Merry Christmas from our home to yours :o)

It is hard to believe that Christmas is here already!  It has really snuck up, as the trigger in our heads for Christmas is snow, which we are without this year.  Nonetheless.....as Daryl and the kids are now all finished school, the tree is up, the gifts are under the tree, some Christmas cards from dear friends and family from home have arrived, and our Christmas guests (my brother Patrick and his new wife Kelsey) are arriving tomorrow, it does feel like Christmas :o)  Patrick and Kelsey will be with us until January 1st, and Daryl's dad will be arriving on the 28th and staying until January 14th.  These will be our first guests, and we are all soooooo very excited!  The kids have been busy decorating the guest rooms :o)  We will miss not seeing everyone over the holidays, however we are thinking of you all, and look so very forward to seeing everyone again in the summer.  Sending lots of love, big hugs and 'bizou bizous' to you from our home-away-from home to yours!  Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!

Marche de Noel - La Colle sur Loup

The marche de Noel in our village of La Colle sur Loup, was more than I ever could have imagined.  Unfortunately Daryl had exams starting the next day, so was at home studying and could not join us.  We walked over at 10:30 a.m., and didn't get home until 4:00 p.m., which for us, on foot, is quite amazing.  The old walking street was lined with craftspeople of all types, the Christmas band was in full swing, the rides were busy, and the craft stations for the kids were un-real.  The kids made ornaments, stockings, potpouri holders, Christmas pictures, and real wool angel ornaments.  The good thing was that they were all free....the bad thing is that a great deal of glue and paint was used, therefore the crafts were very wet, therefore mommy had them all attached to the outside of  her backpack, in hopes that we would make it home with them still in tact.  I was quite impressed with the holding capacity of my backpack.....it held the crafts on the outside, and 4 balloon animals, 3 jackets, treats for daddy, 2 cross-bows, and 2 baguettes for the walk home.  Yes, the balloon animals and the baguettes did get a big squished, but we made it home.  I was amazed that we made it home with no meltdowns, since it had been such a long day.  The kids had smiles on their faces, treats in their bellies, and paint and glue all over their coats.  It was great :o)  A day we will not forget :o)

Greeted by friendly penguins and balloon artist

Mathieu and Claire reviewing their wishlists from Santa

Mathieu and Santa (deep discussion)

Stephanie , Mathieu and  Claire with  Santa (Marcus was too scared to get close)

Stephanie and Mathieu crafting

Marcus panting his first ornament

 

Stephanie and Claire enjoying Mickey Mouse ride

Mathieu trying a new level of trampolining

Stephanie trying some new tricks

Stephanie and Mathieu trying out cross-bow and bow and arrow

Marcus loves to carry the baguettes

Marche de Noel - Tourettes sur Loup

One of our most favorite villages so far is Tourettes sur Loup.  It is further into the mountains, about 15 minutes from us.  It has the most beautiful 'vieux village' with an amazing view of the countryside, and also a great park for the kids :o)  They had a small Christmas market that we visited after a Sunday trip to the park.

The entertainment

Mathieu trying his hand at juggling

One of our favourite courtyards with fountain

Stephie trying out one of the old games

Mathieu, Emilien, and Daryl enjoying another old game

Claire and Stephie in front of a beautiful pink and white tree

A walk along Rives du Loup

We explored Rives du Loup the other day, which is a river that runs by La Colle sur Loup.  There is a beautiful walking path alongside, with the river on one side and a rock face on the other.  This rock face is a popular place for rock climbers!  The kids were quite intrigued by their first introduction to the sport of rock climbing.....we had to hold them back from trying it themselves!  Daryl spent a good half an hour trying to teach the kids the proper technique for skipping rocks.  We had fun marching along the elevated grass area in one part of the path.

Daddy teaching the fine art of skipping rocks

Marcus using Claire to help climb the rock

Trying to see how high they can get without harnesses

Mommy and the kids posing

Making our way back to the car

The end of the walk

Claire's 4th Birthday

On November 26th, Claire had her 4th birthday.  Hard to believe she is 4!  Big job it is keeping up with the big sister, but she tries very hard and does well :o)  As Stephanie has introduced her to Monster High, a Monster High birthday it was!  We have found a restaurant in Cap 3000 (the one and only mall here) called Melodine that the kids really like, as you can actually get kids meals which come on your own fancy tray, and of course complete with a toy.  So that is where Claire decided she would like to go for lunch.  When the other kids returned to school for the afternoon, Claire stayed with mom for a birthday date, but rather go out anywhere, she chose to stay home and play with her birthday presents.  She and Marcus had a great afternoon playing together, under the rules of the 'little kids' rather than the 'big kids' :o)  She had a party the following weekend and invited her favorite little friend from her class, a little boy named Mahe, and his older sister Oceane, who is in Mathieu's class (also a special friend of Mathieu's).  Daryl and I got some good french practice in during the party, as the mom and dad stayed too.  We need all of the practice we can get :o)

Lunch at Melodine

Blowing out the candles on the 26th!

Claire's cake design for her party - she loves macaroons!

4 years old :o)

Fun in Monaco

Though Monaco is not particularly a place for kids, we could not possibly miss the opportunity to spend a day there, as it is only 45 minutes away.  The girls have been particularly interested in going, as they are quite curious about Princess Stephanie of Monaco, and the royal palace.  I am pretty certain that they are visualizing a Disney Princess, but why wouldn't you when you are 4 and 7 :o)  We tried to explain the idea of a Principality and the fact that Prince Albert (Stephanie's brother) is actually the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco, however not sure that meant much to them.  Nonetheless, it was a great day for both Daryl and I, and the kids.  Here are some photos of our day.

Kids in front of Palace in Monaco just after changing of the guards (they were very fascinated by the guards that don't move!)

Port of Monaco from the Palace

Oceanographic Museum

Mathieu showing how tough he is in the jaws of a shark

touring the Museum

Monte Carlo Casino, from the car (this is as close as we thought we needed to get with our crew :o))

Celebrating our 8th Wedding Anniversary

On October 29th, we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.  We discussed whether an anniversary is for the couple, or for the family, and decided that our anniversary is actually a celebration of the beginning of our family.  It is amazing how things can change in 8 years!  That being said, as the kids were off school, we decided to visit the village of Biot.  Biot is another hill town located about 30 minutes from us, and is noted for its bubbly glass and Europe's biggest Bonsai forest.  We did not do a whole lot there, aside from walk through the town, after we decided to have the picnic that we had packed in the van.  Sounds odd, but we are always on the look out for 'the best picnic' spot, and have learned that it is often in the van :o)  We ended the day with a fire at home, and a nice bottle of wine :o)

Picnic in the van (yes, Marcus has a pink carseat)

walking the streets of Biot

street in Biot

we found a playground for the kids

enjoying a nice glass of wine after a great day

A visit to Grasse

Grasse is a village located about 40 minutes from La Colle sur Loup, and is known as the World Capital of Perfume.  It has 30 perfumeries, with the largest most well known being Fragonard, Galimard, and Molinard.  As perfume however is not particularly of any interest to our crew of little people, we did not venture into a one. We did however walk through the old streets, visit the Fragonard musee (museum), and visit the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, which was built in 1244 (truly amazing).  Marcus has become extremely good at finding the old churches, as he gets extremely excited when he hears the church bells ringing.  We have begun a new ritual of lighting a candle in each new church we visit.  To end off the visit, we did a jumping photo shoot, which is a new favorite family activity.

Kids sitting inside a flower.

Cathedral of Notre-Dame

Daddy pointing out La Colle sur Loup

The photo jump winner of the day

 

Fete des Chatagnes - Valdeblore de la Bolline

A couple of weeks ago we were at the park, and we found some nuts laying on the ground that had fallen from a nearby tree.  We were told by the others in the park that these were "marrons".  The kids decided that these "marrons" were basically "treasures", and started to collect them.  When we got home, we looked up what a "marron" is, and learned that it is a chestnut.  Another name for a marron (in french) is a chatagne.  A few days later, Marcus and I were at the tourist office, and found a brochure for a "Fete des Chatagnes" in a villlage in the mountains called Valdeblore de la Bolline.  So.....last Sunday we headed to the "Chestnut Festival" in Valdeblore, with the Labrie family.  Another fabulous outing to remember.  The drive was beautiful, and being that we were headed up in the mountains, the temperatures were cooler, and the colors were more vibrant. Here are a few photos of our day .............

The drive to Valdeblore

One of many tunnels

Valdeblore

The men roasting chestnuts

"chestnuts roasting on an open fire...."

Live entertainment

Daryl and Mitch enjoying a ``biere de marron``

Ending our visit in Valdeblore

Beautiful colors!