Paris in Winter

Paris in Winter is fun - but also really cold! Anyway - we had a wonderful time! Paris is wonderful and liberal and diverse. It is completely different from anywhere else and we loved it. For a quick overview and some pics - take a look at Richard's vacation blog.

I won't go through the whole trip, just some highlights. The Eiffel Tower is truly beautiful and much more impressive in person.

We walked along the Seine and shopped along the Champs-Elysees. We stood by the Arc de Triomphe and took an open top bus tour of the city. We walked through Notre Dame and soaked in the history and beauty.

My favorite place of all was the Louvre. This is currently my favorite museum of all time! We saw the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa - two of the most famous women in art ever!


We also saw some amazing portraits by the likes of Van Dyke and Carot. I saw a fresco by Botacelli
and a hall of Rubens.

We saw amazing statues, including two by Michaelangelo. I could spend days and days there.


Amber turned 15 years old in Paris - how cool is that?
She met up with a friend she knew in 4th grade at Notre Dame. She has since moved to Germany and was in Paris for her 15th birthday too. What a small world it really is!

Alexa loved the Mona Lisa - but was a little weirded out by it too since it looks like she is looking at you no matter where you stand. We have decided Mona Lisa looks like a very sweet woman with a wicked sense of humour. Alexa also now believes she was Mona Lisa in a past life.


One of the first places we ate was a local restaurant on a side street recommended to us by the lady at the hotel. I thought it was wonderful and it was everything you would imagine a local French cafe would be. The waiter was so nice and helped us with our French. There was a definite local atmosphere to the place.
Just before we left, I went to use the bathroom. It was one bathroom/stall for both genders. No big deal right? Well think again - here is what the toilet looked like...

Luckily, this was the only place we went with this type of toilet.

Grossed out on the Eurostar

I will post more about our trip to Paris soon - but had to get this out of my mind - it was just so gross!

So we were leaving Paris and had all settled in our seats - all across one row. The train had been traveling for a few minutes and I decided I needed my purse which was under my seat. I reached down under the front of my seat and grabbed - but I did not grab my purse. No - I grabbed a toe. A man's bare toe to be exact. EEEEEWWWWWWWW!

So then I was embarrassed as he looked around my seat at me and I apologized. But seriously - what was his foot doing there and WHY WAS IT BARE?????

I was completely grossed out - but did not want to be rude by running to the restroom to wash my hands. A few minutes later I glanced down and the foot was still there and I actually got a look at it. GROSS, GROSS, GROSS!!!!! I couldn't take it any longer - I did rush to the restroom and scrub my hands.

I still cannot believe it. I hope I do not have nightmares.

Happy Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year!

It's been a really great day here in England. Alexa and I woke up early (6:30 AM) and took two buses and a train to Heathrow Airport in the snow/rain to meet Frances who has come for a visit. Alexa held up her sign at the Heathrow Arrivals gate - "Mama Welcome". It was really cute. We all bundled into a car and came home.

Once here, Amber and Richard had breakfast almost ready. We sat down and caught up while we scarfed down pancakes and bacon rolls. We also began planning our week as the girls are on half-term break this week.

Then we did a quick grocery trip and had a proper Sunday Roast. This is the thing to have every Sunday in Britain. We had a roast chicken with mashed potatoes, broccoli, peas, salad and of course, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. It was so yummy!

Now we are about to have a snack - and we have so many thanks to Frances. She has re-stocked our pantry with good old American favorites like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Goldfish, Hidden Valley Ranch, Kool Aid, Welch's Grape jelly, Reese's and various other sweets. It's like Christmas instead of Valentines!

Here's to a fun week - and Paris on Thursday!

Few strange things from this week

So none of this is particularly important - but they caught my attention this week and either made me pause or smile.

Early in the week, I was walking from the tube to the office and saw a strange sight. In the tube station, I saw a woman in a halter dress with a light sweater. Now it may seem strange to see this when it is freezing outside. But what really made me pause was the immensity of her bosom. This is not something I usually take note of - but I have never seen anything like this. They were HUGE! I mean - imagine holding two of the largest watermelons you have ever seen - that is what it looked like and she had no bra. I am pretty sure there is no bra made that would hold them anyway. I am not sure how she was upright.

Another tube station story - I was waiting for the tube at Waterloo Station. Just before a train comes, there is a person on the plat form that says things like, "The train to Stratton is now approaching. Please stand behind the yellow line. Please allow all passengers off the train before boarding." This particular morning I noticed the platform attendant was an American. So that might seem strange, but I have heard him before. This morning though, I recognized the end of his little speech. As the train approached, he said the normal announcement and then ended with, "Be well, do good work and keep in touch." This made me laugh out loud because it is from NPR's The Writer's Almanac. Garrison Keeler says it at the end of each segment everyday. I know that shows what a nerd I am - but it still made me laugh.

I had a few others, but I have forgotten them now. They would probably only continue to confirm my nerdiness anyway.

Love you guys - have a great weekend!

Day Off

I took the day off work today to spend some time with my hubby. We both walked Alexa to school and then we lounged around having breakfast and coffee. We brainstormed photography stuff and just talked. I loved it! We went to the bookstore with Amber and had sandwiches for lunch.

It was soooooo cold out today with a strong wind and intermittent snow. Richard picked up Alexa from school while Amber and I played on Facebook. I ran to the corner store for some bread and lunch meat. Now I am playing again as Alexa takes a bath and Richard makes dinner. I could get used to this.

American Idol tonight and then a nice book before bed. What a relaxing day.

Hope you all had a good day too!

Pictures from South Bank

Sorry for the delay. Here are some pictures form South Bank from last weekend:

Here is a cool skate park we ran across. My pictures are not as good as Richard's - but here it is anyway.


Here is a seagull swooping for crumbs. Right after this a little girl of about four ran over to the bird and yelled with all her might, "SHOO!" The bird didn't move. Her dad said, "You're as bad as grandma with the gulls." For some reason, I thought it was really funny.


Here is my man with Big Ben in the background. Hook em Horns!


Richard and me in shadow...


This weekend has been more of a stick-around-home weekend. We ran errands and stuff. I felt like such a bad mom when I saw the state of the girls' shoes. Alexa has been coming home from school since Christmas with her socks completely wet and black. I asked her why and she said, "Oh that? That's the way they always get." I finally looked at her shoes today and she has holes in the bottom of her shoes. I felt horrible because it has been really cold outside. Amber has been a little luckier, she hadn't gotten to the point of holes - just creases. Anyway, we got some new shoes today and they are both happy. And I feel like a better mom.