Paris: From the Eiffel Tower!

And so begins the story of our trip to Paris!

After 24 hours of travel (in which most of my children slept very little and the oldest not at all) we arrived in Paris on a Sunday afternoon.  Our place is lovely (pictures later) and we are all tired!  So what to do?  Why go visit the Eiffel Tower first thing in the morning.

Well, "first thing" is a little bit of an overstatement when you have 6 children and 4 of them are under 2!  A walk to the metro and about an hour later it came above ground with a gorgeous view!  Unfortunately I didn't have my camera out yet.

Then... since we had been unable to get advance tickets we had to stand in line for about 2 hours to get tickets and go up.  Brian got peed on... twice.  And we found some rather gross hotdogs so that we could all have a bite to eat since we hadn't planned on being out all day.

But we finally made it actually inside the leg of the tower.  Which is where we saw the Christmas tree decorated with miniature Eiffel Towers.  The elevators go up in 2 sets.  The first one stops halfway up and there are two floors for observation with bathrooms and gift shops inside.  Somehow Hope lost one of her shoes in the bathroom and as we walked away she was telling me "shoe! shoe!" and then as I kept walking she started crying.  I felt her feet and realized she was trying to tell me she'd lost one.  It was safe and sound with the bathroom attendant!  (which, hooray, make the bathrooms lovely and clean for such a public place!)

This is the view to the west.  Along both sides of the pool are white roofed shops that made up a Christmas market.  Between the two curving buildings is a huge flat plaza that has a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.  The skyscrapers out beyond that look like "downtown" are actually outside of Paris proper and make up a new business district.  There are NO tall buildings in Paris.  We could see this area to the south west of us when we walked to and from the Metro.

This is the view to the north east with the tallest point in the center being the hill in Montmarte with the Sacre Coeur church on it.  The Louvre is just up the far side of the river to the east.

From the middle observation deck, looking up!

It was very overcast, sort of rainy, and REALLY windy.  I was struck by how white Paris was though.  All the buildings were pale enough that the overall effect was white.  I don't think I've ever seen another city like that.

Look, we all made it!

This is the view from the very top - twice as high as the Space Needle!  We could definitely feel it swaying in the wind up here...  The arrow above is the Arc de Triomphe and somewhere off in the middle distance is where we were staying - in Courbevoie.  It's technically outside of Paris proper and across another swing of the Seine River, but it still felt like being in the city for the most part.

Yes, there was wire all the way around the top.  And you couldn't go on the other side at all, the wind was so strong it felt like you couldn't breathe.

In the middle is the palace that houses the Louvre.  If you click on this photo you can see the glass pyramid in the courtyard that is the entrance!

Uncle Joel at the top!  Allison took her kids back rather than stand in line for 2 hours.  She'd been up before and it's not like they would remember!

View to the east on the way down in the elevator.  And signs everywhere that said "beware of pickpockets".  We never had any issues, but it was enough to practically make you paranoid!

Walking through the Christmas market.  Something I didn't expect, but pretty much the only places we ended up getting to do any shopping while we were there.  They also had fresh crepes, these fun waffles, hot cider, and of course all kinds of other things to buy.

This is from the plaza that you could see in the very first picture.  Noah was sooo done by this point and refusing to take any photos, poor kid.

And since we were beyond the end of the metro lines we had to walk about 15 minutes each way, but we got to cross this lovely looong bridge across the Seine and heading back there were fun lights to watch.  The lights right behind the stoplight were a fountain shape that moved and Noah actually thought there was a fountain there, but there was no water, just a decoration.

Then we had dinner (which was an Allison saga since it was an industrial kitchen and everything burns FAST) and went to bed.  Of course, the girls wanted to get up from about 1-3am and play and the boys thought 4am was wake-up time, but at least we weren't planning on going anywhere for Christmas Eve!

And so ends our first day in Paris...

Wordless Wednesday: From Paris with Love

Some of you may not know, but we went to Paris for Christmas.  It was a whirlwind trip and now that my computer is mostly reformatted I finally have a chance to go through my pictures!  This is one of the first ones I took, inside a leg of the Eiffel Tower waiting for the elevator to go up!  A Christmas tree entirely decorated with mini Eiffel Towers!

Book: Tempest's Course

Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal city of New Bedford to restore a 150-year-old Mariner's Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House, a former whaling captain's home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Army veteran Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she and Tom grow closer. And as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns the secrets of the quilt and Mary's own sad tale of regret. Then Tom learns secrets of his own family's past, and both Tom and Kelly learn they are tied to Gray House in ways they never imagined.

***

I'm enjoying these books that are based around quilts - yes, there is a whole series, but all by different authors.  This one is focused on the story around a 150 year old quilt with just a whiff of smoke to it.  This one was a quick read and unfortunately I could pretty much smell the plot twist coming from the beginning.  The mysterious "old man" who's story is interwoven through the chapters with no names being named.  The romance that pops up between Tom and Kelly even as they each have to deal with their pasts.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and an interesting premise I just don't think it was superbly written.  I'd give it probably 3 out of 5 stars.  

***

If you would like to read the first chapter of Tempest's Course, go HERE.

Lynette Sowell is an award-winning novelist. Her most recent novel, Tempest’s Course, is part of the Quilts of Love line from Abingdon Press. When Lynette’s not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but makes her home in Coppress Cove, Texas, with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained.

One Word

To be honest I always thought that one word to define a year was kind of silly.  I thought about it a few times, but could never come up with something that seemed like it would fit for me.

The last 6 weeks or so have been absolutely crazy in my life.  From before Thanksgiving we had 3 weeks of off and on puking with the three youngest and the rest of us didn't feel so hot most of the time either.  All the planning and packing that went into our Christmas trip to Paris (with four small children and 4 extra pieces of luggage for my sister in law).  Then being sick for half the week in Paris (so so thankful for our nanny!).

When we got back we had to install a new hard drive and reformat everything on my computer in two days to beat the 12/31 deadline for reinstalling some new software on top of the wicked jetlag.  And finally after weekend trip to visit with my mom's family I am now sick - again.

All that to say, the pictures from Paris are still on my camera and I've hardly thought about my blog at all lately.  So it was pretty crazy that I'd barely seen a few comments about a "word for the year" on Facebook when Monday night this word just popped into my head.  I wasn't planning on doing it, but it made so much sense.

Mindful:
attentive, aware, or careful (usually followed by of ): mindful of one's responsibilities.

Synonyms:
heedful, thoughtful, regardful

Literally it means to me to "keep in mind" and I intend to apply it to all areas of my life.  It means I intend to do less things mindlessly.  From eating to sleeping to being on the computer or with my family.  It doesn't mean that I won't make poor choices sometimes or beat myself up over them, but I hope to realize that if I am choosing to stay up late how that will affect my life rather than having it affect my life and then thinking about it.

I want to be thoughtful in all the things that I do.  Perhaps this will help with my priorities and ability to get things done when I stop to think about why I'm doing something rather than just doing it.

Here's to making 2014 a better year, with perhaps a bit more sleep!

Do you have a word for this year?  Have you ever done this?

From My Family to Yours

I'm not around this week and I hope that you have plenty of time to spend with your family and friends.  See you soon!

Book: Stones for Bread

A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.

Liesl McNamara's life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits her recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour --- a single father with strange culinary habits --- seems determined to win Liesl's affection.

When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family's past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

***

I have read all of Christa Parrish's books I believe.  They just kind of get under your skin.  Not romance and not fast paced, but a true story of a life lived in all it's adventure and angst.  This one about bread and a baker who's got flour running through her veins from her mother and grandmother.

The journey that Liesl takes to self discovery is told through the present interwoven with flashbacks to the past.  You learn her history as you see her working through it in real time in the story.  Sometimes this style of writing annoys me if it's not well done, but I'd say Parrish has mastered it in this book.

I want to try all the bread recipes interwoven too, but not everyone in my house could enjoy them and to be honest I'm not a baker.  But it makes me appreciate all the more what goes into making really good bread.  I felt like I was in the bakehouse with Liesl.

Highly recommended!

***

Purchase your own copy and read other's reviews.

Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she's not writing, she's a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church's youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.

I received this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Wordless Wednesday: A Birthday Map

My penpal sent me this for my birthday last week...

I had a lot of fun putting it together (it's magnetic) on the back of my front door and was sad to say that it was a lot harder than I expected.  I know nothing about the shape or especially interior of Australia!

CSP: On Having a Sick Child

Joy passed out on Grandma on Thanksgiving Day

I've had some sick babies in my house since the Monday before Thanksgiving.

One night this week at 1am I was holding Hope, just waiting for her to puke again because I knew it was coming.  She was so limp in my arms and I felt awful knowing there was quite literally nothing else I could do to make her feel better.

Then I thought about all the mothers in other countries who had no one to turn to when their babies were sick, no money to afford a doctor, and maybe even lacking basic knowledge of what nutrition and hydration a sick child needed.

And my heart broke. 

I felt hopeless for them as I felt helpless to do anything for my own child.

Then I remembered that I can do something other than feel hopeless.  This is what Compassion's Child Survival Program is all about.  They provide help and support from the time a mother becomes pregnant until her child can be officially enrolled as a school age child for sponsorship.

Mothers get prenatal care and nutrition supplements before and after the baby is born.  A worker will visit her home and help her learn how to care for and teach her baby.  They provide her with job skills and a support network of other mothers.

This is what makes a difference in the lives of sick children around the world.  We can do something!

Will you join me this Christmas in giving with Compassion?

Wordless Wednesday: Advent

Grandma and Grandpa brought a simple Advent calendar with them at Thanksgiving.  So nice they could open the first day together on Sunday!  It's also a bit of a countdown until we get to see them again!  Less than 2 weeks!

Here's praying that we are ALL healthy before we have to get on that airplane...

Book: A Marriage in Middlebury

One decision changed both their lives . . . but will love win in the end? Charlotte Rose Hill enjoys a comfortable life serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky, devoted customers. The only thing lacking is someone to share it with. At eighteen she denied Sam Wilder's marriage proposal after his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. They both moved on . . . or so she thought. When Sam walks back into her life more than a decade later, Charlotte is surprised that her heart still quickens. But is it because of his presence? Or because of the presence of Sam's new fiancée? A second chance at love doesn't happen often, but their past may keep them apart. Is it too late for Sam and Charlotte?

***

This is the second novel I've read by Anita Higman and I think she likes stories with a twist from the past that comes to play in the present.  Her books are definitely a little more unique than your average romance novel, but at this point I think they are a bit too detailed for me.  Maybe it was just the mood I was in while reading this one, but it didn't hit me.

***

Purchase a copy or see what others have to say.

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She's been a Barnes and Noble "Author of the Month" for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

I received this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Reflect...

Today I balanced the check book for the last two months.  And as I sat and looked at the finances I had cause to wonder.

How is it that on paper we look so poor by US standards, yet we truly have so much, especially compared to the rest of the world?

We don't make enough to get by month to month and yet my house is overflowing with stuff and we have so many friends and family, especially grandparents that love on the kids.

Some of the lack comes from choices we've made and some of it just is, but I don't regret any of it, especially when I see the bigger picture.  The picture of raising my children to love life and not stuff, of putting people first, even if it means that you don't get that next cool "toy" you wanted.  Of learning to see the world and not just what's right around you.

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
                                                                            ~ Luke 6:20-21

I want to see the world through Kingdom eyes and hunger for the things that God hungers after.  And that's certainly not much that money can buy!

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in? If you don't have a blog or don't want to write there I'd love to have you write with me, even in the comments!

Christmas Cards On The Mantel

“I'm participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Cardstore. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

My Christmas cards are sitting here staring at me, waiting for me to stuff, address, and stamp.  I'll get to it... hopefully soon!  I've got a to-do list for the next 2 weeks that's making me wince!

If you're like me and mailing out Christmas cards, while fun, sometimes feels like too big of a job, Cardstore.com may have the answer for you.  Pick your favorite design, add photos and personalized text, and Cardstore will do the rest!  Yes, addressing, stamping, and mailing too!

Which card will you pick to grace the #TopoftheMantel this year? http://po.st/PersonalizeYourCard

Wordless Wednesday: My Joy

Poor Hope is still sick so while she was taking a 4 hour nap Joy was the center of attention...

She was so excited to go "side" with brother, but didn't know what to do with the snow! I think she just enjoyed her freedom more than anything.

And then she found Nana and Papa's phone.  She would push a button and then put the phone up to her ear and quirk her head and say a few "sentences"... rinse and repeat.

Apparently I have a pre-teen on my hands already!  (excuse the hat hair!)

Book: Merry Humbug Christmas

A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year.

In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell," A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs... except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.

In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze, she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Merry Humbug Christmas, go HERE.

***

I enjoy reading Sandra's novels because the heroines always have some quirky somethings happen to them.  You'd think things like this wouldn't happen in real life... but really it's all in the storytelling.  I didn't get my nickname of Chaos for nothing!  Telling the stories would sound pretty ridiculous to some people!

And I like that Joss doesn't really hate Christmas, she just has her reasons for wanting to avoid all the commercialism that it is.  I can relate to that sometimes!

Fun reading for your Christmas break!

***

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

The author says that it was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer. "I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost," she says. "So it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch the Love Finds You line."

Sandie's real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. Spearheading a series of devotionals for Summerside Press (such as the popular His Grace is Sufficient...Decaf is Not), the author has stipulated that a portion of each contributor's proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.


"Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with raising funds for my pet projects ... and still pursue my writing dream," says Bricker, "well, that's the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

And one of the author's pet projects is animal rescue, evidenced by the special bond she has created with one particular formerly-abandoned puppy -- a red-haired collie with "killer brown eyes and the heart of the class clown."

20 and a Half Months

We have been the house of sick this month, and especially this past week.  No fun, no fun at all.  So, here is a very late update on the girls.

Trying to get these girls to sit, even for a second, for bunny pictures was next to impossible.  Here I gave them their hair brushes to try and distract them.  They are my little fashionistas, but it didn't work, they just threw them on the floor!

They really know when I'm trying to take pictures of them and just don't want to sit for me!  Hope would NOT sit up straight.  As soon as I sat her up and backed away she would slouch down on purpose!

I tried to get them to interact with the bunny... this was the result...

Joy grabs the bunny...

Hope steals the bunny and Joy yells about it...

Joy steals the bunny back (complete with smirk)...

Hope yells about it.

Then they came to some peace about it and looked at me for half a second...

This.  This is how they feel about me taking their photo!

A shot of the adorable ruffle skirts because they are almost too small already!

And yes, the biggest issue when I'm taking pictures is that the girls, especially Hope, want to "I see" the pictures, even if I haven't even taken one yet!

So I tried to contain them in their room... and Hope was showing off her monkey skills by climbing the end of the crib.

In the last 2 weeks they have started parroting back so much.  They don't say as much on their own, but are starting to name a few things without prompting.  It's very cute, but Brian asks me what I'm going to do when they start talking for real... I don't know!  They say things like apple, and Cory, and Noah - which are exceptionally cute!  They've learned a few more signs, especially "cracker", but the words to go with them too so I don't know that we'll need the signs too much longer.  They can make themselves known now!  When you ask them a question and their response is yes they say "ah shoe" which I think actually comes from Noah saying "sure" to things.  Hope started it and Joy has just recently picked it up.

Before "the sick" of this past week they weighed in around 27 pounds each and at Old Navy last week I measured them as just under 32 inches each.  Roundly in the 18-24 month clothing range there, which is really 18 months in most other brands.

The girls LOVE to get dressed (and undressed, and dressed again) and so I think we will have to find some dress-up clothes soon.  For now they mostly just take their clothes off, attempt to put them back on and when that fails, run around naked.  At least they keep their diapers on!  But when we are going out somewhere or if they want help they will back up to me and put their arms out backwards for me to put on their coats.  Super cute of course.

Miss "I know you're trying to take my picture" Hope

They're still kind of, what would I call it, finicky eaters?  They'll eat something one day and then throw it on the floor the next.  Although there are some things that always get eaten, beans being at the top of that list!  They will now ask for spoons and are starting to get pretty good with them.  Although halfway through the meal the food usually ends up dumped on the tray and the bowl on the floor.

Baths are still a favorite activity, but a close second is going to sit on the potty.  I bought a second one and we have had some success.  I'm not pushing it, but it's so nice to see a future without diapers in it!  Hope will often ask to go to the potty and then Joy will follow.  Whether or not either of them actually does anything is a different story!

They are very aware of what's going on around them.  When the trains go by and whistle they stop whatever they are doing and go "woo woo".  They wave to the cars that go by outside and say "hi" to all the people in the grocery store!

This is Hope's "I see?" look

They love the hair pretties hanging on the wall, but I can't get any of them to stay in longer than about 2 minutes.  I love these pictures though because I especially think Joy looks like me as a little girl in the above one.  Not sure what it is about having her hair up that does it!

They are busy busy girls and growing up so fast!