Schweizer Bundesfeier

Happy Swiss National Day! 

I ♥ this picture of a young Xandi probably decked out in his lederhosen watching his father play the alphorn. One of the coolest pictures I have ever seen and a treasure.

#1 Grandpa

and we just aren't saying that he is #1 because every time he comes over he brings about a pound of chocolate. Our Swiss Grandpa knows the good stuff!
This morning was the last time that Grandpa Schmalz had to come tend the kiddo. I cannot believe how great this guy is. For the past 2 years he has been coming faithfully two morning a week to watch Gentry and make sure he gets off to school just so we wouldn't have to worry about daycare. We will forever be grateful for his service and love he has shown us and the memories Gentry will always have of his grandpa Schmalz are priceless.

Thanks you!

GETAWAY TODAY

Thanks to an awesome grandma and grandpa, we got to go spend a few days up in Park City again this year and we LOVED it! It really is one of the highlights of the summer every single year. We get a lot of our school shopping done at the outlets. We get to spend time with the extended family, going on walks and going to lunch. The girls get to get all pretty with a pedicure night and of course lots of games to be played. Best of all though was the swimming! I think we broke our record this year and the kids were in heaven.

Thanks you so much grandma and grandpa Schmalz! 

You are the BEST and we appreciate so much the fun times and the memories :)

What Grandpa's Do

Sophie had to do a little report about one of her ancestors for a school project, and when she asked her grandpa Schmalz if he could be the subject of her report, you should have seen his face light up. After all, "that's what grandpa's do!" It was a lot of fun for Sophie to learn a little bit more about her dads dad, and when he came to the class as a special guest, complete with the entire Swiss getup, to play his Alp horn and talk about life in Switzerland as a young boy, she, and he, were a big hit!
Thanks grandpa, for taking time out of your busy schedule for your little Sophie. It's not everyday that you get to show off your crazy grandpa, and even get to eat lunch with him! You would also be happy to know, after you left, Soph got quite a few "your grandpa is sooo cool" comments. Who would have thought?!

Schweizer Nationalfeiertag

“Erste August” - August 1st is Switzerland’s national independence day. Today the Swiss celebrate 617 years of independence with bonfires, lantern parades, great food and festive folk music. We will be celebrating up at sugar house park doing pretty much the same thing, aside from the bonfires I am sure. Way too hot!

I for one am so grateful for my Swiss heritage, even though I only come by it by the way of marriage into the Schmalz family. I love it all. The cute little outfits, the yummy food and recipes that have been passed down, the fun celebrations and culture, the only chocolate worth eating in my opinion, oh, and the cheese. I could go on and on. I love that when I was 19 years old my future in laws (Xandi’s aunt, dad, and sister) let me tag along with them to the home country. I count that trip as one of my favorite things in my life. Not only because of the things that I got to do and see over in Europe, but because I got to see those things that would eventually be so important to me to tell to my children and to pass on to them. I got to meet their great grandma Schmalz before I even knew that she would be the great grandmother to my children and know and love her obsession with polyester suits. I got to see the bed that their grandpa slept in as a small boy and I got to cook in the kitchen that his mother cooked in. I saw where grandpa went to church and where he went to school and I saw great grandpa’s head stone. All of these things at the time were nice and I loved them but now I REALLY love them. I love that my children have this great Schmalz heritage to live. I pray that they will learn all the things that their grandpa has to teach them to carry on the Schmalz legacy.