Summer Camp "Survivors" camp

Alexis really didn't want to go on his summer camp, his first ever summer camp, and it took a lot of persuasion, I mean really a lot and a fews promises about which phone he could chose when he came back home.... he is an extremely good negotiator, so you can imagine the phone he's going to get!

His camp is in La Creuse and we can catch up with what they have been doing via a blog (photo taken from there).  Alexis is on the photo, he's the one with the green t-shirt on. 

We had a call two days ago from the camp leader, Gabrielle took a confusing message about Alexis that had been bitten or stung something beginning by a T.

We phoned straight back after returning from work.  It turned out that he'd been bitten by a tick and he had to go and have it removed by a doctor.  He's on antibiotics and he's fine, in fact it turns out after speaking with Alexis on the telephone that he is loving his camp.  I thought he'd beg us to pick him up...what a pessimist I am!  
We are use so happy that he's having fun and making new friends whilst sailing, cabin building. And for the next two nights he is going to sleep à la belle étoile.  

Spring and Summer update...and some photos from Amsterdam

Where does the time go?  We have been so busy:

• working a lot 
• trying to balance family time and work
• visting Amsterdam
• watching the children take part in their end of year concert 
• waiting for the visa that never came (A was supposed to go to Angola)
• wrapping up the last term at school before the holiday's.  Alexis enters college in September (he came out top of his class this year and had 98% for national exam all CM2' sit!
• shopping for summer camps
• Seeing Oliver leave for England for an internship...three months without no dirty laundry being left in the middle of the bathroom and a tidy room that smells kind-of fresh for once

                                                                                                                       On a beach a long bike ride              

                                                                                                                       from Haarlem

I could go on but I won't.  Now it's the 12th July.  We have one of five children at home which is weird but ok.  Charlotte is here, she goes to India on a humanitarian holiday (half of the time) and the other half sightseeing.  She will visit the Taj-Mahal, visit the town of the Dalai Lama (meet him if he's there).  Help make a new classroom...she's going to take lots of stationary for the school over there.

                                                In our big house boat in Amsterdam

Where are the other four?  Well you know that Oliver is in the UK getting some work experience. 

Alexis and Marie-Kate left last Sunday for their summer camps.  Alexis is on a "Survivor's" theme camp.  More to come in another post

Marie-Kate is on a "Graine de Veto" camp.  Basically, she's getting a first look at what it's like to be a Vet;  More later on her camp.

                                                      Our house boat at night

Gabrielle left at the crack of dawn yesterday (we were at CDG and 5 in the morning!) She's off on a Scandinavian tour, where she'll visit Denmark, Norway and Sweden). Once again more later.

Finally, us, two parents, with one 17 year old who is capable of looking after herself.  We are off on a hiking holiday, a short one, and we'll leave when the pile of clothes have been ironed, and the house is tidy, the grass has been cut and the plants watered.

Two more photos and then I have to tidy

 We didn't really find the food that great in Amsterdam, however in Haarlem we ate a  small organic café and the children loved the hamburgers they served.

 Bye bye house boat.  Last day before catching the plane to come back home

This is one of two floating house boats that have been transformed into a super playground that the children loved.

Mix' Art 2013 and Gaby

Gaby's school is participating in a national competition called "Mix'Art this year.

Gaby and her friend Marjolaine, chose the theme "Fight Against Discriminations", and guess what...

Their art work was chosen to represent the school and it's won 1st prize in this category for our Academy which is Versailles. Now, we have to wait and see if they are chosen for the national prize, which would be fantastic.  If not, just getting this far is just amazing, the girls have really worked hard and we are really proud of Gabrielle.

9 Years Old

Marie-Kate turned nine yesterday. Our little girl is growing up so fast.

Her papa took the day off, so she could come home for lunch, where they shared a delicious cheese and onion omelette.

 She opened one present in advance, "Sims Supernatural" for her PC.  
We have three girls who are crazy for Sims...  She had a couple of books (not enough), a scarf making kit from her grandparents in Brittany, clothes and some money from Grannie in the UK (ear-marked for books), and lots of pony accessories and new boots, johhpurs et cetera...

Marie-Kate is a sweet girl, very sensitive, thoughtful, who if crossed can become "very" hot tempered and very loud.  She loves school, reading comic books and manga's, playing Sims and hanging out with Gaby and Alexis.
Her favourite meal is breakfast, although her favourite food is probably cheese, she is gourmand and hates fast food.

Happy Birthday Marie-Kate!

Children's bathroom

 Ok we have been busy, and  procrastinating when it come to the children's bathroom, but seven month's later, we have made some progress. a new sink, and new cupboards, new shower and bath ( a real bath that delighted all) later, this room is slowly taking shape.

We work slowly, but it is so much better, especially when you look at what it looked liked before.

 More photos to come...eventually. Here's one photo before.

And before, the old sink, which was giant and took up so much place.

Alexis the Journalist

 It's Alexis' last year in primary school, next year he will join Gaby at college.  Alexis had a great teacher last year and this year Mr L has turned out to be equally as good. In the last 18 months, Alexis has grown to be extremely competitive and his school results are fantastic, he is very proud to still be holding on to a 20 of average in Geography. 
Overall for the last term, he had a almost 20 of average for all subjects.

Alexis' class have been writing again in the school newspaper,  the class had to write about the short movies they had watched.  Alexis' is above, he finished his article by saying that, since watching them, he has he sees the world through a different eye now. He later told us that this was just him using  journalistic license.

Here's another article Alexis wrote, this time about Biodiversity (the other one, was written by Jeremy, Alexis' best friend.

Back...Catching up from Easter

I'm really trying to juggle family, work, the house and very occasionally a blog post, but it's not easy.  Alain came back from Congo weeks ago and was supposed to leave weeks ago to Angola.  He's still waiting though, as he has a visa issue, that should be resolved next week.  If he leaves too late, it would mean that we'd have to cancel our long weekend in Amsterdam, four night on a canal boat:(

For the first time, this Easter, only Gaby, Alexis and Marie-Kate hunted for Easter eggs, Oliver and Charlotte chose their comfortable beds and 15 euros each.

 The weather was good and the eggs were fairly easy to fine as our garden was still in mode "winter".

This year, Gaby remembered no to put her big Easter egg on top of her radiator, and got to devour this one in record time.