Currently viewing the tag: "family"
Tonight, we are celebrating!
I have been working for weeks researching and registering the girls for summer camps in France. Today, I finally received the last confirmation – and we are good to go! 6 summer camps in 3 different countries!
Many of you want to do this next summer – so I thought I’d [...]
Spring is in the air! In the last week, I’ve spoken to no fewer than four people who are planning a spring trip to Paris with their families. How can I get in on some of that? I’m going to Indiana! Not that I’m complaining, mom! :)
I find Paris to be very family friendly [...]
This was a fun exercise for me – I asked the girls to name 10 things they loved about living in Puyloubier. I kept my mouth shut and just took notes.
the sun was hot dessert at lunchtime the food, especially the melons and sausages at recess when the kids used only their imagination because [...]
We went to a few parties this weekend – and I tried really hard not to drone on and on about France. But of course, I failed miserably! In my own defense, everyone had a ton of questions and it was hard to stop singing the praises of Provence!
The same questions came up over [...]
Yes, I admit it. I’m a little nostalgic (homesick?) for Puyloubier and Provence.
All week I’ve been trying to channel my inner French girl and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. The girls and I picked wild flowers, baked a clafoutis, took walks and read books. Dan and I have even been able to carve [...]
Without a doubt, our favorite souvenirs are the experiences and the friendships we made in France. But those are harder to unpack and describe in a single blog post. Here are the tangible versions of our souvenirs:
My favorites:
My French shopping basket. I bought it the second day I was there and I used [...]
We made it home! And I really, really don’t want to unpack. I’m afraid that once the suitcases are put away, I’ll lose that séjour feeling… is there a song for that?
Two days ago, my kids were running around the village unattended while I sat on my stoop, sipping rosé and chatting with my [...]
This is a guest post by my husband, Dan.
Almost two months after Laurie and our daughters arrived in Puyloubier, France, I finally flew in from Seattle to join them for the last 10 days of their stay. After landing and making a quick stop for lunch in Marseille, Laurie took me to the [...]
Sasha said today that when she grows up she is going to be a mother, a teacher and a Judo girl. And maybe also a gymnast.
Judo is really popular here, so we decided to give it a try. I have been so impressed. Their lessons are jam-packed with physical activity and concentration. By the [...]
Grandma’s here! The poor woman must be absolutely exhausted after 24 hours of travel – but did we let her go to bed early? No way!
We spent the entire evening at a friend’s house – eating outside, drinking wine, talking, laughing… What a great group of people – a truly special night.
Welcome to [...]
Today I was finally able to steal a few hours to myself. And it was absolutely dreamy!
By 10am I had “faire des bisous” to everyone in the village, so I drove into Aix-en-Provence. After browsing the markets and art galleries, I sat down to a two-hour, three-course lunch at a gorgeous little bistro. The [...]
View of Marseille from the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.
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La Basilique. Apparently, the Marseille football (soccer) team prays here before each match!
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Girls light a candle for Grandma Jitka. [...]
Sophia cried when she got home from school today. She says everyone is nice to her, but she is sad because she doesn’t have any close friends and she feels lonely. aaaaahhh! I know!! It broke my heart! We talked it over and we came up with a plan.
1. First, we ate some ice [...]
Can I just point out the obvious?
The French eat well. They can’t help themeselves. It’s a core value. Take the school lunch program. Nutritious, varied and tasty. Served in three courses, family style. Here’s what my kids have been eating lately:
Yesterday: Radishes in butter, stuffed vegetables, cheese, petites suisse [...]
In 1827, the Pasha of Egypt gave the King of France a giraffe. Her name was Zarafa and she sailed from Alexandria, Egypt to Marseille, France in a special boat with a hole cut out for her neck. After wintering in Marseille, Zarafa “wearing sylish boots and a cape” walked 500 miles in four days [...]
Thanks to a few great friends, this house has finally become my home (away from home). Our Parisian friends came to stay with us over the long weekend. We got to travel around the region and see some pretty spectacular cities – more on that in another post. But [...]
I can’t believe we’ve been here a full week! I absolutely love hearing from all my friends. The house gets pretty quiet at night and it’s nice to read your emails! Today, I thought I’d share some of the questions (and answers) I keep getting.
How are the girls getting along in French?
I [...]
Just a quick blog today to share with you some photos of our little village…
Puyloubier is tucked into the base of Mt. Sainte Victoire, and overlooks a wide green valley covered with vineyards and stone barns.
The village itself is really very charming. The church bells ring every hour. There [...]
What an exciting morning! The girls have started school! What am I going to do with myself until 4:20pm?
The girls were super excited this morning, but also a little nervous. Sasha said she had too many butterflies in her tummy to have a third nutella crepe. (I agreed.) Sophia practically ran to school, [...]
About me
Hi! I'm Laurie - travel consultant and blogger. Do you want to live La Belle Vie? I can help!
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