gabriella & jd (and alex! and vincent!)

Alex has been enjoying his two week Spring Break (April 17 - May 2). We've been to the playground a lot, and met friends in the Champ de Mars for picnics. Alex even got to ride the "horses" in the Champ de Mars - we think some are really donkeys. Levallois playground. Kinomichi class. Champ de Mars and jamón ibérico (Iberian ham) from Bellota Bellota on Rue Jean Nicot. Champ de Mars and donkey ride. Movies Donkey ride 1 Donkey ride 2 Donkey ride 3 Levallois frog park.

pictures Yesterday was Alex's 4th birthday! He wanted to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, then we took him out to the lunch of his choice, Chinese. We had a really nice day, including opening cards and presents from family and friends. Then it was time for the "homemade"(=store bought and assembled) strawberry shortcake birthday cake. movies up the Eiffel Tower to the summit, Eiffel Tower lunch Happy Birthday

Chenonceaux This past weekend we rented a car and drove to the Loire Valley with Rachel and Jon. We had a great time, eating some fabulous food, drinking some local wine, and touring the chateaus and gardens. Rachel and Jon arrive Vouvray and Chenonceaux Villandry Wine tasting Marc Bredif Cheverny and the hunting dogs movies playground at Villandry 1 playground at Villandry 2 playground at Villandry 3 hunting dogs at Cheverny

We're a bit behind in posting, the weather has turned nice and Rachel and Jon are in town visiting and it's Spring Vacances so...here are pictures from earlier in the month. The Loire Valley trip we just did is coming soon. Alexandre's 4th birthday party. Walking in the 16th Arrondissement. Jardin du Luxembourg. Dan in town. School nice day park. play date at Valentina's. movies => beans in school Jardin du Luxembourg slide JD Go Kart

Pictures. Yesterday we took a day trip to Chantilly , a quick 30 minute train ride north of Paris. We walked and walked and walked around the Chateau and gardens, and had a nice lunch in the Hamlet. feeding the fish and duck crackers

pictures. more pictures. more pictures. Last Tuesday night we attended the second night Seder the Kehilat Gesher held for the Franco American community. We really enjoyed it, and Alex liked the matzoh ball soup. I've also signed Alex up for the Kinomichi class on Wednesdays with the other 4 and 5 year olds and he likes it. Other than that, we've been enjoying some sunny days in Paris.

Pictures. Towards the end of last week it turned cool and chilly again. But we still managed to go to the park after school on Friday. During the weekend we went to watch a game at McBride's, then Alex chased the ducks in Les Halles. On Monday for the first Seder for Passover, JD cooked a chicken and made matzoh stuffing and charoset. We even found some good "Herzog" collection red wine, and horseradish.

field trip to Aquarium de Paris pictures more pictures Alex's class went on a field trip to the Aquarium de Paris. The class had a great time, they loved the sharks, and the Mom's were exhausted afterwards. Alex has caught up on his sleep from being away and is enjoying being back in Paris with his friends. Spring is arriving with sun, warmer weather, and flowers.

Pictures. It was very hard to leave the great week of vacation we had in Mexico. Friday we headed back to Playa del Carmen for dinner. Saturday was another sunny day but with more wind in the morning that we'd had all week. We packed up and headed to the airport. When we landed in DC for our 5 hour layover, it was 75 degrees! Grannie met us at the airport for a few hours to visit with Alex, then we were off to Paris.

All good things must come to an end, but not before a boat ride, a tour of a spectacular 7,000 sq ft private villa in the Puerto jungle (Cahoons/Kurtzes - take note) and more tacos, margaritas, sun and fun. Click here for pictures. Click here to see where you should spend your next vacation.

Pictures. Tuesday night we went into town in Puerto Aventuras for dinner. On Wednesday, it was cloudy and rainy so we drove to Tulum, a small town south of where we are staying. We found a great folk art store, then had a great lunch at The Mezzanine and walked along the beach and went swimming since the weather cleared. movie - running on the beach

We've spent the past few days enjoying Puerto Aventuras and the house we are renting - the pool, good eats, and walking around the town and marina. We enjoyed BBQ and karaoke at Gringo Dave's on Sunday night. On Monday we went to the beach for a bit. Tuesday we drove to Playa del Carmen, a great town where we had ceviche and beers by the water. Pictures. Dane pictures 1. Dane pictures 2. Dane pictures 3. Dane pictures 4.

We're finally here on vacation! We've met up with Dane and Jenny, Beck and Xeva for a vacation in the sun. The first 48 hours of fun include pools, popsicles, margaritas and loads of food. Pictures - round 1

Pictures. Pictures from Andrea's camera. Andrea, Alex and I spent the weekend with Mace & Suzanne, celebrating Mace's birthday! Suzanne planned a fun weekend which included live music at Rams Head in Annapolis, lots of friends, cocktails, food, fun, and of course Alex and Eddy had a great time playing at the house. Sunday was so nice and warm, Mace started his boat for the first time since winter and we went for a quick ride. Good times! Movie - Alex drives the boat.

I wonder how many I can fit in my suitcase? Pictures. Alex has been helping Grannie get the rest of the snow out of her yard. More pictures. We had a big day on Thursday, we went to the Museum of American History, then out to visit Carrie and David. Andrea's camera.

Pictures. You know it's a bad day when you can't get a frozen waffle in the US. Guess where we are? Yup, who planned a vacation to Mexico while we were living in Paris? Well, to ease the jet lag on the almost 4 year old (who had vacation from school anyway, because, hey, it's France), Alex and I flew to the US this week and JD will join us next week. Then we are off with Dane and Jenny and Beck and Xeva to a fabulous vacation villa south of Cancun, Mexico. In the meantime, Alex is getting some good US time - baths (he doesn't bathe much in France...since we have a shower only), dirty snow, a good ole barbershop haircut, McDonald's, and jet lag naps and Papa's Hungarian paprika seedling garden. It's all good.

Cooking class during Winter Break. One thing to get used to while living in France - the school holidays! There is school for 6 weeks, then a 2 week vacation. Right now we are in the midst of Winter Break. I signed Alex up for a cooking class some of his friends from school were also attending. The children had a great time - they made bread, pizza, decorated spice cake, cheese pastry, and candy sticks. Afterwards, there was gym and music and dancing and drawing. They also had a party the last day and Alex had his face painted like a pirate. McDo and playdate. On Wednesday, the friends from Lennen School attending the cooking class - Ysé, Valentina, Jean and Yasmina - went to McDonald's for lunch and then for a play date to Ysé's. We had a great time.

Pictures. Alex playing around the apartment, opening his Valentine's card from Toots & Poppie, playing in the box the new computer came in, the weekly wedding at the American Church that we see since that is where Alex's preschool is located, taking advantage of the sun to play outside, Alex's friends from school (Jean and Valentina), Alex reading his "report card", and waiting for the Metro.

Mardi Gras Cirque d'Hiver Last week was Mardi Gras, and at Alex's school they dressed up on Wednesday (it worked better on the calendar than Tuesday) and made "pancakes" which were really crepes. Some nice pictures of Alex's friends in his class. This past weekend we took Alex to the circus. It was a lot of fun. He liked the lions and the "donkeys" (there were no donkeys - just emus or llamas or something like that). Unfortunately, no pictures with the scantily clad French circus women.

Pictures. More pictures. We haven't been able to post for a bit since our old computer died and we had to buy a new one. So far, Windows 7 in French isn't so bad. We had some snow flurries that were more messy than disruptive. One day Alex and I went with Alexandre and his mom Gail to check out a Gymboree, which was in the basement of Aquaboulevard, a big indoor pool facility. Alex didn't want to do Gymboree but watched. Then we took the tram back to La Defense to meet JD, and had sushi for dinner which was pretty good. Alex had the plate of meat and meatballs on a stick. Last weekend we tried to go to the Louvre on Sunday but it was packed with people, so we walked around the grounds and the Tuileries for a bit.