Hedwig's Swiss Restaurant

These kids are constantly cracking me up! Today we finally got around to having Mary Alice's (a.k.a. "Hedwig's") little Swiss restaurant. We finished studying Switzerland about a week ago, but due to illness and other things, we are just now getting around to doing this.

We set up our kitchen area like a little Swiss restaurant. Mary Alice made a menu a few weeks ago and planned the whole thing. She chose Swiss foods that she wanted to serve from some books that we had borrowed from the library.


Here is Mary Alice making "Kabisuppe", our main dish.

And of course....What would an activity at the Smith house be without costumes? Mary Alice came dressed as "Hedwig", William Tell's wife. She really got into the act and continually reminded us about how things are done in Switzerland. For example, right before the meal, Major asked if we were going to pray. Mary Alice said, "Oh yes. We always pray to God in Switzerland!" Many times she said things like, "Oh this is how we do things here in Switzerland. We do such and such...." It was too funny!




Major was "William Tell" and dressed himself. He's been learning about Switzerland right along with us and did surprisingly well choosing his costume. He appeared downstairs looking like a crazy mountain man. He even had an imaginary bow and arrow, which was actually a weed eater. He looked pretty close to his character with the exception of the safety goggles and Cars slippers. He was hilarious and seemed deathly serious about his role. Of course, Major's funny beard and mustache made another appearance. At the restaurant, Hedwig praised him for giving all of the Swiss people their freedom. It was amazing just how much the kids got into this whole thing.


He put this costume together entirely on his own! Here he is striking another one of his thumbs up poses.

Mary Alice picked out Josh's clothes for him. She went in our closet and picked out "church pants", black dress shoes, and a navy dress jacket worn over an undershirt. Josh was sweet to play along and came to the restaurant as "Hans". Mary Alice waited on him hand and foot and refused to sit down until both "Hans" and "William Tell" were completely served.



Taking Josh's order.....and then...



Here is Hedwig taking Major's order.....


My role in all of this was slightly less glamorous... At Hedwig's request, I was Hedwig's kitchen help, "Charlotte". I was scolded by Hedwig a few times throughout the evening for being "rude to the customers." I am not joking. Charlotte and her costume was slightly unattractive and are thus not featured amongst the pictures on this post. Mary Alice was cracking me up with her pretend play. She acted so much like a little Swiss restaurant owner and even said things like, "I speak German most of the time." Silly girl.




We ate Kabisuppe (Cabbage Soup), Leckerli (Special Swiss cookies), Swiss chocolate, "Swiss" chocolate milk (Nestle Quik), toast, and Swiss Cheese (which was decidedly disliked by all of us who ate at Hedwig's restaurant). Major said that his cheese tasted "sour", to which Mary Alice replied, "I must have put too much butter in it. I'm sorry." She also was explaining how she had gone to special pains to put holes in it and was sorry that it tasted so funny.








My chocolate faced girl...after dinner


Anyway, this was a really great experience for all of us. I remember really enjoying playing restaurant as a child, especially with adults. I would encourage any of you with children to play restaurant one night for dinner.

Major had a change of heart a few times about his costume. He first came downstairs wearing this as his Willam Tell costume.



Next he came into the kitchen wearing this as his costume... I think he looks like William Tell, don't you? (Notice his beard sticking out beneath the pile of towels.)



I was glad that he finally got his creative juices flowing and just went all out. Here he is......fully decked out... He even has a weed eater that doubles as a bow and arrow.





I just love this picture! Mary Alice jumped up into Josh's arms after we were done eating. What a girl!