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!!







Friday, November 23, 2012

American Food Found


the eiffel tower yesterday.
isn't she pretty?

yesterday griff and i walked
to a store i had heard about.
the Real McCoy.
it sells american food.




it's comforting to know
that i can buy a box of cake mix
and a jar of frosting.
even though the two would
cost me about 20 bucks.


i was so happy to find crisco sticks!
for years i've made homemade apple pie
and used the sticks for the crust.
and the kids were excited about the oatmeal
for breakfast this morning!

i'll be cooking our thanksgiving
dinner today.

bon weekend mes amis!








Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Nostalgic Thanksgiving Day


although it's thanksgiving,
the kids went to school..
steve went to work.
just another day here in paris.

i was looking at pictures from last years
thanksgiving.


and it made me yearn for 
my grandmothers china
and my pretty decorations
and our families.


but i am thankful for so many things today.



like the fact that my 19lb american sized turkey
fits in my european sized fridge!


and in my tiny oven!
although, that is sans pan.


happy thanksgiving 
to all of our friends and family!









Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Paris Marches de Noel



paris is getting ready 
for the holidays.
the christmas markets,
window displays
and lights
are beautiful!

yesterday griffy and i walked
down the champs elysees.
i'm looking forward to walking
it at night to see the lights.


we stopped in Laduree.
i snuck a few photos..
and bought a few macaroons.


i'll take everything here.
the colorful luggage.
the shoes, the hat
and most definitely the coat.


while the window displays 
are still being put up,
the christmas market is in
full swing.


i'm betting this is gorgeous an night.










i think being in paris
at christmas will be wonderful!


















Monday, November 19, 2012

August Rap Up


i never posted about our crazy
few weeks back in boston
and on the cape and the vineyard.
we spent the first week in boston.
 faneuil hall is a favorite of ours.
the shopping
the food
the history
and the balloon guy.


we also visited the museum of fine arts.




after a week in boston
we spent a night on the cape
with steve's dad
and then headed to 
the vineyard.
we stayed at the winnetu on south beach.
it's a great place for families.

the kids love the giant chess set







ag fair with the cousins 
is a tradition



we packed and unpacked our car
too many times to count.
will is squished in the way back.
no doubt, very unhappy.


dinner at baxters boat house
on the cape.

it was a very stressful, crazy couple of 
weeks but it was great to spend time 
in boston 
and on the cape and the vineyard
with our families.
we are blessed to call it home.













Saturday, November 17, 2012

Meet Olive


today is market day.
and i brought home an olive tree.
and i named her olive.
:)


it was a good day at the market.
saturdays are really crowded
but it makes it fun.


fresh dinde.
turkey.


joel thibeault's stand
is probably the most popular.
i stood in line for a half hour 
waiting for fresh bay leaves,
sage and beets.
joel is a well known farmer here
and a descendant of one of the oldest families
of farmers around paris.
they call him the king of vegetables.
his aren't the prettiest vegetables 
at the market
but you can bet they are the most
fresh.
he is always there with a smile on his face
chatting with the customers.


i love market day.


and thank you.
to all of you that left comments and
sent me emails after yesterdays post.
i do appreciate them so much!
today is a better day.
:)









Friday, November 16, 2012

My Trip to the Boucherie


yesterday was a really bad day.
like..i want to go home (to the states) bad day.
like..i called steve and then my mom crying bad day.

after bribing griffin with hot cocoa at starbucks,
i finally got him out of the house.

after starbucks
we went to the boucherie 
for pork,veal and beef to make meatballs.
the cashier rings me up..
29 euro (37$)
for 1/2 pound of pork
1/2 pound of veal
1 pound of beef

this is not what i was crying about..
although i should have been.

i didn't have euro
and the credit card machine was down.
i told them (in the worst french possible)
i'd walk back to the atm
and be back with cash.


now, griffin was riding his trike.
i was apprehensive about letting him ride it
as the last time he did,
this  happened.

well..it happened again.
almost exactly in the same spot as last.
right in the middle of a busy paris street
his bike broke apart in 3 pieces.
as i'm picking up the pieces
the light turns
and cars are beeping at me
and again..
not ONE person stopped to help.
i don't get it.

i guess it's time
for a new bike.


p.s...
visit tiggy&grace today!
kimberly just opened her online shop!
i may have treated myself to an apron
you all know how i love an apron
:)





Thursday, November 15, 2012

In My Autumn Kitchen...and My LIfe Now


in my kitchen lately...roasting and more roasting.
tomatoes and all kinds of root vegetables.
the oven seems to be constantly on.
the farmers markets here are bursting 
with beautiful fruits and vegetables...some i've never even seen before.

while we were in tuscany..
we ate dinner..twice..
we had such a great experience the first night
we went back again.
The food was delicious and 
the service was amazing.
We were treated like family and when
i think of tuscany..specifically the chianti region..
i think of the meals we had there.
our waiter brought us some olive oil
that had been pressed just 4 days earlier.
it was so good..
i brought some home with me.
i don't think there is anything as good
as freshly pressed olive oil.


griffin is having a hard time here.
he still asks daily to go "home to the other house"
he refuses to even talk about potty training.
he is still sleeping in our bed.
and he doesn't EVER want to leave the house.
EVER.
it is a battle getting him out every day.

i know this won't last.
someday this will be home to him.
he will be out of diapers. (please)
he will sleep in his own bed.
and he will want to go out
and maybe even go to school.
and then i'll have hours to myself
to see paris
and sit in cafe's
and visit museums
and learn french
and take a cooking/painting/photography/writing class
and shop.


but right now..
my little 3 year old needs me.
paris will have to wait.











Wednesday, November 14, 2012

My Life List



 Kimberly is living my other life. Believe me, I LOVE my life but if and when we're ever done living in  europe (i hope not)..i would love to settle down on a farm not unlike hers. although, my farmhouse would have to be on the east coast..and with an ocean view or maybe in tuscany :)
i love that kim names her cameras and her airstream (mabel)...i just might have to start naming some of my favorite things...starting with my grandmother's sugar bowl. i'm going to start calling it hazel. even though my nana didn't like her name..i loved her and her name.
kim's blog is one of those blogs that you find that you have to go back and start reading from the beginning...and i spent a few afternoons doing just that. she had me at "i got to meet ina".
recently kim posted about her top 50 things to do on her life list. and of course, it got me thinking.





1. finally learn to knit
2. take my mom to tuscany
3. take my dad to ireland
4. take a painting class
5. plan and host a big old fashioned family reunion
6. learn french
7. finally learn to sew
8. take my children to africa to volunteer
9. see Le Miserables in London with steve and kids
10. own a small cottage on the vineyard
11. learn italian
12. grow a BIG garden
13. visit thailand
14. own a tuscan farmhouse and grow olives
15. attend a show during fashion week in paris
16. take a family trip to all the homes we've ever lived in
17. see oprah...check!
18. raise chickens
19. go back to villa vignamaggio with just steve.
20. meet all my tp sisters
21. learn to play piano..specifically, pachelbels canon
22. have a dog...and not give him away
23. finally print and organize our photos in albums
24. take more videos of the kids
25. see U2 with steve
26. take a photography class
27. visit montana
28. dine in as many restaurants in paris as possible with steve
29.  make a movie out of all of our old videos
30. visit provence...although i'm scared i'll love it more than tuscany!
31. have a working fireplace in my kitchen
32. rent a cottage in maine with our family for one week.. with no electricity and no cellphones
33. have more girls weekends away
34. get over my fear of flying
35. rent a sailboat in the caribbean and sail around BVI..with steve and kids.
36. go to the french open and/or wimbledon
37. take a literary walking tour around paris
38. read more history books
39.  achieve the best health, mind and body, i possibly can
40. take a cooking class in paris
41. host a girls weekend at our flat in paris
42. go away by myself for a week
43. live in london
44. buy lots of beautiful antiques at the flea markets in france
45. have a professional do my hair and makeup
46. visit more museums and learn more about art
47. continue my book collection and build a beautiful library
48. do something creative every day
49. play tennis again
50. rent a cottage in the cotswalds


this was fun!
at first i thought..how will i come up with 50...and now i could think of 50 more!

a bientot mes amis!



Monday, November 12, 2012

Flea Marketing in Paris


steve and i stole away for a few hours
sunday morning.
i've been wanting to visit the 
porte de vanves flea market.
it did not disappoint.
the markets..both flea and farmers
are one of my favorite things about
living here in paris.











and here are a few of our purchases..


i loved this urn..


my foo dog book ends
and some vintage books.


old kitchen scale..and it's teal!


fleur de lys iron grates


bowls and embroidered linen towels..

love the flea markets in france!