The Sweetness Of Life in Paris...

I hit up the sales in Paris on Friday morning.  The summer week of sales seemed to pass much quicker than the winter week of sales.  But maybe thats because there are much more interesting things on the summer sales.  I have been eyeing this certain pair of sandals in a storefront on my street since they were put out the beginning of April.  I went back the 2nd day of the sales to see what the price was.  Okay, so they were only 10 euros off, not very much of a sale, but I decided to scoop them up before they ran out of my hard-to-find-in-France shoe size.  After a quick run in Galaries Lafayette, H&M and Zara I went over towards the Louvre to meet Samantha Cox, one of my best friends from high school.  She has been doing a study abroad class for the past month, spending a little bit of time in different European cities.  Just so happened they spent 3 days in Paris, and I'm so glad we were able to meet up!  I love the Louvre, so I was happy to tag along.  I had to get to work, so I left them for a few hours and met back up with Samantha and her friend Jessica in Montmartre after work.  We had a delicious dinner of Beouf Bourguignon and red wine and passed a while on the front steps of the Sacre-Coeur...one of my other favorite places in the city.  There was a huge ramp and scaffolding set up blocking most of the steps for next weekend.  Some world champion rollerblader is attempting to rollerblade from the top of the stairs, all the way down to the bottom of the hill...and it looks scary!  The scaffolding stands probably 20 or 30 feet off of the ground and it looks like he would dive down so fast and run into buildings.  Hmm...I guess that I know what I'm doing next weekend!

It was so good to spend some time with her and catch up.  Everything has changed in both of our lives and a little face time was so worthwhile!  Saturday I woke up early and went to Marie-Césare's school.  It was the fête des parents...a huge carnival at her school.  They had all kinds of games set up, a "raffle, food and drinks, and of course a face painting area.  All the parents and kids were there, Chloé worked at one of the games while I took Marie-Césare around to play a little and have her face painted.  

Cléo getting her make-up done.

And Marie-Césare

Mischka, Cléo's extra super cute little brother....don't you love his red kicks?!

Franck joined us about an hour later for some games and good times, and everyone was getting a little tired and cranky so we decided to jet before clean-up time.  Franck and Chloé left for Belgium almost immediately after, as I was staying the night with Marie-Césare Saturday night and most of the day on Sunday.  They went to pick up some furniture they had bought a month earlier, and boy I can't wait to show you the good stuff they brought back.  Saturday afternoon Marie-Césare was so tired, but she just wouldn't let herself fall asleep.  Sooo we went to the library, park, etc.  just trying to wear her out so maybe she would go to bed early.  I had invited Charlotte over to Franck and Chloé's for dinner, because its her last weekend here and I hated for her to have to spend her last Saturday at home with the kids!  We made up some pasta and a tomato tart, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  Thankfully Marie-Césare fell asleep around 8 so we were able to enjoy the evening.  

Sunday morning she woke up around 7:30, which was pretty late considering how early she went to bed.  We laid around and watched Nick Jr.....Dora, Diego, and the Wonderpets (thank goodness there's no Fresh Beat Band here) until around 9:30 when I decided we should get up.  We had to make it out to the Jardin d'Acclimitation before noon, to enroll Marie-Césare in her riding lessons for next year.  Yes, that's right, she will be taking horseback riding lessons on Wednesdays next school year.  Since they don't have that in the city, we have to travel to the outskirts to take these classes.  That is one long haul for a tired, hot, 3 year old...I'm anxious to see how its going to go.  She will also take ballet at 9 in the morning from a studio near their house.  The Jardin d'Acclimitation is like a theme park for kids, whitout a theme.  There are just a bunch of kids rides, pony rides, a small water park area, restaurants, and swingsets.  Its really great for kids to have a place like that here, even though it isn't right in the middle its still fairly convenient.  After we enrolled in her class, we waited in line for what felt like an hour just to ride the ponies.  It was worth it though, any chance to mount any kind of horse and she is at her absolute happiest.  

It was about 80 degrees yesterday which has been the hottest day of the year so far.  We ducked into the shade at any chance possible and took full advantage of the "misters."  She thought it was dangerous because she said it was smoke, it took a good 15 minutes of convincing her that it was water.  Looking down into my bag for the last drop of water to drink I realized we had gone through 3 bottles already.  I decided it to be a good time to take a lunch break so we stopped for some much needed water and chicken nuggets.  Also a fine treat since mom isn't so keen on nuggets and fries.  

I had 2 tickets left, so I told her we would ride one more thing, then the train that goes through the park, then we would leave to go home.  She chose the indian canoes.  Which was probably good because the guy handed her a paddle to push her canoe along and she had to ask me how to use it.  Because where else would she learn a skill like using a canoe paddle?  

After the train we started the hike back to the metro.  I have figured out that if we "play the wolf" it gets her places much faster.  So I growl at her and act as if I'm going to catch her and she takes off running....a few of those and we get to our destination much quicker.   

Us on the train

The next photo is not an addition that they bought in Belgium, but one that they picked up in Paris.  I will never know what their style is in this house...other than very "French."  A very mish-mash or hodge podge-if you will, of things.  

Yes, it is a bowler hat. A very small bowler hat that is a legitimate light fixture.  It hangs about a foot away from the ceiling and looks very very peculiar.

95 degrees is the high today.....woooahhhh it is HOT.  I'm leaving my 7th floor apartment soon because I can't even stand it.  I don't know where I'll go, but anywhere has got to be better than here.  Anywhere with air conditioning.  McDonald's?  H&M? No, that's not a good idea...I'll just spend money.  Maybe I'll go browse every item at the supermarket.  Tomorrow its going to be 85 degrees which is a little better, then Wednesday back down to 70 degrees as the high for a few days.  Wish it would make up its mind...and preferably the colder the better!

And a huge Happy Birthday shout out to my Granny today!!