random early December

• I feel like I can't move on to present day until I get a few pictures off my computer! With that said, I picked out a few of my favorite pre-France, early December random pictures. (Grandparents, you are welcome) :)

• I don't know what to call this. Help, please? All I can say is we do NOT lack for personality around here.

Here is blue-eyes herself. Based on how she's dressed in this picture, I can't believe I took this in early December. These days Trinity is running around like a sumo wrestler dressed in 3 layers all day long. It got COLD here. Well, cold for us. It's only like 45 degrees outside. But like, 52 degrees inside our house. I wish I was kidding. No central heat + concrete apartment = multiple layers. When we first decorated for Christmas, Grace wanted to sleep with her stocking that night.

On the night of December 13, I suddenly realized Grace was now 4 and a HALF! She's been so excited to be 4 and a HALF. So we celebrated with a little half-birthday hot chocolate. And I think it was her first ever hot chocolate. (I KNOW, what is wrong with me?) She was thrilled. We sang to her, we colored a picture of a cake. That was about it. But OH, to be four and a HALF!? Now, that's something in her book.

Don't they look like they actually want to make cookies here? One of them really did help. The other just looked super cute in her purple apron.

These sweet girls really got into the decorating at our cookie-making party! This picture is one of my favorites because my child looks like a local on so many levels: the locally-bought sweatshirt, the victory sign, the abundance of hair accessories...

This friend wanted to learn how to make cookies and has some fun plans for getting her very own easy-bake oven, er, I mean real oven sold here which may or may not resemble an easy bake. I love my 2 easy bakes. Put together they add up to half a standard size oven.

After our cookie party, Trinity watched me wash dishes and then decided to "wash" a few herself. I promise, she was at this for half an hour.

And this one is posted just because I like it...

And now, perhaps I will start blogging from 2011.

Remember the time we went to France for Christmas?

• I think we'll be saying that for a while. Thanks to the generosity of Kevin's parents, the entire Godin clan met in France for Christmas! I KNOW, France! I have a new appreciation now for many things French. Seriously, the people were nothing like the stereotypes I had heard, the scenery was gorgeous, and don't even get me started about the food! It seems like the four main food groups in France are bread, cheese, whole cream, and chocolate. (Note to self, I can never move there or I risk gaining 30 pounds!) Kevin's sister was a great hostess and showed us some wonderful highlights from Marseilles and Paris. Thank you, Kimberly, for being so great!
• Unfortunately, Kevin's mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, and 2 nieces arrived 4 days late, on Christmas Eve. They originally planned to arrive on the 20th, but due to engine problems with their plane they missed the international leg of their flight. And because of the blizzards in Europe, the first time all 6 of them could get on another flight was 4 days later! They made the best of it while doing some fun things in the DFW area.
• While we waited for the Texas bunch to arrive, we got to see some of the highlights of Marseilles. One of our first stops was at Starbucks. I know, we were in beautiful France and ended up at Starbucks. But this is a highlight for us since we love coffee and live in the land of no Starbucks. All you Asia-dwellers will appreciate this...the baked goods were just as tasty as they looked! The French know their chocolate.

A huge blessing/bonus of going to France was getting to see our dear friends, the K family! They live in the same town as Kimberly. It's such a small little world. Kevin and Daniel were roomies all 4 years in college and stood as best men at each other's weddings. The K family rearranged their schedule and allowed us to hang out with them on several occasions. One day we all went to Aix-en-Provence, a charming touristy little town. And these two girls had SO much fun together. Grace got to spend one night at C's house. Afterwards, she told us she wanted to live with C. When Kevin reminded her she still needed to live with her family, Grace's matter-of-fact reply was, "Well, maybe when you die I can live with C." WHAT?! Kids say the funniest things. Here's Aunt Kimmie and Trinity on a carousel. Kimberly knew how to make Trinity laugh!

One day we went to a park near Kimberly's house, where we happened upon scenery like this. I felt like I was standing in a post card. Coming from the land of concrete-block buildings, we appreciated the beautiful architecture.

When the Texas bunch arrived on Christmas Eve, they hadn't seen their luggage in 5 days. It went on it's own little separate journey through Europe. And it didn't arrive in France when they did. So when the luggage had still not arrived by 3 pm on Christmas Day, these three went back to the airport to retrieve 6 pieces of luggage for the Texas 6. They were victorious! It was a huge relief since we were heading to Paris the next day and the luggage had most of their warm clothes as well as warm clothes they brought for our girls. There were huge sighs of relief at that point. And that evening we opened gifts.

The Eiffel Tower was our first stop in Paris. Here she is in all her beauty. It was more massive than I imagined it would be.

We discovered in Paris that Trinity does NOT handle cold weather well. She wasn't about to spend 2 hours waiting in line in 18 degree weather. So Kimberly and I took her back to the warm hotel while the rest of the crew went up in the tower. Grace did a great job walking all over Paris and traveled wonderfully this trip. She seemed like such a big girl. It sure helped that she had 2 cousins along which she adored!

And here's the Arc de Triumph...also much bigger in person than it appears in the photos.

Notre Dame was beautiful...

Alicia and Ariel were precious to my girls. It was wonderful to get to see them and have a vacation together after the cruise debacle of Christmas '08.

My sister-in-law Crystal is a great photographer, and here's a picture she took from Kimberly's back porch.

And a family photo courtesy Crystal.

Thank you, Nana and Pappaw for getting us all together. What a blessing! Until the next crazy family gathering...