Congratulations on 48 years of marriage!  What a beautiful testimony of what God has designed marriage to encompass.  You are truly each others help mate and have supported each other through life's highs and lows.  You have done it with grace and dignity and it has been a blessing to sit on the sidelines and watch.   (Not to mention with an amazing sense of humor!)  

You are leaving a legacy of love to your children and grandchildren.  Little ones are watching and taking it all in.    Thank you for being our constant and for demonstrating patience and kindness toward one another. 

Aunt Sally is on her way home to California as I type, Mom and the rest of us are home packing for our trip to the coast tomorrow.    

We found a beautiful home to rent on the Brittany coast (through a french friend).  We are beyond excited about living in a house with a yard for an entire week.  Throw in that it sits along the oceans edge and we are beside ourselves.

These pictures are from our friends vacation last June at the house.  Isn't it dreamy???

We were secretly hoping Aunt Sally's flight would cancel and she would have to join us at the beach house, but alas, no such luck.......

Funny how we are finally showing Sally the Eiffel Tower the day before she leaves.  She has seen bits and pieces of it all week but today she was able to enjoy all of it. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon at Luxemburg Gardens.  It was cool, crisp and quiet. 

We found a little corner of the garden where people sat playing chess........

Another beautiful day spent with my family..........

Blue skies and a blustery day............

Gorgeous views.......

Local entertainment..........

Talented artists...........

Enticement of fresh bread..........

Charming homes and neighborhoods.........

Reality of a wonderful day behind us and a metro ride ahead of us..........

The kids needed a day to unwind at home with Grandma, so Sally and I headed out to explore Paris.

Our first stop was the Flower Market.  She is a gardener through and through and enjoyed roaming the beautiful stalls........

We spotted Notre Dame Cathedral off in the distance........

We strolled the river Seine and then made our way to the Saint Germaine area.  It seemed as if everyone was enjoying the weather, sitting at their bistro tables watching the world go by........

We ended the day admiring the Pont Alexander III bridge, the prettiest bridge in all of Paris (in my opinion)............

What a gift to spend an entire afternoon with my Aunt.  I am learning more and more about her as each day goes by.  I admire her perspective on life, her heart and her love for her family. 

It was such a treat to walk and not have to keep looking back to make sure my little chicks were following me, thanks Mom for loving on them all afternoon.......

We spent the day wandering the Madeleine area and stimulating the french economy....

Success all wrapped up into two pretty packages I like to call "Mom" and "Aunt Sally".........

We spent our Sunday in the gardens of Versailles.  Beauty surrounded us, classical music was piped in throughout the gardens as we wandered the grounds.

It feels so unbelievably good to be together again, running and chasing after one another, listening to each other, "breaking" bread together. 

We sat on the grass eating our lunch, watching the row boats glide by..... 

Once the kids were fed and had a bit of energy they spent a good portion of the afternoon wrestling with Dad........

I'm not sure who was having more fun.........

I think the statues were cracking a smile looking down on all the fun......

When we bring love and sunshine into the lives of others, we are warmed by it ourselves.......  When we spill a little bit of happiness, it splashes on us.

~Barbara Johnson

Love and kindness are forever being poured onto all of us and we are all drenched from "the splash". 

Our home is bubbling over with smiles, hugs and pure joy.  I don't think I can put into words the pleasure that we all feel being together once again. 

After a leisurely morning spent playing and talking, we ventured out to give "the girls" a taste of Paris.......

Sisters.......

Family.....

Delight.....

It's been too long since I have seen my family.  Not just those pictured  above, on one of our annual beach trips in California, but everyone.

I love the casual feel of California, running to the grocery store with a cover up and flip flops, kids cheeks sunkissed, kite flying, bike riding, roasting marshmallows, or hanging out having a cup of coffee in my parents back yard. 

The sun, oh the glorious sun that IS California, we have had six straight days of gloom here.  It is still in the 50's.  What gives? 

Today I sit reminiscing about my amazing family and friends in sunny California whom I love past love.   Ahhh, I love looking through my pictures, stopping and gazing at my family; they are life to me. 

Cousins running barefoot to the beach.........

My brother Tim who always has his shirt off, leaning on his shovel after digging a little pool for the kids to play in by the shore.    Aunt Sally always in the mix playing.  (I can't believe I get to see you next month with Mom!!!!!)

My sister-in-law Ana in the back with me, my Mom in front of her and my Aunt Sally in front of me.  We are forever laughing, our  voices getting louder and louder the longer we are together. 

Oh my gosh, the fun of being a silly girl with these women.  These women NEVER try and tamper my personality.  We (including Kerri, Rita and Carolyn) feed off of each other and are forever free to be ourselves.  It's a beautiful thing. 

There is nothing like walking back to the house, jumping in the tub and washing away all the days sun and sand.  Doesn't it look like they had a good time at the beach?

I love my crazy family!  These are my favorite kinds of pictures, THIS is my family, full of life and joy to me.  I love and miss you.  (Including those of  you not pictured!) 

****I just remembered that this was the trip last August that I came home to when Dan met us at the airport and told me we were moving to Paris.  It was an amazing trip from start to finish. 

 Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women out there who give there all day in and day out.  Some days feel like "ground hog day"......the same thing over and over......especially with little ones.  

I love the song by Trace Adkins entitled "Your Going to Miss This".  I need to be mindful to not rush through some of the "uncomfortable" parts of mothering.  I find myself "wishing away" some of those seasons but I need to remember how small this window of "hands on" mothering is and be grateful for it.....all of it.  Why do we only want to take the good?

A great big "shout out" to my Mom.  Oh, it is difficult being so far away from you and having so many months pass without seeing you and touching you.  You are a beautiful example of a Mother if I ever saw one.  Thank you for Mothering me with such expressive love and support.  You are my forever cheerleader!  I love you beyond love!

**I will do my best to sort through my photo's from this weekend and post them tomorrow.  Honfleur was sticky sweet but Deauville rocked my world!!