Category Archives: Uncategorized
Random Summer Happenings
July Double Play Part II

July Double Play Part I
Both Liberty and Cade have a birthday in July. This year they both had a “friend” party which equals lots of work for mom. I’m pretty sure they were both happy with the results, though.
Summer Stuff
We’ve had a busy summer so far. Not even a week after school was out, Cade broke his arm-again; 2nd time in two years. Left hand this time. He had just won a tug of war at a scout day camp and fell backwards over a log. Not too glamorous as far as wounds go and not how you want to start your summer. But he took it all in stride and was excited to get a cool cast.
Father’s Day
No Parles vous Frances-Our Trip to France Part 5
After days of constant walking and sight seeing the most famous of sights, we decided to take it easy our last full day in Paris. We slept in, had our usual crepe for breakfast and bought our souvenirs. We stayed in the hotel much of the day. I blogged, Rock slept. We had one thing planned for the day and that was a concert in the Sainte Chappelle, a beautiful old cathedral with more stained glass than I have ever seen! On our way to the concert we did stop at the Luxembourg Gardens.
No Parles vous Frances-Our Trip to France Part 4
The Phantom of the Opera
No Parles vous Frances-Our Trip to France Part 3
but when you get up to it, it’s HUGE! Honestly I did not expect to like it as much
as I did. For a big metal structure it’s quite beautiful. And even nonprofessional
photographers can get amazing pictures of this thing. You will probably get sick
of all the pictures, Rock got sick of me taking all of them. I would ask him a
question and then see a good shot and stop to take it while he kept walking and
talking…to himself. But there were just so many great shots. I’m sure the family
photographer, Sam Hymas, could teach me a thing or two about quantity vs.
quality.
came back that evening to watch it light up.
No Parles vous Frances-Our Trip to France part 2
This time we got baguette sandwiches for the first time. I have never
understood the appeal of hard French bread sandwiches. I like my bread soft.
Well, now I understand. When they are made on fresh, hot baguettes they
are the most wonderful tasting sandwiches ever! Crispy on the outside, soft
and chewy bread on the inside. Perfection!
a building and grounds like nothing else we saw in France. It was the biggest
palace of its time. Every other king was jealous, it was so big. It was ridiculous,
honestly. The amount of wealthand power and land that it represented and
took up was ludicrous. I can’t think of a better word for it. It was a supreme
example of the worship of man, of money, of power. It was magnificent, yes,
but I can understand to some degree why the French Revolution happened
as it did. It was not until two kings later that it occurred, but what Louis XIV
put into place all over the country and here in Versailles was so monstrous, so
opulent a show of wealth and power compared to the regular citizens of France,
no wonder they were angry. I am not condoning the Reign of Terror and that
violence in bringing about change, but it is somewhat understandable how it
happened. Now onto the pictures!

taller than me and so big they used trees instead of small logs.
hard to tell because of the amazing 3D painting along the edges.



battles in history.
many more in Louis’ time.



from the main part by quite a long walk. Apparently she just needed her
own space. Roll eyes.
the gardens that we saw. Our feet were so tired after walking for four hours
straight that we took a tram back to the chateaux. Note to self. Never take a
tram on cobblestone roads.
another one. Caught this video on the way. It gives you an idea of a
Paris street at night.
This Creperie was more fancy than many we stopped at. Sometimes
the best ones were from just a little portable cart on the road
somewhere.








































































































































