Happy 2008! From Zürich

I threw on some sparkles and then we got bundled up and headed to downtown Zürich...

and battled the crowds to celebrate the New Year!

At midnight there was a fantastic fireworks display. Fireworks is one of my favorite parts of life

I loved our view through the silhouette of the tree.

Here's the grand finale of the show across the lake from us.

Christmas '07

Jared and I headed back to the U.S. for Christmas. First stop New Jersey...to see my nephews! Even though everyone was sick they were cheery and fun to play with.

Hudson was climbing everything everywhere!

On Saturday I needed to get some things at the mall so Jared and I loaded up the kids and hopped in my sister's mini van. As we were driving Jared said, "this is foreshadowing for the future isn't it." He (Jared) took a 2 hour nap when we returned.

The boys were actually really good at The Gap as Jared searched for a present for his brother. Johnny asked me with a concerned look on his face after seeing Jared's concentration on picking out the perfect outfit, "Is Jared ok? Is Jared doing all right?"

Favorite quote from Johnny, "I'm not too happy about his pull-up situation." After my sister made him wear pull-ups one night as a punishment because he wouldn't poop in the toilet that day.
Here he is hammering the candy canes along with Hudson for the gingerbread house.

Favorite Hudson quote.

"Ala, are you happy? I'm happy." Hudson and Johnny call me Al-a.

Johnny had fun piling all of the candy into the doorway so the people couldn't get out.

It was fun to see snow in the backyard.

We all made a snowman. Hudson was very proud.

Then we pulled the boys around on the sled. Jared took over when I got tired.

When Hudson wouldn't want to do something he'd say, "I don't think so." Here he is playing the piano with Jared. He LOVED Jared, often asking, "Where's Jarwed, or I want Jarwed to do it."

Next stop South Carolina

My first Christmas with the Jacobs was grand.
It all started out with a nativity scene. Then it progressed to silly string, presents, games, ice skating, eating, jumping, eating, some sleeping, running around, movies and joy!















Presents and silly string.

Oa on her Giraffe!

Eating...whether we're happy about it or not.










































Snuggling!























Video Game playing

Frozen

This is the fountain at the main train station near our house. Completely frozen. I just checked the temperature outside at 9am. It's 23° F. And this is after Jared has already gone out for his morning run. Yup, that's cold. How are all you guys in California feeling?

Got Cooties!

Something good

I got this idea last night and I scanning my friend's latest Cook's Illustrated issue. Puffed patsry treats. Well, I had some puffed pastry at home and sun-dried tomatoes from the market last week. One has sun-dried tomatoes, goats cheese and chives in it. The other kind I put basil and some kind of soft cheese that I had in my fridge. It was like a triple cream brie. Very good.


I made little pockets, (Jared called them hot pockets.) I can assure you that mine were better than ones from the vending machine in college, which I'm sad to say I ate when there was nothing else in the middle of the night to snack on while I was up studying.

They turned out nice and golden and so good. Well, I guess you can't go wrong with puffed pastry. I actually really like h'orderves and finger foods. I could live on them. Take me to a party with finger foods and I'm in heaven.

This thing is a hoax

I tried this the other day and was just postgrad, now I'm a genius. It's random.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Today is my mother's birthday.

She raised 4 independent thinkers (all are college grads)
2 boys
2 girls (both married)
2 grandsons
1 on the way, j/k

She is stylish, creative, an incredible cook, amazing artist, fun, wise, intelligent, obsessed getting the daily NY Times read, loves art, life, keeps up on the latest stocks, alway wears cool shoes, is a fast reader, taught me how to drive a stick shift, gives me lots of moral support in life, makes me laugh when I'm sad and has endured the loss of a husband. She gets along with all ages, never judges, and always defends the absent. She always knows how to find a a good deal whether it be on shoes or groceries. She likes Björk and can survive in any city in the world on nothing. My mother always looks on the bright side of life, making any personal disaster seem like loads of fun:)

FHE and tattoos

Last night for our FHE activity, Jared and I did tongue "tattoos". They lasted until we swallowed. Mine was a lizard and Jared's was a scorpion in case you couldn't tell.

My new rain coat

Last week it was raining tons and since I walk everywhere I wanted a long raincoat to protect me from the weather. I got this really cool one that makes me feel mysterious as I wonder the streets looking for molasses and brussel sprouts. It was a steal at 30 CHF (26 USD) from H&M, just about the only affordable store here.

My Blog's reading level

6 mos.

Six months ago today Jared and I were married on the 1 yr. anniversary of my Father's death. We are now living in Switzerland a country that my Father had always wanted to visit but never made it. I think about him everyday knowing that he would be so happy for me. We the day celebrated by being lazy:) I made a fun dinner with yummy rolls, and then we snuggled. Jared mentioned last night that it's been, "the best 6 months of my life." I agree. We sure have had a lot of fun. We are super spoiled to be able spend an extended honeymoon in Europe.

This marriage stuff sure is fun. I highly recommend it. You get a whole new family with more nieces and nephews and super fun sister-in-laws. You always have a buddy to go to parties with and get stranded in airports. And when it's freezing outside while you're waiting for the tram or bus there's someone there to hold your hand and keep you warm! Also, it's always funny when your spouse rolls over in the middle of the night and says, "hello." I call it our midnight rendezvous.

I do miss my mother...


and my nephews...I call them each a million times a day.

Christmas in Schweiz

Last night Jared and I trekked out to the woods for our first ward Christmas party after being married. It was AWESOME! We had to take an hour train ride and then the bishop picked us up at the station to take us out to a cabin. We sang carols in German. They have some beautiful ones that we don't have in America.

My highlights, two little Swiss boys who came up to me while I was doing dishes in the kitchen and just stared and smiled up at me. Then they started following me around. They just looked up at me and stared. So I made their noses beep and their tummies honk and that produced smiles and giggles. They were so cute. Another was the children singing and doing a nativity scene. I loved the little "baaaahs" from the sheep and the donkeys. Just priceless.

Here's a tree with candles on them. That wouldn't fly in California.


The cutest thing every:)

A week in baking

It started off with Apple Pie on Sunday. I wasn't too wild about the inside. I'm going to do something different next time. It was a deeeeeeep dish pie.

Then my friend Tanya (my lifesaver here) made some sourdough starter and shared it with me and I got 2 loaves out of it. Poor Jared came home one evening after working out and then climbing the stairs to a hot apartment and me exclaiming, "Don't open any windows...I'm rising bread."

This was the best part. It was our 6 month anniversary so I made Grandma's yummy rolls. Oh, they were perfect. Jared's reaction when he bit into one was priceless..."YUM!"

This one's for Danny

My cousin's husband Danny inspired us by his running activities and so this morning we got up (Jared at 7:30 and I at 9:45) and went to do our own 5k. Jared threw on his running clothes and I opted to run in my pajamas...and Google bicycle jersey:)

Buttons

About a year ago I got really into buttons. So I started sewing them on my clothes. I started off with this hat.

I saw a skit at Anthropologie with these big metal buttons on it. Well, it was ridiculously overpriced and I figured I could just do something similar to my own skirt. So I did.

I added a star, because I love stars. I picked it up at Liberty's last year in London.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUDSON!!!!

Johnny was my first nephew to arrive in my life. I remember spending everyday after work with him while my sister taught piano lessons. He was the first joy.

Then came Hudson:)

He turns 2 today! I remember racing out to NYC two years ago when he was born, to hang out with Johnny his older brother and keep things running until my mother took over. Every teacher break I spent in NYC not wanting to miss their aging. I miss visiting them every other month. Before Jared they were the center of my world:)

Johnny on his recent 4th birthday

My first meeting with Hudson 2 yrs ago, recovering from a red-eye.

He was so calm then. That didn't last long.

He was turned into quite the character these days. I wait anxiously each day as the hours pass here in Zürich so I can call them. I used to call them on my way to work when we were in California. Speaking with Hudson each day is always a crack up.

This kid has been smiling since the week he was born.

I clearly was never a cheerleader.

2 Santas

A the Christmas market in Zürich!


On a bike in Zollikofen. Do you think he's real?

Il Trovatore vs. The Golden Compass

Last week Jared and I were out almost every night only to plop down on the couch Friday evening in exhaustion from the week. We went to go see Il Trovatore at the Zürich Opera house Wednesday evening. I had wanted to see the opera ever since they featured music from it in, A Night at the Opera my favorite Marx Brothers movie that I used to watch when I was younger.

Except in the Zürich version there was lots of leather and even really buffed shirtless men fighting, which is always exciting;) The gypsy had bright red hair.

Then Thursday night Google rented out the theater for us to see The Golden Compass. I thought it was wonderful. Not too long, as fantasy movies tend to be. Despite the controversy, (you're only drawing more attention to the movie by speaking out against it,) we saw it anyway, which I would do with anything. Anyhow, there were not "religious under tones"...at least any that your young children would notice. Who cares if the author of the books is an atheist. C.S. Lewis was a Christian and I'm sure plenty of atheist parents took their children to see the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Those of you who won't take your children to go see this movie get over it and stop sheltering your child from the world so much. Disney movies are even worse with their propaganda for bare midriffs, large breasted weak "heroins" always needing to be rescued by some tight pants wearing or loin clothed unrealistically muscular male (unless you're my Jared. He has the perfect amount of muscles:) Also, not to mention how every step-mother is wicked which they're not in real life. Yes, I wanted to be a princess one day, then I realized it would be boring and hard work and I'd be confined to a castle...then I wanted to be a firefighter.

Comparison of the two..........really long intermissions in the middle of each show.

Nativity Scene Complete

Jared finished arranging the Nativity scene. He was persistent even after several domino crashes. Notice how fluffy looking the sheep are.

First Ride in Switzerland

Well, at least for me. Jared already went on one last week. We started off when a power "blunch" (as my nephew would say) of French toast:)

After some minor adjustments of our bikes (which didn't arrive in perfect condition) we walked down the many flights of stairs to find that it started to rain. "Don't worry, it will stop and be sunny," sited Mr. Optimistic Jared. Well, he was right, like he often is.

Just up the hill are beautiful rolling hill, scattered with random handfuls of houses. We were in heavy despite being frozen.

I just love the colors. We are so lucky to live here. Jared pointed out how green it is here in the winter.

Here's a REALLY steep hill that Jared tried to ride up, now if he couldn't do it do you think I could? No, it was hard enough even walking up it because it was so steep.

A tiny little neighborhood? Village? Family compound?

From Pumpkin to Ginger

I made gingerbread cookies. They were ok, too much molasses in this recipe. Gonna try a different one next week.

Want to know something funny? Jared and I went to the Christmas market in Zürich to find an authentic Swiss creche. Well we ended up getting one from Peru.

Jared and I started out own tradition of making a nativity scene out of gingerbread.

Jared got really into it and spent a lot of time on each cookie.

He even went as far as using my tweezers to add the sprinkles to baby Jesus.

Here's a preview: One of Jared's cows. Notice the utters!

In the spirit of Christmas

I haven't really been into decorating for the Holidays since I was little. It's just such a hassle. Getting all the decorations out and unwrapping the ornaments from the tissue paper and then hanging them up. Then the clean up after. The day after Christmas was BOOM!!!! NO MORE CHRISTMAS!!! Take everything down. You have to search the dried out tree for all of the ornaments and just hope that none were thrown out with the tree. Then carefully wrap and box them and try to puzzle the boxes into that corner closet upstairs and slam the door shut before they fall down on you.

However, we live in a big city (well relatively) and there's Christmas everywhere and I am getting into the spirit of things. As I started my Christmas shopping I eyed some fun ornaments to start our collection.

I really love this fat ballerina.

On Saturday Jared and I braved the crowds and rain to get some Christmas shopping done. As we were picking up something at the grocery store Jared noticed this giant loaf of Challah Bread. I thought it was traditionally an easter specific bread but apparently it's around on Jewish holidays.

People stand around to listen to these "bells" play, and the little people come out. Jared noticed, "I keep watching the bells very carefully but they're not moving."

There's a Christmas market in Railcity (the main train station) that we went to. Here's a giant Swarovski crystal tree. My wedding tiara is made out of this crystal. We got some really good crépes at the market also.

Zürich really knows how to light up.

Here I am again with silhouettes.

Getting closer

I dyed my hair again to get it not to be so blonde. I think it's washing out even though it's not suppose to, and lightening up again. I think it looks better in this photo. I'm not glowing anymore. I hope it doesn't get any lighter. AAAAHHHH!!!