Our First Visitor in Switzerland (book 1 of series)

My sister Julia came to town!

She's gone now and I bawled as she drove away. It was great to have family in town, especially because I haven't lived with her for over 6 years now. Wow. I feel old now. Tally was in London on business for the first few days she was here, so we went and had fun without him. It was fun getting to explore Switzerland with "Peach," going places we haven't been before. First we went to Lucern. It's only 45 minutes by train from where we live. Of course we had to see the infamous bridge and Julia couldn't resist harassing the swans. We also went to the Lowendenkmal (Lion Monument), which was really cool. It's by Thorwaldsen, hewn from the face of the living rock. It commemorates the 850 Swiss guards who were killed defending King Louis in Paris during the French Revolution in 1792.

When we bought the train tickets to Lucern, we asked how much it would be to go twice the distance to Interlocken. It was only 6 franks more ($4.50) so of course, we did it! It was a bit of a train ride and pretty hot so instead of sleeping, we hung out the windows with our cameras trying to capture the beauty of the Alps. Pictures just don't do it justice.

Interlocken is a central hub for all the trains up to the Alps and over to cool little valleys. Since it was a cloudy day, we were advised not to go to the "Top of Europe" because the view would be covered by the clouds. So instead we went up the hill across from Jungafrau called Harder Kulm. Luckily there's a cable car that takes you to the top b/c there are over 4,000 stairs next to the cable car and it's a steep incline. At the top, we had a cloudy view of Jungafrau and the alps. There was also a playground that little Julia loved and a cute restaurant where I got chocolate pear pie. Interesting, but good. We also had a great view of the twin lakes, Brienzer & Thun. They're a beautiful turquoise color with the Alps as their backdrop. I can't wait to go back.




On Friday, Goldman Sachs, held a community service event where we took kids from Chernobyl, Russia (where they had the nuclear spill in 1986) to an amusement park in Zurich called Connyland. Even though there was a language barrier (the translators spoke Russian & German, not English of course), there is a universal language for love & fun. The kids & Julia went on lots of rides, but the bumper cars seemed to be their favorite. Then we saw an acrobat show and a dolphin show. We were quite impressed with this small amusement park.
At the Southern end of Lake Zurich, there's a bridge that connects the East side to the West. On the East side of the lake, there's an old town called Rapperswil. There's a castle, cute little restaurants overlooking the lake, and there's always something going on. We saw three brides getting pictures taken there - how romantic! Tal came back so he got to go with us. We walked around, took pictures, and ate at a cute little Italian place that was delicious!

This is Rhinefalls. We didn't even know this place existed and was so close to our house until reading my friend Alyssa's blog. Thanks Lys. It's the largest Falls in Europe with an average flow of 25,000 cubic feet per second. Yeah, I don't really know how much that is either but it's alot. Trust me. They're only 75 ft. tall, but 450 ft. wide. We took a boat to the rock in the middle and it was a little frightening to see how powerful the water was. There's also an old medievel castle at the top.

To get to the falls we went to a town just an hour North of Zurich, close to the German border, called Schafhausen. We randomly found Castle Munot up a staircase and when we got to the top, there were men playing the Alphorn! We asked them if we could try and got some good laughs from our small audience. It downpoured while we were inside the castle, so we started doing interpretive dance. Actually, we just wanted to take these cool pics.

I think Julia also got a taste of what it was like being an American moving to Europe. We made crepes one morning and since our crepe maker has an American plug (and we only have a tranformer in our office), we had to make crepes on our office desk! She thought it was quite comical. She also had to blend her shakes in the office as we have the same problem with our blender. We loved having her here and can't wait until she comes back. We'll have a babysitter (wink, wink). To view more photos from this trip, visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/jessicalangprice/JuliaInTown?authkey=iqZBVSIcLts

Happy Birthday to Tally!

Check out this Stud...
It's Tally's 26th birthday today and I want to share with you, our friends and family, 10 things I love about Tally:

1. Sense of Humor - Those of us that know him best have seen a side of Tally not often seen on a first, second or even tenth occassion. But once he breaks out of that shell, there's no telling what he'll do. Just this week he surprised Julia and a group of friends by taking off his swimsuit to reveal his fire red speedo when they were swimming at the lake! It was pretty hilarious...

2. Hard Work Ethic - If you've ever worked out in a gym with Tal, you've seen it. When he puts his mind to something, nothing can detour him. His goal may kill him but not if he accomplishes it first.

3. Love for Family -He's a family guy through and through. It's been so fun to watch him get excited about our new arrival. I wish everyone from back home could see the times he talks to my belly or looks up strollers on the internet. He also loves the family he came from very much and the family he married into. He prays for them daily and is always trying to think of ways to give back to them. This also goes for close friends. If you're a close friend, he thinks of you as family.

4. Mornings with Tally- If you who know him like I do, you are probably thinking this part is a joke. It is. Tally hates waking up in the morning and he can be the grumpiest bear when you talk to him before 9am. However, I must say that now that we're in Switzerland and on the "not-so-golden coast" side of the lake (apparently the other side is called the golden coast. We like our side better), the sun comes up around 5am so by the time he has to wake up, he's much more adjusted and pleasant to be around in the morning. :) Just wait until the baby has been keeping us up all night!

5. Love for Adventure - If he had his way, he'd be out swimming or boating on the lake every morning and then come home and mountain bike or golf in the afternoon. In the winter he'd love to be out on the slopes every day jumping off cliffs or out of helicopters. Lucky for me, I think his tailbone incident a few years ago has made him not as risky, but it scares me that his favorite place to board is "Out of Bounds." In any case, he loves the thrill of seeing new places and going further than he's gone before.

6. Sense of Reason - Arguing both sides of an issue isn't easy for some, but it is for Tally. Many have said he'd make a great lawyer, but that's not where his heart it (that part is coming). This is what makes him great for advice. Except since he's a man, he doesn't always factor in emotion. It's a guy thing.

7. Drive for Perfection - Maybe this also falls under work ethic, but those that have seen him hand wash hundreds of his golf balls or take care of his car know what I mean. It maybe quirky, but it's true. Since he bought me the new camera he's also taken up photography and when he wants a certain shot, there's no telling how long we'll wait until he gets it. And I often have to take back my complaining when I see what a great shot he's taken. While I've told you about more of the anal-retentive things he does, this is an attribute that makes him the successful person he is.

8. Money - I don't mean to say that this is where his heart is, but it's definitely his passion. Whether it's making money or helping other people make/invest money, he's never been one to waste money. We still can't talk about the time I returned a vacuum for $23 at Target when it was worth over $100 (I know it was stupid, thank you. I was returning a bunch of wedding presents and was past the point of caring that day). Even though it was hard for me to get used to, we created a budget in the beginning and have been able to save even when we were "poor college students." Looking back, it gives us such a sense of accomplishment and togetherness.

9. Love of God - He understands that by putting the Lord first, he is empowered to put all of his other responsibilities in order. He would sacrifice something he was going to do just to go help somebody in need or keep the sabbath day. For example, yesterday he turned down a round of golf - and it's not easy to golf here! This is one of the things I found deeply rooted within him when I met him and was a big factor into why I wanted to marry him.

10. The Way He Loves Me - Yes, I know this is also a country song, but it's true. This is a side hopefully seen by others but the full extent is not shown to the outside world. I have seen his love for me grow throughout the past few years and know he would rather be with no one else in the world. He often tells me how perfect I am for him and I'll be the first to say how true the reverse is as well. He compliments me in every way. When we were dating, I thought we couldn't be more similar. Now I know what a good thing our differences are because we balance eachother out.
Here's your Dairy Queen cake Tal! Sorry we can't get these in Switzerland but I'm sure you'll do just fine with a chocolate-filled croissant! I hope I didn't embarass you too much! Happy birthday babe!

3rd Trimester - 7 Months - 28 Weeks

So far, our "K" name baby is...
2.25 lbs. 11.5 inches long
Very active & already positioned with her head down - how obedient! She has eyelashes now and she may be able to see light that filters into the womb. This is a frontal shot, tilt your head to the right to view. I switched doctors and I really like my new one, so all is well in that department.

I will be the first one to admit that she looks like a monkey or something in this picture, but maybe you had to be there to enjoy it. In the ultrasound today, she was making this scrunched up face and then she started moving her lips and swallowing (yes, that's normal and a good sign). It was so cute! I can't wait to meet her. Actually yes I can and want to wait but it will be exciting to see her in September. I was especially anxious today because of the ultrasound and seeing pics of my cousin Tiffany's new baby, Sadie. For the family and friends that want to see more of the belly, this is for you.
Yes, I've grown and I'm starting to feel the heaviness of pregnancy. And the discomforts. Almost everyday when I walk home from the train I get this pain in my right side for a few (very long) minutes. Then, it goes away. Tally could swear it's because she doesn't like it in there but I think it's just her head hitting my appendix or something. Tal thinks that because he doesn't like being hot and cramped the baby doesn't either. I have to remind him that's how he got here.

HAIL IN SUMMER

As a side note, today it was about 90 degrees outside and super humid all day. Then at around 8:30 tonight a big rain storm started and it was HAILING! Aubrey and I stepped outside (she's in town) and it was still hot and humid yet windy and hailing! I wish I could have caught the transformation on video. I didn't have it charged up so this is the best I got - a tiny piece of hail after the storm was over.

Happy 97th Birthday President Hinckley

My friend's mom started this email and I thought I would pass it along because it's a great idea.

"This June 23rd is Pres. Hinckley's 97th birthday. He has been such a wonderful example for all of us and I think that it is time we pay him back! One thing that he is known and remembered for is the construction of so many temples around the world. I was thinking that it would be a wonderful idea if every member possible attended the temple the week of June 23 as a way of honoring and thanking Pres. Hinckley for all his years of service to the church. This is NOT a church sponsored activity, but just a personal thing that I'd like to suggest, so, if you're interested in participating and helping this to happen, please forward this email to as many people that you know and let's see what a difference we can make! I figure that between all of us, we can cover a lot of the country and maybe the world. Thanks for your help!"
- Becky Rogers

SO, I think a group of us are going to try and go to the Bern temple on Saturday, June 23rd especially since our efforts were thwarted this weekend by "maintenance." We're going to do babysitting shifts so the kids can't be your excuse not to go!

Tagged! 7 Things About Me...

So I've been meaning to do this since my friend Anna tagged me almost a month ago. Jessi, Chelsea, Elisa, Lyn, & Holly - tag, you're it! You know who you are and I check your blogs regularly. If you want to see other ideas, look at Anna's, Alyssa's or Sandra's under my friends. Theirs are actually cool so don't compare them with mine. This may break the rules of how this is supposed to be done, but here's me in 7 things.

1. My love for Photography
You can probably tell from my blog - that has way too many photos - how much I love capturing life's precious moments. I love playing around with my D200 and can't wait to get Photoshop in the near future (hint, hint Tal...birthday is coming). If I could have my wish, I would take wedding photos or kid photos for a living/hobby. I think it would also be nice to put my broadcast journalism skills to good use and edit people's home videos. You see, a nice news camera is way out of my league but I think it would be fun to edit home videos and turn them into watchable DVDs. I would pay someone to do mine, but if I had the right program, why not do my own & my friends'?

2. Water/Wasser/Agua
When we go to a restaurant, what am I most likely to order to drink? Water. Is it because I'm cheap and in Europe? Maybe sometimes, but mostly I love the refreshing taste. In fact, I think I'll go grab a glass right now.

3. Languages of Love
Spanish has always been my 2nd language that I loved and wanted to be fluent in. Now, German has been thrown into the mix and more than that SWISS German. Trust me, they're different. Sometimes I think I'm better at German than I am. For example, the other day Tal and I wanted to know if a bus stopped on our street. I said to Tal, no problem, I'll go ask him. So I said, "Ich farht Seestasse ab?" Which means I go to Seestrasse at...not DO YOU go to Seestrasse! I should have said "Sie fahrt vor Seestrasse? I don't even know if that's 100% right but at least if I had said that, he wouldn't have given me this awfully confused look that made me feel about 2 inches tall. Oh well, you live and learn and make mistakes along the way. I'm not going to get any better at it if I don't try! The elders gave us some advice today - to enlist God's help in learning German. I think that's what it will take if we're going to suceed. A miracle.

4. My love of Travel
I've always loved a good vacation but I am loving it more and more as fun adventures come our way. I always dress comfortably instead of cute (as you can see in the picture). I get sad everytime we have to turn down an invite to an exotic place but know that being a parent and being responsible has to take precedence sometimes. It's a rough lesson that I'll keep having to re-learn as the years come.

5. Natural Childbirth
This picture is of my friend Mary, her baby, and our some of the college roomies. Mary conquered the natural labor thing (on her 2nd child) and I've always said I hope to be just like her someday. I'm facinated with natural childbirth without pain meds, but I have no idea if that's going to work for me or not. Working with your body to have the baby seems logical and rings true to me but the whole process is still completely foreign to me. If you have any tips, opinions or experiences feel free to comment here. In the end, I'll be making the decision but I welcome advice.

6. Sleeping Habits
Thanks to my friend Janelle's great photography skills, I now have this pic of me sleeping on my blog. I'm sure many others out there have similar or worse pictures of me sleeping... I sleep with my eyes partly open, "click" as Tally calls it in my sleep, and wake up at least once or twice to pee. Oh, and now my legs have started this new thing where they cramp up for no apparent reason. I wake Tally up in a frantic, pained state and he pushes my foot flat (it points involuntarily and gets stuck, killing my calf) until it decides to let go. At first I thought it was b/c I didn't take my prenatals one night. Wasn't it. It's only happened 3 times but I'm nervous now for Tal to go out of town! Anyone up for a sleepover since I'm so pleasant to sleep with?

7. My love for my Hubby
I love my husband and as I think about how many wonderful experiences we've had together in the past 4 years, I know my life has been richly blessed by his presence. I can hardly write now that my eyes are filled with tears. We have been through some big changes this year with the baby coming and moving to a foreign country but it has brought us closer. I enjoy being with him whether we're on a trip or riding the train to work together. He's been especially sweet to me and sensitive to my needs now that I'm pregnant. He carries my purse (huge bag) to the train and home from the train when we go together - and everytime he asks me why I carry bricks around. I always tell him it's to make us buff. I am so lucky to have found such a wonderful man and even though we got married so young and we were so naive, I made the best choice of my life to marry Tally. I can't wait to bring a baby into this world with him. I love watching him talk to my belly and get excited about teaching her things. Although it will have its challenges, I can't wait for what the future holds with him by my side.

Oh, and by the way I thought this was cool. Basically, I'm Superwoman.

You are Supergirl

Supergirl 78% Wonder Woman 73% Superman 70% Spider-Man 65% The Flash 65% Robin 60% Hulk 60% Green Lantern 60% Catwoman 55% Iron Man 45% Batman 20%

Lean, muscular and feminine. Honest and a defender of the innocent.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test