Friday Favorites, vol. xvi

I thought we might return to our regularly scheduled programming this week after recovering from jet lag, catching all the mice, and putting away all the suitcases, but instead we had a lovely interlude of snow and a movie night that stretched into two movie nights.

These are a few of my favorite things this week:

1.  Built-in Warm Jeans from Old Navy

The inside of these jeans is cozy and warm, and I'm so glad I bought them last month.  I had a feeling they would serve me well through the Paris winter, and I lived in these all week.  My legs stayed warm amidst all our snowy outings without resorting to wearing leggings under jeans, which is what I usually do.  

2.  My New Camera Backpack

My brother and sister-in-law gave it to me for Christmas, and it is making it that much easier to take my camera along on outings and still have a place to carry the other things I need, too, in the separate compartment at the top.  It came with a waterproof cover that came in very handy in the snow this week; it slipped right over the backpack easily and kept everything dry.  

The camera bag normally couldn't come with me to the 

library when my backpack was filled with books, but the 

new bag allowed me to carry my books and my real camera.

3.  Reuniting with friends 

It's been a joy to reunite with all the people in our lives here in Paris.  This week we enjoyed brunch, church, hot chocolate, games, movies, and running errands with different people.

4.  I've always loved Cary Grant in this scene of Charade.

I've been wanting to re-watch this movie for a long time and finally had the chance to this week.

What were some of your favorite things this week?  We literally got snowflakes on our nose and eyelashes this week, so it was a good one.  Bon weekend, as they say in France!

Friday Favorites, vol. xv

These are a few of my favorite things from this past week...

1.  Paris being home for a season

K.J. was away at a conference for the International Baptist Convention last week, so after four days of solo-parenting I was happy to get out of the house on my own.  I had a few errands to run in Paris, and as I walked by Notre Dame where hundreds of tourists maneuvered for the perfect angle for their picture it hit me afresh that this is where I live, that many of these streets feel familiar, and I know my way around, and I felt thankful.  

2.  The Christmas line at Marks and Spencer's

Speaking of places that were home, I also felt immensely grateful for the feeling of home I had in this English store Sunday night, filled with things that reminded me of so many memories in North Yorkshire.  When we first moved to Boroughbridge, the local supermarket carried a chocolate orange spread that delighted my husband because we've always loved the chocolate oranges my parents gift us for Christmas (unbeknownst to us, first created in Yorkshire!)  K.J. was ecstatic because not only could he buy said chocolate oranges for one pound, he could spread a delightful concoction on toast in the mornings.  A few months later this chocolate orange spread was discontinued but look what Marks and Spencer brought in for Christmas!  Christmas came early for K.J.

3.  The Canon remote shooting app

I haven't had cause to use it very often, but on a whim decided to take a picture of the four of us that wasn't a selfie.  I've used a remote before, but with my phone I can actually see us on the screen before taking the shot, which is a definite bonus. 

4.  A Child's History of the World

This copy has a super-weird cover, but I love referring back to this book when I want to discuss a topic we're not currently studying in school but is really relevant, e.g. this Sunday is 100 years since the first world war ended, and I wanted to give the kids an overview.  It is well-written and easy to understand.  I highly recommend it.

5.  Crash Course on YouTube

Before looking for a link to give you I didn't realize these two guys were brothers, which makes these even more amazing to me.  If you want a fun, quick overview of something in history or a refresher on something you forgot from your science class, I love watching these.  I often use them to supplement our science and history lessons.

6.  Usborne Illustrated Classics

I love illustrated classics of all kinds, but I mention Usborne because I bought James Treasure Island for Christmas two years ago, and he's just randomly picked it up to read on his own.  I think these beautifully illustrated books make classics much more fun to read aloud together or on their own because the pictures encourage them along through the challenging text.  Two years ago, I also bought Ella this copy of The Secret Garden with illustrations by one of our favorites, Lauren Child.  Plus, who doesn't love a beautiful book on their shelf?  I want to send my kids out into the world with a nice start for their home library.  

What are some of your favorite things from this past week?

Friday Favorites, vol. xiv

Do you know what the French call a mother-in-law and father-in-law?  Belle-mѐre and beau-pѐre.  It's like saying beautiful mother and good father.  I love this.  

We did so many wonderful things this past week with my belle-mѐre and beau-pѐre.  I'm not sure if that makes it easier or harder to identify my favorites.  

1.  our church retreat

What an encouraging and fun weekend with God's people gathered from all over the world, here in Paris at this particular time.  It was so good to have concentrated time to talk to people and K.J.'s parents did a great job teaching.  Below is a panel of pastors answering questions after the morning teaching time.

2.  Monet's Garden in the Fall

The colors!  Oh, my, they were gorgeous.  It was also a delight to have our dear friend, Ari, be able to come with us.  Gifts all around.

3.  visiting the exhibits at the American Military Cemetery in Normandy

For various reasons we'd never walked through the visitor's center before, and it was so meaningful and tear-inducing for sure.  These are a selection of things carried by soldiers that day, symbols of faith and good luck, patriotism, and love.

4.  seashells, seashells everywhere

We got the inside scoop on where to go for a beach covered in scallop shells.  Even though we were told the beach was covered in shells, it couldn't prepare us for seeing it in person!

5.  watching the sunrise with K.J.

I didn't want to walk out on my own, so I'm thankful for a husband willing to get straight out of bed and hurry to the beach so we wouldn't miss it.  This is Sword Beach, taken by the British on D-Day.

This was a week spent looking at "small" things created by God--shells, flowers, birds--and after an Instagram post I saw from Sally Lloyd Jones reminding me that the birds are "careless in the care of God,"  I paid closer attention.  The exquisite beauty of a flower doesn't last long, birds aren't worried, and all the minute detail of a shell at the bottom of the ocean might never be seen were it not for the fisherman dumping the empty shells on this beach.  All of these things are created with care by God, and we are worth so much more than they.  So don't worry.

Friday Favorites, vol. xiii

Happy Friday!  Here are a few of my favorite things from this past week.  Maybe you'll find a new favorite, too.  I was really happy to hear this week that someone else found and loved the Flavia books.

1.  Joanna Gaines' Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ella requested a cookie cake for her birthday, and while looking for a recipe on Pinterest I came across this one from Joanna's new cookbook and thought I would give it a try.  I didn't make the individual cookies, but as a cookie cake it was a huge success!  The biggest difference I noticed from other recipes is that it used only brown sugar instead of a combination of white and brown.  It was nice and fluffy and didn't flatten out like other recipes I've made.

2.  Aragorn going to fight orcs

I mentioned earlier this week that we watched The Fellowship of the Ring with the kids on Labor Day.  I was reminded of my love for this scene when Aragorn tells Frodo to run and walks out to fight the orcs alone.  It is 20 seconds of cinema gold.

via GIPHY

3.  Asking for help

I was reminded this week of how wonderful it can be to ask for help when you have situations in front of you that you don't know how to handle.  I thought I might have to take James to a doctor, and of course we don't have a regular doctor yet, nor do we speak much French, which can make me feel stressed.  But within five minutes of asking a friend who has lived here longer and knows how to navigate the system, she had found me an appointment.  I didn't end up needing it, but it was good to be reminded that there are people I can ask when I don't know how to do something, and it's often simple for them to tell me what to do.  I spent the rest of the week thinking about other things I could ask for help with.  😊

4.  FaceTime

I think this is a recurrence in my favorite things, but FaceTime makes it so much easier to share moments with family that would otherwise be missed.  In Alabama we would always watch Ella's birthday video with family, and with the miracle of technology, we were able to watch the cousins watching it from over 4,000 miles away.  It's such a powerful tool for connection.  

5.  The Expectation of Vacation

We spent our summer moving and getting settled, so we're taking our vacation this month, combining it with a conference for new pastors in the International Baptist Convention at the end.  We're hopping over the channel to the south of England where I have the expectation of familiar things, speaking English, and charity shops.  I'm excited.

What good things have you enjoyed this first week of September?  How many Pumpkin Spiced Lattes have you already consumed?

"What IS it about the English countryside--

why is the beauty so much more than visual?

Why does it TOUCH one so?"

- I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith - 

Friday Favorites, vol. xii

1.  Back to School

We started school on Monday, and it was a little jarring.  The first day was long, and I was tired at the end of it, but it only took a couple of days for the routine to feel nice again.  Summer freedom is good.  A little back-to-school structure is good, too.

2.  The effects of making a plan

I prepared for this week's school work a little more than my end-of-school self had.  I made all the copies ahead of time and came up with a schedule for the day.  My brain really doesn't like planning ahead.  I like to "see what comes next" and let things "happen naturally."  But I pushed through the brain ache to make plans, and I felt so much more peaceful teaching this week as a result.  I guess I know what I need to do tomorrow.

3.  Having friends over

We finally have a working oven and stove, so we inaugurated them both this week by frying chicken and baking a cake.  It's been fun to enjoy our new little home with friends.

4.  Reading Aloud

When I was in middle school I thought it would be a great idea to record myself reading Gone with the Wind.  Because I just love reading aloud that much.  Now I have little people forced to listen to me, and it's great.  We finished Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this week and started this adaptation of Canterbury Tales.  Both have brought a lot of laughter.

Fleming's description of a backed up motorway because the weather was nice and everyone decided to go to the seaside made us laugh because I think that's pretty much the way it still is in England when the sun shines.

5.  James having a dog to play with

We're dog-sitting again this week, and Polly LOVES James.  She follows him from room to room in the house wherever he goes, and when we got the leash out to try taking her on a walk?  She lost her mind.  She loved it so much.  And I love watching him run around the garden with a stick, Polly at his heels.

"Never say 'No' to adventures.

Always say 'Yes', otherwise you'll

always lead a very dull life."

- Caractacus Pott, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - 

Friday Favorites: vol. xi

After a hiatus for moving and packing, I'm back with a few of my favorite things from the past week.  Maybe you love these things, too?  

1.  Soda Stream

I've been intrigued by Soda Streams for several years, and I was given one as a housewarming gift two weeks ago that I am LOVING!

The pink grapefruit above was the only time I flavored an entire bottle.  Now I just add a splash of syrup or more to the bottom of my glass if I want.  As far as I know, besides the little travel tubes of Crystal Light, the concentrated flavored syrups of Europe haven't made it to the States.  They make it easy to add a little or a lot of flavor to your water according to your taste.  I want to try this recipe for Lavender Lemon sparkling water, but until then my favorite flavor of the moment is Mojito, which leads me to my second favorite thing.

2.  Mojito Flavored Anything

I found these delightful popsicles that taste of cucumber, lime, and mint, and they are so refreshing.  The syrup I've been using is just the lime and mint, and it makes beating the heat fun.

3.  Short Hair

I got my hair cut in our new small town last week, and not to overuse a phrase, but it's helping me beat the heat, keep cool, etc.  When I caught sight of my short ponytail in a mirror this week it made me feel so happy not to have the weight of all my long hair there anymore.

4.  Reading Unbroken

I know I'm several years behind in reading this book, but oh, my goodness.  It is so intense.  I have so many thoughts.  I haven't finished yet, because it was too good not to read out loud to K.J., so my reading is relegated to after the kids are in bed now.  Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to put it down yesterday.  My very first takeaway from early in the book as Hillenbrand describes what a holy terror Zamperini was as a child and teenager was that it could be such an encouragement to parents.  Without that strong rebellious, fighting spirit, he probably wouldn't have survived what he did on that raft.

5.  Reading my first of Noreen's novels

Since I had to find something else to read during the day I picked up the first in a series written by our gracious hostess.  There's been an added enjoyment in reading Katharine because I've now heard her tell several of the stories that make an appearance in the book.  It makes the book a much more personal World War II novel since it was written by someone who lived in this world.   Included in the back of the book is a glossary, and she explains what phrases like in the field and their cover was blown mean.  These are such familiar terms to us now, and we all know what they mean, but it struck me that in the '40s, this was new slang.

That's it for this week, friends.  What have you been drinking or eating to beat the heat?  What are you reading by the pool?  Any good WWII novels to add to my list? 

Friday Favorites: vol. x

Happy (official) summertime!

I spent the first week of summer taking care of James who had a fever virus.  Fever viruses aren't one of my favorite things, but here's what was a delight this week.

1.  picnic with friends on a beautiful summer's night

It was a beautiful evening, and I got several mosquito bites--one of my least favorite things--but at least I brought Benadryl cooling gel along from our last trip home.

2.  ladies book exchange

I'm sure book club will show up continuously on Friday Favorites.  Any gathering where you can talk books is a good gathering.  And speaking of books...

3.  signing the kids up for summer reading at the library

I just love summer reading and the work libraries do to promote it.  I love the goal-setting method, but the American Library in Paris is doing something I've never seen done before, which is just have kids aim to read for 30 minutes a day through the summer.  Each week you achieve that goal your name is entered into a drawing for extra prizes.  I thought it was a great way to spare parents having to keep up with the book list and also just to help kids not feel behind who may not read as quickly.  The idea is just to get kids reading.  👍

4.  Trampoline!

I finally took the kids to jump at Tuileries.  I've always thought it would be a fun thing to do when kids are in school, and it was!  

5.  finding extra deodorant stashed in a suitcase

Ella is still laughing at my fervent, "Praise the Lord!" I uttered when I found it last night.  I knew I'd stocked up on my favorite, but I couldn't find it anywhere when I needed it.  I have a hard time finding deodorant I like on this side of the Atlantic.  Am I the only one with a favorite deo?  

Friday Favorites, vol. ix

Besides going back to W.H. Smith several times for an Exotic Mango Diet Coke, this week's favorite things include...

1.  meeting new people at EIC Ternes on Sunday

We've had a continuous stream of visitors to the new church each week, and it's always encouraging to hear their stories.  We've also celebrated the Lord's Supper/communion twice now, which has been a joy.  K.J. has done a good job figuring out new logistics in making that happen.  

2.  visiting our soon-to-be new home again

An amazing older lady from Emmanuel International Church is allowing us to live in the guesthouse in her garden, and we visited again this week to discuss plans for turning one of the downstairs rooms into a kitchen.  We are thrilled and excited and grateful for this provision of housing, and an added bonus is that this home was built in the 1660s.  This makes it about 100 years older than our first home in England, Capstick Cottage, but it reminds me a lot of it with its wooden beams in the living room.  And I love a Dutch door so much.

3.  the kids' adventurous spirits on a super-crowded bus ride

I took the kids to a couple of bookstores on Wednesday near the center of Paris, which of course means lots of people headed in the same direction.  We endured a bus so full we couldn't even make it to the ticket machine to pay for our ride, and the doors could barely close around our backpacks.  Ella handled her normal claustrophobia really well, so she gets a high five.  There wasn't even room to stretch out my arm far enough to take a selfie of our surroundings.  You'll have to infer what you will from Ella's expression.

4.  talking to the sweetest friend brought to me by our marrying cousins
4a.  our phone plan allowing us to call the U.S. for free

It's difficult to work in phone calls with the time difference, but it's so encouraging when we can.  K.J.'s cousin treated us to the most delicious last meal in America in January, and it's the most recent picture I have of Lindy and I.

Happy Father's Day weekend, folks.

Friday Favorites, vol. viii

This week I'm loving...

1.  long summer days 

We've not had much planned this week, and I started to feel a little twitchy about how relaxed I felt at one point.  But this is of course silly, especially considering that we're about to begin the moving process.  This will involve cleaning and home improvement projects and having all of our belongings delivered from England at last, so I leaned in to the slowness.

stopping to smell the proverbial roses,

which bloom all over Paris this time of year

2.  Art for Kids Hub

My kids have enjoyed these draw-along- with-the-artist videos off and on for several years, and they literally drew and colored their creations for a good five hours yesterday.  Pokemon, Star Wars, and Phineas and Ferb characters abound in our home now.  It's a great indoor summer activity, and you can find even more videos on his YouTube channel.

Notice Ella is still "colouring," not "coloring."

3.  special treats

Finding "sugar free Mountain Dew" at the local British bookstore may be my favorite thing from the week.  I love Diet Mountain Dew, and you just can't find Mountain Dew very often in Europe, much less the diet version.  While this wasn't quite the same formula, it was citrus-y carbonated goodness on a hot day that made me so happy.  There were also a lot of exotic flavors of Coke Zero, including Mango.  In my overflowing joy about my Mountain Dew I let the kids choose something, too.  We all felt more energized for the walk home leaving the bookstore. 

May all your summer days be so pleasantly caffeinated.  How was your week? 

Friday Favorites, vol. vii

Yay, Friday!  We've had a really good week 'round these parts enjoying having Seth here with Lua and enjoying Paris together.  After lots of walking the kids and I are looking forward to a day at home.  I need to catch up on laundry and housework and prepare for the weekend ahead.  Our host here in Paris works for the American Battle Monuments Commission, the government agency that honors the sacrifices of American Armed Forces in part by caring for American Cemeteries in foreign countries.  There are a lot of big ceremonies taking place this Memorial Day weekend in France, and I'm helping by photographing at two of the ceremonies outside of Paris on Sunday.  It will be a full day, but I'm really looking forward to it.

On to my favorite things this week!

1.  watching the royal wedding with a newly-formed book club I'm part of

Weddings are just beautiful and special in all they represent, and I was glad I tuned in to watch.

2.  walking around Paris Sunday night with Seth and Lua

We typically try not to keep the kids out too late, but with the long summer nights kicking in and the nice weather and Seth having arrived, we made an exception to the rule.  It was such a gorgeous night and totally worth it.

Emily P. Freeman's The Next Right Thing podcast is always a weekly favorite for me, and last week's episode was about taking a hometown tour.  Paris is obviously not my hometown in the sense that I'm from here, but it is my hometown for this season, and I appreciated her gentle words:

"Whether you just moved to where you live now,

or if you were born in the hospital down the street--

the place where you live is part of who you are now.

This place holds your story, at least a piece of it.

This is the place where God wants to meet you,

for better or worse."

And her closing prayer was so good:

"Remind us that even as you are the God of Israel,

you are the God of our own hometown, too."

It reminded me of one of my favorite passages from the book of Acts.

"From one man he has made every 

nationality to live over the whole earth 

and has determined their appointed times 

and the boundaries of where they live.  

He did this so that they might seek God, 

and perhaps they might reach out and find him, 

though he is not far from each one of us."

- Acts 17:26-27 -

All the places you and I have lived, and where we live right now, are purposeful.

3.  meeting a couple from Denmark on Sunday

Speaking of all the nationalities and boundaries on earth, one of the joys I'm finding of being part of an international church in an international city is meeting people from all over the world as they are passing through Paris.  I'd never met anyone from Denmark before, and the immediate kinship you feel with other Christians is such a sweet thing, as is hearing about how God has used the places they've lived to cause them to seek him.

4.  anniversary date!

We abandoned the thought of a fancy Paris outing for Five Guys and a summer blockbuster.  I don't think we're fancy people.

5.  a long talk with my mom

This time difference thing makes it so difficult to connect with family back home, so I was grateful when K.J. took the kids out for the afternoon this week, and I had some quiet time to "phone home."  FaceTime makes you feel like you're sitting on the sofa for a nice long chat, and it was such a treat.  

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone!

Friday Favorites, vol. v

1.  James reading the Hardy Boys

I grew up loving Nancy Drew (I still do!), so I was thrilled when I handed James the first Hardy Boys book from our host's bookshelves, and he liked it!  He's now read the first five and is listening to an awesome audio book complete with motorcycle sounds.  Take me back to the America of teenage sleuths respected by the local police force. 😊

2.  Hearing Taps played at the end of the day at the American Cemetery at Normandy

3.  putting my feet in soft, warm sand 

It's been over a year, and it was such a good feeling.

4.  whenever your kids love something they first thought they wouldn't like

Ella didn't have high hopes during the long wait to get inside Monet's garden, but she loved it so much once she made it around the lily pond.  Please advise:  is it good parenting to rub it in every time you're right about how much your kids will enjoy something?  I don't think I'm too obnoxious about it.  As K.J. used to always say to me, "Who told you if I didn't tell you?"  

Friday Favorites, vol. iv

This week I'm loving...

1.  this acoustic cover of A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman

It's good morning music.

2. YouTube videos

This is a funny one for me because when YouTube first came on the scene I was vehemently against wasting my time watching people be stupid on the internet, but now it's the home of so many really smart and creative people helping me explain particle accelerators to my kids...and to me!  This week I started using it to supplement history, too.  We were reading about the first kings of England this week, and we all liked this one.

3.  re-reading Flavia de Luce books

I got behind reading new books in this series, so I started re-reading ones I've already previously read to have the stories fresh in my mind.  They're so good I accidentally read three in three days this past week.  If you like cozy British mysteries and precocious young female protagonists, these are for you.  Alan Bradley is master of a good simile.

4.  going to bed earlier

Part of why I could read three books in three days was I abandoned my before bed TV habit for a before bed reading habit and consequently fell asleep earlier.  I like watching TV, but I also like being a happier human the next day.  What to do...

5.  getting to spend my days learning history and science

I was just watching yet another YouTube video about the phases of matter with the kids (we've gotten into a routine of reading about a topic, then searching for a video that goes along with it), and it hit me, "I get to spend my days learning about history and science.  This is amazing."  I love history.  My brain doesn't compute science as well; I can't comprehend so much of what I read about the invisible world of electrons.  But I'm amazed at the people who can comprehend it and the God who created it all.  And I'm really grateful I get to learn even just a little bit more about these things.

“What intrigued me more than anything was 

finding out the way in which everything, 

all of creation—all of it!—was held together 

by invisible chemical bonds, and I found a strange, 

inexplicable comfort  in knowing that somewhere, 

even though we couldn’t see it in our own world, 

there was real stability.”

- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Alan Bradley -