Paris: For Christmas!

This is actually a photo from when we first arrived. The boys were having a boys convention by the fire place!

This one was in the evening after our long day at the Eiffel Tower.  Our new baby cousin Cassia that we've just met who was born in July!

We didn't do much on Christmas Eve, but hang out, sleep, and then half the crew went to a Christmas Eve service in the local area.  It was cold and very very windy and I knew my children would not sit nicely so we didn't go.  I volunteered to make dinner instead so I got a turn at the industrial oven...

First, 4 pounds of shrimp in France is 4 pounds of cooked, but whole shrimp.  Yes, even the heads.  I don't mind as we used to go shrimping when I was a kid, the only problem is they are WAAAAY more difficult to clean and de-vein when they're already cooked.  Brian spent quite a few hours that afternoon.  I then managed to completely burn my first batch of butter and garlic in the oven because it went from solid to burnt in about 3 minutes!  Whoops!

Sadly, when dinner was all ready I had rice... because I had gotten sick.  On Christmas morning I enjoyed the brunch... which was also a mistake.  So I sat in one spot on the couch and took photos of everyone else opening their gifts (mostly the kids really) and then I went back to bed and missed Christmas dinner.  Bummer.

Singing is very much a tradition so we sang a lot of Christmas carols.  ALL the verses!

It's so much fun for me to see my niece and nephew wearing clothes that our kids wore! (both the pj's here)  William got lots of fun gifts brought along from Joel's family.  New books!

I forgot.  On the morning of Christmas Eve Brian, Grandpa, and the boys went out in search of a toy store.  I got to visit it later in the week... it was maybe as big as two small bedrooms with doorways in between.  Crazy!  But they found some fun stuff...

Grandpa with a wind up music box.

Cory checking out something.  Seriously, can you believe how tall this kid is?

This is how my children move when they're opening presents... no dawdling!

The boys had picked out wooden dragons.  Very fun.  And very random, they each picked the other's favorite color.

Noah helping sister, Joy figuring it out on her own.  And my fabulously wonderful friend Bethany who came along as our nanny.  Especially as I spent a lot of time in bed she was a great help.

Enough with this paper, what's inside???!!!!

Joy found the prize, a new book!

More lovely family photos, for the benefit of family here who doesn't get to see them!

A very nice blanket for William from his other grandma.

So, that evening we had planned to take half the crew out to the Eiffel Tower to see the light show.  It goes for 5 minutes at the top of the hour so you don't want to be late.  Brian stayed back with the girls - who would have been extra cranky since we aimed for the 8pm show - but I think everyone else went except Grandpa and maybe Grandma.

Here's Cassia on the Metro checking out the other passengers!

When we got there it was a bit windy, but alright.  There were lots of vendors throwing these LED lit toys way up in the sky so the boys were enthralled by that.  Unfortunately as we were waiting it started to rain, and it was windy.  Not so pleasant.  But we did see the lights.  Don't bother with the sound unless you want to hear poor William wailing, but you can get the idea if you watch this short video!


Eiffel Tower Light Show from Krista on Vimeo.   

 We also saw this advertisement every time we walked back from the Metro.  I took a photo on the first night so we could look it up.  Grandma and Grandpa ended up taking the boys to see it later in the week!  (I would love those photos Grandpa if you want to send them to me!)

Legos in Paris, what fun! 

And thus ends Christmas Day in Paris!