First Christmas in Paris

we've been enjoying much family time.

it is wonderful to have us all home

together with no where to go.

christmas eve we went to mass

at notre dame. 

it was beautiful and peaceful

and hopefully a new tradition 

for us while we are here in paris.

after mass we went out for a 

family dinner and then

drove by the eiffel tower...

just in time to see it sparkle.

christmas day was just perfect.

we have so much to be 

thankful for.

Happy Anniversary, Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas

today is our 19th anniversary!

i loved our wedding!

and i love you steve!

yesterday was my dad's birthday.

happy birthday dad!

and merry christmas

from our family to yours!

Musee' d'Orsay

after friday's horrible events,

i wanted to have a memorable 

weekend with the kids.

we had fun..

but, i was and still am

just so very sad.

steve was in the states all 

weekend. 

we miss him when he

travels weekends.

friday night i took

the kids out to a new italian

place in our neighborhood.

it was pouring rain

on our walk home.

but it was a fun walk.

saturday the sun was out

and almost 50 degrees.

the two little boys and i 

went to the christmas market

on the champs

and rode the ferris wheel.

the older kids had to study all 

weekend for exams.

view from the top of the ferris wheel.

looking out towards the Louvre

and the Jardin des Tuileries.

another view towards

the eiffel tower.

and another down the champs towards

the arc de triomphe.

look at all those people

shopping the christmas market!

of course we have to have

a ride on the carousel.

and eat churros.

that night..

i felt so lucky to have

been able to spend a happy 

day with my children.

sunday was another

sunny day.

again..the older kids

had to stay home and study..

so i took the little boys 

to musee' d'orsay.

as impressive as the louvre is..

i really love this museum.

in the early 1900's

this building served as a train station.

not many pictures here

as they're not allowed.

kind of a bummer.

i can't wait to go back.

maybe a date night

with steve.

the kids weren't that 

interested in the art.

they were more interested

in the ben and jerry's ice cream

sold at the cafe

and the gift shop.

steve's plane just landed.

we'll be happy to have him

home.

i'm sure he wants to hug his kids.

This Week

what a week.

it started with me somehow

injuring my hip.

for a few days 

i thought it was a sciatic

nerve. i could not walk

at all.

i finally got into the doctors today,

a british doctor that i liked.

she seems to think it's my back

not my hip and wants an x-ray.

she also gave me something for

my out of control eczema 

and an epi-pen for my allergies.

it felt good to get to the doctors.

it's pouring and cold here in paris

today.

on the way home from my appointment

griffin and i stopped at a cafe for lunch.

we haven't done that in a while.

it was a nice treat.

not a lot of decorating going on here.

with all of my decorations in a 

storage box back home..

we are enjoying a simple christmas.

i love aprons.

i bought this one

from Kimberly's

shop tiggy & grace

and i live in it.

i love the length of it

and the feel of the linen.

i love the little pocket to hold

all the little things i pick up around the 

house during the day. 

bon weekend mes amis!

Paris est belle

yesterday we took the kids

to see the window displays.

i have memories of doing

the same thing with my nana.

we'd go to downtown crossing in boston

to see the Enchanted Village

window displays at Jordan Marsh.

we went inside galeries layfette

department store to see the

beautiful swarovski tree.

tres jolie! 

Wish List

i love amazon uk.

it's comforting to know

i can order books, toys,

kitchen supplies..

just like back home.

i keep putting things 

on my wish list.

i love this apple green mixer.

or maybe tangerine?

i didn't bring my mixer.

i read that the transformers here

aren't good for the motor.

i miss it!

i've been looking on 

the french craigslist for a used one.

or maybe santa will bring one.

i've been really good.

wouldn't mind seeing the artsy bag 

under the tree.

sweet stocking stuffer

non?

ok

ok

i'd settle for some books.

i love books.

i could list a million books.

these are just a few.

of course what i really want is

health and happiness 

for all.

bon weekend mes amis! 

Lately..

we spend a lot of time at home

during the week.

most days i don't mind it.

i am a homebody.

but many days i feel guilty

for not getting out there

and seeing more of paris.

i've mentioned this before.

griffin is still having a difficult time

here and i just don't want to push him.

i know that there will be plenty of time

for sightseeing.

we did have a play date last week

and it went better than i thought.

i'm actually looking into the 

bilingual montessori school that his 

little friend attends.

 i love to be in the kitchen.

i love researching recipes and making

out menus and grocery lists.

i love trying new foods.

last weekend at the market 

i picked up this jar of confit d'oignons.

i love that it comes in a reusable weck jar!

it's so yummy! and i'm inspired to make my own.

so good on crostini or in pasta or add to soups.

and speaking of soups..

i've been making many lately.

maybe it's the cold weather..

maybe it's my new le creuset in teal!

last night i made ina's french lentil soup

with sausage.

hearty and good.

i've also made 3 of these in the past week.

turkey and rice soup/

chicken and rice soup.

after we ran out of turkey

i made a big batch of chicken stock.

homemade chicken stock in my freezer

makes me extremely happy.

i also use ina's recipe for chicken stock.

it makes the house smell amazing!

last night when the house was 

quiet,

i sat and did some of my christmas cards.

it's one of the things i love about this time of year.

sending and receiving cards.

we've lived in so many different places,

it's a nice way to stay in touch with our friends.

my weather app.

dimanche (sunday)..there are snowflakes!

snow in paris! 

The French Pharmacy

i love the french pharmacy.

sometimes i just go in 

and look at the shelves

lined with bottles and jars

of things i don't yet know.

luckily, my pharmacist speaks

a bit of english and has been

a godsend. 

i tend to get very dry skin

this time of year.

i've been using Pso Natura .

my pharmacist told me to 

give it a month. 

it was pricey

so i'm hoping it'll 

do the trick.

i am also loving

the bioderma line.

i had read about the 

makeup remover on 

Gwyneth's Goop.

she swears by it

and now i do too.

i'm also liking the bioderma 

foam cleanser as well.

GP also suggested 

avibon.

i'm loving this product!

it is not as expensive here in 

paris.

surprising.

and i'm seeing 

this oil all over the place

in paris.

Nuxe oil can be used

on your face, body and hair.

or in your bath.

it smells lovely 

and is not greasy at all.

the pharmacy here is not

just a spot in the back of Walgreens

or Target to fill your prescriptions.

for me, it's just another 

wonderful parisian experience.

Christmas Weekending..

our weekends are fast, fun and full.

with christmas coming...

even more so!

i'm really looking forward

to our first christmas in paris!

i can't remember what we did

friday night.

this is precisely why

i blog.

saturday we all headed

out to the kids school.

the annual holiday boutique

was going on and 

hannah was working it.

she joined the romania club

and was selling raffle tickets.

my crafty friend nicky 

selling her pillows.

the one she's holding

is the one i bought!

i love it.

when are we sewing nicky?? 

:)

later that day

the two little boys and i

went out with a friend.

steve had to work 

which was a bummer,

but we made the best of it.

we drove out to 

Les fermes de Gally.

I loved this place!

Christmas tree farm,

market with amazing produce,

meat, cheese, wine, honey..you name it

it's there.

a beautiful home and garden section

and plenty of christmas decorations.

sunday steve and i started 

christmas shopping.

we snuck out for a few 

hours in the afternoon

and braved the toys r us.

yes, there is a toys r us here.

there is also the gap,

hollister, abercrombie and fitch.

i'm crossing my fingers

j.crew makes it over here.

sunday evening we all piled

in the car and drove across town

to our favorite italian place.

when we were living in the hotel

this past summer, we would 

eat here almost nightly.

i brought my camera

 because on the way home

we drove down

rue de rivoli and 

boulevard haussmann.

i decided that this week

griff and i will brave the metro

to look at the window displays.

paris at night

at christmas time 

is amazing.

A French Inspired Christmas

i've mentioned that we have no 

christmas decorations.

that includes stockings.

i came across these

simple, yet beautiful

french inspired stockings

on Heather Bullard's blog.

i don't have a sewing machine

here..and even if i did bring it

i wouldn't know how to use it.

i wonder if i can sew them by hand.

i bought some french linens

at the flea market recently.

or use fabric glue?

i wonder if they even

sell fabric glue here.

i can't get these

stockings out of my head!

A Thankful Weekend

we had a great weekend.

friday night we had our thanksgiving dinner

we have so much to be thankful for.

the rest of the weekend was spent

eating more of our 19lb turkey..

i made a big batch of stock

and a turkey and rice soup.

and of course turkey, cranberry

and stuffing sandwiches 

on our favorite baguettes.

saturday evening we went to

a dinner party.

another thanksgiving dinner

but with french influences.

the kids were invited

and they had fun

with the other kids there.

we met people from poland,

scotland, ireland and morocco.

what a wonderful time we had!

sunday i was able to get out by myself.

i walked around the city and started

some shopping.

i met up with steve and the kids

for our annual christmas card photo

shoot. 

thanks to a colleague of 

steve's. 

it was nothing like

last years!

i'm pretty happy with how

it came out.

now that the card is done..

i need to find a tree.

and ornaments.

and some stockings.

and decorations.

but right now..

griffy and i are cuddling

up to watch 

the polar express.

here comes christmas!!