Christmas and New Year in Zurich

Happy New Year, everyone! I trust 2009 has started well for all of you.

We had a quiet Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year here in Zurich. It was a time to rest and recover from a very busy and eventful year for us. We are thankful for so many things in 2008. Foremost to my mind is the health of the family. The kids only went to the doctor once last year!!! What a change from the last few years. Mummy is of course very relieved and praying for a good year health-wise for the boys.

Joseph celebrated his 6th birthday in December. As I was completely clueless as to birthday party conventions here, I let Joseph invite one friend over. I think I was supposed to invite more...nevertheless, I think it was special to him. He never really had a party, so he was delighted.

We had our friends from church over for a "Singaporean" Christmas celebration. Then for New Year, a friend invited us to their place for dinner followed by a tram ride down to the city centre where the fireworks were set off at midnight. The boys were apprehensive initially but were soon won over by the beauty of the pyrotechnics.

The boys are still in seperate schools and we lost our car-pooling partner this year. So, it's been alot of car time for me. Bluey (my little VW) and I are getting to know each other really well.


Joseph and his decorations (post-party).


Joseph's 6th birthday cake.


Our first Christmas tree (again!)


Close-up of the star that my cousins and aunt so thoughtfully sent over from Singapore. Isn't it lovely?


Our Boxing Day excursion by train. Boys on a horse carriage in Interlaken. Mummy is a sucker for experiences. Paid 50 Francs for the ride. Daddy didn't like being stared at by townsfolk and tourists :).



The carriage driver thought the kids were cute and volunteered to hoist them atop the horse for some pictures.


Part of the town of Interlaken.


A well-deserved break after ice-skating with Uncle Daniel and Aunty Kasey at Einsiedln.