Going Private

I am not posting to this blog anymore, and have decided to make our new blog private. If you would like to be invited to read my blog (i.e., I know or knew you) please email me, or leave a comment with your email address so I can make sure to add you to my approved readers. I am thinking people like Hannah, whose email I don't have and who I know occassionaly checks my blog.

New Blog

We have started a new blog to track our adventures while we are in the good ole USA. And while it is still under construction, we hope you will check it out. It is PHAT! I mean FAT.

www.jackspratswife.blogspot.com

Me in Photos

This is a fun post my friend Shannon had on her blog. I thought it would help ease me back into the blogosphere. Let me know in comments if you create one for your blog as well.

a.Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.
d. copy the mosaic image (right click, save image as) to your computer.

Here are the questions:
1. What is your first name? Sina
2. What is your favorite food? French Fries
3. What high school did you go to? Basic High School
4. What is your favorite color? Orange
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Jason Bateman (by now you all should have at least Netflixed Arrested Development, right?)
6. Favorite drink? Hot Cocoa
7. Dream vacation? Paris
8. Favorite dessert? Laduree Macaroons
9. What you want to be when you grow up? still in love
10. What do you love most in life? family moments
11. One word to describe you? sassy
12. Where do you live? Falls Church


1. written, 2. day 52: french fries, 3. Uncertain Future, 4. I want to be where the Sun warms the sky, 5. Jason Bateman, 6. Triple Hot Chocolate with cream, 7. Monty's Korner, 8. Ladurée Macarons in Paris, 9. Les Amants Du Luxembourg, 10. Watching the fireworks, 11. Edna y el Mar, 12. beauty = truth, etc.

Rules for International Blogging

Rule #1: When packing up all your belongings for a trans-oceanic move, keep the glass of water away from the laptop.

The Final Countdown**

(I hope all Arrested Development fans now have images of GOB dancing across a stage on Spring Break weekend)

With only one month left in the City of Lights, we decided to we'd do a few things we've been meaning to do since we arrived. Nate took a day of work and we spent a three day weekend "vacationing" in the city we may always call home.

A very Parisian activity for children and their parents to do together- the boat pond at the Jardin du Luxembourg. By the end, Ruby was finally as excited to catch her boat and push it back out to "sea" as she was about the ducks. The gardens also have marionette shows and pony rides for children.



The day was beautiful, which proved to be too much for us to handle and we had to return home to rest from sun exhaustion. In the end that was a good thing, we were able to take the entire family out to Fete de la Musique- a city wide music festival in celebration of the longest night of summer. Musicians can be found on street corners and bars through out the city performing. We drove our car down to the center of the activity because we have a place to park. At one point we were on a narrow, one way street, when we came to a huge crowd (100 or more) in front of a bar and spilling on to the street. Security was quick to come to our assistance, moving the party goers like Moses did the Red Sea for our car to pass. Nate admits his foot was shaking as he drove through. We had dinner at a pizzeria in the Latin quarter, before winding our way back across the Seine to get home with music the entire way. Too be honst, most of the music we heard wasn't any good. But, we stayed out until 1am and Ruby loved it.


The next morning we slept in, and are so glad to have children capable of this. Gavin slept until 10, Ruby until Noon. We decided we would go to Bois de Vincennes, which has a butterfly garden I had heard about since arriving. What I didn't realize is that Bois de Vincennes is just outside of Paris, and to be honest I am a bit of an elitist in that regard. If the location is just outside the Peripherique (or Beltway), it just isn't worth being seen. Bois de Vincennes did not change my opinion. The butterfly garden was in a room no larger than my living room, with some of the puniest butterflies I have seen. But as you can see from the photo below, Ruby doesn't seem to mind. She thought it was magical and wanted desperately to have a butterfly land on her finger. And while one never did, she giggled like it was Christmas.

On our way out of the Bois, we noticed a lot of smoke. As it turns out, there is an immigrant penitentiary there, a holding pen before deportation. The night before a 41 year old died of a "heart attack." The inmates, believing he was beaten, protested, started fires, and 50 escaped. Another reason you don't bother leaving the city.

Another Celebrity Sighting

To understand the complete joy captured in this photo you should know that Ruby has a fluffy pink phone that was given to her by her very pink, very princess-y friends who introduced her to the Disney phenomenon. Every day she has this general conversation on the phone, (of course after she makes it ring):
"Hello?"
"Oh, hi Cinderella!! Yeah, it's me, Ruby."

And that is it, several times over and over again. I figure I am raising her with a great level of confidence because in her fantasy play Cinderella is the one calling Ruby for a chat.

(And please, no comments about our son with the POTUS and our daughter with the Princess. She had a picture with him too, we just weren't close enough to get a good shot.)

Confession

I have three confessions to make.

First, I voted for George W. Bush in 2000.

Second, W. was briefly on my Top Ten list. (Note: This was never based on policy)

Third, I passed my 8-week old son "Lion King style" through a small crowd for this picture.


Ruby had to settle for the group photo.


But not before the President's advance team took her to the podium for a sound check.