Je suis fini!!

By Amy

I am finished! After two months of sifting through hundreds of pictures, photoshopping, journaling, and planning the perfect layout, I am finally finished with my Paris scrapbook!

Here are some of my favorite pages.

I tried to make the pages look uncluttered but interesting. I'm pretty happy with most of them. I think my husband is hoping that I will clear out my little (kind of big) scrapbook corner (mostly wall) in our bedroom. Little does he know that now i am going to start making some cards and start organizing other photos. Mua ha ha ha!

Non-Toxic

by Ang

I've always loved plants. A few years ago I had a great apartment with these floor to ceiling windows that were perfect for sunning plants. I had plants in every window.

That is, until I got animals.

Most plants are poisonous to cats and dogs. But I love plants so much and miss having them around, so I thought enough is enough! I went online and printed off a list of non-toxic plants and went to the store. I was hoping to find at least one that I could have in my apartment without killing my pets. I was thrilled to find THREE!! I found a spider plant, a pony tail palm and some other palm that's name is too long for me to remember.

Before I could even get them re potted, this is what happened:

(and no, I do not let my cats up on the counter. This all happened in less than a minute.)

I thought maybe it was just this particular plant that she liked and that she would leave the others alone.

Nope.

I was SHOCKED when I came home today. I was fully expecting my plants to be on the floor and half chewed up. I was pleasantly surprised to find them all in tact where I left them.

(the rocks are to keep the critters from playing in the dirt).

I get good light in my apartment and I think the plants will do well. That is, if the two furry creatures that allow me to live with them don't kill them first.

The Other Side

By Amy

I am blessed with two big, beautiful families. My own and my husband's. I love my husband's family. It's bigger then mine. They are loud and funny and tell it like it is. Here is just two members of his family. I've talked about my new little niece before. But here is the youngest niece on my husbands side. She is a doll.

I'm addicted to her hair.

I think she likes me too.

This is my husband's sister. She just got back from being in Ecuador. She had been there for two years working as a missionary. She told us on the way home tonight that she had forgotten what it was like not to have to hand wash her clothes.

She is a true gem. The most self sacrificing person I know. We are so glad that she is back for now.

I think her nieces and nephews are glad too.

When people complain about their in-laws, I just sit quietly. I've known mine for 16 years and my heart would not be whole without them.

Spring

by Ang

I'm so glad that we are actually having a REAL spring. Sometimes here in the middle of the country our Springs last 2 weeks. It usually goes from 30 degrees to 100 just like that. It's the same with Fall. Usually we don't have one. It's 100 degrees and then 2 weeks later it's snowing. But I can honestly say that this year we are having a great Spring. We've had a few weeks (straight!) of high 60's to low 80's temperatures. And a few showers to make everything a little greener.

There's a nice park about 5 minutes from my office. Today over my lunch break I went there armed with my lunch, water, book, and camera. It's so nice to see things growing and blooming!

Eating in Paris

By Amy

Let's talk about food. Figuring out what and where to eat was so much fun in Paris. For breakfast we would usually get something at a bakery. It was always amazing. For lunch we tried to eat something that was fast because we were usually on the go. This was a chicken gyro. And yes that's the diet version of coke. I think I had a total of 12 of these bottles. They averaged between 3 and 10 dollars. Yes 10 dollars. My sister paid that at a cafe that had views of Sacre Couer. Location, location, location.

We refused to go to any place that we have here. We saw a lot of McDonald's and Subways. I do believe we even saw a Domino's pizza.

Although at one point I did crave a burger. So I ordered one. It looks the same but didn't taste the same. I guess I'm used to that good ole Nebraska beef.

We would try to eat outside because the inside of cafe's were usually very small with only eight or less tables. Although outside you do run the risk of sitting by a smoker. But it was usually worth it because half the fun of Paris is people watching.

For dinner we would try to find a place that was half way affordable. This was typically what I got for dinner.

I thought I would have been more adventurous but the truth is, it's very expensive and I wanted to make sure that I got something that I liked. So I stuck with chicken.

Water is not free. They always give you a bottle of it and it's between 5 & 10 dollars. It's almost cheaper to get a coke. Or wine. We did try to eat some veggies while we were there. One time for supper I got this. Instead of a hard boiled egg the salads come with a fried one.

And you don't get a choice of dressing. No ranch in France. But the vinaigrette was really good.

We did go to two "nicer" places. One was a restaurant where almost every dish had some sort of fruit in it. I just told the waiter to choose for me. It looked scary but it was actually really good. The more I ate it the more I liked it. It had halibut, rice, tomato, fruit in a light coconut sauce. Sounds gross even as I type this but I finished it all.

The other place we went to served alot of french food. Again I stuck with what I know. The steak was ok. I guess I'm spoiled with beef. The potatoes and salad were perfect.

Eating is a big deal in Paris. It's not uncommon for Parisians to spend two hours for a meal. In fact you have to flag the waiter for your check because it's considered rude for them to give it to you before you are done. It's also true that the portions are smaller. Probably one of the reasons why French women are thin. They probably also don't order dessert after every meal like I did. Oh dessert. That will be a whole other post.

Weekend

By Amy

Well I did get to cross a few things off my list. I got my floors all nice and shiny, I found cages for my tomato plants and I got a new recipe book to inspire me to menu plan (which I did). I tried to look beautiful for husband and I think he was happy to see me after being gone for five days. I didn't finish my Paris scrapbook or work on my closet. Maybe this week. Maybe not.

Today we went to pick up the boys from Grandma and Grandpa's. We had a BBQ at my brother's house and got to see sweet little Miss A. She is cuteness with a capital C.

Alert and Awake

My beautiful sister Ang. She hates pictures of herself and I'll probably get it for posting this.

My mom and dad with their only granddaughter

Sound asleep

My Grandma with her Great Grandchildren

It was a good weekend. It always is when my family is together. I love them all so much!!

Therapy

by Ang

I had a really rough week. I haven't been sleeping well, I haven't been feeling well, I am emotionally drained and exhausted. So today I am focusing on getting better. Sort of a 'pampering' day, but not really because I also have been cleaning, getting groceries and getting stuff done.

Here's a few things that have made me happy today.

Blueberry pomegranate white iced sun tea. I made it this morning.

It's delicious. Very refreshing! (an inside joke for my 7 year old nephew).

New nail polish:

It's purple.

Advil!

DVD commentaries of The Office:

This picture my brother sent me today on my phone of my niece:

Look at her round belly!

So hopefully I'll start to feel better in the next few days. I have a nice, relaxing weekend planned and tonight I'm going to a movie with my sister. Family is wonderful when you're feeling down!!