This is really happening people!!!  Sorry, I had to get that off of my chest.  We are officially moving to Paris on December 28th.  I have tickets in hand (actually e-tickets sitting in my inbox). 

We also found some tenants to lease our home for the first year we are away.  Pretty exciting stuff.  We didn't have many people "walk through" our house (which I secretly liked).  Dan and I had decided that we were going to take our house off the market at the end of the week because we were getting down to the wire and I thought it was just too much to juggle.  We felt pretty good about this decision but I had some worries about leaving our beautiful house empty for a year.  She would be so lonely; what if she cried at night (through our ceiling) and no one was here to see it and help her (or call the plumber).  You know, things like that.

I met the couple and their one child and I thought they were lovely.  Can I say that I love it that there is only one child.  We had one lady look at our house and she had five children.  Ugh.  I just couldn't swallow that pill.  "Our poor house" is all I thought.  

Anyway, we have scheduled movers and we fly out on December 28th and they come in on December 29th and pack, move and store our "stuff".  We have a dear friend who will be at the house when we leave and will oversee the movers.  I love it that the kids will walk out the front door, looking back at their house (that they LOVE) looking pretty.  It will feel (to them) like we are going on an extended vacation.  We will hop into a taxi and head to the airport like they have done many times before.   

I was reading through my journal I kept while in Paris last month.  I had an excited smile on my face reading my "quick snips" of Paris.  Enjoy a few of my french impressions.

Dogs on leashes, watch your step, dog poop on the sidewalks,

Toupes, really bad ones.

Parisian style, aloof confidence

The smell of bread baking, baguettes sticking out of purses, grocery bags, and bicycle baskets.

Crisp air, golden leaves scattered on the sidewalks, huge leaves; the size of my head, children picking  them up and making bouquets.

A young man standing in front of a restaurant by his car with the trunk open.  I peaked inside the trunk and saw a shallow box full of a dozen large pigeons all lined up in a row.  I assumed he was waiting for the chef to see if they were worthy.

Couples kissing on every corner; young and old.

Cafes packed, small round tables, red chairs, sitting shoulder to shoulder with their neighbor, engaging conversations, no one talking loudly on their cell phone while eating.

Flower shops everywhere you look, beautiful, inexpensive bouquets and nosegays.


I will let you drink that in.  I have many more and will surely fill up my journal this coming year with my french impressions. 

Max walked gingerly off the school bus cupping his little hand.  "Mom, I lost my first tooth on the bus!"  "What.....M A X......tell me all about it".  I listened to his very special story, a little distracted by the blood smeared on his front teeth.   Max got more and more excited as I smiled and listened bursting out with cheers every now and again.   

Max knows a lot about tooth fairy's.  Let me educate you; they live in houses made from the baby teeth they collect, they have a key to every childs house in the world, they have glitter on their wings, and they are very shy.  Just in case you were wondering.

Sophie has missed a week of school and Max is finally admitting that he misses her.  Today he drew a little picture of her; brown curly hair and all.  He then folded it just so and put it in his pocket.  I said "Is that a picture of Sophie?"  He said "yes, I am putting it  in my pocket to keep me company at school." 

I just took this quick "style" test that spits out "your style" once you answer the 10 questions.  Now, I am soooo not one to enjoy my inbox full of silly, time consuming questionaires but I have to say that I found this quiz very interesting. 

My style is "bohemian casual".  Really(?) is all I had to say.  I never would have characterized that to be "my style".  I think of bohemian casual as a home smelling of insense, with old tibetan shawls covering my beat up sofa,  a small room in the house filled with my paints spilling over the sides of the old jelly jars they are swimming in, my artwork sitting on the floor lounging against the walls waiting for an empty space in my small, dark house to peak through. 

Please, some of you take this test and tell me if "your style" really is "your style".  I don't know, maybe I am fighting this bohemian, artsy style that I did not know was Gina.  Really????    

**Left click on the "download file" link below.  A "Homegoods" page will open, at  the bottom it asks for your name and email, type it in and "click" start.  Voila, answer 10 questions and it will tell you your style.  Let me know if it is not working for you.

Now that we know we are flying out December 28th, the goodbyes are beginning.  I recently met some "twin/triplet"  friends for lunch the other day.  I met these gals when I first moved to Texas and joined a "Mom's of Multiples" group.  We met once a month for general meetings where we discussed potty training, childproofing your home, taking care of yourself, pre-school  issues, etc.  We also had Mom's night out which was always a great excuse to get out of the house at night and meet for dinner and drinks. 

It always feels so good to get together with these friends because we all absolutely "get" each other.  We all feel the first year of our "multiples" life is a blur, many of us tried for years for our babies so we are all very grateful to be a parent, we find it easier now that the kids are older and that having "multiples" as opposed to "singletons" at varying ages is much easier, we love our kids and love our spouses and stick by them through thick and thin.  Best of all, none of us take ourselves too seriously and are quick to share our true feelings and our "bad parenting" moments.  

I know that if I was in need, these girls would be there to help me out.  You couldn't ask for more than that.  Thank you for your friendship girls and I look forward to our "girls getaway" in Paris next year.   Ha, ha.........do you think we could make it happen?????

Does anyone else find it endearing to see men shopping for Christmas presents?   I think it is just about a sweet as seeing them love on a baby.  

I tried taking a "crack" at Christmas shopping yesterday and I was amazed at the Christmas hustle and bustle already going on.  (Ok, I have been locked up all week with a sick child).  I saw so many men, carrying Ann Taylor, Soma, Coach (lucky lady) shopping bags.  They looked a little lost roaming through Town Square.  I didn't see any lists,  any smiles, any cups of Starbucks in their hand making the shopping experience all the more fun.  To all you men out there who shop for their sweethearts and loved ones, thank you, we love and appreciate it

When I was a teenager,  I was the "official giftwrapper" for my Dad.  He would come home from the mall with Anais Anais perfume (Mom's signature scent back in the day), packages of Hanes stockings  and some new kitchen gadget; a cuisinart or kitchenaid product.  I loved helping him wrap, it was tradition and I am all over tradition.   

I think the french thought I was strange taking pictures of my cappucino's.  I personally don't think it strange at all.  I mean the combination of rich dark espresso married with warm creamy milk, topped with whipped foam.  Many of the cafes added a special touch of powdered cocoa and a piece of dark chocolate.  I mean, come on.  A picture is in order. 

For all of my fellow "coffee freaks".....this mugs for you!

"Kids, it's snowing!"  Four little feet shuffling across our wooden floors, noses smooshed against our windows.  "Mom, come on, let's go wait for the bus!"  "Okay, okay, let me get my coat on".

Sophie looks longingly outside "Mommy, it's just not fair, I could be making snow angels right now".   "When am I going to feel better?"

I tried to send the kids to school yesterday.  Sophie was coughing but I hoped for the best and put them on the bus.  The phone rang at 10:30am and I just knew it was the nurse from school.  I was right,  Sophie was sick.  I picked her up and she lay crying, yes crying, on the little bed in the nurses office.  I felt like such a bad Mommy. 

Once home, she complained of her tummy hurting.  I started rubbing it and noticed how extended it was. She wasn't really sick, she just had gas.  After rubbing her belly and working my magic, (the girl popped out tooting), she was happy and a little chatterbox.  We ran to the market to get some 7-up and she said "Mommy, I hope Max knows I am at home".  I told her "I am sure he does."  She then says "Max is the sweetest boy that ever was".  "Yes", I said.  Sophie said "all the other boys say that girls have cooties but not Max, he's  the best".   She couldn't have said it better.

***Sophie really is sick, she was up at 10pm with a fever and again at 3am coughing, coughing, coughing........