Michael at 2 years and 8.5 months

For the Record

Just need to post some things so I don't forget.

on Monday, June 29th, Michael undressed himself completely, picked out something to wear by himself, and then put all his clothes/shoes (except those tight socks) on by himself! Way to go my Little Buddy!

Something else happened that was a first and now I have forgotten. Bollocks.

Yesterday, Michael "liked to party." I put this in quotes because...have you seen Talladega Nights? There's this scene where John C. Reilly is talking on the phone with Will Ferrell. Here's the exchange:

JCR: Say, how do you turn on the stereo at the same time as the TV?
WF: Why would you want to watch TV and listen to the stereo at the same time?
JCR: Because I like to party.

Michael turned on an Alabama CD while he was watching his Numbers DVD. And so I asked him...do you want to listen to country music while you watch your video?

"EH."

He likes to party. It's official.

Musee du Albert Kahn

Today, our family visited the Albert Kahn museum. It is a small museum with a very cute garden which has a Japanese section, French section, and English section. So it is diverse!

I am posting a round of pictures to show how I have a difficult time taking pictures in direct sunlight. Also, to show what happens to your skills when you haven't picked up a camera in over a month. They start to suck.

Anyways, a very nice French lady took our family picture on one of the bridges in the Japanese part of the garden:

Here's the red bridge we were on. You can see it in this pic with Brian and Michael. Michael was NOT in the mood for pictures. Yes, it does happen.

So, I'm lovin' the red bridge and try to get a cute picture of Michael on it. I get him situated in the middle, like I like. And he makes this face:

After which, he decides to look super cute. But then I cut off his feet in the picture and am a little underexposed for his face:

And then he shoots me a huge smile and his face is in the sunlight and the rest of him is in the shadows. Hrmph. I don't think I'm ever going to get this even exposure I am looking for. But I am super thankful that Michael look so happy!

Of course, the Japanese gardens are so peaceful and beautiful. Got this pretty fun reflection picture of Brian and Michael wandering out to the pond. I think there were about 4 goldfish total so there was no need for feeding their fish.

We hiked/walked around the rose garden, English garden, etc. Michael found some little strawberries to pick:So we had a great time wandering around a smaller, lesser known garden in France! It got hot so we went home.

This trip came after a Sunday morning market trip.

Now, I am going to take pictures of these PILES and PILES of Fresh basil they sell here in the summer and post them one day. But this is one of my favorite things about France. There is a produce vendor at my market who grows these INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE basil plants. We're talking some leaves as big as your entire hand. And he piles them up...probably about 2 feet in height, 2 feet in depth...just gorgeous, fragrant basil.

And it's 1.50 for a HUGE bushel. From one bushel, I usually make about 2-3 batches of fresh pesto (about 1 cup each). I freeze it and use it in the winter when I can't get these gorgeous mounds of basil. And I am a HUGE pesto fan. HUGE.

So tomorrow, Michael and I are making homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh basil leaves and batches of homemade pesto. Michael loves to cook so I am serious when I say that Michael and I are going to be doing this!

I am so excited. This, and Mara des bois strawberries are my 2 favorite parts about summer.

Speaking of summer...the strawberry season is short this year. Last year, it lasted from about May - September. This year, while we see strawberries, we are getting Gariguette ones, which are a bit more sour. And some mara des bois...but not that many. I probably should check with my berry guy to see if he has any from Perigord, a region in France known for strawberries.

But CHERRIES are the king this year. We are getting gorgeous cherries and lots of them too.

And I WILL blog about my USA trip because we've got some fun pics of Michael there.

Love,

P

You Vote

Topic: Sushi

Option 1 - USA: Many different types of rolls. All with different sauces, combinations, fishes, exterior shells. Different types of seafood too (like crab, eel, etc). Usually no combo menus with teriyaki skewers.

Option 2 - PARIS: Abut 8-10 sushi rolls available. All are just rice, seaweed, and a small piece of fish. The only thing that changes is the fish inside. Lots of sashimi options. And you can get combo menus with sushi/sashimi pieces with rice, salad, soup, and teriyaki skewers of meat.


I prefer Option 1. I really miss the spicy tuna roll or any roll with crispy fried tempura anywhere on it. I don't care for the combo menu with teriyaki skewers because if I'm out to eat sushi, I want sushi.

Which do you prefer?

Wheelin' and Dealin'

So...I am in "want" of an oval blue Le Creuset dutch oven.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/c211_2/index.cfm?pkey=cckwlceazr&ckey=ckwlceazr

It is $248 at Williams Sonoma (after you calculate in the 8.25% tax).

Right now, at BHV during sales, it is 97 euro. That's about $135. That's nearly 50% off US prices.

So do I get it?

Do I?

Points of interest:
1) I already have a Le Creuset. It is larger and perfect.
2) I have in my mind to use this smaller one for shepard's pie during the week. My friend Laura does it in hers and it's so cute and perfect for a small weeknight meal. Maybe even a chicken. Or a small roast.
3) I realize I already have one and my consumerism is not good.

But it's a good deal. I know TJ Maxx Home Goods Store has them...but I don't live anywhere near one and I've never seen it. So I am content to buy mine in France. Where they are made.

So would you buy it?

Stress...

So I subscribe to a weekly newsletter from babycenter.com. It tells me what my 2 year old is doing and what to expect. What I may have problems with and how to cope!

In my latest newsletter, I read:

"You think your life is hard? Imagine being plunked down in a foreign land where you're not fluent in the language, you have to figure out how everything from a doorknob to a toilet works, and you're one-third the height of everyone else. "

WAIT UP. Did I subscribe to the wrong newsletter? Why are they describing my experience as an expat?

Then, I read:
"Being a preschooler has its stresses. "

Whew. So it WAS a newsletter about my preschooler. Just funny how well it described moving here. Although, I am sure to have some people chime in to say that I am most decidely NOT "one-third the height of everyone else."

You Vote

Today's Topic: FASHION

Option 1: Wear mostly black. Throw in some white/beige/gray for some variety. It is a very slimming look and really narrows down what you're wearing for the day.

If you are a girl, wear lots of opaque black tights. Especially with skirts, even in the summer. Especially with skirts and knee high boots in the winter. Bring this outfit out as soon as temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Wear black and brown together. It IS OK.

If you are a boy, wear very skinny jeans. The kind that are legging tight. Preferably very acid washed if possible. And a snug sweater with a scarf. Don't forget your man purse. And if you are wearing a suit, make sure it is FITTED.

Option 2: Wear color. Any color you want. The brighter, the better, especially if living in Texas.

If you are a girl, flip flops are king and can be worn with anything. Workout clothes can be worn to the grocery store if need be. Think - casual, comfortable - Gap/Jcrew/BR.

If you are a boy, wear slightly baggier jeans with tennis shoes. If dressing up, khakis and a short sleeved polo is the required uniform. Suits are worn to be cut very wide. Think Brooks Brothers or Jo S Banks.

WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER?

Me, I am undecided. I am a bit of both.

The Houston city girl in me likes to dress up. Been doing it my whole life so I like the slimming look of black and looking nice. But the Austin lover in me loves wearing flip flops and being casual. Working out and being able to shop for dinner without people staring at you for being in workout clothes at Franprix.

Brian: For casual clothes, he's definitely American. But for dressup clothes, he's getting to be European. He is starting to like slimmer cuts (including the pants), which makes for a challenge for his *slight* pear shape. :o) Brian, don't be mad at me for saying that. I am pear shaped too.

Clean

While traveling along the road of "Stay at Home Mom," I realized...it may have benefited me to have taken a Home Economics class somewhere in my education.

Now, I am sure I never took Home Economics because it was regular credit (instead of GT or AP credit), which in turn would have hurt my ever so important GPA.

I realize, today, that I may have been short sighted. A home economics course would have proven to be quite useful for me. Well, it would have saved me some time googling things on the internet like "how to remove calcium deposits from sinks."

I have come upon a realization during my constant path of self-evaluation...that although my apartment is tidy and organized. It really is not, what you might call, CLEAN. Now, it's not dirty either. It's just not CLEAN.

So I ask you. I pose you this question. What exactly makes a house clean? Is it that there is never dust on the baseboards? Or mildew growing in the space between the tiles in the showers? Or calcium buildup in the sink area? What makes a house CLEAN? And how do you obtain this? Do you have a monthly schedule on when to do the heavy duty stuff? How do you keep your bathrooms/tiles/sinks looking like new?

I need some help here. So if you have some tips. Send them my way in the Comments section.

Thank you for helping me further my housewifery education.

Love,
P

Another Age

To demonstrate to Brian what Michael says when he is asked how old he is, I told Brian to ask too. (See previous post if you want to see what Michael said before)

Brian: Michael, hold old are you?
Michael: Big noodle.

Fine.

Proud

Last night, Michael counted from 1-20 in English. Then 1-5 in French. Then 1-3 in Vietnamese (he's still learning this one). And we haven't worked on any of the numbers in French or Vietnamese! So we're going to start now. A little late I know...but oh well!

Today, I had this conversation with Michael at the pharmacy:
Me: Michael, how old are you?
Michael: Big boy

I guess that can be an age after all.
P

On est arrive et Encino Man

Well, we survived our Air France Airbus A330 flight back. Pitot probes and all. Thanks be to God! Our flight left at 10pm Houston time so Michael slept for most of the entire flight...as did we! Didn't feel like it though...as you can imagine what sleeping on an airplane is like.

I am ready, however, to be awake from midnight to 2am when Michael wakes up ready to play!

You know the scenes in Encino Man when Brendan Frasser is aghast at all the technological advances and everything is so new and different? THAT is what I felt like being in America. I was flipping through a Best Buy ad to check out the cell phones for when we get back. And I couldn't find a single one that didn't have a touch screen like the iphone or a keypad like the blackberries.

What happened to plain dialing flip phones? Can you not get those anymore? Are they archaic? Very interesting...the new generation of multifunctional cell phones.

Then I moved onto the pages for Wii, Guitar Hero, PS3...and other gaming things we used to have time to do. I believe we have a Nintendo Game Cube in our storage just waiting to be unleashed. Yet another moment of...oh goodness...what new things the gamers have come up with! And we won't be able to buy any of it when we get back! $50 a game? $260 a console? *GASP* We'll have BILLS when we get back! *CHOKE* GASP *SPUTTER*

Happy to be back in our apartment in France. But definitely not enjoying back in Paris again. Since arriving 4 hours ago, we have suffered through:

** Waiting for 30 minutes for our stroller at the baggage claim. Only to find out it was at the "Oversized and strange shaped luggage" area. The lady at the gate told us to pick it up at our baggage claim carrousel. And when Brian complained to an Air France Customer Service desk (who by the way...are SUPPOSED to take complaints and address them) that there was no sign indicating where strollers would be...he was told that there was an announcement. Well, us and 1 other family (waiting for a Lacrosse stick) sure missed it I guess.

**I ordered a savarin with strawberries at the boulangerie for Brian. This was the little label in front of the cake saying it was a "savarin." And even after saying the name, pointing to it, and describing it, I still got the wrong cake.

**We got to our bus stop. Had to see 2 buses completely packed go by before we finally got on a bus empty enough to fit a stroller, 2 adults, and a huge bertha sized bag and a carry-on. Sure did miss a car at that point.

But, still happy to be back I suppose. Had a great time in Houston. Will blog about it later.

Love,
P

Austin is Amazing

My Texas update so far:

Houston gets a bad rap.

Austin is AMAZING.

We spent the weekend there being "Brian and Phuong" and not "Michael's Parents." And it was not only necessary, it was pure BLISS. We stayed at Ryan and Renee's fabulous house near the Arboretum and enjoyed a weekend of being adults! We arrived around dinner time and immediately inhaled some County Line barbeque. After which, we checked out Star Trek at the Alamo Drafthouse - Village location. Our favorite theaters. PERIOD. Oh yes, and Star Trek was AWESOME.

After going to bed at 1am, we awoke to an amazing homemade breakfast spread and then the couples split up. Brian and Ryan met their friend Dave for some frisbee golf at Zilker Park. And Renee and I ran some errands for me at Target, Hobby Lobby, Best Buy, Bath and Body Works, and Barnes and NOble. And then lunch at Z-Tejas on the veranda in the shade overlooking the hill country. I mean, honestly...it just doesn't get any better. Throw in some of their wild mushroom enchiladas and I was seriously in heaven.

Then, Ryan and Renee stayed home for a good Saturday nap while Brian and I checked out the Independence Brewery.

Now, this is an event that is PURE Austin. Every 1st Saturday, Independence Brewery gives out 3 free beers for everyone who comes by. So you bring your lawn chairs and sit out in the HOT Texas sun and enjoy. ANd that we did with Brent and Tracy, some of our old grad school friends. It was SO MuCH Fun. And SO Austin! Sitting around, shooting the bull, and drinking beer. With Good Friends. And so Austin for us. We met some new grad students and hung out. Thanks go to Brent and Tracy for an AWESOME idea.

Then, we had to pick up Brian's dry cleaning and swung by the old apartment. We headed back to Ryan and Renee's where they grilled out delicious HEB fajita meat and sausages. Brent/Tracy/Dan came over too and we spent the night playing Wii. I had 4-5 glasses of wine and passed out at 11pm. WIMP. I know.

Sunday, we relaxed some more. Brian went with Ryan to play a game of pickup ultimate frisbee while Renee and I decided to hit up the Round Rock Outlet mall. After buying some very cheap and good playground clothes (for me), we went back where we chatted with their friends Dave/Jisun (who are expecting in August!). At 3pm, we left town, had some Amy's ice cream on the way, and stopped to buy some sausage at Chappell Hill.

And that was it. And it was great. And it was exactly what we needed. Austin is beautiful. Rolling hills, not so much humidity, nice gusts of wind, and beautiful trees everywhere. I get very nostalgic going to Austin because it is where we began our life. And thanks to our great friends, we had some wonderful times and made some unforgettable memories. And Austin to me...is all about relaxation. In Houston, we do things. Go to exhibits at the museums, or special events. But in Austin, it's all about eating, getting together with good friends, and hanging out. Whether that be at someone's house or at Barton Springs, or downtown. It's all about the food, the drink, and the hanging out.

Brian asked me why I get so nostalgic about Austin. I mean, he likes it too...and misses it, but doesn't have the same kind of, "OH...*sigh* I just love and miss Austin. Can we come back?" like I do. So I thought about it and it boils down to this:

Austin - is where I want to be. It's where I am who I am. The me I was in Austin...is the me I want to be. IN Houston, I am my parents' daughter. In Paris, I am Brian's wife and Michael's mom. In Austin, I was just me. I had my own job, my own life, my own friends. So it is special to me because it is where I really was independent and had loads of fun. What's not to like about that?

And Austin is where we are US. Brian and I haven't had THAT much fun together in a long time. Brian got to play ultimate, which is something he adores. I got to hang out with one of my favorite people, Renee, whom I adore. And who is so crazy in her own way that she is just so entertaining. And then Brian and I together...we have fun, we joke, we hug and kiss a lot. And it's just not something that happens so very often when we're trying to keep our toddler from destroying himself or the world.

But that's not to say we don't love our world. That we don't love our baby Michael and who is growing up to be. His little face was the best part about coming back home. But we we sure did enjoy our little weekend away.

Target Checkout People

Of course, any trip back home to the United States involves a trip to Target. This is a conversation I had with my checkout girl:

Me: I know this is a bunch of junk...but I need it and I can't get it in France!
Her: You live in France?
Me: Yes.
Her: Is it hard to find this stuff there? Or is it just expensive?
Me: A bit of both. Some things are not available there...like these Sesame street paper plates for my son's 3rd birthday party. And there is NO way they have 4th of July stuff there.
Her: Why wouldn't they have 4th of July stuff there? They don't celebrate it?
Me: Uh...why would they celebrate the 4th of July there? It's an American holiday.
Her: Oh, I mean...I don't know what they celebrate.

Apparently.

Reactions? Mine was a bit of disbelief that this girl thought the French would celebrate the independence of America from England.