bon anni, Anj

Whenever someone had a birthday while I was in France I always did a special post just for them. Today is the birthday of someone extra special to me, and I happen to be in France... So here goes HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANJ!!


I wish I could be with you today but I happen to be on the other side of the world so this silly post will have to do... Today I have been allll over this beautiful city...


From La Grande Arche de La Defense


To the Pont d'Alexandre


To the Musee d'Orsay





To the Pont d'amour


Thanks to the metro (actually we walked everywhere)


I hit the Notre Dame,


I even went to La Tour Eiffel...


But I couldn't find ANYTHING I love as much as YOU! You can't be beat, it's as simple as that. So I wish you a


Or a bon anniversaire, as we would say over here. I hope it is a fabulous day in the us of a. Can you believe you are twenty two??


So old! But still so good. Have many birthday adventures and may all your birthday wishes come true.


*all photos, from letters to numbers to heart shaped lollipop friends, we're taken today here in Paris, of course! P.s. can you figure it out?

Christmas eve: Paris edition

Today has been one full of traditions both new and old. Whether it was tasting all of the thirteen French Christmas treats left in our room here at the Marriott or opening our Christmas pajamas from our sweet grandparents it was been a fabulous day.











We have done so many fun things today from venturing down into the creepy catacombs or around old cemeteries, to tasting all sorts of Parisian delights, to climbing up to the tip top of the Eiffel tower, to eating the best cotton candy of our lives, and every second has been a treat, most of all because we have done it all together as a family.























I am so grateful to celebrate Christmas tomorrow, especially because we are celebrating the birth of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the knowledge and testimony that I have of His life and His gospel. He was born, He lived, He died for us, and He lives again! I am so grateful that his life gives us such great reason to celebrate and I am grateful that people of all faiths and beliefs can feel the spirit of the season and the joy it brings, I have definitely witnessed that here. I am so grateful to have the chance to celebrate here in Paris with my wonderful family, and I hope you all can have a magical holiday season too.


So Happy Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noël, Bonnes Fêtes, and all the rest. Much love to you all!

Wrapped

Today's memorable moment had to be this:





Here's the story... Near many of the major monuments here large groups of African men will hang out with string in hand threatening to grab you and tie a friendship bracelet on you and then make you pay for it. Harmless really, but a little on the annoying side. In all my days in France I managed to avoid them, no matter how many times they called me 'sexyyy American laydeee' or asked 'can I be your boyfrennn meees americaahh'. However, after mike, j, mom and I shared a quality picture moment and dave and dad went ahead, I turned around to find that dave was being 'wrapped'. I don't know how they managed to grab him but they did, and while I was laughing at him they managed to grab me too. The best part of the story, I only paid the guy one euro, I used my best French arguing skills, and dave coughed up five! Hooray for getting totally scammed by Hakuna Matata African men.





Dave wasn't too happy about giving up his pastry money. Oops.





Today we ventured to the Sacre Coeur, a basilica on top of a hill in the north of Paris with a grand view.





It is a gorgeous place, even in the dead of winter.





Of course there were some quality street performers, note the juggler in the background and imagine you are listening to la vie en rose plucked by a friendly harpist right nearby.





Gorgeous view.





We finally had a taste of the long awaited first crepes!





Real candid deliciousness.





Note the nutella on the face





I made some new friends in yet another Christmas market.





We liked the crèpes so much we had to head to a crèperie for lunch. We all had a meal crèpe and then a dessert one to boot.





As if that wasn't enough, right after we stopped in at Berthillion for some of the best ice cream and sorbet around.





And then we headed to the Notre dame and got inspired by the gargoyles.





Presenting... The Bodine's Gargoyle Faces



































Impressive, non? We hit the top of the Notre dame, something I've never done, and it was pretty cool.





Little doors to see a big bell.





More pretty views.





Family shot one from above





Family shot two from below, in the above picture we were in that top right corner of the right tower.





I was coveting this ensemble.





After a delightful dinner and more dessert, we stopped on over here to catch the hourly sparkle.





It was so fun to just walk around the city with the fam, and the tour Eiffel is so beautiful.





Especially when it sparkles. Oh how I love it here!

Location:Paris