What friends are for...

someone to wash your hair~

to have pajama parties with~

enjoy a good flick together~

to hold each other when things get scary~

Good buddies make life so much sweeter.

Thanks for hanging with us K/D/L

French finale

There's really nothing I didn't love about France on our trip. Granted, we only visited a very small part of the country...but it was the perfect place to be introduced and get a taste of french living. I gained a new perspective on so many things while we were there bringing me back home refreshed, relaxed and ready for another adventure back to this beautiful country.

When we left for France I had been experiencing back pain for over a year. It was pretty miserable and I had tried every possible avenue to figure out what was going on. Between the doctor visits, the physical therapy and the acupuncture nothing was really solving my problem. Nothing that is, until I arrived in France. Call me crazy ~ but France was my therapy, and not only because I was on holiday....but because of where I was on holiday.

Our french adventures really made a huge impact on me and taught me some lessons that are leading my life in a new direction.

French Lesson #1:

Food. It should be local. It should be fresh. It should be savored and eaten slowly with wine and good company...always.

French Lesson #2:

Slowwwww down. The energy and pace of life in So. France is comfortably slower. People aren't rushing here and there to fit 100 errands into their days. The farming tractors are rolling through town, people are tending to their work and chores but not it a hurried manner. It is something I am constantly reminding myself as even when I put my mind in a more relaxed state, just outside my door the energy & busy-ness of life is zooming by.

French Lesson #3:

Rest is good. Not just the evening snooze, but a break in the midafternoon gives a chance to (again) slow down, regroup, connect with yourself. I loved that the shops & restaurants would shut down for a couple hours after lunch. So different from my experiences in the states, where the drive of life is purely business~profits~sales.

French Lesson #4:

Laughter for hours on end makes my face hurt...and I like it. This lesson really has very little to do with France itself, but was such a good reminder while I was there. Being in a foreign country with 5 other women was the best! We laughed for days (mostly at ourselves) and formed bonds that will always be remembered & cherished.

Life changing, it was.

Seriously?

I turned my back for a small window of time yesterday to two sick teenagers lying on the couch groaning in misery. Yet this morning when I plugged my camera into the computer.....here is what they left me. Whodu thunk fresh produce could be so much fun! Oh how they love to surprise me!

Rituals

Hair √

Makeup √

Nails √

Date √

Mom's AnXiEtY √ √ √

The first real dance/date for my sweet (big) baby girl. How did we get to this point? Can't we wait a couple more years? Is that his hand around her waist?

Ready. I am not.

Missing this...

The sun is blazing this weekend and I am ready for the fall weather we splashed in 3 short days ago.

How about you?

The cathedrals ~ part trois

The churches in France were breathtaking. The first church we stopped to admire coincidentally had been studied in a college class by one of our friends from So. Cal. Sheila had an abundance of knowledge about the architecture, the history and the purpose for each individual section of the building. It was truly fascinating and so exciting for her to stumble upon a cathedral that she had come to know so well through her studies. She turned out to be an amazing tour guide for all of us...thanks Sheila! The story of Mary Magdalene's travels in this area of France was displayed in one of the churches we visited and was absolutely beautiful. I loved having the opportunity to walk into these buildings and along the cobbled streets that spoke of so much history, so many stories, so many generations.

Intermission

When we made our move back to the coast, I decided that the denim slipcovered hand-me-down sofa that my husband grew up with had to be retired and replaced with something new. This is where my memory gets slightly fuzzy. The photo above is proof enough that I wasn't really thinking clearly when custom ordering Oscar the Couch, yet here it resides comfortably taking up space in our little home. I have kind of a love/hate relationship with the 300 lb beast in our living room. We have enjoyed many a movie, wonderful conversation, and some fun sleepover guests on this chartreuse beauty. And nare I leave out the forgiveness that comes with a slipcovered couch...one wash and we're good as new! Alas I have found a new love for the white beauty pictured below. She called my name from our neighborhood thrift shop and I just could NOT resist. I know, I know...white? With kids and a dog? Am I crazy? Yes. Maybe. But she's just so happy (and washable mind you) don't you think???

Hope you find a happy home Oscar. You will be missed ~ a little.

France ~ part deux

Our visit to Southern France was specific to the Languedoc region where we explored different towns, beaches, cathedrals and amazing restaurants. In every direction, on every street the villages were painted in brightly washed color. Every house had shutters of every hue, not the perfectly sanded and painted look we're used to here, but the weathered, splintered, and sunwashed beauty that only comes with time. Every door, gate and balcony was crafted with amazing detail. It was truly a feast for the eyes.

France ~ part un

Bienvenue a Puisserguier

Our trip to France this summer began with a flight to Barcelona. Being the savvy traveler that I am, I decided my teenage daughter and I could easily manage a ride into the city via public transportation (nevermind that we just landed in a country where we don't know the language and haven't quite figured out the euro system yet). We hop onto the train as if we've lived there for years when I realize after about 15 minutes....I have no idea where we are ~or where we're going. As we drag our luggage off the subway & down the city streets I start to ask directions to our prebooked hotel address but of course NO ONE has any idea where the place is. At this moment I'm feeling a bit out of my comfort zone and use my better judgement to flag down a taxi who gets us there in a flash. An adventure those first 30 minutes were...and hey I saved a whole 15 euro in the process. SO NOT WORTH IT.

Once we were settled in Barcelona we headed out on the town to witness a passionate flamenco show before heading out for some bad tapas at a late night restaurant. The next day we perused the shops a bit before we carpooled with our traveling circus through the French countryside to the quaint village of Puisserguier (pwee sair geeay...still working on that one) which was our home base in Southern France. We stayed in a charming seven room three story "hotel" (house) in this tiny village that was surrounded by miles upon miles of pristine green vineyards. Our room was gorgeous and took in the view of the back courtyard with vines traveling along the buildings reaching for the sun. The town was equipped with everything we could possibly need, but small enough to feed the one desire I was unknowingly longing for....complete relaxation.

Looking back

On the streets in Southern France

Today I had that oh-so-exciting (I'd rather be napping) trip to the oral investigator. After the dentist adjusted to my new hair do he asked how my summer was and whether I did anything fun. As I sat there thinking about it (with my mouth full of dental intstruments) I realized how many adventures we had this summer that I failed to share and journal into my blog. There is a huge chunk of summer that I selfishly hoarded in my memory box, which I am determined to change in this next week or so. Therefore I am commiting to a post a day until I have regurgitated all of the goodness we consumed this past summer. Hope you can stomach it!

xoxo

Full of wonder

The local zoo is always a new and fun experience no matter how many times we go.

Yesterday's visit was no exception.

xoxo