Sugar

I think I was rather vocal with my desire to try as many different pastries as I could while here. While some of you are still quiet about your addiction's, I am not shy about it- I have a sugar addiction. Some say it will go away as I age, I hope not. It's one of those things that I'm ok with- there are others of you out there I know- maybe you like yours in liquid form, others prefer it out of a bag with varied colors, still some can't help but devour the morning sugar out of a box. Me- no preference- it's like my friend, Rancho San Jessica says- No partiality to Donuts......

Benjamin asked for a lemony something or other and I found him this. I saw this brownie yesterday and thought of Kelsie- a fellow brownie addict. We all tried it- very very good....

Address

Some of you have asked for our address-

60 bis bd Desgranges

92330 Sceaux France

Sunday

Winston trying a food....

The chocolate Eclair.. SOOO good.

One of Nora's three cats.

Vegitarian has hit Europe.

We had a rather leisurely day on sunday- two walks to the Greenbelt, volleyball, laying on a blanket. It's interseting how many places are closed on Sunday- maybe 87% give or take a percent or three. Here are some of the latest photos.

Food

Squid from the market today...

Pastrie- the texture of rice krispies...

Famous chocolate shop with window displays made of chocolate- the shape of a bee hive and sometimes weighing up to 160 pounds....

Our first meal with Nora- cucumber starter, beef bourguignon, apple tart- it would have had a salad and cheese but we ran out of baguette...

Breakfast- juice, croissant, homeade jam.

First Trip on the Metro

The seine river across from the Eiffel tower.

And nora taking photos of the tower or maybe a pigeon...
Our hostess- Eloenore Tinard suggested we take the kids into Paris since we had gotten in later than expected and to insure them that we were in fact in Paris. So we did and explored the 2 hot spots- Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame/Latin Quarter....

a mime at the Eiffel Tower

Nora spied a "fat' pigeon

Winston at dead center under the Eiffel Tower

Safely in Paris...or more specifically Sceaux

ARRIVAL

DEPARTURE

We left our house in phoenix at 5pm on tuesday.. our flight was delayed a touch causing us to take a later flight from London to Paris...But as we got off the flight in Paris there was Nora Tinard waiting to greet us!!! We loaded our bags in her car and the 5 of us took our first metro ride from the CDG airport to Sceaux where we walked to get pizza... FROM DOMINOES but not your typical dominoes cheese- this puppy had 4 cheeses- goat cheese, formaggio and 2 others and then another pizza with fresh basil, tomatoes and mushrooms... then to Nora's house. We are eally thankful to have had a great travel day.

The Gift

Soooooo, here it is- the day of our departure. What's been in the distance and felt far away is now here. My heart has been overwhelmed the past few weeks with the thought of GIFT. This sabbatical is a gift- something we didn't deserve. A gift is something that makes you giddy, that floors you, that overflows your heart with joy. That's where I am this morning- thankful for this gift, thankful for all the people that have said kind words to us in the past couple days, thankful for those that have said- "We got this" to free us to go. So the adventure begins- last night our kids were giddy too and that made me smile as I realize this is going to change them in ways I can't imagine. I'm off to get one last buttermilk bar from Rainbow donuts before rolling out.....

Jason