Strawberry Banke

This past weekend was the Memorial Day weekend in the USA. This meant that Kevin didn't have to work on Monday, and considering how we have been spending our weekends lately, it also gave us an opportunity to do something relaxing and fun.

Every weekend since we arrived in Boston has been spent "running around". We have been shopping for appliances, furniture and a new BBQ, choosing paint colours, getting estimates for work at the new house, the list goes on and on. This past Saturday was spent the same as all the other Saturdays have been, but Sunday was a different story.

Sunday we did a day trip to the Strawberry Banke outdoor museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here is a bit about the museum, from its website.

"The place that is today called Strawbery Banke has a long and rich history, stretching back three and a half centuries to the earliest years of English settlement in New England. In 1630 Englishmen chose this site for a plantation called Strawbery Banke, named for the profusion of wild berries they had found near the river. By the eighteenth century the site was a thriving waterfront neighborhood in an important seaport called Portsmouth; in the nineteenth century it changed into an immigrant neighborhood named Puddle Dock; and by the latter half of the twentieth century it had recaptured its original name as an outdoor history museum."

The day was enjoyable and educational too. We got some nice photos of the kids (to follow later!) and had fun playing with toys from past eras.

Overall, it was a great way to spend a sunny day!

What Was She Thinking?!

Friday was a scorcher here in Boston. The temperature was in the mid-nineties (low thirties for you metric folks).

Our big outing for the day was to go and get groceries while Kevin was at work. Yeah, fun stuff...

We got a bit of a later start than I would have liked, which meant that grocery shopping ran into lunch and nap time. Not a recipe for success!

I let Bekah have her pacifier in the store, but she was still coming unglued. As we came to the end of one of the isles, I noticed a table set up where a woman was giving out samples of some sort of beverage. She started chatting to Bekah and made an admirable attempt to distract her from her miserable state.

Bekah wasn't taking the bait, so the woman asked me to hold on, she was going to get Bekah a drink. It didn't register with me what was happening, until it was already taking place. The woman was giving Bekah a drink of the beverage that she had for sampling...and it was PEPSI! I watched as she took the pacifier out of my baby's mouth and gave her POP to drink! I was appalled!!

Thankfully, Bekah didn't like it and made a horrible face to prove it. I politely thanked the woman for her good hearted attempt at ending the whining and gave her back the remainder of the drink.

As well meaning as she was, I just couldn't believe that this woman would feed soda pop to a child who was still young enough to have a pacifier in her mouth!

Language Barrier

As the date of our move into our new house comes closer, I have started to think about furniture placement in the rooms, what will fit where, etc. One of the things that I remembered as I have been going through this mental process is a little mishap that happened with our dining room table.

As some of you know, Rebekah and I left Geneva very suddenly a week earlier than planned. We had all been scheduled to leave together on April 28th when my Aunt passed away. I received word on Friday morning, the 20th, and Rebekah and I left Geneva for the very last time on Sunday, April 22nd.

I am sure you can all imagine what that last day was like! I had to pack for Rebekah and I, as well as make sure that everything was organized for the movers. We had an air shipment and a sea shipment, and everything had to be sorted accordingly.

Kevin and Noah stayed in Geneva to deal with the packers, movers, cleaners and everything else while Rebekah and I were in Canada. Rebekah and I then met Kevin and Noah in Boston on the 29th of April.

So...many of you know that while in Geneva I took French lessons. Lots of them. I still, however, am far from fluent. I can get by, but it isn't always pretty. Having said that, Kevin's French is even worse then mine. He will openly admit this...it is no secret. He only took a handful of lessons before packing it in.

It seems that when the movers arrived at the house to begin the packing process, Kevin quickly realized that they were not fluent in English...and as I said before, he is not fluent in French! I have to give Kevin credit though, he is not shy about using whatever means needed to make himself understood. He doesn't care what others think of him...he tries his best and somehow always manages! Sometimes it is sign language, gestures, sounds, or a combination of English and French mixed together, but it always seems to work out.

So...back to when the movers arrived....

Kevin explained what was to go in the air shipment and what was to go in the sea shipment. We had stacked all of the air shipment items on top of, and under, the dining room table. Kevin explained that all of these items were to go in the air shipment, with the exception of the dining room table. The table was to go in the sea shipment with the other furniture.

Fast forward to the next evening when Kevin went back to check on things at the apartment. The movers had been there and everything had been loaded onto the trucks and shipped out. The apartment should have been empty....

...however, when Kevin walked in, guess what he saw?

He saw a totally empty apartment....with the exception of our dining room table! It was sitting all by itself in the middle of the floor!!

Obviously, there had been a bit of a misunderstanding!

Kevin called his contacts who said that our sea shipment was gone. The table could not be added to this potion of the shipment. The ended up having to send a truck back to get the table, and they added it to our air shipment. When our air shipment arrived to our FURNISHED temporary apartment here in Boston, we obviously didn't need a dining room table with it!

So...our dining room table is sitting in storage somewhere in Boston all by itself, until we move into our new house.

Can Spinach Be Bad For You?

The other night I watched part of a CNN Special Report on "Poisoness Food". The topic of discussion was tainted food...specifically a batch of baby spinach. After the fact, it was discovered that the spinach was tainted with E Coli bacteria. It made over 200 people sick, nation wide and 3 people died.

Some of the people interviewed included the parents of a 2 year old girl who became ill after eating the spinach. The E Coli attacked her system to such a degree that she ended up in kidney failure and almost died. It was shocking to listen to.

It seems that the spinach was all traced back to one field in California. The investigators explained that bagged leafy greens are at particular risk for these types of outbreaks. The greens are "triple washed" and processed in large batches, and then bagged afterwards. Due to this process, a problem that was isolated to a very small area in one field can end up spread throughout various bags of spinach and then shipped all over the country. That is exactly what happened in this story.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the USA) perform random testing in the farming industry...but they claim that not EVERYTHING can be tested. Some farms are only tested once per year. This leaves a lot of room for things to slip through the cracks.

Apparently, the strain of E Coli that was the contaminate in this case is extremely aggressive. It is particularly harmful to the very young and the very old. It would take only 100 bacteria to make you sick after a very short time because of the rapid rate at which they multiply.

There is speculation as to where the contamination came from. It could have been from nearby animals grazing, an impure water source, or untreated manure.

More frighteningly, washing does not kill E Coli. Even washing in a diluted chlorine solution does not kill it. The only way to kill it is by cooking, or a fairly new radiation type process which is not yet widely accepted. When you eat fresh vegetables, you are actually more at risk than when you eat meat, because generally speaking, meat is cooked. Vegetables go right from field to table. Buying organic doesn't help either. This can occur in organic produce as well.

The reason I found this so scary is because you think you are doing something healthy for your family..for your children..by feeding them something like spinach. What is a person to do if the spinach you are buying can be deadly?!

There are a couple of things that I took away from this that makes me feel as though I have
some control over our destiny. The report highlighted Costco because they have a requirement that all produce be tested for E Coli before they even accept it into their warehouses. They also have their own system of internal testing in place on top of that requirement. This gives a bit of added security that any tainted food would be caught before reaching their shelves. You can also be pretty certain that anything that you grow yourself is also going to be safe.

So, you are going to see me shopping at Costco a lot, and you are also going to see me very busy in my garden this summer!

Potty Training and Hair Pulling

So, up until now, Rebekah has been my "easy" child. Noah challenges me every single day. He evokes the widest range of emotions in me. Enough said.

However, Rebekah has now decided to kick it into high gear too. I think I am being punished for something...

It all started back in January when Kevin and I took a four night trip to Istanbul, Turkey...alone... without the kids. It was the longest we had ever left Noah, and it was the first time we had left Rebekah. My parents had come to Geneva from Canada and they were our babysitters for the duration of our trip.

The morning after we arrived home, I went into Rebekah's room to get her up and found her covered in hair. I thought that she was losing her hair for some reason. Was she losing her "baby" hair? Up to this point she still didn't have very much hair. It was very fine and "babyish". It didn't take me long to realize that she was, in fact, pulling her own hair out! Why would she do this?!

The subsequent days involved quite a bit of hair pulling...but always just her own! I did some reading, talked to some friends [thanks Penny :-) ] and realized that this is a comfort behaviour quite common in small children. It seemed to taper off for a while and I hoped it would disappear.

Well, fast forward about five months to the present, and she is still doing it! Now it is actually becoming noticeable because her hair is starting to fill in...everywhere except the spot where she pulls it. She never pulls during the day...not anymore. She only pulls her hair when she is in bed waiting to fall asleep. I am disturbed that my little girl looks like she has a bald spot the size of a lemon on her head. It doesn't show as much if I put her hair in pig tails. It is more evident when her hair is down. So...she wears pig tails a lot.

Kevin tells me to get over it. She will outgrow it. By the time she is five, no one will ever believe that she used to pull her hair out.

My thoughts? Five is a long ways off!!

Second issue? I started introducing the idea of going on the potty to Rebekah. After all, she is now two years and 4 months old. I figured we should at least mention it! So, we went on an outing to Target. We bought the Dora potty seat, the Dora underwear, Curious George underwear and Elmo underwear, and a potty book that has a button that makes a flushing sound when you press it. What can get better than that?!

Initially, she was OK with sitting on the potty. She sat on it long enough for me to get about three photos. That was the first and the last time she has used that potty seat...and she didn't do anything when she did sit on it! Since then, her standard line when I suggest using the potty is, "No, no like it". We did manage to get the Dora underwear on her last night after dinner. She actually initiated that herself because she saw me folding the laundry. She did pee in them, only 15 minutes later....

I guess we have our work cut out for us.

Heaven in a Mug

OK, so the story of how I came to drink coffee is a bit strange. I had NEVER been a coffee drinker until my second pregnancy, with Rebekah. Yes, you did read that correctly. I heard the horrified gasps. I started drinking decaf when I was pregnant with Rebekah because I craved the taste of coffee, and I didn't feel OK about drinking the caffeinated version. Once Rebekah was born, I started drinking regular coffee...and now, 2 years later, my day isn't complete unless I have a good cup of coffee.

So, what constitutes a good cup of coffee, you ask? Well, for me, after living in Europe, I answer that question differently than I used to. I used to like the North American watered down version of coffee. Now, I prefer it a lot stronger. Although, if you talked to Kevin, he would say that he doesn't know how I tell the difference because I "doctor it up" with so much milk and sugar anyways. :-) So, I guess you could say that I like strong coffee, with milk and sugar. I actually really like cappuccino now. Before living in Switzerland, I didn't even know what cappuccino was.

Kevin was "converted" before I was. This is a great example of evolution out of necessity. You see, Kevin is NOT a morning person. He is the guy who will set his alarm for 7:37 a.m. in order to maximize the amount of time he can sleep. He leaves himself no extra time...no room for error. As a result of this, he never eats breakfast at home. So, he had to start having breakfast and his morning coffee at work.

coffee at work = strong European coffee

After we had been in Geneva for a while Kevin started talking about getting a "European" coffee machine. In other words, an expensive machine that makes espresso, cappuccino and the like...usually from coffee capsules, instead of loose ground coffee. So, having payed attention to his chit chat, just before Christmas and with our move on the horizon, I started researching coffee machines.

We ended up with a Nespresso machine. With George Clooney as the poster boy for the company, they can't be too bad, can they?! We looked into the possibility of buying one once in North America again, because of the power conversion issues, but an opportunity presented itself and we took it. The Nespresso machine that we wanted was on solde (sale) for 200 francs (about 200 CDN dollars) off the list price. Then there was a 100 franc rebate on top of that! By the time all was said and done, we ended up paying only 33 % of the retail price for the machine.

Then came the power conversion problems. We knew that we were moving back to North America when we bought the machine, and we knew we would want to take it with us. So, we started researching what type of adapter we would need in order to operate the machine in NA. We found out that we would have to spend about 70 dollars on a step up & step down transformer. That was fine, considering we had just saved 300 francs on the machine.

So, Kevin ordered the transformer online and it arrived in the mail the other day. Now, let me explain something...I knew that the transformer would be a black box that would have to sit on the counter next to the coffee machine. I knew that it would be "not little"....but let me tell you, I was shocked when I saw that thing! It is as big as the coffee maker itself, and I am not exaggerating when I tell you, I almost can't lift the thing! All I can say is, it is a good thing that we have a lot of counter space in our new house!

After all is said and done...I LOVE the new coffee machine. I actually use it more than Kevin does. Sometimes in the afternoon when I start to hit a wall, I just need a little "pick me up". A good cup of coffee does the trick. To have a moment to take a seat, put my feet up, and wrap my hands around a warm mug. I tell you, there is nothing like it....

The Scare of My Life

As most of you know, we are currently living in a temporary apartment in downtown Boston, until we move into our house. It is more or less, like staying in a hotel but with a little more space. As a matter of fact, Noah refers to it as "the hotel." We have some of our personal items with us, but it is fully furnished with stuff that isn't ours. So, the territory isn't as familiar as it would be in our own house.

At home, in your own space, you get used to what the dangers are...what the kids have a tendency to get into and what things they don't bother with. When you plan and decorate your own house, you do it with your children in mind. You choose things based on safety as well as functionality. You tether book shelves to the wall, install baby gates by the stairs, etc. Well, let's just say that this place was NOT designed with children in mind. The coffee table and end tables have the pointiest corners I have ever seen. The living room chairs have legs that curve outwards from the line of the chair itself, so one of us stubs a toe at least once a day. The dining room table is GLASS. I can't keep the fingerprints off it! We are nineteen floors up, and all of the windows open wide up (no screens)!! Kevin managed to lock most of the windows with some little mechanisms he found somewhere in the apartment. However, there was still something that we missed.

I was sitting in the living room chair, at a 90 degree angle to Bekah, who was standing on the sofa. The sofa is up against a wall, with a window behind it. I was literally only two feet away from her, so I didn't think too much of her standing there. I glanced away from her for a few seconds, and when I looked back, I saw her with the cord from the mini blind wrapped around her neck and she was gagging and trying to catch her breath. I screamed, and bolted over to untangle her. She cried and told me, "Bekah, bobo neck, hanging." Let me tell you, I was shaking in my slippers! I kissed and hugged her about 800 times that day. I didn't let her out of my sight. I couldn't believe that something like that could have happened to MY child! It made me realize how easily we get lulled into a false sense of security, and how quickly things can go wrong.

It turns out that all of the blinds in this apartment are roller blinds. They all have a plastic chain type cord on them. They aren't separate strings....the are a continuous loop. Bekah just looped one of them around her neck while standing and watching television...thankfully, she did it while I sat right next to her and not while I was in the next room.

I am already uptight enough. I didn't need that to happen! Now everything looks like a potential danger. It probably isn't OK to lock them in their rooms until they are 18.....even if it is for their own safety!

Hopefully, it will get better with time....

Priceless!

OK, so I have some more "Noah stories" to share. I feel like I have an endless supply. I think I should write a book some day! Oh well, there will be no shortage of material for his wedding day!

Last night just before I tucked Rebekah into bed, I took her into Noah's room to say good night to Kevin and Noah. As she said good night to Noah, Rebekah decided to give him a big smooch, right on the lips. It reminded me of another time when Rebekah was about a year old and I caught them giving each other "kisses". Rebekah was right at the stage where she was learning to give kisses...and they were usually of the "open mouth" variety. I am sure some of you can see where this is going! So I came into the room and caught the two of them tongue kissing! When I asked what on earth they were doing, Noah's response to me was, "...well... she opened her mouth, so I opened mine too!"

A more recent story... I was doing laundry, and in a hurry, as is usually the case. I was trying to hang up one of Kevin's shirts. I put the shirt on the hanger and then I hooked the hanger over the back of one of the dining room chairs. The hanger kept slipping off. I put it back up there about three times. I was getting really frustrated at this point, because I was in a hurry. Noah came bouncing over and said, "Mommy, let me try!". I told him in no uncertain terms, that it absolutely wasn't going to stay put. He picked the shirt up off the floor, SUCCESSFULLY hung it on the back of the chair, and walked away. I asked him how on earth he managed to get it to say there. His reply, as he coolly walked away, "you gotta be good!"

OK, so since we have been here in the US, I have gained a few pounds. Are any of you surprised?! I wasn't. I estimate it to be about 5 pounds (2-2.5 kg). It is enough that I am beginning to be conscious of it. I can feel it in my clothes. So, I got dressed the other morning in a skirt and t-shirt. I have always felt a bit self-conscious in this skirt...I love the print, but I am not convinced that the cut is the most flattering for my body type. Even though the skirt still fits well, I was feeling unsure of how it REALLY looked. My solution? Ask my five year old son. Now, WHAT was I thinking?! This is how our conversation went...

Me - "Noah, does this skirt make Mommy's bum look big?"

Noah - "Yes."

OK...so, I took a breath and tried again...I must be a glutton for punishment....

Me- "Does it look as big as usual, or bigger than usual?"

Noah - "It looks bigger."

Noah continues - "It looks bigger, but that's OK...right? 'Cause it doesn't really matter." (followed by a shrug and a smile)

After that conversation, I gave up and tied a sweater around my waist.

Quack, Quack From Boston!

So, earlier this week then kids and I went on one of the famous Boston Duck Tours. (photos to follow at a later date!)

The tour is conducted in a WWII amphibious vehicle known by the military acronym DUKW....which evolved into "Duck". The vehicles were used during the war to carry both men and cargo, on water and on land. Approximately 21 000 DUKWs were built during WWII, by the General Motors Company. Women made up much of the labour force that built the vehicles because the men were off fighting the war. The first four weeks after the Normandy landing, 40% of the supplies that went ashore were carried by DUKWs. I believe the statistic says that there are about 2000 DUKWs remaining today.

Some of the interesting facts that we learned on the tour:

- the area of Boston known as Beacon Hill still has gas powered "lantern type" street lights to this day. The lights burn day and night because the "powers that be" in Boston decided that it would be more costly to hire someone to turn them on and off every day than it would be to leave them burning around the clock.

- the Prudential Tower (where Kevin's office is) was completed in 1965, and at that time it was the tallest building in Boston with 52 stories (Kevin's office is on the 36th floor). The John Hancock Tower, now the tallest building in all of New England is just down the road from the Prudential Tower. It has 63 stories.

- Boston's Public Garden is the oldest public botanical garden in the United States. The Swan Boats have operated in the Public Gardens since 1877.

- the Massachusetts State House is the oldest State House in the nation. Sam Adams and Paul Revere laid the cornerstone in 1795.

- there is an "old" State House and a "new" State house in Boston. It was from the "old" State House that the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston...two weeks after it was signed. The location of our temporary apartment is right next door to the "old" State House.

- the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. It was launched in Boston is 1797, and it is still on display here.

I was surprised at how well the kids sat through the tour. It was fairly lengthy at about 90 minutes. They both sat through the entire thing. The splash into the Charles River was the highlight for them both...no surprise there!

Overall, a very successful and educational day!

Some Inspiration...

Over the last few months I have begun to follow Ali Edward's blog

She had a post the other day that I really liked. I liked it enough that I went and ordered a subscription to the magazine from which it came.

It came from Body and Soul magazine

Here is the post:

Each month the last page includes Ten Thoughts on Whole Living.
1. Your home is more than the sum of its walls. Make it a sacred space.
2. Creativity is a lifestyle, not simply an activity. Let it expand you.
3. True forgiveness springs from love, not regret.
4. Learn something new. Emphasize the trying, not the succeeding.
5. Spend some time in the dirt. You'll be amazed at what nature can inspire.
6. You don't have to have a perfect body to feel great in it.
7. Define yourself by who you are, not the roles you play.
8. Find rejuvenation in five minutes of silence.
9. Contribute to abundance. If you no longer need something, pass it on.
10. Find direction in your life by looking where you want to go, not where you don't.

Love it!

The Social Security Number Saga

So, it seems that unless you have a social security number in the USA, you basically don't exist. You need a social security number in order to do pretty much anything here. We can't seem to accomplish anything because everything seems to be dependent on something else, and it ALL comes back to that darn social security number. That, and a permanent address. Neither of which we have. Sigh....

So, until you are in the USA for at least 15 days, you can't even apply for a social security number. Once in the country for the mandated 15 days, you can APPLY, but then you still have to wait for the application to be processed. So, basically, it will be a good month before you see any hint of that number.

I finally insisted to Kevin that we must get a cell phone for me. After his work phone number being changed three times in the last two weeks, he finally has a number that appears to be somewhat permanent. It even has voicemail! Whooohoooo! I can actually get hold of him now! He, however, still cannot get hold of me. There really aren't that many payphones around anymore either...my guess is it's because everyone except me has a cell phone!

So, we did all of the necessary research to find out what plan is best for me, which phone is best for me, and then Kevin proceeded to fill out the online order form. That is, until he got to the part of the form that requested a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER! Yes, it appears that you need a social security number in order to get a cell phone. Not only that, you also need a driver's license too. We don't have that either, because, guess what? You need a social security number to get a driver's license.

So, today was the day that we could go and apply for our social security numbers. We had a relocation person (hired by P&G) meeting us to take us to the government office in order to begin the process. In advance she told us what documents we would need in order to apply. We walked with the kids in the rain to the meeting point (she was late) and then proceeded to the social security office. We cleared the security check (with two kids and a stroller), we filled out the necessary forms, took a number and waited in line. After waiting in line we were called to the counter to present our documents and we were then informed that we required a marriage certificate in order for me to apply for my social security number. Our relocation person did not tell us that ahead of time! So, guess what? I now have to begin this process over again and I STILL don't have a cell phone!!!

...or a driver's license

...or an American credit card

...or a vehicle registered in my name

...or a permanent address

....oh yeah....or a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!

Is That a Chicken or a Turkey?!

We made our weekly trip to the Stop n' Shop on Sunday and picked up a roasting chicken to have for dinner one day this week. I have to tell you...the one that Kevin chose was a BIG chicken. The thing was about 7 pounds (about 3.1 kg for my friends in Switzerland). So, that leads me to also tell you that the last time I bought a turkey in Switzerland it was only 4 kg (8.8 pounds)!

Everything in Europe seems to be packaged in miniature...at least compared to things in North America. In Switzerland we bought flour in 1 kg bags...compared to the 10 kg bag I used to buy in Canada. Milk comes in one litre bottles...compared to the gallon jugs (approx. 4 litres) in the USA. The fact that a turkey was only 4 kg was actually a good thing....because the oven was so small that I couldn't have cooked one that was any bigger. I am not kidding.

I think it is fair to say that Europeans tend to be more minimalistic. They tend to live in smaller spaces because cities are more densely populated. The cities are old and were not designed for modern day living...horses, not cars, and farmhouses, not apartment buildings. Because of the smaller amount of living space, it makes sense that storage space is less also, the consequence of which everything else must be smaller too! And that brings me back to the 1 kg bag of flour.

Something else that is smaller in Europe (besides the people!) are the parking spaces! Narrow doesn't begin to explain it. When Rebekah was an infant and still in the "bucket" car seat, there was more than one time that I had to put her into the car through the hatch. This was because the cars are so closely parked that the door would not open widely enough for me to fit her car seat in the traditional way. It was crazy. You rarely see a vehicle without a scratch or a dent in it. It is just normal to have damage on your car. It almost can't be helped! Everything is such a TIGHT fit!

We were very fortunate to have a North American sized fridge in our apartment. My friends were all envious of our ice and water maker features too. Most people in Europe have fridges that we (as North Americans) would consider bar fridges. The door is the size of the front of the dishwasher, if that. I don't know how people with families do it!

Overall, it is a very different mentality...a different approach to life. In many ways it was really refreshing. As many benefits as North America has to offer us, we will definitely miss Switzerland. Our time there will be remembered as an amazing, life changing experience.

Happy Muver's Day!

I have to tell you, that as articulate and well spoken as Noah is, he still has certain words that he pronounces incorrectly. If I correct him, and he really thinks about it, he can say these words properly. Having said that, it is kind of sad when your little ones can suddenly say words that they couldn't say before....it is a sobering sign that they are no longer babies. They are growing up!

So yesterday I woke up to the following greetings. "Happy Muver's Day!" (Noah) and "Happy Mudder!" (Rebekah) I guess stringing the three words together was a bit too much of a stretch, so she shortened it for me!

Besides "muver" Noah also has trouble with the word "three", it comes out like "free" and the word "ambulance" comes out as "ambleeance". The "th" sound is a bit of a challenge too.

The other day Noah and I were playing Chutes and Ladders and every time he counted it came out as "one, two, free". I corrected him, and if he made a conscious effort, he could say the word properly. Later that night, once he was in bed, I went to check on him and as I listened at the door I could hear him repeating over and over again, as if in practice, "three, free, three, three, free". It was too cute.

Rebekah has suddenly turned a corner, it seems, with her pronunciation of certain words too. Almost overnight she went from saying "Wekah" to saying "Bekah", from saying "Woah" to saying "Noah", from saying "Fusser" to saying "Swiper" (I never did figure out how those two words were related...but in her mind, they obviously were), and from saying "Auntie Fudder" to saying "Auntie Heaver", which is much closer the actual pronunciation of "Auntie Heather".

It is the most amazing thing to watch these children grow, change, learn and develop before my very eyes. There are some days when I think I have the coolest job on earth.

They Make Me Laugh

Lately, Noah has been coming out with some really comical, clever things. I wanted to share one that really stuck with me.

Last night we were eating dinner when Noah asked for a drink. I gave him a bottle of water that had been in the fridge. He took a big drink and then said, "That is SO cold! It is almost like when it is winter and I get snow in my pants by accident!" Kevin and I looked at each other and started to laugh.

Think about it...what could feel much colder than that?!

Who Says TV is Bad for Kids?

A few weeks before we left Geneva, Noah discovered Scooby-Doo. It has become an obsession. He watches the same two DVDs over, and over, and over again. He never seems to tire of them. In one of the episodes, Scooby-Doo eats clam chowder. For those of you who watched the show when growing up, you may remember that Scooby and Shaggy never stop eating...they will eat anything. Well, this seems to have had an impact on Noah.

One night last week we went out to the Union Oyster House http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/ for a nice dinner. Once we got there, Noah started asking about clams. We ordered something from the children's menu for him, but he persisted in talking about clams. He asked if they had clams in a shell at this restaurant. We put him off, and finally, he asked the waitress directly, if they had clams in shells at the restaurant. When she answered yes, he asked if he could have some! She looked to us for direction, and we said that he could try one if he wanted to.

The waitress came back to the table with a plate with one raw clam on it...along with a slice of lemon and some seafood sauce. We all sat and watched in amazement as Noah squeezed the lemon juice over the clam (he declined the seafood sauce) and with a look of disgust on his face, took a bite of the raw clam. The waitress was so impressed! Kevin and I were so impressed! I couldn't believe that he had the courage to eat a raw clam! I never thought I would see the day!

I have some pictures of this event to share. I can't post them yet...we still need an adapter for our Swiss bought printer. (The printer also serves as the drive for our digital memory card). I will have to post them at a later time.

So, who says that TV is bad for kids?!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Why is it that children have no innate idea of what is appropriate socially and what is not? And, is there a way to speed up the process of teaching them this learned skill?!

Now that we are in a big city, there are both good and bad things that come from the experience. There seem to be more "crazies" (I know, I know, that is not a very PC term) and "undesirables" out milling about. So, I have made an effort to be more vigilant and aware of my surroundings...especially, since I have been roaming all over Boston by myself with the two children. Well, try explaining this to a five year old boy!

The stories are just too numerous to list, so I must pick a favourite few to share.

The children and I were standing on the sidewalk in front of a bookstore while I took a photo of a building across the street. A strange looking older man came and stood very close to Rebekah's stroller, making me uncomfortable. I bent down and whispered to Noah that it was time to move on, "NOW". Of course, with his impeccable timing, he decided that then was the time to protest. I whispered again that it was time to leave and that I didn't like the man who was standing so closely to us. So, Noah, at the top of his voice said, "why don't you like that man, Mommy?" while looking straight at the guy. Of course, the man turned and looked me straight in the face (which I am certain was beet red), as I grabbed Noah by the arm and dragged him off into the book store.

The lesson was apparently not learned (despite my coaching afterwards), because the very next day, Noah announced very loudly, "Ewww, yucky, skinky cigarette smoke!" as we passed by a man who was walking along the sidewalk next to us and smoking. The man couldn't have helped but hear Noah's not so discrete commentary. Every time something like that happens I want to melt into the floor.

Then, there was the time that we were taking the train from Geneva to Paris with the kids for the weekend. At the end of the train cars where the luggage is stored there were these small "jump seats" that folded up against the wall. Well, Noah was enjoying playing in these seats and it was a chance for him to get up and walk around a little bit on the train. Kevin was the lucky one this time, and I laughed as he recounted the story to me later. One of the times that Kevin took Noah to these little seats, there happened to be a fairly sizable women sitting in one of them. Noah asked Kevin in a very loud voice how a lady with such a big bum could fit on such a small seat! What is the appropriate response in a situation like that?! Kevin's only reprieve was the silent hope that the women was French speaking and didn't understand what Noah had said.

We can only hope......

What is an Expat??

It has come to my attention that I frequently use the term "expat". It has also come to my attention that not everyone is familiar with the term. Quite simply, the definition of the word is "to leave one's native country to live elsewhere" or "to withdraw oneself from residence in one's native country". So, based on that definition, we are still an expat family. Despite moving back to North American soil, Canada and the USA are still two different countries, and there are many differences between them.

Don't get me wrong...the transition to the USA has been WAY easier than the transition to Switzerland was....but there are still some differences. I am working on figuring out the shopping...where to get the things you need, when you need them. A lot of the stores here in the USA are different than those in Canada...and from what I understand, different from region to region in the USA as well. Here there is a chain called the Stop and Shop. I have been in the store, and they have a great selection of items, but I have no idea how their prices compare to other grocery store chains, and if I am getting the best price for the items I am buying. In New England, the big box store is BJ's Wholesale...not Costco. I had never even heard of BJ's before, so I have no idea if they are as good as Costco, which I am familiar with. This list goes on and on. More stuff to figure out.

Don't even get me started on health care! How on earth are you supposed to know which network to chose, when you haven't had any dealings with anyone in any of the networks? My first question was, "What the heck IS a network?"

On a good note, everyone speaks English...and that makes it a LOT EASIER to get my questions answered! :-) People are friendly and make small talk. They smile and say "hello" to my children! There is customer service here too! WE CAN GO OUT TO EAT WITH OUR CHILDREN AT 5 O'CLOCK AND THERE ARE RESTAURANTS OPEN!!

All in all, there is good and bad to everything in life. It is just a matter of what you chose to do with it!

Our Arrival in Beantown

So, we have offically arrived in Boston. We are still "camping" in our temporary apartment, but at least we are here! The overseas flight is over, the jetlag is over and the treck from the airport to the hotel with all of the luggage, two carseats and two kids is also over. Thank goodness!

Many of the times that we have shared the news of our move to Boston, the term "Beantown" has come up. Each and everytime someone has mentioned it, I have silently wondered where on earth the term came from. So, I decided to google the term and get an answer for myself, and any others of you out there who might care too.

According to the website that I found, between 1900 and 1910 "someone" coined the phrase "you don't know beans until you come to Boston". It seems that New England (and Boston) were part of the "triangle trade" that took place between Europe, West Africa and the West Indies. The triangle trade grew the rum and molasses industries and it led to many local recipes for molasses soaked beans. This popularized Boston for baked beans nationally, and led to the nickname "Beantown".

There....mystery solved! I feel much better now. :-)