tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84064158140317129912011-12-30T16:18:14.457+01:00We left our life in the US with our four kids - 9, 7, 5 and 2 - to exchange houses, cars, schools, friends, and languages with a French family in the Cote d'Azur. Who knows what will happen in this life?La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.comBlogger3621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-87664470806178788312008-10-07T18:45:00.002+02:002008-10-07T18:48:42.278+02:00

Some would say I'm a "procrastinator".  I call it taking my own sweet time.  After all, la vie est belle, why hurry through it?Come visit at www.davidandstasha.blogspot.com

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-74873525351552179742008-07-25T10:36:00.003+02:002008-07-25T10:42:29.948+02:00

Dear Family, Friends, Stranger-Friends and Passer-by's:Writing my/our experiences in this blog has been really rewarding over the past year. When we left France I tried to post a few things, but it just didn't feel right. "La Vie Echangee" felt complete. Our family will definitely be starting up some new adventures, but I've decided not to chronicle them on this blog. I will most likely be

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-86823068878290261012008-06-28T03:39:00.003+02:002008-07-14T14:45:05.002+02:00

Today I leave France with Abby and Carter to return to Arizona. Dave has been there for a day already. Our home exchange is over. Like almost all good things in life, it passed by too quickly. We have all been transformed by this experience.As I was getting ready to go this morning, I ran across this email that Dave wrote to me in March, about the time we started to realize that a year in Mougins

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-67414226833374401842008-06-26T18:15:00.006+02:002008-06-26T18:41:56.328+02:00

I guess I'm the guest writer for today because Stasha is on an airplane with Abby and Carter, and with Jeremy, the son of our good friends the Hussons (a tiny bit about them here, with pics of Sophie and Mailys, who were inseparable in Mougins). She arrives tonight and I can't wait to walk around our house together.Sophie spent the night at her friend Piper's house so I haven't seen her since

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-47090033398326085562008-06-26T11:54:00.000+02:002008-06-26T12:00:01.241+02:00

A few "Dave thoughts" based on 24 hours back in Arizona:Gas is $10 a gallon in Mougins, but it hurt much more to pay $4.12 per gallon here. How can gas cost $4.12 a gallon?There seem to be more "for sale" signs up than ever before. I haven't seen any buyers.The roads here are really wide. I love them.I saw three Hummers today. I hate you, Hummers.The land on the Northeast corner of 67th Avenue

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-66529729381234448632008-06-26T02:12:00.007+02:002008-07-01T07:43:08.617+02:00

On Monday afternoon Sophie and Sam said goodbye to their teachers, Brigitte and Sylvian, whom we have each grown to love with all our hearts. They took Sophie and Sam when they spoke no French and treated them like everyone else - with love and patience - while they learned. Now, 10 months later, they speak in French always: to each other, to Dave and I, even in their sleep. They have been

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-12351886079773725472008-06-26T00:25:00.007+02:002008-06-26T18:07:04.622+02:00

This is Dave and I'm back in Phoenix. Stop by the house if you want to say hi. I expect no one will but it's too hot to open the door anyway. Phoenix is like a furnace.When I walked in the house last night we had 34 messages on our answering machine, so I got out a piece of paper to write down them all, just so I could return the calls of all those trying so hard to reach us. Here's the list (RM

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-54839951300844555842008-06-25T22:29:00.003+02:002008-06-26T18:31:04.422+02:00

10.30 p.m. The bags are packed, the clothes are laid out, and the kids are (kind of) asleep. EasyJet flight to Paris leaves at 6:15 tomorrow morning. 110 degree weather in my near future.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-65555737654879387022008-06-23T21:17:00.005+02:002008-06-26T18:11:02.373+02:00

I just took Dave to the airport in Nice. He took three huge suitcases, one computer bag*, one tub of Pet Shops, one Thomas the Train suitcase, one Bratz suitcase and two of the cutest, saddest little francophones in the world. more later . . .*please note he has once again forgotten the cord to his laptop.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-18602939919627756602008-06-21T22:12:00.003+02:002008-06-21T22:20:51.506+02:00

Well, summer has officially arrived on the Cote d'Azur . . . and it's really hot! Everyone kept telling me that it would happen "d'un coup" (suddenly), and they were right! Wednesday was the first nice day we've seen in a long time, and we celebrated by going to the beach (Plage du Midi).But since then, I've had tons of work to do, so now while everyone is at the beach or in the pool, I am busy

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-26038927829145412552008-06-19T17:12:00.002+02:002008-06-19T17:20:06.308+02:00

The other day I wrote my first French cheque. Seems a little silly to be excited about something so normal, but checks are a little different in every country, so it's funny to be an adult asking for help to fill out a check because you don't know what to do. I remember this same experience in England, asking the gardener how to fill out the check, and she laughed at me. I also found this

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-72470925714023537542008-06-19T15:22:00.003+02:002008-06-19T18:23:45.797+02:00

After spending so much money on airline tickets, we decided we could save a little money by having Carter fly cargo. As you can see, he is all ready to go.*no Carters were harmed for this photo.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-13061601045924190352008-06-17T19:50:00.002+02:002008-06-17T20:02:14.764+02:00

There are many things we love about France, as those who read have come to know. But there are some things about the US that we will probably always prefer. One of those things is shopping. There is no Target or Anthropologie here and the most interesting store in France might be Ikea. The closest one to us is in Toulon, about an hour away by car. But it didn't have to be that way.Late last year

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-75961554683085148922008-06-17T19:36:00.004+02:002008-06-17T19:50:08.871+02:00

Madame Brigitte with her class at the library, Oct 2007. Sophie is smiling, bottom row far right.We were finally able to get our plane reservations sorted out. It cost almost $3000 to use our "free" tickets to get to and from Europe, and we have to spend a night in Amsterdam, but we now have seats to go back to Arizona. Oof! as they say here.This morning Dave spoke to Sophie and Sam's teachers at

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-72414319220864558702008-06-17T19:21:00.004+02:002008-06-17T19:35:57.244+02:00

Most of France is at a standstill starting in about an hour. Not because of the strike by the bus drivers in this area (the second one in about a month) but because France plays Italy in the Euro 2008 tournament. The winner of the match moves on to the quarterfinals; the loser is finished.France and Italy border each other (the border with Italy is about 45 minutes from Mougins) and are generally

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-5350712730556485522008-06-16T18:15:00.007+02:002008-06-16T19:16:47.635+02:00

Can you make this work?Your outbound flight was in July 2007 from Phoenix to Paris via Washington Dulles, on United Airlines. You booked seats using "mileage plus miles" (i.e. "free" tickets). Even though the tickets were free you had to pay $700 in "taxes" to book your seats. When you booked United said to book a return in October 2007 (even though you weren't coming back until at least late

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-30045848223756115232008-06-16T18:01:00.003+02:002008-06-16T18:15:29.568+02:00

Dave and I both enjoy movies but never seem to find the time to watch them. I'm sure you know what I mean. By the time the kids are in bed we're often not far behind. In France we haven't seen very many, and never rented a single dvd (which you get from a machine, by the way. There is no such thing as Blockbuster).When we're back in the US this summer, Dave is determined to catch up on the long

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-63645562140747455872008-06-14T10:12:00.003+02:002008-06-14T13:09:33.345+02:00

A couple of weeks ago my new friend Carrie, an editor at a great family website, emailed and asked if she could do a feature on our year in France, which you may or may not know is ending in less than two weeks. I was happy to talk with her.This morning she posted the feature and we think she did a great job! Probably about the same time she posted, she went into labor to have her new baby. If

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-20493044310683695812008-06-14T00:50:00.004+02:002008-06-14T13:21:31.853+02:00

Remember my ICE problem? Today I got this e-mail:"D'après le "Daily Express" : " Bien qu'on n'en reconnaisse pas les raisons exactes, on dit que le fait de croquer des glaçons peut être le signe d'anémie par carence en fer"* une prise de sang?"Mystery solved?*According to the Daily Express: "Although we do not recognize the exact reasons, we say that crunching ice may be a sign of anemia

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-77763583248423773282008-06-12T23:46:00.004+02:002008-06-12T23:57:47.139+02:00

To prepare for our trip back to the U.S. in a couple of weeks, I decided to embark on a new project: Stripping the wallpaper from three bedrooms in my friend's house.I'm happy to do this for a few reasons, the first being that I loooove re-decorating. #2 is that when I'm working on the project, my friend feeds my kids dinner, which I also looooove. #3 would be that it keeps my mind off getting

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-86365865100764108912008-06-11T19:23:00.001+02:002008-06-11T19:27:10.422+02:00

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-41241915651148890632008-06-08T00:24:00.003+02:002008-06-08T00:47:52.651+02:00

The other night we invited the neighbor, Roger, and his wife over for dinner. Dave loves talking to Roger, because he has amazing stories about WWII, and is just overall a great guy.This time we got to hear about Roger, a ski instructor and woodworker, growing up in the French Pyrenees without electricity or indoor plumbing.Along with his stories, he also brought a bag of Nefles from his garden

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-9180800555780535252008-06-08T00:13:00.007+02:002008-06-08T00:24:22.803+02:00

Tonight we had dinner with two French couples. Lots of political talk went on about who might be the next President of the United States. The general consensus was that Obama would be the right choice (except one dissenter--you know who you are!), but that he couldn't win.So, who will be Sarkozy's new buddy?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-34007365186835936572008-06-08T00:09:00.003+02:002008-06-08T00:13:01.862+02:00

My sister posted this recipe on our family website the other day. I would love to make them, and eat them. But I can't find brown sugar in France. If YOU have brown sugar, you should make them and eat them in our honor. Thanks.Title: Dream BarsDescription:A childhood favorite.Ingredients:1 cup flour1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 cup butter or margarine softened (not melted)2 eggs1 cup brown sugar1

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-44228361848540242322008-06-06T16:52:00.002+02:002008-06-06T16:59:02.330+02:00

Friday, June 6, 2008Dear Mother Nature,Are you angry that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt moved to the south of France? If not, can you please explain to me why you are in such a bad mood? I know it's only June 6th, but I would like to go to the beach at least once this month. That's kind of hard to do when it's rainy, cloudy, and like 60 degrees.By the way, I know you can do better with Spring.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-65209054121852743902008-06-05T11:41:00.003+02:002008-06-05T15:41:10.035+02:00

I've never seen Dave cry in pain, and he never cries when he's angry, but sometimes when he's talking about the kids he'll well up, and at least once a month (sometimes a couple of times a week) he starts crying over. . . . . .sports.It's been that way since we were dating. Yesterday I got an email from one of my college roommates, Tina (who I'm so happy to still be in touch with!):"I had a total

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-62954537039077746032008-06-05T11:12:00.005+02:002008-06-05T15:36:51.442+02:00

Dave here. The blog "stuff white people like" was started about six months ago and has received more than 30 million hits. The author is publishing a book of the same title on July 1st. He lists all of his posts by numbered topic, so you can see all of them quickly and easily. When I read it I laugh until I cry.Here's some posts - out of his last ten - that might make you sick with laughter:#100

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-54438625150174145232008-06-05T02:17:00.002+02:002008-06-05T02:23:47.711+02:00

CNN is doing a series called "Eye on France." Watch it and tell me if it's good. Then eat a baguette and some chocolate, because that tastes really good together.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-55031387226118761502008-06-03T21:04:00.007+02:002008-06-03T21:29:57.296+02:00

To give you an idea of what it takes to immerse a child in a new language to basically a fluent level in nine months, here is a rundown:We only have access to French TV. There is no satellite bringing in channels from the U.K.The kids spend 8 hours a day at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 6 hours a day on Mondays and Fridays. Carter spends 12 hours a week at the garderie. Only French is

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-67866034987257187682008-06-03T12:55:00.004+02:002008-06-03T13:22:55.076+02:00

See Uncle Jessie, the Mona Lisa and others at dirtycarart.com. Last week's weather was nothing short of a horror. Starting on Sunday the sky turned brown and the sun was completely blocked out. On Monday the wind began blowing like a hurricane, and on Tuesday and Wednesday the rain came down in buckets. See previous posts whining about the rain to confirm this.But this rain was brown and made

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-25317206361895075102008-06-03T08:25:00.000+02:002008-06-03T12:53:58.097+02:00

I'm sure the trend of bringing your own bags to the grocery store is ever-growing in the states. The bags in France are starting to get pretty cute, like this one I found at Castorama (like Home Depot).For .70 euro cents, I snatched up a few of these to take with me back to the States. You never know, one of them might be a gift for you.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-11094928093292768192008-06-02T17:40:00.003+02:002008-06-02T17:49:03.091+02:00

A funny thing happens when your brain works hard to think in two languages. Sometimes your english brain and your french brain get mixed up and you say funny things, like this:Sophie getting ready for bed: "Mom, have you seen my pajamas tinkerbell?"Abby, as preparing to make some scrambled eggs: "I want to use this pan, because it's minus heavy."

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-21472533081575511242008-05-31T09:34:00.004+02:002008-06-01T11:01:31.688+02:00

Below are a few more photos taken at the Cannes Film Festival, before it ended on May 25th. Cannes is set right on the sea, which explains the boats in the background. The first is of Stasha with her friend Pascaline. The second is of Stasha and me, in front of the hotel hosting many of the actors and actresses in the new Indiana Jones film. Stasha's bad is from a little sussy. Hopefully now

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-70441605689477331732008-05-31T00:23:00.005+02:002008-05-31T09:26:49.208+02:00

Photo by Nicole Hill. Sam's eye-scab by Brian.This link is today's news report with Jean-Pierre Pernaut, broadcast every day on TF1, or channel 1 throughout France. At 23:35 they begin a report about the schoolchildren of Mougins between the ages of 5 and 7, who got together yesterday in some gym somewhere and sang a bunch of songs as they "get ready to celebrate the end of the school year."At

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-50447362261476836962008-05-31T00:21:00.004+02:002008-05-31T00:41:39.391+02:00

Dear Brad and Angie,I know you are anxiously awaiting the birth of your "unknown sex" and "unnamed" twins, but I wanted to send you a quick note to put you at ease.I've got the cell phone with me at all times--yes, even under my pillow at night! As soon as I get your call, I'll be at the hospital to cheer you on. I know there's a little less work required with a scheduled c-section, but still,

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-29342583405728217212008-05-30T12:49:00.002+02:002008-05-30T12:55:58.500+02:00

I love the fact that right now my kids are on youtube listening to Christophe Mae and singing along!

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-48497223413989004912008-05-29T15:19:00.004+02:002008-05-29T19:41:24.912+02:00

My secret is that Dave uses my deodorant. Apparently he ran out of his own a few months ago and tried mine in a pinch. But he quickly decided he prefers it to his own, so now he doesn't even have any deodorant: he just uses mine every day. It really is like that commercial from the early 80's: "strong enough for a man but made for a woman." I asked him if it made him feel pretty but he said no. I

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-36458076272225615882008-05-29T10:56:00.004+02:002008-05-29T15:31:28.122+02:00

It's raining cats and dogs. Or as they say in French, "it's raining ropes." This makes four days in a row, and the sun hasn't shown itself in a week.Anyone else get the blues when it rains a lot?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-61592079723751307192008-05-28T08:57:00.001+02:002008-05-28T08:57:00.874+02:00

Rembrandt van Rijn’s 1661 painting “Saint James the Greater.”Saint Glinglin is a fictional French saint. The name probably represents humorous onomatopoeia. The exact origin is unknown, but there are various fanciful theories. The expression dates back to the year 1897. The French expression À la Saint Glinglin (on Saint Glinglin's Day) means "some day in the indefinite future, or quite likely

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-78210067969014679852008-05-27T17:15:00.005+02:002008-05-27T21:01:51.821+02:00

Playdates for my kids here soon, I'm sureThanks to Emily from Sacramento for letting me know that my good friend Angelina may be purchasing a $60m estate in France, instead of the run-down pile of stones she was supposedly buying two months ago for $10m (now it turns out she might be renting...). Interestingly, this new house is an hour closer to Mougins. Since she hasn't called me yet I can only

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-53225950176884259902008-05-27T06:36:00.000+02:002008-05-27T17:09:41.525+02:00

I don't eat yogurt. I always think it should taste so yummy when I open the plastic and see that creamy smooth dairy product glistening back at me. But as soon as I get the yogurt up to my nose, my tongue says "oh no you don't!"Until now. "La Fermiere" yogurt* (vanilla flavour) is not only delicious, it comes in these cute little ceramic pots. Normally the pots are made in this terracotta

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-27405417559305417942008-05-26T23:12:00.005+02:002008-05-26T23:45:35.129+02:00

Coat of Arms of the Largest American Cemetery in FranceDave posting again. I just want to say this...Our neighbor down the lane, Roger (Ro-ZHAY), is 71 years old and one of the nicest people you'll meet. But he is also outspokenly critical of the Bush administration, the Iraq War, and American energy consumption. Sometimes it's hard to hear his criticisms. After all, we'll always be proud

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-74637943858318759742008-05-26T12:43:00.001+02:002008-05-26T12:53:06.462+02:00

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-33286275139623632582008-05-25T22:22:00.005+02:002008-05-25T23:58:12.067+02:00

The French are in blue. The miracles start at -3:15.This is Dave. This blog can't always be about cherry pie.On Saturday June 7th in Basel, Switzerland is the first match of the 2008 European football (soccer) championships. This tournament isn't well-known in the United States, but in Europe it evokes passion the likes of which Americans can only understand when they watch this.In 2004 we had

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-65429261810988380832008-05-25T08:16:00.001+02:002008-05-25T08:16:00.402+02:00

The problem is that a lot of refrigerators in France do not have built-in ice-makers. I personally am not in possession of this luxury. Luckily my good friend is, because I have another problem:It is called "crushed ice." I love to chew crushed ice. I don't know why. Maybe I am iron deficient. In the US, I could get crushed ice at my house, Circle K, and the best crushed ice at a Mexican

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-20727532924464347092008-05-24T20:07:00.000+02:002008-05-24T20:07:00.495+02:00

Casino supermarche sells this cute little couple for just a couple of euros. Seems like yesterday that they got together.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-80580066644912127362008-05-23T19:37:00.004+02:002008-05-23T19:46:54.915+02:00

Bry Carter (right) is relieved of duty May 22, 2008I'm so proud to have a brother who served for more than 20 years in the United States Navy. After many long tours at sea away from his family, I hope he can spend the next 20 years or so taking some voyages with his family!Love you, Bry.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-13850922397196302008-05-23T10:07:00.001+02:002008-05-23T10:07:00.850+02:00

The cherry tree yielded a good crop. Everyone had a great time picking the cherries! If my sister were here, I'm sure she would make cherry pie or something. Oooh, maybe I should learn how to make cheesecake from scratch!

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-15825389114153656462008-05-22T18:35:00.003+02:002008-05-22T19:05:35.004+02:00

Today the kids went for their first real swim of the year. The water in the pool in my opinion is freezing, but the kids didn't seem to mind. I was standing literally three feet away from Carter with my back turned when he fell into the water. I heard nothing until Sam said in a fairly regular voice, "Carter fell in."I have jumped in the pool many times before to help one of my struggling

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-1488337286345793802008-05-22T09:55:00.000+02:002008-05-22T09:55:01.319+02:00

Found by 'mon cheri' in Southern UtahWhat a hidden gem this post is. A picture of 34 gallons for $2.06? In France you can't even get 34 gallons for two hundred six dollars. Great post, my dear! And she loves Travis, too. How cool is that?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-46875154165306341432008-05-22T09:02:00.001+02:002008-05-22T09:02:01.489+02:00

When some friends came for lunch, they brought me this lovely bottle of "pillow water". I couldn't resist spraying it everywhere. Fragonard, in the nearby town of Grasse makes perfumes and all kinds of lovely smelling things, but you may also recognize the name from this:"The Reader" by Jean Honore Fragonard(cousin to the perfume Fragonard's)

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-26517373471043879792008-05-21T21:43:00.009+02:002008-05-22T02:33:24.204+02:00

By visiting my blog, you have knowingly entered a very small slice of my life. As with any blog, you have made the choice to visit.While I appreciate and love comments, if you feel offended in any way, please keep your negative energy away from my blog.*I write to keep track of my experiences in France, the good, bad, ugly and weird. Who's to say what is good, bad, ugly or weird? On my blog,

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-10492231261674690592008-05-21T15:58:00.004+02:002008-05-22T02:39:13.059+02:00

Charles Lindbergh landed in a field near Paris, becoming the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. You can read the entire New York Times article here.It does a beautiful job of describing the euphoria that was felt in France more than 80 years ago when Lindbergh landed: "Vive l'Americain" the CryFor several minutes [in Paris] this cry was renewed until the proprietor of a motion

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-28483609238552806532008-05-21T11:27:00.003+02:002008-05-21T11:34:36.382+02:00

a little sussy posted a bunch of photos of our family yesterday, taken on Saturday May 10th. This is one of my favorites, but go to her blog to see them all. People like us don't look this good without a great photographer...

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-30714056988042330432008-05-21T08:56:00.007+02:002008-05-21T21:44:42.547+02:00

From last Sunday evening in Cannes: Behind those two white tents are Harrison Ford, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Cate Blanchett standing on the red carpet. We only knew that because they were projecting images onto a giant screen.These two crazies came out of the Carlton Hotel last Sunday about 5:30. The guy's face looked like it was made of wax, and his hair like a silk scarf. I love

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-73779670582458628572008-05-21T08:44:00.001+02:002008-05-21T08:44:02.033+02:00

Carter denied sweets in Valbonne, by Nicole HillA Little Sussy took this photo with her Polaroid last Tuesday in the small village of Valbonne, about 15 minutes from our house.She posted more than twenty photos like this on her blog on May 17th (she made multiple posts on that day but I've included only one link here), so be sure to look at all posts on May 17, 2008 to find them all. Who knew

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-71514798577600769162008-05-20T21:24:00.003+02:002008-05-20T21:44:40.125+02:00

You are looking at a (very bad) photo that I took with my friend's camera about one hour ago. There they are, my good friends Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, getting ready to walk up the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Look how pretty the back of Angelina's head is! ;)The millions of people taking pictures, combined with the umbrellas blocking the view made it hard to get a

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-50056257287925157552008-05-20T11:50:00.002+02:002008-05-20T13:26:19.403+02:00

Cardiff Reef, Solana Beach, CAThis site need some paintings of Mougins, Nice, Eze, St. Paul de Vence, etc. I'm sure that artists like Paul Ferney could make some very memorable stuff. As far as I'm concerned he's already done enough memorable stuff to last half a lifetime.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-76690425367498519882008-05-20T08:56:00.000+02:002008-05-20T08:56:00.719+02:00

I tried to make pancakes from scratch. I read somewhere that "levure chimique" is the same as baking powder. If it is, it is NOT used in the same proportions as baking powder. Unless pancakes are meant to be the consistency of cinnamon rolls.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-9952474762361502652008-05-19T20:52:00.000+02:002008-05-19T20:53:52.145+02:00

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-30739573707340114652008-05-19T14:50:00.005+02:002008-05-19T21:37:41.944+02:00

It's been raining an awful lot here, making me think of this wonderful song by Travis. I may get sick of the rain but never of this song.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-16530819055035821782008-05-17T18:19:00.005+02:002008-05-17T21:03:10.216+02:00

At 1:08 p.m. on May 17th, 1974, my parents welcomed into this world their 5th child. They already had two boys and two girls, in that order. The perfect family! But I guess the idea of (at least!) one more tiny bundle was too much to resist and I was born.So here I am now, 34 years old. I've had my lovely days doing cartwheels, made it through awkward skin problems and terrible hair style

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-69266303731377101582008-05-17T12:20:00.000+02:002008-05-16T14:47:23.351+02:00

The world's #1 ranked women's tennis player isn't French but the French love her because she's from Belgium. Justine Henin retired abruptly on Wednesday at age 25 and held a news conference with her coach, Carlos Rodriguez, who is often credited with helping make her a great champion.Henin was the one retiring but was totally composed during the news conference. Rodriguez was the one who had a

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-61302261367851081112008-05-16T13:06:00.004+02:002008-05-16T14:35:33.164+02:00

A Little Sussy left this morning and we hope to see her again soon, hopefully when her sister marries Dave's brother (they haven't met yet but that's just details). She was incredibly patient with the kids and so easy to get along with, which made it easier for everyone to smile (bad shoes, beat up faces, hurricane-like winds and all). But beyond that we think she's a very talented photographer.A

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-81315153097047482952008-05-16T12:41:00.007+02:002008-05-16T13:06:29.935+02:00

In the old village of MouginsAt the beach in CannesIn front of the house

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-74888593340441538142008-05-16T12:36:00.003+02:002008-05-16T12:41:50.833+02:00

My friend Angelina Jolie is in town for the Cannes Film Festival and yesterday was just 1 or 2 minutes away from Dave when he went to the train station in Cannes. Unfortunately they weren't able to meet up and she's yet to stop by. She knows where I live, though (I think?) so I'm hoping she'll drop in during the next couple of days. It's raining now so is a perfect day to just hang out at the

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-42302730870146279182008-05-14T20:30:00.000+02:002008-05-14T20:30:00.971+02:00

A view from the house last Saturday.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-27035652003060599712008-05-14T11:34:00.002+02:002008-05-14T11:41:37.109+02:00

go here if you want to know more! I saw them putting up a big tent at the Moulin de Mougins. go to this article on CNN.com. Could I put anymore links into one post?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-79235659237003875392008-05-14T10:25:00.002+02:002008-05-14T10:34:42.761+02:00

My sister-in-law sent me a cute email about these shirts from Gap. She said they remind her of us, because almost every day my husband wears a t-shirt like this (mostly from Target).If you have a good sense of humor and are not offended by the title of this blog, you might have a great laugh about t-shirts (and lots of other things).

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-46240957397512653352008-05-14T08:11:00.006+02:002008-05-14T11:23:35.948+02:00

These were all taken by A Little Sussy in the old village of Mougins last Saturday afternoon. She took more than two hundred pictures that I really like so I'll post some others later, taken at the house and at the beach in Cannes.I'm very happy with how the photos turned out. What do you think about them?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-90497936594133169102008-05-13T11:58:00.007+02:002008-05-13T18:04:56.688+02:00

The beginning of May in France full of holidays. We've had three after only twelve days. The first of May is a holiday virtually everywhere in Europe. I can't remember why. Anyone know?Last Thursday was also a holiday, called "Ascension", which commemorates when Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection. You can see it happening in the tapestry above, which looks great for something knitted

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-7578996687027630782008-05-13T11:41:00.008+02:002008-05-13T18:07:08.563+02:00

Eze: A Little Sussy takes better photos than thisA Little Sussy arrived last week and has been taking thousands of photos. You can see her view of Mougins, Cannes, Eze other nearby towns - and even our kids - on her blog (for a little window into Mougins, where we live, click here).

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-50199153265077686602008-05-13T11:30:00.005+02:002008-05-13T11:40:27.691+02:00

perhaps read the below articles. The first is about Love in Saudi Arabia, from a woman's perspective.The second is a bit about Craig Newmark, better known as "CraigsList". A regular guy, a bit on the shy side, who has made an incredible amount of money almost by accident, talks about Happiness.I'm still thinking about them.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-71874780147804030442008-05-13T01:59:00.004+02:002008-05-13T12:16:38.159+02:00

One day in Phoenix outside of Safeway I snapped a picture of this truck. I've never seen a truck like this in France. Maybe because gas costs $9 a gallon.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-81723299639997356972008-05-11T20:56:00.006+02:002008-05-12T19:16:35.067+02:00

Thomas Friedman, The New York TimesMay 12, 2008The ad popped up in my e-mail the way it always has: “1-800-Flowers: Mother’s Day Madness — 30 Tulips + FREE vase for just $39.99!”I almost clicked on it, forgetting for a moment that those services would not be needed this year. My mother, Margaret Friedman, died last month at the age of 89, and so this is my first Mother’s Day without a mom.As

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-75133974075782577232008-05-10T10:48:00.000+02:002008-05-11T22:12:36.399+02:00

Goodbye My LoverIt's guest-writer Dave. Nearly four months ago I lost my ipod. It had nearly every song on it that I've ever enjoyed, including every song ever released by Led Zeppelin, U2 and Coldplay, a hundred songs each by the Who and Travis and all of 90125 by Yes, which has been long forgotten by the world.Since then I've not bought a new one becauseI want one of these but I need it with at

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-7412523777736212552008-05-09T22:36:00.006+02:002008-05-12T02:47:45.856+02:00

The other day I went with my friend to Castorama to buy paint. I buy lots of paint in Phoenix because I like to live in a house with colored walls. I even have my own account at Dunn Edwards.So let's say I have a lot of experience with paint. I was excited to buy paint because I am going to paint my friend's doctors' office with her next week.Here's how you buy paint at Home Depot or Dunn

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-51031081933651383722008-05-09T21:29:00.001+02:002008-05-11T21:26:01.137+02:00

One of my favorite bloggers, and my anniversary surprise from Dave, arrived this afternoon from the US to take our photos and see a bit of life here in the South of France. I hope the weather cooperates!

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-89341127924967273262008-05-08T20:27:00.005+02:002008-05-13T12:17:40.654+02:00

On Wednesday the "Grande Section" at the Maternelle (kindergarten, basically) had a sort of field day with kids from the first year of Primaire, called CP. I went as an adult chaperone, and as I had two kids at the event, I brought our lunch all in one sack. I was running late and didn't take the time to make sandwiches, I just grabbed a loaf of bread, my Sam's club size jar of JIF, the jelly

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-75101832451619146112008-05-08T20:13:00.006+02:002008-05-11T21:26:38.044+02:00

Last week in CannesToday was a "jour ferrier" or a holiday as we say in English. We profited from the nice weather and headed once again down to la Croisette in Cannes to the beach.I did not have my camera with me to capture the day, but I did come home with some anecdotes.Like the pleasant surprise of once again running into "French for a While" and eating Wheat Thins and chewing some bubble

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-15934505059909282802008-05-08T20:04:00.004+02:002008-05-13T12:18:22.311+02:00

Double Digits!I seem to remember a May 7th when...WAIT! Can it be that you are really 10?!!Timely letters filled with birthday wishesAre not my cup of tea.Somehow everything was easierWhen you were only three.But, alas... those days are gone forever.Each year that passes,You just get better and more clever.Happy Birthday, Abby!Stop growing up so fast.Try to enjoy your special day,See how l o

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-81319093352469194562008-05-08T20:02:00.003+02:002008-05-11T11:34:46.430+02:00

We're getting our family pictures taken sometime in the next week . . . so of course it was no surprise when Sam came home from school yesterday with a big scrape on it. I guess "Brian" was getting a little rough during a game of cops and robbers. Happens here, too.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-84679513267193776852008-05-08T19:59:00.003+02:002008-05-16T19:48:02.292+02:00

If you want to come over for breakfast, my kids will make a gourmet meal just like this one!

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-11949389661441534992008-05-07T10:30:00.003+02:002008-05-16T19:48:44.571+02:00

France is not a country, I'm almost sure of it. It's all about the children.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-83711982010135699702008-05-06T18:11:00.007+02:002008-05-16T19:49:11.974+02:00

If you're from the states, especially the western ones, and are within a certain age group (I won't say which one), you have probably seen or worn an article of Ed Hardy clothing, like this:nordstrom, $158Did you ever imagine that Ed Hardy would look like this?:Don Ed Hardy, tatoo artistLuckily for Ed Hardy, he has friends like frenchman Christian Audigier, who has left his mark on brands like

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-47887286652104655232008-05-06T18:00:00.003+02:002008-05-16T19:50:00.589+02:00

We have all enjoyed spending more time with Dad during our "sabbatical" in France, and Daddy has enjoyed it, too!Now that it is warming up, I love last minute jaunts, like the one we took Saturday to the beach. I bought a "beach kit" at Carrefour for 11 euros, which included paddle ball, badminton, a soccer ball, and those velcro mitts with a fuzzy tennis ball.Sam had a great time playing with

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-36970544540956652382008-05-06T17:52:00.003+02:002008-05-16T19:50:20.763+02:00

If you spend an entire day at the Shiseido Spa at the Chateau-Relais 5-star Le Mas Candille in Mougins, you will also have a big smile on your face. And a little tan.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-23640410122095854622008-05-03T10:41:00.006+02:002008-05-16T19:51:47.887+02:00

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's crib on Cap FerratDear Brad and Angie,I know I said we were through, but I thought I should give you guys another chance. I mean, if we can't forgive our best friends, who can we forgive?I see that you're spending some time down at Paul Allen's place on St. Jean Cap Ferrat, which I know you know is not that far from Mougins. Give me a ring or shoot me an email

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-86185079613163792992008-05-03T10:34:00.003+02:002008-05-16T19:52:06.698+02:00

If you're moving to France and want to bring your hair clippers from the U.S., make sure you bring a transformer, not just an adapter. Otherwise you will be forced to give your child the arm of a plastic skeleton from your halloween decorations to comfort him while you cut his hair.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-34043344903636027302008-05-03T10:29:00.002+02:002008-05-03T10:33:39.303+02:00

We made a traditional American breakfast/brunch the other day for our friend's birthday: French Toast! Our friends were hesitant but willing to try Mrs. Butterworth's, but when they did, they liked it!After the meal, every single scrap of food that you see on this table was gone.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-22326183166546112102008-05-03T10:21:00.006+02:002008-05-16T19:52:52.509+02:00

The other night after the kids had eaten dinner, I noticed the lid to an ice cream carton sitting on the table. I was busy chatting with friends that were over, so I just assumed the kids had eaten all the ice cream and forgotten to throw out the lid.About ten minutes after I noticed the lid, I was walking by the kitchen table and I felt something by my foot. When I lifted up the tablecloth,

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-13844532026409088792008-04-29T23:01:00.004+02:002008-05-16T19:53:29.389+02:00

Today Dave had kind of a rough day. On the way to school this morning, the kids decided to ask him a bunch of questions in French, and when he replied, they roared with laughter and made fun of his accent."Le pauvre" as they say in French. (Poor thing!)

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-44130563459440054922008-04-28T10:49:00.006+02:002008-05-16T19:54:01.882+02:00

A few minutes ago, I started doing my blog rounds (i.e. checking all my favorite blogs for the day), and I clicked here.After you click there, too, you will understand why I have mascara stains on my face and a permanent grin.xoxo

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-55657630170950500992008-04-28T10:07:00.004+02:002008-04-28T12:19:19.464+02:00

This is what Dave and I were doing. Happy Anniversary, honey!Some things that have changed in 13 years:- Dave is more patient with messes around the house.- I am better at cleaning up messes around the house.- Dave has forgotten how to speak Chinese.- We have both learned to speak French.- Our thirst to travel is even greater than before.- Dave's hair isn't as puffy.- My teeth aren't as crooked.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-83496638871527551752008-04-28T09:44:00.004+02:002008-04-28T11:05:51.985+02:00

Yesterday I went with the kids and our friends to Monaco to a "spectacle" (speck-tack) of horses. Besides having to leave the show three times because I was recovering from a little gastro-intestinal as a result of eating too much chocolate cake in one day, we had a great time!Things started off really well when we found parking right across from the arena. The lot was full for cars, but for

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-15191252068030567222008-04-27T23:47:00.007+02:002008-04-28T11:00:00.832+02:00

I hope not everything here has to be about France. Anyway, if it does, French people get plastic surgery too.Go here to read an article that has a fantastic slideshow of various celebrities that have - in some cases - grossly overdone it on plastic surgery. I think it's safe to say that Joan of Arc - I mean Joan VAN Ark - is one of them.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-39510989365179966332008-04-26T14:27:00.002+02:002008-04-28T11:02:31.015+02:00

Is this just going to keep happening every year?

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-59318072395801148432008-04-25T21:31:00.006+02:002008-04-28T11:03:43.247+02:00

This happened this morning about a kilometer from the beach below our condo. You can read the article here or watch the video here.SOLANA BEACH, Calif. - A shark attacked and killed a swimmer Friday morning who was training in the ocean off San Diego County with a group of local triathletes, authorities said. The shark was believed to be a great white. A 66-year-old man was swimming with others

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-29899287647118199642008-04-25T18:15:00.003+02:002008-04-25T18:20:38.877+02:00

We were lucky this year because our exchange family has a huge, beautiful garden (yard), which is uncommon in this part of France. Now that spring is in full swing, the kids are really enjoying spending time outside. It's great.Earlier this afternoon I heard Sam screaming my name over and over and over. I thought maybe he'd really hurt himself. Instead, I went outside to find that he'd just

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8406415814031712991.post-22182683128918516402008-04-25T17:49:00.005+02:002008-04-25T17:58:16.872+02:00

Dave here. Halloween is only six months away, so it's never too early to start planning your costume. In the spirit of Martha Stewart, here's a pretty little idea for you that's all the rage this season.Cotton candy wig, Target: $15. Fake nose, Target: $6. Clown suit: $20 at Goodwill. Big red thing from some store: $5. Fake blood, Target: $5.

La Vie est Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09566541153500203793noreply@blogger.com0