Interlaken, Switzerland

Last weekend we made our first trip to Switzerland! Jeff has been eager to ski for quite some time so it seemed logical to go to the Alps over the 4 day weekend. We had planned our trip to Interlaken back in December. Our friend, Hillary, came with us on the trip and it worked out great for a few reasons. She is from Aspen and quite a good skier so it gave Jeff a ski buddy during the day, and she also helped us out so much with the kids. They both loved having her around! It also happened to be our 7th Wedding Anniversary and we were able to have a great night out with some yummy Swiss food. Jeff and Hillary spent all day Saturday on the slopes with gorgeous weather. On Sunday, all of us went on top of the mountain to try out the sledding trails. Soooo cool! I have never seen anything like it and I'm pretty sure it is unique to Switzerland. You actually take the Gondola up to the top of the mountain, rent a swiss sled, and they have marked trails all the way down. I loved it! The sleds even had a child's seat so the kids could be buckled in. Addy rode with Jeff, Luke rode with Hillary, and I enjoyed my own! It was pretty awesome. The downside was that Addy didn't like it so much. She cried ALOT. Part of the problem was the visibility was low because it was snowing so much at the top of the mountain. Luke didn't seem to mind and loved it! He giggled down the hills and was adorable as always. We really had a fantastic weekend and would love to go back. Maybe during the summer next time, I'm sure it's just as beautiful!

Top of the Mountain at Hotel Aspen. A really nice hotel with a delicious restaurant. We enjoyed some yummy raclette and traditional swiss food!

Downtown Interlaken in the main park:

Hillary and the kids in the Gondola. The ride is probably about 30 minutes to the top. It is the tallest mountain in all of Europe!

Pretty much sums up the sledding experience. Luke smiling, Addy pouting.

So much fun he even fell asleep!

Downtown Interlaken:

View from our Apartment balcony:

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a really cute French city that sits right on the German/French Border and is less than a 2 hour drive from us. Jeff happened to have a conference to attend there right after our trip to Switzerland, so the kids and I traveled with him on our way back from Switzerland. We did go to Strasbourg after Christmas to see their fabulous Christmas Market, but this time we really got to explore more of the city. If the French weren't so "French" (let's just say they very much live up to their stereotype), I would probably have even more fantastic things to say about this charming little city. I'll leave that aside ;) The kids and I walked around to many of the neat shops and restaurants, ate some delicious french food, and also enjoyed a really great museum geared toward young children. Our hotel was very centrally located in a great part of the city. So all in all, a great trip!

The City has several small bridges and canals that run through it-- so cute! The most charming part of the City is a neighborhood called La Petite France, which Addy commented that it looked just like the scenes in Beauty and the Beast. Very true!

Courtesy of Addy:

Dinner with daddy after his conference:

The kids science museum. Lots of neat things to crawl around and play with:

New Updates

Just a quick update on what we've been up too this past month. Germany has been freezing! No real complaints except that I wished we had more snow to show for it. We have enjoyed spending lots of time at home. We are happy to report that Luke is officially potty trained! I was really dreading training him, remembering how much I hated potty training Addy. I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty simple. He picked it up right away and has done so well over the past few weeks! Only a few accidents and he seems to do really well even when he's not with mommy and daddy. Addy has enjoyed preparing for Valentine's day and all of the festivities that it entailed. She has especially enjoyed cooking yummy treats with mommy. We haven't traveled anywhere since the beginning of January, but we have a few trips lined up over the next few weeks! We're off to Switzerland this weekend and then we'll head to Strasbourg, France for a few days. Pictures to follow!

Quinoa salad with Mint-lemon Vinaigrette

My every day lunch is pure heaven. Delicious, nutritious, and filling too. Decided to share on the blog because I owe this recipe to so many people! Make it, love it, and thank me later :)

Quinoa salad ingredients:

1 cup dried quinoa

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 small tomatoes or 1 large, chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup feta cheese (or more if you really like it)

1/3 cup chickpeas or garbonzo beans rinsed and drained from their juices

1 cup arugula leaves (optional)

1/2 cup dressing (recipe below)

Mint-lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:

3/4 cup salad oil (I prefer canola to olive oil, but just a personal preference)

4 tablespoons finely chopped mint

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon Vinegar

1 tsp honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Bring broth and quinoa to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes or until broth has dissolved. Remove from heat, place quinoa in a bowl and let cool. Once cool, add remaining ingredients (except arugula). Makes 2 - 4 servings. Garnish with arugula on top.

If you don't love arugula as much as I do, you can leave it off. I love the heat, crunch, and texture it brings to any food really! Here is a photo without the arugula: