A French Birthday

I never dreamed I would get to say that I spent my birthday in Paris!  But it happened!  This year I turned 31 in France!  And the only thing that would have made the celebration better is if I had been in the city of love with my love.  Ryan had to spend a week away for work.  So my favorite little travelers and I jumped on the train (okay, not really.  This super preggo mommy doesn't do any jumping these days!) and went to visit my parents for several days.  They are working in Paris this month and graciously offered to let us crash their flat.  The trip was a perfect birthday present!  I'm grateful for the memories I now have from this trip with my "big kids" before Baby Girl is born (just four weeks to go!).

We used pretty much every form of public transportation available in Paris during our visit.

Waiting for the train into the city on my birthday

Despite being super annoyed about taking this picture, Rooke thought the Eiffel Tower was very cool.  

Thank you, Paris, for being home to the most amazing crepes.  Nutella and banana on my birthday is better than any cake I could have asked for!

We were sad Ryan wasn't there to join in the fun, but his absence meant that Rooke got his own crepe (because it was my birthday and I didn't want to share with both kids!), which made his day!

Notre Dame in the background

Besides checking out the city, we also had fun just hanging out and playing with Kaye K and Big Daddy.  I didn't think about or cook one meal, do one load of laundry, or clean any dishes for five days.  Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Playing with his souvenirs on the train ride home

A Lovie Bath

The kids' Puppy and Bunny needed a bath.  I was getting a bit of push-back, so I suggested they watch to make sure the loved ones were okay.  Who knew that watching the wash cycle on a washing machine would be so entertaining?!  They stood there until the spin cycle finally started, which stirred up some concern, so we closed the lid and gave the animals their privacy while they finished their bath.  Good times! 

Just Two

Sometimes I forget what the curiosity of a two-year-old looks like . . . then I see a new box of straws on a dirty rug not knowing how many have been in her mouth and I remember =)

V-Day . . . Let the Games Begin!

We had a fun day celebrating and spreading some luuuuv.  We started our day with pink pancakes!  Thank you to the grandparents who sent some love our way.  The kids have had fun with their gifts!  Rooke made a few valentine's that he was proud of, but didn't want to give them away! 

 My mom used to do graham cracker and icing "sandwiches" as a snack treat.  I still love the combination and so did the kids!

Rooke and I like to use the "I love you" sign

We shared some yummy treats with our home group.

Another sign of love started the night before when Super Dad set up the kids' new bunk beds!  Let the games begin!  Rooke was beyond giddy, but eventually fell asleep in the guest bed while Ryan finished the project.

They were SO excited to test out their new beds the next day and played in them off and on all day!  That night was full of firsts.  First night of bunk beds.  First night of sharing a room.  First night of Gretchen sleeping in a big bed.  First night of giggling together as they drifted off to sleep.  And it all went off without a hitch!  Now, if we could only get them to keep up that pattern =)      

Along with getting to play in the snow last weekend, we also got to hang out with my parents, who are back on this side of the world after an extended trip back to the states.  Horray for fun with KayeK and Big Daddy!  My mom hosted a tea party for the kids . . . it was super cute to hear them use the "proper English" she was teaching them!

Stirring her "chocolate tea"

I bribed Gretchen on Sunday morning with a chocolate chip so she would wear one of my old dresses to surprise my mom.  She didn't have any problems with the dress (or the chocolate chip!) until I tried to take a picture of her . . .

Distracted by a banana and the snow outside, I tried again . . .

It Snowed!

We've had a relatively mild winter, but this weekend the temperatures dropped - and so did some snow!  The boys especially had a fun time playing together outside . . .

Gymnastics Gym

This is becoming one of our favorite ways to spend an early hour on Saturday mornings

The Race Track

I saw this idea on pinterest.  A masking tape race track.  I knew Rooke would like it, but had no idea how much he would actually love it!  We set up the track on Saturday and he literally spent hours playing "race" last weekend with constant narration about the racers and who would win and who was being rude and which cars were out of gas or inexperienced and couldn't make the difficult turns . . . I love finding ways to spark his imagination!

Holly, the purple "girl car", was almost always in last.

The block stands were for the "pit crew chiefs" and next to that was the "cheering section".