Non-Adventure #8 La Vie En Rose!

SO............I know it has been like FOREVER! I have mostly been just lazy. Lazy in wanting to take the time to create a post and so this one will either be an extremely LONG post or I will make it more than one. So here it goes. August, September, and the beginning part of October went by with a repetitive routine. I worked, walked Sookie (usually to the dog park), and if there was time left over I hung out with friends. The only weekday that my routine was different was Mondays. On those evenings I went to BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) instead of walking. ON A SIDE NOTE: BSF is AMAZING! I totally love my group leader and have made some awesome friends in my group. OK back to the non-adventure. My dad had been talking about going to Paris (France not Texas), for a couple of years. We almost went last year but his passport didn't make it before the prices started climbing again. So when he started talking about it again in August I thought it was something we were going to talk about but wouldn't actually happen. Well, next thing I know he has booked the plane tickets! So I began saving like crazy. He also booked one for my best friend (we have been friends since like middle school) Stacie, in high school we took French together.

So after lots of saving and searching the last week of October finally arrived and we were all packed and READY to go. So we flew out on Sunday night (the 26th). After dinner (wasn't great I mean it was airplane food), we had two inflight movies Mrs. Pettigrew Lives For a Day, and Enchanted. I fell asleep towards the end of the first movie, our plane wasn't full and we were able to spread out a little.

MONDAY:

We got to Paris that morning about 9am. After picking up bags, we walked FOREVER trying to find where we get on the RER train that would take us into Paris. We finally got there and got our first good surprise, the ticket machines were out of service and we got to ride to Gare du Nord train station in Paris for FREE!!! From there we took tons of metros, stairs (not escalators, stairs!! with our 50 lb suitcases!), and walked a lot (we got turned around and were unsure of where exactly we needed to go). We finally get to the hotel and we are too early to be able to check into our room. So we leave our bags in the lobby at the hotel and we struck out, first stop THE EIFFEL TOWER or in French Le Tour Eiffel!!!! Our hotel was about a 15-20 minute walk, and the Trocodero was even closer! We got there and they had these Hello Kitty sculptures that were crying. Here is Kitty below crying with the eiffel tower behind her:

and of course the Eiffel Tower itself:

We didn't go up that day and we mostly just hung around the area and walked to some other places. We finally were able to check into our hotel after a while and we went some where and ate dinner that night but I really cannot remember where. We ALL were ready for bed at like 7:30 that night and so we went to bed early.

TUESDAY:

We got up early that morning and went to the Eiffel Tour again and we got our second surprise: it was a beautiful morning! A great day to go up.

So there, bright and early we waited in line and paid our 15 euro to go ALL the way to the top. We went up, stopped on both of the lower platforms and then came down to the ground again, drank hot chocolate, and then went to La Defense (The Grand Arch). If you stand in front of it and look straight ahead you can see The Arch de Triomphe. This is La Defense:

After leaving there we wandered over to the Louvre (it was Tuesday so it was closed) and Notre Dame.

After that we called it a day, had dinner, and went back to the hotel.

WEDNESDAY:

We took the RER train out to Versailles.

This is the famous hall of mirrors, and if you look to the right you can see my dad in a gray jacket.

It was cold but the palace was INCREDIBLE! Amazing how tall the rooms were and how much land the palace encompasses.

We caught a train back into town and took our audio tour of Notre Dame courtesy of Rick Steves (what a great find that book turned out to be! Full of great information and easy to read and follow). Then we went to St. Chapelle and finished the evening off by going to the Arch de Triomphe.

THURSDAY:

We headed out to The Louvre.

We skipped entering the traditional way (through the glass pyramid) and took a metro into the Louvre.

It was really cold and raining outside and so it was nice to skip both the bad weather and the lines. We again followed a Rick Steves audio tour and saw the Venus:

The Winged Victory:

and lots of other famous paintings, including the Mona Lisa which was as small as everyone says it is (there was always a huge crowd around that painting so I didn't take any pictures).

Not full of art yet we went to The Musee d'Orsay, an old train station converted into a museum.

My Favorite museum and surprise Rick again guided us around to hit the good and most notable art. Like Degas and his dancers:

Monet:

and Renoir:

One of my favorite paintings, The Country Dance:

It reminds me of a painting they use in an episode of Gilmore Girls. The town hosts the festival of living art and Lorelei recreates the Dance at Bougival painting.

FRIDAY:

We started out with Napoleon's Tomb.

Then walked to the Rodin

and saw the thinker:

some beautiful flowers and other statues out in this amazing garden that even in the rain was gorgeous!

After that we headed to Galeries Lafayette (it is a huge department store that is like going to the 10-story Macy's in NYC) where you can go and look out on the roof:

There we had the BEST hot chocolate of the whole trip (and believe me we drank a lot hot chocolate).

We followed that up with a night time trip to the Arch.

So I have decided that this will be a two parter with the second week to come!

Non-Adventure #7 Californiaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I am back from California, I got in last night after a full day of traveling. I flew into LAX on Thursday morning. My sister picked me up and we headed out to enjoy sometime in LA. We went to the Grove did some shopping and had our make-up done at Nordstroms. While we were getting our make-up at the MAC counter Adam Sandler was hanging out in the store. We had a nice lunch at this beautiful Italian restaurant. After leaving the Grove we headed out to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After a slight detour because of Kevin Costners movie premiere for Swing Vote. We got out and walked around looking at stars, footprints, and Graumans Chinese Theater.
Down the street from all that is a shopping center. We hung out there for a little while. In the picture below you can see the movie theater where the movie was premiering.
In the courtyard area below there was a lot of commotion and production as well as signs telling people that by entering the area you are giving permission to be filmed. They were filming something for TLC's Ten Years Younger. We waited around for a little while waiting to see someone in the box or revealed but no one got in while we were there. So we gave up waiting but in the picture below you can see the box.
All of these pictures were taken from a bridge. This last picture is from the other side of the bridge where you can see in the distance the Hollywood sign.
After we left there we drove up the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) to head to Oxnard. It is a beautiful drive with the ocean and beach on your left the whole drive. It takes you through Santa Monica (the picture below is the Santa Monica Pier and some houses that are on the PCH), and Malibu. We rode with the windows down and enjoyed the wind, the sun.

The main reason I went to California was to help out my sister because she was having a minor outpatient surgery on Friday and her husband (who is in the navy) was on a mini-deployment. Her surgery went well and everything turned out fine but she spent the rest of the day as well as all Saturday and most of Sunday just hanging out around her town house. She slept and I cleaned, made jello, and did some laundry. Monday she was feeling tons better and so after hanging around we decided to drive up to Santa Barbara. We got ready and were on our way out of town when her doctor called and wanted her to come in so she could look at the rash Donna had gotten. She said it was a small allergic reaction to something but nor serious and that if it got worse to call her. So we left the hospital and headed out to Santa Barbara!
We arrived and were extremely hungry and so we ate linner (lunch/dinner) at The California Pizza Kitchen and then did some shopping. The picture above was what it looked like when we walked out of one of the shops there. It was so beautiful with the houses and mountains peeking through the shops. Everything there was so beautiful the architecture, the flowers and greenery, even the highway up was beautiful. We hung out most of the evening and then headed back to Oxnard with a stop to visit with her friend Aurora. We came home and watched Field of Dreams (my favorite movie) and I packed up for the airport the next morning. Monday (Santa Barbara day) was my birthday and for my birthday Donna helped me buy these earings (picture below) from Juicy Couture for my birthday.
If you turn them on the side the prongs that holds the stones in make little crowns. They are so cute and it worked out well because I was earingless due to losing one of my earings on the flight out to LA (they were the only ones I brought and I wear them literally 24/7). I had a good time and as usual it was good to see my sister. I went to LA 27 years old and came home 28, and yes it feels old. Well, I am still trying to get on that photo two blogs down but I wanted to get these two out. Sorry I didn't take more photos to show you guys but there wasn't much time spent out of her house. At the end of the trip it was good to come home and see my sweet little white dog, I really missed her and from the tracks she laid at the airport I can say that I think she missed me too.

Non-Adventure #6 Twice the blessings, and twice the curlz!

Saturday July 19th was the day we scheduled to have Amy's baby shower. We figured since she was was expecting twins an early shower was guaranteed to have Amy appear at the shower. I was thrilled when Leah (her sister) asked me to help host the shower. I decided I would do the food with help from Rachel and Susan. I also did our hostess gifts which were girl diaper cakes #1 & 2. So as the Saturday loomed closer I started to feel a little stressed with so much to do, but in a good way (I like to stay busy!). We had a great array of food that covered the sweet and salty as well as the delicious. Rachel did our liquids (lemonade and sherbert punch) as well as sausage cheese balls. Susan made tea sandwiches, cherry bread, muffins and another type of bread I cannot remember (blueberry, maybe). I made my sausage/cream cheese pinwheels, mini french puff pastries, and a fruit creation (thanks dad!). We had bibs outside for everyone to decorate for the girls. Here are the pictures of the cakes, I searched all over for this ribbon, and chose it especially for the cakes. It was a beautiful black ribbon with white flowers on it.

Cake #1

Cake #2 Both cakes together Here are the shower pictures, unfortunately I only had my camera with me during the beginning of the shower and so none of mine are during the shower.
The sign-in/blessings table
The sign-in sheet
The blessings jar
The food table picture #1
The food table picture #2
The presents table Me with two(four) of my favorite girls!

The shower was a success! Amy spent over an hour opening up all the presents! We cleaned up and were out of there by 2ish (the shower started at 11am). I think Amy has some pictures up of the presents and guests on her blog. Just look her up on my favorite blogs to read. I'll post again soon and talk about my trip to Cali!!!