Keo and Girls (and other stuff)

Keo and Girls. Not a great mix. Unlike his brother, Keo has this phobia against girls. He'll never talk to one, he'll only make faces at them from afar,and he is a stiff as board when he sits next to them at school. It is so obvious that the teacher told me he has an" issue" with girls. When he brought home his class picture he remembered only the boys names, and when I asked what the girls names were he just said "Je sais pas". He makes fun of Kenji if he speaks to one. Come to think of it, the only girl Keo really got to know was Indestructible Zoe made of rubber, and then if asked about Clara he just says "yeah, like the time she dunked Kenji's face in the snow!" So... I don't know, all I know is he is very uncomfortable standing next to one. During his birthday week we enrolled Keo in an art class in Fontainebleau. It was the cutest place ever. This little french house right across from the chateau park. The teacher was an art teacher from home that ran these little classes from her cozy little french family room. So I dropped Keo off, --only to see a few minutes later that....he was the only boy. And he had to go 3 days in a row. And they made him a cake with pink frosting and sang him happy birthday. And they made beaded necklaces and bracelets. Right up Keo's alley...He was not very happy, but maybe it did him some good to spend hours with cute little french girls?

 

Morning After Keo's birthday, I'm sure he'd take Legos and Power Rangers over bracelet making any day.

 

Kenji, a cafe and Harry Potter 

 

The Fontainebleau Chateau, it is truly this color! I don't know if it is the sunlight, the fog or what, but it is breathtaking to look at.

This is the BEST place to have a pastry in Paris. Click here and have a glimpse at this place!!!

 A view from the stairs walking down

Me trying to be discreet and proper.

All the while Kenji and papa dancing at home:) JM is really into it eh? That's where Kenji gets all his great moves!

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Well. How about an update on our situation? I so don't want to update because I really like focusing on all the great stuff we are doing right now. But, I need to update. So - JM is due for his operation very very soon. It will be at the end of this month, early April. I don't know what else to say. I'm kind of numb to the idea right now. That's like in what...? 35 days? 40? What does that mean? Ok, well, let's not dig too deep here, instead I will say this: EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK! Hey, this is life. And things can be worse, so far so good, we are holding on and getting ready. We are all settled here, kids are good, JM is working and good, all is calm, all is french...it's all good.

 I have a babysitter on call the day it happens. Schools know our situation so they know what is going on...you know what? tell me if I'm totally crazy, but all that keeps running through my head is "how the hell am I going to change a flat tire when I get it next month?" WHY????Why am I thnking that stupid thought? and so now I'm convinced I need two extra spare tires in the car and a tire changing tool, and a manual and a charged phone and an emergency number. Other than that I think I am all set to go and take care of our family for the next month. The tire changing thing just freaks me out. I think I will bike everywhere for one month.

JM is doing fine. He has a great outlook and work is keeping him busy so no time for worrying.  Kenji and Keo are well aware of papa getting an operation and they are fine too. Are there other things I need to prepare for? Logistical things Im not thinking about other than extra tires? 

Anyhow, that is where we are. When we visited the surgeon Paul Brousse not too long ago I asked him what else we needed to bring along (besides JM) and he said "Nothing, just him." I was thinking maybe a bag of clothes, a blanket for me to hang out in,,,slippers a sandwhich?(you know kinda like pregnancy).but no. he said " nope. just bring him, drop him off and go home." and he said it just like that. So...no waiting room? No. Nothing. He said he will call me when JM is out. --And that was that. Ok. But I think Im going to stay right? and so that is what I told him, but he said no need to. But I want to! I can't just go there drop him off and leave!!! So there is no waiting room, no personnel either? no support group? no other people waiting for their people??? :(((AHHHH!-- So I will take JM, my computer instead then. And my phone. And me. and our car.(filled with tires).

Until next time. Until I get the guts to write about all this worrying stuff.

Keo the French turns 6

 

Keo J. Rollin turned 6 on February 18th!

Keo and Mama Lali

We celebrated with the whole family coming over and it was GREAT cause my mom and JM's mom got to see eachother again along with all of Jean Marcs aunts and cousins.

There was a dinasour cake.

A baby.

A smurf.

a Crown.
and a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY song.

Keo is now 6. A long awaited 6 if you ask me. He's been wanting to be 6 since he turned 5. And now that he is 6 he wants to be 9! Here is the speeder below, speeding along the streets of Fontainebleau, speaking French and making faces at French girls!

Keo is speaking French now. A video to come soon!

Mama Lali visits France

Dear Blacksburg. This has been a long road for us. And it continues to be a long road, a road to where? no one knows! But every step here and there in this cute little town is beautiful.

My mom, AKA Mama Lali has come to visit us in France. Today is new day in France. Today my mom is here!. She is and looks very well as you can see!!! :)))\

We spent a few days shopping...

Lots of time eating...

more shopping...

More eating...

Some playing...(She made an Indiana Jones vest for Keo!)

 

 Some sightseeing...

 

Some serious picture taking...

And some leg biting.

We had a wonderful time :)

La Vie a Fontainebleau

Center of town, walks to shops, everyone getting their baguette from the local Boulanger,our favorite thing to do!

Kenji sitting in the Beethoven chair for his first French haircut.

And in front of the haircut place where this guy played French music!.... that was before the haircut.

Keo drinking milk that came from a French cow.

and juice that came from a French tree probably!

Le Board Walk of France is the....

Avenue Des Champs- Elysees

A Friday night well spent with Papa, Kenji and Keo.

More "Les Soldes!" shopping on Saturday and  a walk to the market on Sunday, let's see who will be out there in this cold weather. Happy cold weekend!

On the Runway - Jean Paul Gaultier

 I was feeling a little bored today... when suddenly I remembered Fashion Week was happening in Paris! Jean Paul Gaultier gave his Springtime 2011 Fashion show in Paris this week. It was titled : Black Magic.
Jean Paul Gaultier as a tradition of giving his outfits names such as : Le Chat Noir, Punk Is Not Dead and Moulin Rouge. ---Neat-o!


And, here is mouthful that makes you feel like you just ate something incredibly delicious:

"Pieces like a pale celadon silk evening gown overlaid with intricate corsetry, silk brocade tuxedo suits, studded biker jackets teamed with chainmail T-shirts and fishtail skirts, black lacquered silk trench shown over voluminous silk tulle petticoats were head turning."....delicious no?

Have a look at the slide show of images on the New York Times website, my favorite image is of the French Can Can dress # 9

What is the Moulin Rouge?

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted numerous posters and scenes of night life at the Moulin Rouge. And for a little laugh visit the Moulin Rouge Can Can Dancers from 1902


Bye! 

Wintery Things

 Oh my! Look at this! It's a Storks nest! Yes it is, just like in Dumbo! Can you believe the size of that thing, and, just sitting there on top of someones house! How big is the bird?

 

A few weekends ago Kenji got invited to his first French birthday party.

 He was excited to come home with an invitation to this ice skating party. I was excited too because I got to meet some of the boys, I think JM and I were the only parents that hung around...yes, yes we were..oh well!

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I've decided that now that we are a bit more settled, I am going to taste one cheese a week! I'm going to buy it on Friday at the outdoor market, read about it, taste it, take pictures of it and then write about it! I could also do that with...wine, pastries..bread too..apples also..but I will start with Fromage!