21 - 27 January 2008

We realised recently that our whole perception of stress has changed - Simon was practicing balloon modeling, because every Wednesday all the ski instructors host a party for the children in the ski school with face painting, games, etc. Simon's balloons kept bursting and he shouted out in frustration that it was 'very stressful'. And setting aside the usual parental stress - that really is, so far, about as bad as it gets.

14 - 20 January 2008

All the children took ski courses this week. Elizabeth cried every day and gave her ski instructor (and the others that she was passed onto) possibly the worst week of the season. Mary was confident that she'd win her end of course race but completely ignored the last few gates and chose an off-piste route instead. Caspar did win his race and now sleeps every night with a trophy in his bed.

7 - 13 January 2008

Justine discovered this week that during occasional periods of staff shortage and high demand she is expected to actually teach skiing (rather than merely supervise toddlers on skis). Every time Simon took his group up the lift at the side of the nursery slope he would shout out teaching tips, ideas and German vocabulary and by the end of the week, miraculously, six 3 - 5 years olds were happily following Justine around the mountain! Just as unexpected are the weekly activities of face painting, balloon modeling and dressing up like clowns and tumbling down the mountain on snow blades in front of a few hundred spectators.

31 December 2007 - 6 January 2008

In the 16 days of Christmas holiday our little home has received Austrian, English, Bosnian and Dutch visitors, numerous holiday makers seeking accommodation, 5 Royal Kiwis, 4 English friends, 3 Wise Men, 2 Friedenlicht bearers and a chorus of carol singers. Now we need a holiday!