Choco Story

 On Valentine's Day, my friend Megan and I took the kids to a museum in Paris called Le Musee Gourmand du Chocolat...The Choco Story. It a 3 level museum dedicated to the 4000 year history of chocolate. We thought it would be fun since the girls were missing Valentine's parties at school--and let's be honest, the moms knew that there would be some chocolate tasting:) So, a win-win situation for all! I might add that it was pouring rain (of course) but we braved it! The museum was really interesting. Upon entering, there are bowls of 4 different kinds of chocolate to try...so it is a great way to start the self guided tour--yummy! Then the company Play Mobil worked with the museum to design "sets" that corresponded to each area of the museum.  The kids get a sheet of paper at the start of the museum with stickers to place at each station/set. I love that kind of interactive stuff!  And I really like miniature stuff too:)

 

Also included in the tour is a demonstration by a chocolatier...We found out that a chocolatier trains for 3 years or longer...who knew? I might add that we got to taste even  more chocolate after the demonstration..chocolate with praline middle!

Here are some pictures from around the museum...a cool sculpture, a leftover Christmas display all made of chocolate...

Here are some molds from the past...

And some of the tea cups that were used to drink the chocolate

A chocolate for me! 

And some cute pictures of the kiddos!

And one of my favorite parts...We got to drink hot chocolate at the end of the tour! I picked hazelnut and Eden picked milk chocolate...

On our way home, Megan texted to let me know that the boulangerie near their apt. had heart shaped baguettes for Valentine's Day...so of course, we went to see if ours did...and voila...we were in luck! Plus I had to get the little tart with the heart on top for Michael...

A fun trip out in the city!!

 

Weekends with Friends

Can I just say (again) that I am so very thankful that we have met such sweet friends here! We have become Insta-friends... The moms/kids are able to get together several times a week-which is a HUGE blessing to me, and it is drastically improving my outlook on being so far away from friends and family in the states! I have tried not to dwell on that too much on the blog...but, as you know, I am a "fairly" social person...and it is quite challenging being in a 624 square foot apartment with an 8 year old all day!!! I think it is fair to add that she has to be in this space with me too--away from school and all of her friends as well:) So it is awesome to meet a family who is in a similar boat! Thank you God for that blessing!!
Plus, Eden gets the experience of having a little brother around (which is hilarious to me). She is really cute with him, she tries to pick him up and carry him-which is funny because he is almost 3.. the other day we were at the park together and she played chase with him so that he didn't feel left out. Very sweet! She and her friend  Emma are precious together!  Emma is such a sweet girl and I am thankful that they get along!  I am enjoying having a friend to both hang out with and " talk shop"! I still think it is so cool that we are both Speech Pathologists:)
Last weekend they had us over for a chili dinner...and then this past  Friday night we had them over for some good ol' Pizza Hut.  Saturday our families spent most of the day together, shopping, walking around freezing together (it was sunny but sooooo cold!) and then ended the evening at a restaurant called Breakfast in America...Michael was craving a burger, and they had heard of this restaurant/diner. It was quite good! It kind of reminds me of a Denny's menu- you can get breakfast or burger type stuff.  Eden enjoyed a pancake, while we got burgers/fries. It's funny, if we were here on vacation, we would not have eaten at such a place, but when you are actually living here-you really miss certain foods!  Can you detect a theme?? The Oelzes love to eat!!!
I am putting some pictures from our adventure yesterday on here...Most of these pictures are also on Facebook too, but some of our friends are not on Facebook...so I am also putting them on here!

Children's Science Museum

Last Sunday, our family met up with Michael's host and her daughter. We had planned to go to an outdoor park, but it was way too cold! Plan B was a interactive children's science museum. I felt a little left out tagging along with 2 physicists to a science museum...but we all had fun anyway:) I am pretty sure that my husband had as much fun as Eden and Camille:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside of the museum

Eden and her French friend Camille

Eden with a giant yo yo

American products

On Tuesday, we met up with our new friends to visit a store called McCoy's that sells American products in Paris...these are things that are very hard to find here...and you know I have tried! The "store" was closed, but we went to the McCoy cafe (owned by the same company) where you can buy the same products. I finally found a package of Crisco for a whopping 8 euros (which is $10.89), baking soda for 6 euros ($8.16), cream of tartar ($3 for 6 tsp) plus a few other things that are being rationed out! I really wanted to go a little crazy in there buying all of the things that our family has been missing...but I held back:) I had to share this funny fact too--(because I thought it was wild)...My friend Megan found a 12 pack of A & W root beer--for almost $40!! ... we didn't buy that:) We also found some cereals that are rare here...a box of Life cereal, Cheerios, or Fruit Loops are 9 to12 euros per box (or $11 to $16)...we didn't buy those either.

On this  little adventure, Megan, the kids and I also discovered the coolest little street that had a great restaurant and some fabulous shops! We will have to go back another time because...it was pouring rain (again) and we had 3 kiddos with us...but when it warms up a bit--we want to go back!

That is all for now...