Laowai

During our little vacation to France last weekend I kept seeing our new house. There were mansard roofs everywhere. Our house has French roots for sure. It’s not the style I pictured for us, but maybe it’s just right since we unintentionally chose French names for our children too.

Strasbourg houses:

My house:

Here’s are some recent projects that the girls have made. Bea did most of these on her own – she gets in the mood to make something and she can think of nothing else.

Fabric collages – the kitty is for Claire and the bottom one is a penguin.

Claire made this drawing around a kittens sticker.

Bea wanted to make some chicks – she first thought of using pompoms but we didn’t have any yellow ones – so she found these little containers. They are from choclolate eggs that have a prize inside for kids – the prize is inside this yellow pod. All her idea – just a little glue gun help from me.

Another kitty gift for Claire.

Some sort of penguin scene:

Claire’s collage:

This on might be disturbing – she said it’s a monster with people inside it and some people on the moon and on an airplane can see the monster.

Some sort of factory or store:

She saw some cross stitch patterns on my computer and wanted to copy them onto graph paper:

An Easter egg hunt with train in the background:

Not sure what the story is here?

Good stuff!

We just go back from a long weekend in Strasbourg. Strasbourg is a pretty, pretty, pretty town even when it’s chilly and there isn’t a speck of sunshine.

Notice the unofficial Mickey Mouse on the carousel – that always makes me laugh.

The huge gothic cathedral is amazing – it seemed even more massive against the flat white sky. We could hear the bells loud and clear from our hotel room.

There are storks all over Strasbourg – there were bunches of them in the trees and on tops of buildings and they adorn every sort of tourist souvenir that you can imagine. 

We took a boat tour along the canals. It was toasty warm on the boat and we learned all about Strasbourg listening to their recording.

Here we are going through a lock – Bea was very interested in how it all works.

The girls were pretty good walkers – we only used the stroller getting to and from the train station. When I asked Bea about her favorite part of our little vacation she said the hotel. Nothing beats staying at a hotel for them. It was extra fun this time because we had two rooms connected by stairs. The top room was for sleeping and it was like a cozy little attic in the peak of the roof.

Here we are walking along the locks and into the quaint Petit France area.

Bonus on the way home – we got the playground car all to ourselves. So cool.

What do you think of my new bedroom? 

As charming and quirky and happy as this wallpaper is (truely). I think I will be removing it. You’re invited to a wallpaper removing party this summer.

We did it – we bought a house – well almost. The closing is in April. We saw it for a very short time and I couldn’t get it out of my head so now it’s mine… well ours. It’s in Wilmette. It’s built like a bomb shelter. You look out the window when you stand at the bathroom sinks. The basement has really high ceilings. It has big trees. It’s within walking distance to Bea’s school and the train station. I can’t stop thinking about it. I feel lucky and excited. 

Details to come.

When I was in Michigan I bought an old prom style dress and used it to make a fancy dress up outfit for Bea. 

I think it was good timing because her class just did a play – the frog prince story – and I think it renewed her interest in dressing up like a you know what…

We took a trip to the Zurich Zoo to see the penguins (and some other animals too). We really wanted to see the penguin parade – the penguins walk along a path through the zoo. As far as I could tell they seem to go for their little stroll unguided. The gate to their enclosed area is opened and out they come. A zoo person walks along behind them, but the penguins seem to know where they are going. They walk along and look at the people and the people stand there and look at them. We almost missed the parade because we we were hopelessly stuck at the back of a big crowd of people. But then we caught them on their way back and Bea pushed her way up to the front of the crowd just in time to see the penguins waddling along. Whew! Unfortunately the only photo I got of the penguin parade was the one below where they pass through a construction area at the zoo – not so picturesque. 

We finished up Bea’s Birthday season with our little family party. I told her she now needs two hands to show how old she is. 

Sometimes Bea is a puzzle to me and I wonder what intricate thoughts are turning in her head. I know she is smart and she thinks and thinks and thinks. Some days she looks especially pretty and I can’t stop looking at her and thinking what a beauty she is going to be as she grows older. Sometimes she is the sweetest and kindest little bug like when she makes pictures for us and for her friends and her teacher – it’s her way of saying something loving. Sometimes she makes me laugh with her funny made up games or when she whispers secrets in her sister’s ear. Always I am proud of her and always I love her.

Happy Birthday Bea!

 

Here’s a look back:

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

The gingham is a really soft old sheet and the kitty is from this template.

Bea is NOT a morning person. Our school day mornings are often super frustrating. If only I had a batch of cupcakes for her to decorate every morning I think our morning troubles would be solved.

The cupcakes were for Bea to take to school – today is her day to celebrate her birthday with her teacher and her classmates.

Yum, did I mention that I like cake. These are the Pink Lady Cake recipe from Smitten Kitchen – it makes a big cake or a lot of cupcakes. The frosting is from this site.