Happy Valentine's Day!!

I hope you all had a very lovely Valentine's Day!! We had a lot of good fun here in ole Paris!! We did get another mouse like rat on our trap the week before (the head was all that fit on the trap, therefore I will continue calling them rats!)

My new friend Stephanie (and yes, that is what I call her every time I reference her in conversations to others. Ha!) took our kiddos to a chocolate museum called Choco Story the morning of the love holiday. The kids had a ball and yes, we did eat quite a bit of chocolate!!! We read about and saw exhibits on the history of how chocolate was first discovered and how recipes have evolved over time. (I was particularly impressed with the Spanish recipe. Go figure!!) We saw many tools that are used in making chocolate and we even saw several pretty cups that were used exclusively for drinking chocolate. Then we watched an actual chocolatier make chocolates and he let us eat them!!! He said you have to study and apprentice a minimum of three years to be a chocolatier. Wow!! That is a long time to study chocolate! Before we left the museum we each had a delicious cup of hot chocolate!! Can you say HEAVEN!!! A whole museum of chocolate.

On our way home the kids and I were mesmerized by all the yummies in the windows of the boulangeries and we just had to bring home a strawberry something that tasted unbelievably good (because we were still needing sugar after a whole museum of chocolate, right?) and a heart shaped baguette with two hearts for my two Valentines.

Jarred brought home roses and other treats for the kids and we had a great dinner in!!

All in all it was a pretty great day!! Hey, check out Scout in the pictures! I could not get him to cooperate and give me a normal smile. He is such a little ham!!!


Until Next Time,
Megan

Just A Little Giggle!!

Oh my do I have a story for you!! I have no pictures, but I DO have a story!!!

Two nights ago Jarred and I had put the kids to bed and were laying in the floor of our apartment watching Lonesome Dove on Netflix. (we were on the floor because we have to sit up straight on our tiny love seat of a couch) (Oh! and we were watching Lonesome Dove because Jarred assures me it is a classic!)  All of a sudden a large life size rat comes running toward us on the floor and we both jump up and stumble around in sheer confusion. Now keep in mind we live on the third floor and there are sleeping people above us and below us, not to mention our own children are in the next room asleep. So, we are doing those whisper screams and yells every time we see this little guy. And, oh he is not being shy about making his presence known.

A little side note. My mother was a wonderful mother growing up and there are very few problems or life situations that I can pin on her, BUT my fear of mice I CAN!!! This woman has let out death curdling screams, acrobatics, and even tears. Oh, many tears over these little rodents. She gladly passed this down to my sister and I!! Seeing our mother go into sheer panic whenever a mouse was even mentioned has had a little affect on me. You may notice that as this story plays out!!!

So, back to Wednesday night!! I am now standing in a little red chair of our apartment holding a tennis racket in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other and directing poor Jarred where it is. My night in shining rat killing armour is armed with a metal pole from the closet and a small rug for trapping. He informs me that I am gonna have to help him and I am telling him "Oh, no" Oh, no" as I begin walking toward the rat. We get it trapped behind the TV stand and Jarred informs me this is just a "mouse". Like that makes it any better???? NO!!! And, for the record this sucker is black with a long tail. It is smaller than I originally thought, but a baby rat is still a RAT. Well, the night in shining mouse trapping armour lets it get away. We couldn't find it anywhere. We had no idea how it got in or how it may have gotten out. The sucker is gone. So, Jarred finely talks me into going to bed. I slept none.

The next morning, Jarred goes on to work and I do not tell the kids about the night before because they are a bit like their mother and seem to get all worked up over small rodents. Well, while sitting on the couch the rat runs around a corner of the kitchen into the living room and back and into a cabinet then out again and back up and down the wall. Emma looks at  me and says, "Is that a rat?" I told her it was. Scout, Emma, and I sat on this tiny love seat and pulled our feet up and every time the little rodent ran we screamed like a roller coaster scream. Then when the little critter ran into the cabinet we were dead silent. This went on for several minutes. Screams, silence, screams, silence....you get the idea?? I finally called Jarred at work and demanded he come home and kill this rat. I said "it is terrorizing us!". He had a hard time wrapping his head around how a small rodent could be terrorizing three humans, but it totally was.

Jarred walked into this apartment with a mop. Really, a mop. He quickly determined the rat was not going to come out of hiding to be whacked with his mop, so he ran down to the store and bought some traps. He baited one trap with American peanut butter and one with French stinky cheese so we would for sure know the country of origin of this rat. Guess what?? It only took about fifteen minutes for the smell of the cheese to lure the little rascal out of riding. It was a French mouse. We are sure. May he rest in peace.

So, Jarred has convinced the children that this was just a little mouse. I am still not so convinced. That was one long thick tail, but maybe French mice resemble the American rat. Who knows?? My mind may just not be able to make that little sucker harmless, because it never felt harmless when it was playing mind tricks with us.

So, I hope you can all have a little giggle. I was not laughing then, but now I am!!


Until Next Time,
Megan

Complaints and Blessings

We have been back in Paris for almost 2 weeks. I would say that we finally are back into a routine, well for us. I may need to warn you that this post will probably have a little more whining than I usually put on here, hang in there you'll see why.

First, jet lag stinks!!! I mean STINKS. We went through an entire week with the kids up, eating meals at 3am. They would go to bed when we asked and it was "bed time" and lay and cry because they couldn't go to sleep. Then they wanted to sleep until 12pm and we were trying to get them up because that is how you get them to sleep at night. Let me just emphasize it was NOT FUN. We seemed to all sleep through the night last Saturday night and since then we are doing much better.

Second, due to the aforementioned sleep craziness getting us back into any kind of a "school" pattern was next to impossible last week. I thought I was OK, just going with it. I have since discovered this week...I am not. I am feeling all kinds of panicked over missing several days of work. My O.C.D. is in over drive and now I am seeing poor Emma being in kindergarten forever because her mother and father moved her to Paris and couldn't get their sleep schedules worked out and she will never learn to read and therefore never become successful and self sufficient.Whew!! Y'all see how my brain works. It ain't pretty.

Third, this city is GREY. It is one thing to be cold and rainy, but grey for about a week and a half. I CANT TAKE IT MUCH LONGER. Well, I don't have to. The sun finally came out earlier this week and I wore sunglasses. (It wasn't that bright, but somehow it helped my psyche!) I actually saw on some website I was browsing that there is a color of paint called "Paris Grey". I am back and forth on if that will ever be used in my home. I'll get back to you.

OK, OK, OK, I will stop complaining and start counting my many blessings. (count them one-by-one) You know you were thinking the same thing!

1.We found the American food store!! It is called The Real McCoy and makes my heart happy. Well, finding pop-tarts for the kids and baking supplies to make cornbread and having labels I can read....that makes me happy. Having to pay 9.50 euros for a (yes, that is singular) package of Oreos for Jarred.....does NOT make me happy. But, a little comfort food helps the soul, right?

2.We have also been so blessed to find a babysitter to help us out during our French lessons that is so sweet. She really seems to enjoy our children and it is so nice to have another American that we interact with weekly!!

3.We also found a doctor that speaks great English and has the quirkiest and funniest sense of humor. I have never giggled and laughed so hard while someone was examining my kids. They thought he was totally weird. Who isn't?

4.The most exciting thing that has happened since we have been home is.....we made some new friends. It was a match made in christian, speech therapy, homeschooling, Paris HEAVEN!! Yes, we have all those things in common with another American family living right here in Paris. We met through a friend of mine that I go to church with (Jennie) and this girl (Stephanie) went to college together. So, when Jennie saw on facebook that we were both posting things about living in Paris she played match maker and set us up. I owe her one, BIG!! I don't think my entire family has ever hit it off so quick than with this family. They are precious!! They have a daughter (who is just a little older than Em) that has become fast friends with Emma and Scout. She is a very sweet and funny little girl, I really enjoy her company. Stephanie and I have a lot in common and it has just been super easy to hang with her. I am so thankful.

The gang in front of Saint Michel Notre Dame last weekend.

 

 

 

Then we moseyed to the American Library in Paris. (They are sitting in a reading nook that looked like a cave) The kids loved it here!!

 

 

Scout fell asleep on the way home! See!! That was super exciting to this Mommy and Daddy!

 

 

 

Until Next Time,

Megan

 

 

We Here...so is the snow!!!

We here! We here! We here!
This is what Scout yells when he comes into a room if he has been in another for a while. I thought it was rather appropriate to say when reentering the world of blogging since we have been home for Christmas vacation for several weeks and on a blog vacation!!

We were home for five weeks and we were able to see all of our families and most of our friends. My grandmother has been very ill since the beginning of November and she is still in the hospital, so it was great to get to see her and all the family. Also, Jarred's grandfather has several health issues and he and the kids got to see him and Granny one extra time last weekend.

Jarred and I were both very blessed to have super involved grandparents while we were growing up and we have gotten to keep them well into adulthood and moving this far away it has always weighed heavy on us to not be there with them. So, coming back to Paris this time was a little grey feeling with all of that on our minds. But, the job is here and we have things to do and places to go. All of our families told us to go, have fun, be safe, and get back here when you can!

 

And this is what it looked like when we flew into the airport!! A winter wonderland!! Everyone on the plane was so excited to see the snow! 



 

 

Today we were all feeling the effects of jet lag, but we were not gonna let that stop us from getting out and having some fun in the snow.

So this is what we did!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We played chase on the Champ de Mars. (that is the gardens behind the Eiffel Tower) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the sweetest French couple offered to take the kids on a sled ride around the garden. They made it very clear they knew no English, but it was obvious through facial expressions and cheers that they greatly enjoyed making our children happy!! This sweet man pulled 2 children on a real wooden sleigh in large circles of several inches of snow with a smile on his face:)

 

 

Jarred was able to capture Emma when she realized she was standing directly under the tower. This is not the actual reaction, but it was very similar! Kids move so quick, so of course I made them stage a photo op!

 

 

 

Our family photographer (AKA-Daddy) took some amazing landscape photos!!! This city is beautiful and when you add a layer of white sparkling snow it is AWESOME!

 

I am so thankful we made it back in time to get to enjoy this!! (But, I still miss home)

 

 

 

Until Next Time,

Megan

 

 

 

Living With Crazies

I have been M.I.A. most of this week because I caught the nasty ole' stomach bug. It was NOT fun!! However, I did discover that getting sick in an apartment with one toilette that a 2-year old is also just perfecting his aim is even worse than just having a stomach bug. GROSS!!! I also learned that the french call the stomach bug "getting the G.I.", sounds a little more serious than our version.


Well, moving on to less disgusting topics. The kids have both done and said some pretty funny things the last few weeks and I want to document them, that way when I get home I will remember.

1. Emma was doing school work and saw M-F on our calendar. Not interesting until....we are walking to the Metro this morning and out of the clear blue she says, "Mom, is M.F. a site word?" AH, no, no it's not Em!! Let's not say that anymore. (Dying inside.)

2. Scout has decided that he can yell "FE, FI, FO, Fum I smell the blood of an EnglishMAN!", very angry like at any point in the day. No regard to where we are. We can be at church, the market, a small shop, or on the metro and he will begin this chant from his stomach with a lot of theatrics. Needless to say we get some funny looks.

3. When walking back from the metro Scout has now decided he will just stop. Like a mule. I am not moving anymore. Today I had my hands completely full and could not pick him up, so we just stood for a good 5 minutes until I did what any desperate parent does. "I'll give you candy!!" This is not a fun phase.

4. Also, Mr. Scout has been known to drop his drawers in the streets and begin to tinkle right where he is standing. This has about made his sister die of embarrassment. Fortunately, this is quiet acceptable in Paris.

5. Emma has lost 3 teeth in the last week. She is very excited about this and her enthusiasm is very sweet. When sitting on the Metro last Friday, she noticed an older gentleman gave her a sweet smile and said "Hello". She then opened her mouth and began running her tongue over her gum area where her 2 top teeth would have been, while raising her eyebrows. She looked like a FREAK!! The poor man turned completely around where he couldn't see her anymore. Then Emma says "How rude". No sis, I think you making a weird no teeth face at him was what was rude.

These 2 are CRAZY and if they don't get us arrested it will be a miracle!!! Of course, Jarred and I laugh at 90% of their antics because they really are innocent and the kids have no idea why what they did was funny.


Until Next Time,
Megan

The Zoo and More

Jarred says I left the last post a cliff hanger and then fell off the blog ban wagon. That was totally unintentional if that is how you are feeling. You may once again return to normal life. I am still alive and still writing a blog. However, trying to build a social life in Paris has occupied a bit of my time this past week. It was fantastic!! I was able to attend my bible study, take Emma to choir, visit a museum and garden with a new friend, and we had a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner hosted by fellow Americans.

I need to catch you up on the zoo before we can move on to further more recent events. The zoo was incredible! The kids and I were running around like crazy people. We were even excited to see the "North American Raccoon". I mean how exciting, the zoo in Paris has raccoons!! I am still a child in many, many ways and the enthusiasm I have for a good zoo is one of the symptoms. We were not planning on going to the zoo, but as we were leaving the Natural History Museum (I must also confess that the before mentioned museum has a much fancier French name, but that is essentially what it was) we walked right by the gate to the zoo and Jarred had to make a decision. He could choose to tell the three jumping children "no" and we would all pout the entire metro ride home, or he could buy the tickets and have a fantastic time with happy people. He made a good choice.

 

The happy people at the zoo!

 

 

A gorgeous black leopard....and some man's ear.

 

 

The kids looking at a kangaroo.

 

 

 

Then on Thursday a sweet lady that I met at bible study invited the kids and I to go to a museum and garden really close to our apartment. It is located on the bank of the Seine river and the man that started it planted gardens from different parts of the world. This time of year was amazing. The colors were impeccable (yes people I said impeccable!). The kids had a great time running and exploring. You walk out of the main museum area and the gardens just unfold in front of you. I wish I had a picture of their faces when they realized what we were about to see.

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures were all taken in the Japanese garden. By far my favorite that we actually saw. With it being nap time, we were not able to get to all the gardens. We will definitely being going back to this little gem. Most of the tourist never make time to see little gardens like this, but it has been one of my favorite places we have been to so far. I can't wait to take my mom and Jarred's mom when they visit. 

 

 

Then we went to a real Thanksgiving dinner. We were invited over to some friend's house to eat turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni and cheese, and much more. (I can now call them friends as it is Facebook official) I didn't get any great pictures from the meal because our camera died from all the garden documenting earlier in the day.

 

 

 

Until Next Time,

Megan 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Museum of Natural History

This past weekend we spent major family time!! We took the kids to the Museum of Natural History, a park, and then by total surprise...the zoo. We literally were on our way home and walked right in front of the gate and we just couldn't resist a little animal gazing. The kids had a fabulous time. Scout has never been to a zoo, ever. So, he was totally amazed by the animals at the museum that were not real then we found the zoo and he was running and screaming in excitement.

 

The french have totally nailed how to make a gorgeous museum. This was one of my favorite pictures from the Natural History Museum. The lights on the ceiling changed colors very subtly and made the atmosphere almost magical.

 

 

 

 

This place was full of animals and dinosaur bones. It has five stories and there are exhibits everywhere. We were there for several hours without anyone getting bored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids were able to interact with hands on activities for most of the exhibits.

 

 

 

 

  And who doesn't need a back rub when seeing a stuffed warthog??

 

 

 

Outside of the museum was just as magical with these long courtyards.

 

 

 

 

Look at these HUGE leaves. We got to bring a big handful home with Em!!

 

And this is just half of the day! I will post later about the zoo, now I have to get on with a home school lesson about Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

Until Next Time,

Megan