Before we knew it, another day had dawned!
Day Five (Thursday)
It was another early morning.
We had tickets for Notre-Dame de Paris at 9:30 am. Entry is free, but you can book skip-the-line tickets online two days ahead of any visit. We chose that option and literally got to walk immediately inside.
The basilica was beautiful. It’s hard to believe Notre Dame has been standing in various forms for almost 1,000 years, and even more incredible to think that just a few years ago, a large portion of it was impacted by a devastating fire. When John and I visited back in 2019, we weren’t able to get inside (or even close to the exterior) because of restoration work, so this was our first time really “seeing” it as well!
I don’t recognize much of the symbolism in Catholic places of worship, but I was moved by a carving of Thomas touching Christ’s side. I have just been reading about this story in my Bible and I appreciated the reminder of Jesus’ gentleness and patience with His followers.
We looked for Pointe Zero which is just outside the main doors, but the marker is currently covered up. Bummer. (Not sure why?)
Before leaving the island, we stopped at Amorino for some ice cream. I enjoyed mine, but it was pricey, and John wasn’t thrilled with his flavours – they were all rather bland. So, while it’s iconic, it wasn’t a particularly memorable experience for us.
In case we hadn’t had enough sugar for the morning, we stopped at Manteigaria, a Portuguese bakery. The pasteis de nata were delicious, and if you’re ever in Paris and craving an authentic Portuguese experience, I highly recommend stopping by for one of these classic custard tarts. Chef’s kiss. Bonus, the ceiling is mirrored!
We had timed tickets for 12:30 pm at Sainte-Chapelle so wanted to stay in the general area of Île de la Cité. We walked to Galerie Vivienne looking for a bathroom; it’s a quaint covered passageway but there were no accessible bathrooms. We did snap another “shoe shot” though!
With still more time to fill, we stopped in at Bibliothèque nationale de France to see the impressive Oval Room. It was stunning – 60-foot ceilings and so much natural light. A readers paradise! I would have loved to curl up with a good book and settle in for a few cozy hours. There are 20,000 books accessible to the general public and 9,000 comics (if that happens to be your thing).
Oh, and I can confirm they have free bathrooms! What a relief for a certain member of our party who apparently drank far too much orange juice before leaving the apartment.
We thought we had left plenty of buffer for our 12:30 pm tickets at Sainte-Chapelle, but when we arrived we couldn’t believe a) the military police presence (so many armed soldiers?!) and b) the lines. But we managed to get in mostly on schedule.
Sainte Chapelle was a royal chapel commissioned by Louis IX in the 1240’s – so this spot is old! – to house purported Passion relics. I’ll admit it was smaller than I expected, but undeniably stunning. There are fifteen giant stained glass windows depicting over 1,000 Biblical scenes, along with an impressive Rose window. Time of day really matters in terms of the viewing experience; I read differing accounts, but the consensus was early-to-mid morning is the best time for a visit and, if possible, go on a sunny day! When the sun hits the stained glass – like it did just before we left – it completely transforms the space.
After finishing up at the chapel, we hopped on the metro and went back to our apartment for a few hours to just…chill. At some point I think we made some sandwiches for an early supper because there were still more adventures in our day!
We had booked evening entry tickets at Musée d’Orsay. This was probably the kids least favourite experience from the whole trip. They were bored and spent most of the time playing games on the phone we use for audiobooks. Whatever, I was fine with that. Taking in Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle (and staying happily engaged) wasn’t too shabby for one day.
Since John and I were enamoured with the art, we compromised and agreed to a shorter-than-expected visit. At one point we left the kids sitting on a central bench while we wandered around them admiring the art and letting them play Block Blast. To each their own.
Bal du moulin de la Galette by Renoir, painted at the Le Moulin de la Galette we visited on Day Two at Montmartre!
There were so many paintings by van Gogh! In general, the Impressionist galleries here are just incredible. (And yes, the kids were on a bench right next to Starry Night Over the Rhône…playing Block Blast.)
I couldn’t stop thinking of Diane when we came to the portion of the museum dedicated to Palais Garnier – the opera house made famous by The Phantom of the Opera. There was a painting of the grand staircase, a scale model (fascinating), and cardboard mockups of opera sets.
D’Orsay is such a beautiful museum and a lot less overwhelming than the Louvre. We went on a Thursday evening because they have extended opening hours. Children under 18 always have free entry but Thursday evening tickets are cheaper for adults. (And you know I love a deal!)
Day Six (Friday)
Before we left for Paris the only thing on Indy’s radar was how desperately he wanted to visit Musée du Louvre and see the Mona Lisa. We can arrange that, little buddy!
We wanted to go at a time when crowds wouldn’t be too unmanageable – realizing it’s the Louvre so it’s always going to be busy – and figured the kids wouldn’t want any more late evenings. So…we opted for Friday morning and it was great timing.
I think the kids were more impressed by the building than by anything hanging on the walls. It is massive – 73,000 square meters if you were curious 🙂 It’s crazy to imagine this was someone’s “house” – well, palace.
They did appreciate seeing the Mona Lisa, agreed they didn’t quite understand the hype but, also, thought it was très fantastique. I mean – IT’S THE MONA LISA.
We skipped Venus de Milo, but I prefer The Winged Victory of Samothrace anyway! This statue (of the goddess of victory Niké) was created about 190 BC. Getting to see things created before Christ’s birth never ceases to blow my mind.
There was a fashion installation concurrent with our visit and I thought it was fascinating to see how they incorporated modern fashion into various cultural contexts.
Since we had opted to skip Versailles, we made sure to tour Napoleon’s apartments for some hints of that palace opulence.
We spent a few hours at the Louvre and that was enough. The kids were free, so we hadn’t spent a fortune to go, we’d explored the main highlights and I wanted to leave while everyone was still happy.
So much leaping. So much. I suppose it’s a miracle we didn’t wind up seeing the inside of a French hospital, but he escaped with nary a scratch.
Right beside the Louvre is Palais Royal and we had fun playing on the black-and-white columns (Colonnes de Buren). We may have gone overboard with pictures but it was such a fun place! Can you tell Indy loved it? He literally could have stayed all day. There is so much more to see – iconic fountains, a cannon “clock”, sprawling gardens – but everyone was hungry, so thoroughly exploring Palais Royal remains on my to-do list for another trip to Paris. (It’s good to have an excuse to go back, right?)
Belle had a hankering for pizza and so we found pizza. She declared it to be “the best pizza I’ve had in my entire life” and I’ll agree it was tasty. John and I had carbonara, and Indy mooched off everyone else.
I wanted some hot chocolate and a quick Google search suggested Lindt. Well, it was an afternoon of bests because this was without a doubt the best hot chocolate I’ve had in my entire life. It was so creamy and the perfect level of sweetness. It was also the most expensive hot chocolate I’ve ever purchased, ringing in at about €8.50 (that’s ~ $13 CAD!!!). (Just a note that not all Lindt stores in Paris sell hot chocolate; I tried to get one at a different location and was out of luck.)
As if lunch and hot chocolate wasn’t enough to satisfy our tastebuds (though we were putting in a tremendous number of steps each day and often skipping a formal breakfast), we stopped outside Cimetière du Père-Lachaise for one last patisserie hit, before wandering through the most visited cemetery in the world.
Père-Lachaise has about 3.5 million visitors a year – which puts it almost on par with The Empire State building in NYC – and over 1 million people have been buried in this 44-hectare area. (I didn’t realize before going that it’s still an active cemetery; unsurprisingly there are all sorts of rules and regulations about leasing plots in Lachaise.)
We spotted Bugatti’s gravestone and stopped by Chopin’s (his body is buried in Père-Lachaise…minus his heart which was removed and buried in Warsaw). We saw tributes to those lost to the horrors of concentration camps. Oscar Wilde’s gravestone was surrounded by plexiglass that was covered in lipstick prints (yuck), a tree beside Jim Morrison’s grave was covered in chewed gum (gross), and Victor Noir has a brightly polished nether region since it’s purported to bring good luck (um…okay).
I thought Pere Lachaise was beautiful in its own unique way. Peaceful, yet melancholy; I’m glad we went.
The kids had been promised an early night so we were back to the apartment by 4:30ish, they put on the TV, ate a giant bowl of cereal for supper (their request), and John and I went to a sushi restaurant around the corner from our apartment. It is a game changer to have a teen who can responsibly watch her younger brother and use my cell phone to communicate back and forth. The sushi was great, the service was quick, and we were home and in bed at a good time.
Distance Walked (Days 5-6): 27.3 km | 38,138 steps | 34 flights
Your turn.
- Have you ever seen the Mona Lisa? What did you think?
- Do you ever eat breakfast for supper? It’s one of my favourite things to do!
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I have seen the Mona Lisa! It’s funny how modest and unassuming it looks in real life. I agree that I enjoyed Musee d’Orsay more than the Louvre- the Louvre is overwhelming. I love how the kids played games on the phone while you and John explored the museum. It reminds me of Kae’s post yesterday about one kid not being to happy with the sightseeing agenda. It’s impossible to please everyone all the time- I’m glad you were still able to enjoy the experience! Overall it sounds like your kids are really getting a lot out of this trip. Your photos as always are stunning! I’m enjoying these trip recaps. It’s funny that you and Kae are doing it at the same time. I feel like I’m getting a trip to London and Paris all at once.
I had heard so much about how underwhelming it was (before our trip in 2019) that I was actually impressed! People had under-sold it. Though I’ll admit it is very modest and unassuming, minus the GIANT CROWDS around it at all times.
There were two choices at the museum – to not get to really enjoy the incredible art or let the kids play a game on a phone. We do so many word games and Would You Rather with the kids during the day while we walk on these trips I had no desire to try to incorporate them into the art-viewing (i.e. let’s play I Spy, find a painting with a dog in it). No thanks! I happily outsourced the entertainment to a screen with zero guilt.
I am finding myself very desperate for a trip to London, now! I’m glad Kae is doing all this research for me so I can ride on her coattails when we make it there (I’ve never been to London).
I am here for any and all stories about the opera staircase or Phantom of the Opera. Reading this brought back memories of being a child and walking through room after room in museums…I would have loved to be able to kick back and play a game. I approve that “kids these days” have what we did not.
My favorite part of this is that the day ended with everyone getting the dinner of their dreams, and with some solo time for mom and dad.
Well, stay tuned Birchie because I have opera staircase stories for you.
Part of my does wonder what kids of today are missing out on (I mean, I would have had to find a way to entertain myself at a museum when I was a kid), but they are currently excellent travel companions so I am happy to throw them a technology bone. Plus, sometimes we DO need downtime. Plus, Block Blast feels like it has some good reflex and problem solving skills…
This was such a perfect ending to the day. The kids got showered and in jammies and ate an unsupervised number of bowls of cereal and John and I ate a meal together in peace and quiet. I know I talk about it often on the blog, but I cannot undersell how much changes when kids become increasingly independent.
I really enjoy seeing Paris vicariously through your posts! The churches, the art, the pastries…
I once got into a very long debate about the Mona Lisa with a high school teacher. He was trying to get the class to describe it as “mysterious” , and I had run through so many adjectives and descriptions. I was not pleased. So the ML leaves me cold anymore. Maybe in person id sense the mystery?
I’ll admit it’s one piece of art I didn’t stop to ponder for a second (I guess it’s mysterious? Is she smiling?). For me, seeing the Mona Lisa is more about the experience of what it has come to represent. I find the painting itself very forgettable and if I didn’t already know it from pop culture it isn’t something I’d look twice at in a thrift store! For some reason Indy was VERY hyped up to see it, so that was very exciting to see his response.
I love your Paris posts and all the gorgeous photos! I nearly spit out my lozenge when I saw the “peek a boo” photo! I love your family’s sense of humor! I love the shoe shots too.
I did see the Mona Lisa and was surprised at how small it was. I expected it to be huge. With all the crowds, I couldn’t get a close look at it, and I found that disappointing.
I also remember the hot chocolate in Paris – heavenly. It’s not from a packet of Swiss Miss!
Thank you for sharing all these details of your trip, Elisabeth! I can’t wait for more!
Ha – I’m glad Indy’s antics made you chortle.
The Mona Lisa IS small. They’ve changed the configuration of the painting and room so I think it’s a bit easier to get a view than it used to be, but I don’t really feel the need to ever see it again in my life.
The hot chocolate is actually just that…hot chocolate with milk/cream added and it is soo rich and creamy. Thankfully – for both my waistline AND my wallet – I don’t live in Paris.
Your itinerary (other than Disney) almost mirrors what me and mine did in 2012, on our tour of Paris. The churches, museums, and free places including as many gardens as possible. Though we never got to Père-Lachaise which is on my list to se next time As are a couple of other places you’ve mentioned we never got to.
And yes, I’ve seen the Mona Lisa up close and personal several times. It’s a little underwhelming as I always think it will be bigger than it actually is. Nonetheless it’s an amazing painting, one among so many in Paris.
As for breakfast for dinner? We do this at least a couple of times a week here, no one wants to cook every night and it’s cheaper than take out, right?
I think that’s what is perhaps puzzling about the Mona Lisa – there are SO many masterpieces. But it’s also fascinating how certain things (in this case, a theft) can really boost the profile of a piece beyond would it would have normally attracted.
Breakfast for dinner is just so good! And for some reason the first time I read your final sentence and saw “cheap” I thought it was crepe. Would you believe I have never made crepes at home since getting married. I immediately hopped over to Google to get a crepe recipe and now that’s on my radar. So thanks for inadvertently reminding me I had wanted to make crepes!
I know, right? The publicity probably made the ML so much more famous. Personally, I’m a Monet kind of Gal. I love the impressionists, and so want to go to Giverny if we do get to Paris, rather than even Versailles. It has more meaning than all that gold and grandeur of the palace.
Oh, I totally agree. We’ve had porridge, cereal, eggs on toast, and a full English breakfast (I’m an ex-pat Brit) for dinner, and even gone steak and eggs for breakfast. Ha! You have got to make crepes. They are really easy to do, though it’s true, mine never come out perfect, but then, I’m not an expert. You just need a good flat pan to do them in.
We went to Auvers-sur-Oise this time but I’d love to go to Giverny on another trip.
I MADE CREPES FOR SUPPER and they were so easy and so delicious. Where has this been all my life? We made some savoury and some sweet and everyone loved them and I think I have a new favourite quick meal idea.
Mona Lisa is tiny but the CROWD-OMG.
We had dessert and coffee in that cafe with the clock at the Louvre. The library is on my list for this coming summer as well as Palais Royale. The pictures are incredible!
I was glad we were there first thing in the morning. There was definitely a crowd but it was manageable. When John and I visited in 2019 it was PERFECT. They were renovating the normal space for the Mona Lisa so you had to queue and everyone got some time to stand in front of it solo.
The library is beautiful! I definitely want to explore a lot more of Palais Royal on another trip and it will be very beautiful in the summer I’m sure.
I much prefer d’Orsay to the Louvre. The Louvre is so massive and overwhelming – d’Orsay is more digestible for me. Plus it’s such a gorgeous setting being an old train station. Impressionists are my fave so the museum is perfect for me. It took 3 trips to Paris for me to go to the Louvre! I saw the Mona Lisa and was kind of underwhelmed but was glad I saw it.
Notre Dam is so beautiful and St Chappelle is another great place to see. I do kind of remember the guard presence. It’s odd how some places have armed guards. On my last trip to Paris, I went to a concert at St Chapelle, I think a Vivaldi concert? It was at night so not a great time for stained glass but it was a cool experience!
We sometimes have scrambled eggs for dinner and occasionally Taco will have a bowl of cereal for dinner if he’s not super hungry. That’s what Phil had last night because of exhaustion than any other reason. We got to our house around 7:20, got the boys to bed and then he went grocery shopping so he wouldn’t have to go with the boys tonight.
John LOVES d’Orsay. I love impressionists, too. I appreciate the Louvre for the architecture more than anything and would like to go back just to…wander. Now that I’ve seen Mona twice, I think it would be fun to just walk through the doors and spend a whole day wandering with zero agenda. (While I was there I thought about Gretchen Rubin’s daily visits to the met and definitely day-dreamed about being able to do that at the Louvre!)
The interior of St. Chapelle was under some renovation, so I think that took a little bit away from the ambience. A concert in there would be incredible. My parents saw a concert in Notre Dame and my mom had tears in her eyes telling me about that experience last week.
Eggs are always my fall back.
What a wonderful trip you had! I love Montmartre and stayed in it last year with my husband and back in 2014 with my daughter. I saw the Mona Lisa when I was with my daughter, and like you, the negative hype made me appreciate it more. I was annoyed by the crowds with selfie sticks. I don’t understand going to an art gallery, or any event it seems now, and viewing it through your phone. I think so much is missed by doing that. The Musee d’Orsay is such a beautiful building with beautiful art and less overwhelming than the Louvre.
Breakfast for dinner – that is a once a week occurrence in our house!
I’ve never stayed in Montmarte but I think that would be my preference the next time. It’s just so quaint and feels somewhat distinct from the rest of Paris.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the Mona Lisa was MORE than I expected. Everyone said it was so small and so I think I was expecting…a postage stamp? I don’t appreciate the painting for it’s technical merit, but there is something cool about seeing – with your own eyes – the most famous painting in the world!
I feel like you *could* do everything in D’Orsay in a day. The Louvre is SO big.
We didn’t do any museum last year although we visited Louvre few years ago and I wasn’t impressed by it for some reason, maybe because it was too crowded so not an enjoyable setting. We tried amorino ice cream too, the heart shape. the ice cream was less impressive than the shape.
you’ve done so much in two days. we were so low key with the girls and didn’t do much sight seeing. maybe when they are older.
I’d definitely have oatmeal for dinner if I don’t have other things to eat.
I think going early in the morning during the off season really made the Louvre more enjoyable.
I’m glad it wasn’t only us that was underwhelmed by Amorino.
What a great day! The art! The architecture! The history! The food! The little pillars that mirror your coat!
I am so here for all the opera tidbits. I love that set model – They don’t make sets like that anymore – with all the painted backdrops that seamlessly meld with the built scenery. Now it’s all often projections and what not.
I love art museums but the kids don’t have the patience for my slow museum pace – when we went to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, my Husband sat with the kids in the cafe so that I could do a couple of the wings more slowly and even then I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to…
My mother took my brother and me to Paris the summer after we graduated from high school and we saw the Mona Lisa on that trip. I remember thinking that it was much smaller than I had expected. But there is something surreal about seeing a painting in real life that you’ve see so often in books and other media. Also – when we were at the Louvre, we randomly ran into someone that we knew from back home in the Mesopotamia wing. For the longest time my brother and I had this catchphrase where when something unexpectedly good happened, we would say, “And then you run into them in Mesopotamia!”
I thought of you so often while I was wandering in the opera section of the museum (and when we toured the opera house – stay tuned for that).
My father often skips art museums and goes to something historical in nature. My mom loves art and couldn’t care less about historical spots. I try to extend the kids the same ability to not love museums (I mean, I’ll admit they CAN be boring). I’m glad they really did enjoy the Louvre, and they can visit Musee D’Orsay when they’re older if they’re so inclined.
That’s hilarious you met someone you knew. John asked the kids before we left for Paris if they thought we’d spot anyone we knew. I said No, and was correct (well, sort of…stay tuned again :))
I have seen the Mona Lisa and I wouldn’t call it my favourite painting. I much prefer the Impressionists. I absolutely loved the ANE galleries at the Louvre. We did a special family quest of the Louvre and I think S enjoyed it. One of the days I was in Paris with S and G I left them to their own devices and took myself off to the Musee d’Orsay and Musee Rodin, which was much better for all of us. Trying to visit a gallery or museum with enthusiastic companions is not my idea of fun. I think you made the right call letting them play so that at least you and John could enjoy yourselves. I’ll go for breakfast for dinner, but not usually when I’m away.
I’d really like to do Musee Rodin. I’ve heard such great things about it, but figured the kids would only be able to handle a few museums on this first visit. I’ve never been to the Rodin Museum, so it’s on my list for the next time.
Mike Rotch, lol. I appreciate this level of humour.
When I was in junior high I was obsessed with Jim Morrison and the Doors – now I think, why was I so weird, but at the time it was all-encompassing. I’m not sure if we will make it to the cemetery, if we do I’ll be sure to leave my own chewed up gum on the grave. Ha! Looking back with adult eyes, wow, what a sad and depressing life.
When we were in Italy, I listened to something about why the Mona Lisa became so famous, because it’s really quite a modest painting. It was so interesting and had to do with theft and nationalism!
I love all that stained glass. The Catholics really know how to make a church, I’ll tell you. No one goes into a Lutheran church and thinks “wow, this is incredible.”
There’s lots more humour where that came from. *SIGH*
Yes, the main reason the Mona Lisa is so famous is because a Louvre worker stole “her” and took her to Italy. He thought he’d be lauded as a hero but ended up in prison instead.
Wow! I didn’t know Napoleon had apartments in the Louvre. Now I want to go back! Basically all we saw was the Mona Lisa. My husband is not a fan of art work, but I see there is so much more to the Louvre!
And I can’t wait to hear about the Opera House. We were surely impressed with it!
I’m not sure about all the context of what’s in the Napoleon apartments but that’s what they’re called and they were over the top!
We loved the Opera House and I would say that seeing a show there would be on my must-do list for a next visit to Paris.
Oh my goodness, your photos of Notre Dame took my breath away! I have only been inside once before, in 2013, as it was closed for reconstruction during our 2020 trip. Just last night, I officially put down the deposit for Greta and I to go on a trip to Paris next spring with their school choir. The trip falls over Holy Week and Easter, with the choir slated to sing at several different churches – not at Notre Dame itself as far as I am aware, but the itinerary calls for us to attend Good Friday services at Notre Dame. I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
And of course, I’m taking even more copious notes on our trip now for bucket list items to fill our free time! That hot chocolate is definitely going on the list!
The Block Blast picture made me laugh out loud. We have *absolutely* been there in a museum, although our kids were young enough that one of us had to stay behind and “babysit” while the other perused the museum and then we switched places. I think it’s good to bring the kids to places like this but not to force them to pretend to engage if they’re not into it. Then you can truly relish their enjoyment when they *are* interested, like Indy with the Mona Lisa! So cute!!
I’m sorry the lighting in Ste. Chapelle wasn’t perfect the entire time you were there. It was one of the most magical parts of our last trip to Paris, but I can see how it would totally depend on the light. One of my most favourite memories of motherhood is the ever-skeptical Greta (even at age 6!), walking up the steps into the chapel, and her face just completely transforming in wonder at all the colors. I don’t know if she even remembers that but I sure do!
Wow – I can’t imagine how incredible Notre Dame would be at Easter. I hope you have an amazing time and it’s so fun you have a whole year to get excited for it!
One of the best parts of travelling with kids is getting to see things through their eyes. We can experience the same thing but take very different memories away from it. So even if Greta DOESN’T remember, it’s such a wonderful addition to your memory bank <3
Ooh, now you have me wanting to add d’Orsay to my list but I have to be careful about museums. My mom is NOT a museum person and I can only drag her to so many haha. We will definitely do the Louvre when we’re in Paris because, I mean, it’s iconic! My friend who is planning our trip has a great small-group tour that goes late in the day when the crowds die down so I hope that makes it less overwhelming for us.
I love all the action shots of Indy! Those are keepsakes for sure.
The Louvre is definitely the most iconic and you kinda HAVE to see the Mona Lisa. D’Orsay is much smaller and has lots of work by Renoir, Monet, and van Gogh.
I have never done a guided tour of the Louvre but that is definitely what I’ll do if I ever make it back for a third visit.
I’m laughing so hard at Mike Rotch! I love a good sense of humor!
I’ve never been to Paris, nor have I had a desire, but you are peaking my interest. Your photos are so lovely. SO happy the boy with the great sense of humor didn’t see the inside of a hospital! Oh, and you found the delicious Portuguese pastries; SWOON.
I do love a great museum, but I also tend to lose my attention span after an hour or so, unless there is someone next to me explaining it all.
I had no idea that the Louvre was a private home/palace before an art museum~
Oh, Suz. THESE PEOPLE LIVING IN MY HOUSE. *sigh* But even I had to admit it was funny.
My husband said years and years ago he didn’t want to go to Paris, but I insisted it sounded amazing. Then he went there on a work trip and fell in love with the city and has been back…a dozen times (mostly for work, admittedly, but even then it’s amazing). Go! If you loved Portugal, go to France and make sure to stop in Paris. It’s delightful and the food is knock-your-socks off (though I still think I prefer Italian food?)
Pasteis de nata are so delicious. That’s what we served for the “groom’s cake” at our wedding.
I was very impressed with the Louvres architecture and a little underwhelmed with the Mona Lisa as I didn’t know it was so tiny. We also just looked at a fraction of what the museum had to offer. I would go back there.
Yeah for you having some quiet time alone for dinner and the kids being happy with cereal. he husband frequently – read 3 days a week – has this dinner. I never do it. I would have scrambled eggs and the husband says it’s breakfast eggs. Not how I grew up where it’s dinner eggs.
I love that Indy is almost as excited when seeing the ML as he is when watching cars! He seems to have such an enthusiastic approach to life. 🙂 Belle’s proclamation about the Best Pizza Ever is hilarious – I am convinced that the best meals come after a lot of time outdoors, walking, combined with a lot of mental stimulation. Walking around Paris in the spring and doing So Many Things would certainly qualify! Thank you for taking me back to one of my favorite cities. <3
He really is just a jolly chap! He’s quick to smile and is easily impressed 🙂
It made me so happy she was so happy about her pizza. I think everything tastes better when you’re enjoying a vacation, too.