Life back at home

The Matterhorn in the morning - 6:30 was our usual waking time and this was the view out our window! 

Balin and I finally got a picture without our arms 2 inches away from the lens.

A couple of different views of the Matterhorn.  I guess a horn is a mountain that has been carved away by a glacier and has three sides to it.  Unfortunately we didn't get to see the third side as it's in Italy.  Maybe next time.

The mountains from the Gornergrat side.  Just spectacular.

A Catholic church at the top of Gornergrat.

Balin and I both loved the texture of this house in Zermatt.  Would love to do something similar somewhere, someday.

We finished up our hiking tour with a beautiful stay in Zermatt.  In the past we had done the Matterhorn side of the town but with our clients we headed toward to the Gornergrat side and man was it spectacular.  There's something about massive glaciers that just knock your socks off - we were not disappointed.  The final hike of the trip was up to a small hut directly above Zermatt.  We stopped there for some refreshments and boy were we thankful we did.  As pictured above, they made their own Rosti and wildflower tea...O.M.Goodness was it ever good.  Everyone was particularly pleased with this treat before we headed down some pretty awful downhill - it was bad going up and worse coming down.  But it was our last day.

Amazingly enough Balin and I ended up not paying a cent for this trip.  Between Troy picking up major expenses and tips paying for the drinks and snacks - we came home not having spent a dime.  Not bad, 18 days in Europe, in one of the most expensive countries in the world and we came home with money! Love it and it's why we do it!

Jet lag took pretty much all last week and it wiped me out.  Balin and I were getting up at 3am and staying up all day.  I was one crabby momma by 7pm.  Poor kids.

Then we got a call from Balin's mom and his dad was heading into emergency bypass surgery for his heart.  Balin got on a plane and headed to Oregon for 3 days to hang out with family.  It was great that he went as I think his mom really appreciated it.  I also think that she really enjoyed all the time with just her boys...as a parent I can appreciate that.  Michael made it through and is doing great at home.  We heard from him last night and it sounds like though it's difficult, he's happy to be at home and on the road to recovery.

This week we've settled back into normal.  The kids are playing, going to school and enjoying life.  Balin is out of town for a couple of days drumming up some work while I hold down the fort.  I've started running (I know SHOCK!) as it's the fastest way to get both myself and the dogs exercise.  I've been either riding, running or doing a crossfit workout 5 times a week and I'm feeling good.  I've got to get into a bathing suit in just a couple of weeks as we're headed to Panama over Fall Break and at 42 I need to start months in advance. :)

Best go and get the kids off to school.  More funny stories coming soon...they've happened, I've just got to get them written down.

Life is never boring around here.