Sophia on Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Caroling Party
Brehan, Sean, Troy & Sophia after the party.
The Z's with Santa (notice Sophia trying to get as far away as possible).
Sean decides to dance...
Sophia, Liam & Sean exchanging ideas...Sunday, December 11, 2005
Christmas in Paris
An amazing weekend... The weather was fabulous, and we tried to take advantage of it, even with Sophia's runny nose.
Today at church the children of the congregation performed the nativity, and Sophia was fascinated! She spent the entire service on our laps, for the first time since April, and loved watching the kids as they performed their roles. It was a great pageant, very reminiscent of the 1950s, and we loved it. It capped off a weekend of Christmas celebrations; Microsoft Christmas party was Thursday night (dinner started at 9 & dancing at midnight), then the Christmas party at the American Cathedral (Troy & I were part of the "4 calling birds" when we sang Christmas songs), and then the pageant during the service today. It was great to have the pageant during the service as well, it took the place of the readings and homily, and the children were wonderful.
She was a little confused as we opened gifts tonight, in fact she really didn't want anything to do with the tricycle we bought her, but she LOVED the stroller (a mini-maclaren version of her stroller) and once she understood that she could take kukula for a ride she had a great time! She also had a great time with her new "laptop computer". Our only problem with it is that it is a little loud.
We leave for Seattle on Wednesday, so we look forward to seeing everyone over the holidays...
I can't believe how much there is to do over the next few days... Love!!
Today at church the children of the congregation performed the nativity, and Sophia was fascinated! She spent the entire service on our laps, for the first time since April, and loved watching the kids as they performed their roles. It was a great pageant, very reminiscent of the 1950s, and we loved it. It capped off a weekend of Christmas celebrations; Microsoft Christmas party was Thursday night (dinner started at 9 & dancing at midnight), then the Christmas party at the American Cathedral (Troy & I were part of the "4 calling birds" when we sang Christmas songs), and then the pageant during the service today. It was great to have the pageant during the service as well, it took the place of the readings and homily, and the children were wonderful.
She was a little confused as we opened gifts tonight, in fact she really didn't want anything to do with the tricycle we bought her, but she LOVED the stroller (a mini-maclaren version of her stroller) and once she understood that she could take kukula for a ride she had a great time! She also had a great time with her new "laptop computer". Our only problem with it is that it is a little loud.
We leave for Seattle on Wednesday, so we look forward to seeing everyone over the holidays...
I can't believe how much there is to do over the next few days... Love!!
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Paris. Actually yes, there are quite a few people that celebrate Thanksgiving, so much so that I didn't even have to pre-order the turkey from the meat market up the street. But it was a very fresh turkey, I think it was actually running around early Friday morning. However the butcher was very nice, and cleaned it all up for me so I didn't have to deal with any of those "unsightly" parts.
We had a grand fete with our friends Kevin & Rachel & their daughter Ava. Sophia & Ava had an interesting evening together (Sophia is entering the 2's), but had a great time the last 15 minutes when they just ran in circles between the living room & dining room chasing each other. Needless to say, the one seat didn't work between the 2 of them, so we brought the chairs in from Sophia's room so they could each have one.
We had a bit of snow in the morning, as it has been quite cold here. It's all becoming very festive; the cold & snow, the lights up on the Champs Elysees, the cold, interesting re-makes of American versions of the traditional Christmas carols, the cold. It's amazing how the time has gone!
Cheers!!
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Jardain des Plantes
Thought we would share just a few photos from our day at the Jardain des Plantes. Sophia was more than a little confused by the leaves all over the ground, she kept picking them up & trying to put them back up on the trees. It is starting to get a little colder here, but has been an amazing October...
Saturday, October 01, 2005
September 2005
So it’s been a few months since our last update, but it has gone by so fast, I can’t believe it is October already. We have been extremely busy, but having a lot of fun.
We returned from Seattle with a week left in August, enough time to experience a little bit of what Paris feels like when there are no Parisians here. August is a great time to have a car in Paris, because you can find parking just about anywhere near your house or your destination. Troy jumped back into work, while Sophia & I tried to recover from jet-lag (it takes her about a week to sleep thru the night again), and try to find places in Paris that were still open. Most of the smaller shops near our apartment were closed, some of the bakeries (although apparently the bakeries in one area all have to get together & decide when they are going to close because by law there has to be at least one open per day within a certain area), our favorite neighborhood bar closed for the month, corner markets, and fruit & meat shops on our market street. It was like a Sunday every day of the week. By September 4th most things were back open. The influx of people & noise was amazing!
We started to get back into our routine with one small change, Sophia was accepted into an “Halte Garderie” at one of the local schools. She goes to “school” 2 afternoons a week for up to 4 hours at a time & it is amazing. It took her 2 days to figure out that I was going to return to pick her up, and that she could have a lot of fun while she was there. The Garderie is basically like a little playschool for her where she is able to play with other kids her age, color, ride on the plastic cars on the terrace, paint, go up & down the indoor slide (she learned how to slide sitting up!!), play make-believe in a little house & market, and have story & singing time. The best part is that it is all in French. In fact, I will have to learn French very quickly in order to keep up with what is going on in the school. She is having a great time. Walks up the stairs & into the “class/playroom” and waves at me over her shoulder. It is a joy to see her having so much fun, and I love the little French words she is learning.
After getting settled into our routine, we decided it was time for a little break again. Troy had a conference in Rome on September 28-29th, so we took advantage of his travel (& staying in one place for a couple of days) to take a little trip of our own. We flew down to Rome, drove up to Florence for a night (had to take in the markets there) and then drove the rest of the way to Monterosso al Mare in the Cinque Terra for 4 days of laying on the beach & 1 day of hiking between the 5 towns that make up the coast. Well, not really all of the 5 towns. We did the first part of the trail from Monterosso to Vernazza. It took 1-1/2 hours. 45 min going up & 45 min going down. We were about 20 min into the “walk” (which consisted of 400 steps up the side of the cliff) when Sophia said “Where’s the elevator?’. This coming from someone that wasn’t even hiking, but riding in the backpack. Plus “elevator” comes out sounding like “Alligator”. It was pretty funny. But when we got to the first town Troy decided he had enough of hiking & we turned to the boats. Needless to say that the boats were wonderful. Sophia had a great time on the beaches. She actually scares us a little bit because she is so comfortable in the water that she would decide, just as we got comfortable in our chairs, to go running for the waters edge to go “swimming”. Troy & I took turns being the one to dart after her. So that was our entire exercise for the week.
Then Rome was wonderful, but extremely crowded. It’s an amazing city, just not a “great’ place for kids. One of the only places that I could think of for Sophia to run around & actually get out of the stroller for a little bit was St Peters Square in front of the basilica. That & the Spanish steps. It is an amazing feeling. Not exactly a Catholic Tour of Rome or an Ancient Roman tour of Rome, but definitely the “Parents of a toddler” tour of Rome. We had a great time.
On return to Paris the weather has definitely changed. The leaves are falling all around us & there is a nip in the air as the days are getting cooler & nights colder. I even had to turn the heat on in the apartment just to take out the damp feeling… Old grumpy man winter will be here soon. That will be interesting.
Anyway, just wanted to say hello & hope all is well with you.
Happy Halloween & happy fall festival!
Cheers,
Troy, Moya & Sophia Z
We returned from Seattle with a week left in August, enough time to experience a little bit of what Paris feels like when there are no Parisians here. August is a great time to have a car in Paris, because you can find parking just about anywhere near your house or your destination. Troy jumped back into work, while Sophia & I tried to recover from jet-lag (it takes her about a week to sleep thru the night again), and try to find places in Paris that were still open. Most of the smaller shops near our apartment were closed, some of the bakeries (although apparently the bakeries in one area all have to get together & decide when they are going to close because by law there has to be at least one open per day within a certain area), our favorite neighborhood bar closed for the month, corner markets, and fruit & meat shops on our market street. It was like a Sunday every day of the week. By September 4th most things were back open. The influx of people & noise was amazing!
We started to get back into our routine with one small change, Sophia was accepted into an “Halte Garderie” at one of the local schools. She goes to “school” 2 afternoons a week for up to 4 hours at a time & it is amazing. It took her 2 days to figure out that I was going to return to pick her up, and that she could have a lot of fun while she was there. The Garderie is basically like a little playschool for her where she is able to play with other kids her age, color, ride on the plastic cars on the terrace, paint, go up & down the indoor slide (she learned how to slide sitting up!!), play make-believe in a little house & market, and have story & singing time. The best part is that it is all in French. In fact, I will have to learn French very quickly in order to keep up with what is going on in the school. She is having a great time. Walks up the stairs & into the “class/playroom” and waves at me over her shoulder. It is a joy to see her having so much fun, and I love the little French words she is learning.
After getting settled into our routine, we decided it was time for a little break again. Troy had a conference in Rome on September 28-29th, so we took advantage of his travel (& staying in one place for a couple of days) to take a little trip of our own. We flew down to Rome, drove up to Florence for a night (had to take in the markets there) and then drove the rest of the way to Monterosso al Mare in the Cinque Terra for 4 days of laying on the beach & 1 day of hiking between the 5 towns that make up the coast. Well, not really all of the 5 towns. We did the first part of the trail from Monterosso to Vernazza. It took 1-1/2 hours. 45 min going up & 45 min going down. We were about 20 min into the “walk” (which consisted of 400 steps up the side of the cliff) when Sophia said “Where’s the elevator?’. This coming from someone that wasn’t even hiking, but riding in the backpack. Plus “elevator” comes out sounding like “Alligator”. It was pretty funny. But when we got to the first town Troy decided he had enough of hiking & we turned to the boats. Needless to say that the boats were wonderful. Sophia had a great time on the beaches. She actually scares us a little bit because she is so comfortable in the water that she would decide, just as we got comfortable in our chairs, to go running for the waters edge to go “swimming”. Troy & I took turns being the one to dart after her. So that was our entire exercise for the week.
Then Rome was wonderful, but extremely crowded. It’s an amazing city, just not a “great’ place for kids. One of the only places that I could think of for Sophia to run around & actually get out of the stroller for a little bit was St Peters Square in front of the basilica. That & the Spanish steps. It is an amazing feeling. Not exactly a Catholic Tour of Rome or an Ancient Roman tour of Rome, but definitely the “Parents of a toddler” tour of Rome. We had a great time.
On return to Paris the weather has definitely changed. The leaves are falling all around us & there is a nip in the air as the days are getting cooler & nights colder. I even had to turn the heat on in the apartment just to take out the damp feeling… Old grumpy man winter will be here soon. That will be interesting.
Anyway, just wanted to say hello & hope all is well with you.
Happy Halloween & happy fall festival!
Cheers,
Troy, Moya & Sophia Z
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Sophia at School
Sophia has been accepted into an Halte Garderie in Paris, & we are all very excited. She will go on Monday & Friday afternoons & have a great time, once we get thru the adaptation period. She is asked to bring her kukala (doll), and a bag with extra everything (clothes, diapers, etc) in it so we are able to use the Winnie the Pooh backpack from her Thea Cynthia! She was so excited to put it on & wanted to wear it all around the apartment, even though it was so heavy that she kept loosing her balance...
Monday, August 15, 2005
Seattle & lake Summer - 2005
We tried to spend as much time as possible up at the lake given the amazing weather we have been having, and visiting with friends that we are already missing…
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Friday, August 05, 2005
Summer at the Lake
Sophia with her cool glasses
on the deck at the lake - Sophia lived in her bathing suit almost every day & loved being in the water...
Swimming with her cousin Sean
MacKenzie Lee and Sophia Grace sunning themselves by their pool. Can't you just see them as old ladies?
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Parks before vacation
As we wind down the last few days in Paris before leaving on our August vacation we have gone to quite a few new parks. Sophia seems to be quite patient with our long walks, as long as we end up at a place where she can run & run…
The park Tuileries is one of our favorites because we can all get treats at the end!
Park Monceau has amazing architectural elements, and a great playground!
And picnics at Park Ranelagh
A new view is from the Allee des Cygnes, and the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower.
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