3rd of our 3 days of festivities

Boxing Day - a day to sit around the house nibbling on leftovers or to be on the move to other family members or vacation spots. We combined them by boxing our Christmas leftovers and feasting on the TGV to Paris. I think our fellow French travellers thought we were crazy but I think they were envious (I mean all they ate was baguette). To be fair, their big meal had been 2 days before, whereas we had been feasting for 2 straight days and had loads of leftovers!

Our rented apartment is in a gorgeous converted 'hotel' deep in the Marais - bliss! We spent the evening wandering around our favourite neighbourhood in central Paris, drinking in the lights and sounds of this fabulous city and feasting on fresh falafel (how French!). 

2nd day of our 3 day festivities

More food, more presents and more family time in PJs!!

After opening our stockings/pillow cases in bed, we moved downstairs for a lovely late breakfast of blinis and rostis and smoked salmon and fresh OJ

Time to open our gifts with the grandparents on Skype

My two weird and wacky love bugs

Lots of food prep (Seb & I julienned & shredded 4 vegetables for a huge & yummy winter slaw with maple nuts)

The chef presenting his main course

Roast beast (veggie roast) with gravy, roasted carrots & spuds, plus brussel sprouts with maple bacon 

and a traditional Christmas pud with rum butter for dessert

After which, we clearly needed a long and lovely amble

Never been for a ramble in velvet trousers before

I am a lucky lass with these lads in my life

First of our 3 days of festivities

This year we decided to stay in le petit village for Christmas - only the 2nd time in 11 years. We wanted to honour all sorts of traditions - the continental tradition of Reveillon (food and gift opening amongst us 4 - but not midnight mass - on Christmas Eve), Christmas morning with North American stockings, followed by a big 'dinner' and opening the other gifts, and then finally boxed leftovers whilst travelling on Boxing Day.







First thing, finish off the cardboard Christmas tree that Sebastian had made a few weeks prior. (FYI the kids were trying to remain in PJs all day - I was just being lazy)

then decorate it

adding the pottery ornaments from last year

the excitement mounts

setting out the presents

Bit of a post-tree-trimming snack of mince pies and hot drinks

9 pm - so time to get ready for dinner!

Decked out in our finest

Seb took his champommy opening very seriously (& check out the Xmas tree appies)

Oh, did I mention that the 5 course meal came from one of the village's restaurants, La Bruceliere? The reason that I got out of my PJs was to go and pick up this box of gourmandise: 4 amuse-bouches (including rabbit), a seafood broth, veal in truffle sauce with gorgeous sautéed veg and a yummy mash of sorts, followed by this luxurious mousse with pistachio cream, and sweets that we couldn't even manage.
We shared 2 portions between us and were stuffed.

All set for the final event - present opening!

Sophie was seriously into her nails, in case you hadn't noticed

In my new finery - cashmere cardie and a Hunterwasser inspired silk scarf

2 of Sophie's faves - Dr Who t-shirt and an elastic jump rope

Our annual Christmas shopping trip to Bordeaux

We decided to repeat our lovely shopping trip and headed to Bordeaux on Sunday. Our neighbours thought us crazy, but that's the difference between being city-slickers living in a village and being from the countryside. 

Our rattling car made it, only to be pulled over by the cops as we entered the city. My love got lucky and we didn't get fined for any (of several) misdemeanours. The day ended at 11 pm when we arrived home tired and ready for bed, only for me to crack my head and see stars. ouch! But in the meantime, we dined on fresh Italian and Turkish food, hit up France's largest independent bookshop, got stocking stuffers, bought some toys for the children and revelled in the big city.

first some delicious fresh pasta in one of the Saturday markets 

then hitting the pedestrian shopping strips

Me, yup me

Jo, wandering through the village

Sophie style

Village Christmas party

Sophie figures out which Santa costume hid her teacher

Tempted to sip the mulled wine

Lady Snowflake

Back a week and already hard at work at the cake stand

Sophie & some of her classmates doing the treasure hunt

Marketing with my man

I took my love to Eymet market yesterday morning, so we could have a fine mussels lunch. "Yum" or "miam", as our neighbours would say.

Some people are like the Queen and have 2 birthdays

or at least two birthday parties.

Our energetic neighbour, Isor

The schoolmates

The 2 cakes (double chocolate and vanilla with lemon icing)

The luncheon

the jewelry-crafting

the funky candles

and the happy baker pleased that the 2nd time birthday girl enjoyed herself

A lovely weekend visit from a lovely family

Enjoying a glass of wine at the afternoon of children's crafts

what a gorgeous smile from Amaia

we went on a hike & here's the band shot

the signage was little confusing

even M. M was confused

everyone became involved in figuring out the directions

I just followed Claire

we ended with some cake

shaking some fronds

our lad clambering up our tumble down wall