tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10209124634526655602011-12-05T16:19:12.317+01:00Documenting an adventure abroad.Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.comBlogger4561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-88243616832425511232011-08-14T06:18:00.000+02:002011-08-14T13:18:34.748+02:00

Matthew and I have been married for twelve years today. Cheaper by the dozen, baby! When I was crushing on my terribly handsome guy friend in college, no part of my daydreams around him involved considering whether one day we would be able to navigate the intricacies of parenting three children, moving internationally, changing jobs, buying and selling a home, and expecting a baby together in

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-13114536646612902822011-07-28T13:46:00.003+02:002011-07-28T20:48:54.429+02:00

We received our air shipment a couple weeks ago. To save space in our sea container some strange items ended up coming by air -- strange in that they are items we did not feel a pressing need to possess while living in a temporary, furnished apartment: a box spring and a love seat. We had to save space in our sea shipment because we were maxing it out. Ick. We have too many belongings. I know

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-31862221562040986132011-07-27T13:59:00.001+02:002011-07-27T20:59:37.952+02:00

We've been back in Minnesota for one month and one day, probably the wackiest thirty-two days of my life. It's been a month of much house hullabaloo, as we learned the night before we flew out of BE that we had an offer on our old house, which we had started planning to move back into for a couple years in the interest of being settled before the baby arrives, and two days after arrival found a

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-30364848835732850642011-06-18T13:48:00.000+02:002011-06-18T13:48:45.426+02:00

Some interesting reads about Europe:CNN article about U.S. vacation compared to Europe In short: way less.An American takes a Chinese bus tour of Europe (from the New Yorker) Fascinating -- the group ate only Chinese food, spent most of their time on the bus, and had a tour guide who was very critical of Europeans. And then, for fun, a superlong Atlantic article re parenting that I very much

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-22319198413677553642011-06-05T09:44:00.000+02:002011-06-05T09:44:13.205+02:00

I WON'T miss using Babelfish to translate official mail we receive. Here's one sentence I just typed into the program, from one paragraph of a nine-paragraph document we received after selling our car:Voor belastingplichtigen die hun hoofdverblijfplaats of maatschappelijke zetel in het Vlaamse Gewest hebben, is de Vlaamse Belastingdienst bevoegd inzake verkeerbelasting, belasting op de

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-33091630257049333272011-06-02T08:36:00.003+02:002011-06-02T08:47:53.516+02:00

One more post for my vlog this week. Soren's class did a singalong last week. His role: a duckling. That song is second below; first, a common French children's song, "Savez-vous planter les choux?" ("Do you know how to plant cabbage?") He's the tall one in the middle with a duck bill on his forehead. On the duck song, you can hear his teacher (our beloved Ewa) trying to slow the pace down,

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-2927666233693755892011-06-01T14:53:00.000+02:002011-06-01T14:53:36.842+02:00

Breaking news: Did you know there was a royal wedding? We watched it! Our friends David and Sara arrived that morning for a visit, and were happy to view some of it with us. David took these photos (Matthew was very newly injured at this point and thus unable to use his camera).All the kids enjoyed the procession, checking out outfits, watching the cars and seeing the guards, but Clara just about

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-38959225079231626702011-05-31T09:55:00.005+02:002011-05-31T10:27:28.171+02:00

Lots of video this week!Lily's class of six to eight-year-olds put on a show two Fridays ago: "Rendezvous in Paris." If you haven't heard of this play, it's because you are about to see A World Premiere (i.e., the students and teachers created it).She played three roles: Parisienne (she enters at about 2:00 below); Van Gogh's self-portrait; and a British person celebrating Napoleon's

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-89352101905115855142011-05-30T11:16:00.000+02:002011-05-30T11:16:24.653+02:00

Lily and Soren's race: Post-Race Soren Interview: He was the first boy finisher in the 5-6 year olds. I didn't get Lily afterward, but she was the 3rd girl finisher in that age group.This event supports Retrak, an organization that reaches out to street children in Africa. Beforehand they got to be part of a drum circle:

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-63800962479946736912011-05-29T23:59:00.002+02:002011-05-30T00:06:04.141+02:00

The kids did the Fun Run for the third time this weekend. I wasn't awesome at balancing my roles as cheerer, videographer, and (for Clara) pacesetter. I post video despite all the footage of grass, just grass by itself, you will see. We missed Matthew -- he may have thought to tie Clara's shoe beforehand and would have been so proud to see his little runners.Pre-Race Interview and Warmup

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-51613208151913671602011-05-24T06:27:00.002+02:002011-05-24T10:21:03.183+02:00

These are the three processed food products available in Europe that we will most miss, I think -- unless you tell me you can find them in normal groceries in the U.S., too. The kids mostly go for the original, while I am the one who wants the choco minis. Weetabix is like Shredded Wheat, huge biscuits that sog up in milk, but softer.Powerful mustard. Kids won't miss this; Matthew and I will.I

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-64599777205978309612011-05-23T15:54:00.000+02:002011-05-23T15:55:08.613+02:00

This weekend for our last family walk before Matthew headed back to Minnesota, we went on my favorite walk. I thought Matthew had run here sometime, but it was new to him. To think he might have left without seeing it: egads!So, here are oodles of pictures of our kids on the best walk in the world, on a path in the arboretum in Tervuren.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-5708968619368528302011-05-19T14:06:00.000+02:002011-05-19T14:06:00.087+02:00

Matthew wasn't the only family member who suffered a cycling accident in April. The Fearless Bean Lurveen took a tumble on a hill on Kokua. Kokua is the brand of her pedalless bike and also her nickname when she rides it like the daredevil she is. KOKUA! has sort of a warrior princess ring to it, I think. Kokua took a hill with no qualms, alongside her brother and sister, in Tervuren Park a few

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-26078679292715577122011-05-18T08:00:00.003+02:002011-05-18T08:00:01.086+02:00

Will: Online banking system. We have a little card reader in our desk drawer that we use to log onto the bank website and do all our transfers. The website gives me a "challenge" (I love a challenge!), a number I enter into the card reader, then the card reader asks for my PIN, and then shows, "PIN OK!" -- every time it's that surprised and excited that I know my PIN -- and then the card reader

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-4250496578665694142011-05-17T14:41:00.000+02:002011-05-17T14:41:47.930+02:00

I claimed this might be a series. One to go, and then it is. (Right? Somewhere in the crevasses of my brain is the notion that a series is three or more whatevers.)I will miss:Bread. I think this is the number one food item I will miss. Last time we were in the States -- I am going to sound like a real snob but it's true -- the bagged, grocery store bread, even the nicer brands that I used to

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-47725714235326299082011-05-16T07:12:00.002+02:002011-05-16T07:14:08.692+02:00

My sister took all the photos of our time in Rome; thanks, Lauren!On our way to the Vatican we went to the Pantheon.This opening (no glass -- just clear to the sky) is thirty feet wide. Lauren didn't believe me until I showed her where Rick said so.I was not expecting to be as awestruck at St. Peter's as I was. Visiting churches has been one of my more beloved pastimes in Europe, and this is the

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-5252192227920297602011-05-10T22:31:00.001+02:002011-05-11T09:42:08.381+02:00

Repatriating preparation, baby-growing, only-functioning-two-handed-adult-in-the-family-being has made updating tough. My sister and I visited Rome nearly two months ago!This was the first photo we took in Italy: a poster for the Moorhead, Minnesota, high school music concert. We did not attend; we just enjoyed being part of the Minnesota cultural influx in Italy.Our first meal in Italy was at a

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-45068439827052316712011-04-28T13:40:00.000+02:002011-04-28T13:40:31.947+02:00

On the evening of Easter Monday, Matthew fell while cycling as he was going pretty fast downhill. He ended up needing surgery on his finger, and now his right arm is in a pretty hearty cast. We are full of gratitude that it was not worse, and we thank God for all the compassion and care we received, from bystanders who waited with him until the ambulance and I got there and phoned the local

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-62672618663329391262011-04-20T14:45:00.001+02:002011-04-20T19:05:39.310+02:00

I've been thinking a lot about things I will and won't miss here, and what I do and don't miss from the U.S. I'll start with this one:The hyper-sexual themed fair rides occasionally set up in the middle of the town centers. No holds barred, silicone-breasted women in dominatrix outfits, sort of stuff. Amusing in its irony: quaint European small towns, where people are more reserved and where far

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-42890496282389973762011-04-19T08:00:00.000+02:002011-04-19T08:00:02.128+02:00

When my sister was here, we visited Keukenhof for the third time (here's our 2008 visit, and 2009 visit).It was a cold and drizzly day. We had never been this early in the season before, and there weren't as many flowers blooming, nor was the cart out that sells magical hot ham sandwiches. But we had a cocoa break when it rained; the kids didn't seem to mind how many flowers they saw; and I made

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-5956058967987791602011-04-16T09:26:00.001+02:002011-04-16T09:34:13.621+02:00

You should hear this title in Chrissie Hynde's voice for full effect (and you may want to see the guys pointing to the word "special" on the diner menu at the appropriate time in the song. Niiice).The term "special" has come up a few times now in talks about repatriation. One friend, who moved back to the U.S. after a couple years of living here (and then returned to BE and has lived here for

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-50793764437329528852011-04-12T23:13:00.000+02:002011-04-12T23:13:10.937+02:00

perhaps setting them up for a motorcycle stunt.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-45619499275998158682011-04-11T14:17:00.000+02:002011-04-11T14:18:19.925+02:00

[Perhaps you'd like to listen to that song (or maybe Rosanna?) while you read this post.]I finally visited the African museum in Tervuren last month. We've walked in the adjacent park many times, picknicked on its grounds, both the kids have visited, and I drive by it every day bringing Lily to school, but I hadn't been inside before. It's in a beautiful huge palace in a gorgeous setting. We

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-56912330128176829572011-04-08T14:03:00.000+02:002011-04-08T14:04:34.969+02:00

We're moving back. After nearly four years in Belgium, we will all be back in Minnesota at the end of June. Mixed feelings abound. The mountain of things to accomplish and/or pray happen (our darling but petite St. Louis Park home selling being the biggie) between now and then is huge. The amount of time we will spend not all together is far greater than what I consider healthy or certainly

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-28563844293017945722011-04-05T14:33:00.004+02:002011-04-05T14:47:36.779+02:00

Yippee!

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70150725172201021422011-03-03T13:23:00.001+01:002011-03-03T13:23:29.839+01:00

Speculoos spread is coming to America! There are some legal issues involved, but it looks like it's going to happen. Of course, even with Speculoos spread, the U.S. doesn't boast the full complement of of sweet bread spreads that Belgian does: you can't buy chocolate sprinkles for toast in the U.S., can you?

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-39305028903256230692011-02-23T09:01:00.000+01:002011-02-23T09:01:14.536+01:00

We had a Turkish-Spanish family over two Sundays ago. The son plays soccer with Soren. We had a great time with them. We talked about some Belgian culture things that are strange to all four of us. I love talking about cultural differences, especially with people who are frank enough to say "isn't this strange" about their own culture or mine or our shared second culture and are receptive to

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-11173126193632133852011-02-14T20:13:00.004+01:002011-02-14T20:17:30.027+01:00

We had dinner a few weeks ago with two other couples. We were two Americans (hi!), three Germans, and one Brit. We had raclette, which is sort of like fondue in that it's collective, slow eating of small pieces of food (therefore difficult to ascertain just how much one has eaten); it's heavy on the cheese; and you need a fairly sizable special appliance for it (thus it's a unitasker). There's a

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-17523448185276092392011-02-07T15:10:00.004+01:002011-02-07T18:33:10.092+01:00

Perhaps my last post piqued your curiosity. What are all these topics I am dying to write about? Let's start with a real thriller: Plastic bags, and the purchasing thereof.I wrote before about my struggles ordering groceries properly online, but this time, three out of four of these purchases were made when I was in the store, physically able to examine the packages, and reasonably competent in

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-26049178837431915202011-02-03T14:27:00.001+01:002011-02-03T14:28:02.298+01:00

There is so much I want to blog about but it's hard to make time for it, and then it becomes overwhelming. Oh, WOE.I just finished reading As Always, Julia, a collection of letters between Julia Child and her editor and friend Avis DeVoto. It was quite a fun, interesting read. They used "woe" a lot, as a sort of tongue-in-cheek exclamation. They'd use it about the hassles of life, not real

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-81453109929971775412011-01-14T11:02:00.000+01:002011-01-14T11:02:41.921+01:00

I was just flipping through my handy expat guide, and found this surprising entry in the shopping section:I don't think our household will be needing his services.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-40607256453760341602011-01-11T15:10:00.005+01:002011-01-11T15:27:45.318+01:00

My sister asked for more video. Here's one of my favorites from the fall. I like to call it, "Clara sings, rolls." Matthew leads the worship at church some, and this particular line from one song ("Hosanna in the highest") has really stuck in all of our heads, and we riff on it quite a bit. We're all awesome at the riffing! If awesomeness at riffing hinges on enthusiam rather than musicality

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-76112322296433057962011-01-10T20:15:00.002+01:002011-01-11T15:30:49.257+01:00

Well, it's January. Setting aside the fact that some people I love were born this month, I find January difficult to enjoy. I do like the fresh start: new year, new you (new me). But otherwise, Winter, you just began, and I am anxious for you to wrap it up. Perhaps partly because there is so much faux winter before actual winter. November is wintery for at least half the month, and December 18 is

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70964797089790976482011-01-06T13:30:00.000+01:002011-01-06T13:30:23.812+01:00

On Christmas Day, we opened presents, ate some festive food, went to church, where the (morning) service ended with people saying, "Present time!" -- people who don't have very young children, I guess, because we were done with all that nonsense beforehand and played outside after Clara napped.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-30269855628291271932011-01-04T07:53:00.001+01:002011-01-04T07:53:52.262+01:00

One cold day Grandma, Dad, the kids and I drove to Cologne to see some German Christmas markets. They have seven, I think, and we visited two. First, the one outside the cathedral, where we ate potato pancakes, bratwursts, and strangely delicious sandwiches featuring slices of ham with crusty almost bacon-like bread chunks (I think) baked on the outside of them, and coleslaw.It really was cold;

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-76234803471350182592011-01-03T10:09:00.000+01:002011-01-03T10:09:59.876+01:00

We had visitors in mid-December: My father and grandmother came to visit!Grandma Millie is eighty-eight. This was her first trip overseas! She walked to the Walgreens near her house to get her passport this summer. We are so honored that she came to see us. My grandpa passed away in February, and this is something he couldn't have done as his health was failing in the past couple years. He was

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-22502555815698118292010-12-28T10:02:00.001+01:002010-12-28T10:51:27.073+01:00

On December 24, we woke up to lots more snow.So much snow that our church's "crib service" was cancelled, so we didn't go to church on Christmas Eve, which felt very strange.(About the term "crib service": Again, Anglican church. I'm not totally clear on this, but I think it's because all the kids are invited to come dressed up as a figure from the nativity.)This day we made a lot of things. 1.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-28384475718214699062010-12-25T09:00:00.000+01:002010-12-25T09:00:03.027+01:00

A few weeks ago, the kids surprised us by building a manger scene in our bedroom.Mary and Joseph are the large bears on the left. They had opened their Bibles to the Christmas stories,written some special notes,collected gifts from wise men,left us a cheerful note,and wrapped little Baby Bear Jesus in a sash from our drapes.We have several manger scenes we bring out every year but this impromptu

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-20807236293818731032010-12-24T21:10:00.001+01:002010-12-24T21:13:27.503+01:00

The children's Christmas program at our church took place a couple weeks ago. Clara went as an angel. (Like any good angel she's reading her Bible in her down time.)She was not an angel you have heard on high, though. She kept quiet throughout her Sunday school class's "Away in a Manger."Here's a video of Lily and Soren's class singing. We go to an Anglican church, and there are lots of Christmas

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-2545577769042025642010-12-23T10:48:00.001+01:002010-12-23T22:49:36.375+01:00

St. Nicholas/Sinterklaas day was December 6, and Matthew's office hosted its annual celebration a week earlier. Zwarte Piet seemed nicer this year, with the high fives and candy throwing. They served pizza and mini hamburgers and pannekoeken and hot chocolate and frites. We formed St. Nicholas figures out of colored marzipan. And the kids got a gift from St. Nicholas.(I'm posting this

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-60438682485354133732010-12-18T10:33:00.000+01:002010-12-18T10:33:04.176+01:00

I thought I'd write about an interesting Belgian dish the kids and I made: chestnut soup.Then I flipped through a recent Cooking Light and saw a recipe for it!So, slightly less exotic, but still quite delicious.Can you buy jarred (soft) whole chestnuts in the U.S.? Can you buy chestnut puree?If so, you should try a chestnut soup. This one has diced potatoes, onions, and celery, and lots of sage.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-43203687572162592142010-12-08T20:41:00.001+01:002010-12-08T20:43:08.903+01:00

I am honored to present to you what may be my favorite food discovery of our time in Belgium: the Doyenne pear.The smell of them alone is magical: like roses. They have pleasant, yielding skin and smooth, creamy flesh. And they are huge!They are not leathery, too easily bruised, or boring, as some pears can be. Beer isn't my thing (I enjoy a Hoegaarden now and then, but that's pretty easy to come

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-32424295580638874322010-12-06T15:47:00.000+01:002010-12-06T15:47:52.605+01:00

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70915321712150822132010-12-06T11:17:00.000+01:002010-12-06T11:17:06.152+01:00

SNOW! We felt like we were back in Minnesota this past week with lots of snow -- enough to make big snowballs, encourage snow pants wearing, and disrupt driving. It was only a few inches, but lots for Belgium, and delightful to these three Minnesotans-at-heart.We sang this song a lot, or at least the three lines we can remember. And we bought our Christmas tree!

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70216027026307918422010-11-29T22:41:00.000+01:002010-11-29T22:41:29.276+01:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday. Lily and Soren woke up bright and early, ready to start being thankful. They set to work on the decorations. This afternoon we documented:If you don't know what it is, just read Lily's lips: TURKEY. At one point Soren added a triangle off to the side and said the turkey was walking by the pyramids, but then decided that didn't work with the grass.Clara had

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-42569453100348363342010-11-23T20:12:00.003+01:002010-11-23T20:15:02.945+01:00

Two follow-ups to my last post: 1. On being an ex-pat here: A dear friend told me this week that she's moving away. Her family might be moving back to Germany (their home) or onto somewhere else. They lived in London and Milan before coming to Brussels, and when they left those places, she was not only sad to leave friends, but also the place itself. They felt they had become part of the society

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-69870900978134729832010-11-17T22:33:00.002+01:002010-11-17T22:45:02.765+01:00

Dear friends sent me Julia Child's My Life in France for my first birthday living over here. I loved reading her memoir, so I was very excited to see Julie & Julia. I knew about the blog and book behind it, but hadn't read either. I was just excited to see (a version of) Ms. Child in action.Oh, I just adored her. I've rarely seen a more appealing character in film than Meryl Streep's Julia Child.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-84751591494192630812010-11-15T09:45:00.000+01:002010-11-15T09:45:54.771+01:00

A week ago Friday, at the end of fall break, the kids and I went into the city on Tram 44, a beautiful route through the woods and by lovely homes on the east side of Brussels.We've been on the trains, we've been on the metro, but this was our first time on the tram in Brussels. Clara was focused.The forest is the best part of the area around Brussels.We took the metro to the Grand Place and ran

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-53120601863803031742010-11-12T14:45:00.002+01:002010-11-12T14:46:42.584+01:00

We stayed in the town of Blois, which was so charming and right on the Loire. Here are the kids right outside the house we rented. Well, I guess it was part of a house: it seemed like there were three separate residences around this courtyard. The arched windows behind Lily and Soren were the front of our place; the ones behind Clara are the entrance to the home next to it.Monday morning we

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-41671279507801984642010-11-10T16:35:00.001+01:002010-11-10T16:36:21.038+01:00

On Sunday we went to Chenonceau. We were so thankful that Soren was adamant that he push the stroller since we were sick. I wantonly shared germs.It was so warm we got to shed our jackets -- what a treat!Time for a nap on a stone wall. Meow!Its site over water was so beautiful.Clara's love of hanging like a monkey from whatever she can continues.Pretty sure she's saying here, "Ummm . . . "A

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-40467070287781555552010-11-09T14:53:00.001+01:002010-11-09T14:53:00.135+01:00

The first chateau we visited was Chambord, the largest in the Loire.There is a famous double helix staircase, in which two people can go up and down without meeting.Clara found a pet

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-77260593909604258662010-11-03T21:54:00.000+01:002010-11-03T21:54:15.208+01:00

The kids are off school this week, and Matthew had Monday, Toussaint (All Saints), off, so we planned a last-minute trip -- Matthew got reservations the day before we left -- to the Loire Valley in France. This region is famous for its châteaux, mostly built by French nobility around the time of Louis XIV. It was one of our less successful travel experiences. The drive there and back were classic

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-84554409343156733972010-10-27T21:31:00.001+02:002010-10-27T21:33:18.493+02:00

While we waited at the doctor's office for Lily's stitch, an older gentleman spoke to us in Dutch. "I'm sorry; I speak no Dutch," I said, in Dutch. We say this often enough that our accent is decent, which is sort of misleading. He must not have heard me, because he kept on looking at Lily and talking in Dutch. I repeated myself and said we spoke English."Well, let her speak English then!" he

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-38128718446035481242010-10-25T20:17:00.001+02:002010-10-25T20:18:14.892+02:00

She put on a brave face,but this sweet almost-six-year-old had to get a stitch (just one) at the doctor's office this afternoon. She got a pretty deep little gash on her chin on the stairs at school.She squeezed my hand tightly as the doctor gave her the injections to numb the area, but she was quiet and composed. She must get this from Matthew. Around this same age I had to have a sketchy mole

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-84486971867039463342010-10-12T14:30:00.001+02:002010-10-12T14:30:54.871+02:00

[I'm going through old drafts of posts -- this one is from summer 2009.]Matthew took some photos around the house last week [or, eighty weeks ago] so we could remember some of the Belgian/European features of our house that no longer look strange to us:Screen-less windows that tilt,two-prong outlets,flushers on top of toilets (back in the U.S. Matthew watched Soren look befuddled at a toilet tank

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-59298063636419858612010-10-08T14:21:00.000+02:002010-10-08T14:21:15.522+02:00

First, a warning. Please don't click on the first link, or scroll down, if you object to seeing the naked bottom of a man who intentionally goes nude in public. (Also, you should probably not visit us, because you're bound to see it if you do.) I've written about our naked home-remodeling neighbor before. Previous posts about him are here, and here. When we were back home, he was the subject of

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-22996137853539342142010-10-07T21:03:00.001+02:002010-10-07T21:32:20.452+02:00

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-87083887706718205642010-10-06T19:23:00.001+02:002010-10-06T20:43:09.044+02:00

Soren started soccer. Football! Football. Soccer! We're in Europe, so it's football, except that it's run by an English-speaking (mostly American) association, so it's soccer, but when I studied Spanish, it was futbol, yet most of you reading this are Americans, so it's soccer.He seemed pretty interested on the sidelines when Lily played last year (he was too young), so we were excited to see him

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-31645299352930206852010-10-05T15:16:00.001+02:002010-10-05T15:19:22.953+02:00

1. This is what our grass looked like when we got back from a month in the U.S.:And after Matthew took one pass with the mower:2. Jet lag in a toddler is brutal. The big kids' clocks seemed to adjust pretty quickly, but Clara was still waking at night three weeks after we were back. 3. It sort of felt like we were on an episode of "This Is Your Life." Over the course of just one of the four weeks

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-37770244075648479842010-10-04T14:59:00.002+02:002010-10-04T15:01:36.385+02:00

Ouch. The title of my last post has become fitting as the weeks have passed since I've written anything on here. Today I start fresh, and I hope to post something each weekday this week.There's a saying here that Belgians are "born with a brick in their belly," meaning that owning a home is very important to them. This is true in America too, of course, but it's different here. Our French teacher

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-69423943412444108002010-09-15T20:32:00.000+02:002010-09-15T20:32:45.713+02:00

Today was a tough day in our home. As I said good night to Soren, I prayed quickly, monotone: "Thank you that you made Soren and that I get to be his mom." Soren asked, "How can you be born when you make people be born?" and I said that I was born a long time before he was born."Were you born in God's belly button?" he asked.Laughter is such a mercy to me in motherhood. So now, for real: Thank

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-5841824264330422202010-09-15T14:29:00.000+02:002010-09-15T14:29:54.120+02:00

I taught Clara this cheer as we landed in Minneapolis: "Yea, Minnesota!" (they should hire me, to write the cheers!) and now she says it occasionally as a generic substitute for "Hooray!" She's pleased with something she has drawn, and, "Yea, Minnesota!" she announces.At the end of our trip we finally spent some time in the mother ship, the Twin Cities, our home. "Where's home for you?" We get

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-12260666909321447062010-09-14T02:03:00.000+02:002010-09-14T14:04:01.371+02:00

Our trip to the U.S. feels like a long time ago, and our days are so full getting back into the routine that I'm finding it hard to memorialize the visit properly. Thankfully Matthew took some nice photos so they'll have to carry the day. Here's some of the fun we had at my uncle's cabin:Lily with her AuntieSoren caught a fish off the dock with no baitPlaying dominosCelebrating Grandma's

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-9327298629845390502010-09-13T14:34:00.002+02:002010-09-13T14:36:01.483+02:00

We arrived back in St. Louis from Portland late on a Sunday night, and on Monday morning we flew to Minneapolis with the kids, got in our rental car, ate lunch at Punch and dessert at Yum! (two of our St. Louis Park/uptown area faves), and drove up to my uncle's cabin, three hours northwest of the Cities (stopping at an outlet mall on the way, so I could buy four pairs of black flats, thereby

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-12927940308220518602010-09-09T16:00:00.000+02:002010-09-09T16:00:32.711+02:00

Here's where Matthew and I got our two extra states: We traveled to Portland, Oregon, leaving the kids with his parents, for a wedding. A gift for us, and a real treat for the kids. We stayed in Hood River, and the wedding took place just across the Columbia River in Washington. This area of the country is so beautiful. Wow. I was ready to house hunt.Here is the lovely couple, Caroline and Eric.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-2528720247558443632010-09-06T15:16:00.001+02:002010-09-06T15:17:53.756+02:00

We went to the St. Louis Zoo: Cousin RubyClaraSoren and RubyWe saw the hippos up close -- really close, as in their faces pressed up to the glass so we could see their whiskers in detail. Kind of freaky.Grambie had the fun idea of make your own pizza night (please note Clara's 70s sundress that used to be mine -- why don't they make clothes in colors like these for little girls today??)Snuggly

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70681625288632643902010-09-02T14:14:00.001+02:002010-09-02T15:53:38.921+02:00

We spent a month in the United States of America this summer. Is it unpatriotic that saying the full name of our country makes me giggle? It just seems so excessive. Redundant! Unnecessary.Matthew and I visited six of these United States. The kids only visited four. Road trip gone wrong?? Stay tuned for news of where we left them.We started in St. Louis, where the focus was on Water Fun,

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-48977509826126775862010-09-01T09:30:00.003+02:002010-09-01T09:35:04.863+02:00

Back to school breakfastGoing separate ways for the first timeAll business with the bagHugs for the one left behind

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-68925457189132945072010-07-24T06:20:00.000+02:002010-07-24T06:20:25.980+02:00

Clara got an early second birthday gift over the weekend.She had just woken up from a nap so seemed a bit concerned at first, and perhaps overwhelmed by the enthusiasm displayed by her siblings, who were very excited about this milestone. She had barely entered the kitchen (where it was sitting to surprise her), when they were full of jumps and "You have a BIKE, Clara!" and pulling the balloons

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-58810120398241185612010-07-23T22:00:00.000+02:002010-07-23T22:00:52.466+02:00

The riders came near our home on Stage Two of the Tour. We saw it on the main road that runs from Brussels into Tervuren (Tervurenlaan).To get there we parked and biked (kids)/walked and ran (adults)/strolled (Clara) -- 8 km of biking for the kids!It was a long straight stretch of road, and not crowded, so we could see the cyclists for quite a long way.Cavendish in the front, Cancellara in

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-63170168661082392442010-07-22T23:24:00.000+02:002010-07-22T23:24:48.572+02:00

As I wrote in the last post, on the Fourth of July we saw the riders in the early afternoon in the Netherlands, played at the beach for a couple hours, drove to Brussels, and still had time before seeing the riders to:1. stop in at a bar for a refreshment2. pose uncomfortably three or four times for a drunk man who grabbed Matthew's camera and insisted on taking our photo 2.b. scheme how to block

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-88264161296943190352010-07-21T07:26:00.001+02:002010-07-21T07:27:58.859+02:00

After we broke camp (that term would seem more appropriate had we been backpacking), we saw the riders one more time in the Netherlands on Stage One as they headed from Rotterdam to Brussels. Then, while they were using leg power back to Brussels, we used a car! So we had time to play on the beach (a really lovely, not jam-packed, beach), and eat some frites.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-34374697054553472702010-07-19T15:38:00.000+02:002010-07-19T15:38:33.601+02:00

We stayed at a campground outside Rotterdam after watching the Prologue. As we drove through the campground, we saw lots of mobile home type structures, very close to each other. Manicured hedges!We drove past the houses and into the tent area, where there were lots of big tents set up with flat-screen televisions. It seemed like people were here for the summer, in the houses and the tents. As we

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-68229761091633182862010-07-14T23:01:00.000+02:002010-07-14T23:01:23.326+02:00

We drove to Rotterdam on Saturday, July 3, to see the Prologue of the Tour. It was a time trial (the cyclists go one by one, a few minutes after each other, rather than in a pack).First we walked by all the team buses, with riders warming up.That's Christian VandeVelde on the bike above. A week and a half later some of these images are a bit bittersweet; VandeVelde had a bad crash early on and

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-13639407037502572702010-07-05T08:19:00.001+02:002010-07-05T08:19:52.700+02:00

Today the Tour de France goes really close to us -- through the next town over! Here's a map. We've been following it this weekend with Matthew's parents. More to come.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-65927773790072918452010-06-30T15:24:00.001+02:002010-06-30T15:26:01.494+02:00

Here is an informative article from Time about the prospect of Belgium dividing into two.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-48938966734439993662010-06-23T14:06:00.002+02:002010-06-23T15:49:20.135+02:00

A phenomenon of the ex-pat experience is receiving hand-me-down pantry items from people about to move away. Many times now I've had the privilege of sorting through a large cardboard box of food that the family just couldn't eat up in time. I usually get some useful things like a can of diced tomatoes or a package of flour, but every time I go away with an item that I pick up in a fit of "Why

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-74487496360314931892010-06-21T14:52:00.001+02:002010-06-21T14:53:52.913+02:00

How would you fill in the blank? Fun? Free? Busy? Playful? Active? Joyful? We recently got a copy of our town's "Youth Gazette."It has information about scouting camps and other fun stuff for the kids, and on the back page, this:There will be a summer festival, to make a sexy summertime for the kids! Further evidence suggesting that "sexy" has a less literal meaning outside of America -- I wrote

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-71240368831653357992010-06-18T15:39:00.000+02:002010-06-18T15:39:18.490+02:00

We finished the Little House books last month. I can't type that sentence without tearing up. These books would have been precious to me wherever we read them, but now they are part of the memories of living in Belgium with these three little children of ours. The wildness of the weather was astounding -- the blizzards, the grasshoppers, the tornados, the wind. I loved seeing Lily and Soren's

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-78546243817974097652010-06-17T07:03:00.003+02:002010-06-17T07:12:44.640+02:00

Clara likes eating whole apples now. This is her second of the day. She also likes running wildly, faster than she can control, hence her lip wound.About a year ago, I learned that there are chocolate chips in the stores here. I'm not sure if they were always there and I just didn't know how to look for them, or if they were a new product, but this means that I can live in Belgium forever!Do they

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-9240490157775849982010-06-14T13:10:00.000+02:002010-06-14T13:10:23.118+02:00

I think I have part three about traveling with kids brewing, but for now, at the risk of jinxing my interest in this show by writing in a hyperbolic fashion about it (I don't think I've watched Dragons' Den since this post), last winter I discovered the best game show ever: Countdown.It's sort of like Scrabble. Two contestants have thirty seconds, during which a jaunty tune plays, to make the

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-19632236995123263982010-06-09T21:01:00.000+02:002010-06-09T21:01:36.287+02:00

Now, PLANES:Most of these ideas are from other people, like you, who should comment if you have more tips! I love getting new tips!Especially for air travel, I try to talk it up. We adults know things could go very badly, but for the kids, it is exciting! It's a special adventure and privilege that involves important responsibilities.Nevertheless, my motto for air travel with children is: Worst

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-28979610020007396912010-06-03T23:28:00.000+02:002010-06-03T23:28:18.191+02:00

Sometimes we have fun,sometimes it gets a little boring,and there's usually a moment or two where we're all just miserable,but it's been a marker of our lives for the past three years: traveling as a family!Before Ruby et al. visited us over Christmas, I bombarded Evan and Shayla with tips about traveling from Austin to Brussels. (Auntie note: Now Ruby has more et al. -- a brother named Jesse

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-79673098101422866062010-05-31T22:12:00.001+02:002010-05-31T22:12:43.712+02:00

We were so happy to have a sunny day in the Basque country!We drove an hour back into France to Biarritz. I didn't know before this trip that part of the Basque region is in France.And we played on the beach.Clara resumed fearful whining for the first five minutes but then got over it and sat happily playing with sand (but not eating!, a happy change from last year).Soren also got braver, letting

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-11278247518276795052010-05-30T14:39:00.002+02:002010-05-30T14:40:57.647+02:00

Another rainy day in the Basque country, and we drove an hour west to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim.We wanted to see it even though we have our very own Frank Gehry metallic monster on the University of Minnesota campus.I really like these monsters.These audioguides were like a phone rather than a headset, so easier to share, which was good, because we shared a lot.It feels silly that what

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-90832351988808820172010-05-26T22:17:00.000+02:002010-05-26T22:17:56.934+02:00

It was gray and chilly our first day in the Basque country, but in the afternoon the drizzling stopped and we were able to walk on the beach in San Sebastián.It's the ocean, Clara! Hooray! You loved it last year.Nope. Not having it. She maintained this face the entire time, emitting a shrill cry. The waves concerned her.Lily loved it. She is brave and spunky with water.Soren enjoyed playing in

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-85759678659033081342010-05-25T22:52:00.000+02:002010-05-25T22:52:17.735+02:00

We stopped to visit Montserrat, a monastery in the moutains, on our way from Barcelona to Basque country.We took a cable car up to the monastery.We got there just in time for the daily, ten-minute, boys' choir performance in the basilica.Yowza!I squeal like a child on these things. I sense Matthew suppresses the urge to inch away from me and try to look attached to another group.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-74810806780371481302010-05-20T22:21:00.004+02:002010-05-20T22:26:49.320+02:00

I think I misused the phrase "ay yi yi" yesterday. I meant we were excited about going to Spain. "Ay yi yi" sounds like an exasperated cry. I should have used, "¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay!" or "¡Ole!" or "Hooray!"Now, ¡Buenos días! Time to sightsee.We rented an apartment right in the city. We were half a block from the metro stop (the one that Matthew used reluctantly and the rest of us enjoyed fully). When

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-86981444458446160442010-05-19T23:27:00.001+02:002010-05-19T23:27:46.436+02:00

Last week we drove to Spain! Ay yi yi!On the way, we drove over the world's tallest vehicular bridge, the Viaduct de Millau.We spent half our time in Barcelona and half in the Basque region. Our first day in Barcelona was Mother's Day, so I didn't feel so bad that we went to the museum of one of my favorites, Joan Miró.I have long been mystified by his first name. I didn't know how to do the

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-70489931544257801822010-05-18T21:40:00.002+02:002010-05-18T21:47:41.453+02:00

Outside Bonnieux:Here's another Roman bridge. We think cars were still driving over it until fairly recently because the GPS seemed to think we would be going over it.We stayed in Ansouis, in this house:It was cute, it was twenty meters away from the bakery, and it was 200 meters from a delicious restaurant called La Closerie. Matthew's parents walked down one night for dinner, and Matthew and I

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-81361959954947001952010-05-18T09:50:00.001+02:002010-05-18T21:23:49.896+02:00

My favorite day in Provence was the one we spent in Roussillon. This town, according to Rick, "sits on the world's largest known ochre deposit."So we hiked around "the ochre path" (sign above).It was amazing! When I read about its color, I figured it would be rust-colored dirt -- brown with some orange in it. No. It was pure orange, intense, everywhere. Afterward we had lunch and strolled through

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-51333205890304366092010-05-17T23:27:00.000+02:002010-05-17T23:27:54.777+02:00

We spent one day in Aix-en-Provence. "Ex," it's pronounced. Is there another Aix in France, hence this one being "en Provence"? From a quick search I can't see that there is. The kids have loved chasing pigeons for years.Look, Lily just did a magic trick and threw that pigeon out of her fist! Or something!Alternate post title: "The rigors of modern grandparenting."

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-5389094100244315382010-05-17T11:27:00.000+02:002010-05-17T11:27:57.617+02:00

We drove to visit the beautiful Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque.These are lavender fields in front of the abbey. They would be gorgeous when it's blooming, but even now it was lovely, sage and purplish brown.She looks sweet but sometimes she likes to pull hair. The baby, I mean.

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-7875993381944461172010-05-07T13:17:00.001+02:002010-05-07T13:17:20.854+02:00

Matthew's most desired Provence site was Mont Ventoux, one of the most famous climbs of the Tour de France (sometimes -- it's not on the route every year).We had one drizzly, grey day and used that one to drive there. We could only go partway up the mountain because it was still covered in snow at the top. Here are Grambie and the kids braving the cold.When we turned around, some children needed

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-61092935701727452752010-05-05T20:31:00.001+02:002010-05-05T20:32:21.323+02:00

We drove to see Pont du Gard, near Avignon. Rick Steves calls this "one of the most remarkable surviving Roman ruins anywhere." And as you know we listen to Rick. It's an aqueduct that runs on top of a huge bridge across a river valley.It was built in 1 A.D. You can swim there in the summer but we just dipped our toes in the water.Last weekend, Soren picked up a five euro note as I was cleaning

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-22975213642331723922010-05-04T08:16:00.000+02:002010-05-04T08:16:53.944+02:00

If there were audio on this, you would hear the end of Clara's "Hellohhhhh!" as she slammed the shutters open. Hellohhhhh! and welcome to a hiatus from the Provence posting, proof that The Gilligan is always fashion-forward in children, and a recap of a very full weekend. My photo editor/photographer/husband is in Paris so I'm . . . well, I can't seem to use the phrase "going rogue" as it has

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-48727192544382109542010-04-30T17:19:00.000+02:002010-04-30T17:19:27.169+02:00

Here's a link to the image I put in the last post, which maybe you couldn't view: Inspiring photo of sporty young man jumping while wearing a bucket hat.Also, Hairloss.com says that the bucket hat is one of five must-have hats regardless of whether you're bald: for real!I'd have to buy a few more items for Matthew to round out this look. Maybe you like the bucket hat look, but with a harder(?)

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-30036339399252199862010-04-28T22:25:00.004+02:002010-04-28T22:30:47.525+02:00

The weather was lovely in Provence, cool enough for light jackets and scarves, but sunny and blue, and we enjoyed eating some lunches outside:pizzas, or olives and meat and cheese and bread from whatever market we were visiting. Mmmm!Aaaaah.Clara keptusbusy.Back at the house we rented, the big kids shared a bed,just as they did two years ago in London.They could fit in a smaller bed then, even

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-71137614823366417672010-04-26T20:34:00.001+02:002010-04-26T20:44:02.808+02:00

I laughed when I opened my in-box last Friday and saw an email from Baby Center entitled: "Can you have kids and a vacation?"Yes, you can! But it might be better if you called it a "trip." The term "vacation" implies not-doing -- vacating one's roles for a week. And with small children, you can't just not-do. They need a lot done! I'd like an occasional vacation with my husband, and lots of trips

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020912463452665560.post-78934060119165648052010-04-19T20:27:00.001+02:002010-04-19T20:27:03.697+02:00

Matthew's parents arrived just before Easter for a visit. We went to Provence with them! We didn't have A Year in Provence, just A Week in Provence. It was beautiful (photos to come) and relaxing. It also provided an opportunity for us to expose more of our extended family to our less-than-ideal family functioning while traveling via car (please see here for further explanation), but Don and Deb

Jennifer Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00543237538541205898noreply@blogger.com2