Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tidbits of Life

The past few weeks it has finally turned to Spring here in Paris and everyone is happy and out and about, including me!  Here are just some fun things as of lately....

Don't you just love this poster I found in the metro?  I love how the boy is looking at the girl as if he is so pleased with something he or she just said!...and how his legs are crossed like an adult!


This was a little Pinterest project that I made for my fireplace mantel for Valentine's Day..actually, truth be told, it's still up!


And Pinterest RKTs for the Young Women!



Last month my friends Jen and Renee went to Ikea and about 6 carts later we left.  It's dangerous to let women go to Ikea sans husbands..I think we would've bought more if it would have fit!  I bought a dresser for Jeremy to use, and it only took an entire Saturday morning and afternoon to put it together.



The dresser...



I recently went on a little outing with my friend Claire and her friend CJ to Chinatown.  It was so fun and we regretted not bringing our lovely shopping carts to bring home more.  The food is so much cheaper and it was fun to try Pho and see the entire "lacquered ducks" hanging in the windows!  Here is a cool water fountain from that area


And my delicious mango/passion fruit macaron for dessert!


In February we took a temple trip with the youth to the London, England temple.  It was quite the adventure which is too long to give all of the details but to make it short:
- We left an hour late because the car rental place was trying to charge about $700/car instead of $150
- We had to leave my dear friend Ashley at the English border to be escorted to the train station by the French police
- The 7 passenger vans were realistically for 4-5 people really, and no luggage
- I had to wear jeans into the temple
BUT......
- We had a great time with the youth and everyone was a good sport 
- I absolutely fell in love with England
- I was able to get some cake mixes in a store before crossing back over the border into France
- We saw this beautiful sky!


If you've never driven from France to England via the "chunnel" before, you actually drive onto a big train and it drives you under (like a ferry but under the water!)



There will realistically be at least one Eloise picture in every post from now until I am too busy with my own babies...so here it is and she is precious!


My friend Ashley and I went on a lovely walk one day and ended up people-watching in the Tuileries, it is one of the best places to people-watch!

It's probably a good idea that I don't have a baby right now, I think we would be thousands of dollars poorer over the adorable clothes that Paris has for children!






One beautiful day I took a nice long walk from the Champs-Elysees to the Eiffel Tower to Andre Citroen park, it felt so nice to feel the warm weather.






Andre Citroen park has a hot air balloon that you can take rides in!






We have a friend named Rosario that invited us for lunch one Saturday....look at her terrace!  It was spectacular, even if we are used to seeing the Eiffel Tower, it still took our breath away.  And since Rosario is Philippino the lunch was great!



On another "note", if you want to take "notes" in France, don't look for lined notebook paper...it is very difficult to find, if not impossible. Graph paper is what you will now use...
P.S. You can't buy three-ring binders here either



I told Jeremy that he crossed over to being a true frenchman last Saturday when he wore a full suit to Ikea to buy a chair, now he just needs a flowery scarf and he'll never turn back!



I hope you are all getting some better weather, especially in the East.  Popcorn is popping here...





Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Time to meet my niece!

At the end of February I was able to go to Pittsburgh to meet my new niece Eloise and cousin Noah.  There are a lot of pictures of babies on this post, but since it is my blog I get to post all of the baby pictures that I want!

Eloise and Noah...I guess they just tumbled around the whole time while their moms tried to take their pic!



Gram with Ellie

First snuggle with Aunt Aimee.  Don't you love it when babies just curl right up on ya?  It was love at first sight with this little girl!


One of the greatest things about living abroad is noticing the subtle differences of each place.  Example:  This menu states that "all burgers are cooked well done unless otherwise requested."  In France it would be slightly different:"all burgers are not cooked at all, not even warmed and we don't take other requests."  Ha ha!



Also, I cracked up at the amount of ice in my glass, especially since you don't get ice anywhere here.


Back to babies....


One afternoon we headed to Lauren and Gabe's to meet little Noah.  It was fun to talk to Ethan too and see his amazement when I knew the words to "Let it Go" from Frozen!  Cute family!





Little Gabe?...I say, YES!


Rico coaching Eloise during tummy time.




Since I wasn't home for a holiday it was easier to have an impromptu brunch with these cute ladies!  Lee Anne and Wendy look exactly the same and it was so much fun to catch up with them!  I miss them!











This is pretty much how it is...everyone huddled around the baby!




More fun at the Fergies!





I just missed Eloise's one month birthday...but these faces are priceless!  She looks pretty excited for her first month on earth!

My favorite one...those cheeks!


It was fun to be home and hang out with the fam!