lights out!

Well tonight was exciting! Nathalie and Marc went out to a show in Paris and I was left in the house with the Solal, Nataniel, and thankfully William the 17 year old. One hour after they left while Nataniel and I were practicing for a presentation in class tomorrow ALL POWER GOES OUT. Now the house is surrounded in big windows. I grab the baby and emedietly turned on the alarm sure some maniac planned this whole deal and was coming to attack us all! However.... it was just a power outage and we got to act as those during the middle ages in France! They have this HUGE fireplace thats bigger than me, seriously I can stand in this thing. We made a fire and Sorya who live in the house above the garage came over cause she was out too and we curled by the fire. Of course just as Nathalie and Marc get hold at 11:30 the lights come back on right away. They said as they drove down the street they saw the power light up like a wave at a baseball game. mmm splendid!
I watched Cold Mountain and cried my eyes out the whole time. WOW thats a depressing movie. I watched it out of curiousity. Nick and I saw it one time and it wasnt the best movie to pick. I remember when it started I was bored. Then in the middle I thought it was the best movie in the world and then in the end I was incrdibly depressed. On the drive home Nick and I were compeletly silent the whole time. Nick do you remember this?
Mmmm well I love you all. I am going to curel up with a fat cat now.


OH Solal (I call him the baby but hes actually 2, they refer to him as the baby so I just do it too). HE SAID MY NAME TODAY! He usually calls me Nie (knee) which is pretty cute! But today he just randomly said Annie and I got really gitty with Corina. But he didnt do it again... oh well...

LOVE
Nie

sushieeeeeeeees

mmmmmmmmm its been long without a full account of what has been going on with me. Life here feel normal so it doesnt seem neccisary to always write about my days. However I will be starting my new school next week in Paris which I am very excited about! This way I will be in Paris when I am done with class and can go play and find more interesting things in Paris. There is always something interesting going on there and I need to take advangtage of every aspect of it.

Today is wednedays so Nataniel does not have school. Nathalie, Nataniel, Solal and I went into Paris for lunch at a sushi restuarant. It was amazing. We were going to go to a park but then Nathalie found out that Nataniel had to dress up for school on friday as a Prince which apperently is a big deal and I just figured we could make it out of clothes we already had. But no. We went and found a spciality shop just for this and he got a real prince's outfit. exciting. Wearing it just one time for some class thing. I am addicted to Desperate Housewifes.... she has all the seasons....

So once school starts I will be writing more about my adventures and the exhibits and things I see/taste.
Last night I ate real Moraccan food cause Nathalie had a dinner with her friends and their cook (Sorya who is Moracan) made an athentic meal!
Whoop!

love you all

flopsy, mopsy & cotton tail

I'M WEARING THEM.

mmmmmm.... warmth
100%

life

She stole my pencil case!

Hello my sweets
Today, by request of Nataniel, I made an american apple pie "with the crust on top", he said. It was his first time ever having one. My mother sent me a very easy recipie and it turned out very well! It was also my first night I got to make dinner! Anne sent me a recipie for a quiche but it didnt end up turning out exactly like a quiche. I didnt have enough time as I needed because when I started at 6:30 I found that I needed butter and I had to go to the store and buy it but I queued for a very long time as everyone in the world obviously had the same idea as me. Anyway, William the 17 year old helped me as I was running out of time, dinner is at 8 but we all sat down at 9. But they liked it and liked that I cooked and said I can cook again if I want.
They have a cook every night except saturday and wednesday, Soryea (thats not how to spell it but I really have no idea). So I asked Nathalie if I can cook wednesdays... so maybe next week I will have another dish....
But after dinner was great! Nathalie and I cleaned the kitchen and talked the whole time! I found out she was an au pair in London when she was 18! So cool! She did a lot more work with the family than I am doing. But since she was an au pair she understands so its nice.
I really love this family.

When Nathalie came home today she had gone to see Nataniel's teacher who said he is brilliant in English and all his studies. However this adorable silly boy has been trying to kiss girls in class. There have been two incidences and the girls told their parents who told the teacher. So Nathalie had to have a talk withi him. He said the girl started it and he doesnt even like her because she took his pencil case. ooh the cute like of a 9 year old. I found the pencil case part the funniest.
Later I said to him "so I hear you are kissing girls at school"
OH GOD BEST PART!
He said he tripped and accidently kissed them. He even did a demonstration for me. I said but I heard it happend two times but he insisted that both times he tripped and it was an accident.
I LOVE HIM.
Top photo was taken for Nathalie's last birthday party. I think during the summer. They had professional women dancers and a DJ. And she had a stripper. She is in the back of the photo with the red hair. The silver hair in the front is Julia the 18 year old going to school in Strasbourg. I find this photo describes them well. I like it a lot
Ok my sweets
Im off to enjoy my L'Occitane products!

A

So the first weekend of sales month was nice. I got friday off because I worked today (sunday) for Gallette de Roi. Nicole and I woke early to venture out to Paris to hit Gallerie Layfette, mistake as that was where everyone else went and we were very soon exhasuted. We didnt find anything and were too overwhelmed by all the women scrounging for a good deal. Plus if you know Gallerie Layfette you know that it is huge so its hard to really stay focused in one area. We didnt have time to go to any other area in Paris because we promised Antoinnes sister we would watch her baby so she could go look for some baby clothes. So we realxed at his sisters aparment.

They returned and Nicole, Antoinne and I went down the street to get an apero - porto for nicole et moi and wine for Antoinne.

We returned to Antoinnes sisters and she had prepared a lovely dinner for all of us!
All the necessities.

I forget to mention my familes GIANT CAT. If you look at this picture he looks like an average sized kitty right? Well he is one years old... and he will continue to get bigger. I love him. But I love my Mia more of course.

But don't worry babies. I took advantage of the sales saturday morning.
Too much at Princess Tam Tam and L'Occitane

bisous!

Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,'
'I don't know where. . .'
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat, 'In that direction,' the Cat said, waving its right paw round, 'lives a Hatter: and in that direction,' waving the other paw, 'lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad.'
'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice
'You must be' said the Cat 'or you wouldn't have come here'

marry me

grubbin

Bonjour tout le monde!

So I might be able to be the cook wednesday nights! the cook who is usually here asked for wednesday nights free so I asked Nathalie if I could cook. I would love to do this as I could get better and try out recipies. Also they eat well so I can really make anything!
So I need your help. If you find recpies send them to me please! Not to difficult and time consuming if possible. Make sure it is delicous!
send recipies to; plantsandanimals@gmail.com
I will take pictures of the creations and put them on here.

Today I venture into Paris to combat with others like me to get discounted items. Yes it is SALES MONTH. This strange thing that the government controls so that no clothing stores have sales untill 2 times a year in a controled amount of time. Tomorrow will be mayhem and chaos so I am going today to hopefully find some goodies. First I will hit Marc Jacobs and Marc By Marc Jacobs. After I will go to Galeries Layfette - its very big with a lot of options. I am going with Nicole and after we are watching Antoinnes sisters new born baby. I will take many pictures today I promise!

gros bisous

annie

coucou

I have been trying to write a reflection of these past few months but am failing horribly. So first to get some news out there I will show you my Christmas and new years and what I did.
So in a nutshell I was not able to go to Croatia. This had been a looming possibility for some time as to if I was going to be able to get my carte sejour, et voila, bright news I will be able to get it but bad news I have to wait another month till my next appointment. But all the stress is gone and I am giddy as a school girl with this new family!
The Monday that I moved in, a few days before Christmas eve, the mother Nathalie, Nathaniel (age 9) Solal (age 2) and Julia (age 18 different married) and I went to the Nut Cracker... for kids. However it was enjoyable for me to hear it in French.
A few days later it was Christmas Eve and that morning was the deciding factor if everything was going to work out. First off everything is thanks to Alexis for driving me everywhere I need to go and calling everyone we need to talk to. It is virtually impossible in this country if you do not know French. The administration doesn’t even know how ridiculous they are. But if it hadn’t been for Alexis I would be staying here illegally if at all. So I bought him a carafe for wine, we have used it many times... honestly I can't tell a difference but he does so that’s all that matters.

But finding out I couldn’t go to Croatia was a big let down. This trip is what had gotten me through the first few months when I was lonely and needed something to look forward to. Also I needed a break from children and working. Also I was so excited to hang out with my Croatian family as I find them incredibly fun. Also Vanessa's new baby. Also many many other reasons....
But sweet Nathalie said I needed to be with family on Christmas Eve and I was welcome join their festivities. So my loves, what do you think we ate? Caviar and Lobster of course! I just can't get over saying that. Her brother and girlfriend came. Also the mother’s friend Patrice who is the ex-director of Dolce & Gabana and now I think the director of Ralph Lauren....
All of the people were incredibly nice and all talked to me. This is really what I wanted my experience to be and I am so happy I have changed and this family found me.

Ok so photos of Christmas eve!

First course, caviar with baked potatoes. Honestly I expected an orgasm in my mouth but there was not flavor really. I don’t understand caviar and all its hype.

Thats the papa Marc holding the live lobsters post death! The little cherub on the right is Solal age 2

Nathaniel tormenting the lobster before his doom. You can't notice this but Nathaniel and Solal were both wearing matching Dior suits and ties. They tend to be matching every day which I find to be hilarious and super cute.

pauvre lobsters... however incredibally delicous. I got one that had eggs... a female.

Sweet Solal. He enjoys having a wine glass of his own and going around to other peoples glasses and chin-chinning them. I love how little kids pick up on things and think that’s what you are supposed to do with the objects.

Mama Natahlie! I really enjoy this woman. She makes me feel so welcome and at home here. Shes so spunky and social.

The cake with cherries. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it before we cut it but oh well. It was delcious of course.

Presents! She went out and got me a manoush bag! So sweet of her. And Julia the daughter got me a red berret. I need to buy them some flowers.... I will do this soon.

So its begining to snow now thankfully! So I took some pictures of it while I was walking back home;

This is their front door. So I wanted to take pictures of the house but when I think about it and try to it just won't work. Really their house is too big to be able to capture it. I think I will try to make a video like last time. But the day nanny is here during the day. Than the cook comes. They might not like it if I make a video. So we will see. If I get alone time I will do it. But again their house is so big I would need some time to do this.

They let me use this boots lately to go outside. But I will be getting some new shoes soon more suitable for the winter. But they wouldnt let me go outside in my shoes, Marc and Nathalie searched all over the house for some shoes for me. Sooooo nice!

These are just a few of their christmas trees.

So for new years I had a lovely dinner with my friend Victoria and then I met Alexis at the pub till he got off work and played a long game of pool as Victoria and I suck and are slow. But it was fun. Than we went to Helens aparment for a quiet night of music and conversation.

Ok I did it. But I will be making another blog later this week to go over other things I would like to blog about. Its 2 am and I have to wake up at 7 to go to my first day of class.

Oh and I will put their new address here soon.
Annie