Tuesday, December 31, 2013

A Good Year


merry christmas and 
happy new year!
looking back on 2013 
i feel nothing but blessed.
the health and happiness of
my family of course..
but this year has been filled
with 
amazing adventures..
reaching important milestones..
trying new things..
meeting new people..
learning new cultures..
i can only hope for this 
coming year to be 
as rewarding.






this year i..
finally..
turned my blog into a book.
this is the reason i write this blog.
to remember the days and years
of our little family.
the last photo i put in an album
was around 2002.
i don't scrapbook.
so my blog book documents 
our life.
and i love it!



i miss our tradition of 
throwing out the old in the 
fireplace new years eve..
and writing good thoughts for the new
year on rocks and throwing them in the 
ocean on new years day.
you can read about them
 here 
and 
...i'm sure we could throw a rock
in the seine?


christmas morning.
griff looks overwhelmed non?

merci 2013.
you were good to us.
happy new years eve!!














Wednesday, December 18, 2013

20


20 years ago today.
it was a beautiful
and cold day on
cape cod.
i loved our
wedding.
i still love my dress.
and of course my dashing 
husband in his dress
blues.

the day after our wedding
we hitched a u-haul
trailer to our jeep
and drove to ft. rucker 
alabama for steve to 
attend flight school
and begin our life 
together.

and what a life it has been.
(so far!)
we've lived in many places.
have had some amazing experiences.
and most importantly,
have brought 4 
beautiful souls into the world.


steve was supposed to
fly home this morning 
from boston.
but, mother nature
had a different plan.
he texted me at 3:00 am
(my time)
saying his flight was canceled
due to more snow.

i'm so sorry we won't 
be together today.
but, we'll celebrate this
weekend.

20 years.
i am proud and blessed
to walk through this life
together with you.
my dashing husband.
i love you.







Monday, December 16, 2013

Christmas Markets


the past few days i've been better.
not great..but better.
steve flew to boston
saturday..right into
a snowstorm!
he's back for work..
and christmas shopping!

saturday evening the kids
and i walked up to the trocadero
christmas market.
the entire time i'm thinking
to myself, "i live here!"
after a year and a half..
it's still incredible to me.

the eiffel tower all lit up
to honor nelson mandela.
such a beautiful sight.



i rarely eat meat.
but walking these 
markets sure smell good!
how do you think you go 
about eating one of those 
hanging things anyway??


cute felt slippers.

i didn't take many pictures
of the vendors..
it was SO crowded and 
i was pushing griffy in the 
stroller.


looking over the skating rink.


kids posing
:)


flying santas



eating churros



red flocked tree



and you can't go to 
the market without a ride
on the carousel! 

C'est Noel!!










Friday, December 13, 2013

Some Views...


so.. the past week has 
been trying.
i've been at the hospital,
doctors office,
having tests done.
something going on in my
head and neck.
a pinched nerve maybe.
degenerative disk disease?
whatever it is..
i've been in major pain.
i've been wearing a neck brace
and now count the minutes 
until my next dose of pain medication.
nothing matters when you don't have
your health.
but life goes on.

christmas spirit is slow
coming this year.
i know we'll get there..
yesterday i sat here..


and wrote out christmas cards.
probably one of my favorite 
activities this time of year.
we send them all over the world..
(we've moved 10 times in 20 years!)
it's nice to reflect on each person/family we're 
sending to for a few minutes.
many that we haven't seen in years.
with each card i say a little prayer
for that family for the coming year. 



i love my sweet little kitchen.


we were worried buddy
couldn't find our new apartment!
whew!


les invalides at dusk..
my favorite time of day here.


early morning view of 
sacre coeur.



morning view of
trocadero and the 
christmas market.

i hope your
christmas season is
a happy and healthy one!










Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Rue Cler


griff and i took 
some time away from 
unpacking boxes yesterday
and walked around our 
new neighborhood.
it was such a beautiful day 
here in the city.

we walked across
the champs de mars
to rue cler..
a favorite street of mine.
we stopped for a 
chocolate chaud,
cafe creme
and a nutella crepe.


the shops and cafe's are getting
ready for christmas.
it's so pretty lit up at night.







this little specialty food shop
was  beautiful.


just look at those panettone 
hanging from the ceiling!!


i couldn't decide what to get!


flowers and greenery 




and of course i had to 
get a picture of these 
gorgeous chippy blue 
tolix chairs.


still pinching myself.











Monday, December 2, 2013

Bienvenue chez moi




we are moved in for the 
most part.
it took all weekend..
we had more than we thought!

i can not express how 
grateful we feel to be here.
i'm actually thinking of 
going back to the old apartment
and thanking the woman upstairs.
:)
we are truly blessed
and i'm thankful every single day.

speaking of thankful..
we had our thanksgiving dinner
last night!
it was delicious and more 
importantly,
the turkey JUST fit
in my oven.


these two photos were taken
from my balcony
just a few minutes apart
as the sun was rising over 
Les Invalides
this morning.



and this one was taken
looking in the opposite 
direction from my balcony.
the sun is shining 
over paris this morning!



we call this room
the eiffel tower room.
steve and i sit 
in those club chairs
with our binoculars 
and glass of wine..
in awe.
we moved the couch 
and the coffee table
in to the adjoining room.


tv room..
i pushed both coffee tables
together to make
one large one.
a great space for all of my
books.
next up is 
hanging pictures
and getting some
bookshelves for storage.


my sweet and tiny parisian
kitchen.
washer/dryer in the kitchen!
can you see my turkey in the oven??



ok..back to unpacking.
enjoy your monday!