Recent Photos

Hi all - I'm trying to get this blog updated with all the stuff we've been doing during September...hard to believe it will be October already this coming weekend! I finally got our Switzerland posts completed...so scroll down a few posts to view those!

Here are a couple recent photos of Shelby - she is very happy in these photos taken last week...unfortunately though, this week she is sick. Silas had a cold all last week (runny nose, cough, slight fever) and now Shelby has it (and Shaylee is getting it too). I took Shelby in to the Dr. this morning and now she is on a mucus thinner, as well as breathing treatments (mostly to prevent bronchitis). She doesn't like to take medicine (we are working on different techniques to prevent her from spitting it all back out again) and having her nose suctioned out isn't a highlight of her day either....poor thing! I'll just look at these photos and hope for her to get better real soon!

Shelby doesn't usually like to be on her tummy - however I got these to pictures of her apparently enjoying it. The first one she is on the couch (so I could get a better photo of her at that level) however, I didn't keep her there long as she was ready to roll right off. And then the second picture I found her zonked out under her play jungle. She had been on her back...so apparently she rolled over to her tummy, then couldn't roll back over to her back, so decided a nap was better.

Homework, homework....Shane starting on his travel brochure he had to make for his book report. He read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis - he was inviting people into the wonderful world of Narnia! He has since finished it and presented it to the class. He did a great job...I'll have to find the completed work and take another photo. And little Miss Shaylee busy writing words. She is doing this on her own - because she WANTS homework. She just loves learning and I'm so glad that she does...it's a joy to work with her on her writing and reading!

Silas is my little knight in shining armor! He was playing around with Shane the other day and when he came into the room looking like this - I couldn't resist a picture.

What we've been up to

Hi all - I know its been awhile since I last posted...sorry!!! It has been just a bit crazy over here at the Van Essen household! I guess that's normal for our family of seven! We are slowly getting into somewhat of a routine since the kids have been back into school, but with school comes homework, and playdates, and birthday parties, and tired kids, and one thing after another. I'll let you use your imagination to picture what afternoons from 4-6 are like over here! So with all that is going on - I'm just not finding time to upload photos and update the blog. We have been out and about to a few places in Germany and even made a lovely trip to Switzerland over the weekend - so hang with me, I will get this blog updated eventually! I hate being behind...but right now I'm just trying to keep my head above the laundry pile!!!! Thanks for understanding!!!!

Kleine Scheidegg

Our train took us up to Kleine Scheidegg. Here we had beautiful views of the 3 main mountains in this region of Switzerland - the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. We took a little hike here and just enjoyed our time up in the mountains!

The kids - in the mountains of Switzerland!!!


Isn't it just marvelous to be here - look at all this beauty that surrounds us! God is an AWESOME God for creating this earth for us to enjoy!

Taking more pictures...and guess what my kids found to play with....more rocks!

From Kleine Scheidegg, you can get on another train and head up to the Jungfraujoch - which is an observation deck at 11,300 feet near the Jungfrau peak. We didn't take the expensive journey up there - but did see the building way up on the mountain...can you see it?? I sure wonder how they build places like that for us tourists to enjoy!

Taking a little break and getting something to drink, while enjoying the sunshine!

Hot chocolate anyone?? It may be sunny - but it still is a bit chilly.

Do we have to go already?? Time to get back on the train and head down the mountain.


Goodbye Switzerland....we may be back again!

Lauterbrunnen Revisited

We spent the night in Lauterbrunnen. We loved the little apartment we rented back in June, and since it was available, we decided to stay there again. This time the skies were blue as we drove into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Look at that mountain, we didn't see that back in June. (Shannon and Becky - some of these photos are what you would have seen had it not been cloudy and raining)

The view from our hotel....and it isn't raining!!!!

Since we stayed in the same apartment as we did back in June, I couldn't resist taking another picture of the kids on the same couch. It is amazing how much the kids have changed in just 3 short months (okay, maybe just Shelby)!

The next morning we decided to take the train up to Wengen and then on to Kleine Scheidegg. The kids were excited to take the train. Here it comes....and on we go.

The ride up was beautiful and relaxing! We also got some great views back on Lauterbrunnen and the valley.

The church and the hotel where we stayed. Seeing the mountains behind the steep cliffs on either side of the valley.

Looking back down on the valley.

We are getting higher...looking down we can't even see the valley floor anymore. And the view just keeps getting better! The little town on the edge of the cliff in the second picture is Murren and above it to the right is the Schilthorn (we went there back in 2009).

Alpine Tower

After our stop at the festival, we headed up to the Alpine Tower. We had been up here 2 years ago - but that day was so cloudy that we didn't see much of anything. Since it was such a beautiful day this time - we couldn't resist heading up there again and actually seeing the view.
Check out that view!

It is about as steep as it looks...if you slip, you'd roll for a good ways down the mountain!
Marv and Joyce and our crew!

We enjoyed watching this guy set up his para-sail....there he goes!

The kids had fun with rocks. The rocks up here are in thin layers, and comes apart easily. They collected a bunch and made a little working station on a log, where they would pound the rocks into smaller pieces and powder. Sydney actually made a hole right through one. She was going to keep it, but it ended up breaking in two.

Later we headed back down to the little town of Reuti, where Marv and Joyce were staying. We enjoyed supper with them, and then said our goodbyes. We once again had such a lovely time with Marv and Joyce - we were so thankful for such awesome weather this time!