This crazy week...

Oh, has this been a busy week.

I think it's really hitting me that yes..

we are moving to Paris.

We started the week with the last day of school

and our annual block party to celebrate it.

The party happened to also fall on Griffin's

3rd birthday.

What a fun day!

 Steve was missed terribly. 

We had him on speaker phone

while singing Happy Birthday.

Not the same

:(

Happy birthday Griffy!

Helping mom bake his cake.

Barefoot Contessa's sheet cake.

yum!

Our neighbors put together a slideshow

for us.

What a gift!

We are really going to miss this neighborhood.

And Griffy's going to miss his "Tattie"

Thursday our New Hampshire friends

came for a visit.

Such a treat to sit on the beach

with my girlfriends!

Last night was Stephen's rowing banquet.

On the way home he admitted that it was "kinda sad."

For me too.

You'd think that after moving as many times

as we have,

 it would get easier.

The days of my life

last day of school.

sad for my kids.

stephen will not graduate here.

hannah will most likely.

if we come back in 3 years as planned.

we love our town..

but, we're keeping our options open.

:)

read this from cover to cover last night.

loved every page.

more Paris books.

each were gifts from friends.

thanks julie and kate

:)

hannah was promoted from 8th grade last week.

how is my little girl going to be a freshman in high school?

hannah took this at her final ballet recital.

loved this she drew of our family.

steve's mole included.

:)

Fathers Day at Notre Dame

This is where Steve has been going to Mass on Sundays

since he arrived in Paris.

Geez.

Does it get any better than that?

We missed him today.

Fathers Day.

I could not ask for a better dad for my kids.

We are lucky to have him.

Love and miss you.

Moving to Paris..

In a month.

I can't believe all that needs to happen

between now and then.

Steve is already there.

He started his new job

and loves it.

He also secured a house out in 

the country for us to rent.

We can't move in to the Paris apartment

until mid-August so we'll be staying here..

in Chaville...a ten minute train ride from Versailles.

Steve visited the "villa" yesterday.

(I don't know if it's a villa..I just like saying that :)

the view from my kitchen sink..

for a month.

looking forward to spending a month in Versailles!

Yesterday we took the ferry to the Vineyard 

for the day with my brothers and the cousins.

My mom had us all for a cookout

and then we went to the beach.

What a great day!

We are trying to get over there as much 

as possible before we move.

loving this cookbook.

my outfit of choice lately..

white linen shorts, blue blazer and my kork ease sandals...

I chopped my hair off.

Man those are some big glasses.

Home Alone

Last Thursday

Steve took all 4 kids

to Disney World.

I stayed home.

For 5 days and 4 nights..

ALONE.

A small part of me felt guilty

for not going.

And then I quickly got over it.

Steve travels A LOT.

And this was his gift to me.

I had all of these grandiose plans.

Mani/Pedi's, sit on the beach,

visits with girlfriends, sleep in, READ,

clean out my basement and my attic.

I slept in and read.

It was 50 and raining.

Perfect for sleeping and reading.

He sent me this picture a few hours ago.

Within seconds of receiving the email

I called him and yelled...

"Will is in a WHEELCHAIR?!!!"

He fainted waiting in line.

So, as I sit here in my oh so very quiet house,

getting ready to drive to the airport to pick up

my beautiful family,

I am so very thankful.

For the quiet.

And for my husband.

I'm ready for you all to come home.

Right Now...

...life is busy.

With final ballet recitals

and baseball games

and award nights

and getting the house ready to sell

and 

last regattas

(silver medal at states!)

and Disney World

and painting

and school applications

and trying to figure out

what I'm shipping, storing, or dumping

and bon voyage parties

and so much more.

And right now

I'm so very grateful for the quiet.