What a bipolar month you turned into January… You began with your exciting, action filled, sweet half, before turning into a gloomy, sickly few weeks in the middle / second half, just turn back to normal for the last week before February arrived.
Off to a Great Start
Every day was filled with adventures. We kicked off the year with a snowy day trip to Monte Tamaro. Where we had fondue lunch before sledging on the slopes. We explored the Fortress and the rode back down on the cable car.
On the way home, the little ones fell asleep. We drove straight to Ascona for the New Year’s Day Fireworks Show. Entering the underground parking lot, we spotted an A4 sized paper saying that the show was cancelled. We were confused, but went ahead to park. We agreed that Ascona is worth a visit even without fireworks. Later at home we saw the devastating news about the New Year’s Eve celebration party that ended tragically for so many young souls in Crans Montana. No wonder the fireworks and other extravaganzas planned for the beginning of the year, were cancelled or toned down. I think you would agree that Ascona is magical with its winter lights.
We celebrated a friends birthday in Italy and our eldest had a chance to try go karting for the first time in his life. What an experience for those 6 – 7 year old boys to race on the track for the first time together.
Next up we visited an iceskating BBQ party up on the mountains with many of the school friends of the kids and their families. We got to know an acquaintance family to one of the boys. It turns out that this family is as much traveled (or perhaps more) than we are. We, moms spent the whole afternoon getting to know each other’s colourful stories and adventures. Note, to self – I must reach out to her to strengthen connection.
We celebrated our youngest’s second birthday. This cheeky monkey is really putting the cheeky into the m…. Cake is made by my Mom, who has enormous passion and patience to create the masterpieces for her grandchildren. I feel really lucky to have such a great grandmother to our kids.
We ended up visiting Como one more time a week later to meet up with Mac’s cousin. There we took the kids to an American restaurant, which offers access to a soft play area with the lunch kids’ menu. The food was delicious and it wasn’t overpriced. The mayhem started when we descended to the soft play zone. With plenty on offer, the age range went from 0 to 12 years. Around the main zone, four side half open rooms hosts birthday parties. That afternoon all rooms were rented. A constant flow of kids with parents arrived all afternoon. Once the kids were adequately worn out, we returned to the restaurant for our dessert and coffee before heading back home.
The Middle
The day after this adventure our youngest started to show signs of flu. Next couple of days, he slept through the following few days and nights. His fever crept up above 40 degrees Celsius. Then on Tuesday, the eldest got sent home from school with fever. He suffered the most. I actually had never seen him so – so ill. His fever crept up as well, he cried out loud having muscle pain especially in his legs and back. Usually he sleeps off the illness, but this one was harsher on his body than ever. He could not get himself to eat for a week and often throw up the little water that he tried to send down.
By Wednesday, our daughter was sent home as well with fever. Interestingly she had handled it easier than ever. She had two days of fever and sleepiness. The third day she was on the mend by the look of it. Although the next week, she was still sent home from kindergarten with another round of fever, but luckily that only last 24 hours.
I struggled with the most horrible migraine so far in my life. It took a week to get rid of this awful headache. It felt like the mucus in my nose / head turned into cement and that pushed on my brain. All I could feel that my head will literally explode. I do not wish for anyone to have this feeling. And yet, I think my mom is having the same kind of headache at the moment.
Mac fell ill as well. High fever, muscle pain, awful cough and cold, headache. The list was endless. He head to stay home two extra days that week as he had no energy from the fever.
I hope this is the end of this brutal flu. And I hope, you are not going through this with your family.
Welcome Back Normality
After skipping three swimming sessions, a couple of Budo classes and whole lots of days in school, kindergarten and nursery, we finally made it back to our normality. The air outside is still crisp and around zero degrees Celsius. But finally the sun is back on our terrace. We get two doses of sunshine throughout the day thanks to the high mountains surrounding our valley.
Bandii Gianée – Chasing the Winter Away
This year, we got a dust of snow overnight mid January and nothing more, but cold and some rain – not complaining. The kids were, but its all ok. Same as last year, we got together with the kids of the school / kindergarten and their families to scare the winter away. The streets were filled with deafening noise while we walked around the old town. Arriving to the church, lovely author Valeria Nidola (writer of Mucche in Volo) presented a story for the kids. Followed by food – drinks – music by the fire.
Page Turner Challenge
Finally we onto ‘chapter books’, I am not sure why but I think I was waiting for this moment more than my eldest could imagine. He is happy to follow day by day (or I should say night by night) as the story progress. I feel these kinds of books really take you on an adventure and let you grow your imagination (which I always lacked of)…
How Winston delivered Christmas is a colourful adventure story of the main character, Winston the Mouse. I read it in italian and I cannot wait to re-read it in the years to come. The chapters are short and easy to grasp. Between each chapter there is an activity for children to do in preparation for Christmas. It’s a lovely read and a great alternative to sugary advent calendars. Story and activity a day to make the days fly by until Christmas.
Winnie-the-Pooh is a classic that brings back many memories of my childhood. My eldest cracks up of spelling of the animals and various names of imaginary figures, such as Wizzles and Woozles and Heffalump. The very important Missage of Piglet and the Expotition to the North Pole are his favourits. I have to admit that the long sentences challenge my breathing ability sometimes.
It’s okay NOT to share is an eye opening book for me. As a single child having three kids I feel I have to relearn what to do in certain situations. These kind of books are my rock and I try to listen to them while cooking in the kitchen. Unfortunately I am not in a position yet to sit down with a book 18+ in my hands.
The 2026 Book Club List of the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge proposed the book ‘Parental as Anything’ for January and I went along and listened to it while cooking. The subtitle sums up really well the value of the book. I loved listening to it.
We attended the ‘Storie & Biscotti’ after school event, where the kids listened to two stories in italian. And as previously mentioned during Bandii Gianee, Valeria Nidola presented a story for the kids.
At school the kids go to their library every two weeks and they can lend three books for a month. This month only my eldest managed to attend one of the library sessions. He is into comic books now. It’s the third Minecraft comic book that he borrowed from the library. At first I thought he reads it once and that’s it, but he keeps it by his pillow and after our high-low-buffalo and What made you proud today? chat, he turns on his night light and reads until he falls asleep with his glasses on.
1000 Hours Outside Challenge
Adventurous start of this month led us to more hours spent outside in the nature than last year during the whole month. The first two weeks, we spent over 30 hours outside. Then after two weeks bedrest and the last week we ventured out although starting slowly and gradually building up the kids stamina over a period of few days.
Last year January we spent over 35 hours outside, while this year I am proud to say that over 56 hours. What a difference to our family. How did we do it? Our approach to stay outdoors has changed significantly. We are looking for adventures on days when everyone is free of work, school, kindergarten and nursery. On weekdays, we try our best to lengthen our time in nature after office hours. All in all, it worked out well and here are some extra snippets of some precious animal time,
The last 31 days were like a rollercoaster, I am so ready to see what the next 28 days bring. Hello February!
Expat Mom Journal 