Grandma is here.

My mom and Aunt have been here for about a week now and we've done quite a few things since they got here: 

the kids have had multiple scavenger / treasure hunts.  (which is kind of funny as I remember Auntie Nora having them for me and my siblings when we were their age)

went to the grounds at the Chateau de Vizille     

We rode the cable-car up to the bastille fort (where we were promptly clouded in)

We went to the museum of Alpine Troupes,  we went to the Ancient Baptistry Museum, the've come to drop the  kids off at school, walked around our village, gone into Grenoble, the Musée de la Révolution Française, and we've gone for multiple walks and hikes (as well as whatever else I can't remember right now)

Yesterday we went for a hike that we had never been on before, just up the mountain a bit from us - it took us through the woods - and out to an incredible lookout over our village and down to Grenoble in the valley. 

 

someone obviously ascribes to the belief that mountain hikes induce labour

Best. Mail. Ever.

This summer we were checking on our friends place - one day I went to ge the mail and this is what had come that day:

That would be:

• 2 separate flyers from the local branch of le Parti Communiste Français
• 3 separate  letters from the electricity company PLUS a notice about a meter reading
• a JW flyer about the end of the world
• 2 ads for local fortune-tellers
• one other letter

I actually laughed out loud to myself as I took it out of the mail box.

Rentrée 2011

The kids had their first day of school today.   It went pretty well for all of them.  We were a little worried about how Micah would adjust to full days - but he did just fine.  They all seem to like their teachers - and Micah and Matea - sorry Matéa - are in the same class.

 

Their class is a GS/CE1 split.  You see - of course - we have one in GS - which is Grande Section - one in CE1 which is "something something 1" and one in CM1 which is 'something-I-think-maternelle 1.  Class Maternelle 1 maybe?  

So yes - we are obviously very involved parents who are right on top of our children's education.

When I was putting the protective plastic wrapping on the work books this evening (don't ask) I did flip through a reading book and notice that Louis XIV and a crème caramel recipe were in it.  So that should be good.

It does seem strange that we are already doing this for a second time.

"You know what would be funny?"

"What's that Jean-Pierre?"

"Well Jean-Paul - it would be funny if we buried the stereo in this car under the passenger seat- and then made it so that you would have to actually cut the carpet, and completely remove the seat - just to check the fuse on it"

"hon hon hon - zat's a good one"

Any day now.

just a few things:
1) Cutest. Pregnant Lady. EVER.
2) She's kind of ready for this part to be over.
3) She's a serious trooper for being pregnant through summer here when it's sometimes like this:

PS:The due date is still a few weeks away - so it may not be any day now. But let's hope it's any day now.