Par-ee

Brittany and I decided to take a little last hurrah to Paris before she leaves Europe in a couple weeks.  We left the boys with the boys... daring, I know, and we flew to the city of lights for 4 days!

After a little beating around the bush Brittany and I both realized that one of the main things we wanted to do in Paris is go to Disneyland...  So we did.

We had a really nice time because it was a weekday and there was no one there- well, that and it's mid January, not exactly peak season...

Britt is a big fan of all things pirate, so here we are with Capt Hook's ship.

Dumbo...
Sleeping Beauty was out and about with her court- but we didn't feel like waiting for her and Prince Phillip, so we grabbed these guys instead.

Britt and C3PO.

This was Brittany's super sad day... Pirates of the Caribbean was closed.

I think this is me inside Snow White's ride...

This is one of those pictures where you think, "Really?!  There was a gigantic pink castle behind us, and you took a picture of the pine tree??" 

Brittany was determined to laser all the bad guys she could find in Buzz Lightyear's space quest ride.  We almost bought these little guns for the boys, but opted out when we heard the noise they made...

Belle and me.

We bought matching hats...

The end of our day, in our hats.

It was drizzling when we got downtown, but we didn't mind- Our first sight, the Arc de Triumph. Lovely, lovely...

 Note, our travel light method.  We didn't even bring purses- it was so nice! (Especially after 19 months of diaper bags!)

We walked down to the Louvre and took a look around, we didn't have time to go inside, but I had already been and Britt didn't mind.

This was funny, the person taking our picture was like- oh, would you like another one?  And they moved around in a circle and we just kept facing the camera...

Aaaand here is the other side of that last picture...

Britt asked if I wanted a picture with the pyramid, so sure why not- here's me, peace.

"Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain..."  Has anyone not seen how adorable Colin Firth is singing that on Mama Mia?  Besides you, Jes.

Notre Dame
And of course, the Eiffel Tower.  Really, this was all Brittany needed to see.  It was very nice, eating our churros, sitting on a ledge, waiting for the lights.

And you can see this was post shopping... I found a purse I liked, one of my goals, so life is good. (And Jes, I did buy the paris bag that I whined about not getting last time, we both got one.)

And here, the crowning glory of our trip.  We left the Eiffel Tower and went to see Twilight.  We had waited so long!  But we got to see it in Paris. (You can see the billboard up top, mostly obscured by the lights.)

And that's that.  We had a wonderfully relaxing trip and we are so so so grateful for our wonderfully sweet husbands for watching our monkeys all by themselves...We didn't even bring up what we did for 15 months... well, maybe just once or twice.

Have A Ball Baby!

Our ball was a few weeks ago. Al and I had a really nice time.  Though he was glad of his time working with mentally handicapped guys in Provo- it provided the necessary training to get his friends to the car afterward... Here he is dancing with Daniel in Nicholson's hat- 

Here we are on the dance floor 

Katelyn, Brit, and me.  

I had really wanted to dance up a storm, and I did try, but only made it to a sprinkle- I forgot to bring a change of shoes- and ow!

They gave out a beer glass to everyone.  Brittany and I decided that since we paid 100 euro (!) per couple and they didn't even provide water for free (!!) we would just have to make up for it in product.  We each have a set of six glasses now...

Here we are all together. Us, the Gibbs, and Brian Nicholson (holding up the table's flower arrangements that he gave Britt and me...)

Crazy boys- mind you that my husband is the only one not drunk... and there he is in the middle of the "prom picture"...

Before we left.

"Now let me tell you 'bout my be-est friend..."

Jensen will be sooo sad in a few weeks when Tristan (Ti-tin) moves to Georgia in 2 weeks!

Luckily we'll be headed to the same place come July.

And here is Jensen in his "erster Schnee" (first snow).  It was our turn to shovel the walk for the house- and of course Al was at work- so Jensen came outside to help me do it!  I'm not sure it would have worked so well had Roswitha not come out to watch him.  What would I ever do without her?!  She also watched him when we went to the ball.  She is so wonderful! 

Here, There, and Everywhere

Here we have some pictures for the Grandpas.  For Gramps to see Jence in his gear, and for Grandpa Ron to be assured that he is still acting like a boy, for all his coloring and piano playing...

The guys watching the Georgia game at the Gibbs' house.  They got the boys to start yelling "Juh-jah!"  They are all ready to move!

Jensen giving T some hugs... which is fun until Tristan has something Jence wants and the same hug become a deadly crocodile roll...

Alex and me outside at midnight lighting off fireworks with our wonderful neighbors. Don't look too close, the picture is really blurry.

Brittany, Daniel, and Tristan came over to celebrate New Years with us.  Jensen loves Brittany, I'm not sure if he always wants up on her lap because he likes her so much or if he just wants to annoy Tristan... 

I put up streamers everywhere (including on the Christmas tree) but you can't see them from this angle (except in the top left corner of the picture, hanging off the light.)

We got Gramps' presents in the mail, he included a few Santa left at his house- of which was a wrench set to add to my tool box!

Jence got a Cleveland Indians windbreaker set.  He and I were both excited about that.  Depending on where I live I may sway on the Browns and the Cavs, but I will always be an Indians girl!

"uuuuh" = up

Enthralled by Mama Mia- (okay, so maybe not such a boy thing...)

Post bath.

Post caring to keep the towel on.

Christmas in Prague

On Christmas Eve we went with the Gibbs and Brian Nicholson to the Christmas markets in downtown Prague, or Praha. Here we are finishing up our day at T.G.I.Fridays...a lovely holiday feast.  Jensen wanted to make sure he was in this picture...

Brittany and me in the rain in Prague.

Earlier in the day, the boys showcasing their differences.  Tristan is nice and cuddly in his hat, mittens, and blanket.  Jensen won't even keep his hat on, let alone anything else.

We took Nicholson with us to Jen and John's house for Christmas dinner, after which we decorated sugar cookies- which Jensen looooved...

And he had to participate...

I'm not sure where he got this, but he has started wiping his hands on his shirt when they get anything on them. (And no, I would have thought he'd seen Al do it too, but Al wipes his hands on his pants...grimace )

Jensen's masterpiece.