Joyeux Noel!

 A birthday was celebrated last week... 35, holy moly. There were chocolate croissants - bien sur - and train trips through France and Switzerland (not as romantic as it sounds with a toddler in tow) and help from the little man to blow out birthday candles.

I am feeling a little sentimental for the sun and the summer festivity of an Australian December, but am also trying to just take in the joys of a French winter with family that we don't see too often. We're off again on one more little trip before Christmas (I'm going to need a holiday after this holiday) and so I'll say this now... wishing you and your families a joyous Christmas wherever you may be in this wide world.
Gros Bisous! xx joanna

p.s. I dropped my phone on ceramic tiles yesterday and needless to say, it's a little worse for wear. So for you followers on instagram, I'll be a little absent for a while!

Snippets

A few little snapshots from the last couple of weeks.
The photos - and our time here in France - have been dominated by the snow. A first for Leo, and  a novelty for me, a girl from an Australian city. Of course, there was also Paris. We won't talk about the tears on the train, but otherwise the food, the galleries, the views, the snow, the head space... well it was all wonderful. But there was much delight in seeing the smiling face of my little one again (though he was more interested in the train I'd just stepped off) and now we potter and wander and prepare for Christmas and visit friends in Switzerland and eat more cheese...
xx

* the grandparent's house in the mountains
* he was not so sure about this first experience of snow...
* Andy Warhol at the Centre Pompidou in Paris
* Pompidou
* A rainy, snowy day in Paris
* Of course, I had to go and buy macarons
* We had to tell him that there were no cars back then, but still, it was Jesus, sheep and cars in the nativity scene
* The last two photos are of a glorious sunny day in the snow - skiing, tobogganing and general good times.

(p.s. for some reason I can no longer view youtube videos despite various efforts, so music mondays are on indefinite vacation)

eek...

It's chilly here.

Last week we went up to the nearby mountains to give Leo his first glimpse of the white stuff. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen snow fall and I think - no, I know - that I was more excited about it than he was. And it bucketed down. It was beautiful and enchanting and all those things that snow is when you don't have to live in it.

This weekend, I am being completely decadent and am hopping on a train to go back up to Paris for 2 nights ON MY OWN. I've never spent a night away from Leo so I'm a bit nervous about that. But the overriding emotion is one of excitement at being able to wander the streets alone, going wherever my feet and heart fancy. To walk and visit galleries and eat and browse and wander and eat and drink and eat. Without having to consult anyone, or discuss plans or be anywhere by a particular time or change a nappy. Completely decadent. xx