The Whitfields

Saturday, November 16, 2013

D and E à Paris!

Last week, Doug and I enjoyed a trip to Paris. It was an amazing voyage filled with delicious food and drink, miles and miles of walking and exploring, visits to historical masterpieces, and appreciation of the French culture. We loved our time together, and it was a bit unnerving how rarely I thought of the kids who were home in Boise with Papa and Grandma-extraordinaire....!!! Thank you, my D, for such a memorable vacation. Paris is a beautiful city to experience and there is no one else in this world with whom I'd rather travel there!

enjoying a Saturday Parisian market

our view from the top of the Arc d' Triumph

view from our hotel room

top of Notre Dame

documenting our day to day details while sitting in an outdoor cafe

midnight in Paris

loving my life

riding bikes along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower

buying Christmas gifts in another outdoor market

the only photo of me leading the way on bikes...the rest of the time I was dodging cars, people, monuments to keep up with D.

our walk up the Arc

Parisian love

Le Louvre

my awe of Napoleon's apartment

"kids? What kids?"

Find Elizabeth in the cafe

at Jardin Du Luxembourg

The next three photos document one of the most hysterical "lost in translation" moments in my life. Doug's main meal came out as raw meat. It had been pounded thin and came with three dipping sauces. The waiter said "bon appetit!" and left. We waited a few moments, but there was no indication that this was an incomplete meal. Here is photo #1 as D prepares to take his first bite:

And then photo #2 to show him continuing to eat. Despite my protests of concern and my pleas to not eat the raw meat, Doug said that it tasted good and that it was OK.

10+ minutes later, the waiter came back with a hot stone intended for cooking the meat. Here is Doug's face at that realization:

direct quote from D after the waiter left: "A little heads up would have been nice."

I laughed until I cried. And then I got nervous that Doug would be ill for the rest of the vacation. But he has a stomach of steel, and in fact, he maintains that the raw meat tasted better than the cooked meat. We are going to spend more time brushing up on our French before the next visit to avoid any other confusing situations like this!

our favorite crooked street

rainy day at Le Sacre Couer

A wonderful D and E adventure!

Friday, November 1, 2013

The Close of October

Boise, the City of Trees.

To close out this month, here are extra photos of Sophie's birthday, a few photos to document October adventures, some cute and not-so-cute (see: Doug) images from Halloween...

I'm obsessed with this photo.

...And with this photo, too!

I can never get enough of group photos of kids. They just crack me up!

My sweetheart.

hiking at Camelsback Park

I don't know what I am, but at least I'm not as disturbing as D....

Doug as "The Dude" from the movie, The Big Lebowski. If you aren't familiar with the movie, Google it, so you understand what Doug is doing in this photo. Disturbing.

Giant Halloween party with friends pre-trick or treating

THANK YOU, OCTOBER, FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFULLY JOYFUL MONTH.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Sophie Marie Turns 4!

Happy Birthday, Sophie!!

This has been a major year for Sophie in so many ways. As I've stated before, our family's geographical move coincided with or precipitated huge development in Sophie. I watched my independent, sweet, thoughtful, intelligent, and silly girl at her birthday party; her growth between age 3 to age 4 has been massive, and I'm in awe of her. She's the kind of girl whom I would want to be... the kind of girl I would want to be friends with... the kind of girl I would want my child to be friends with. She's the kind of girl I always dreamed would be my daughter. Doug and I feel very lucky to have her as our oldest child. She is emotional and sassy and stubborn, but her creative, inquisitive, and hysterical moments far outweigh any diva-like moments she may exhibit! She had a day of celebrations at school and then later, she enjoyed a big party at our neighborhood barn with all her friends. On her actual birthday, we spent time as a family of 4 giving her room a "big-girl" makeover. In the evening, we joined Auntie A, Uncle Chris, and Grady at Red Robin for a surprise dinner for Sophie. And her birthday weekend ended with tears and some of these tearful pleas: "I wish I was 10. No, I just wish I was 55. It's taking so long for me to be 55" and "I just miss my crib or my toddler bed. I can't scissor kick in my new bed" and "I can't go to sleep because you took me to Red Robin and I can never sleep after that dinner. You know that." She was irrational, emotional, and exhausted after a weekend of sweet, sweet celebration! That's my 4-year old girl!!