Dreaming of France -- The Mediterranean

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

On a sweltering day like we had Saturday, and even the high humidity of Sunday morning, nothing could sound better than a dip in the cool, sparkling Mediterranean Sea.
Luckily, that's where Grace was this weekend, so I have a picture, even if I didn't get to dip my toes or other body parts in. She and Delana, who lives in Aix en Provence, went to Carry La Rouet.

Sigh. I don't know about you, but I'm really dreaming of France now.

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave a comment and visit each other's blogs, too, so you can get your fix of France dreams.

Saturday Snapshot -- Full Moon

After driving 16 hours on Wednesday, I pulled into my parents' neighborhood, cruising past a quiet lake, and saw the full moon reflected there.

The lights could be buildings or car along the highway opposite.
Next weekend is the final  high school graduation for my family. I'm expecting it to be hectic, thrilling and fulfillling.
Hope everyone is having a terrific weekend.

Saturday Snapshot -- Cozy Kitty

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme, post a photo that you (or a friend of family member) have taken. Then leave a direct link to your post on West Metro Mommy. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
Yesterday the cat whined to go outside, so Tucker took him out to walk on top of the snow. For the first time ever, he voluntarily ran back to the door to come inside.
That's probably why he was content to laze in front of the fire last  night.

Hope you're having a cozy day too. 

Dreaming of France -- Autumn Along the Seine

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.
I'm still fixated on beautiful fall photos from France. Here's one Grace took in 2011 along the Seine.

Can't wait to see what you are dreaming of.

Saturday Snapshot -- Sleeping Baby

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme, post a photo that you (or a friend of family member) have taken. Then leave a direct link to your post on West Metro Mommy. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

We spent Friday babysitting for our niece's daughters, 4-year-old Caroline and 1-year-old Regan. As Regan was eating her lunch, she choked on a couple pieces of avocado. It scared her as we pulled her from the high chair and banged her on the back so she could breathe again. She let out a wail as the avocado dislodged, and we knew she wasn't choked any more. 

But even though she could breathe, she was scared and wouldn't stop crying. I finally rocked her to sleep, her lashes still clumped together with tears as she sucked on her thumb. 

Hope everyone is having a peaceful weekend. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Bikes and Snakes

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post on West Metro Mommy. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.
Last night, our little city held its annual bike race, the Tour de Grandview. 

The city streets were closed off and a beer tent, along with food trucks appeared. We walked along the route and met our friends with their son Thomas, who decided to wear his snake around his neck.

In this photo, he looks kind of surprised to see the snake around his neck.

He says the snake is a chick magnet.

Hope you all are having a good weekend.

Spring Snow

Sure it's beautiful, but I'm ready for spring.

Saturday Snapshot -- Snow

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post on Alyce's blog At Home With Books. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.
I usually run with my friends on Saturday morning, but with a couple of inches of snow falling overnight and still coming down, we cancelled our drive to the running trail. I bundled up and went for a walk. The snow makes it so light outside that the dark morning is bright.
I captured this photo of the snow piling up on my neighbor's Christmas lights.

Hope you have a warm, dry day with lots of twinkling lights.

Saturday Snapshot -- Hitchhiker

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post on Alyce's blog At Home With Books. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.
In Florida last month, we hopped in the car and took off. We hadn't gone far when we noticed a hitchhiker.

Can you see him?

Just in case you had trouble spotting him, here's a close up.

I like to think that he climbed off the car when we were stopped. I'm going to stick with that story.

Saturday Snapshot -- Little Flirt

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post on Alyce's blog At Home With Books. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.
This week, baby Caroline came to visit while her mom, our niece, went to a wedding shower. Only Caroline isn't a baby any more. She's 2 1/2. We started to walk to the park when we saw Max, the 3-year old neighbor, outside. We stopped to play with him. When it was time to go, she refused to let him hug her.

She had no problems accepting hugs from his 12 year old brother though.

Look at that look on her face. She is so flirting with him. Already playing guys against each other. Poor little Max just wanted a hug.

Saturday Snapshot

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post on Alyce's blog At Home With Books. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

In honor of the Tour de France and all the great French scenery I'm watching on television, here's a market scene from Aix en Provence.

And this was a seafood market in Paris along the Rue Mouffetard.

And, of course, who can visit even a market in France without thinking about wine.

Blue Eyes

The next couple of days are filled with "end of the season" banquets. Sunday we'll spend the day at Ohio University for YMCA swim champs then go straight to the high school swim banquet. Monday is the winter sports awards at the high school and then Tuesday is the basketball banquet.
Since I'll be gone all day Sunday, I already prepared a double batch of manicotti. Spencer will put it in the oven for me on Sunday so we can snatch it up and get to the swim banquet.
The mom in charge of basketball banquet texted and asked for a first grade photo of Spencer. Of course, Spencer never went to first grade. I searched through stacks of pictures. Almost every picture of my kids when they are younger is outside. The only indoor pictures I could find were violin recitals or chess tournaments.
Finally, I scanned in one of the pictures of Spencer on the beach and cropped it down to a headshot.
Isn't it adorable?

Family Christmas Photo

Disclaimer: No teenagers were harmed in the making of these family photos; however, parents may have been verbally harangued.

As you can see, our mantle is nicely decorated for Christmas.

Once our family stands in front of it, all the Christmas cheer is blocked.

We can't get everyone to smile or look normal at the same time. We move in front of the Christmas tree,but some of us are forward and others are in the back. This looks more like an album cover and I'm obviously the lead singer.
Things start to fall apart then. Spencer, who is much more handsome than these pictures show, would have none of the silliness and he retreated. Meanwhile, the mayhem began.
Somewhere there has to be a picture I can use in our Christmas letter, and I've promised I'll finish it by tomorrow. Wish me luck.