Bits and Pieces...school trip, camp, baking and tests

 I had to use my phone to take a couple of photos this morning and guess what I found? Yes, the above photo. It seems that my children just can't stop experimenting with cookies and food coloring. I guess this one was Gaby's as she's crazy for anything green.

 The weekend before last we went to a book fair at Alexis' and Marie-Kate's school.  There was an exposition of what the different classes have been working on recently.  Above is Alexis' poster on what they did on the 27th March while in Auvergne (sorry for photo quality)

 And here's Alexis' model of a volcano which he later brought home, along with a very detailed collection of photos, texts and drawings in his very own project book (you can see a couple of them on the table.

 Marie-Kate has been busy too, above and below.  Yes those famous CE1 national tests, probably the last year that they pupils will have to sit them a according to our new socialist government. Sixty point for French and forty for Math and Miss MK did great, with ninety two out of one hundred.

The tale of our hanging rack

 Our kitchen looked like this yesterday, perhaps less tidy, but with with most of the things you can see on this above photo.   

 Last night however, one of the rawl plugs holding our ceiling rack in place gave up the fight yesterday evening and gave way, sending the chain on the end of it crashing down and making one hell of a noise.  I was in my bedroom and knew it was that, I'd been worried that one day this rack wasn't going to take the weight.  Luckily, no-one was hurt and nothing was broken, the rack itself held fast, supported by the wall hooks and the last remaining ceiling hook, but still it had to come down and I have no intention of putting back up...Cecile and Cedric, if you haven't bought one yet, you can have ours:)

 

This hole should be easy to fill, but I'm going to have to pop and get some more paint from Farrow and Ball, what a chore....

And I need to rethink our kitchen a little.  I thinking of putting a metal shelf above the stove for the saucepans I use all the time (with hanging space under).  Then cutting our blackboard so it's in-line with the splash back putting at least one long shelf here...Still thinking though, and getting lots of ideas from my favourite blogs like this one for example

Oliver's first suit

 It's a big year for Oliver.  The year he turns eighteen, sits his bacalaureat exams and also passes (passed written) his orals to go to university and several business schools, and for latter orals he needed a suit, his first ever suit.  After eight shops, we found some trousers that fitted, albeit a little to long on the leg, and a suit jacket and one must not forget the shoes too.
Wednesday he's off to Rouen, Friday Caen, Monday, La Defense (close to home) and Wednesday next, he goes to Cergy.  And to wrap the end of the year off, he sits his exams at his Lycée the week after.  Fingers crossed all goes well.

First attempt at making Cake Pops

Alexis tried making some cake pops for Mother's Day yesterday.  The recipe seemed easy, but all didn't go to plan.  I think, perhaps, the pops were too big and the sticks to thin, as they were too heavy when up right.

 However, they tasted great, especially the white chocolate ones. I shall try this week making some more, hopefully things will work out better this time.

We make scones too, a fool proof recipe for Breakfast, Lunch and Tea.  Now these were so good I could just eat another right now, alas all thirty odd scones were eaten before night fall.

Thursday's Thrift shop find

 Every Thursday Gaby finishes college at two, and guess what opens at two, a stones throw away from her college?  My favourite thrift shop.  I tell Gaby each time, I'll just have a quick look around, she knows I'm looking for several things on my thrift shopping list (garden bench, vintage kitchen chairs, vintage plates....I could go on) 
This time, I didn't find what I hoped I would, a old rustic garden bench, however I found this bird painting (painted on cotton or something alike) and I just couldn't resist (only ten euros too).  I knew Marie-Kate would love it for or room, so that's where she found it when she came home from school.

 It was hard to get a decent photo because of the sunlight (south facing bedroom), but the colours are just amazing.

Marie-Kate  certainly does love it, me too.

Farm visit Ecancourt

Yesterday afternoon, we took Alexis and Mari-Kate over to an educative farm in nearby Ecancourt.   It's just on the edge of a nice shady wood, perfect place to go when it's hot.  The farm opened at four, lucky for us, we had taken their bicycles.  Then just ten minutes to wait, time for MK to fool around with her papa

Meanwhile, Alexis read HP 7 (he finished it later in the day too)

The farm is free to visit and it's perfect for younger children, even though Alexis and Marie-Kate are bigger now, I think they still had fun, but children aged six and under would love this place.  We would have like to buy some farm produce, as we read on their website that they sold eggs, chicken et cetera, but it wasn't to be, today.

This sight made the children laugh, can you see the pair of hiking shoes and legs sticking up out of the ground?

And this insect refuge, we are going to do something like this in our garden.

There was great sundial one of the walls of the farm buildings, one that showed the right time too.  Then it was time to leave, we had to pick up Gabrielle from her friends on the way home.

Just down the road from where Gaby was, I show and liked this water pump.  It would be great if it got restored, but just as it is, it's fine too.

Last long weekend in May. Meulan

We intending on going down to the market in Meulan to get some vegetables from our favourite local producer, unfortunately it wasn't to be, because today there was a massive street market (braderie) instead, oh hum no producers in sight, just hoards of people and clothes for sale.  Still all wasn't lost, we thought, we'd go to the butcher's and then baker's shop.  The butcher's shop was closed but opposite the baker's was open, yippee

The photo above was taken on the road a little way down from the closed butcher's shop, I'm not sure when and why these plates were put out on display here, they stick out a little and look a bit out of place, but it's different.

We left Meulan with some baguettes and some yummy bread brown (forgotten the name...Draker out something like that) and of course an eclair au chocolat for Marie-Kate who came with us.

We parked over the other side of La Seine, in the swimming pool's car park.  I don't know whether in can see, but the boat bellow has an English flag on it...nice place to moor your boat.