Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Lucerne, Switzerland

After a brief (but much needed) travel hiatus, we ventured to Lucerne, Switzerland on Sunday.

I had high hopes for Switzerland, and it did not disappoint!  The scenery was beautiful, the architecture was beautiful, the weather was beautiful...it was all just beautiful!!

After a very early morning start (we left our house at 3:45 am to catch the bus), a little morning sickness for Mommy (NO...not that kind!) and a 3 hour bus ride...we were there!

We got there early, so we had free time to roam around, then a city tour, some more free time, and then a boat ride across Lake Lucerne...have I said how beautiful it was?? : )

All in all, it was a great place, a great day, a great trip!  And this was one trip that all 3 kids enjoyed!

This is what little R did on the bus ride...

This is what Mommy did on the bus ride!

Lucerne is built right along a beautiful lake...the water is clear as can be!

The view these people have is amazing!

This was a little park where we got off the bus.  A very pretty park, but we got there around 8:00 a.m., and this park seemed to be used heavily by the homeless as a place to sleep at night.  So when we first arrived it was a bit uncomfortable, but by mid afternoon, it was all cleaned up and full of people simply enjoying the park.

Not sure what this was, but it was pretty!

T was not so entertained by the little playground!

View of the chapel bridge...it's a pedestrian bridge...very pretty!

Some of the original paintings from when the bridge was built.  A lot of them were completely destroyed when part of the bridge burned.

The churches over here are so elaborate...you almost can't take it all in, there is so much to see!

Pretty chandeliers and paintings on the ceiling of the church.

View from the other end of town, down to the chapel bridge.

Again, the architecture here is just amazing!

Very detailed...and very old!

Pretty!  This scene depicts the wedding where Jesus turned the water into wine.

Another pretty building!

The Alps surrounding the lake were very pretty!  Would love to see them with more snow on them!

R's future car...in his dreams!  You see a lot of very nice, very expensive cars over here!

Postcard perfect!

We added a child to our family!!  Don't have a heart attack Mom, just kidding!  Some friends went on the trip, and this is their little girl...little R is her biggest fan!!

They thought they were big stuff listening to the audio tour on the boat!  When I checked little R's, it was on some other language...so he wasn't understanding a thing they were saying!!  But he thought he was cool nonetheless!!

There were tons of boats out on the lake...lots of people enjoying this beautiful day!

We have decided this will be our vacation home!

Or no, maybe this one!

Nope, THIS is the one!  I would love to come here every year on vacation!!  And there would be room for the entire family!!  That is the one thing missing from all these experiences...we haven't gotten to share them with family!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Creative fun...

It's amazing how the smallest things can bring so much joy!!  On a trip to the PX the other day, we picked up some cheap bubbles and sidewalk chalk. 

The bubbles are long gone!  We spent several afternoons/evenings outside blowing and chasing bubbles.  A and Little R had a ton of fun!

Now we have moved on to the sidewalk chalk.  We had the whole family involved the other evening...each person had their own contribution to the masterpiece!

A & Little R working hard...

Part of the masterpiece...some of A's contributions...and then some of Little R's on the left.

A's completed works...

My contribution...a heart, a flower and some tic-tac-toe!

R's contribution!! : )  And he felt it wouldn't be special without HIM in the picture!

A had to include Harry Potter somehow...

Little R's camel...first time I've ever seen him draw a camel!

And T had to show us all up!!  This was her contribution!  We managed to get her out of her room and out into the fresh air for about 10 minutes...

She came, she left her mark, and then she disappeared again! : )