Climbing and Pedicures

We’re a bit behind in blogging because it has been very busy around here.  We’ll try to improve our efforts but be patient with us if we fall behind again.

After we picked up Grandpa from the hospital we decided to take advantage of a rainy afternoon and go to the climbing gym.   (Steve sat with Grandpa while they waited for the luggage to arrive). Elsinore was not sure about climbing at first but after seeing Uncle O and her Mom climb the big walls, she was ready and asked for me to put her harness on.  We climbed a bit with harness but without the rope and she loved it.  Once we started using the rope, though, she wasn’t as sure.  It could have been she had too much help (both O and I were a bit overzealous) or it could have been the strange sensation of the rope pulling on her.  Either way, when she was done with this climb she was done with rope climbing for the day.  We did a bit more bouldering afterwards, and she was great at it.  She also loved watching the other kids.  I really hope we get back there at least one more time before they go.

Nothing says "holiday season" like bright blue toes!  Pedicures all around.

Pizza, Sledding and Skiing, Day 2

About 5:00 a.m. Dad (aka Grandpa) woke us up because he was in quite a bit of pain and needed to go to the hospital.  It turns out he had an infected cyst in a very uncomfortable area and they needed to operate to remove the infection.  This was no fun and very sad for all of us but what was even harder on some of us was that he couldn’t have anyone with him while he was being diagnosed and tested.  The French system only allows for the patient to be in the room until after surgery.  And even then, the visiting hours are limited.  So we did our best to have fun until we could make our visit.

We made homemade chorizo pizza (Uncle O's crust is the best!)

We went sledding...

and we tried on new skis!  

Els did a great job on the skis and she loved sledding.   She really didn’t want to leave when it was time but the time to see Grandpa was short so off to the hospital we went.  When we got there we discovered she was too young to be in the room so she waited in the lobby with Abbie where she made friends with a little girl who was also waiting.

The different language has seemed to be less of a “scary thing” for her during this trip and, in fact, I think she likes it.  She has asked Uncle O to read her books in French a couple of times and we watched a DVD about dinosaurs and volcanoes that was in French.   We’re hoping to get her together with Franck’s daughter to go swimming very soon.

We closed the evening by calling about Steve’s bag which still hadn’t arrived but was supposedly found and enjoyed a dinner of Mt. d’Or cheese.  It was a very long, although fun, day.

Christmas in France

For weeks we have been prepping Elsi for her visit to France.  She knew she was going to take an airplane to visit France and she would talk about it with her friends and with me over the phone.  Ab even told me that she was telling strangers in the airport that she was going to France.  Of course a 2 ½ year old cannot conceptualize what that all means and what  it takes to get here but she was and has been terrific. Other than wanting to party in the middle of the night, she really hasn't seemed phased... 

Her ease with it all is even more surprising to me because the Korol family had an even longer journey than most... They missed their connecting flight from Washington D.C to Brussels, so they had to spend an extra night in the U.S.  

With the delay, it meant they wouldn’t arrive until Christmas Day. Gilles and Nicole were making the trip just for lunch and needed to be back on the road well before dark.  There was a lot to coordinate and have ready, which left Elsinore and family very little time to adjust to the new time zone before the festivities would begin.  (I think they ended up with about 45 minutes)

We ate with Gilles, Nicole and our friend, Franck and opened presents.  It was a bit hectic but everyone held it together beautifully and we enjoyed a very nice lunch while Els played with her new toys.

Right before dark, we went for a walk to go see the sheep.  Elsinore walked with Uncle O and told him all sorts of stories.  When we returned to the house, she looked up and said, “We’re back in France.”  So it is ...she thinks our house IS France. J  And there is something I really like about that because yesterday in the car when she asked where we were going, I responded, "our house" and she said, "I Love France!"

We all digested dinner and got into our pajamas (except for Steve because his were still somewhere in Frankfurt where they lost his bag),watched a move and went to bed early.  But shortly after everyone was sound asleep, the real adventures began...

To Be Continued...

Fall is here

 

Needs a bit of salt, but other than that, it's not half bad....

Tending fence...

Creek Walk with new Galoshes

School Carnival

School Carnival was this weekend.  Everyone was there to help our new school and it was a lot of fun.  There were plenty of games, crafts, horse rocking, food and live music.  There was even an auction and Tia paid $50 for Eye-Ball Cake Pops and then made Grandpa bid on the Web Brownies. He won too!

don't mess with this cowgirl

An epic weekend with Dad

Mom went on a well-deserved but rare weekend trip with the girls, leaving me to run wild with Dad.

Good thing she was only gone for a few days!

Balancebiking is not a crime.

                                      

Scarecrow walk at the botanical gardens with Olivia and Uncle Matt Daddy!

    

Nevermind the pirate.

Halloween present from NaNa!

Breakfast of champions (Saturday).

Ready, set, race to the boat!  Elsinore dominates.

"Bacon" first, crust last.

Perfecting the art of Devil Horns while listening to Van Halen's "Dead or Alive" on Ozzy's Boneyard.

Hand-polishing Evol Technology parts with Dad.

Okay, breakfast of champions (Sunday).

New books, thanks to Mom and Giraffe Laugh!

Mid-morning food-art project: cheese and cracker sammiches!

Rawk.

All those years of Dad's drum lessons, band practices, weekends spent convoying across the Northeast to play all-ages matinees for teenage boys -- suddenly all so worthwhile...