Mother's Day

Megan planted Mothers Day tulips for me while they were here, and they bloom magnificently.

Blairs at Home

The Blairs have a simple breakfast of crois sants and hot chocolate (and tartlets if Dad goes to the bakery).

After the kids go to school Dad and Mom work at their computers, Ben in a cool den, Gab in the Studio. Often baby June plays on the floor by Mom.

Ben speaks French to transact business; here he's at the front door, talking with the landlord's father about plumbing issues.



In the afternoon, mom goes out to get kids from the trampoline. The kids may spend time in the studio too, doing projects.

After dinner, while Mom is upstairs reading stories to the younger ones, the older kids read in the family room; Ben has built a fire in the fireplace.

(I left the pictures big enough that you can click on them to enlarge.)

Fabriqué en France

I try to bring home things I'll use every day, things from a hardware store, for instance, so I won't end up with stuff on shelves. Naturally I want something I can't get at home, but you can get almost everything now. I like something made in the country I visit. I shopped in a hurry (while Ben waited patiently) and I like most of what I got. The white ware you can get in America here, but I like these. The glass dish turns out to be made in Brazil, the towels I suspect in India, the wisk China. : ) The tags said imported but I didn't take time to read them closely.

Food is always good. It's consumable. We like the mayonnaise. I intended buying hand soap in lovely French wrappers but forgot--also consumable. Just for fun, I would have bought a small Eiffel Tower souvenir, but didn't do that either.

In a different part of France, if I were collecting I would have looked for Lalique for glass or jewelry, or Limoges porcelain and boxes, or Fabrege anything (They made the jeweled eggs for the Tsar.) I also love the old world tapestry; Gabby has an interesting piece on her couch.

Paris

My favorite thing about Paris was hanging out with the two little Ferney boys. Moses is busy, trying to read, etc. Roman is patient, but still has opinions. Cute three second video.

O Tannenbaum

When people thought to put fake icicles on holiday trees, they were likely aiming for something like this.

We've had more snow in the last week than in the last two months--and more to come, they say.

Colorful Food

I feel vindicated. All those dinners I cooked when I calculated not only nutrition, flavors and budget, but COLORS of food. Heaven forbid an all-yellow menu such as mac and cheese, corn, and peaches. Or worse, all drab as in all browns. I endured mockery on more than one occasion for my conviction. Now everyone is saying "Eat colorful foods--for your health," here and here and here. It makes me smile.

Sweet Sixteen

Bridgette and friends had a sleepover here for her birthday. It was fun to decorate. Rog put up the streamers; I made the cake.

Alt

Our first chance to attend Alt Summit. So fun and interesting. But my favorite part is probably seeing my family doing interesting things--grown-up people. As always, I especially love the conversation. Here, Jimmy Slemboski and Jim Blair showed up and the boys ended up in an engaging plan to start a new kind of Charter School. (Room decor by Honda.)

Turkeys

Flocks of wild turkeys are wandering the streets of Mendon this winter. These five perched in the berry tree outside our home office window. They ate every berry within their reach. They make us laugh.

The Rodgers sent us these for Christmas. The purple/white crocuses are about to bloom here.

Christmas

We loved getting to see Josh and Erin and family at Christmas time. We went to Brian and Petrea's in Highland for his birthday. After that, the Stanleys came here.
We didn't get pictures, but I have some of the LR (I loved our live Christmas tree) and of Christina and Eric and boys, who were here Christmas morning. Fun to have little ones, excited for Santa.