Finally some pictures

Sorry for the quality -- I don't have photoshop here. So here is just a flash of the things we have done -- I am still behind on my pictures so this will only take us up to Sat. More to come in a couple days. At the airport in Paris
Had to keep busy while waiting for the plane
Playdate with my BFF's kids -- this is mister H -- look at them eyes!!!
Sami having a blast
Here is Mr H's big brothet -- also Mr H
Alison climbing
Take a pose -- she was so hot!
Alison and big Mr H
Here is the Misters H's little sister Ms H
Ready to go cool off

Sarah-tan -- with a new Ms H in tow -- notice the theme here ;)

The next day (Sat) We went to The George Ranch -- very cool working ranch with houses from the 1830's,1860's, 1890's and 1930's. To make it even better it was free for the 20th anniversary!!! Plus 20 cents hotdogs, drinks and snowcones!
In front of the 1830's log cabin
Sitting on the porch of the 1830's house
Riding the trailer pulled by a tractor
Making rope!

In a cattle car
Waiting to go in the 1890's house
Checkin' out a cowboy -- they couldn't believe that cowboys really exist
On our way out
We stopped to take a picture of this guy and he charged the fence and scared the **** out of us -- but at least I got the picture!

I'm heading to Dallas tomorrow so I will update when I get back....

Just a quick picture share

I'm waiting for my dad to put photoshop on his computer so I can work on my pictures so I will only share one picture for now -- meet Libby, Sami's new best friend! She is my dad's black lab. The girls have played with her non stop and the poor dog is worn out by noon! Yesterday my BFF in the whole wide world come over with her three kids and number four on the way. The kids had a blast playing together. They have only seen each other a few times but the play well -- and hard -- together! I have pictures from last night but I would like to work on them

We're here

Let me start off by saying sorry for all the typos -- I have a hard time getting use to the American keyboard.
Our trip went smoothly -- everything was on time. The girls did amazing, the pulled their little suitcase or help pushed the stroller. Sami though the bathrooms on the train and on the plane were just the coolest thing. They freaked Leila out, though she did manage to go once on the train and once on the plane. On the plane we had 3 seats in one row and one seat in the middle of the row behind us -- luckily there was a really sweet lady that help Alison out when she needed it. I was also amazed that Alison made such an effort to speak English to the lady. AAt the end of the flight Sami sat back there because Leila wanted to be next to Alison. Sami talked to the lady a lot but all in French. Leila slept for about 1.5 hrs on the plane and Alison didn't sleep at all. Sami was the only one that listened to me -- she took 2 1.5/2 hr naps. So when we finally got to my dad's (around 6pm -- 1am French time) she was feeling great. Alison was exhausted as was Leila. I went to bed early too but at 2:30am I was wide awake! I hate jet lag! Luckily all the girls are still asleep -- so they probably will get over the jet lag pretty fast. I need to get dress since it is almost time for the dog's daily walk before the heat gets too bad -- seems wierd to have to worry about the heat after the chilly weather we had the days before we left!!

One last post before we're off.....

School picnic -- Leïla and I stopped by to see the kids!

Early tomorrow morning we will be leaving to catch the train (3hrs) then transfer to the airport (3 hr wait) then take out 10 hr flight, go through customs and passport checkpoints, pick up our luggage and we will finally be at destination -- well almost, there is another hour drive afterwards. So I quickly post about our week.
Just before heading out to school on the last day!

The girls last day of school was Fri the 4th of July -- to celebrate it being the 4th, I made the girls pancakes for breakfast before heading off to school. Hubby had a very busy day at work and finally got home after 9pm, but we were suppose to go to one of his coworker's for dinner. We showed up at 9:30pm -- they knew we would be late. So of coarse we didn't get home until 2:30am -- start late, finish late. Sat morning hubby was giving a hand to 3 of our friends that were having a big bash for their 30th b-day. I started and got the "guestroom" (aka the playroom) set up for one of the frined's family. The party was a lot of fun and one of our close friends told us that they are engaged and will be getting married 6/6/09 after 2 kids ;) The girls had a blast dancing until around 1am for Sami, she passed out on a blanket in a cornor and Alison held out until 2am when she feel asleep on my lap. Leïla went and spent the night at mamie's. Sunday we had our annual PTA end of the school year picnic. I didn't bring my camera, which is probably a good thing since wine was abundant and the guys were being silly! We got in pretty late and hubby had a hard time getting up Monday more! Mon and Tuesday has been nonstop packin', doing laundry, and buying last minute things. It is so hard not to forget something. Speaking of, I better get back to my last minute things -- I will do another post in a day our two! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer -- personally I am ready to be somewhere warm!!!

Sami and me from Sat night

It always happens at the worst times...

Last time before leaving for the US my computer started acting funky. Well today I was taking a nap (yes -- a very hard weekend!) and we had a rain storm and the power went out for a minute. Well since my computer is acting up! I lost all my bookmarked stuff, all my passwords, and my set ups (background, screen saver...) So for the last 2.5 hours I have been raking my brain trying to rmember all my stuff. I also wanted to burn my pictures onto a DVD and my burner won't work --- acccckkkk!! Gotta love technology!! Hopefully I will get this straightened out and I will be able to post about our weekend!

Did I do that???

Yeah -- Miss Leïla Lou, you did! You are pretty much potty trained during the day!! 3 days straight with no accidents -- including many outings! Not the best timing but, you just have to roll with the punches! Now do you think she will be able to use an airplane bathroom without touching all the nasty germy stuff????

Mon stage photo -- my photography training class

I still haven't totally recovered from my photography training class on Monday. Let me give you a little bit of back ground on how this all came about. I did some research online trying to find a class our a workshop on my side of France. There was only one. So I go on the photographer's website -- I look at his studio work -- not really my taste or style so I keep on looking -- I find nothing. I go back to the website -- look at his on location work -- much more my style! Anyways -- I sent him an e-mail asking to sign up for a class either in fall 2008 or winter 2008-2009 (they are available every other Sunday). He answered back and wondered why I wanted to wait so long. I explained that I had every Sunday booked up until my trip and then I was leaving for 6 weeks, and all of Sept was booked and the beginning of Oct. We e-mailed back and forth several times -- I sent some of my pictures, he gave me cc's on them. Then he offered to do a class on a Monday for me. I told him I couldn't afford the private class (five time more expensive) -- so he said he would find people to do a group class on the Monday of my choice. So I picked June 30th. A couple days before he called me to set up a time and all and told me to pack my lunch. So 9:30am I showed up at his studio. I was the only one -- another lady would join us around noon and a third lady around 6pm. OK. So we spent 2.5 hours there, I asked tons of questions, he showed me his work, his studio set up, where to buy things, gave me addresses to work with. He showed me some pointers on photoshop and comfirmed my workflow I use. So then we went to the beach -- beautiful, pretty empty "NUDIST" beach! Hahahaha!! He showed me how to work with full sun, get the most out of beach shots, etc. He let me use his Canon 300mm (basically a huge and heavy zoom that costs a lot! around $2000) After a awhile the other lady showed up. We went into the dunes to see what locations we could find. He keep on giving pointers and correction the poses and such. Then we headed off to the forest where we took a 20 minutes lunch break. And off we went to work in the forest. After about an hour the other lady had to go, so I was back on my own. We had beautiful weather but it was so hot!! And we did a lot of walking. After the forest we went to another beach -- this time a rocky beach. I'm still editting my pictures from this part, so I will show them later. We did a lot of climbing a such to get the right shots. Then we went the to fishing port to work with colors and such. I finally headed home at 8pm and got home just after 9. I was wiped but learnt so much -- way more than I ever expected and I loved his passion for photography and how he wanted to share his knowledge. He was a bit on the crazy side but it made the experience so much fun! I will be signing up for another class in the fall, that is for sure! He are just a few of the many pictures we took -- and there is the proof that it was a nudist beach ;)