Kids in Paris--Day Two

My kids are not early risers. I wake them up at 8am during the week and we leave the house at 8:40 for school, so I was a bit surprised when Aurelia decided to wake up at 5:30am on Monday morning. Rory walked her around the neighborhood in the dark while Eston and I readied ourselves for the day.

We were feeling a bit groggy as we waited for the bus...

 

We rode the bus through the city in the early morning hours, which Eston loved. The streets were not yet crowded and he could see everything.

 Our first stop was the Notre Dame, but this time we went inside. It was just us and a handful of other people, so it was a really nice experience. Eston was comparing this cathedral to the one in Girona, which I loved. I highly suggest taking children to this monument, and you can take 5 minutes or 2 hours to look around inside, as it is free. Aurelia took a quick tour around and then went outside to play, but Eston and I took a bit more time to really focus on the details.

 From the Notre Dame we walked over towards Louvre, but we were there waaay before it opened, so we stopped at a cafe for a snack. Here is a sleepy Aurelia waiting for her morning snack:

 We arrived at the Louvre before opening time and took the opportunity to snap some photos since the place was practically deserted! If you want to take your younger children to the Louvre--do it! Just go early!

 Rory and I debated about taking Aurelia inside the museum. Rory has been the Louvre more than once and Aurelia was beginning to lose steam. We decided that I would go inside with Eston while Rory let Aurelia nap in the stroller. 

Eston was really excited to see the Mona Lisa, so we went straight there. It was not crowded and though he did enjoy seeing it, I think it was a bit anticlimactic. I think he thought it would be a larger work of art, but she is actually on the smaller side. We were walking around the Italian renaissance area when Eston spotted the most beautiful ceiling, so he took a break to admire it. He sat there for quite some time and pointed out various details to me.

I would absolutely take younger children inside the Louvre, but one needs to have a plan. The Louvre goes on for days, so carefully choose which areas you want to see and stick to that. Eston wanted to see the Egyptian area, so we did that in addition to a few others. We were there for about two hours and he was ready to be done at that time. I don't want this to become drudgery for him, so I make sure to check in to see if he is still enjoying himself.

 We stopped off in the museum shop for a couple of souvenirs. I admit, I am a total sucker in a museum shop. I love them and can easily wipe out my budget. The books! The fun games! I picked up a few things that will be Christmas presents for the kids and we went outside to meet Rory in the Jardin des Tuileries.

The Jardins are located just across the street from the Louvre and they are another great place for children. Lots of spaces to run! We were quite surprised to see a goat roaming around.

 The playground inside the Jardins is on the smaller side, but Eston enjoyed it. Most of the things were frustrating for Aurelia because she was simply not tall enough to do them independently. I would suggest this park for kids over the age of 3, but younger ones will have fun chasing older siblings around and such.

 Just outside the playground is a beautiful carousel. Aurelia is now quite familiar with them, so she was eager to ride it. This particular one is gorgeous and it was a bit more expensive than the one in Luxembourg park at 2.50 euro a ride.

 The Jardins have a trampoline area for kids as well. There are 8 trampolines and there was a nominal fee to jump. Eston was keen to do this, but Aurelia was not old enough (according to their rules). She was not happy about this, so we decided to skip the trampolines this time around. They did look really fun, though!

After the Jardins we headed home for lunch and a rest after such an early morning. That is one of the best parts of renting an apartment--the kids can nap in one room while you read, chat, etc in another. We all felt better after a siesta!

We hopped on another bus and headed towards the Eiffel Tower with the intention of taking a cruise along the Seine River.  Our ride ended up being at sunset, which was actually perfect. It made for gorgeous light and the kids loved riding the boat. Well worth the money, in my opinion.

You can reserve seats inside or outside the boat, but we found it more practical to sit at the back where Aurelia could walk around a bit (price is the same). I do have high expectations of my children, but I also try to be realistic. She needs time to have a bit of freedom if we expect her to sit for meals, museums, etc. She loved the boat ride!

We were all starving after the boat ride, but we were in a super touristy area. Instead of eating in a restaurant aimed at tourists, we walked another 10 minutes or so and found a great little bistro. We had a really nice meal and we were exhausted as we took the Metro back to the apartment. 

Here is Eston playing as he waits for dinner:

Kids in Paris--Day One

We have returned from a fabulous week in Paris. What a wonderful time we had exploring this great city. The kids loved it and we look forward to returning at some point in the future.

The day began very early on Sunday morning. Our flight left Girona at 6:45am, so it was a 5:15am taxi for us. I expected the streets to be deserted, but they were full of people staying awake through the night to celebrate the Saint Narcis festival. 

The flight from Girona to the airport outside of Paris is quick, just an hour and a half. The kids read,  had a snack, played with stickers and colored pencils, and watched a bit of a movie before we touched down in France.

 We gathered our things and hopped on the bus that goes directly to the center of Paris. It is the quickest and most economical way to get into the city from the Beauvais airport. The ride is just about an hour, but the kids enjoyed looking at the French countryside as we made our way towards the city.

 Though there are many hotels in Paris, we always prefer to rent a vacation flat. We love using airbandb.com and we have stayed in some really cool places throughout Europe using this website. The Paris apartment was no exception. It was perfect and had everything we needed. We were right on the border of the 7th and the 15th districts, so it was a great location.

 We took the metro from the bus depot to the apartment and we were ready to hit the ground running after getting our things settled a bit. Eston was so thrilled to use his Paris map! It came in handy throughout the week and he got to know the lay of the land really well.

 We used both the Metro and the public bus system throughout the week. The bus was easier with the stroller (no stairs), but the Metro often gets you closer to your destination. There are great maps available that show the routes of both and it is easy to get everywhere using either system. I know there have been a lot of people talking about pick pocketers on the Metro, but we only encountered elderly people and locals on their way to work or school. We always kept out stuff close to us, but we did not have any problems.

Many stores and things are closed on Sunday, so we headed to the Notre Dame. The kids recognized it from several different books and they had a bit of energy after the morning of travel, so we let them run around the square in front of the cathedral for a bit. The line to go inside was long, so we just let the kids roam outside.

 In front of the Notre Dame is the bird area and our kids adored this activity. There is a man who will sell you a bit of bird feed for a nominal fee (I think we gave him 50 euro cents) and the birds flock to you. Eston had birds on his head, arms, shoulders, etc. Aurelia thought it was hilarious. This is a fun and cheap activity for all!

 Around the corner from the Notre Dame on the Place Louis Lepine you can find the bird and flower market. This market has been around since 1830 and takes place on Sunday mornings, so we were there a little late, but it was still fun for the kids. The flowers and plants were beautiful, but the birds were much more interesting for Eston and Aurelia!

 We grabbed some Lebanese street food (delicious) as we walked a bit more. We walked everywhere--I think we may be one of the few people to lose weight while vacationing in Paris. 

 We arrived at the Jardin du Luxembourg park in the late afternoon on Sunday. The trees and flowers represented all that is autumn and it was so lovely to see this. Girona's trees are not as dramatic, so I adored taking in the changing foliage in Paris.

 This park is one of our favorites. There are so many things to do! It is a large park, so you can just let the kids run loose. One of our favorite activities was the boat pond. It was crowded on Sunday, so we decided to just watch rather than wait in line for a boat. We returned later in the week to rent our own boat.

 Kids can take a pony ride in the park! This was not expensive (3 euro for about 10-15 mins) and Eston loved it. 

 This park also has a vintage carousel. The fee was nominal (I think 1.50 per child) and it was really fun. Eston and Aurelia chose to ride in the carriage-type thing, but the kids on the horses each had a stick and they had to catch these rings from the man in charge of the carousel. Super fun!

Now, this trip to Paris was very different from my previous trips. People are so much kinder when you have children! We had such positive encounters everywhere we went and this made our trip just that much better.

Now, let's talk about food. Restaurants in Paris are not like those in the USA. Thankfully we live in Spain, so this is not a big change for us, but I know some are surprised when places don't have high chairs, plastic cups, crayons, a children's menu, etc. You are in Paris, so get over it. Our kids are not used to having these things in restaurants, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. Just be prepared--your kids will be served water in wine glasses and they will order off the normal menu. We would order one main course for the children and they would put it on two separate plates for us without any problem. Going out to eat an a slightly earlier hour helps as well because then the restaurant staff is not completely overwhelmed. Everyone we encountered was super friendly and helpful. Rory speaks decent French, so I am sure this helped as well, but I think if you go in without the expectation that things are going to be like the USA you will be just fine. Brasseries are a great option because the kids have more options--classic roast chicken, cassoulet, fish, etc. 

Sant Miquel Hike and Plane Travel

The off season has begun and Rory joined me for a brisk 14 kilometer hike this morning. I don't meander when I hike. That is not a walk or a stroll. I hike and even my professional athlete husband had a bit of trouble keeping up with me as we enjoyed the beautiful morning on top of Sant Miquel. The views were spectacular:

 That mountain out there in the distance is actually an island, so we had a great view of the coast.

The vacation prep continues! Prepping for a vacation is one thing, but prepping for a plane ride with children is quite another. Actually, I have found that once a child is three or so they travel really well. They can tow their own carry on, color, play games with you, have a chat, etc. Traveling with a baby is also pretty simple—feed them and let them sleep. It is not very restful for the mom, but it gets you there. Traveling with a child between the ages of 10 months and 3 years is a different story. I once read a blog where the writer referred to it as her “No Fly Zone.” I wouldn’t go quite that far, but you have to be prepared.

First of all, this is the time where all of my normal parenting thoughts go out the window. My kids don’t have access to computers, iPads, my phone, and other such things on a normal basis. However, when you are in a tiny tube in close proximity to 200+ other people…do what you have to do. That is my motto when flying, really. You can prep all the games and toys you want, but if your little one wants to watch back-to-back videos for a few hours…this is the time to let them without any sort of guilt. Nobody wants to hear your child scream, so do your best and let the normal rules slide a bit.

Now, that said, I still bring games and little toys. I usually hit the Super Euro here in Girona and buy throw away type things for Aurelia. I change activities every 10 minutes, so I pack enough to keep her busy for the duration of the flight. Stickers, cheap vehicles, little animals, velcro, matching things, small puzzles…it all works. I usually wrap them up and she adores unwrapping everything (and this also takes her a few minutes). Run out the clock, people!

When it comes to longer flights (3+ hours), I don’t hesitate to have a film festival. I have a small portable DVD player with two screens. I have yet to bring the second screen for Aurelia, but we may try it on this short flight to Paris to see how she likes it. I also purchased headphones made just for children so they are comfortable and don’t fall off. Although Eston appreciates the current films for kids, I always like to find the classic movies for him as well. I introduce the movie and tell him what I liked about it as a kid and he really digs this concept. Here are a few of Eston’s favorite movies for a plane ride:

Annie (80’s version)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Gene Wilder, sorry Johnny Depp)

Pete’s Dragon (loved this movie when I was a kid)

Mary Poppins

The Sound of Music (we love Ms. Andrews)

The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills, not Lindsay Lohan, thank you very much)

Troop Beverly Hills (what can I say, I am a child of the 80’s)

Make sure you have a change of clothing for everyone. I have learned this the hard way. Pack enough diapers and maybe an extra or two in event of delay. Pack water bottles and fill them up when you get through security. Don’t stress about naps and such. Kids are excited about the process of travel, so let them enjoy it and get them back on track when you arrive at your destination. Pack healthy snacks because getting your kids hopped up on sugary sweets is not what you want, especially when on a plane.

In the USA you are allowed to fly with a child in an FDA approved car seat. I highly recommend this and always did it for Eston. It is safer and the kids are more comfortable in a seat they know well. I know lugging a car seat through the airport is a drag, but I did it solo all the time due to the amazing PAC BACK. I think you can still buy them on Amazon, but it is basically a backpack that holds the car seat so you can push the stroller. I tried everything else, but this was the best option, especially when traveling solo with kids. The rules here in Europe are different and I have to check the car seats, but I still use the PAC BACK to get it from Point A to the check-in desk.

We are going to enjoy Eston's futbol game tomorrow before we finish packing and head off to Paris for the week!

Healthy Baked Goods

Cooking in a different country is always an adventure. In the first few months of living here I was constantly wanting ingredients from home and would have my mom or various friends ship things over to me. As time went by I either found substitutes or adjusted to cooking with the ingredients readily available here in Girona.

Girona is known for being a haven of gastronomic wonder, so it is hardly difficult to shop and cook with the ingredients found in our local market. Fresh fish, eggs, local fruits and veggies...we are spoiled, truly.

So what things are slightly more difficult to find? Well, there are many, but over time I have forgotten about most of them and now there is only one thing that I still insist on having imported. Baking soda. Now, you can find baking soda here, but something about it is different. Don't ask me why, but things don't rise in the same way with Spanish baking soda. I also use it for cleaning just about everything, so I thank the friends and family members who bring or mail me boxes of baking soda.

My children eat pretty healthy and we limit the sweets and treats. This can be difficult because baking with children is so much fun and my kids really enjoy it. I am always on the lookout for healthier treats to bake, so I was excited to try the following recipe, which came from www.foodanddecor.net via pinterest.

Healthier Cookies
3 mashed bananas (ripe)
1/3 cup apple sauce (Many brands are laden with sugar. Buy organic or make your own)
2 cups oats (We used just slightly over 2 cups)
1/4 cup almond milk (Again, be careful with the brand and any added ingredients)
1/2 cup dark chocolate cut into small bits
1 tsp vanilla (This is can be hard to find in Spain. We didn't have any and it turned out fine)
1 tsp cinnamon (We used closer to 1.5 tsp)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and roll into small balls. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

This is incredibly easy for kids to make with very little supervision. Eston did most of it himself while Aurelia was napping. These have been a great after school snack and you could add lots of things to this basic recipe (nuts, dried fruit instead of dark chocolate, etc).

Sant Pol Beach

We are incredibly fortunate to have all the beaches on the Costa Brava at our fingertips. We have yet to explore each and every cove, though next summer I plan on renting a boat to do some thorough exploration.

I love taking the kids to the beach, but doing it solo is not always easy, so I try to keep things simple. One of he nearest beaches is located in the small village of S'Agaro and the beach is called Sant Pol. It is roughly 30 minutes from our front door to the sand, so it is a quick trip and parking is usually easy to find as well. It makes for a great half day or day trip from Girona. 

It may be mid-October, but the sun is still shining brightly in Spain. The weather has been glorious and this does not make me miss the cool fall temperatures back in Colorado! This morning we packed some fruit, sandwiches, water, sliced veggies, and some crackers and headed out to the coast to enjoy a day on the sand.

Back in the 1920's a man named Josep Ensesa Gubert wanted to purchase the land on Sant Pol and Sa Conca, another favorite beach of ours, which is the next cove after Sant Pol. Anyway, Josep lacked the proper funds for such a purchase, but his father was a wealthy industrialist in Girona, so he talked his father into making the purchase. Josep did not want the beautiful land to fall victim to land developers and he wanted any buildings to be in harmony with the sea and land, so he hired famous Catalan architect Rafael Maso (he also designed our current apartment building) to design a small sea village.  A few of these still remain on the Sant Pol coastline and one has been purchased and is under renovation. You can see the house in the photos below:

Aurelia loves the beach!

The popular coastal walking trail, the Cami de Ronda, has a great portion from Sant Pol to Sa Conca. If you are hiking with younger children (under the age of 6), I highly recommend this portion. It is a wide and carefully groomed trail with just a handful of easy steps. Other portions of the Cami involve tricky and narrow stairs and cliffs, so this is a trail I can easily do with Eston and Aurelia.

The Hotel de la Gavina is also found in the Sant Pol cove. This hotel is way out of our price range, but if you can afford it, I encourage you to do so because it looks gorgeous! This was one of Elizabeth Taylor's favorite spots to vacation. Other famous people enjoyed their holidays here as well--Sinatra, Welles, Gardner, Bogart, Connery--just to name a few! I believe a few old movies also contain scenes shot on the hotel grounds.

 The kids played with some pals and we enjoyed a great day at the beach. The water isn't chilly quite yet and it feels perfect after a few minutes in the sun. We spent most of the day in the water. The kids play so well at the beach and we had such a fun day! It was just what we needed after a long week of hospitals, school, practices, etc. I feel refreshed and energized for the week ahead.

Aurelia the Toddler

Aurelia is a toddler and I am having so much fun with her. This can definitely be a tricky age as they learn right from wrong and test their boundaries a bit. I am very consistent with both of my children and this helps enormously. 

Aurelia likes to be included in whatever we are doing. She adores responsibility and giving her tasks to accomplish only helps with good behavior.

Here she is pulling my grocery cart:

 I do lots of projects with the kids on the weekends (we just don't have the time during the week since school does not finish until nearly 5:30).
I saw this idea on Pinterest, but it is kind of hard to see. Aurelia is painting with a cotton ball attached to a clothes pin. Well, you can't actually find cotton balls here in Spain, so she is painting with a little craft poof ball. Oh, how I miss you Joanne's and Michael's. Seriously, I miss the craft stores in the USA. You can't find a whole lot here, so I have to be a bit more creative with our supplies.

This is one of Aurelia's favorite activities and it takes all of 10 seconds to get started. Save your empty spice containers (the ones with little holes, not one big hole) and have your child place toothpicks in the small holes. This is great for their motor skills and concentration. Aurelia

loves doing this and will play for quite some time!

 Aurelia is working on letter recognition as well. I used these great cards and letters with Eston several years ago and I think I got them via a Montessori website, but it would be simple to make your own. I only do a few letters at a time. Aurelia loves matching the letter with the correct card. This is also an activity that Eston does with her when I am trying to get something done. Older kids love being the teacher!

My kids love helping around the house as well (well, most of the time). They each have a chore chart, but watering the plants is one of their favorite things to do. I am embarrassed to say that we have been using random containers to water thus far, but yesterday I went and purchased two inexpensive watering cans. I can't wait to give the cans to them tomorrow morning. We will also be doing some of our winter seed planting tomorrow!

 Aurelia would wash dishes all day long. We have a great step stool from Ikea and she drags it over to the sink and goes to work. I just make sure the sharp knives are elsewhere and she has so much fun washing everything. I use an organic dish soap so they are not exposed to a lot of chemicals.

Orienteering

I am not about to win the Mother of the Year award.

On Friday morning we woke up and went through the morning routine.

We were out the door right on time with Charlotte in tow.

I was in running clothes and Eston was on his bike because we planned to drop Aurelia at nursery school and then continue on for a bit of exercise.

All was well until we walked up to school and I realized...

there is no school today.

Why did this not cross my mind on Thursday?

I felt like a rookie ex-pat as we trudged back home via the park.

I had a lot to accomplish on Friday.

We needed to pick up futbol uniforms, school smocks, groceries, etc.

Some places had elected to take a four-day weekend (like nursery school) so it was a bit of a mad rush to figure out who was open and when, but we managed to get everything accomplished.

The children love sitting out on our balcony.

My parents bought Eston this table and chairs for his birthday and we use it daily.

 Back to fútbol.

Holy professional league.

I mean, really?

Eston received game jerseys, practice jerseys, tournament jerseys, warm-ups, clothes to wear to the game, winter clothes, and a bag to keep it all safe.

He was so proud dragging that bag across Girona as we walked from the futbol store to our apartment.

 We had a beautiful weekend here at home and Charlotte enjoys the cool afternoon breezes on the balcony.

 On Friday we ran into my tutor and her nieces and nephews.

They all had these orienteering maps and she explained that the tourism office in Girona gives them out and kids can win a small prize when they finish.

Thankfully our apartment building is a 15-second walk to the tourism office, so we grabbed our maps from the kind woman and set out on our adventure.

The map had certain spots where you had to find numbered wooden posts.

The posts contain a code that is to be written down on the back of the map.

Aurelia was in the hiking backpack and we went all over the place to find the wooden posts.

It took us all weekend, but we have all ten codes and Eston can't wait to turn his in tomorrow!

 We found the post and wrote down the code!