I meant to talk about our big family trip before we actually went away; but, isn't it so much better that I didn't and can just dive in now? Yes, let's go with that.
So last week, the Wandering Seals wandered across the Atlantic and spent spring break in France. We concentrated our adventures in Normandy with the occasional trip into Paris by train.
It was awesome, and when I saw "awesome," I actually mean mind-blowingly spectacular.I am not going to lie, international travel with two kids is no cake-walk. It is not for the feint of heart, it is not for the weak, people! But oh, was it worth it!
We left Friday(3/5) evening thinking that the kids would, obviously sleep through the whole flight there and wake up ready to go.
Obviously, we are fools. They were so amped up that it took them a few hours to finally sleep and by the time we got there, everyone was tired.
We stayed at a beautiful place in the town of Connelles, right on the Seine (our balcony gave us a great view).
We spent time in Honfleur, quite possibly, the prettiest fishing village, ever.
And we also went to Caen to see the World War II Memorial Museum.
We went to Paris, of course.
Twice, just to get in as much as possible (I can not go to the Paris and not go to Monmatre).
And we went to Rouen.
We also went to Bayeux.
We went to the American Cemetery on the D-Day Beaches and saw Omaha Beach (this was actually the whole purpose of the trip, really--or at least what sparked the initial plan to go).
We spent time in Lyon a la Foret (the prettiest village in France).
And then we bopped into little towns near Connelles like Val du Ruil, Elbeauf, Louviers, Ande, and Herqueville to shop, eat and explore. We had a great time.
And in case you were unaware, the most popular tourist destination in Europe is Disneyland Paris. I know, it suprised me too, but if Rick Steeves says it's so, it must be true.
I put 30% of our photographs from the trip up in flickr; but, there is no processing and no additional information there (because, seriously, I don't have time to comment on 300 images in a timely manner). If you want a little narration and would like to see pictures with a little bit more fine-tuning and more critical selection (hi Papa!) please check out my other flickr account here, there you will find only 10%--but that's still over a hundred pictures, so grab a snack, I guess.Au revoir!
So last month, Papa had a birthday. He isn't really into the whole, "hey, I was born X number of years ago, let's celebrate it!" But since I am, and the kids have recognized the obvious advantages in being celebratory about one's birth, we shove birthday cheer Papa's way once a year and he is forced to accept it. 
It was fun to celebrate another year of life. Lots of photo fun in 
Because the first month of the year will soon come to an end, I figure it only logical to finally get around to sharing how are year ended last year and began this year. The operative word: low-key (technically, that's two). My back went out two days before Christmas (it is still on a little vacation, if you find it, please tell it to come home) and I was a wee incapacitated for about three weeks. I was still able to get our Christmas stockings done, though (because I am, to be sure, a crafting champion). I figure these should last for a while, you know, until the kids have their own favorite nicknames and they start calling us Mom and Dad (which is always better than "hey you").
Christmas Day was fun (I am pretty sure, I was asleep for most of it, but the pictures tell the story of great joy, so there you are). The pups were right and properly spoiled. 
We tried to gear up for Christmas with our usual zest for the holiday; but, we were thrown this year...as we will be from now on, because SP 2.0's birthday is, pretty much, right after Thanksgiving (it was this year, anyways). We want to celebrate his birthday apart from the celebration of the birth of Christ, because it seems important somehow. I also don't want my kid walking around in future thinking he is some kind of poor sucker for drawing the short straw to get born in December (I really did try for a November birthday, Little Dude). 
We waited an extra week to get our Christmas tree from our favorite place for that sort of thing, 
I threw my Martha-complex out the window this year, and Papa and I let SP1.0 pick the tree. The stipulation being the tree could not be taller than his Dad (or it wouldn't fit in our house). He eventually settled on a tree that happened to be one of the wider trees on the farm. Awesome.
The tree sat undecorated for two weeks due to Papa's end of semester crush and our 
We went to the annual party at the Coast Guard Academy. While most kids used the opportunity to have serious discussions with Santa about how good they were this year and what they deserved, our kids used their moment with the jolly fat man to ask him if he was aware that he was not real (but, please still bring presents, thanks) and wonder why the parental units handed them over to the jolly fat man's temporary care.
For those unaware, "Santa is like Thomas the Train, not really real". And what do you say to that? We say, "get outside and play in the snow." Mostly because it was 5 days before Christmas and we still needed a Christmas picture.
And that's what we did after the snowstorm last weekend. Twenty-four inches of white fluffiness. I am not a fan (clearly, SP 2.0 and I are of similar minds on the subject of snow).
But Papa got a change to use a snow-blower and is pretty convinced that this will make an awesome Christmas gift next year (he seems to be aware that I am done on the shopping front, and, you know, so is Santa).
While we are saddened by the loss of these great women from our lives, we have great memories of our time with them. I think their lives were celebrated in lovely ways at their funeral services; and their memory will live on in the people who loved them.
Papa remarked that the trip out to Dodge will likely be our last trip there, so we wanted to see the house that his father grew up in as well as his grandmother's house.
Papa's mom had some pretty great stories to share about her memories of Dodge City as well.
On the way back home, we made more stops for our sanity and to prevent a mutiny from the seal pups.
They did a great job, considering they were strapped in with little, to no. prepartion for the 50+ hours on the road that they were subjected to.
On the return trip home we stopped at the 
The Indianapolis Children's Museum is, quite possibly, one of the best Children's Museums we have gone to, and we have gone to quite a few.
As much as we love a good roadtrip, we have established a new benchmark: if it's more than a 15 hour drive to get there, we are flying. I am putting it here, because it's like it's in stone now, and that makes it a real rule...one we will follow, and everything.
