Paris Vacation

Yup! Now we can say, "Paris...been there, done that, bought the T-shirts!"

Our first vacay since we came to Spain, 5 nights in Paris. And seriously, our flights were cheaper than from Winnipeg to Calgary - like 1/3-the-price cheaper. WestJet, eat your heart out!

We did not try to NOT be touristy. We saw all the main touristy things, went to the touristy places, took the touristy pictures, so don't expect anything else. But to summarize, for myself, with a contented sigh, not a jump-up-and-down-giddy-teenage-giggle-or-scream, but a hushed, in-awe-kind-of-perma-grin: I LOVED PARIS. Someone told us before we left that Paris was one of their favourite cities, and when we asked why, the reply was simply, "It's Paris!" I, too, cannot describe to you what exactly it is...but there was just something about this yet-another-European-city that just captured me for the moment.

 Warning: This post is picture heavy.

Arc De Triumphe 

 Paris was Macy's #1 pick when we talked about where we might like to go this year. She was not disappointed. She, too, got captured by the charm and loved every minute of just being there. Here she is at the Seine River (note: not clear water by any stretch, but better than the Red at The Forks in Winnipeg).

 We are not huge museum people, but we had to go to the Louvre. Braden especially liked the huge Ancient Egyptian and Roman collections. Somehow we missed taking a picture of the actual mummified body which, in Rayna's words: 'was really creepy, but I kept going back to look at it'.

 And yes, we saw the original Mona Lisa, but as you can see by this picture ("she" is the tiny thing in the centre of the pic), if your idea was to sit in silence and just contemplate this masterpiece...it ain't gonna happen here.

 Opulence at its best:

 Then we had to change it up a bit after two days and went to an Aquarium, complete with sharks and a petting pond.

 Notre Dame: somehow we stumbled in on a full-fledged mass, to unveil 9 new bells, as part of a whole year of celebrating Notre Dame's 850th Anniversary.

 Oh, and this was just a "Department Store":

 And this was our cutesy little (and I mean little) apartment on the 3rd floor. Accommodation Hint: go VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner - there's a website). This was our first experience, but we would highly recommend it for the Thrifty Traveller.

It was not in a touristy area, so we lived like Parisiens, with fruit, cheese and meat markets right outside our window - literally!

Oh my! I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the pastries!!!!! Did I mention the pastries?! The pastries were.to.die.for. We went and got fresh ones every morning - again, literally right outside our door. No toast and cereal for breakfast on this holiday! Oh, the pastries! And we also went out for crepes - both main course and dessert crepes - yum! But did I mention the pastries?! Mmmmmmmm.

What We Do

Yes, we actually work here. We are doing a variety of things, things we are enjoying and we enjoy seeing our progress. Here are just a few examples and some Before and Afters:

One reason there was such a lull in our posts in January is because we had three retreats in four weekends. Our family was essentially the only staff for two of those and for the third, we had two young adults helping us in the kitchen. So we were kept hopping with cooking and cleaning. I'd say we made a great team - no food poisoning, no clogged toilets, or other major disasters, so we will chalk them up to successes.

Ensalada Illustrada

 You've already seen some of Emery's hard work, but here is a review. He does everything from helping cook, to cleaning, all manner of fixing and maintenance, yard work and building projects.

Before

After

I (Bev) am doing many things I love: purging and organizing, some office work, and throw in tracing some flannel graph backgrounds for visual aids.

Before

After

 

The kids help where they can; often that includes laundry, making lunch, doing dishes. We're adjusting well, I think, to homeschooling, two parents working and other changes. We are enjoying doing everything together as a family: eating, working, schooling, sight-seeing, and exploring new things.

Driving in Spain

Emery's turn.

"Segovia All Directions"

Driving in Spain is like any other country. You have roads, signs, and other drivers. Where the difference comes is how these signs, roads, and drivers do their job.
We have come across a number of different approaches to signage. Very important signs not only will have a sign, but will also be painted onto the road surface. Lines are also very important - if the line is solid, you cannot turn.


Another new adventure that took a little getting used to were the traffic circles. In the span of 13 kms from our house to the school where we took Spanish four days a week, there are 13 traffic circles! With this experience, they have become a normal part of driving. Many of the traffic circles have interesting sculptures or fountains that decorate the centres (this one in the city of Avila).

With new signage comes new understandings. Here, a line through something, as you see in the picture, indicates that whatever prohibition was on (ie no passing) has now ended.


The other new thing that took getting used to is that, in general, left turns are not made. You turn right into a turning lane that then meets the road at a right angle to cross.

back space of sliver car

Parking is another new experience. The Spanish are experts at parallel parking. They can fit into a space slightly larger, and I mean slightly larger, than their car. And if not, then they'll just slide in perpendicular.  And no one seems to mind if you park facing either direction.

front space of silver car

One familiar sign that is now standardized is the stop sign, with an added reminder on the road!

The roads here are beautiful. With Winnipeg being the pothole capital of Canada it is nice to drive on roads that are smooth and well paved. It doesn't hurt that they don't have to deal with frost.

He's a Keeper!

Okay, so I am not sure if it is because, now that Christmas and New Year's are over and the next "occasion" is Valentine's Day, OR if it is because the weather here is a little "Spring-like", (yes, our daffodils are blooming!) but can I just say that I LOVE MY HUSBAND!!

• He can create, build, fix almost anything.
• He cleans: yards, houses (especially bathrooms).
• He cooks and kicks butt with the BBQ.
• He cries at sad movies and laughs until he nearly cries at cartoons.
• He has leadership and insight skills that I am often in awe of.
• He is the right combination of adventurous and level-headed-ness.
• Our kids will testify that he is the "Best Dad Ever".
• He's a godly, righteous man and...
• he thinks I'm the best wife in the world (that may be his biggest flaw!)

Before Emery

After Emery

I could go on and on.
Usually I let him read these posts before they go public. Not this time ;)
(I bet he will blush.)

Christmas Family Foto

 Even though we won't hand out these Christmas picture cards this year to about 100 people, we decided to keep up the tradition. We have discovered that a family Christmas picture card might be more of a Canadian thing, or North American thing, not so much a Spanish thing. So we are enjoying handing out a few to people here and they are pleasantly surprised.

The background didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. We have been driving and walking past all of these stone fences everywhere we go here. They are much more impressive than the pictures show...isn't that always how it is?

They fascinated me from the start. Many fields here are littered with rocks and stones ~ my farming family would cringe! So I guess they have decided to do like the saying "if the world gives you lemons, make lemonade." The soil here gave rocks, so they made rock fences. Some of them go on for miles and miles. And they are no pushover! Some are even cemented a bit on top, so you know they plan to leave them there for a good long time. They may even have been there for centuries already. And to think they were likely all stacked and piled by hand! I have no idea how long that must have taken.

Anyway, that's just one of my small obsessions shared with you, perhaps made way more interesting by perching our favourite kids on top :)

Now to add a Christmas parallel so that this also becomes our Christmas Greeting post...
We've been reading Jotham's Journey as a family advent thing. It's a story written about a boy living around the time of the First Christmas. I've been reminded of the people of that day, believing there would someday be a Messiah. Some had given up hope; some kept believing; some thought it would be in their lifetime; others long before them had thought it would be in their lifetime. Some kept up their diligent following of their Creator to the best of their ability; others had turned their following into a religion or even into a business; still others into a misguided following of rules instead of following the Creator. The stone fence makes me think of those that remained steady, faithful, diligent, waiting for generations for their Messiah. Some stone fence builders may have started a fence, but their kids or their grandkids kept working at it after they were gone. My hope and prayer this Christmas season is that we will be found faithful and diligent, to continue being faithful and diligent as our families have, and then to teach our children how to be faithful and diligent. Or perhaps you have been chosen to start a long line of faithful and diligent Christ followers.

Because we have an amazing Reason to Celebrate the Season,

we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!