Ecole Maternelle- woo hoo!

Etienne had his first day of "ecole maternelle" on Friday. He goes 4 days a week m/tu/th/f from 8:30-11:30 then a 2 hour break to come home for lunch (I need to adjust to this!) and then goes back from 1:30-4:30. At the risk of repeating myself the greatest part is....it's FREE preschool for 3 year-olds. His teacher is young and pretty. Her name is Stephanie. Etienne makes the 29th student in the class, so Stephanie and her assistant Veronique have their hands full I'm sure. He was so excited about all of the trucks and cars in the classroom and the scooters and bikes to use on the playground. He was very confused though that he didn't eat peanut-butter and jelly out of his lunch bag at school and doesn't get why he has to come home and go back (hmmmm me either- it's tradition and the French are SLOW at losing old traditions).

Denis and I had to laugh this morning dropping him off because it is so funny to see all of the different types of parents and cars bringing their kids to school in the village of Sergy, a shiny new BMW with Swiss plates, a mom with her stroller and house slippers, really all kinds of people. I guess this is what school is all about- exposure to the world.

After we dropped Etienne off, Xavier and I dropped Denis off at CERN and then headed home for morning nap. Xavier had started napping just once in the afternoon, but now that I have to pick Etienne up at lunch and bring him back, it kind of cut right in the middle, so today he's having 2 naps. On the way to CERN, however, Denis was almost in tears laughing as we listenend to Virgin radio and a program they have called "weekend de merde" literally "shitty weekend" where listeners call in trying to best each other with stories of why their weekend was so bad. I can't mention all of the stories, but the one that won was a guy who proposed to his girlfriend down on one knee in a suit and tie in a fancy restaurant and she said "no" and the whole room applauded because they didn't hear the answer- awww- poor guy.

Nice trip to Guewenheim ending with stomach flu:(

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We decided to go visit Denis's parents this past weekend. We are not used to being able to drive to see family, so this was a very easy trip for us. We packed up the 307 and in 3 hours we were there. The trip is from France to France, but we drive most of the way in Switzerland! We were more than ready to get out of the temporary house and be in a real house for a couple of nights. Denis's mom made red cabbage with chestnuts and apples (a yummy French side dish in the fall) and Denis felt like a little kid again. We all got "manalas" for breakfast. Manala is an Alsatian word for little man and they make them around St. Nicolas and Christmas. They are little brioche breads in the shape of a man- kind of like a gingerbread man except made out of brioche. Etienne ate 2 whole ones for breakfast on Saturday morning! Denis and I got time to oursevles!!! Saturday morning we snuck out the door and headed to Masevaux, 2 or 3 villages away, and we had a coffee in a little pastry shop and then I headed to "Chez Elsie," where Denis's cousin's daughter Chloe works now as a hairdresser, to get my hair highlighted and cut (blond and chocolate highlights and in a longish bob). Denis headed off to his cousin Brigitte's for more coffee.

Saturday afternoon we dropped by Jean-Luc's house in Michelbach to give his daughter Mathilda her 5th birthday present. It was a short visit made even shorter by Xavier throwing up all over Denis and in the kitchen sink- poor baby. He continued to throw up through the night and the next day. Then came the fever. Etienne got the flu on Monday- fever, vomiting, etc. It is now Tuesday night- the boys are all sleeping and I hope we will wake up tomorrow healthy. It has been about 60 degrees in the Geneva area, so I want to get outside and play. I did go for about an hour walk this afternoon with the boys just to breathe some fresh air. Apparently 5 other families from our CERN toddler group have this same flu- so guess where we picked it up?

Next on the agenda- I am dying for a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, but I have to drive to Geneva to find it. The closest one might be at the airport and I may be headed there tomorrow. Tomorrow evening we meet the owners of the house we are renting who decided they didn't want to sign the lease unti they meet us. Thursday, Denis and Etienne meet with the principal and new teacher at Etienne's new school "ecole maternelle" in Sergy. Hopefully he can start on Friday! We also have a ton of forms to fill out so that our container(s) can make it through customs and get to us. If we're feeling good tomorrow, Etienne may go to the daycare at the mall to play with some friends and he needs a hair cut.

Temporary Housing Sucks

Sunday we moved from the quaint little "gite" in Vesignin to a more commercial temporary house in the Citea complex. Both places have pros and cons, but for now all I can see are cons because I cannot wait to get into our own house with our own stuff. The gite was more charming with a fully equipped kitchen including a raclette machine and several different size glasses for wine. However the bathroom was always musty smelling and Denis had to duck in the shower. (He had several episodes of bumping his head on the stairs and on the kitchen doorway and cussing afterward claiming the house was made for Hobbits). There was no bathtub, so Xavier got put in the kitchen sink. Sunday when we had to leave, I was up at 6 am with Xavier and started to clean and pack up. At 10 am we were supposed to vacate the premises but the house was far from being sparkling clean like the owners wanted it. The funny thing is for 4 hours straight I was cleaning and packing. BUT with a 3 year-old and 1 year-old dumping goldfish out all over and slobbering on the furniture, it's like 2 steps forward, 3 steps back every time you clean. Long story short, the picky Belgian owner lady scolded Denis that we hadn't swept upstairs and she complained that she would have to do some cleaning before the next people got there. I felt badly for a quick second until I remembered the hell I've been through and the 4 hours I spent cleaning and then thought you know if you decide to have a guest house that you rent out for a small fortune, you may have to clean the guest house- too bad Belgian lady.

Now on to the Citea temporary house. It's also 2 stories- more modern- a full-sized dishwasher instead of the mini one in the gite, but not nearly as well equipped. There is silverware, but not a single spatula or other tool for cooking. There is no oven, but there is a fancy microwave with a "grill" in it that we tried, but when smoke starting coming out we turned it off. I don't know why but my allergies and asthma are going crazy in this place. I threw a clean sheet over the couch because you can see the dirt and yuck from the many people who have used the house-ick. On the bright side, it is literally much brighter here and Denis does not have to duck to go through doorways- lots less cussing. Also, there is a bathtub. Right when we got here the boys wanted to jump in and play and I let them. Later on Sunday night I got to take a relaxing bath for the first time since we've been here- and on top of it- the bathroom was actually not cold so I was comfortable! That was nice.

Today the boys and I met a nice British family at McDonald's (the only place nearby for kids to play inside- believe me I'm looking for other options but every time we go Etienne meets a friend). Par hasard, the husband works at CERN and the wife invited me to the CERN mom's playgroup tomorrow! Hooray a place for the kids to play and for me to have an adult conversation. Must go call her now to arrange to meet! On a side note, the house that we found to rent does not have a shower!!!! Isn't that funny. There is a bathtub that may or may not have a shower attachment, but no stand-up shower. So if you come to visit (and please do) you'll have to use the bathtub.