first day of school

first day of school was Monday.

It's really Kindergarten, and Theo and Henry are in the same class. Felix didn't want to leave, but he said his goodbyes and gave his brothers hugs and kisses. These past few days it's been really fun for both parents to get some one-on-one time with the littlest one.

The kids got served chicken the very first day (we are vegetarian - they have never eaten meat before!) so we decided to take them out of the food portion of school, and now they get to school at 7am and leave at 1pm and we go have dinner at home as a family. It's nice that we can have our dinner together.

In Austria, dinner is the main meal of the day, where you eat a soup, a salad, and typically meat and potatos. The evening meal is usually a slice of bread with butter, or something along those lines.

We are still learning to adjust our sleep schedule so the kids can get up at the right time. Benjamin Franklin would be proud.

A Perfect Rainy Saturday

A Perfect Rainy Saturday
without pictures.

:)

We slept a little later than usual, since the outside was dark and then started our day like every other - with oatmeal and fruit and coffee for those who choose.

Brian chose to go for a long run. A very long run. About 20km.

The kids did their "school work" which is really just Mommy and one of them at a time copying a sentence or two from a favorite book. And then they practiced - oh my heart. Duets with my children. <3 p="">
We have been living with no doorbell since we arrived here in July, so we finally installed one. The kids came out and held an umbrella "over me" while i drilled pilot holes and installed the button.

We painted train cars. Henry received some natural unpainted ones for his birthday (umm... months ago!) and we finally found the right kind of paint to use on them. Theodore has a normal train set already painted etc, but decided to improve some of the train cars with new headlights and windshields.

Lunch was fresh butternut squash soup that Auntie Centa made. With fresh chives from the market. We waited to eat until Brian got back, and when he did, he rang the NEW doorbell! It works!

Then we looked up the main event for the day. The main square in our town had a YOGA PICNIC (isn't that an amazing idea?) planned, and it was definitely rained out. Luckily they had a contingency plan - in a big sports stadium near a palace (Schloss Eggenberg - look it up!) And there, the kids got out some energy running around the gym and Mama and Papa tried to get in some relaxation.

The yoga instructor was the happiest lady I have ever met - and I always am attracted to the happy ones, so I have met a lot of happy people. She was in love with life, and it was infectious. She did not show what to do. She just narrated what really ended up being our thoughts, since we were focused on only two things her voice and our own bodies. {Well. And 3 other bodies, running around and yelling and laughing.}

Ooooooooooone and a haaaaalf hours of stretching and meditation later...... A picnic - in true yoga style all fresh fruits and salads and tea and kombucha, all of which was served out of baskets. Aaaaaaah. I want to do this every day. It was an awesome picnic even in a fluorescent-lit gym.

We separated on our way home. The older boys to buy milk (So important, since there is nothing open on Sunday) and Irma and Felix to get home before Felix tried to fall asleep. He had skipped his nap, so I was trying to get him through to bed time.  Kids into pajamas and bedtime with Brian.
Irma into fancy concert clothes to go BACK to Schloss Eggenberg for an astounding concert that left Irma on the edge of her seat. They played a Ravel Sonata that literally inspired poetry. ;) And the Franck piano quintet that raised and lowered my pulse.

Back home by 10:30 - a little bit of walking in the rain. Switched out of the fancy shoes to my 5 year old unclaimed crocks with my pants stuffed into my socks and no umbrella or jacket in true Irma preparedness style. Crashed into bed and phew.

A perfect rainy Saturday. 

Some hiking stories

We've been hiking a lot recently. There are some great and wonderful hikes about a 10 minute bus ride from a bus stop that's about a 1 minute walk from our door. Like little mountains! Not the Alps, but not bad for living in the city. The end of the line is called Gösting, and the stop even has a playground, and an apple tree and a cafe so you can start your hike of choice in style.

After a few hikes, we bought lederhosen for Henry, because the other two boys had them. The German word for hiking is "wandern" (think "wandering") and the German word for pants is "hosen" (thus the lederhosen) and Felix calls his hiking pants, "van van hos hos" so now that's our new word for them.

Felix's belonged to my brother when he was a baby, a gift from an Austrian relative, and they were worn for some pictures. Now they are getting some serious use! Theo's belonged to my dear friend Amy, when she was a girl and hiked several huge mountains in the Whites as a little girl. Henry's have the boring story - we bought them at a flea market (more on that another day).

Here are some pictures from the various hikes we've done... non chronological, completely unedited, and unresized because..... I just haven't had any computer time of any kind lately.

Felix hardly hiking :)

strange flowers

more strange flowers.

anyone know what they are??

The awesome hiking map at the bus stop.

strange berries. I did not try them.

Theo's picture of us at the ruins.

The three kids at the Ruins. 

The mountain in the background is the Plabutsch, which we climbed another weekend.

We collected apples. When the bus stopped short there were apples.. all over 2 lengths of bus. Brian heroically rescued them all..... so that they could be .......

chopped up for apple sauce.

Without blackberries, we may never have made it to the top. Look Felix - 10 more steps and then there are more blackberries.

Theodore is quite an independent hiker.

At the top - a terrific view and a terrific playground and amazing coffee. In ceramic espresso cups served on a stainless steel platter with water and a cookie. They know how to do coffee!

Felix showing off that he can stand on one foot. 

The view from the tower near Seckau. An hour car ride away.

Henry on the tower guarding our lunch. The structure has over 200 stairs.

Us at the top of the Tremmelberg.