Freddie in France: New Year Catch-Up = Longest Post Ever

Turns out that I'm not the best at blogs...but to my defense I haven't been in one city (or country for that matter) for longer than two weeks. I was waiting to get the internet at our new house here in France but figured out a way to use my phone as a personal hotspot so I think I have some catching up to do! Here are some pics from around Paris that I took in September:

Hotel De Ville (this is what we walk by on the way to church)

I took this for Kerri and her new husband Michael Cox!

This is Chez Marianne...for Marianne Finlinson...it is in the Jewish neighborhood and will be one of the places we will dine with her and Joe when they come to visit next year!

This is the Pompidou...all of the piping and such is on the outside of the building. I personally think it is an ugly building but it is a stones throw away from our church building.

Notre Dame...so many nice views!

This is for my friend Jeff Nobili...he probably doesn't follow my blog but a shout out nonetheless.

Jeremy and I took a train ride to a small town with a big chateau called Fontainebleau. We mostly like to go to these beautiful estates to see the grounds and they did not disappoint! We saw several wedding parties taking photos.

The day after we took a walk to Parc Monceau and found hundreds of families playing soccer, kids riding horses and everyone picnicking. We also walked by Faure's home, which could only excite music nerds like us.

USANA held an event at the end of September and we were able to take a boat cruise at night on the Seine. If you are planning to visit, this is a must. It would have been very romantic, but we were with all of his work colleagues...we have put it on our list to do in the future.

We also were able to travel down to Aix-en-Provence just for a day while Jeremy had to be there for work. It was lovely and reminded me of Italy...my favorite place! We purchased bottles of olive oils, lavender scented soaps and other great jams that were locally produced.

OCTOBER:

Jeremy and I had always wanted to go to Vermont during the fall to look at all the leaves, and we had a great time.

While we were there, Jeremy and I tried to find an ancestor's grave but had no luck. We asked two old local men about a particular cemetery and found ourselves off-roading in the rented Camry. I was hysterical and am still shocked we didn't get a flat tire or run into a tree.

Overlooking Lake Champlain...there was a class there from the Univ. of Vermont learning how to sail.

We then drove through upstate New York on our way to Palmyra. We ended up at Joseph Smith's farm and the Sacred Grove. It was truly a wonderful feeling to be in the Sacred Grove with no one else there. I had only ever been there in the summer and will try to go back in the fall. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Hill Cumorah..sans Pageant.

We ended in good old West Virginia with my parents (Jeremy's new favorite place!) We hiked down a path to see an old coal furnace, but it looked more like a Mayan tomb.

After visiting family in PA we went to Utah for a couple weeks. Our dear friend Therese was married, he fiance planned a surprise ceremony in the woods.

We also were able to go on a triple date with Kristie and Trevor and Lyndee and Jim. We went to The Blue Lemon at City Creek.

After a couple weeks in Salt Lake we returned to Paris. I started working on "favors" for Kerri's wedding shower. I monogrammed tea towels. I was grateful for something to do!

One of the hazards of working in France are the tiny European elevators...which Jeremy was stuck in!

I was pleased to discover La Defense, which is essentially a really big mall with a movie theater. I sat at the bottom of this big square thing on the stairs and had lunch from Paul one day.

Therese came to France for several weeks to help out in the USANA office. It was nice to have her here. We took a train out to Chantilly...another famous chateau where the famous Chantilly cream comes from...which of course, we tried. We ate in the old kitchen of the chateau and would have liked to look around the grounds but it was freezing this day!

At the beginning of November, Jeremy had to go the Netherlands for a work trip so I went with him. We first went to Groningen. I purchased most of the yarn for Kerri's shower towels from this cute store. It was called "Sostrene Grenes Handelscompagnie" or "All Over the World", though I'm pretty positive that is not a direct translation. There were a million bikes all over the place!

Jeremy and I then stopped in Amsterdam on our way back to Paris for a night. We loved it! We took a canal boat ride and tried to get into the Anne Frank house but had no chance without getting tickets ahead of time. It was very cold but we plan to go back sometime, a charming place!

When back in Paris I did a favor for a friend's relative. I took a lock with their initials and put it on the "Love Bridge" or Pont des Arts and threw the keys into the Seine. I was happy to do something so romantic for a nice couple. There was even an accordian player singing some romantic song while I did it. It was extremely hard to find a spot, I lucked out!

By December, it was time for Christmas and to take care of business at home before the big move at the beginning of January. First we sold our much-love Acura.