gabriella & jd (and alex! and vincent!)

We just spent 5 days in the French Alps in the Haute-Savoie region of France for vacation and Alex's 9th Birthday.  We took the TGV (2 hrs) to Lyon and then rented a car and drove 2 1/2 hours to the town of La Clusaz.  Each day we ventured around the mountain towns and on Friday went to Chamonix. We had fabulous weather and enjoyed the traditional food, wine, and cheese of the region. Alex drove a Go-Kart for his birthday which he loved. Make sure you check out the videos of Go-Karting and swimming: https://www.youtube.com/jddphd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeoAO8AMpUg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmD7m3el4GM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BssL-YmAtrA Tues April 21 TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon.  Lunch and a walk around the Old City of Lyon.  Drive to La Clusaz and our " Residence Les Grande Alpes " apart-hotel.  The first room had bunk beds and a sofa bed so we switched rooms to have a separate room with beds. The first night we walked in

Our last week of school and activities in April before the 2 week Spring vacation.  The weather was exceptionally warm, high 70s, for several days which was great. pictures School, park (Vincent found Joseph from his class), Saturday in Paris (it was still gray and chilly), Parc Batignolles, American Day Tuesday April 14 was American Day in the nursery and elementary schools of Levallois.  Previous years included Ireland and Great Britain Days.  The children were requested to wear red, white and blue.  For lunch they were served a hamburger, fries, brownie, and Coke.  They sang songs - Vincent came home singing "head, shoulders knees and toes" and "baa baa black sheep' (this one with a French accent on the English words it was hilarious).  Alex took in US money to show his class he was very proud.  Dinner outside at L'Anjou it was so warm. pictures School, artwork, flowers, park, cheese. pictures A warm sunny Sunday.  Lunch outside in the Mara

Last week was Passover.  Our menu included deviled eggs, meatballs, matzoh stuffing, turkey, and two kinds of charoset.  It was delicious!  The meatballs were a big hit.  Almost as good and Aunt Adele's. pictures Seder 1st night.  Meal preparation.  Eggs and turkey from our favorite poultry people at the market. Beef and lamb shank bone from Philippe the butcher.  We missed everyone in the US but talked to them on Skype. This is a kohlrabi we found at the market: pictures Saturday, gray and rainy, a walk in Paris through the Jardin du Luxembourg, then lunch at La Verlaine near Rue Mouffetard (which we later realized was the building where Ernest Hemingway had his writing loft 1921 - 1925.  A French poet also died there.  I care more about Hemingway. )   Then to a pub to watch the Manchester United game. pictures Sunday lunch including cheese with matzoh.  To Montmartre to meet some friends to watch the Paris St. Germain - Marseilles match.  It was a nice sunny

Vincent is wearing his favorite striped shirt -  Petite Section 10, Silvi and Catherine

During Vincent's school check-up they could not tell if he was having trouble seeing the images or did not know the words in French, so we took him to the eye doctor, and sure enough, he has inherited the Deitch/Banyasz astigmatism.  He loves his glasses since we all have glasses, so why not? pictures Park, soccer, new glasses and sunglasses (Alex), flowers starting to bloom. pictures Delicious meal at Au Coin de la Rue, school, piano, Vincent's book "Toutes les couleurs", taco night, park, and Alex's new "appareil dentaire" (palate expander).