Well everyone, we are home although admittedly a little more somber than we left. I guess I should start from the beginning...
We left for Paris very early in the morning last Saturday. We were up until close to midnight the night before & Daniel & I got up at 3am to get the car all packed. We had never "caught a train" before & it intimidated us a little thinking of it pulling off with the four of us standing on the landing watching in complete astonishment as our train to Paris left without us. So we drove to London the kids in tow in their pajamas but WIDE awake at the thought of seeing Mickey the next day! After successfully finding the train station we found the infamous parking area that cost us 25 Pounds a day...for those of you who are lucky enough to get to use your US Dollars that is $37.50 a day!!! Needless to say this did not start off our morning well thinking of paying that for 5 full days but there was literally no other option in the center of London...OUCH! We were there in plenty of time & made it on our first of 2 Eurostar trains for the day. The trip went according to plan until it was time to get off of our 2nd train in Paris that was en route to another part of France. We were seated upstairs on the train & had: 2 toddlers, 2 big suitcases, 2 small bags, 2 strollers, diaper bag & all of our coats. We started getting off & everyone else started getting on. We could hardly make it down the stairs one time much less again to get the rest of our things, Daniel ran back on to get the last of our things & the terrifying whistle blew!!! I ran to the door & shoved my WHOLE body in the doorway & forced it back open I was not about to be that girl in that movie left watching the love of her life be taken away waving goodbye out the back window! SO the French Police & Train Station authorities start blowing their whistles & running at me yelling (I think they even had sticks) but Im not moving! I finally see Daniel shoving people out of the way & he all but dives out of the door. Whew! He made it. I know there is no way you guys can understand how very scary that was because I havent even mentioned that everyone around us speaks French & Im not sure since I do all of the trip planning that Daniel even had a clue as to what train station we would have been stranded or how to get back to it. Anyways, after honestly calming down after that ordeal we proceeded to our very nice hotel room & on to the city for some sight seeing. We saw only a couple of the big ones because this trip was for the kids, we are so close we will be back tons of times for us to see all of the others. The Eiffel Tower was even more amazing than I had ever thought it could be. It is SO much bigger than I thought it would be! Pictures just do not do it justice! It is SO HUGE & in the highest winds it never sways more than 3/4 of an inch!!! That use to sound like a lot until I saw how huge even one beam is!!! I cannot even explain how massive. The construction is truly a flawless wonder. Then we saw the Arc de Triomphe, it too is so big & just as beautiful as the pictures! The best part was that the streets were decorated for Christmas which just plain makes everything better!
That night was the SEC Championship game. We were able to buy Internet access at our hotel but since the game was broadcast on CBS you cant watch it live outside the states. My computer savvy husband has tried it all to maneuver his way around the rules to no avail. Thankfully Eli Gold paints a picture that is sometimes even better & Daniel got to listen from the hotel. He started out in the room so we could both listen but the kids WOULD NOT go to sleep. He did eventually come back & listen from our bathroom so I got to hear some but HAD to get some sleep to be able to usher the kids throughout Disney the next morning. Honestly, after the stress leading up to the game & feeling like we were not going to come out on top I was relieved to be able to sleep through it & just find out the outcome! Daniel listened to every minute & went through the wealth of emotions all Bama fans did when we "had a chance". We were both SO happy that we put up a great fight & were not embarrassed (which from what I watched of Florida this year I was a little worried). Enough about that......Roll Tide!!! It has been a great season & unlike OTHER teams around our season isnt over yet :)
We went to Disney the next morning, checked in & went to the park. Thankfully this part of the trip wasnt frought with drama, it was seamless just the way I like it! The next few days were a very sleepy, very very cold blur with a few cute stories to share (very quickly I promise). The first day was Colin's 2nd Birthday!!! YEA!!! He loved Disney...............until the characters came around where he proceeded to scream like a girl at the top of his lungs each time one got within touching distance. He enjoyed them from afar but this was alarming since I had his party planned for that evening with..........MICKEY & FRIENDS!!! It went just as I had feared all day. He wouldnt let a single one NEAR HIM & shook with fear the whole time! Charley had the time of her life & got pictures with them all & signatures in her new prize pssession princess autograph book. One character did brave the screams (true to his character actually) Captain Hook scared him several times & if we had had a video camera I would soon have ten thousand dollars plus. As a matter of fact a french speaking person next to us mustered up enough English to say "Funny Video Money". Colin kept his eyes peeled for each one as they made their way around the room never letting up for a second after Captain Hook caught him off guard. He opened his presents from Mom, Dad, & Charley & was able to pick out presents from the rest of the family that sent him birthday money! (HE LOVED THAT PART! ~ Thank you Maw Maw & Paw Paw, Pops & Sheryl, Aunt Po & JRJ, Gee & Daddy Gee! FYI: Lighting McQueen & Ratatouille took most of your money!) So now when everyone sees all of the pictures & it is just Charley with the characters we were only obeying Colin's Disneyland Rules :NO CHARACTERS & I WILL BE FINE!!!
Since the first day was suppose to be all about Colin the next day was Charley's! We referred to this as the Day of the Princesses & oh how true it was. We started out by touring Sleeping Beauty's Castle & then on to our lunch with the princesses. There she got to meet & talk to CINDERELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (she was the perfect Cast Member & was so good to Charley) Then we met Snow White, the Prince, Sleeping Beauty, & Prince Phillip! It was so great! Snow White kept coming back by & REMEMBERED Charley's name each time & we only said it once! Charley is lucky if I remember her name half the time so I was VERY impressed! They answered all of Charley's questions & when the Royal music played & they were leaving Charley yelled "OH NO I have to hug them bye!!!" & she took off running in her princess dress!!! She made it just in time & almost knocked them down flinging herself around their legs! Honestly Snow White & Cinderella really did love Charley & her excitement (Sleeping Beauty was not my favorite, kind of a "you know" :) & she LOVED them! (just a little insert - as most everyone knows Daniel will eat anything, but the appetizer they gave us he swears was actual Cat Food! He couldnt even get it down & that is an absolute first!!! I didnt even touch it with my fork! :) That night we went to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Dinner Show (completely American...felt so nice!) Colin had the time of his life. He ate everything they brought him (good old fashion southern & southwest cooking :) & never took his eyes off of the animals & riders. He danced, sang & screamed with laughter! He was glued to the ring. Now I cant wait to take him to a real rodeo that is all in English. Most of the show was in English but being that we were in France it had quite a bit of French as well. The couple next to us couldnt speak English & it was so neat to watch. If they asked you to raise your hand , we would. They would just look at us like we had lost our minds until they said it in French. The whole room was like a wave because they did English, French, then Italian, German & Spanish :) So funny! We taught Charley a little French before going & she introduced herself to everyone in French & said Hello, Goodbye & Thank you when appropriate which completely impressed me. One time she said " Je m'appelle Charley (then pointed to me & said) Je m'appelle Mommy" Which is: my name is Mommy :) Very Appropriate!
The next day we stood in line for Ariel only to have them switch to Jasmine & Aladdin JUST BEFORE we made it up there after an hour PLUS. Charley was thrilled to see Jasmine but had her heart set on Ariel. SO to the back of the line we went after visiting sih Jasmine because Ariel was indeed coming back & she did...only to leave AGAIN just before we made it BACK to the front of the line after another hour! By this time it had actually started SNOWING!!! (that is another amazing story but for now hold on) The guy at the "Princess Throne" finally felt sorry for us after all that time in line & let us go get warm for about 15 minutes & let us be break in line for Ariel when she got back again. SO finally after a total of 3 hours just waiting in actual freezing temperatures we got to meet Ariel & Prince Eric! Charley's excitement was worth the wait! Charley dressed as Belle on her Princess Day & of course "Operation Get Belle's Signature" was a failure because she never came out in 4 days!!! Charley has every princess dress & of course wanted to wear Cinderella but it is in too bad of a condition to wear in public! SO she choose Belle, her next favorite, & she was the one that decided to stay home??? She is the only one really FROM France, what is that all about?
Now I hope you caught it earlier...IT SNOWED WHILE I WAS AT DISNEYLAND, IN PARIS, AT CHRISTMASTIME!!!!!!!!!!! My own personal fairytale just keeps getting better. It snowed all day long & was wonderful because unlike anything I have ever experienced it actually stuck to the ground & didnt stop after 5 minutes!!! It covered everything in a beautiful blanket of white, we saw Santa & in true Disney style there was Christmas music playing the background of my White Christmas Fairytale! A couple of times I had to make sure itwasnt Disney pulling one over on me! It was just too perfect!
The whole trip was wonderful & full of memories that I hope I never lose. Colin ended up LOVING the parades & ALL the rides while Charley stuck to the Princesses & anyone who was dressed up & would write in her book!
Now I suppose it is time to go back to our only casualty during our trip. Remember when Daniel almost didnt make it off the train...well, in his rush to jump off the train & save me from being pulled apart my a locomotive he left a "member of the family" behind...Charley's very favorite pink blanket (insert gasps here) that she had never slept without. She has had it since the storm when she was 3 months old. It was the first thing I bought afterwards for her to help soothe her transition into our new transitional life :) Anyways, I have never seen my sweet angel so sad. She just kept saying "Oh No! Oh No! What are we going to do! It is my blanket with the pokey things Mom! I love the pokey things!" Then after I said I would buy her ANY blanket in the WHOLE world if she would just be ok she said "ok I want my blankie with the pokey things" (by the way "pokey things means knitted & she can "poke" her finger through it" I have scoured the internet & have found nothing. Each night she says " I am so very sorry I lost my blankie" & I have to remind her it was my fault. But if anyone remembers what it looked like & you EVER see one BUY IT & I will pay you triple!!! It is such an awful thing to know that it is your fault your child is so innocently upset. She has never pitched a fit or been ugly, just very sad. I told her I wished she would pitch a fit or be mad so I would not feel so terrible about it! She always "consoles" me & tells me she forgives me but she wants her pokie blanket back when I can get it :) Hence the title of the blog......Au Revoir Blankie may it rest in peace in the big French Train Station in the sky!
Happy Holidays Everyone ~ Je m'appelle Mommy
We left for Paris very early in the morning last Saturday. We were up until close to midnight the night before & Daniel & I got up at 3am to get the car all packed. We had never "caught a train" before & it intimidated us a little thinking of it pulling off with the four of us standing on the landing watching in complete astonishment as our train to Paris left without us. So we drove to London the kids in tow in their pajamas but WIDE awake at the thought of seeing Mickey the next day! After successfully finding the train station we found the infamous parking area that cost us 25 Pounds a day...for those of you who are lucky enough to get to use your US Dollars that is $37.50 a day!!! Needless to say this did not start off our morning well thinking of paying that for 5 full days but there was literally no other option in the center of London...OUCH! We were there in plenty of time & made it on our first of 2 Eurostar trains for the day. The trip went according to plan until it was time to get off of our 2nd train in Paris that was en route to another part of France. We were seated upstairs on the train & had: 2 toddlers, 2 big suitcases, 2 small bags, 2 strollers, diaper bag & all of our coats. We started getting off & everyone else started getting on. We could hardly make it down the stairs one time much less again to get the rest of our things, Daniel ran back on to get the last of our things & the terrifying whistle blew!!! I ran to the door & shoved my WHOLE body in the doorway & forced it back open I was not about to be that girl in that movie left watching the love of her life be taken away waving goodbye out the back window! SO the French Police & Train Station authorities start blowing their whistles & running at me yelling (I think they even had sticks) but Im not moving! I finally see Daniel shoving people out of the way & he all but dives out of the door. Whew! He made it. I know there is no way you guys can understand how very scary that was because I havent even mentioned that everyone around us speaks French & Im not sure since I do all of the trip planning that Daniel even had a clue as to what train station we would have been stranded or how to get back to it. Anyways, after honestly calming down after that ordeal we proceeded to our very nice hotel room & on to the city for some sight seeing. We saw only a couple of the big ones because this trip was for the kids, we are so close we will be back tons of times for us to see all of the others. The Eiffel Tower was even more amazing than I had ever thought it could be. It is SO much bigger than I thought it would be! Pictures just do not do it justice! It is SO HUGE & in the highest winds it never sways more than 3/4 of an inch!!! That use to sound like a lot until I saw how huge even one beam is!!! I cannot even explain how massive. The construction is truly a flawless wonder. Then we saw the Arc de Triomphe, it too is so big & just as beautiful as the pictures! The best part was that the streets were decorated for Christmas which just plain makes everything better!
That night was the SEC Championship game. We were able to buy Internet access at our hotel but since the game was broadcast on CBS you cant watch it live outside the states. My computer savvy husband has tried it all to maneuver his way around the rules to no avail. Thankfully Eli Gold paints a picture that is sometimes even better & Daniel got to listen from the hotel. He started out in the room so we could both listen but the kids WOULD NOT go to sleep. He did eventually come back & listen from our bathroom so I got to hear some but HAD to get some sleep to be able to usher the kids throughout Disney the next morning. Honestly, after the stress leading up to the game & feeling like we were not going to come out on top I was relieved to be able to sleep through it & just find out the outcome! Daniel listened to every minute & went through the wealth of emotions all Bama fans did when we "had a chance". We were both SO happy that we put up a great fight & were not embarrassed (which from what I watched of Florida this year I was a little worried). Enough about that......Roll Tide!!! It has been a great season & unlike OTHER teams around our season isnt over yet :)
We went to Disney the next morning, checked in & went to the park. Thankfully this part of the trip wasnt frought with drama, it was seamless just the way I like it! The next few days were a very sleepy, very very cold blur with a few cute stories to share (very quickly I promise). The first day was Colin's 2nd Birthday!!! YEA!!! He loved Disney...............until the characters came around where he proceeded to scream like a girl at the top of his lungs each time one got within touching distance. He enjoyed them from afar but this was alarming since I had his party planned for that evening with..........MICKEY & FRIENDS!!! It went just as I had feared all day. He wouldnt let a single one NEAR HIM & shook with fear the whole time! Charley had the time of her life & got pictures with them all & signatures in her new prize pssession princess autograph book. One character did brave the screams (true to his character actually) Captain Hook scared him several times & if we had had a video camera I would soon have ten thousand dollars plus. As a matter of fact a french speaking person next to us mustered up enough English to say "Funny Video Money". Colin kept his eyes peeled for each one as they made their way around the room never letting up for a second after Captain Hook caught him off guard. He opened his presents from Mom, Dad, & Charley & was able to pick out presents from the rest of the family that sent him birthday money! (HE LOVED THAT PART! ~ Thank you Maw Maw & Paw Paw, Pops & Sheryl, Aunt Po & JRJ, Gee & Daddy Gee! FYI: Lighting McQueen & Ratatouille took most of your money!) So now when everyone sees all of the pictures & it is just Charley with the characters we were only obeying Colin's Disneyland Rules :NO CHARACTERS & I WILL BE FINE!!!
Since the first day was suppose to be all about Colin the next day was Charley's! We referred to this as the Day of the Princesses & oh how true it was. We started out by touring Sleeping Beauty's Castle & then on to our lunch with the princesses. There she got to meet & talk to CINDERELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (she was the perfect Cast Member & was so good to Charley) Then we met Snow White, the Prince, Sleeping Beauty, & Prince Phillip! It was so great! Snow White kept coming back by & REMEMBERED Charley's name each time & we only said it once! Charley is lucky if I remember her name half the time so I was VERY impressed! They answered all of Charley's questions & when the Royal music played & they were leaving Charley yelled "OH NO I have to hug them bye!!!" & she took off running in her princess dress!!! She made it just in time & almost knocked them down flinging herself around their legs! Honestly Snow White & Cinderella really did love Charley & her excitement (Sleeping Beauty was not my favorite, kind of a "you know" :) & she LOVED them! (just a little insert - as most everyone knows Daniel will eat anything, but the appetizer they gave us he swears was actual Cat Food! He couldnt even get it down & that is an absolute first!!! I didnt even touch it with my fork! :) That night we went to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Dinner Show (completely American...felt so nice!) Colin had the time of his life. He ate everything they brought him (good old fashion southern & southwest cooking :) & never took his eyes off of the animals & riders. He danced, sang & screamed with laughter! He was glued to the ring. Now I cant wait to take him to a real rodeo that is all in English. Most of the show was in English but being that we were in France it had quite a bit of French as well. The couple next to us couldnt speak English & it was so neat to watch. If they asked you to raise your hand , we would. They would just look at us like we had lost our minds until they said it in French. The whole room was like a wave because they did English, French, then Italian, German & Spanish :) So funny! We taught Charley a little French before going & she introduced herself to everyone in French & said Hello, Goodbye & Thank you when appropriate which completely impressed me. One time she said " Je m'appelle Charley (then pointed to me & said) Je m'appelle Mommy" Which is: my name is Mommy :) Very Appropriate!
The next day we stood in line for Ariel only to have them switch to Jasmine & Aladdin JUST BEFORE we made it up there after an hour PLUS. Charley was thrilled to see Jasmine but had her heart set on Ariel. SO to the back of the line we went after visiting sih Jasmine because Ariel was indeed coming back & she did...only to leave AGAIN just before we made it BACK to the front of the line after another hour! By this time it had actually started SNOWING!!! (that is another amazing story but for now hold on) The guy at the "Princess Throne" finally felt sorry for us after all that time in line & let us go get warm for about 15 minutes & let us be break in line for Ariel when she got back again. SO finally after a total of 3 hours just waiting in actual freezing temperatures we got to meet Ariel & Prince Eric! Charley's excitement was worth the wait! Charley dressed as Belle on her Princess Day & of course "Operation Get Belle's Signature" was a failure because she never came out in 4 days!!! Charley has every princess dress & of course wanted to wear Cinderella but it is in too bad of a condition to wear in public! SO she choose Belle, her next favorite, & she was the one that decided to stay home??? She is the only one really FROM France, what is that all about?
Now I hope you caught it earlier...IT SNOWED WHILE I WAS AT DISNEYLAND, IN PARIS, AT CHRISTMASTIME!!!!!!!!!!! My own personal fairytale just keeps getting better. It snowed all day long & was wonderful because unlike anything I have ever experienced it actually stuck to the ground & didnt stop after 5 minutes!!! It covered everything in a beautiful blanket of white, we saw Santa & in true Disney style there was Christmas music playing the background of my White Christmas Fairytale! A couple of times I had to make sure itwasnt Disney pulling one over on me! It was just too perfect!
The whole trip was wonderful & full of memories that I hope I never lose. Colin ended up LOVING the parades & ALL the rides while Charley stuck to the Princesses & anyone who was dressed up & would write in her book!
Now I suppose it is time to go back to our only casualty during our trip. Remember when Daniel almost didnt make it off the train...well, in his rush to jump off the train & save me from being pulled apart my a locomotive he left a "member of the family" behind...Charley's very favorite pink blanket (insert gasps here) that she had never slept without. She has had it since the storm when she was 3 months old. It was the first thing I bought afterwards for her to help soothe her transition into our new transitional life :) Anyways, I have never seen my sweet angel so sad. She just kept saying "Oh No! Oh No! What are we going to do! It is my blanket with the pokey things Mom! I love the pokey things!" Then after I said I would buy her ANY blanket in the WHOLE world if she would just be ok she said "ok I want my blankie with the pokey things" (by the way "pokey things means knitted & she can "poke" her finger through it" I have scoured the internet & have found nothing. Each night she says " I am so very sorry I lost my blankie" & I have to remind her it was my fault. But if anyone remembers what it looked like & you EVER see one BUY IT & I will pay you triple!!! It is such an awful thing to know that it is your fault your child is so innocently upset. She has never pitched a fit or been ugly, just very sad. I told her I wished she would pitch a fit or be mad so I would not feel so terrible about it! She always "consoles" me & tells me she forgives me but she wants her pokie blanket back when I can get it :) Hence the title of the blog......Au Revoir Blankie may it rest in peace in the big French Train Station in the sky!
Happy Holidays Everyone ~ Je m'appelle Mommy
2 comments:
I absolutely LOVE hearing about your life over there!!! And I am SO sad to hear about the blankie situation! What about a Princess blanket???
I am loving reading your blog. I living vicariously through you.
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