Elizabeth & Brendan

So the weekend after Switzerland we were in New York for Haley’s first birthday, Easter, and Mets Opening Day at the brand new Citifield.

Brendan and I visited both families on Saturday and Sunday. Then went to the ballpark on Monday. Opening Day was a night this year which was annoying but oh well.

Here it is.

For Brendan’s birthday last year (I think) I bought Brendan a brick to be placed in front of the stadium in the “Fan Walk”. It is in Section 6 on the left side. He found it right away and proceded to act like Charlie did when he won the golden ticket. Upon seeing the picture below, Brendan’s favorite niece Kristen asked, “Who is this sad, pathetic man laying on the ground?” That would be my husband. Yay me!

Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza making their way to throw out (and catch) the first pitch.

Brendan near the field.

After Lucerne Brendan and I went to Zurich for a two days.  We were walking to the hotel and saw something not expected in a city, let alone a European one.  Two camels.  No joke.  The best part is that no one was surprised but us.

See below.

So again we walked around and visited a bunch of churches and stopped at a chocolate shop and had the best ever truffles.  Seriously.  I think the chocolate is so good because of the creamy milk.  Happy cows are in Switzerland not California (sorry T.)

We hung out in a city square and had some local beverages.

We found a public park that had a beautiful city view and below is the one picture of us together in Switzerland.  It is proof that I was on vacation with Brendan.  (Brendan was in the last stages of a beard growing contest.)

Some Swiss peeps playing bocci/boules/whatever they call it.

City view.

While in a toy store I cracked up that they were selling Swiss Miss.

We headed home on Monday night and I really like Swiss Air.  Great service, free chocolate, personal entertainment screens, and good chocolate pudding.

A quick correction:  In March we did go to the Elite Eight NCAA game for Villanova versus Pitt and it was AMAZING.  What a nail biter!

On to Switzerland.

I left on March 31 and took the overnight to Zurich and slept the entire way.  I attribute it to the two margaritas and melatonin a colleague gave me.  After arriving, we went from Zurich to Lucerne where we were staying.  The trains in Switzerland are amazingly clean and on time.  They were such an enjoyable ride.  I had to work Wednesday through Friday which was a bummer but it was also the reason for the free hotel and plane ticket.  On Thursday Brendan joined me meaning he left Boston on Wednesday night.  Unfortunately for him he had to fly out on his 30th birthday (April 1 for those playing at home)!

While I was in Rotkreuz at a client, B walked the city of Lucerne and napped on Thursday.

Thursday night B joined me and three work colleagues (including my boss who had almost sent back to America due to a recent change in visa requirements for Shenghan visas) and B was such a good sport.  We went to a restaurant complete with Swiss culture show.  It was interesting and hilarious.  And if you want amazing fondue – go there.

Friday had us going back to Rotkreuz and B walking the city.  He did things he knew I wouldn’t want to do, namely go to the transportation museum and the IMAX theater to see ELEFANTEN!  Friday the work peeps went out and I started my vacation with B!  Yay!  B was excited to be able to talk to someone in English.

Lucerne on Friday and Saturday

Brendan in Lucerne:

A cool mural on a hotel:

View of the wooden bridge:

Hotels on the river:

The Lion Monument:

On Saturday, B and I went to Jesuitplatz to go to the Palm Sunday mass.  Catholic Church.  All in German.  Mass time beginning to end: 45 minutes.

Church:

The palms (so pretty):

After mass B and I went to the movies and saw the Reader (English with subtitles in German, French, and Swiss).  We had assigned seats and an intermission – very European.

And that is Lucerne…next up Zurich.

What Brendan and I need to do during the winter months is go some place warm.  We have yet to get that figured out.  This winter we had little excitement.

January: B’s parents came to visit so we had fun shuttling through the cold together.   We did get through all the wedding photos for the alblums.  Although, I have yet to order them from the photographer.  (Seriously, since the wedding we have not wanted to anything wedding related.  We have yet to watch the DVD.)

We joined a CSA in January and now have a farmer, Farmer Steve Parker of Parker Farm.  What he lacks in computer skills I am confident he makes up in farming.  A CSA is community supported agriculture and it is like buying stock in a farm.  In this analogy, the dividends are the veggies of the farm so we will get a box of fresh vegetables each week starting June 1 (and running until about the first week of November).  We also will supplement this with our own little patch of plants (peppers and tomatoes).

February: We had fondue on Valentine’s Day and I am sure it was cold in Boston.  Otherwise there is nothing else to say about February.

March: We went to Chez Henri for my birthday and it was great!  Really good food and a very strong mojito.  Then on March 31 I left for Switzerland and that will be the topic of the next post.

I have had a tough week at work so I watched stupid but hilarious videos.

Kittens inspired by kittens-Youtube

David after the dentist-Youtube

Lost season finale: Lame
Office season finale: Lame
Friday Night Knitting Club: Lame

Grey’s Anatomy better not be lame.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

December saw me traveling to Fairfield, Ohio for work – just one week after returning from our honeymoon. When I came back we got an early Christmas gift in the shape of a new Honda CRV (ice blue). We got it just in time for the first of many snow storms this winter. All-wheel drive really helps you navigate the snow.

Because we used all of our vacation days for the honeymoon (well worth it!) we couldn’t be in NY on Christmas day but we were able to get all the visiting in for BK and LI the following weekend.

And then we rang in the New Year in Woburn.

Brendan and I have been following the Biggest Loser Couples and want the Brown team to lose. Ron is the dad and Mike is the son. We don’t like them. We liked Sione and Filipe but they got voted off. Now we are hoping Tara wins it. Help Tara win by saving Ron. Ron won’t win it but Mike has a good chance. Vote for Ron!

Vote by clicking here.  By saving Ron you help Tara.

Yes we are obsessed but the winters are long and cold here in New England.

So we started off on a less populated island and ended on the most populated. Honolulu looked like Miami or LA. Our main reason to go was to see Pearl Harbor. I had wanted to go save the survivors of Flight 815 but we didn’t have time. It is actually fortunate we didn’t go since they are no longer there but in somewhere in the 1970s. But I digress.

Pearl Harbor:

We then headed back to the mainland on Thanksgiving day. I got a bit upset eating Burger King on Thanksgiving but Brendan happily ate away.

More updates on our life to come…

We did some island hopping while in Hawaii. So after four amazing days in Kauai we went to Maui. And the day we flew was a Saturday. And a Saturday in the fall can mean only one thing. College Football. More specifically, BC football.

Here is Brendan at the Rusty Harpoon.

To be honest, the bar was packed with various college football fans and it was pretty enjoyable. Plus it was raining so I didn’t care.

We also went to some beaches.

While in Maui we went to the Old Lanai luau and fun. Luckily for us it was prior to Swine Flu mania. So I felt fine eating the pig underneath this dirt.

We got up super early one morning and took the road to Hana. And I wish we slept in. We saw lots of waterfalls.

And a black sand beach. I wanted to go into the water but they said it was too rough.

Past the Seven Sacred Pools is a hippie farm which may be a commune, we are not sure. They don’t have electricity in the hut so you power the blender by biking. Here is Brendan working for his beverage.

Unfortunately we listened to the hippie chick and decided to take the other road back to civilization. We both thought we would never make it back. We lost cell phone reception and GPS reception, saw buckshot holes in the few signs we did see, and rarely saw another car on the road. We were in the middle of nowhere, literally.