School's back in session...

We love that School BuS!!!!

Coyote Chase

Today, a coyote got between Chloe and I and boy was it scary!

She was behind me as we were walking in Jones forest. 

I turned around and saw that she was frozen and stopped following me. 

I kept walking. I turned around a few seconds later and she was still there. 

I kept walking, turned around again and saw a big coyote chasing her away from me! 

I thought I was going to lose her! 

I ran as fast as I could toward the coyote while screaming to Chloe to come to me. 

I kept running and screaming. 

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably just 20 seconds, 

the coyote gave up the chase and returned to the woods. 

It could have been the speed of Chloe that deterred it, 

or it may have been the crazed woman screaming frantically after it! 

I'll never know, but I am so grateful this encounter ended like it did. 

Of course, I forgot to put my pepper spray back in my pouch. 

We got back late last night from Cincinnati. 

I had left the pepper spray in Texas. 

Note to the Tooth Fairy

Photo Shoot at the Park

  

Daily walks With Sarah

One of my favorite things this summer while in Ohio,

was our daily walks in nature with the dogs.

I am so lucky to have a such a good friend as Sarah!

Friendships like that are rare...

Float my Boat

Happy Mellow

Nickname for Amelie?

So Amelie is going to Bible school every morning for a week.

I noticed that the cute crafts she is bringing home have the name Amy written on it.

And that the kids there are calling her "Amy".
She wants to change her name because some kids
on her school bus were calling her "Omelette"!

How on earth did they get "Omelette" from Amelie?

Kids can be so mean sometimes!

Anyhow.

Amy is Ok, but she doesn't look like an Amy to me.

I'm trying to talk her into being called something else,

that is more unique...

I though about Melie, but the kids were quick to let me know that it sounded like Smely!
So, here are other ideas I found online:
Millie, Emmie, Mimi, Ellie, Mia, LeeLee, Lili, Alie, Amie.
My Favorite: Emmie.

To Be Continued...

I've turned my daughter into a real poser!

Daddy's Boss is Mean...

Conversation with Amelie as she climbed in bed with me for a morning snuggle.


Amelie: Can daddy come stay with us for a week?
Moi: No, he can't, he's got to work.
Amelie: Can't he work on his computer here?
Moi: No his boss won't let him, not like his old boss. 
Amelie: Daddy's boss is mean! Why does daddy have to work all day!!!!
Moi: Because that is what daddies do. So we can eat, have clothes, a home...
Amelie: Why did daddy have to get retired from his old job?
Moi: How about you talk to daddy about that?

A cheap MOOOOO Date

Justine went on a fun date last week on Cow day! 

She was told to dress-up as a Cow from head to toe, 

be hungry, and bring her swimming suit... 

DJ came to pick her up, also as a cow, and took her for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A

Followed by some water fun at a water park.

I love the Creativity in the cow costumes made out of kitchen garbage bags!
Notice the plastic sticking to Justine's legs!

J'aime la creativite des costumes fait de sacs poubelle!

Justine a eu un super date la semaine derniere;
elle a du se deguiser en vache, avoir faim et emmener son moyot de bain. 

DJ est venu la chercher, lui aussi deguise en vache,
il l'a emmener a Chick-Fil-A pour un sandwish gratuit,
ils se sont ensuite amuse a un Park d'eau.

Quel bonne idee! 

Belated-BirthDay-Pool-Party For Amelie

 Amelie had so much fun at her Belated-Birthday-Pool-Party!

She was so happy to have all her friends from Cincinnati with her!

Oh...What Happiness!

 Amelie c'est bien amusee a sa fete d'anniversaire (oui bien en retard)... 

Mais comme elle etait contente d'etre avec ses amis de Cincinnati!

Oh... Quel Bonheur!

In the woods

Happy To Be in Cinci!!!

After a long long long drive across the country,
we arrived in Cincinnati late Saturday Night. 

I decided to come after Alexi was taken to the hospital. 

Mike had the 4th off so it made sense to leave this week-end.

We left Firday to pick up Emric from Trek in Oklahoma
 before he got on the bus to head home.
So our usual 17ich hour drive became a 25ich hour drive!!!! 

Oklahoma state is quite pretty, I thought it was all flat and boring but it wasn't.

Alexi was released from the hospital the day we arrived. 

Yesterday, he had some good news: 

He had slept well through his night,
and was considerably noticing a difference in his health. 

He started a new medication along with all the other stuff he is taking.

We are crossing our fingers and hoping this will help.

Mike got back in Houston on the 4th and will fly back to Cinci to drive us home in August. 

Emric has gone trekking...

Emric just left to go on a Pioneer Trek to Oklahoma. 

3 buses full of youth from 14 to 18, Ma's and Pa's, trail hands, cooks and so forth,
are on their way to Sooner Cattle Ranch. 

They will be back next Saturday morning. I'm so exited for Emric! 

It is a neat and unforgettable experience. 

Justine, Mike and I did it last year.

Mike and I were Ma and Pa.
We had 11 kids in our Trek Family.

It really was hard, hot, and awesome!

This trek has it's own-updated-frequently-blog:
(that I will be checking every 5mn so often)

SpringTrek

Emric vient just de partir pour un Trek Pionnier en Oklahoma.

3 bus plein de jeunes de 14 a 18 ans, de Ma's et Pa's, de cuisiniers et d'aide de sentier... etc,
sont partis ce matin pour Sooner Cattle Ranch.

Ils reviendront Samedi matin. Je suis contente pour Emric!

C'est une experience inoubliable et unique.

Justine, Mike et moi, y sommes alles l'annee derniere au Kentuky.

Mike et moi etions Ma et Pa.
On avait 11 gosses dans notre famille de trek.

C'etait dure, chaud et genial.

Ce trek a sont propre-mise-a-jour-frequement-blog:
(que je vais toutes les 5mn souvent visiter)

SpringTrek

(Click on colored words for links)

A few of 'those days'

This past week-end, we battled lice
Yuck!!!!! Amelie's 1st time, and hopefully the last!!!

Apparently it is pre-levent in Texas.

Yesterday, a plate, a glass and a vase were broken.

Today, Mike had a car accident (minor no injuries) but his fault.

2 hours later, in Ohio, Justine had a car accident with ticket but no injuries.

(We are afraid our insurance is going to go way up!)

Tonight, Alexi was taken to the emergency room. 

He is not doing so good...
He has been sick with an autoimmune disease for a year now...
He will be trying his 4th medication.
Nothing is working.

I feel bad I can't be there for him.

Tomorrow, I want to drive up to Ohio.

But I should wait for the week-end,
so Mike can help me drive the long 17 hours to Cincinnati.

Tubbing and Boating on Lake Conroe

We had a lot of Fun this past week on our boating trip as the Beehive class. 

I even got on the tube!!!! It was great!

 

Moments

What's that Stink?

For the last few days, there has been a bad smell in the house. 

I checked the pantry and found a rotten onion. 

After Church, as I walked in the house, that something-is-dead-smell was still in the air... 

After dinner, Mike had the thought to look up in the attic. 

(A week ago, a guy came to spray the perimeters for bugs, around the house and inside. 

He also put a couple of traps in the attic. )

Sure enough, a HUGE RAT was dead in one of the traps.

I guess texas has big bugs and big rats! 

So gross! 

Mike buried it in the woods next to our house. 

Ces dernier jours, il y avait une odeur super mauvaise dans la maison.

J'ai trouver dans notre placard un onion pourri.

Apres l'eglise, l'odeur il-y-a-quelque-chose-qui-est-mort etait toujours dans l'air.

Apres le dinner, Mike a eu la pensee de regarder dans le grenier.

(La semaine derniere, un gas est venu pour traiter les allentours de la maison et l'interieur, 

pour les petites bestioles. Il a aussi mis 2 pieges pour les betes plus grosses dans le grenier.)

En effet, un GROS RAT etait mort dans un des pieges!

Degoutants!

Mike l'a enterrer dans les bois pres de chez nous.

Road Trip on Memorial Day

Since Mike had a day off, we had to get on the road. 

We decided to go explore some of the Texan beaches.  

We drove to Freeport (not nice at all, hated it!)

We stopped at Surfside Beach (about 1h1/2 from Houston). 

Not going there again! I like Galveston beach a whole lot better!

We spent the night in Port Lavaca. 

There, the beaches are inland, no surf or soft sand. 

We then drove to Port O'Connor, to Rockport, where it started to look a lot nicer.  

From there we took a ferry to go to Port Aransas.

Nice beach, sand and surf!

Looks more like Florida.

It's on Mustang Island that connects to the well known and visited Padre Island. 

It is a 4 to 5 hour drive from Houston, and well worth the time. 

Unfortunately, we were only there for a few hours before we had to head home... 

Now we know where to go to find nicer beaches.

That's Justine and Amelie in the waves behind Mike...

I can't wait to go back and go further south to Padre Island.

Return of "the-poor-little-squirrel-who-might-get-lucky"

The screams are from seeing Chloe (who looks like a devil dog) throw him in the air

I'm afraid that this little guy is not going to get lucky; with a fast dignified death.

I think he came back for a second chance at being put out of his misery.

Us girls tried to finish him but we took too long. 

He left probably thinking we were useless!

My daddy would have done the right thing,

by sending him very quickly to squirrel paradise ...

Emric, the only boy here, was still trying to make him feel better

 by throwing at him almonds and cut-up apples.

Somehow he thinks that having a full belly will make his prolonged death better?

PS: This morning, I asked Mike if he's started having nightmares, 

of injured squirrels hunting him yet?

J'ai bien peur que ce petit gas ne va pas avoir la chance 

de recevoir une mort digne et rapide.

Je pense qu'il est revenu pour une autre chance a etre terminer rapidement en toute dignite.

Nous, les filles, on a essaye... sans succes.

Il est partis en pensant que nous etions une bande de filles incompetantes.

Mon Pere aurai fait la chose suivante gentille:  l'envoyer au paradis des ecureuils.

Emric, le seul garcon qui etait la, a essaye de le nourir en lui lancant 

des amandes et des bouts de pommes.

Comme si le fait de lui remplir le ventre rendra sa mort plus agreable?

PS: Ce matin, j'ai demander a Mike s'il n'a pas ete tourmante par des ecureils 

pendant sa nuit?

Little girls wanting to grow up too fast...

Yep, you are seeing right! 

Before Church, Amelie thought it a good idea to stuff her dress with toilet paper...
Oh, and she was ready to walk out the door like that too!

But who of us girls haven't done that sometime in our growing up years? 

(I found these photos on my phone. I find some interesting stuff on that phone!)

Oui, vous voyez bien clair!

Avant l'eglise, Amelie a penser une bonne idee, de s'embourer de papier a toillette...
Oh, et elle etait prete a sortir comme cela!

Mais qui de nous filles, n'avons pas fais cela en grandissent?

(j'ai trouve ces photos sur mon telephone. Je touve des choses bien interessantes sur ce telephone)

The Poor Little Squirrel... He might get lucky!

As we were having dinner on our porch, a real life drama happened right in our back yard!

It was meant to happen someday...

All those cheeky squirrels constantly teasing Chloe!

Well not this one anymore... She caught him and broke it's back!

I just wanted Mike to put him out of his misery by snapping it's neck.

But he just couldn't do it...

Hopefully a more compassionate cat got to him quickly during the night...

Or he might still be suffering right underneath our bedroom windows...

En mangeant hier soir sur notre patio, un vrait drama s'est developper dans notre jardin.

Cella allait arriver un jour ou l'autre.

Tous ces ecureuils qui taquine eet tourmente chloe constament.

Et bien plus pour celui-ci... Elle l'a attraper et casser son dos.

Je voulais simplement que Mike le finisse pour qu'il n'ai pas a souffrir...

Mais Mike n'a pas pu.

J'espere qu'un chat avec plus de compassion l'a fini pendant la nuit.

Ou peut-etre qu'il souffre toujours sous nos fenetres...

New Swim team...

Las Saturday, was Amelie's 1st swim meet here in Texas.

She had to report at the pool at 7:15 am!

Talk about early!

She did really good.
She got second in 3 of her events and third in Butterfly.
She loves going after school to swim practice.
But boy, is she just a tad cranky and tired at night...
Did I ever mention that her school bus picks her up at 7:30am!
I hate it!
I'm ready (sort of) for school to be out.

The team is twice the size of her Cincinnati team was.


Samedi dernier, Amelie a eu sa premiere competition de natation ici au Texas.
Elle a du etre a la piscine a 7 heure du matin!
Et ca, c'est tot!
Elle a bien fait. 
Elle a fini 2eme, dans 3 de ses courses, et 3eme en papillon.
 Elle adore aller a la piscine apres l'ecole...
Mais comme elle est fatiguee et de mauvaise humeur le soir.
Est-ce que j'ai mentionne que son bus vient a 7:30 du matin!
C'est horrible!
Je suis prete pour que l'ecole soit finie.

Mothers day thoughts

Today was a good day. 

I love my family.

We are far from perfect.

But we are a family and care about each other deep down inside.

Even though some of us often sometimes fight like cat and dog.

Talking about cat and dog, Tiny still barely tolerates Chloe!

Today, I wish Alexi was with us. 

I was happy to get a happy-mother's-day-call from him.
It's good to know our kids think of us just a little, after they have left the nest...

Aujourd'hui etait un bon jour.

J'aime ma famille.

On est loin d'etre parfait.

Mais on prend soins des un des autres.

Meme si souvent des fois se battent come chien et chat.

Au fait, parlant de chien et chat, Tiny tolere a peine Chloe!

Aujourd'hui, j'aurais aime qu'Alexi soit avec nous.

J'etais contente de recevoir un appel de Joyeuse-fete-des-mere de lui.

C'est bon de savoir que nos enfants pense a nous quand meme un peu, 
apres qu'ils ne sont plus avec nous...

Dreamy

All pictures I have been posting are from my cell phone. 

These somehow turned out dreamy and fairytale-like

     So this is where I walk everyday! How can I not Love it!

 I feel like I live back in France. 

There, I would take long walks with my dog in the country around our village. 

I especially loved going in the woods... 

This week I found some wild blackberries and have been eating a handful every day!

For My Man!!!!

HaPpY BiRthDaY

Thanks for Loving us...