Seeing "Old" Friends

Some of you who check our blog will recognize these friends... we've known each other since before Stephen and I were married and it's super fun to see how we've... MULTIPLIED!!!

We went from knowing our friends with one child, to having a combined of five kiddos here and one on it's way!

We had a super-fun-filled weekend with our friends in our tiny little house. We laughed about old times, and look forward to more to come. The kids did great and here are some of the highlights...

Cartoons & Movies (only time we could get all of them to sit still in one place!)

Of course, we had to go to Disneyland Paris...

One our first stops there...

Tea Cups!

 Then, to make two little princess' dreams come true... 

we met Sleeping Beauty!

Micah was amazed with Buzz Lightyear

We had "in house" tea parties...

And a quick trip to the Eiffel Tower... super DUPER COLD with some snow flakes in the air. 

(I'm waiting on more pics to come!) 

Special thanks to our friends for driving 9+ hours! We love you guys!

SNOW in PARIS!

SUPER FUN SNOW DAY!!!! We've been hearing reports of snow back in NC, so it's fun to have it at the same time here in France! Of course, having a 2 year old and 4 year old... they are our very own personal alarm clocks which normally go off around 6:50-7am (if not before that!). 

So... after breakfast, we headed out in the snow around 8:30. YES... 8:30 in the morning. Call me crazy... but it worked. (Plus Stephen had to go to work!) ;-) 

So, here are some shots of us playing outside this morning....

 There is nothing on this little girl's face, but T.R.O.U.B.L.E!!!
(as she packs a snowball)

SNOW cake anyone? 

 The startings of a snowman!

 Cutie.

The 3 snowman makers! 

Noah became attached rather quickly... even to give him a hug!

Then, decided to sit in his lap.   :-)

Time for some pull-sledding!

Fun. Fun. Fun day! WE LOVE SNOW!

(Good morning world... don't you love my 8:30 am face!)

Favorite Memories of 2012...

So, I tried to do a top 10 of pics... but it just wasn't possible. Looking through, it was so fun to remember, reminisce, and laugh at the past year. It was fun, sad, good, and amazing at all that we've done in the past year... our first FULL year in France.

Many of these have already been on the blog... but

So... in no particular order of favorite, more so just in the timeline of the year...

Sadie and Stephen's first ski trip... in the ALPS of France!

Sadie Mac and I went for a quick trip the States in April and had a super fun time... enjoying Krispy Kreme and enjoying family!

Fun memory of taking pepperoni to our local pizza place and asking them to put it on a cheese pizza...

it was AMAZING! Always a fun and special Friday night treat while we were in language school!

Sadie's end of year trip, hiking with her class in the most beautiful mountains I've ever seen!

And sweet memories of her little best friend!

Got to SEE the Tour de France... in our town!!!

Summer = Fun in the Sun at a beach/lake near Annecy

Move to PARIS in August 2012... first trip to the Eiffel Tower as a family!

Disneyland Paris... making Sadie's birthday dreams come true!

In September, we found out Baby 3 would be arriving in 2013!

Noah's love for Elmo... even in a pumpkin!

Date Night!!! Stephen took me to see West Side Story at the Opera!!!

Mont Saint Michel... love these two.

Of course when NanNan came to visit and pose with SM in front of the fabulous Tower!

Cuddles with Grandmommie! (Poppie being here too!) ;-)

Super Fun Family Outing...

In Boone, we use to (honestly before I was big enough to remember) have an ice skating rink called "Polar Palace"... and in France, this is our version of that! On Christmas Eve, the four of us ventured out and had a super fun time watching Sadie ice skate on something... that was NOT ice.

It seemed like some kind of plexiglas or something that worked for ice skates and made little shavings like ice skating would. 

It was nice because Stephen could just wear normal shoes and help her... she LOVED it! Noah also got to ride a couple of times and he was a fan! 

As night fell, they even had crazy fun lights!

This melts my heart to see them together... so sweet. 

Baby 3, "It's A...."

It's a BOY and as you can see (thanks to the idea of my sister-in-law with the balloons), Sadie Mac was not really excited about it. She was really, really, REALLY wanting a sister! After the video was shut down, there was a total and complete M.E.L.T -- D.O.W.N!!!! But since, she has recovered and tonight she had a ball up her shirt (being "pregnant") with A GIRL!!! She may be in denial... I think it's better she knows now and can prepare herself. A friend emailed me a few days after we found out with much wisdom and said, "I think Noah and another boy are a better match for Sadie Mac than her and another girl!!" SOOO true!

Grandparents for Christmas!... Les Vacances!

For two weeks of December we get grandparents here to spoil the kids!!! 

Kids are getting to do crafts and snuggle. Grandma is a bit limited with a broken leg, but she's doing the best she can. 

One day we drove to Normandy to see the American Cemetery and the beaches of Omaha. 

It was really cool and amazing. Thinking through all those who died fighting for freedom. 

Then... off to the famous Mont Saint Michel...

I called Jannie "hot rod"

Fun pics around the town

Souvenir shopping...

This is near one of the churches and I love this pic of my two treasures...

Being that France is mostly catholic (or was at one time)... there are lots of statures of Jesus on the cross. This is Sadie Mac's imitation of it. She insisted I take her pic... 

The Mont Saint Michel Abbey... yes, WOW.

  Only the 4 of us made it to the top... and here is a family shot!

Saying Goodbye...

 

It was an amazing place... so thankful we had a chance to go and see the Abbey... it's amazing!