Sunday we went to La Chapelle-Saint Sepulcre. It is a small town about 1.5 hours south of Paris. It is the country home of Chris's uncle where Chris has many childhood memories. It was nice to see Chris walk around the property sharing his stories with the children.

We then took at short trip to a town called Montargis. This town is often called the "Venice of the Gatinais" because of its canals and bridges. Its quite an old town- dating back to ancient times and then when it ceded to France in 1188. It is where pralines were first made in the 17th century- we bought some pralines from the original shop that is still in business.

As we headed home wondering what to prepare for dinner- we discovered a fantastic chain called Picard. It has gourmet frozen food and desserts. It is quite small- only two aisles but I spent a good 30 minutes exploring all my options- everything from lasagna to paella to stuffed clams. I have found my go to place when I don't feel like cooking. I am still getting adjusted to our tiny kitchen and I haven't quite figured out the buttons on the stove. This is my struggle as of now- the electronics. I don't know how to retrieve my voice mails, set up the clock on the stove or set the proper settings on the laundry machines. We just discovered that we have a condenser dryer- meaning there is no vent. Rather, there is a tray at the bottom that holds the water that needs to be emptied often! Thank goodness for google translate or we would have never figured out what the blinking red light was telling us!

I forgot to mention that Saturday was our first date night!  Chris and I always find a sitter - it's a priority for us.  We already have two here- one that starts every Saturday evening and another for occasional nights and she also does overnights!

Saturday we went to Vaux-le-Victome.  It is a chateau in a small town called Maincy.  It is a very special place as this is where Chris proposed to me in August of 2000.   Chris said he had a client meeting in Paris and wanted me to join him for a long weekend- I don't know how he managed to pull off the surprise! It was fun to show the kids where "it all started".  Lots of pictures today-including one of Chris recreating the proposal in the same spot and then Alex proposing to Emilia.   She said "no- because our children would have 4 heads if they we got married".

It has been a few days since I posted anything and my mom and my best friend were worried!  I just have been busy.  We have spent the last few days organizing the house, unpacking, frequent visits to IKEA, grocery shopping- just getting all the unglamorous logistics done of any move.  On our first trip to IKEA we had all the children.  There is a play center for kids ages 4-7 so we thought we could sneak Luciana in with Emilia.  It would be easier to get through the store quickly.  We said she was 4- not that she looks even remotely close to it!  In 3 minutes, we heard our names over the loud register to return to the play center.  They wanted proof of Luciana's age- we did not have any so we took the kids out.    I asked Emilia what happened and she was very excited to tell me that they asked her how old Luciana was and she was so proud of herself because she answered them in French -"trois".  I laughed as I told her we were pretending she was four and she told me we should never lie to French people.   She is probably right!  We also had to register our car- which is like the Secretary of State- so it took hours. We waited in line to register our visas only to discover we were waiting in line to make an appointment to register - which is scheduled for next Monday.  We bought at TV and now have our cable, internet, etc all hooked up.  We are still waiting for our dishwasher and laundry machines to be delivered so the kids have all been huddled in our pint size kitchen - washing, drying and putting away dishes two or three times a day.  Not very exciting.  Although today was a big accomplishment for me.  Chris had a work call and I had to drive into Paris and pick up the kids from camp all on my own.   I am OK with most of the driving here with the exception of two things: the roundabouts get me a bit nervous as to who has the right away and the street signs are constantly changing.  Every couple blocks the street has a new name or multiple names so map quest can be confusing.  Also there is no directional navigation here.   I can't seem to get my bearings yet.  There are no north, south, east, west signs with the street and highway exits.  Only the names of towns are listed on the signs so you have to know your France geography.  For example if you see a sign for Lyon- you need to know exactly where it is to know that you are headed south.  Kids are in camp this week and are had a chef come in today and teach them how to make madeleines.  Friday- they go to a chocolate factory!  They are starting to pick up on french- especially expressions as Emilia is always saying "viola" and Alex is always saying "d'accord".   This week will continue to be a bit slow as we finalize our logistics- car insurance, bank accounts, and plan a mini-vacation..but hopefully I will have something fun to share soon!

Week one of summer camp is over.  The families here either attend the school during the school year, are returning summer campers or families that have decided to spend the summer in Paris and send their kids to school for 2-4 weeks to learn French while the parents explore the city.  What a brilliant idea!  I suspect Chris and I will do this from now on any future summer breaks abroad.  Kids had a great week at school but had a rough time with the hot lunches.  I loved that the kids were not given dessert unless they ate a good portion of their meals.  Three of my kids have now tried onions, an unidentifiable meat with gravy and skin on a chicken.  I am still holding out for Alex- he has been starving all week.  Last night I caught the kids with dry spaghetti noodles pretending they were smoking in front of the mirror.  I just chuckled as I know they are just curious.  After all, until this trip I think they may have seen a person smoke about a handful of times in their entire lives.  Tonight is our last evening living in the city.  As we pack up our minivan and head to the suburbs tomorrow I find it all a bit ironic.  When I first packed my clothes for the trip I refused to bring anything frumpy.  I was going to  be chic- and for the most part I have been.  But a piece of me is worried that as I get comfortable in the suburbs will I again be wearing my lululemon pants and my hair in a pony tail?  With that- I ask for my friends and family to visit.  We have a guest bedroom and it will ensure that I frequently visit the city!  This weekend we are going to assemble our 65 boxes of IKEA furniture and watch a bit of the last leg of the Tour de France.  They will be flying by us just a short distance from our home. Very excited to see that live!

I finally feel comfortable walking around the 16th Arr.  I know once I find the enormous advertisement of Bradley Cooper eating Haagen Dazs ice cream that I am not lost.   I am enjoying the daily stops at different cafes.  In fact I have had more coffee in one week in France than I have had in the past 11 years.  Maybe I needed caffeine all these years.  I must say that the fruit also tastes much better here.  The strawberries are the best I ever had and they are of normal size- not like the steroid injected ones we often find in the states.  I have been getting along with out Chris- although I couldn't figure out the remote controls to let the kids watch TV.  Why is it though that I was easily able to figure out how to use a French washing machine and dryer?  Doesn't seem fair.  I have yet to encounter the "rude French".  In fact, I have found quite the opposite.  I went to the market this morning and in my best French accent said, "Bonjour Monsieur. Cinq pêches, s'il vous plaît".    The gentleman looked at me and in his best English accent said, "five peaches please".  We exchanged smiles and I was on my way feeling a bit more comfortable.  Just a little bit of effort goes a long way.  I highly recommend learning a few key words/phrases and of course be polite! A simple "Excusez-moi Monsieur.  Pouvez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît ?  Je ne parle pas francais." (Excuse me Sir. Can you help me please?  I don't speak French) will get just about any Parisian to stop and eagerly assist you.  I have used it twice today and everyone has been quite friendly and helpful.  After all, what would your response be if a Spanish tourist in Chicago asked you in Spanish "hey- where's the Sears tower?"  You might ignore them or muffle under your breath to learn some English.  But had they attempted politely in English, you know you would help them!

On a different note, today was another successful day at school.  In the morning I  looked at Olivia's school work from yesterday and she had written that she was Mexican.  I asked her why- and she said she didn't understand the question and wanted to do something different.   I asked her how she was going to explain today that she doesn't speak Spanish.  I told her to tell them she was American.  She said it was too late and that the boys already thought she looked Mexican.  She was too embarrassed to change her story and would rather pretend for another week.  But that is my Olivia- as yesterday she didn't know how to ask in French if she could use the bathroom.  Rather than make an attempt, she waited until she got home from school.  Luciana's teachers told me she was not allowed to wear sandals. They said she is very independent and fearless.  They were very worried at the playground as she climbed to the highest points in her flip flops and said they could not devote all their attention to just her.  I agreed!  After school we went to a public pool with the children's new friends.  At the pool one is required to wear a bathing cap and the boys must wear tight fitting suits.  Both are available in a vending machine.  As you can see in the photo, Alex looks adorable in his speedo!  This indoor pool had a solarium.  There is a door that leads upstairs to a cement roof deck and a bit of grass that is meant for sunbathing. Fortunately only Olivia noticed the topless sunbathers as I know Emilia would have asked questions loudly!   Kids had fun and we ventured home on the train. We made it 36 hours without Chris...but I am so looking forward to his return as just hearing him speak French makes me smile!

Sunday night was the Bastille Day firework celebration.  They did not start until 11pm- as the sun sets quite late here. It was too late for the kids to watch.  Then at 11pm the apartment felt as if we were in a war zone.  The booms began and our windows were trembling.  I looked out our balcony and was pleasantly surprised that we had a great view of the fireworks.   However- the kids never even budged. I can't believe the didn't wake up with all that noise!   Kids started school on Monday at the International School of Paris.  They are taking French immersion language classes for three weeks.  What a delight it was when I picked up the kids from school to find Olivia asking for a play date with her new friend from Germany and Alex telling me he has made two new best friends- one from Holland, another from Ecuador.  At the park after school, Alex was already wrestling with one of his new friends!  Luciana and Emilia were placed in the same group so they stuck together the first couple days.  Our new found American friends whom we purchased the car from also generously gave us three razor scooters.  Scooters are the best means of transportation for  children and you often find parents scooting side by side as well.   Today Chris went to New York so I am on own until Friday.  Wish me luck as I have to take 4 kids to school by myself....walk to the metro- take one train then make a transfer onto a different line- then walk to the school.  Needless to say I am a bit nervous- I hope they behave!!! As  for the pictures below- Olivia has taken an interest in photography- these are her shots.

Bastille Day

Today was Bastille Day!  We started the day by watching the military parade on the Avenue de Champs- Elysées.  The kids even got a glimpse of the President of France! It was amazing to find most streets in the city centre were blocked and we were free to walk the streets without worry of cars passing.  We took a break in a small park to rest.  We were surrounded by other families- including French children.   Of course our kids couldn’t sit still and started to play schoolyard games.  When our kids started to play “ninja” the French kids watched with somewhat amazement as our kids jumped around in public having fun.   I only know what I have read about raising French kids in the book “Bringing up Bebe” so I am curious to see everything first hand and make my own interpretations on the differences in our cultures.   Inevitably one of our kids got hurt and cried so we started on our way again and walked to Les Invalides- a series of buildings all related to the military history of France.  It is also where Napolean Bonaparte is buried.  Kids loved the cannons as  you can see in the pictures.  After a quick stop for coffee and hot chocolate, we headed back to meet some Americans who were returning to the US and selling their car.   I swore we would never do this – but we bought a minivan!  I have no more words…

Today we went to Saint Cloud.  Saint- Cloud is immediately west of Paris with a population of about 30,000.  We had the walk-through of our house we are renting which took nearly 3 hours as EVERY detail of the house is inspected.  Even scuff marks on the baseboards and cracks in the ceiling were listed.  In France you must pay one month security deposit, first months rent and an additional months rent to the realtor.  Also, because we are foreigners, we needed to have a bank guarantee.  This is a bank account with one years rent as collateral in case we default on any payments.  So- it’s a lot of money up front. 

There are no furnished rental homes.   You even have to buy a refrigerator, dishwasher and washer/dryer.   Some rentals don’t even come with kitchen cabinets!  We bought everything on line at IKEA France prior to our arrival.  The price was great however we are not looking forward to assembling everything next week!!

The house is very typical.  The first floor has a tiny kitchen, dining room, and living room.  The  bedrooms are on the second and third floors  The kids claimed their rooms immediately – and of course Olivia chose wisely.  The ceiling lights are interesting as there are not any fixtures.  Instead there are beautiful ceiling moldings with a string and a light bulb hanging down.    We have a nice side garden/yard and are within walking distance to a beautiful park.  It was another beautiful day so we decided to walk all the way from our home, across the Seine and into Paris. The kids are such troopers!

Tomorrow is Bastille Day!  Looking forward to see how the French celebrate!

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Today we spent the day at the Jardin d'Acclimatation- located in the 16th arrondissement.  It is off the Metro line 1 and is a great place to take children ages 2-12.  There are playgrounds and amusement park rides.  It is really the first place where we have seen children (other a playground near our apartment).  Paris is a lot like Manhattan in that way- kids are in strollers or holding on to a stroller.  Understandably so, as traffic is quick and pedestrians do not have the right away.  Our 4 kids are not accustomed to this!  Chris and I are on constant watch as the kids take off and run down the narrow sidewalks. You don't see children running on their own, laughing loudly or sitting at cafes. So needless to say we are working on blending in a bit more....

Why go to Paris??
One day in February of 2013 Chris and I decided we might want to take our family of 6 to France and in July we arrived in Paris.   It was sort of a surprise but not really- Chris and I  and I have always planned on going overseas and want to give our children the opportunity to experience and appreciate new cultures.  We both come from multi-cultural families.  We are both bilingual- Chris speaks French and I speak Spanish. Both sets of grandparents speak several languages and we want our children to grasp a better understanding of our global community.  We decided on Paris because Chris has family in France.  We thought our children can meet their 14 cousins all while learning about this beautiful city and a new language.  It was a lot of work to get everything done within 4 months but we did it and are very excited about this adventure.  My friend Mona recommended I write a blog to update friends with stories and photos.  At first, I didn't think much of it but after arriving yesterday- I think it is a great idea to preserve our memories as well as share some ideas on travelling to Europe with four kids under the age of 10!  It also gives me a great way to share my thoughts and preserve my sanity as we go on this exciting journey!

July 11, 2103:  Day 2.
We just arrived in Paris yesterday. As we landed, Luciana says loudly "Are we in French?"  The kids did great on the plane.  All but Emilia managed to sleep a few hours.  We knew the jet lag would be tough so we stayed awake as long as we could.  We arrived at a furnished apartment in the 16th arrondissement.  We are staying here for 10 days until we get our home situated.  Everyone fell asleep around 6pm for about an hour and half.  Then all went to bed between 11 and 1 am.  This actually worked out quite well.  We had to wake everyone up @10 am but I think we are good to go with the time zone difference.  We had breakfast- croissants and hot chocolate.  The hot chocolate is delicious!  It is real pure melted chocolate in a mug served with a pitcher of warm milk and sugar cubes.  The kids all enjoyed it as we headed to the Eiffel Tower- a quick 15 minute walk.  Chris and the kids took the 674 stairs up the tower- it was actually quite an easy climb for the kids.  I highly recommend taking the stairs anyway as the lines for the elevator are quite long.  I asked the kids as we headed back after hours of walking what they noticed that was different from home.  Alex said- "everyone smokes".  Chris asked him why he thought that.  He replied, " I think they smoke for entertainment." Olivia's response was that "a lot of people litter". Emilia said "they have the Eiffel Tower and carpets on all the stairs" and Luciana said " I love french!"- speaking of which I really need to learn french!!