46

(the lock bridge)

i had a birthday last week!

it was a gorgeous day here in the city.

stephen was home for the day

so he and griffy and i went to lunch.

then stephen babysat for a few hours

and i got out by myself for a bit.

i went to a few bookstores

and walked all along the seine

and then had tea at laduree.

it was a good day

:)

booksellers along the seine and

notre dame

love this bookshop

lunch with my oldest

and youngest

laduree macaroons

friday night we went

out with some friends

for dinner and 

continued the celebration.

what a fun night!

saturday was a busy day..

stephen had a baseball game

and will had baseball and 

MUN all weekend.

i love market days

so does griff

strawberry season!

rainbow over paris 

looking forward to

what 46 brings!

c'est le printemps!

Musee du Luxembourg

steve was traveling all last week..

so yesterday i took some time for

myself.

 there is an exhibition at the 

Jardin du Luxembourg right now 

through June about Josephine Bonaparte!

i finished the trilogy a few weeks back

and i'm still so fascinated by her.

any day at a museum is a good day 

for me!

the portraits of course are 

beautiful 

but for me..

i am so interested in 

seeing her things!

her clothing and jewelry

and furniture

and her toiletry kit.

i'm  looking forward to 

taking a trip out to 

Chateau de Malmaison soon.

Josephine's trunk that she

traveled from Martinique to France with

to marry Alexander de Beauharnais.

of course i bought another book at 

the gift shop.

i started reading

Josephine yesterday.

after the museum i sat in 

a chair out in the Jardin in the sun

and read for a few hours.

HEAVEN!!

steve and griffy came and met

me later and we sat outside at a cafe

and enjoyed the sun and the city.

we talked all about how

we don't ever want to leave here!

happy st. paddy's day!

Friend Water

the weather here in paris

has been simply beautiful.

blue skies

warm temperatures

trees blooming.

the champs du mars

is our playground!

griffy and i bring a blanket

some toys, snacks

soccer ball 

and spend hours out there.

there are playgrounds

and kiosks selling 

ice cream and hot dogs

and cotton candy.

griffin has an imaginary 

playmate.

his name is 

friend water.

a few months ago

griff was playing

while i was making lunch.

he opened the door and 

told me his friend was coming 

over to play.

i asked what his friends name

was..

he thought for a minute and 

said,

"friend".

one night at dinner

stephen went to sit down

in his seat and griffin yelled...

"you're sitting on friend!"

our dinner discussion that night

was all about friend.

i asked griff what friends

last name was..

he thought for a while.

and after looking around the 

dinner table

he said,

"water"

(glad he didn't say wine)

friend water came skiing

with us but he was too afraid to ski.

friend water doesn't go to school 

because he's too afraid of school.

friend water likes ice cream and pizza

and kinder eggs.

i write this blog

to remember.

to document our

families adventures

and our every day

happenings.

i'm not a good blogger.

 i don't respond to comments.

i just don't have the time!

i do appreciate that people leave

comments here and i love 

reading them.

my favorite coffee spot in the 

morning.

i think i need to get some

flowers out there.

:)

19

i became a mother 19 years ago

today.

Here is his

short birth story.

i have no pictures of him 

here on this computer as a baby.

but he was a beautiful baby..

this boy..

who has moved 8 times

and changed schools

6 times

is not a boy anymore.

he is smart

and funny

and kind

and has great friends.

i feel so blessed that

we've had this extra year

with him

but i know he's ready to go.

happy birthday stephen.

your family loves you

so very much.

Avoriaz, France

we are home from 

the alps!!

what an amazing trip we had.

this was our view from our

balcony every day!

the first 3-4 days we skied

it was sunny and beautiful!

so fun sitting outside

listening to the band!

and at night we'd watch the sun go down over

the mountains.

the village bakery..

line out the door every morning.

our little place!

we were so sad leaving!

not a great picture..

but we loved the horse drawn

carriages and hearing their bells.

i didn't take many pictures with 

my good camera.

thank goodness for phone cameras!

the rest are from our phones..

out on our deck

apres ski!

(my beer..not hannah's)

stephen skied about 3 hours

south of us with friends.

we missed him!

hannah and i on the slopes!

selfie!

steve and i had a ski date

one afternoon.

we skied to switzerland!

we were remembering our trip

to champoussin, switzerland 17 years 

earlier when stephen was a baby 

and we were living in germany.

fondue!!

will at the top!

hannah at the top!

griffy really didn't ski.

maybe next year!

we loved this place so 

much we're going back next

february vacation!

(not my pic)

looking down on 

Avoriaz.

we are so very blessed!