Category Archives: Yes There Was Some Chocolate Involved

Stein am Rhein

Posted on by

It’s an old story in Europe: medieval city prospers, city builds beautiful buildings, city stops prospering, city stops building new buildings for centuries, city discovers tourism and spruces up its old buildings. Some of the most charming tourist stops in Germany have followed this line (e.g., Rothenburg ob der Tauber), and a lovely example in Switzerland is Stein am Rhein, near the German border.  Some of the houses “left over” from the Middle Ages (and just after) include these:

The facades of the houses have beautiful murals.  The oldest house in this picture (on the far left) dates from the late 14th century.  Here are some more pictures:

Jenelle’s mother and sister were in town last month, and they were kind enough to watch the munchkins for a bit while Jenelle and Jonathan spent a night and a day in Stein am Rhein.

For more pictures, look here.

The Bit of Butter Made the Batter Better

Posted on by

If there is any inkling there might be some mixing or baking action happening in the Vance kitchen, you can be certain three little helpers will be there to assist in any possible way.  Need a beater licked?  They’ve got it covered.  Need something stirred?  They will be there for you.  Need something poured in?  There just might be tears shed if they can’t be of assistance fast enough.  Fortunately, our apartment has an island in the kitchen.  Who invented these?  I thank them.  It makes having three helpful little girls very doable.

The Little Women Go to Switzerland

Posted on by

The Vance family is moving to Switzerland. Jonathan has accepted a position with a company near Luzern.

Why?  They have great chocolate in Switzerland.  The bread is really good, too.  The mountains are a bonus.  And Jenelle and Jonathan think it would be fun to live in Europe again for a few years.

The Vances will miss the many wonderful people and experiences they have had in Oregon, but they are excited for this new adventure.  They currently plan to move in mid-August.

The Road Warrior Princess

Posted on by

As any almost-three-year-old can tell you, international travel is not to be taken lightly.  That’s why the Road Warrior Princess makes no compromises, as seen in her recent trip to Switzerland and Germany.

Annika left the comforts of Oregon prepared:

  • princess crown — check;
  • DVD player — check;
  • pink princess roller bag that Annika insisted on pulling through the airports herself — check.

Her efforts were rewarded with a great trip that included:

  • first flying the whole family to Houston so the twin babies could stay with Nana and Grandpa Dell (or, as the twins call them, “Mommy and Daddy 2.0″);
  • flying to Zurich, Switzerland with Mommy and Daddy, then driving to Munich;
  • during the drive to Munich, repeatedly asking when she could see a castle (an important topic for any princess, of course);
  • visiting two castles (the Residenz in Munich and Linderhof Palace in southern Germany);
  • celebrating Mommy and Daddy’s 5th anniversary by dining at one of Munich’s hottest vegetarian restaurants (no, you don’t need to adjust your computer);
  • Daddy spending a Saturday morning in Mike’s Wunderbarer Waschsalon (free wi-fi included), which reminded him of the last time that he went to a laundromat in Germany and obtained change by taking his mother to her first Turkish grocery store;
  • driving through Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland in one day;
  • staying at a lovely hotel in Luzern, Swizterland, where Annika could run up and down the halls and eat delicious waffles every morning for breakfast; and
  • renting bikes on their last day in Luzern and taking a lovely afternoon ride.

St Gotthard Pass