Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Here comes the sun



"Holy sunbun Batman, the sun is shining!"

Yes, I'm crazy, but when the weather has been this miserable, that big, orange ball in the sky looks pretty amazing. We're going bike riding! :)

Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Tour de France...2017?



OK not really, but it's a big moment just the same as the girls got their first "big kid" bikes this past week. They were very excited and luckily for us the colors they had decided on were available when we went to the sports store. That was my biggest fear, since all they had been talking about was getting a blue (Laura) and pink (Colleen) bike for days. Since a wide selection of colors and sizes is a rarity here, I kept saying to them, "we'll see what they have when we get there. There are lots of nice colors." When we got to the bike area, there they were, a pink bike and a blue bike, side by side, just waiting for them and they looked at me as if to say "see mom, not to worry". If I didn't know any better I would have thought they had ordered them ahead of time. On top of it, the brand name is B Twin, seemed rather appropriate for my twins. It turned out to be a very stress-free, fun buying experience. Another concern of mine was what if they only had one bike available? How do we walk out of the store with one bike trying to explain that the other bike would be in soon? I think I probably would have left without any bike, can't even think about the tears that would have flowed. All the explaining in the world wouldn't have helped. But all that worry for nothing, they walked out (rode out actually once the training wheels were put on) of the store the proud owners of B Twin pink and blue bikes.
Also while at the sports store waiting for the salesperson to put on the training wheels, I watched as another family, (mom, dad and son about 10 yrs old) were looking at the bikes. The kid was really excited but the parents were less than thrilled. The boy was looking at different models, and whenever he touched a bike his mom would yell at him although he wasn't being rough at all. It's only normal to look and even sit on the bike to see which one was best. He didn't seem to even notice how annoyed they were. Then at one point he walked over to the bike helmets and asked his mom if he could have one, but she immediately said no saying it was enough getting the bike. Then she turns and looks at me and asks "are they required?" I told her I was pretty sure they were and in any case if he were to fall, it would be better if he had a helmet on. She didn't seem to be swayed by my reasoning. Then the guy showed up saying that our bikes were ready so I don't know if he ever did get his bike helmet. Hopefully the salesperson convinced her a helmet would be a good idea.
Now if only the weather would cooperate and let the girls get used to having big kid bikes. We've had a couple of days where they could go out around the block. Other than that, July's reputation (for me anyway) as the most miserable month of summer continues. It is once again cool and rainy. Oh joy! At this moment the kids are watching a Peter Pan dvd. (in English)
Luckily we've got our trip to look forward to, the countdown has officially begun. Birthday parties have been reserved at the Lego store for Kevin and Build A Bear for the girls. Should be a lot of fun. My goals while in Chicago are to see the Field Museum, I haven't been there in years and the kids really like dinosaurs, the Shedd Aquarium, Sears Tower, a day at the beach and lake Michigan, Great America, Cubs Game and of course visiting family and friends. It's going to be busy and I'm not sure we'll be able to do everything but we'll certainly try. I'm also really excited since my niece's baptism will be while we're in town. I'm starting to feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. When I mentioned to Pascal the other day how it's now quickly approaching he said, this is the best time just before, the anticipation of the vacation and how during the actual vacation time goes by so fast and then it's over. I guess he's got a point there. So with that philosophy in mind, I'll try to enjoy the anticipation of our vacation as I watch it raining outside.
Hopefully this weekend the weather will improve (they're saying it will) because we are planning on going to a Hot Air Balloon Festival in a town called Chambley. It used to be an American air base. I believe it's every two years they host this world hot air balloon fest, where many different countries are represented. If the weather cooperates, it'll be an amazing sight no doubt. We've seen the balloons floating over our house but have never actually gone to the event. Read this for more info. Also this link offers some interesting facts about the event.
I think I'll go now and look up online for a sun dance! ;)

Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, July 10, 2007


Were to begin?? Not even worth putting a title to this post since I'm just going to write about all sorts of stuff. It's been awhile and I've just haven't been up to writing much lately although there's certainly been things to post about. Let's start with the most recent. They can just wipe the month of July off the calendar here in France. This is my 8th July in France and just about every single one has been miserable weather wise. This current one being no exception. While my home town of Chicago is sweltering in the heat, I'm wearing sweaters, socks and turning the heat up in the morning. It's been cool and rainy here for the last few weeks. It's the strangest thing, the month of April here though was beautiful, go figure!What a way to start off summer vacation. As it's been raining literally non-stop for the past few days, the kids have been inside. Board games anyone?? They certainly are appreciated right now. But it's summer!! What the heck is going on?????
This past weekend we did thankfully have a couple of nice days of warm, rain-free weather and we took advantage of it to get the lawn mowed and the neighbor's hedge trimmed on Saturday. On Sunday we went to a town about 30 minutes from here to watch a baseball game, yep baseball! And they played the game on a regulation baseball field. I've just added some pix to my Flickr! account so feel free to take a look. It really was a sight to see. I kind of had a "Field of Dreams" moment thinking: if you build it, they will come....
The game was played by the local baseball club and a group of American high school kids who are on a tour of Europe. This group of high schoolers was from Georgia and next weekend there's a group coming from Wisconsin. We're going to try to make it to that game as well. We arrived too late for the game this past weekend, actually they started the game 2 hours earlier than scheduled since the Americans arrived earlier than expected. But it was still worth it just to see the field, kids were able to play on it. They really enjoyed it.
In other news, it's been just about 10 days since my mother-in-law came to stay with us following her kidney surgery. It's gone extremely well. First her surgery and recovery in the hospital went very well and since she's been with us, she's improved a lot. Luckily we've got a bedroom and full bath downstairs so she's got her "own space" but she's always with us which is fine. She's a wonderful person and we get along great. She's enjoyed being with the kids and even when they get crazy sometimes running around here, it doesn't bother her. When she told the hospital staff she was coming to stay with her son and his family, they said it was very rare, that she was very lucky to have family who was willing to take her in. Apparently most people don't do it. Many elderly people who need some assistance after surgery to get back up on their feet go to rest homes. My next door neighbor just assumed my MIL would go to a rest home or maison de repos as they say here, and when I said she was coming here, she was shocked.
I didn't even think twice about it, but I guess I'm looking really good as a daughter in law right now. Well, it's been very easy, toughest part has been putting on these stockings my MIL has to wear for a month following surgery. They're to prevent water retention and they're super tight. She's not able to get them on by herself so every morning I go downstairs and put them on. She needs to wear them all day. She seems to like my cooking as well although she's not very picky I must say. All the same she does compliment me so it can't be too horrible.
I know the situation of a MIL and DIL living together under the same roof amicably is quite rare so if your jaw is hanging open right now in awe, go ahead and feel free to close it. I guess I won the lottery in the MIL dept. I have no complaints. I could really say the same in the husband dept too but I would have to have a few complaints!!
The care she received while in the hospital was wonderful. They removed her kidney after finding a cancerous tumor. This is major surgery by any one's standards and I was amazed at how little pain she suffered. They did an excellent job in pain management. She also of course was not shoved out the door. She was in for 10 days and by the time she came here, her pain was minimal, nothing an extra strength Tylenol couldn't take care of.
It reminded me once again how good the medical care here is in France. I've had a few experiences here with hospitals, from my pregnancies to the surgery Kevin had as a baby, the girls in neo-natal intensive care for 3 weeks and I have nothing but positive things to say. Sure there are always a few moments or instances that could have been better but overall, my experience has been excellent. I've read a little about the new Michael Moore Documentary "Sicko" and as one living over here I can definitely confirm all the positive remarks made about France's health care. It can't be beat really. They've got a great thing going here.
It's nice to have some down time as it were now that the kids are on summer vacation. I really had a hard time keeping up with the blog these last few months as it seemed like there was always something going on and I just didn't have the energy to write about it. For a while there, in June, I was online a lot looking up info on the school system in England. There's a family in the girls' preschool who is moving to England. The husband is being transferred there. So the mom was asking me if I knew much about it, at first she thought I was from England (common mistake)I offered to look stuff up online about the town they were moving to and then an English lady who actually lives here in town, gave me info on a website that has data on the different schools. So I was able to find out which schools were better in various towns. I spent quite a bit of time on it really and then wrote it all out to give it to the mom. Her English is basic, it's her husband who knows more English but it seems he's so busy with work, it's up to her to figure out a lot of the stuff. It'll be quite an adventure for her, as for the whole family, they have 3 kids ages 7 and under and are expecting their fourth! Delivering a baby in a foreign country! She's also not very used to looking up stuff online. She doesn't use the computer much and I tried to gently explain that it'd be good if she did because it'll come in handy.
Last but not least, before the year is out I'm sure we'll be getting a new computer. Our printer is busted, it lasted 7 yrs without a problem, so no complaints there. Luckily it broke down once I had finished teaching. I had used it a lot finding activities online for teaching english that I'd print out. And now, to get a new printer, we'd have to update our computer system since any new printer wouldn't be compatible with our "dinosaur" of a system we've had for the last 7 yrs. So might as well update everything at once. I still occasionally have the problem with the keyboard freezing up or not being able to type. That slowed down posting as well!
Finally, I'm writing out lists for our upcoming trip to Chicago. What to do list, what to buy list, who to visit list, where to go list, it goes on and on......
Can't wait to see Chicago in the summer! We're certainly not seeing summer in France right now! Unless of course you count that beautiful sight at the top of this post! :)