. Uhg! But after two really yucky, rainy, windy days, today is spectacular! It is absolutely beautiful outside. I took a quick shower and ran up to the store to get some items for breakfast burritos

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-23744753567556264512010-11-12T07:05:00.000+01:002010-11-12T07:05:49.468+01:00

Again... no editing or comments on the pictures. No time. I had a nice visit with Christian yesterday, so all in all a nice day. The weather changed to the extreme after I got home from Zurich. It got rainy, extremely windy, and cold. Not looking forward to being out at all today, but fortunately, I really don't have to be. One little meeting at the school and that should be about it. Tonight my

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-1603189861961351072010-11-11T16:38:00.000+01:002010-11-11T16:38:38.646+01:00

Today I went to a really neat area in Zurich called Rote Fabrik with my friend Susanne, which is called Red Factory in English. It's an old converted silk factory that is now used as miscellaneous space for artists "We provide artists from abroad with a suitable art studio in an artistic environment, for the duration of 3 to 6 months. This includes support and access to our infrastructure." It

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-39892358176143638792010-11-09T21:24:00.003+01:002010-11-10T09:57:26.883+01:00

Paris is up on the shutterfly account. I know, I know... took me long enough. That's only half! I still have London to go and it took me an entire day, literally, to load up all of Paris. I loaded 643 out of 737 pictures I took, and I've added a new page on the site with my favorites. What took me so long? I kept waiting until a day when I could go through each and every one of them, checking

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-82141900565690012082010-11-09T07:28:00.002+01:002011-03-05T13:25:22.879+01:00

We found a therapist and begin Neurofeedback with Nichole beginning next Thursday the 18th. Here's a funny story that goes along with that. I was given a name by a friend of a therapist and I contacted her via email (that's easiest when you don't know how well their English is because my German sucks). A couple of days later, I got a phone call from someone speaking German and I asked politely (

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-7595624291300550412010-11-09T07:16:00.000+01:002010-11-09T07:16:08.128+01:00

Yes, that's right. The big thing here is co-ed sleep overs. People don't just have birthday parties and only invite one sex or the other for their slumber party, they invite everyone despite the plumbing. And it doesn't have to be a birthday party, it's just a night out! This happened for the first time last year with Kristine's super close 8th grade class. We only had 3 boys in the class and no

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-10681509243193225742010-11-09T07:06:00.001+01:002011-12-22T22:37:44.749+01:00

Yes I know. I'm not making posts or getting my pictures up as fast as I use to. You know it's funny, I quit all these things so I could spend more time doing the things I want to do, and I seem just as busy as ever! What was I thinking?? Anyway, I didn't get to get out and take any "Indian Summer" pictures this year like I hoped, despite the fact that I started a photography club, but I did take

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-17878315565874469162010-10-28T21:23:00.001+02:002011-12-22T22:38:09.618+01:00

So I have tried not to make boring posts where you read about everything we do on a day to day basis in good old Winterthur, but I'm making an exception today. WHAT A DAY!!! Holy Cow!!! I was at the school from 8:30 in the morning until 5:00 at night. (Couple of breaks to pick up supplies.) When we moved here a year ago, I was excited about not having to celebrate stupid holidays (that aren't

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-77336964385090714202010-10-20T17:25:00.003+02:002011-03-05T13:22:08.863+01:00

And the saga continues. In my continued search for the "cure" for learning delays, I've been pointed in yet another direction, only this one seems a bit more promising. Remember my post on Crossinology? Crossinology is a "Brain Integration Technique" that uses acupressure, targeting certain areas on your body in an attempt to cure brain trauma. I did other posts on reflexology and EFT, as well

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-27540341170937824932010-10-18T23:43:00.003+02:002011-12-22T22:38:41.821+01:00

The second part of our trip was to London. But first, a final picture of Notre Dame at night. I was brave this evening (the last one there) and drug my 12 year old along for protection to get this shot. I couldn't muster up the energy to go further into the areas I really wanted to shoot, like the Louvre or Eiffel Tower. Oh well, another day. This place was literally a block away. Great for us

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-86878338518911710362010-10-17T23:32:00.001+02:002010-10-18T08:53:53.398+02:00

So I took the kids to Paris for four nights and then London for four nights, and we just got back today. It was a long trip, but fortunately two different places. I think Paris is beautiful, but smelly, and the people are not overly friendly. I think London is extremely friendly, very crowded with lots of traffic, and some seriously cool places to go wander about, especially for people watching.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-83120091665975818522010-10-05T13:15:00.002+02:002010-10-05T20:18:50.780+02:00

OK... so I get the benefits of social media: instant messaging, skype, msn, yahoo messenger, and the likes. My husband and I consider ourselves "techies" and we have multiple desktops, laptops, and iPhones in the house. We use the computer constantly. It is our television, office, bank, post office, photo album, newspaper, etc. Even our phone is hooked up to the internet. We skype when we travel,

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-73443565669494227112010-10-01T22:53:00.002+02:002010-10-02T10:29:56.672+02:00

So tonight we went over to some friends house (Jannie and Frank) where we had dinner. We arrived and Michelle and Kristine immediately went upstairs undoubtedly to facebook one another back and forth on two computers while they sat in one room. :) They call it high-jacking each other's account, but they really just "chat" back and forth with a lot of nonsense! The parents (Brad, me, Jannie (

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-26093152104202202712010-10-01T09:15:00.001+02:002010-10-01T09:16:59.061+02:00

Hi mrs.Katie  we did not do the buns in burger and i am going to get in trouble now. From the Counselor: Don't worry. Your mom emailed me and xxxxxxxx. You will just have to hand it in a bit late. We will make a plan. From now on we just have to make sure we look at your whole agenda and remember all your assignments. I will talk to you about this soon. She was talking about a Bunsen Burner...

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-45670713932081451272010-09-29T06:38:00.000+02:002010-09-29T06:38:08.203+02:00

I'm uploading a few pictures Brad sent me from Brazil. Some of these are probably with his iPhone and some with the little point and shoot he uses. If you're interested, check them out on Shutterfly. I'll add to this later today when he gets home and I get the rest.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-91282827158532464022010-09-27T21:27:00.003+02:002010-09-27T21:31:29.189+02:00

Well... that's not totally true. I started a camera club this past week, and we had our first meeting on Thursday. I had 4 members show up for the first meeting, and 4 for the afternoon one. Each one covered the same stuff, but I wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to hear the "opening schpill" so-to-speak. It was great, and although I threw a lot of information at them for their first

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-82171052910477864572010-09-23T07:51:00.003+02:002010-09-23T11:42:22.902+02:00

Your probably wondering why I posted the pictures of the boys from ISW playing soccer. Honestly, it's because I just discovered I could do this and I wanted to try it out. This post will probably not remain here, but it's pretty darn cool to be able to do this! Click here to view these pictures larger

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-19203921973594467892010-09-19T15:50:00.005+02:002010-09-19T16:36:31.303+02:00

Family Painting doesn't mean that we had a painting made of the family. What this title is referring to is a family outing we did today where the entire family went to an art studio and created a painting together. I bid on and won a painting session with Michelle Bird (one of the more well known local & international artists located in Winterthur) at the ISW Spring Gala earlier this year. So as

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-92130373611531994342010-09-19T14:45:00.000+02:002010-09-19T14:45:42.187+02:00

I know... this is an earth shattering, interesting post, huh? But it's not always about my readers as much as me remembering certain things, and this is for Brad. So there!

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-84355430602604263752010-09-18T18:16:00.000+02:002010-09-18T18:16:44.687+02:00

So Kristine is headed to a "James Bond" birthday party tonight for one of her best friends. They are all suppose to dress like someone from the Casino Royal movie, which essentially means "dress up." She bought a new skirt and belt, and then borrowed a few of my accessories to complete the outfit, and voila! Here she is... Her friends haven't gotten changed or ready yet, but she went over early

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I stayed home all day Monday waiting for my landlord. Our bathroom ceiling on the 2nd floor (1st European) is leaking, and we're not sure why. But I sent a broken German email to our landlord. Dear Giacomo: Wasser ist in der Master-Bad undicht. Die Decke ist nass. Wir fahren nach Zürich an diesem Abend. Bitte kommen Sie und sehen  Sie, wenn Sie können. Kato and Tabby werden im Keller sein....

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Today we had World Fest at ISW. World Fest is where all the parents of ISW bring a dish from their country. It's like an International Potluck! There's an amazing spread of food at this event from Romanian, Lebanese, and Indian, to American, Costa Rican, and Norwegian, and many others. Very colorful, and very fun to be at, especially if you like food!! We brought Tex-Mex this year, chicken

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-63575692675468590722010-09-13T07:12:00.001+02:002010-09-13T07:13:06.775+02:00

Here you go, mom. This is crazy, isn't it?? This is a car lot where they sell them.

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-40290642215219317362010-09-12T20:02:00.002+02:002010-09-12T20:10:09.957+02:00

So we had some friends from way back in the Bartlesville / Midland days (Phillips) come and visit us. I was surrounded by geophysicists!! Yikes!!! Naaaahhh... it wasn't that bad. I really enjoyed the visit and it was incredibly great to have Lisa and Erec and their two children, Marcus (8) and Bjorn (10), visit! What fun! Turns out they were just recently transferred to Qatar, which is near Saudi

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Isn't this nice? She had to have a picture that she could use for technology where she changed her eye colors, so I took this tonight. She's so pretty! Tabby and Kato couldn't be left out and for grins, here's Nichole... So there you go... all of Brad's children, and two of mine. :)

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-11392194580996232102010-09-04T12:29:00.001+02:002010-09-04T12:30:32.775+02:00

So the girls are back in school and I am hard at it with the Parents' Association and such. For the past week I have been up to my eyeballs in homework and my kids social life. Kristine is go, go, go between after school projects, sports, and her friends. She's managing her time better this year than last, I think because she wants to hang out with her friends and knows I won't let he if

The Birkelo'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09755868774933745776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6401112777085647715.post-41339649762615129752010-08-27T17:16:00.000+02:002010-08-27T17:16:10.251+02:00

Today I rode the train to Langnau-Gattikon, which is on the west side of lake Zürich not far from Adliswil where some friends of mine have kids in ZIS. Turns out her place is right there at the Wildlife Park Zürich, so we went for a walk around the area. I didn't know this place existed!! It's a huge facility with all kinds of animals roaming freely (albeit fenced off for our protection). They

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The girls went to Solothurn Switzerland this week with ISW. It is not too far from Witnerthur, south and west of here. This is one of the French speaking parts of Switzerland, I think, but I'm not sure why they always choose Solothurn as the place to go. The kids are suppose to go to a Baroque Armory while they're there this time, and they do a lot of "team building" exercises that allows the

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This is a pretty cool restaurant by the airport called Runway 34. The girls and I joined the usual gang there last night to bid farewell / Happy Birthday and "Congratulations on finding a home in London" to some great friends. They will be missed (but we already have a trip planned to go visit). Anyway, this restaurant was built around an airplane flown to Zurich from Russia in 2005, a not so

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