Receiving her certificate!

Waiting...

waiting...

and waiting...

It's my turn!

Smiles for the camera!

The last school activity

What a treat! Amelie's last school project was done with dad!
Quelle chance, la derniere activite scolaire a ete faite avec papa!

I like it in color too!

Daddy's glory!

As soon as Amelie saw her daddy, she ran to him! She was so exited to see him in her preschool. Mike thrives on those moments of daddy glory from his little girl... She is the only one of our kids that still does that!

Des qu'Amelie a vu son papa, elle lui a couru au coup! Elle etait si contente de le voire dans son ecole. Mike vie pour ces instants de bohneur... C'est la seule qui fait toujours cela de nos enfants.

Alexi

I don't have a lot of pictures of Alexi. Rarely does He let me take any! So I thought I would post this one, I like it. He didn't know I was taking it! :)

Je n'ai pas beaucoup de photos d'Alexi. C'est rare qu'il me laisse en prendre! Donc j'ai pense poster celle ci, je l'aime bien. Il ne savait pas que je la prennait! :)

New Dresses

J'ai acheter 2 petites robes que j'adore! Cela faisait longtemps que je n'en avait pas achete, Je met plutot beaucoup de jupes. La kaki je l'ai eu chez H&M a Toeledo en attendant Mike. :)

I bought a couple of little dresses that I love! It's been a while since I have bought one, I usually ware skirts! I got the kaki one at H&M in toeldo while waiting for Mike. :)

I got the kaki one at H&M in Toeldo while waitng for Mike. :)

Put-in-bay

Mike and I a few week-ends ago got to get away for a few days. We left Papi with the kids, Mike had some meetings in the north of Ohio. We spent a night in Toledo where I did some shopping while waiting for Mike. And one night on a little Island named Put-in-bay.

Mike et moi on pu passer un peu de temps ensemble il y a quelques week-end. Nous avons laisser Papi avec les enfants, Mike avait des reunion pour le travail au nord de l'Ohio. Nous avons passer une nuit a Toledo ou j'ai passer le temps a faire du chopping en attendant Mike :) Et une autre nuit sur une petite ile: Put-in-Bay.

There was a lot of little bars on the island. We spent the evening in this one where there was a live band playing. We had some barbeque chicken in the street and watched people dance and the band perform, they were quite good. I love people watching...
Il y avait pleind de petits bar sur l'ile. Nous avons manger du poulet barbeque et on a passer la soiree dans celui-ci a regarder les gens danser et un groupe qui faisait la music, ils etaient pas mauvais. J'aime bien regarder les gens.

Remember Amelie's shoe dilemma?

Well, today she came to church with Mike wearing no shoes! It must be that summer dress, she was wearing the same one that she wore with boots! Her teacher and I had a good laugh!

Vous vous souvenez du dilemme avec les chaussures d'Amelie et Mike? Ben aujourd'hui, elle est arrivee a l'eglise pied nu, et oui qui a besoin de chaussures? Cela doit etre la robe d'ete qu'elle a mis, c'etait la meme que quand elle est venue avec des bottes! Sa maitraisse et moi avons bien rigoler!

A few changes

Dad fixed the rotting wood around our front door and painted it . The door used to be dark green.
Papa a repare le bois foutu autour de notre porte d'entree et a tout paint, la porte etait un vert sombre.

Il a fait quelques brocoles pour justine avec ses meubles et on a enlever les portes de son placard car elles se blockaient tout le temps, et on a mis des rideaux a la place.
He did a few things for Justine with her furniture and took out the doors of her closet that would always get stuck! We put curtains instead.
He sanded and revarnished our hardwood floors and the stool chairs.
Il a ponse et reverni notre parquet et les chaises hautes de la cuisine.

Il m'a mis de la frisette dans notre bureau. Mike et moi avons fait la peinture. Les murs avant etaient un bleu de bebe et en bas il y avait du papier bleu foncer. C'etait la derniere piece en bas qui avait ete faite par les proprietaires avant nous.
He put some beadboard in our office. Mike and I did the painting. The walls used to be baby blue and on the bottom their was dark blue wallpaper! This is the last room to be redone on this floor that was done by the previous owners.

Papi

Here is my Dad. He is 73 years old and still working! I kinda love this picture of him, that is how I know him! Always serving us. He can rarely say no to his kids. My wish is his command; when it comes to anything that has to do with the house or the yard. If he has the time he gets it done! It is so nice to have him around for a few weeks, everything that needs fixing gets fixed! I feel bad cause he did work a lot! I told him he didn't have to do it all, but he still worked until the last day he was here! Thank you Dad...

Voici mon papa. J'aime bien cette photo de lui, car c'est "lui". Il a 73 ans et il travaille toujours!Toujours a notre service. Il a du mal a dire non a ses enfants. Mon souhait est son ordre: pour tout ce qu'il y a dans la maison et le jardin. S'il a le temps: il le fait. C'etait bien de l'avoire avec nous pour quelques semaines, toutes les petites reparations ont ete reparees! Je ne voulait pas le faire travailler tant! Mais il a quand meme tout fait et a travailler jusqu'au dernier jour qu'il etait ici! Merci Papa...

The truth about Mothers day!

Where on earth did I get the idea that "Mother's Day" should be a day where I shouldn't have to do a thing, where the kids do their chores, they are suddenly best friends, they have been planning for days this amazing tribute to mom, (with a little help from dad, of course)! The house is clean, love and gratitude abound. Gourmet meals are cooked by someone other than mom. Isn't this how "Mother's Day" is supposed to be? Isn't that what we deserve?

Well the truth is, the day usually doesn't go as I imagine it, and then I have tendency to sink into feelings of frustration and even despair! I have, on some mothers days, wanted to run away or lock myself in my bedroom (I have actually done both!) But I have learned to savor the little moments that come unexpected and in small doses throughout the day.

This Mothers day, Mike went to help a friend who called that morning, from noon till 6pm. The kids were still kids, some chores were done, some were not. But I got a coulpe of gifts from Emric and Amelie, along with some "I love yous", hugs and kisses. Justine made me breakfast, Alexi helped and was willing to cook dinner. At church the men told the women to gather in the culture hall, where a table was adorned with all kinds of deserts and fruits, and we were given a rose! A friend invited us all over to Dinner when she learned Mike was gone... And most of all, even though I experienced some feelings of frustration and discouragement throughout the day, I also felt gratitude, joy and was glad for the gift that I was given to be a mother, to have an amazing husband that is kind, unselfish and loving, and for 4 healthy kids that are each in their own special way great little people... And I felt truly blessed to have them in my life.

Can't wait to see my family in France!

Inspiration

I go regularly to the website of Eduardo called Truthteller. I love what he has to say, his insights, and thoughts about living a more fulfilled and abundant life. He asked for my permission to use some of my photos from my blog "My favorite amateur photos". I feel honored to have a little part in his blog! What he said is so kind and his words are inspiring and encouraging! I love photography and am pleased that some feel inspired by my creativity, it is a secret desire of mine:) But I have to give the credit to a greater inspiration: the Creator of this awesome Earth, the source of all beauty, goodness, gifts, and life.

Je vais regulierement sur le site d'Eduardo "Truthteller". J'aime ce qu'il a a dire, ses pensees, et commentaires sur une vie plus abondante et heureuse. Il m'a demande s'il pouvait utiliser quelques photos de mon site "My favorite amateur photos" pour son blog. Je suis tres honoree d'avoire une petite part dans son blog. Ce qu'il a ecrit est trop gentil est ses mots m'inspire et son encouragent! J'aime la photographie et je cela me touche quand ma creativite inspire un peu les autres, c'est un peu mon desire secret :) Mais je donne le credit a une plus grande inspiration: Le Creatueur de ce monde magnifique, la source de toute beaute, talents, bontee et vie.

This is a link to what he wrote. Voici le link de ce qu'il a ecrit sur son site:

Pictures that inspire

Thank you Eduardo!

Petites gourmandises...

Papa m'a rammene quelques gourmandises pour me preparer avant que je ne vienne en France et que je puisse manger tout ce que je veux et tout ce qui est bon! Quand je reviens aux USA, tout m'a l'aire moins bon et blah...

My Dad brought me some treats from France to prepare me for when a actually get to go and eat all that I want and all that is good! I love french food! When I come back to the USA, everything seems second class!

A place of their own...

Pendant que l'on etait a Atlanta, souvent les grands enfants disparaissaient... On les a trouver finalement, sous la maison qui jouaient le jeux Zarahemla! Je pourais penser a des endroits plus confortale mais pas plus amusant pour eux!

While in Atlanta during spring break, often the big kids would disappear... We finally found them under the house in the crawl space playing the game Zarahemla! I could think of some more comfy places but not as fun a this for them!

Procrastination!

Well! Justine pulled an all-nighter! When Alexi left for Seminary at 6 am, she was still up! She went to lay down for a little bit before getting on the bus at 7:45am... What a mess the next morning! There were cuttings of paper all over the office floor and cookie dough all over the kitchen sink! Yep, she baked cookies for her class today! She did clean up the office when she got home from school and took a nap too! well, to me it is not worth the lack of sleep! I love my slumber, I am more of a morning person, past a certain time I am useless!

A sister's poem

This one is one justine wrote about her little sister Amelie... And the picture she used.
Celui ci est un poem que Justine a ecrit a propos de sa petite soeur Amelie... Et la photo qu'elle va utiliser.

The Chasing Game

The Chasing Game
We always play,
It's always the same
Ever day


I Love Her
And don't want her to cry
So I play with her
And to win I don't have to try


She loves to chase
all over the place


Once I can no longer see her
anywhere around
I must listen to a faint giggling sound.


She finally gets found


Tomorrow it will happen
once again
And the process
WILL NEVER END!

Justine Nakata

Poem from dad to his girls

Justine, for a school project, has to gather lots of different types of poems, she asked her Dad to do one... She is using also this picture of them from 2 years ago to put with it . I think it is beautiful and tender... This is what he wrote.
Pour un projet a l'ecole, Justine doit collectione plein de poems. Elle a demande a son papa de lui en ecrire un hier soir tard. Elle a aussi utilise cette photo d'eux il y a 2 ans. Voici ce qu'il a ecrit. Je trouve cela tres beau et tendre...

It's Late

It's late and the hour is nigh
to tuck you in and say goodbye

One more precious memory more valuable than pearls
one more precious day with my sweet little girls

The music you make is as sweet as can be
your talents and your gifts are so heavenly

The peace of each moment can be stolen so fast
If your time was cut short leaving only your past

Each time that I hug you tight and kiss you good night
There is peace in knowing that you're safe and alright

For my little girls will grow up and move on

But my love and concern will never be gone

Maybe someday when a fine new mother you'll be
you'll understand how I feel, and then you will see

And so I must treasure each day that I can
for eventually you'll grow up and find a young man

While I'm sure you will want him to be rich, fine and strong
I will have my own list too, and it will be much more long!

For he must make it so I sleep easy
knowing my girl is safe as can be

So for now that day may seem so very far far away
remember that a father's love is here to stay

J. Mike Nakata

A childhood dream...

The last day we were in Atlanta we went to spend the evening with some friends of my Sister's. Laurence is like us, a Frenchy in America, married to an American. When we drove up the winding driveway up the hill, I saw the most beautiful vision... One of my childhood dreams, especially as a teen: To have a little piece of land, a cute house, and a few horses in the country side... We had a delightful time in good company! It was also a photographer's dream... I was able to take tons of pictures with beautiful backdrops of the kids!

Le dernier soire a Atlanta, nous somes aller passer la soiree chez des amis a ma soeur. Laurence est comme nous, une francaise mariee avec a americain. Quand nous some monter le petit chemain sur leur petit terrain, j'ai vu la plus belle des visions! Un reve de mon enfance, surtout en tant qu'ados; un beau terrain, une petite maison bien mignione, et des cheveaux dans la campagne! Nous avons passer une soiree bien agreable en bonne companie. C'etait aussi un reve de photograph... J'ai pu prendre plein de photos des enfants avec des allentours super!

Bubbles!

What fun it was to see the little ones playing! They were covered with the bubble soap, especialy Juliette!
Comme c'etait bien de voire les petites jouer si bien! Elles etaient couvertes de produit a bulles, surtout Juliette!