September wrap-up

September started out cool and then, of course, got hot again. The pool stayed open a couple weekends after Labor Day and then finally shut down for the season. School was going strong despite several random days off. Volleyball, soccer, and flag football seasons got started and Jane began her trumpet journey.

Chris resting with his buddies:

Last bit of pool time for the season:

Busch Gardens with friends before too much of the Howl-o-scream decorations were put out.

Fun on our neighborhood slide!

Eleanor had fun with friends at a 13th birthday party.

Family dinner at Antelope and Uncle Benny's!

Ben made a jeopardy game:

Time at the park with cousins:

Eleanor caught a butterfly!

Bonfire with color changing flames!

I've been enjoying the marina while it's not too hot:

Eleanor's BG Howl-o-scream night with friends:

And 7-11 with friends:

Rosie came to the neighborhood board meeting with me:

Eleanor with Copper:

Chris went to Tony Shaver's Hall of Fame induction.

I got to catch up with my mother and sister in laws after her long trip out of town:

Jane and Rosie have been two peas in a pod lately.

September was lovely and we are ready for the cooler weather October brings. Happy Fall!

Time with Grandma and Gaby!

While Chris and I were gone on our trip, Grandma and Gaby held down the fort here with the kids. THANK YOU to both of them!! There were ice cream trips:

There was a trip to Busch Gardens:

The kids got to go to Surge!

There were picnics and time by the river:

Dinner and spaetzle making:

And yard work!

We even came home to a birthday cake for me! I was out of town for my birthday so was super happy to have a birthday cake when I came back! 

The kids had such a great time while we were gone all thank to Gaby and Grandma. We cannot thank you enough for all your help so we could get away! You guys are the best!

Bern and Zurich

Our last day was spent travelling to Bern, exploring the town, and then Zurich to spend the night prior to departing the next morning. But first Bern! We got their early and walked around exploring the town.

We found the Bern Muenster, which was beautiful.

And also the Bern Rathaus - which we saw later the big area in front of the building is actually a splash pad!

We watched the Berner Glockenspiel, which honestly wasn't overly exciting...

My favorite part, though, about Bern, was the bears! Bern has had bears living in the center of their city since 1513. We went to the Baerengraben (bear pit) and saw all three - Bjoerk, Finn, and Ursina (mom, dad, and child). 

 

We had a lovely lunch at Cafe Della Casa Brasserie.

We stopped to enjoy the Aare, and watch some locals float down!

Then we headed off to Zurich! We found the Grossmuenster and decided to head up the Karlsturm to get a beautiful view of the city. It was only 187 steps, so a much shorter journey than the dome in St. Peter's last year.

Zurich had some lovely fountains!

We wandered around town for awhile...

And we explored and did a bit of shopping!

We also continued our ongoing Euchre tournament. The boys took Zurich, Interlaken (and Naples last year), and the girls took Lucerne. Overall the girls are ahead in games, though.

That evening, we went out to dinner with a friend of Alex's at Restaurant zum Buergli. They had bottomless pommes, which was amazing.

The next morning we said goodbye to our lovely Hotel Stoller (note the tiny turtle on the window Jane gave me before our trip), and I had my last bretzel of the trip. The flight home was thankfully quite uneventful.

We even saw the Eiffel Tower on the flight (had a layover in Paris) and Cape Cod coming into the US.

We also ran into some W&M friends in the D.C. airport in customs!

It was such a great trip! But so nice to be home!

Scenes from Bern and Zurich: