To Paris!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things one learns when one love to write write write...

and one finds oneself with a newer, and well, improved camera,

and rediscovers that "one" LOVES taking photos...

What has she learned you wonder.....

that blogger does NOT like those ginormeous

(no that isn't a real word... I don't think)

blog posts I do... I hear through the "internet grapevine" grumblings amongst my fans...

I LOVE YOU..

because the grumbles were sooo complementary!!!!!!!

Merci !

I hear you didn't LOVE my posts with mostly quotes....

you want ME, and MY stories!

well, i am flattered, bring on the encouraging words !!!

where are my comments in my comment box you facebook friends???

(LOVE YOU!)

What happened you wonder?

Is she homesick? (yes)

Is she depressed (it WAS a rough week that week)

But really.....

That so is NOT all that happened...

here's a little behind the scene's

just for YOU...

Blogger was simply freaking out

why???

at all my words and photos

apparently it was FULL, bloated, stuffed,

and so it simply deleted my story

yes I wrote you the whole stories!!!!!!!

They were deleted!

not ONCE, not TWICE no... but 3 times..

and I gave up... defeated, after a really hard week!

You have NO idea how slow it was working because

I JAMMED IT UP with all those photos...

and my little fingers had been flying on the keyboard JUST for you...

but in the end, the deadline was UP...

Paris was on the way...

and they CHARGE extra at the hotel for internet..

so I knew for SURE I was NOT going to be a bloggin' over that weekend!

So with the blogger being "naughty" and me overloading it,

and NOT knowing at the time if I was coming or going

and where I was living (they give us the boot NEXT week)

still needing to nail down the whole Paris thing,

YOU could say I was just...

needing encouragement...

so I put those quotes on there as much for MY encouragement as for yours...

LOVE YOU all for the nice blogger bashing!

sooo sweet! I am thrilled...

now COMMENT

:)

XOXO

ON TO PARIS After MUCH ado trying to find a hotel in Paris,

I was only able to do so with the help of my friend Suzanne!

Thank you Suzanne!
She is the wife of a Pastor, and they live HERE in Lyon!

Super people, and we met them through the ICCL :)

well, in my total despair,

having nearly given up on finding anything in Paris

Suzanne saw my SOS on Facebook and saved the day!

Now, it's Kari to the rescue,

we are off to her office to pick her up and walk to the train station..

do you remember Kari?

She went to Avignon with me :)

I have forgotten to photograph her for todays post... sorry!

This hill is the last one we have to climb

Madame Masson (kari) does NOT work near me...

We are walking a long way to her work,

but it IS an adventure,

and it is HOT!
and this is the LONGEST hill in LYON

o LORD HELP ME !!!!!!

almost to the top...

breathing on my inhaler..

needing a break...

wow...

look at that nice view!

We have NEVER come to this section of Lyon...

NOT this far North,

NOT by foot anyways..

It is exciting,

we are going the Magazine editing offices!

We got there in time,

she helped me by the tickets and

took me to the subway..

as frankly,

I was so tired

and had to hurry to finish packing and tell Rob to come HOME soon!

plus I thought it would be nice to visit with Kari on the train.

But something went horribly wrong, and

the ticket did not work right!!!!!!

and then she could not go through

and WE were stuck on the inside

and she on the outside

.....

can you just think how FREAKED out I was..

praying to Jesus..

all ok...

she knows HER city

and just took a bus

but I had to hold hands and watch children and

get them all home in one piece.

can you say

SUBURBANITE????

pretty tiles in the subway station as we wait for the train.

Well

We took the subay home, and Buddy was so disappointed that Paris Looked so much like LYON!

ha!

We explained the bullet train was fast,

but NOT that fast,

you can not get to Paris in 15 minutes or less..

and so was the chat on the way back to the villa!

Packed and ready,

Rob arrives and we are

OFF TO PARIS

A favorite view of Buddy's looking for OUR train...

this is Lyon's Perrache station
soooooo
soo
so
excited!
can you tell!
poker anyone?

is she ever going to stop with that camera?

ha ha ha

NO!

NEVER!

excited to be going to Paris!

Buddy loves the window seat!

And the windows are so clean!

you can see out of them!

not at all like the Northwest Metra Line we use in Chicago!
so much to see!! Mama LOOK!

here we are!

is this too touristy?

oh,

we need to try being really really touristy every now and again...

it's good for the soul of an adventurer..

it must be..

to just NOT be afraid to be obnoxious with your camera...

to NOT mind LOOKING out of place...

:)

yes

every now and again..

we DO that :)

hey it's fun!

silly photo's !

I am exhausted,

I have barely slept in days

walked too far, and can not believe we did NOT miss the train...

this is really happening

I am really going to Paris...

me...

me??

wow..

someone else seems as excited..

though I do not know if it is because of Paris

or the train ride...

one of Buddy's life goals

to ride in the bullet train..

one Buddy life goal accomplished!

check

Love the views out the window...

they fly by so fast...

too fast???

The french countryside is truly engaging...

It captures your attention

and draws you through hill and dale

wondering in your imagination minutes later

where that little creek led,

who lived in that cottage...

what was JUST beyond that row of trees...

ah...

just drawing you in...

Now Buddy hasn't had an issue with nuts before...

he's never been a fan...

but never had a "reaction"

but after the more recent

SHOCK

we thought to go back to reading ALL labels..

and while the kids and Rob and I enjoyed a Toblerone

Buddy got THESE!!

no nuts

and No raisins

and he LOVES them..

This is Buddy's advertisement for his NEW favorite cookie..

If you are a sponsor...

he will do an add for you..

contact me in the comment section...

HE RAVED about these cookies!

He wanted HIS picture taken with them!

here it is !

We have arrived!
We are IN Paris

Gare Lyon Train Station!

look familiar?

so so so cool!!!!!

so excited!

Soldiers with machine guns!

not something we see in Lyon..

yes ..

We are in Paris

it is a different feel already,

there is power here,

there is force here

there is control here

there are a LOT of men with guns here...

just different ...

walking from the train station on our way to the hotel!

We are IN Paris!

Pinch me!

woo hoo!

we are here!
my feet hurt from the walk all over Lyon,

and the walk from the train station,

while not too bad

is still tiring..

what a long day!

almost 8pm,

better head on up and

get out to supper

apparently the internet was NOT supposed to let me have 3 children in my room.

it was quite the issue!

good thing we printed up our papers to show we said there were 3 children..

or we'd have had to get a second room...

the ONLY reason we stayed here was..

it was the only place that would LET me get 3 kids in..

THANKS again Suzanne!

they had to honor the paper..

the room is fine, and totally big enough...
not for a lengthy stay..

but to just sleep..

it is FINE

La salle de Bain..

did you know that it generally the custom to NOT have a toilet

in the bath room?

nope..

the toilet is another room all together..

the bath room is JUST for bathing and cleaning ones self.

our first dinner in PARIS!!!!!!!
We picked a Brasserie near the hotel...

if you read my post in Delicious

about dining out in france

you would know that these have a strong germanic influence !

Someone misses Germany!

She is IN Paris!

So excited!

still isn't sure..

he hasn't seen the eiffel tower..

so it is hard to BELIEVE

it is SO exciting to Caspian to BE in Paris..

and tomorrow the Louvre!!!!!!!

o my!

Buddy is drinking some Orangina!

Look at me Mama!

I can pour it all by myself!

Please notice you almost always get served your drink in a glass bottle

yes even COCA COLA

and also a glass with anywhere from 1-4 pieces of ice..

Buddy feels SO important pouring his Orangina into his glass...

No spills either!

good job Buddy!

Caspian was excited that they served "Frankfurters" here..

that is because they are a Brasserie :)

he LOVED these!

very like Oma's!

missing Oma...

Princess KI and Buddy each got this..

steak Hashe

or in american kid language

good hamburger with out a bun... or icky stuff..

Buddy LOVES it,

because he always pulls his burger off the bun to eat it anyways!

To him

the French just THINK right!

Mine is an Omlette with Salad

My Omlette has champions (mushroom)

Bacon

Potato

it is excellent

up until now I did not believe that the French even MADE omlettes..

I was beginning to think it was a LIE...

i have yet to see anything for breakfast in Lyon other than

crossiant or quiche...

This was amazing!!!!!!!!!!

the best Omlette ever...

only Walkers comes close!

Rob had steak..

Why?

hmmm

well, it is a Brasserie.. he is hopeful

I think that his hope should lie solely in Christ

and leave steak and the french seperate unless you on Rue de Beouf

in MY neighborhood

it is literally translated

Street of Beef...

well yes..

that is the only safe place to eat beef and enjoy..

IF you are from Chicago.

Chicago has some things going for it..

We make EXCELLENT steaks!

the BEST!

We make the BEST Pizza's in the world!

there is ONLY one Chicago style hotdog

and

variety..

anyway..

off Chicago

on to Paris !!!!!!!!!

(yes... a bit homesick.. )

What Rob should of ordered was LAMB!!!!!

Chicago can not hold a candle to the lamb of France..

or at least Paris or Lyon!

wow wow wow

Creme de Carmel

*aka Rob's

kids got ice cream... and then there was

my Creme Brulee

mmm mmm good!

NEXT Post : The Louvre ~ Waking up in Paris and our first BIG full day!!!!

:)