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This weekend consisted of many conversations containing new German vocabulary for us.

It began Saturday morning at the kindergarten parent breakfast regarding the Gartenhaus  situation. The parents group discussed the first few meetings they have had with the city, reviewed the test results including pictures, and then talked about future action plans. I, along with other parents, were shocked when the city director compared the Gartenhaus's environment to those children that live with parents who smoke and acted as it is not really a big health threat. The new classroom facility option the city is considering is a classroom in Marxheim, which is on the other side of the city, so the children would need to be driven everyday while one class would stay in the current place during the reconstruction. This brought much anger since majority of the families walk daily to the school. The breakfast concluded with numerous parents expressing their frustration and the parents group asking us to help support them when it comes to meeting with the city and future issues to come.

We visited the Audi dealership in the early afternoon since the weather was cold and windy outside We remembered our salesman told us the wait time on a new car is about six months from when we picked out our A3, so we knew we had to start looking now. We spent the afternoon crawling through some bigger vehicles in the showroom and then translating the numerous vehicle's packages and options. The girls had fun watching cartoons in the A8's center stack as we were calculating the prices. 

Early Sunday morning, we received the news we had been anxiously awaiting since the holidays. Melanie and Thorsten welcomed their son, Max, into their family. When the text arrived, I thought it was for me to watch the girls as it was time, till I read he had already arrived and weighed 4090 grams and was 56 cm tall. I knew he was a healthy baby, but quickly did the conversion and discovered he was not so little at 9.0 lbs and  22 inches. We are very happy for them and wish them many moments together filled with love and laughter. We are looking forward to meeting him when he comes home in a few days.

Not Sure What to Expect

This week provided us with lots of little unexpected events.

The morning was sunny and clear for our early departure from Les Coches. On our way out of town, we noticed many people putting chains on their tires as the roads were snow covered, but they had been plowed already. Maybe we spent too much time at Tech because we did not feel the roads were bad even though everyone else was driving with chains and going super slow. I even told Eric to pass a few drivers going too slow and constantly braking as I thought they were putting us in danger as we were descending the mountain.

We made it to the bottom of the mountain and passed over a dozen vehicles removing their chains. The roads were dry and we had a good seven hour plus drive ahead of us. We made good timing through France even though the traffic was constant and took the scenic route back to enjoy one last view of the mountain range. Unfortunately, we ran into our first unexpected event: an hour long traffic jam in Switzerland.  But some snacks and extra food helped tide us until Germany. We made it home safely in the early evening to reflect on our wonderful week in Les Coches with the Kopp family as we unpacked.

Monday morning came quick and with it brought much chaos. With the repair work going on in Emmie's kindergarten building, aka Gartenhaus, Emmie's class is combined with the other displaced class which means there are 43 children and 5 teachers crammed into a small gym. Though they asked us to keep our children home if we could to ease the situation, my Monday morning German class meant I had to take Emmie in, find a place to hang her coat on a little make shift rack in the middle of the hallway, and then search for her slippers to be worn in the gym. Emmie was just excited to see her friends, and thought it was neat how the gym had been divided into areas for playing.

When I dropped her off, there appeared to be only about half of the children present, but when I picked her up, it was complete chaos with all of us parents attempting to pick our children up that only attend half day  while dodging the meal carts trying to get to the classrooms for children who stay all day. I had a headache from the noise and commotion just from the ten minutes it took me to get Emmie.  I learned from one teacher that the number of children is less on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so it is not as crazy then.

In the afternoon, the girls were excited to attend dance class since they received ballet outfits for a Christmas gift. Adeline and Emmie were on cloud nine as they thought they are real ballet dancers now.

Tuesday morning, I kept Emmie home with me out of sympathy for the teachers and the situation they have been placed in. This was fine for Emmie since she did some English learning pages and helped me with some of the last unpacking and laundry from our trip.  I received an email from our kindergarten parents group notifying me there is going to be a parent breakfast on Saturday to discuss the kindergarten situation.

Wednesday morning, Emmie had a play date with Marta.  Marta's mom and I are collaborating to try to make the best of the issues at the kindergarten, and this helped me out while I headed to my last German class of the semester. 

The next unexpected situation was how dentists work in Germany. Eric made our appointments as we were due for our six month cleaning. It was very quick and an easy visit since little did we know, but in Germany, you have to make separate appointments for the dentist and for the cleaning.  I think it took me longer to fill out the paperwork, then for us three girls to sit in the dentist's chair and give us each an exam. He talked German with the girls and English with me. He said the girls have excellent healthy teeth, so no cleaning was necessary, which we found strange. As for me, he said I have a very minor cavity and needed a cleaning. So I made new appointments for my filling and with the hygienist but was told I could not make appointments for the girls because their teeth were in good condition.  We thought that might be due to the fact they get regular cleanings...

Upon leaving the office, I called Eric and informed him he made us appointments for the dentist and he needed to make additional appointments for him and the girls to see the hygienist. He called them immediately and the receptionist told him he had to wait to see what the dentist said which was on Friday. Then in order to get the receptionist to make appointments for the girls, he informed her the girls will get their teeth cleaned every six months like the adults as this is how we do it in America.

Toward the end of the week, we received further updates on the kindergarten problems. In a meeting between the city and our parents group, we learned the Gartenhaus - which is a container building - was supposed to be a temporary solution that has turned into 12 years. It was revealed the city did air quality tests in April 2011 and June 2011 which showed declines over time, but due to personnel changes the situation was never corrected over the summer which is how in December 2011, the air quality in the room was poor. When they pulled the floor up for repair work around the toilet areas, they found extreme amounts of bacteria and black mold. An inspector condemned the building and it is now to be torn down. The city has to wait for the next council meeting in a few weeks to be on the agenda to get approval and the funding for a new building.

Meanwhile, our children will attend class in the gym until a solution is found. In addition, some of the parents have been frustrated to learn that whether our not we take our children in, the city is going to keep charging everyone for the kindergarten. An email was quickly sent from the city to all parents regarding the contract we signed that states we will continue to pay for this based on a court ruling in 2010 and we will pay too if the teachers go on strike.  This was some of the quickest communication we have had from them on the subject.

To round out our week of unexpected events, Eric handed in his resignation letter. It was not an easy decision for us to arrive at, but we knew things would change when PRTM was bought by PWC. Eric has made some good relationships and we are grateful and thankful for everything the company has done for us. It is a sad time for us because we enjoyed being part of the small firm. Eric is unsure how these last few weeks will pan out as he concludes this part of his career.

Winter Wonderland

A snowstorm passed through in the evening and left a beautiful winter wonderland for us to enjoy on our last day. 

When we stepped out of the unit, the girls were amazed at how much snow had accumulated since yesterday. They found the sight of our car very funny. As we were walking to the ski lifts, we heard numerous booms in the distance for  mini- avalanches throughout the area for the safety of everyone. 

Upon arriving at the ski lift area, it was complete chaos. There were only two lifts open, so everyone was trying to get on a lift to go somewhere. Then the mini-lift broke down just about the time we were going to board. When it reopened, the workers were not helpful in making sure the numerous children boarded first since they were all going to the ski school as the adults pushed their way through. By teaming up with another parent, the two of us were able to get our kids on the lift and up to the school in time. 

I was glad I decided to pass on skiing this day as well, as I was exhausted by the time I dropped the girls off at ski school and made it back to town for a few groceries. It worked out as Eric was able to try out newer skis by trading in my skis as he left his set in the unit. 

Katerina informed me we were very fortunate, as numerous towns around us were hit very hard from the overnight snowstorm. Some villages had no electricity and others had to be evacuated. It was reported that when a train came into one town last night, all of the passengers had to stay in a school because the roads up to the village were closed.

A few hours later, the girls received their Piou Piou Club medals for completing the ESF French Ski school. After the medal presentation, the girls demonstrated one last time the things they learned these past few days. 

The booms were still occurring around us although not as frequent and the lift area was busy, but not chaotic as earlier in the day.  We met up with the Kopp boys to determine what the plan was for the afternoon. With the weather turning sunny and visibility improving by the hour, they all decided to enjoy the runs that were open a few more times.

The girls were done with skiing and wanted to go sledding again after lunch, so we had our plans for the afternoon.

It was a chilly afternoon of sledding, but lots of fun in the new snow. Afterwards, we started digging out the car. With the rain and snow mix, the huge pieces of snow that were coming off of the car brought much laughter. Eric returned from the slopes in time for deicing the car and then the snowplows came through. This was perfect timing as our spot was cleared so we could pack up the car easily for our ride home in the morning.

Snowfall

We woke up to low visibility, mild winds, and heavy snow falling down. I decided to take a break from skiing and Eric planned to just ski in the morning. The girls were moving a little slower this morning, but we made it to ski school on time and they were already wet from the heavy snowfall.

While they were skiing, I browsed through the little shops searching for souvenirs. I found many alpine related items and numerous things with the area ski's logo on it which was plastered all over the mountain, but nothing specifically stating Les Coches aside from the postcards. 

The plows had been running nonstop all morning and it looked like they had just started clearing the snow away. 

When I picked the girls up at lunchtime, they looked like they had been swimming in their snowsuits from the constant heavy snowfall. It was a challenge finding places to dry everything out for all of us in the unit.

We warmed up in the afternoon and then took a gondola down to the village of Montchavin. The snow turned to rain as we started walking through the town. This made for slippery conditions, so after looking through a few more stores, we took a break in the bakery for some treats and warm drinks.

The Kopp family planned to meet up with us for dinner, but first they had to dig out their minivan as this was the best way for Katerina to join us. Unfortunately they had a dead battery, so Katerina did not join us for dinner, but the boys did as they were able to catch the local bus. We enjoyed a fondue dinner while listening to the rain/ snow come down outside.

It was not till after we were done eating, I realized the bus schedule had a huge break, so we were stuck in the town till after the local movie was out which was another hour or so. Since it was already late, Jean- Marc asked the local bar owner to help us get a taxi for all 9 of us as it was too far for us to walk back to our apartments and the winds had picked up making it chilly.  The owner and some patrons called around and found a van to come and get us. The taxi finally arrived and told us how bad the road conditions were from the village he came from. We were thankful when he delivered us safely and directly to our doorstep.

The kids quickly got ready for bed as they knew the routine. The girls have had fun bunking with the boys all week long. It did not take long for the kids or us to fall asleep from the fresh air and another energetic day.

The weather turned from a snowfall to a snowstorm in the middle of the night and with it brought high winds. The extreme winds woke Emmie up, so Jonathon very kindly brought over Emmie through the snowfilled balcony to our place. She was shook up, but managed to fall back asleep with Eric and I by her side.

Skis, Sleds, & Skates

Today we took full advantage of vacationing in a winter wonderland. The morning went smooth with getting to our ski class and then enjoying the overnight snowfall on the slopes. We moved Adeline down to Emmie's ski class, so she felt more comfortable and gained confidence in her skiing ability. 

At lunchtime, we checked in on Katerina who was freshening up on her French as she watched various television shows and learned she was able to make a few doctor appointments for her knee when she returned to Hofheim.

In the afternoon, we first went sledding as the girls wanted to do this again. Mikael and Steven joined us in our outing. After sledding, we then went ice skating. Jonathan and Christopher met up with us later.

The rink was an open rink and looked out onto Mont Blanc. It was a great view as you came around the one corner and skated down the one side. This was everyone's first time ice skating except for me, so we just took our time. After a few slow times around and couple of falls, Adeline started to get the hang of it and liked it. 

When the sun went down, the wind picked up, so we were happy to be heading back for the evening. 

We did our raclette dinner in two shifts- first the children and then the adults. A traditional winter alpine meal paired with a local Savoy wine was the perfect way to end our second day.

On the slopes

Our first morning on the slopes was a little chaotic. Eric went alone to get the the daily lift passes and it ended up being a workout in itself as they wanted to see the girls before they would issue children's passes for them. So Jean-Marc and he quickly carried the girls over to the booth and brought them back to the lift area. 

Then the mini-gondola that runs across the hill to the ski school area broke down, so we thought we had to hike up a portion of the hill to get to the ski school; however, the teachers were also where we were at, so the girls were able to stay with them. Emmie went in one direction to catch a bus and Adeline stayed near us as we waited for the mini-gondola to start operating again. We finally were on the mini-gondola 15 minutes late and I was able to join my class and Adeline was with her teacher meeting up with the rest of their class. 

Adeline first boarded the gondola that went half way up the mountain and I followed her with my class. Our classes were both going to the beginner hill at the top of this lift. Heading up the mountain the view was very nice as it was clear and the sun was out. 

We put our skis on and went to the hill to start our day of skiing. While Adeline and I were practicing, Eric, Jean-Marc, and Katerina stopped by to see how we were doing.  They then continued on their path and eventually went above the treeline. At this height, they had an awesome view of Mont Blanc.

After a few rounds on the beginner hill, my class continued down the hill. The class moved at a good pace for me. The unfortunate part was there were numerous icy spots because it was through the woods as well. A little while later, Adeline's class caught up to our class. Adeline was holding onto the teacher's lead as she was not comfortable doing these slopes by herself yet. 

At the end of the session, Adeline and I ended up at the bottom of the hill where Emmie's class was and two of the four boys' sessions ended as well. Since it was so nice out, we all took a trip back up the gondola for a break at the restaurant to enjoy the atmosphere. The girls then went for a few more runs on the beginner hill with Eric and Jean-Marc before us girls took the gondola back down the hill.

Afterwards, I took the girls back to the room for lunch and to rest while Eric went with the Kopp family to the top of the mountain again for some great skiing.

In the afternoon, I took the girls sledding. They had a blast and the little ramps added fun to the outing.

At the end of the day, Eric returned with the youngest two Kopp brothers at which time I learned that Katerina fell while trying to help Christopher, the youngest boy, in an icy area and could not ski. They went to get help for her, but by that time, Jean-Marc assisted her in getting down the hill and then carried her to the apartment with the help of the two older boys.

We convinced her to go for medical help since her knee was quickly swelling up. While she was away, I made dinner as everyone was hungry from the days activities. When she returned, she told us nothing was broken and she had a brace to stabilize her leg along with some medication. We helped Katerina get comfortable and had a low key evening as we all had enough excitement for one day.

Oui Oui

Upon arriving in Les Coches, we checked out the apartments. Jean-Marc's colleague owned a unit which the Kopps were staying in and the studio unit next to his was also a family members and free at the same time. This was great for us spending the week together as we could use the same balcony between our two places to ease going between the places. Unfortunately, we did not have any view as it was too cloudy to see the mountains from our place. The girls immediately asked if they could bunk with the boys when they saw the loft in the Kopp's place. Jean-Marc and Katerina agreed to it for the first night, but with conditions for all of the kids.

We quickly unpacked before heading into the quaint little village.  Jean-Marc and Katerina assisted us with getting our ski equipment and setting up ski school since very few people spoke English and we do not know French. The guys were envious that my rental ski boots were brand new. After a few hours, some discussions and then translations for us, and a quick jaunt through the streets to compare ski schools, we had our equipment, lessons lined up for the children and myself, and had walked through town to know where the store and bakeries were at along with a French 101 lesson courtesy of the Kopp family to help us survive the week.

For our first dinner all together, we managed to rearrange the Kopp's social area into a little restaurant with one table for six and one table for four. By combining the two kitchens, we had enough cookware and dinnerware for all of us.  Of course Katerina and I bumped into each other as we worked around the tiny studio size kitchen preparing the meal, but it was all fun. We know by the end of the week, we will have it perfected.

The evening was short as the ski lessons began at 9am, so everyone went to bed early. The girls were super excited to be bunking with the boys. We kept our balcony door unlocked just in case Adeline or Emmie decided to come home in the middle of the night.

We woke up to a breathtaking view of the mountains from our balcony.  

Adeline and Emmie were rousing when I went to get them. Upon stepping out onto the balcony, they thought it was neat to be in the clouds and then watch them pass by so quickly.

We had no issues getting ready and out the door for our first ski lesson of the week.