The Bear Cub Visit

So, I'm still catching up on some of my visitors who were here last month.
Most specifically, Miss A and Master O, my little sister and brother.

This is kinda typical.

And, oh yeah, my Dad too.

It was a first time for all of them to come to Paris. And we had the best time. Got to take them around our small town here. To the market place where we got some stuff for a picnic on the Champ de Mars.

The menfolk waiting for the train in our village.

They really lucked out. The weather was absolutely perfect!

I still love La Dame de Fer, or in English, The Iron Lady.

Which also makes for a nice photo op:

Dad and the kiddos

But this one's my favorite:

I like to call this one, "Selfies!"

We came back home and then the bear cubs and I got into a tickle pile (like you do) while Dad played the piano. Mr. K found the camera apparently and so we have photo proof of it.

I like how I'm reaching for help and Dad just keeps playing and Mr K is too busy with taking the photo.
Thanks guys!

A tea with some French friends went well and Miss A may have a pen pal. Exciting!
I used to have a pen pal.
It was cool!

Anyway, we went back into Paris the following day and met up with my stepmom while she had a day layover. We walked through the Notre Dame and got to see the crown of thorns.

A semi-family photo (minus a few people)

 Then we managed a trip on the Seine on the Vedettes du Pont Neuf. Part of the journey was sunny and the other part was frigid and cloudy. Ah France! You can never be certain what weather you'll have.

I gave the camera to Master O and he took this.
I say we have a budding photographer on our hands. He's got the timing down great!

Of course, then I had to get a nice shot of the bear cubs.

They're used to my camera and on occasion will smile for me. Makes me happy.

Well, Dad had to go back to work and we had the fun of having Miss A and Master O at our home in France for Easter.

And Easter at our house means COLORED EGGS! (Shout out to my good friend, Mrs P,  for the Paas egg kit! You saved the day!)

Again, a glimpse into a pretty normal relationship for us.

I love hard boiled eggs.
I love paint.
Put the two together and you have one of my favorite activities.

I cannot say that I love glitter...even if it does make for pretty eggs.

Alright, it's nice. But boy is it messy!

But Miss A had a field day with it.

Yes, she put it on her cheeks and nose.

And there may or may not have been a small glitter war.
Small only because it was contained within 45 meters squared.

And I may or may not still be vacuuming it up.

But it was so worth it.
*grins*

The next day was Easter and Mr K got me the most awesome chocolate bunny ever!

How can you look at that and NOT smile!
P.S. (All that is before the bunny was actually inside it.)

It was the first time in my life that I had a chocolate bunny filled with chocolate fish. Someone might have to explain that one to me. But, I'm not complaining about the extra chocolate. No way.

I nursed that chocolate for a good two weeks.
(I miss it now.)

We went for a walk down by the new parc near our place and Mr. K took a great pic. I may have to print this if I ever get a chance and then frame it.

And then this goat came over to check us out. He was dubbed Sir Hubert by Miss A.
Hubie to those who know him well.

Voila, Sir Hubert on the far left.

He likes chin scratches and yellow buttercups. Not daisies.
And long walks along the fence if you go to leave.

(We love you, Hubie!)

And of course, Miss A and I found the cutest ducklings out for a stroll with their maman.

You can almost touch the downy softness with this picture. 

The French word for duckling is "caneton" (pronounced "can-ay-tone", minus the -ne, and uses the nearly impossible nasal sound for non-native French speakers). The word makes me think of tiny cans of Coca-Cola.

I'm weird; I'll be the first to admit it. Cans of Coke and fluffy ducklings have nothing in common.
Unless the cans of Coke have feathers and make odd sounds. But then that would be less adorable, bordering on the verge of creepy and bizarre. Like a Dali painting gone wrong.

I can't be the only one who thinks this.

Just said it outloud again. Yup.
Caneton = can of Coke, in my head.

Moving on...

We all came back for the traditional Easter meal before heading off to church and chilling for the night with a Big Bang Theory marathon. Mr K might have had a small part in that decision.

À table!

We took them very early the next morning to CDG airport to meet my stepmom (who flew the red eye over to get them only to turn right back around and fly back to the states, without ever stepping foot outside the airport). We said our goodbyes and waved them off into the throng of people.

I may or may not have cried on the train ride back.

But, there will be other visits.

Anyway, those two will forever be my bear cub siblings. They could be 100 and 98 years old and I would still call them bear cubs. It's just something they have accepted.

Love you guys! Glad you could make it over!

Until next time,
Bisous