Disney and Provance

We are in Provence. The last post we were getting ready to go to Disneyland. I'll start there. Disney Paris was great. We only visited the Magic Kingdom park. It is very similar to California's Magic Kingdom, although it has a few less rides, no Toon Town or Citter Country and a crazy big Adventure Land. S had no idea where we were going and didn't figure it out until we got inside the park. He was all smiles ear to ear all day. The weather forecast called for sun with a few light sprinkles. It was in actuality scattered downpours. We got on Small World (first ride of the day) with the sun shining and got off to sheets of rain. Thankfully the rain cover on E's stroller was up! So he had a dry ride, but S's stroller was soaked. They rain however didn't stop us. S could have cared less. We ended-up needing to buy him rain boots and dry socks because his feet were so soaked. Gardner and I used fast pass and baby swap to ride Space Mountain. Since I have been pregnant a lot lately, it was my first roller coaster in years. The Space Mountain was really awesome! Way more fun than the ride in California. Small World was good, but not as long as in CA. Sebastian loved the Captain Hook Pirate Ship and the Alica and Wonderland Walk through experience. The day was capped-off by an excellent Disney show similar to World of Color, only better, with lights and projection and fireworks. The projection is on fountains (like World of Color) but also on the Sleeping Beauty Castle. They turned it into all kinds of things, a clock, a rocket ship, etc. And the show had a cute story-line that mixed French and English and focused on the Disney stories set in France. Excellent day.

The next day we spent mostly laying around the apartment recovering. I packed for Provence while the kids played with their new Disney toys. In the late afternoon we went to tour the Opera House. Gorgeous!! We also got an early dinner out, and since the weather was really nice walked back to our apartment all the way through Paris. We walked from the 9^th to the 5^th. It was lovely.

The next morning we got up super early (4:45AM) to catch a 7AM train to Provence It's a nice change of pace here. Rural. In Paris everything is manicured perfectly. Here it is natural. And more gritty. Gardner and I have both remarked that in some ways it feels more like Italy. Makes sense as we are pretty close. I have come to realize one essential truth about traveling with young children, and that is that getting to the place is a hassle. Werther you are flying or taking the train. The kids are actually doing great, but hauling around all their crap really sucks!!! They need so much and they can't carry any of it themselves. In fact E needs to be carried too! But once you get to the place you are going you are so glad you came.

So yesterday after arriving we picked up our rental car and drove to the Ponte du Gard. It is amazing! You can walk right up to it and they have built a bridge that touches it so you can cross the river. S had a great time exploring and filling his pockets with rocks (a new hobby). We all enjoyed a nice lunch at a great resturant overlooking it. On the way to our hotel we stopped in Neimes. More ancient Roman Ruins and some Mc Dough (Mc Donald's) for dinner. Our hotel is nice. It's in a little town called Tearason. It feels like the country. Our room is actually like a small suite which is great because the kids have there own room! Today we went to Arles, which was actually kind of a disappointment. Yes the sites were great, some more Roman ruins, including a fantastic Colosseum, and a beautiful Romanesque Church. But it was hard to imagine the town that inspired Van Gogh (This is where he lived and painted many of his most famous works). The town is gritty and modern. It has a blue collar and yet touristy feel. I definitely preferred our afternoon visit to St. Remy. There we saw the very peaceful (and still functioning) mental hospital where Van Gogh lived and painted for over two years. The ultra famous Starry Night...yep, painted while he was a patient there In fact he painted over 200 painting while admitted. I can see why. The hospital is in a beautiful area. Peaceful and serene. We had dinner at a great place, the food was delicious and they even had a changing table! A big find in France. The resturant owners were great and loved playing with E. Both kids were well behaved and we managed to get through 3 entire courses. Yum. Alsp the town had great shopping. Lots of cute places. Made me miss my Mom and sister. Gardner and the kids are great for lots of things, but shopping is not one of them. No offense boys. :)

Provence is so much warmer than Paris. It's maybe 75, and a bit humid. A nice change after freezing the last few weeks. The sun is so super bright here. Even with sunglasses on the colors are so vibrant. I imagine it gets very hot here in the summer, and I am glad, especially since we have the kids, it's not July. So all in all we are all having a great time. We are also all tired. We play hard, we sleep hard. Gardner and I are constantly working to find a balance between sightseeing and not over-doing it. I think we are succeeding more than not. S talks about home a lot. He talks about his friends and his room, and his Grandparents, and his Aunt Katie. He doesn't seem sad or homesick per say, just wants to make sure they are all still there waiting for him. I am missing my family and friends too, but then I remember that 7 weeks is just a blink of time in a whole lifetime and the trip is already flying by.  

7 Everyday Things That Are Different In Paris

So we have officially completed our first week here. We are all loving it. There are so many awesome things about Paris! There are also, of course a lot of differences from my normal suburban lifestyle. Besides the language, currency, and temperature, there are a few things have stuck out in my early impression as unique to Paris and/or Europe in general.


7 Everyday Things That Are Different In Paris

1. Parisians LOVE their dogs. I know many people are fond of their pets and treat them like a member of the family but Parisians take it to a new level. These dogs are all full-breads, (no mutts in Paris) incredibly well groomed, with fancy leashes and collars, and their owners take them everywhere. It is not at all unusual to see a dog inside a restaurant, supermarket, bank or clothing store. Bringing your kids into the Brasserie (casual restaurant) might get you a sideways look and a sigh from the waiter, but your dog is perfectly welcome. An usual thing to adjust to as you sit eating a $25 plate of food while at the table next to you Fido scratches and sniffs. Although I do have to admit, Parisians also seems to have the best behaved dogs on the planet. Even the dogs are sophisticated here.

2. You can drink anywhere! It's an odd sensation for your typical California girl (who is used to alcohol being served only under lock and key and after 45 ID checks) to see someone wondering through the Louvre drinking a Heineken. The little street vendors sell hot dogs, chips, crepes and wine. Yesterday people at the table next to use ordered a second beer after their meal and took them to go. The relaxed attitude around alcohol doesn't seem to lead to drunken parties in the streets. In fact the attitude surrounding alcohol is the opposite. It's really no big deal. Just another small thing to be enjoyed and to enhance your life.

3. People really do dress better here. French people in general really do dress in a very sophisticated manor. And skinny jeans are all the rage, for both men and women.The men manage to look sophisticated and elegant (and would probably look too feminine in the US) but here they fit right in next to their elegant and put together with out trying-to-hard counterparts. They wear skinny jeans and straight leg pants with a tapered ankle. And not like Americans wear skinny leg pants. They do where them with boots and heals, but also with flats, tennis shoes, low flat boots, sandals. The only boot cut pants are on the tourists. Of course this is the only cut I brought, but that's ok my butt is too big for skinny jeans anyways. Which brings me to my next line item...

4. French people are thin. Believe it or not, I don't think I have seen even one overweight french person yet. Ok, I'm sure they do exist, but by and large the country has a tight watch on their collective waistline. And it makes you wonder. How to they do it. Joggers are rare to see. We have walked all over, including our neighborhood which is not a touristy place, and I have yet to see even one gym. Plus all of the food here is full fat. They do not skimp on pastries, or rich butter or cheese, or wine, or anything else they want to eat. I suppose the secret is a combination of factors. They walk a lot. Portions are smaller. And almost everything, even in the grocery stores is fresh. Not a lot of trans fats. Hey, maybe I'll even loose weight while I'm here. Maybe? :) A girl can hope....more cheese please.

5. People everywhere love a cute baby. This is not by any means a baby-friendly city. When I say that I don't mean it in a negative way. It's just like any other big city really. There are lots of stairs and not many elevators or ramps. Not great for strollers. Most restaurants and cafes do not have high chairs or changing tables. But the Parisians we have encountered have generally been incredibly helpful in trying to help us make it work. Several random strangers have helped us carry strollers down the metro steps, or shuffled things so we could fit in a cafe. And E is enjoying an abundance of attention. He is gleeful as he rides down the street being smiled at and waved to by practically everyone. Even our surly french waiter stopped and baby-talked to him to day when he thought I wasn't looking.


6. People will reprimand your children.  I didn't know this before we came to France, but apparently here it is perfectly appropriate to discipline someone else's child. Adults have no problem speaking sternly to your child and telling them, for example, to sit down and shut their mouths. In France children should be seen and not heard. It is a bit of a shock to typical a "I want to nurture their spirit" type of California mom to have another adult speak like that to my kid. It is very easy to get defensive. However I am trying to remember that they mean no harm, and are probably trying to help. And I just think, "If they judge me well I'll never see them again anyway." Then I just look the other way while S helps himself to a third sample of their cheese.

7. People will touch your baby! Like everyone, all the time. Bus boys, and store clerks and little old ladies on the bus. They have no issue at all with patting E's head or tickling him, or what always makes me cringe, touching his hands - which of course promptly go right back in the mouth. I am trying to get over my American "don't touch my baby" issues. But it is quite a change.

For those keeping score at home, even though it has been rainy and cold we are seeing a lot. Today we climed to the top of Sacre Coeur. It was too high for me and having S up there with the slippery floors and low rails made me insaenly nervous. But it was still a cool view and a great accomplishment. We are planning to go to Disney tomorrow (don't tell S it's a suprise). We orginally had it scheduled for later in the month, but the day we were planning is a national holiday and it's sure to be busy. Hoping for good weather and a super fun day for the kids.

Sunday in Paris

Well, we have been in Paris for a week now, and we feel like we are really settling in and getting used to the rhythm of the city.We have  The kids are also adjusting, and very importantly they, and we, are sleeping so much better. We are all having a great time, exploring the city! Paris is really amazing. Beautiful, and so full of life and character.

Today we all slept in after getting in late from the train ride home. After a small snack for the kids we bundled-up and ventured out ready for a coffee and hungry for a Pain au Chocolat to discover that everything in Paris is closed on Sunday. :(  Ok, not EVERYTHING, but almost all stores, cafes, etc are closed. Only activities and restaurants in the touristy areas are open. Since we are not staying in a particularly touristy area, we had to seek out some breakfast. After grabbing a quick bite from a little cafe across from San Germain du Pres (the oldest church in Paris built in like 500), we walked to the Luxembourg Gardens. The clouds were threatening rain, and S was hopped-up on jelly from his breakfast crepe. It was a great place for him to run out some energy. We rented him a little sail boat and since it was so windy it sailed all over the fountain. He had such a great time! (There was a major tantrum at the end of the morning but who wants to harp on the details of him screaming at the top of his lungs like he was being kidnapped for about 7 blocks?)

G and S launching their sailboat

We went back to the apartment for lunch just as the sprinkles started. After we all refueled we took the bus to the Lourve (since we bought season passes we can skip the whole line and walk right in). This trip we saw the large canvas rooms and the grand gallery. It was a really good trip. The kids were pretty engaged. S was excited to see "her" and E flirted with everyone he saw. S was underwhelmed by "her" the Mona Lisa. But I was actually impressed. I have always heard she wasn't very exciting so my expectations were low. The crowd surrounding her was insane, so we didn't stay to long in that room. After a while we let S zone out and play on his little video game, and G and I were able to take in a few full hours of art! We ended the day at the Hard Rock. I have been feeling just a touch homesickness so a dinner of nachos, margaritas, and rock n' roll really made me feel comfortable and at ease.

In front of the Lourve 

More sightseeing in the city tomorrow, and I am really feeling good about our ability to keep the kids happy and engaged while G and I are also able to enjoy all of the interesting things France has to offer.

Visiting Gardner's French Family

We have just returned from a overnight trip to Pornichet, which is on the coast in Brittany, and a visit with Gardner's french family (The Bossy's). It was so lovely to get out of the busy big city and see how real french people as opposed to how Parisians live.

A cute picture of my boys on the train

I'll admit, I didn't really want to go. The two days before were busy and stressful. S was acting like a manic, and we had been going what felt like non-stop. The kids were making everything from riding the metro (damn stairs) to eating out (S wouldn't eat anything other than sugar and I the only baby food I can find is applesauce) a headache. In two days we had seen the Arc de Triomphe, walked all the way the down the Champs Elysees to the Lourve, walked around a very small and not so exciting wing of the Lourve, seen the Eiffle Tower, visited the Musee D'Orassy, walked along the Seine, visited the flower market, and grocery shopped 3 times. In addition I had been locked in the kitchen (the lock somehow jammed and the apartment owner had to come rescue me) cleaned an infinite amount of bedsheets after in the middle of the night S decided he would take off his pull-up and wear underwear, only to end-up peeing all over his bed, the sheets, duvet, everything. Plus of course I had to wash laundry, pack for the overnight away, etc. I was in such a cranky mood, still dealing with children fighting sleeping, and constantly determined to wake one another in the night that I was asking myself (and Gardner) "Why on earth did we do this?!". Truthfully it is really difficult, traveling with young children. They have a lot of needs and they don't care if you are standing in front of a priceless piece of artwork in a room of people who have waited their lives to see it. If they are tired, or bored, or hungry they will wreak havoc. So by the end of Thursday night I was in no mood to pack and get ready to leave early in the morning. But we had already planned to go, bought the train pass, reserved the hotel. So I sucked-it up and got it all together. I am so glad I did.

We had a wonderful time in Pornichet. Yes the kids were still a handful, but it was so relaxing looking at the Ocean. Gardner's family that we went to visit include Herve and Linda (the parents) and Celine and Donatien (the college age "kids"). Herve, Celine and Donatien all speak decent English, but Linda speaks about as much English as I do French, which is to say not much at all. I was nervous, not knowing at all what to expect, but they were all as welcoming and friendly as could be. And even though the majority of the conversation was in French, I managed to follow along and add my input in English which the others translated for me.

When we arrived by train, after checking in at the hotel, we went to their house for dinner. They cooked us the most amazing French dinner! I would have expected beautifully plated food like this in a fancy restaurant. We had a Champagne aperitif with cheese coquette puff pastry things, an entree (appetizer) which was individual seafood casoulettes so good I could have eaten a bucket full. It was all I could do not the lick the terrine. The main was pork tenderloin with a light delicious curry sauce and ratatouille. For dessert a homemade rum cake. YUM. Of course there was wine, and coffee and a great time was had by all. (They even made a special noodles and ham dinner for S and he was happy to color on the Ipad while the adults ate).

Eating lunch

Walk by the beach

S and I

The next morning, we met the family at our hotel and walked to the local market, which was really fun! The market is beautiful and vibrant with amazing produce, super fresh fish, fresh bread, flowers and a variety of charcuterie. Linda seemed to know everyone and seemed very proud as she pushed my stroller around explaining to all of her friends that we were her American family in France for a visit. She and I entertained each other by teaching one another the various names for things at the market. Lunch back at the house was four-courses of bliss. We had an array of shellfish, including Langoustine, two types of shrimp, oysters and homemade mayonnaise. The second course was sea bass and potatoes with a white buerre blanc sauce that was unbelievability good. Then a cheese and salad course, followed by espresso and eclairs. O.M.G. I wish we were staying here for 7 weeks! Not only is the Bossy family super friendly they can really cook! After lunch we enjoyed a pleasant walk to the beach, right down the road from their house, and then we had to get in the car and drive to Nantes to catch the train back to Paris.

I realize that the majority of my description about our time in Pornichet is focused on the food, but in France that really is the center of the social world. Both Herve and Linda made sure to tell me several times who cooked which pieces of the meal, and I think I accidentally offended when I offered to help in the kitchen. (Gardner told me later that they view it as me stating that they are not capable on their own. But then he said they likely though it was a cute American gesture. I hope so.) Oh and while in the country we visited a Super Mache and stocked up on baby food, so Everett will have a much more healthy variety  in the coming weeks, in case you were concerned.

Was the night out of Paris a lot of work? Yes. We had to pack, unpack, adjust the kids in new beds, figure out the train system, etc. But it was SO worth it and I have returned, completely de-stressed, re-energized and excited to see what else we can see.

Trying to teach S to Squat

What is the deal with the squat toilets?! Seriously Europe! Get with it. France does so many things well. The food is delicious, the clothing is beautiful, the city is well-designed and gorgeous, and the public transportation is fast efficient, clean and inexpensive. But what is with the seat-less toilets?! For those of you who don't know what a squat toilet is, it's a toilet with the seat removed. In Italy we encountered squat toilets that were actually flush with the floor. The ones we have found here are just like regular toilets, with the seat removed.

Now let me tell you. Squat toilets are a hassle. But never a big pain in the butt then when you are dealing with a potty training toddler. S has been doing so well potty training. He basically refuses to were anything but underwear now, and rarely has accidents, but he in true 3 year old form, never wants to go to the bathroom. Every trip to the potty requires negation on our part. These squat toilets are no help to the situation that unfolds as I try to sweet talk my child out of his pants and onto the potty. Between those and the auto-flushers (which S is terrified of) I have spent a truly remarkable amount of time bribing my child to pee.

But the worst offense of the squat toilet, which really got me today, was a PAID for squatter.This one had holes where the seat used to be - it had been intentionally removed! Sebastian and I paid our .80 euro each waited about 10 minutes in line to get to a SQUAT toilet! Are you kidding? And this is at a Mc Donald's no less. Not very family friendly. Of course they didn't have a changing table either, so poor Everett had to be changed in his stroller in the corner of the restaurant. Not very polite, but a mom's gotta do what she's gotta do.

In other news we had an amazing day, which ended with S dancing in the rain in front of a sparking Eiffel Tower, a little moment in time I hope I remember forever. I'll tell you all about it later.

The Flight and Day 1

Phew! We finally made it! The planes flights went pretty well, all things considered. S was really perfectly behaved and so much fun to be with. He was so excited to be going on a plane. The first flight was a short hop on a tiny commuter jet to LAX. As the plane took off he shouted, at the top of his lungs, "Up, up, up! We are FLYING!". Pure joy. It was so cute. E had a tougher time. He was hot and his little ears hurt. So did everyone's by the time we landed.

E waiting to board our first flight

The long haul flight was better. S napped then watched 3 entire movies, then napped again. Couldn't have been easier. E was over the whole experience by then and just wanted to sleep- in my arms. So I ended-up holding him for about 95% of the flight. (Guess we could have skipped buying him a ticket after all.)

Finally about 24 hours after leaving our house we arrive at the door step of our apartment building. We unload our kids the car seats, the strollers, 4 suitcases, 2 carry-on size bags, a diaper bag, and S's little backpack and then we realize neither Gardner nor I remember the door code. S#!T. Now what. We have no access to Internet, no where else to go, not to mention no way yo move all of our stuff and kids. We stand there for about  10 minutes, just sort of hoping an answer would appear. Then, luckily the door opens. The owner of the apartment's daughter is standing there. They happened to look out window and see us. Thank God. We head up. The elevator is small. My stroller won't fit unless it is folded. It takes 5 trips to bring everything up. I have officially over-packed. But, the apartment is amazing! Looks just like the pictures.  After unpacking and heading to the local market for a few supplies, we are all ready for bed.  All except E. He screamed for 2 hours straight. Didn't matter if he was being rocked, nursed, left alone in bed. We gave him some Tylenol, to help calm him down. Nothing worked, except what he wanted, which was to sleep with me. So finally we gave in and let him sleep in our bed. Other than a few quick visits from Sebastian and a midnight feeding of butternut squash to E the night went really well, and we woke-up feeling refreshed.

On our first day of sightseeing, we had already decided to visit Ile de la Cite. We planned to see where the city began, the very center. The morning was overcast and very cold and windy. We grabbed croissants and coffee and took the metro (kind of a hassle with 2 strollers, all those steps) over to Notre Dame. It's amazing. We got there right at opening, so there weren't too many people yet. (Walked by a few hours later and the line stretched all the way through the square. The church is absolutely beautiful. I have always had a fondness for Gothic cathedrals, and Notre Dame in Paris is arguably the most famous in the world. The way the light comes through the windows (even on an overcast day) is beautiful. It makes the walls look like they are sort of glowing. We decided to save the climb to the top of the bell tower for another day.

The wind and rain picked up. We were unprepared for that kind of weather. Bummer that's the forecast for the next ten days. But I think we will do better bringing only one stroller for the boys to share with the ergo baby carrier. For the rest of the day we got lunch, saw the Archaeological Crypt (the ancient Gallo-Roman foundations of Paris), took a rest and walked around Bon Marche. Bon Marche is a huge, very cool, and very expensive department store that also has a whole gourmet grocery store attached. Tonight E was the easier one to get to sleep. (Both kids have been napping on and off all day). S is still up and listening to books on tape. It's 10:30PM. Wish he would fall asleep so I could too.

All in all, so far we are having a good time. Looking forward to everyone fully adjusting from the time-change and hoping the weather improves. Bonne Nuit.

Why travel with your kids?

A little over 2 years ago, when we decided to take a "big trip" to France, G was in the midst of working a demanding job and working through a demanding MBA program in the evenings. He was exhausted all of the time. So I suggested a big vacation when he finished. Something to really look forward to. A reward. It was quickly decided that we wanted to go to Paris. And so the dream began. For the past two years, when we haven't been busy working, taking care of the house, or having another baby we have been talking, planning,and preparing for our trip to France. And while we leave in just 13 short days, I still sort of can't believe we are ACTUALLY going.

Whenever I tell people about our upcoming trip, the thing that everyone seems to talk about is the fact that we are bringing our children. Some are shocked, some impressed, and almost everyone expresses sympathy for the very long plane ride. There have been countless web posts about all the great benefits that come from traveling with your children. Reasons to travel with your children include:

- Travel encourages better geographical knowledge and awareness.
- Travel encourages an acceptance and appreciation for other cultures
- Travel encourages children to become more adaptable
- Traveling as a family is a great bonding experience and creates lasting memories
- Children's know what they live. If you travel often they will be good travelers.
- Children (especially really young ones) are super cheep, if not free to bring along.

And there are of course many more reasons that traveling and seeing the world as a family is awesome. However, what I have heard from so many people are things like:

- Why bother taking your kids? They'll never remember it.
- They have so much gear to drag along.
- You'll miss so much dealing with your kids sleep schedules, diaper changes, etc.

I completely understand comments like this. Travel with young children, I image will be quite a bit different that when G and I rented a car and drove all over Italy for a few weeks the year before S was born. However, for all the great reasons to travel with your children, what it really came down to was "I'd rather change diapers in Paris." I will be rocking a baby to sleep, and begging a toddler to please try using the potty, and cleaning baby food off my blouse, anyway and well I would rather do it in Paris.

So wish us luck, diapers and all we will be heading to Europe in 2 short weeks for what I'm sure will be a fun, memorable, crazy, exhausting, amazing trip.