Miscellany.

Last weekend we went out in the beautiful weather to try to find a geocache (the very first time we’ve done it in Switzerland).  We couldn’t even figure out the first clue.  Not a very auspicious beginning for our Swiss geocaching ventures.  But it’s okay.  (To make geocaching even more challenging, try adding a different language into the mix.  Although we brought a dictionary, we still couldn’t figure out what we were looking for. )  But we had a nice walk and saw this weird place where they train firefighters.  And I took some cute pictures of Ethne.  (And that’s what’s really important, right?)  I think she looks like some kind of chocolate-raspberry confection.




This is a stick-girl that Hazel made.  I thought it was so funny and clever.  You can’t tell how big it is from this picture, but it’s about life-sized.

The girls being twinners one day.

Talmage came in crying and had to have Daddy hug him all better.
 
Speaking of Talmage, he has a couple new words.  ‘He’ means here, and ‘tay’ means okay.  So, he has a total of 8 words now (Momma, Daddy, mo (more), no, pease (please), babby (baby),).  And various animal and vehicle sounds and snoring.  So, there is progress.  It is slow, but it’s progress.  (Plus he communicates whatever he needs to—the other day I was trying to undo the ties of his bib after he had pulled them into a knot, and he looked at me and snapped his teeth together and made sounds, indicating that I needed to use my teeth to get it undone.  It was so funny.)
Me, crocheting a little something whilst holding a little something.  Oh, his face is so sweet!!!


These are the flowers Brett bought me for Valentine’s Day.  I may or may not have pretty much told him to buy them (but not for me.  I told him it would be sooo sweet if he got a rose for the girls.  Instead he got some for me and shared a rose for each of them.)  And he made a delicious dinner of chicken pot pie and lit candles and it was very nice.



I always wonder why people say that they don’t like Valentine’s Day because you shouldn’t have to have just one day set aside to show/tell someone they love them, basically that they shouldn’t be “told” to express love on one particular day because they should be doing it often and whenever it pleases them.  I, however, am of the opinion that it’s all well and good to do nice things and express love for your dear ones at any time, but why not have day where you’re kindof supposed to?  Because (and perhaps this is the crux of the matter), there are a LOT of people who actually don’t do it any other day, so they might as well do it on Feb. 14 because they’re reminded to, and if you already do it other days, great—what’s to keep you from also doing it on Valentine’s Day?
And why, even if certain men don’t like giving flowers, can’t they understand that they’re not buying them because they like them, but because the recipient will like them?  (But this wouldn’t have anything to do me because obviously I got flowers.  Good job, Brett.  Making strides.)  ;)
This is gnome-boy Orrin in an adorable hat made by my talented cousin-in-law, Kristi.  Check her out.  I’m going to try for another picture with it, but I thought his expression here was so funny.


  
I also got a Bumbo seat with a tray for 5 franks.  Yeah- five franks. Not that Bumbos are necessities or anything, but for five franks I figured why not.  And I bought a hat for Brett that was too big, so I’ll have to take it back, and a cute little book in German that I think is the story of the man who was going to have Christ over to his house for dinner, but as he’s waiting he keeps giving his food and gifts away to people in need, and then he’s really sad when Christ comes and he apologizes, but of course Christ tells him that he already gave him the food and gifts.  So, yeah, I’ll have to have Brett read it to make sure it actually is that one, but I’m fairly certain.  And the pictures are really soft and sweet.   See?

Also, today I crocheted myself a headband thingee.  It’s super cute and SUPER easy (pattern here—anyone who can do a chain can do it), but it was really difficult trying to take a picture of it that showed it well.  So here’s the picture from the girl who wrote the pattern:
 
Obviously, I just did two strands instead of three.  And in grey instead of purple.  :)  I think it’s a fun little headband and it made me feel happy all day.
 
    I started having too much fun taking pictures in the bathroom.
 
WAY too much fun.
 
With that, good night.