Our Last Trip to Paris!

We have managed to visit Paris three times over the past 12 months. As our time is running out, this was our last trip here. This was during Thomas' "Ski Week" break at his school, we were there February 23-28. We love France. It was pretty cold most of the days there except for the last day. The last day was probably 10 degrees warmer and with our coats and gloves on, quite comfortable. We shopped and ate and shopped and ate. We love the French pastries, they are actually sweet as opposed to the German pastries which I've just stopped buying because I figure if you're going to have dessert it should taste like a dessert and not a piece of bread! (However the cheese, the cheese in Germany and really everywhere in Europe--yum--who am I kidding, I LOVE cheese no matter where it's made for the most part, except if it's melted in large quantities and then I start gagging right then and there)...anyhow....Traveling is getting easier with Toby, go figure. We took the train all over. Toby thought he should be friends with all the other passengers on the train or ask to eat the apples that they were eating. He's at a funny yet oftentimes embarrassing stage right now. We stayed at our favorite Marriott resort again. I'm really going to miss our favorite little getaway location.

Fontainebleau, France

Nourishment before touring the palace--always a good idea!

Handsome Thomas. I love this hat.

I love this pic of them.

More nourishment. We are all in happier moods if we stop often and eat. Especially pastries.

More of the palace grounds. It was freezing cold and windy.

Me and a lemon tart with a Cola Light. If you consume them together they cancel each other out and you get zero calories and fat. Yeah, it didn't work in college and it didn't work in my mid-30's either. It's so much more enjoyable putting in on than taking it off,

which is where I'm at right now--taking it off, ever so slowly

.

Quite possibly the best lemon tart we ever ate in France. We've tried a lot.

This one was perfect.

Triumphant to have found the perfect lemon tart.

However, disappointed that we only ordered one each.

Outside Versaiiles in Paris.

Inside Versaiiles. There were signs everywhere that we weren't supposed to take pictures. But people were taking them left and right with guards right there doing nothing. I joined in just because. As a side note, strollers were not allowed inside. The day before when we were inside the palace at Fontainebleau and also didn't take in our stroller (our choice), both days Toby became too tired and wanted to be carried. Unfortunately, he only wanted "Mommy" to carry him. And both days he was almost asleep so he was dead weight. Bummer.

Outside the grounds. I imagine they will be just beautiful in a month or so.

You can't tell by the picture but his pants are wet past his knees.

He enjoyed jumping in every single water puddle at least twice.

Family pic outside of Notre Dame. The last time we were here, we didn't have our tripod.

There are these metallic street performers all over Europe. For some reason, I find them fascinating. I don't know why. No one else cares, but

I'm always excited when we see another one.

And let's here it for more french desserts!

A chocolate tart for me, a lemon tart for James.

A yummy, feta, cucumber and tomato sandwich on a crusty loaf.

A little park by the Eiffel Tower. We let the boys run around for a few minutes, Thomas thought it was a "baby" park. He's growing up.

At first you may think this is inside some fantastic palace...

but, it's not...

It's an amazing shopping center called, "The Lafayette Galleries". We weren't there for very long...about an hour but I thought it was a lot cooler than Harrod's in London!

Until later,

Emily