On this Day Last Year

On this day last year we left France. Fitting then, that Tuesday, Bastille Day, Andy and I spent at Saint Honore Boulangerie in Portland eating quiche, salade nicoise and of course, pastries. It is so fun to eat really good French breads again. Other fun things we've done this week include:
Monday: a trip into Portland with Dianna and Barry for pizza at their favorite place. It was great, so if you're ever on 23rd, stop in. It'll be the place with the line out the door.After pizza, we walked the fabulous historic neighborhoods in Portland, I believe the one we walked was called the alphabet district. I love old homes. And that is an understatement.

Warren found this rock-mosaic stretch of sidewalk, and insisted on several pictures. I love his face in this one. It shouldn't surprise me that Warren appreciated it, he loves patterns and building things. We brought 2 toys with us on this trip: LEGO's and Kapla blocks. Why we even bother with all the other toys at home, I don't know. I think I'm going to start a new system where 3 toys are allowed out per week. Wouldn't clean-up be easier? Though, speaking of clean up, Warren and I have a new game: the Warren-Nephi Game. I ask him for 3-5 minutes where he will do anything I ask cheerfully. Using the principle of "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" (inspired by our recent family movie night of Marie Poppins--we know it's your favorite G-ma Lindy!), I make sure one of the required duties is something like, "Go get your ice-cream to eat out of the freezer!" or "Put your shoes on to be ready to play Whiffle Ball." This works a lot better than just cutting in on W's activity and asking him to do things. He gets so focused on his work or play, and I need to make allowance for that. I hope I remember that.Classic Abigail. No one can turn a frown upside-down faster than this girl. I love her resiliency. Last week we went raspberry picking and it got a little warm, but Abigail kept at it. Cheerful. For a 4 year old, she got a nice little bucket full. Enough to split among Warren, Avery and herself and eat all the ride home, and then some. Cheerful little worker bee. And always singing along the way. Today as we picnicked at Aunt Kathy's, Abigail was pouring some lemonade for herself and singing some made-up song about it. I am totally used to this, of course, but Aunt Kathy asked her, "Is that a song that you know or are you just making this up?" I think Avery was feeling the French vibe, too, as she reunited with her favorite French playground toy at Washington Park (I think that was the name.) It was a great park. Actually, I'm beginning to believe that any park in decent weather is a great park. Avery is my independent child. If I say it to her, I must really mean what I say, because Avery will call my bluff every time if I don't. She is becoming so chatty. And she is definitely carving out her own identity. Just this week, she has started requesting everything in blue, "Because blue is my favorite color," or, "because I like blue." I'm inwardly smiling that she doesn't request everything in pink like Abigail anymore. I hope it isn't just a reaction against, but rather a true preference for what she wants.So here I am, a year home from France, and being reminded again that my family is the most important thing. When you have no other priority but being with them, you learn a lot.