Christmas in the Alps

I know I still have to post about Paris. I have slacked a little but I will be sure to get to that. However while this is fresh I will start with Christmas in the mountains.
Christmas Eve we arrived in Davos by train just in time for lunch and everything was much different then what I had imagined in my head of course. Davos is a whole little ski town with shops and restaurants and each team had there own hotel. In our hotel we were given two rooms. Myself and the big boys shared a room, which of course resulted in immediate jumping on the bed.
Being Christmas Eve we had a dinner to attend. So we laid low until it was time to get all dressed up and head downstairs to eat. The boys were so excited to play with English speaking kids!! They spent the evening cruising around the hotel with the other kids playing hockey in the halls and in and out of their rooms from floor to floor. Trying to keep track of them was not easy. By the end of the night everyone was melting down. And all of the sudden it hit me and there was a flood of tears. I was lonely and tired and feeling ineffective. I took a hot shower and cried for like an hour on the bathroom floor thinking of everyone at home. Only to come out to a boy who could not fall a sleep. So i was up till 2am and opening Christmas presents by 8am I woke up looking and feeling like death with not an ounce of Christmas spirit. I watched the boys open their gifts and then tired to go back to sleep. With litte success I decided to shake the funk and sleep deprivation and get ready for the day. Now that the internet was working I waited and waited for morning in Buffalo so I could skype my family. Final I was able to talk to my mom for the first time in two weeks, that was all I needed. However not much felt like Christmas in our European hotel even though we were to be dressed and in the lobby for pictures and presents with Santa in a few hours.
Name by name they called the families up and Ami reassured me I would be in their family photo lol. Everyone was given really nice team Canada gear even me. And while we were mingling waiting for dinner to start I scored myself a dinner date. The only single boy on team Canada. Ami more then oked me being off duty for the evening. We had a nice time I was just so thankful for the company. I missed home way more then I excepted!

the Christmas Markets

December 1st begins the locate Christmas markets. They are featured all over the area. We have seen the one in Bern and today in Biel and soon the favored Christmas market in Mulhouse France :)
All through the city streets the sellers set up litte wooden huts. They decorate the outside with pine branches and other festive decor and set up shop on the inside. It kind of reminds me of the Allen town Art Festival, meets NYC street venders, meets Christmas craft show. People sell all sorts of things from yummy food like crepes and hot wine to sausage, dried fruit, teas and chocolate, both to eat or gift. And there are lots of other gifty items evrywhere like blown glass, jewelry and candles, ect. All the streets are lined with Christmas lights and in the center is a fire pits for people to sit, eat and watch. As we walked by this particular intersection I heard a song I recognized besides Mariah Careys christmas.. which I love, they were playing Leeland. There was a group of middle school aged kids preforming a skit. That made me really excited! It was a fun day at the Christmas market. The only downer was that I started a cleanse with Ami today only fruits and veggies so I was dying. I have no self control which is why I am trying to do it and everything smelled and looked delicious. So I will be going back in a few days for sure!

A Night on the town

Last night we went to another hockey game. I love it. We walk to the games and its always a perfect night stroll. We got the boys snacks and watch dada play hockey. Griffin loves to yell, "Go dada GO!!" Its really cute. This particular game we left just before it ended and saw the swat team lining the parking lot ready for the fights to break out. Ami had us rush through the gated area to avoid getting caught in the crowd.
After the game at about 11:00pm we had a birthday party to go to. It was one of the wives birthdays and she invited us to Ballono. Curtis decided not to go so I was Ami's date. Mind you I dont drink, dance or go out.. so I was a little nervous but Ami really doesnt either and I had meet most everyone who would be there so it was not so bad. We got dressed to impress lol and spent most of the night chatting, did a little dancing and I finished my first full drink lol. I had fun watching the people and observing the seen. One of the married men from the team escorted me over to meet one of the younger players who I guess has been asking about me. Hahaha He was a 20 year old Swiss boy. He told me I smelled so good.. "what is that sent all American and Canadian girls smell like that" lol. "Its like something tropical." I told him it was my coconut lime lotion. That made me laugh, apparently we all smell like coconuts haha. I think we got back at like 2:30am. I am pretty tired today.

Thanksgiving week

Before I tell ya about my Thanksgiving Ill catch ya up on the latest. Tuesday Ami, the boys and I went to Geneva which is another big city in Switzerland. I think it might be the second largest. We were just looking to get out and do something. So we threw everyone in the car and drove an hour and a half. It was a beautiful ride and the best part was we escaped the rain in Biel. On the route there were mountains and vineyards. We even saw a rainbow. First thing we did when we got there of course was grab STARBUCKS and then to H&M to get something pretty to wear for the holidays. Isnt it funny how bad you want to go and see new things and you end up going right for the things that are most familiar. Ami actually had to run to H&M half way through the starbucks to get griffin a new pair of pants since he peed through the ones he had on. And so he was in his new batman rain gear with no pants on in starbucks lol. And before we left I managed to dumped my drink all over the floor :) What are you gunna do. The shopping was fun and next we went out to find this carnival we had seen online for the kid however we were sadly informed it closed for the season. The sun was setting so pretty when we decided to find dinner. We ate at a yummy pizza place and then before the trip was over I bought a leather jacket!!! But I think I am going to return it.. I feel to much like a biker chic. So the search continues.
On Wednesday Bern tv had arranged to come interview the Brown family. So we spent the morning cleaning the house till the camera guy came. He filmed them as a family and then asked them questions about the season and about their daughter that passed away. God is using their story to touch so many lives. I am just amazed. To bad we missed it on the air lol.
Thursday Ami decided she was going to buy a turkey but they are hard to come by around here since people dont celebrate Thanksgiving in Switzerland. Even back at home before flying out Ami had me buying her certain spices and things that they dont sell here so she could make Thanksgiving dinner. I was so excited I got to help. I told her sweet potatoes were my favorite so she had me find the recipe and I made them myself. A couple from the team came for dinner as well and being from Switzerland they were so excited to have an American thanksgiving. They said it was just like the movies haha. I had mentioned to Ami I wished I could watch the parade so Curtis was able to get it on his computer that made my day!! It was a lovely Thanksgiving so yummy. I even tried to carry out tradition by watching a Christmas movie after everyone had gone to bed since I missed the Thanksgiving movie tradition but the dvd player wasnt working.
Of course I missed my family and friends but I hope everyone enjoyed the day and I am thankful for you all.

If only in my dreams

"Ill be home for Christmas.. if only in my dreams" :( I am sad to report I will not be home for Christmas or New Years as planned. I have been asked to stay and help. Curtis has been asked to play for team Canada over the holidays and they are hosting all the players at a restore in the Alps for the Spangler cup. I heard its just beautiful there. There is skiing and skating and sledding and Christmas parties with Santa Claus and nice dinners and lots and hockey games and hockey boys!? I guess its suppose to be amazing. It will probably end up being the highlight of my trip. But its so weird to not be home preparing for the holidays. They dont even celebrate Thanksgiving here :(
Christmas and New Years will just not be the same without all my friends and family. I am going to miss everyone coming home. I am honestly a little bummed about that part.. so if you are reading this and that applies to you be sure to send some love my way when it gets close and I will send it right back. I love and miss you all.

Zurich

This morning I got up, got ready, got on the bus, then on the train and headed off to Zurich. I was very nervous about heading out on my own I was delaying walking out the door and Ami knew it. She was like just get out of here already haha.
The ride was not so bad I was on the train about an hour and a half and I just read my book :). Thankfully Ami's friend Natasha agreed to meet me there so I had some company!!
Since I got there before her I just shopped around the train station. There were stores and restaurants, a gym and tanning lol. But what I was really looking for was a bathroom. Finally I asked someone and followed their directions to a separate room that you could only get in with money. One side looked like showers and showed a sign for 2 franks or 2 dollars and the other side for 1. I thought this is crazy I have to pay to go to the bathroom, so I figure it had to be the 1 dollars side. So I put in my money and went threw to find the urinals. Some how I missed one side is for men and the other for women :/ Lucky a worker was standing there and told me to put in another dollar and go to the other side lol. I was like Oh my gosh.. haha with a line of men behind me. It was priceless.
Natasha and I could not have had a better day to walk the city, which I had prayed for.. thank you God. Zurich was beautiful!! It is the largest city in Switzerland. The 3rd wealthiest in Europe and 9th most expensive in the world.
First thing we set out for coffee. Natasha found this cute cafe and we sat and had our coffee and pastries. We talked and people watched. Men were putting up Christmas lights and there were a group of men singing. We think that they were a religious group but of coarse we could not understand them. They started talking to people walking by. This one lady in her 40s looked totally drunk and she was definitely mocking them out. She was laughing and folding her hands in prayer the middle of the street looking up to heaven. Then she got up and stood with them and pretended to talk to the people as well. It was kinda sad to see.
After our coffee we shopped!!! Lots of stores!! It was fun. I actually did not buy a thing but Natasha found everything she was looking for and more. When it started to get dark we grabbed Starbucks!! and head towards the water. The buildings were all lite up on the water like a postcard.. so pretty. We sat down by the swans and just enjoyed the view. While we were talking some man introduced himself and asked us for drinks haha got to love that.
We ended the evening walking up and down the most expensive street in Zurich like the Rodeo Drive of California. We look at diamonds and more things I couldnt afford but it was fun and I manged to get myself home in one piece.. the end.

Another trip downtown

Ami and I have start to get a little routine going. Monday, Tuesday, Friday she goes to the gym in the morning and I get the boys ready and start home school with them. Tuesday, Thursday she takes the boys to the gym and I have the mornings free. This Tuesday I wandered back downtown. Its about a 15 min walk. I love it, everyone is out biking and walking. Its so funny though when I think about it. I have never seen so many old people out and about and neighbors on their daily route to wherever they are headed. It makes you really feel apart of the community but then again not. Even though people trust each other enough to send their kids roaming the streets and walk around the town they do not look at you or say hello. And at home you may trust your neighbor enough to say hello but not to send your child out alone.. so weird. I dont get it.
Anyway it was a beautiful day out. I walked around in and out of shops. I think I found the leather jacket I want!! I sat in a cute little cafe and ordered coffee and a chocolate croissant and read. It was yummy and waitress spoke English. She was so happy to talk to me and she gave me her number. She said she would show me around.. that was so nice. On my walk home I saw the coolest thing ever.. a covered bike. It said energy for the future and it was a low riding bike with a cover over it.. so cool. i totally want one.
Later that evening we went to my second hockey game. This time we had the boys with us. The games was a nail bitter, the fans were crazy. After we got to go in the locker room and watch the interviews while waiting for Curtis. It stunk for sure but fun to watch. Thursday I am going to go to Zurich which is one of the biggest cities I believe... should be fun. I am trying to recruit Ami's friend. We will see how it goes.