Happy...

...Halloween

This was our second year picking pumpkins from the pumpkin farm.

Last week was choosing the best pumpkin...

So after the picking we had to do the carving

The carving

Finally managed to take a decent picture of the moon (not as easy as it looks) and some Witch ruin it!!!
Hope you had a great Halloween... Now let’s put the sugar-loaded kids to bed

My Son...

...The International Gastronome

This is one of Jeremy’s favorite snack

Crackers from the UK
Vegemite from Australia
Soft Cheese from Norway

a multinational palate!

Unlike his sister he never asks for Peanut Butter & Jelly but likes to dip his Oreo Dots in milk

And in “Frenchness” comes to life when you give him chocolate:

My Guilty…

...Pleasure

I receive a few French magazines through Jeffrey’s office address in Paris.

• Time (well not French but through our French address)

• Capital & Management (I started subscribing over 20 years ago when I was in Business school)

• Votre Argent

• Maison Bricolage et Decoration

• And this suspicious magazine (via some points accumulated with our visa card!)

What did you think it’s only Glamour Magazine!

Pumpkin...

...Picking

Halloween is in the air…. Better gets those pumpkins for carving.

My Son...

...The Jewellery/Jewelry Designer

Jeremy’s necklace with gift box!!!

Today It's All About Me...

...Sainte Celine

Joyeuse Fête à toutes les Celine.

Most catholic countries celebrate saints on different days of the year. France is such a country and I’ve just learned that the Swedish are also celebrating “name’s day” (but not the Norwegian)

A name day is a tradition celebrated in many countries in Europe and Latin America of celebrating on a particular day of the year associated with one's given name. The custom originated with the Catholic and Orthodox calendar of saints, where believers, named after a particular saint, would celebrate that saint's feast day. In many countries, however, there is no longer any explicit connection to Christianity. […]


For example in Finland: Finns celebrate their name days (or nimipäivä) according to their given name on the date given by the calendar published by the University of Helsinki Almanac Office (Almanakkatoimisto). Every day except New Year's Day, Christmas Day and February 29 is a name day. For each day there are names in both Finnish and Swedish; the names are frequently, but not always, cognates.
The Finnish Orthodox Church has its own calendar of name days, corresponding to the feasts of Orthodox saints. In France name days (in French: fête) have long been very important in everyday culture and it's still traditional to give a small gift to a friend or family member on their name day. In Italy, one's name day is referred to as his or her "Onomastico" and is viewed as at least as important as a birthday
The name day tradition never gained ground in Denmark and Norway (Wikipekia)

What the Heck...

...Is Going On?

Since Jeffrey is in France this week and might not be able to come back on Friday due to France being basically shut down by Unions workers doing what they do best in France –La Greve but I’m getting off subject here. So Jeff is in France which mean I’m on morning duty: alarm goes off, hit the snooze button, 5 minutes later, alarms goes off, open one eye, decide to hit the snooze button again, 5 minutes later… let’s hit that snooze button again one last time. And this is why my friend I set the alarm clock 15 minutes earlier!.

Anyway, wake up the kids, hit the shower, get dress and decide I should wear a little knitted black dress today (that’s 2 days in a row in a dress which might explain the outcome of this post!), get downstairs, feed the kids breakfast, locate shoes, coats, school back, hurry them out to the door because I have no time or envy to drive them all the way to school if they miss the bus…. That’s when I stopped halfway down the stairs: What’s that white powder on my deck this morning?

White powder on my deck?

At first I thought it was only frost but no it’s kinda too thick to be frost. Oh my goodness it’s snow, hardened snow… Which is then confirmed by my kids telling me that it indeed snowed last night. Why didn’t you tell me I replied? Well it was kinda of late and you would have known we weren’t sleeping!!!.... Which emphasize what I tell them over and over again…. Mommies know everything and/or will find out eventually!!!

Back to the flow: drop off the kids at the bus stop, came back up my little hill and notice that the white powder has spread all over my drive way and on my balcony rail:

Is that a sign from a higher power reminding me that I had to put my winter tires on last week?

About an hour later there is a mini blizzard going on (note to self: need to figure out how to take pictures of snow blizzard that actually show that snow is indeed falling hard)

Notice how my beautiful view just disappeared  (compare with previous picture!)

By the way last year we had our first frost on November 10. We are way ahead of schedule this year!!!

Back From Prague

...I Mean Praha

Here’s a selection of some pictures from Prague. I’ve posted more on my Facebook page -too bad you are not my ‘friend’ ;-)

A Map, a Starbucks and we are ready to take the town

View of Prague from the Castle

Another early hour view of Prague from the Castle

Charles Bridge

Jeremy checking out a David Cerny Sculpture

The Dancing House (aka Fred & Ginger)

Night Views

Astronomical Clock (600 years old)

Architecture was amazing

Ghost Tour

Vacation is tiring

That's it...

It was the 600th Anniversary of the Astronomical Clock last wee.  Check out this video

The 600 Years

Brewery Visit:

...Lervig

Here are some pictures of our visit to a local small beer brewery.  We went with the young crowd from Stavanger Expat.

Sbohem Stavanger...

…Dobrý Den, Praha*

For those of you who’ve read my previous posts/blog, you know the drill.  When we go on a vacation trip I like to give you some visuals to help you situate you on a map. I’m assuming you know where Europe is ;-)


* Goodbye Stavanger... Hello Prague

Ten On The...

...10/10/10

Every once in a while the world finally agree on how to write the date. Happy 2010 October 10 in China; October 10 2010 in the USA and 10 October 2010 to the rest of the world.*


On the same model of the One week, Twenty-Five Pictures with my Fifty mm

10 photos on the 10.10.10 (We were on our way to Prague)

To learn more about date format... a little Wikipedia

Once Upon A Time...

...20 Years Ago Today

I left my little village of 600+ inhabitants and embark on a journey that would change the course of my life.
I initially went to Golden, Colorado as an Au Pair to learn English. What I didn’t know is that the Stahl would introduce me to 3 other French (& Belgian) Au Pairs and we would set on together on a trip of a life time.

Golden is also home of Colorado School of Mines (and Coors Beer… but that’s another story!). Everything went according to plans; that is hard work (!), partying hard and traveling. But a couple months short of living on my next adventure (a year in Italy) I met Jeffrey… the initial year morphed into two years with a move to Houston, Texas. Another 2 years and Jeffrey decided to give France a go this time!

On my way to new adventures With a camera around my neck already!

First house (Genesee), my ride & Second House (Lookout Mountain)

Au pair is hard work  -  Cosi & Colas

The Quatuor: Dani, Catherine, Aurelia & Celine + Petra (& Visit from my parents)

Party time (Field, Pete, Chris then Jeffrey, Geordy, Roy & Steve)

Puerto Vallarta & Manzanillo

Los Angeles