Wednesdays...So Fun ... Alternate Title- That time the Kids Locked Themselves in the Elevator

So in Switzerland, elementary aged students only go to school for a half day on Wednesdays and some of the young ones don't have school at all. After talking to many people about the reasons for this, the best I could come up with was that this is the day that the Cantons have set out for kids to take lessons, or participate in sports activities. Pretty smart! My neighbor told me that when he was a child they went to school on Saturday morning to make up for the lost time on Wednesdays!

During our half days this year I've been trying to set up play dates. Early on, I ran into some minor cultural differences when scheduling these play dates. The conversations would go something like this-
 Me- Hey can  so-and-so  come for a play date on Wednesday after school? (School ends at 11:30)
Them- Yes!  so-and-so  would love that, how about at 5pm?
Me- What? Um, 5pm is a little late for us.
Them- Okay four o'clock then.
Me- Um, um... I'll have to get back to you....

Talk about cultural differences.. Anyway I've finally figured out the solution to my problem, The Lunch Date! Genius, I don't know why it took me a year to figure that out...

Anyway, yesterday we had one such lunch date and all was going well until we decided to take the kids to the park for a run around.

My little apartment dwellers have become increasingly independent lately when it comes to operating our building's lift. Yesterday with their little friend cheering them on they managed to trap themselves in our elevator during the 0.5 seconds that it took me to lock our door.  Talk about a nightmare... Thankfully my friend ran down to ask the concierge to unlock the elevator and the kids were out in less then five minutes. Phew!

I have to say that being trapped in an elevator really brings out people's true personalities. Quinn was super happy and excited during the ordeal (surprisingly), while Anna, after trying to free herself by sticking her fingers through the small crack between the elevator doors, sat down and had a good cry.

Fortunately no one was harmed during ordeal and everyone now understands the new rule of no kids alone in the elevator. Wednesdays, so fun!

*Looks like these two are plotting their next elevator adventure...