Christmas In Switzy

More of our Christmas, here.

The little things help

I am realll happy about two {random and happen to be food products} things right now. One is that you can buy hard boiled eggs at the grocery store here which is great because I just really had been putting off making them myself. Two that because my sister Natalie, bless her, sent packets of Ranch seasoning we were able to eat taco salad one of my favorite meals. Also, eat veggies and other salads with Ranch...which I had been missing. Now, if only I could make Catalina dressing out of a packet.

Sure happy about this.

Ps. I only have one more {Hidden Valley} packet and will be needing more...so...

Let's Catch You Up...

Back in November we went to Jachen's work Christmas dinner. It was at a restaurant in a nearby town to where Jachen works. Jachen heard it would be a real great dinner so we decided to go. Well, dinner turned out to be Fondue Chinoise. Which is meat fondue. You stick think slices of meat into hot hot broth and you talk while waiting for it to cook and then eat. I did NOT like it. As you can see on my plate, I ate little meat. I think after those three pieces I managed to swallow 3 more tiny pieces. I already don't really like the flavor of meat here and in the States we don't really eat warm thin sliced meat. So not only is the flavor of meat not my favorite, but the texture is too different for me. Luckily, there were fries. Another part of the meal is lots of different sauces. I put some on my plate, and I ended up not liking any of them. {I am also kinda a picky eater} The bad flavor of meat mixed with bad sauce, yuck. Jachen didn't eat much of it either, it's not his favorite meal. The Swiss, besides Jachen, ate a ton of meat. Dinner took a couple HOURS to finish, people finally stopped eating! Then came dessert forever later and then it turned out to be a bust too. The only thing I liked was the cinnamon ice cream and spiced pears. The spaghetti noodle looking dessert is called Vermicelles which is made of Chestnut cream and it was not tasty and a weird grainy texture. We were just expecting an amazing meal, that is why we went...ha...so we were a bit bummed and then the whole dinner seemed to drag on and on. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of Swiss food so I probably wouldn't have liked much of anything they feed us.

In other news....we sold the bunk bed in the "guest" room! There Jachen is taking it apart so the family who bought it can take it home with them. Since we are moving we will not be needing that. Really and obviously we haven't used it at all anyway. We sold it on a website called Ricardo that is like unto Craigslist. We keep trying to sell that ugly green couch, but like us no one else wants it. So we will end up having to pay to have it taken away. Turns out, you can pay a sum of money to the nearby{down the mountain} second hand store and they will come pick up furniture you don't want and we have a few pieces to give them.

Also, we/Jachen borrowed his grandmothers work out bike while she has been gone on a cruise. I would love to use it, but we can't get the seat to lower and I can barely reach to do a full circle. Bummer. His grandma said we could have the bike, but we won't have room in the new apartment. I have always wanted to own a work out machine that I could place in front of a TV. ha. Ideal.

Doesn't Jachen look pretty dapper in those big frames glasses? He likes them too. Bonus. He is considering a pair like these in the future.

Lots of baby time. I get videos after videos of Henry and sometimes mr. Xander even makes an appearance in them. Those boys are a hoot! Too bad Skype is so grainy.

Snow. It came and almost went. Tuesday was nice and snowy all day, then it was practically gone yesterday, Wednesday and today even more so. But, it will come again. It didn't snow where Jachen works, down there on a lower elevation. They typically get less snow so I look forward to that when we move...down to that lower elevation.

Our poor framed picture of Christ slid right off that fireplace and shattered. So sad, it was so lovely framed. I should have secured it better...it was just leaning against the wall. Yes, this is note worthy.

Switzy actually has a great looking Christmas. Inside shop windows is Christmas. Lovely Christmas lights line Swiss architecture and street overheads. In almost every city, town or village there is a Christmas market. It is great. Soon we will be attending our village's Advent nights. Every night the village meets and then walk to a home who opens their window to a Christmas window display. Sounds neat. Soon I will post what our own Christmas looks like.

I am happy to be back to updating!
Ps. If you don't read my All Things Lovely blog you missed that I was without my computer for over 2 weeks do to a malfunctioning charger. But I am back!

Eventful weekend

Our weekend was great. Thanks to my ipod for helping preserve the memory.

We drooled over chocolate as our noses pressed against the windows

We ate a delicious meat/pork, lettuce and yummy spicy sauce sandwhich

We also ate mac&cheese the Swiss version, yum

We happened upon the first day of Christmas decorations on sale at the nearby thrift store, yess. We loaded up a box of some good decorations

We went to a candy store and picked up some American candy and soda, ROOT BEER!

I bought some colored tape for hanging art on the wall

Isn't that a cute heart deer wall hanging? It's perfect

More lovely fires, toasty

Like my new wreath made of twigs? Perfection. Great for Fall and Christmas decor

Ate Spaghetti dinner every night, yum

Braided three scarves together, but then opted out of wearing it to Stake Conference & look at that yellow skin I got in that picture 

Sunday evening we went to a concert at a local church. There were three performances/groups. The first was a brass band made of kids, a Yodeling group from the area and then a bigger brass band of adults. It was a great evening and we enjoyed the performances. I especially enjoyed Swiss Yodeling. Jachen didn't, he had heard far too much Yodeling in his lifetime. Sorry the photos are so bad of the concert they had some major spotlights going on on the stage.

A Raclette lunch

Last Sunday we ate lunch next door at the Grosseltern{Grandparents} and they prepared Raclette for us. Raclette is a Swiss meal that is a very social meal that can last for hours. Raclette is the name of a certain cheese used to eat for this meal. While you wait for your cheese to melt, you talk hence the social part. I didn't take a picture of it, but you put a piece of Raclette cheese on the mini pan that you put on the bottom row{under the skillet/grill that the bacon is on} then you wait for it to melt and then either just eat the melted cheese alone or you pour it on top of mini potatoes. Either way you remove the melted cheese onto your plate and then put a new piece of cheese on the pan. You can also put some garlic powder, paprika powder or some herbs specific for this dish on top of the cheese before melting it. I like putting garlic powder on. Yum. The meal is also eaten with mini pickles, baby corn and they eat those baby onion things with them too. Don't know the name, I don't eat those. It is a simple meal, but fun and delicious. You fill up your belly fast though. I had this dish last October for the first time when I was visiting and we had it for Jachen's grandfathers birthday celebration. The whole family sat around the table and we had two Raclette dishes going, those Swiss love their cheese.

We own a Raclette grill so if you come visit us in Switzy then we will have Raclette!

Don't Sign Me Up

What the?

You can sleep/drink/sit/be nakey in HAY???

You can apparently hangout like animals at that resort. Weird.

Pricey Paint

Ouch. 

Luckily there is the 3,90 version, but still that is a 

lot for a little thing of paint. 

Now, I have a bigger variety of colors to choose

from. I just have to save money now.