Happy Easter!

Which one can I start with? Can I really have CHOCOLATE for breakfast? What kind of a great holiday is this?

YEA! CHOCOLATE!!
All dressed up & ready to go to church.

The Zs after Easter service in the Dean's garden at the American Cathedral.

Easter Egg Hunt

This morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt in the gardens of the Musee de la Mode. Although we had to share the gardens with a Japanese film crew making an ad, the kids were able to take over one side of the park & went crazy looking for eggs & treats.

It has been a really interesting holiday year with Sophia, and great fun. She has really understood the joys of the holidays this year, starting with Christmas. She was perfectly satistied opening 3 or 4 presents & then playing with all of the new toys! It took days to get through everything! (only child!) Her birthday was the same, and it looks like Easter is going to be a blast. After needing some encouragement to break the sacred rules of the Paris parks (no walking on the grass and no playing in the bushes), Sophia went crazy looking for eggs. She very proudly carried her Dora sand pail, and tagged after Troy as he was slipping eggs & chicks into all kinds of creative places. She was able to stand her ground & beat out quite a few of the older boys to the eggs that were placed in her path. It was hard talking her into taking a break. She really enjoyed the hunt...

A big thanks to Message, the english speaking moms group in Paris that sponsored & organized the hunt today.

Getting a lift from Dad.

Is it a race? Can I beat her?
I found another one!
What is inside the chocolate? More chocolate of course...

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!

Sophia after school

On Tuesdays and Thursdays Sophia attends an Halte Garderie at St Honore d'Eylau. Each afternoon she runs down the driveway and out into the courtyard in front of the church where she is fascinated by the metal (removable) blocks the church locks into place when they do not want people to park in that area. To be honest the only time I've ever seen them down is during weddings and funerals. But everyday Sophia has to test it out.

When they are down, the world as she knows it just doesn't make sense. She talks about it all day long, all night long, until we return to school, and the barricades are back up, and the world is right again.

I don't know if she likes the noise that they make, or the fact that she can shake & rock them, and they won't fall down, but it's the same - everyday.

Sophia running after school
Video sent by moyamz

Sophia & Ava fishing

On Wednesday mornings, Sophia & her buddy Ava have an art class together, and then usually get a good run in the Park across the street before going home for lunch & naps. Today the girls decided to fish in the stream running thru the park, and proceeded to catch a number of cartoon characters on their rods.

Sophia fishing with Lou
Video sent by moyamz

Sophia climbing trees

On a walk at park Monceau, Sophia (in full church dress that she refused to change out of) decided to try her hand at climbing trees. The trees have been climbed by so many generations of kids that they no longer have bark on the limbs. She had a great time calling herself a koala, and then she got stuck...

Sophia climbing trees
Video sent by moyamz

Time Change

We had our time change on Sunday to Daylight Savings Time, and yes we made it to mass (almost) on time - 10 min late still counts as on time when you have a 3 year old. And after a great brunch at our local Lebanese restaurant with friends, and a great Sunday afternoon nap, we headed over to Trocadero with Sophia's new scooter to allow her to practice on a flat area with no fear of Mopeds or Motorcycles on the sidewalk running her over. And to celebrate the fact that it will be 8pm before it gets dark tonight.
It has been amazing weather this past week; rainy, cold, stormy, ugly. Basically spring was here early, and now it is gone... It was cold & windy.
But Sophia had a great time...

Scooters at the Eiffel Tower
Video sent by moyamz

Happy St Patricks Day!!

Sophia showing her irish eyes on St Patricks Day. Strangely enough, Paris doesn't have a St Patricks Day celebration until the 24th of March, an extention of the celebration would have been dangerous in College, but is widely ignored in our household now. It was difficult to even find a Guiness!
Thanks to Auntie Amy for the shirt!!

Super Daddy & the ghosts in the room...

You always hear stories about childen being able to see things that adults can't see, but this is one case of a 3 year olds ghost world being affected by the workings of a red blanket, and a Super Daddy...

Super Daddy, where you are?
Video sent by moyamz

More chateaux

Walking thru the labyrinth of the Chateau Chenonceau.

Walking thru the woods at the entry of the Chateau.

In the spiral staircase of the Chateau of Blois.

Moya, Sophia & Nana in the stairwell balcony of the chateau of Blois (pronounced BLAH)
Sophia walking thru the grounds with the Cathedral in the distance...

Chenonceau

The gallery bridge over the river Cher...

Copper pots & pans in the kitchen, which was in one of the arches on the bridge. You could also see the ovens, hundreds of knives (each with its own place on the wall - it reminded me of Julia Childs Kitchen design), and a pully for bringing up fresh water out of the river.

Nana, Troy & Sophia swinging thru the air to avoid the puddles.

Nana, Sophia & Moya in the formal garden next to the Chateau.

Sophia has discovered the joy of making funny faces... This one actually hurts me, but nice to know how flexible our skin was at one point.