Fun with Meme - you can leave your hat on

So we managed to do a few fun things while Meme was here...  First Meme and I ventured out to the Orsay Museum with Mary Martin in tow.  This is my favorite musuem in Paris, at least so far.  It has all the works of Monet, Picassio, Manet, Degas - all the Impressionists.  It is located in an old railway station so it is filled with lots of natural light.  The works progress logically and it doesn't feel like you are wandering around and around with no end in sight like the Louvre.  I was a little disappointed that they had rearranged the works some - I thought it did not flow as well.  And there used to be an entire room of Degas ballerinas so that you could practically see them dancing...  We had a great time, nonetheless.  MM was a trooper.  Keeping her occupied with food at the Orsay helped.  After the Orsay we went around the corner to a bistro and had a very French lunch.  Meme had the cheese plate and wine - a perfect day!!  Here we are at lunch... 

The next day we took the kids to Montmontre.  This is the famous hilly area outside the main center of Paris where the Moulin Rouge is located and also Sacre Cour.  Great views of the city from up there.  Here is Sacre Cour. 

There is also a funicular (sort of a tram) to ride you up the hill to Sacre Cour and a carousel.  We thought this would be a great outing for the kids.  It was just very, very hot and crowded.  Climbing those hilly streets with cranky kids got old fast.  Haggen Daz revived them for the trip home however. 

We did manage to do one outstanding thing with the kids and that was take them to the Paris Aquarium.  Though not at great as the Atlanta Aquarium, this one was pretty darn close and the kids had a ball.  Plus - inside =air conditioning.  Bonus!  Here are some shots from that: 





What else did we do?  Sampled some yummy wine, ate lots of fresh fruit and veggies.  And even found time to enjoy some desserts.  These are from out on our terrace. 

And then there was this...

Truly the highlight of Meme's time in Paris - a strip show on the Metro.  I previously have mentioned the random entertainment you get on the Metro.  Usually it is a musician of some sort, a violin, an accordian.  They play for a couple of stops then pass around their change purse for coins.  Once we had a puppet show to Wooly Bully which was just odd.  And every now and then we get a random guy shouting a manifesto of some kind - just ranting about something.  Maybe political, maybe just too much wine, who knows? 

But while Meme was here these two twentysomething guys gave us a strip show.  Now I didn't see much of it, my back was to them.  They put on the music from The Full Monty and played the song from the movie at the end when the guys truly go "full monty."  Jim and I were actually debating whether that would happen.  Alas, no, they only got down to their swim trunks - like James has, tight "boy shorts" type swim trunks.  I gotta give the guys a hand for their daring and creative style.  They had matching suits, which snapped off down theleg (of course), matching purple ties and socks.   

A fabulous cap to Meme's week in Paris.

Our hats (and only our hats) off to Meme for coming to stay.  She let Jim and I have a date night, helped with doctor's visits, was a master organizer, great giver of baths, and efficient seamstress.  All the curtains got hemmed and MM now has custom bedding, thank you very much.  Thanks Meme.  The tears were real when you left.  But the wine will be chilled when you return.  We love you.  

THE MOVE

Our furniture arrived on a Friday.  It was supposed to arrive on Wednesday, then got pushed back to Thursday and finally Friday.  After the first delay of a day, I got nervous but adapted.  After the second delay, I pitched a fit to get to the bottom of the delay.  Turns out it was one document needed from the States!?!? 

WHAT!?!?  I assumed that any delay or inefficiency would be from the French - not our side of the pond.  This was unacceptable.  I have learned I can't make the French think differently or yell at them in English to make things happen.  But a hang up with paperwork at an American company - I can fix that.  I got on the phone in France, found out where the hang up was, and waited for 8 am local time in the US.  Then I got on the phone to America.  Half an hour later the problem was solved. 

I still don't understand why it took a phone call from me to fix this, but whatever.  Seriously I expect such service from the French but not the Americans...  Sheesh. 

So our apartment is on the second floor, only one flight up.  Instead of going up our stairs or our elevator (which is tiny - we can't even get all four of us in it at once), the furniture and boxes went through a window.  With a lift outside in the courtyard to raise it up to the window.  Four guys on the ground to unload the container and load the lift.  Two inside to unload the lift into the apartment.  It was all inside in about 3 hours.  Then the unpacking fun began...

The movers worked with us a bit on Friday to unpack some boxes.  But after getting the beds set up and unpacking a little in the kitchen, they split.  To return on Monday and take away all the empty boxes and packing material.  This was key as we have limited garbage pick up.  I mean we can take out all the garbage we want, but we can't leave 40 boxes outside to be picked up.  So the pressure was on to empty as many boxes as possible before Monday morning when the movers came back.   

Jim did manage to make the unpacking a game with the kids, especially in the kitchen.  See the video and photos: 

I tried desperately to finish to at least finish the kitchen before Meme arrived on Sunday morning but had no such luck.  She helped me finish it in a flash though and the kitchen is funcitioning really well. 

After the kitchen, Meme and I first tackled the kid's rooms and ended up storing four boxes of toys.  To rotate out in the fall or the next rainy day.  Then we tackled what next!?!?  I can't recall - it was a kind of blurry few days.  But by Thursday at noon all but one or two boxes were unpacked.  Our massive wall of storage closets was FULL, FULL and organized as only Meme could get it.  Here are more pictures from the moving process: 

And finally the WALL of empty boxes awaiting the movers on Monday morning to take away.  We were so glad to have those out of here finally. 

Rodin Museum

Our furniture arrived about 10 days ago and so did Meme!!  We only suffered one broken glass - AMAZING.  Meme and I have been furiously unpacking and decorating.  I mean, we had to get the curtains and Mary Martin's bedding done, right?  So I haven't posted.  But now that the apartment is taking shape I will send pictures soon. 

In the meantime, one quick update and some pictures from one musuem visit...

Update on the swimming - it went great!  Turns out the boys can wear "boy shorts" - they don't have to be actual speedos.  Think boxer briefs.  So that is what we got for James.  He helped me pick them out and I told them it was just like wearing his underwear.  He also had no problem with the swim cap.  We got cool red and blue swim trunks and a red cap.  I didn't get a picture of James in his swim trunks but did get this one in his cap...

His teacher said he was "very stressed, very stressed" at first.  Eventually, though, he warmed up and joined he classmates in the water. She said he had a great time once he got in the water.  Lately a little peer pressure is much more effective than any pep talk from mom and dad.  I think James will really come to love the pool days in the fall... 

One of our first weekends here we visited the Rodin Museum.  Rodin did "The Thinker."  See below...

We didn't actually go in the musuem but just wandered around the garden outside the musuem. There are several of Rodin's works outside in the garden, including The Thinker. Plus just visiting the garden is free and there are two large sandboxes in the back of the garden.   Perfect adventure for taking the kiddos.   We brought the sand toys and dug for a while.   Then had lunch at the little cafe on the grounds.   A wonderful afternoon in Paris... The best part was the flowers. The kids loved loved running around and looking at all the flowers.  There were as big as your head and simply breathtaking.   The flowers here take your breath away almost daily.