Alina's 9...I mean, 8!

Hello, it's been a long time since I've posted anything...  Here are some pictures of Alina's latest birthday.  She's now 9, but, shhhhh, don't tell her.  Actually, since her favorite number is 8, she has insisted that she will never be 9, but will remain 8 for the rest of her life.  She was VERY upset when she received a birthday card saying "Happy 9th birthday."  Very upset.

 Everyone needs their crown and jewels when they drink hot chocolate, right?

And we spent all morning putting together the ranch of her dreams!

Forest Frolic

 It's starting to feel a bit like spring here.  Above, admire Alina's floral artwork.  Right underneath the crown, you'll see Tassia's second missing tooth.  Below, this is the picnic that Sybille invited me to:

Bon appetit!

 Over our recent vacation, we went to see the Hermione, that was making a stop in La Rochelle.  This ship is the exact reconstruction of the ship that the General de La Fayette used to bring troops over to the English colonies that were fighting for their independence.  We thought that as a Franco-American family with a little passion for history, that this was a must-see.

 So, here she is, and below is a view of La Rochelle:

 Here she is at sunset:

 This is in case they meet any enemies (and also, they realized that they needed the weight of the canons to make the boat navigable.)

She'll be in NYC for July 4th, if all goes on schedule!

All Through the Night

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Market 2014

 Today was the annual Christmas market in our neck of the woods.  We, as usually, unashamedly took advantage of the free pony rides.

 And the free face painting.  Did I mention unashamedly?

 We actually shelled out the money for three tickets on the merry-go-round...

That Alina had to pedal herself!
Actually, the guy running the thing was on it pedalling, as well.  But it was in fact pedal-operated.  Happy Christmas season!