Things that make me SMILE!

I'd just like to share photos of a few things that have brought a smile to my face lately.

We see this guy every Sunday.

All I can say is 'creative!' This is the best looking grate I've ever seen.


Next, I call this the 'Dr. Seuss tree".


Here's a closer look.


Maybe all those trees in the Dr. Seuss books are not just made up ideas after all!?!

Next, Todd is in 1st grade, and he's writing in cursive and starting to read in French. Here's a picture of his homework book.


Way to go, Todd!!!

Next, we did something insane yesterday.

We took a train to an IKEA store that is in a town quite a ways outside of Paris.

It was so wonderful to see dirt and wide open spaces again!


We bought a wide array of stuff.

We loaded it into 3 blue IKEA bags (one for each child to carry) and then put the rest on our two grocery carts (with the part that holds groceries taken off so that we essentially had two dollies) and then we drug everything back through the trains and up our hill to our home.

Here's Mark standing near the carts waiting for our train to come.


One cart weighed 83 pounds (a new dresser for Lena's room). The other was not as heavy, but more bulky.

If you've ever moved around in trains in Paris, you know how nuts this was! Especially on a busy Saturday!

We kept looking at one another with faces that said, "We are crazy!!!" But, in the end, we made it home and are so very thankful to have succeeded in our mission.

But, we're beginning to wonder if it might not be time to think about getting a car!!

Next, here's Lena on her way to her violin lesson.


The building is pretty amazing!

Next, I got to accompany Todd's class on a picnic this past week. They were celebrating all the summer and September birthdays. Todd was one of the kids with a summer birthday, so he got to be a part of the birthday fun.


We sang "Happy Birthday" accompanied by his teacher on her recorder.


And Todd got to hand out his American Chocolate Chip cookies to all his classmates.


And, that's it. Just some snapshots from our lives.

I am asking myself why I don't have something from Ryan's life? That's not good, because there is plenty from Ryan's life that makes me smile too. That will be next time. I've got to tell the story about Ryan's piano lessons. I'll take photos this week and share soon!!!!

Have a great week!