Wednesday, December 26, 2012

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.





Tuesday, December 18, 2012

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!








Monday, December 17, 2012

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.


















Friday, December 14, 2012

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
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!





Monday, December 10, 2012

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! 













Friday, December 7, 2012

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! 













Wednesday, December 5, 2012

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! 











Tuesday, December 4, 2012

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 
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.







Monday, December 3, 2012

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 
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.









Thursday, November 29, 2012

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!



Tuesday, November 27, 2012

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

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!!