Christmas in France

I think my Christmas vacation would be better described in pictures. On y va!

All ready for Christmas Eve dinner

Yes, these are sea snails

The Aperitif

 

Christmas Eve Dinner

Our Little Excursion

 

 

 

Snails. Yes, I ate three. Blech

Him on the other hand had 11

My Face before I ate the snails

 

He's Pere Noel

That and I don't particularly feel like writing my whole week out...Hope every one had a very merry holiday!!

Joyeux Noel!

Merry Christmas Everyone! Enjoy a French Carol on me!
Abby

Who Turned Out the Lights?

Yesterday, The sisters convinced me to go caroling with them. Normally I don't do this, but I said yes. They lured me in with the words "Chocolat Chaud" (Hot chocolate). When it came time to meet up, they told me to go to Hotel de Ville, which is the smack center of Lyon, home to their largest street and the biggest commercial area...Great. One of the sisters said something that sort of helped soothe my burning desire to run and hide my face, she said: "If they see you, they see us." At least I'm not alone.

Overall, there were about 12 or 13 Missionaries there and awesomely enough just about all of them were from the US. We had a Texas, California, Arkansas, Nevada and one other. When I introduced myself to Sister California, she exclaimed, "That's my name!" Her name was Abby too!! I am totally going to Facebook stalk her, is that bad? There was one sister there from England who was 19 and had only been out in the field for 1 week!! I think she felt connected to me because of our age and asked a lot of questions about how it was for me to learn French, since she her French is still very basic. It was very fun to get to talk to her.

So, we sang. All in French, and from the Hymn Book. While I was singing, I came upon a very interesting question. Are the Hymns in the Hymn Book known to non-members too? Like, for the rest of the world, is "Silent Night" and "Away in a Manger" normal Christmas songs too? I realize this may sound like a very stupid question, but growing up in an LDS home and having LDS relatives I wouldn't know the difference. I have only ever heard these songs inside my home and at church and just assumed that the rest of the world did too. The same way I assumed that Funeral Potatoes were as common as green beans in the homes of the rest of the world too...Can anyone answer this?

The reason I thought this was because as we were sings, loads of people stopped to listen, and I didn't see any of them join along. No mumbling under their breath or even full out joining in. Maybe no one wanted to, or could it be that no one recognized the song? It was a little intimidating at first to be watched by all these passerbys on their way to do shopping but I got over it. All the sweet Missionaires seemed to be having fun. I saw a lot of them talking to those who did stop, and even one Missionary pulled out her appointment book. This was a great way to make some contacts. Bravo guys.

So yes, it was fun. The hot chocolate tasted watery but in the end, it didn't matter. I got to talk to a lot of different missionaires from all over the world (All in English thank goodness, my French wasn't working that day).

  

 

Went I went home that night, I opened my computer and connected my phone so I could import these pictures and start to blog about my evening. But then something happened that made my night just take a bad turn :/

My BFF necklace that Malorey and I have together slid off my table and landed right on my converter (that makes it so I can plug my American electronics into European outlets) plugged into a serge protector on the ground. The necklace is a metal of some sort so I'm sure it was much like sticking a fork in an electrical socket. There was a HUGE spark and then everything went dark. Oh dear...

I turned on the flash light on my phone and immediately unplugged everything because I was afraid I was going to start a fire after the size of that spark. My poor necklace was fried. In that millisecond it had broken and then re-welded itself. Now I have a charred necklace and a mini necklace that fits onto my finger. It's amazing how quickly that happened.

And my poor converter...It looks like a war zone on it really. I was screwed, how can I charge my phone and computer now if I didn't have an electrical converter? But, I had more pressing issues to worry about, like how do I turn the lights back on???

It was far too late to wake up my family, I don't even know how I would have explained what happened in French so I set out to fix this problem on my own. I knew where the breaker box was but that was about all I knew about it. I've seen movies where they flip switches so that's what I did. Nothing worked and I was starting to get scared. Yes, I could have just gone to bed and then asked Gilles in the morning but I couldn't do that, I had to fix this now. After 20 minutes of no luck, I was frustrated and I started to cry. I hadn't had the best day to begin with and this was just icing on the cake. Then, I had an idea..I should do what I normally do in a situation like that: Call my dad. He's always been there to fix things for me, why can't he do that now?

So I called my daddy. In tears and barely able to form words, I explained what had happened. I sent him a picture and he coached me through it. After just 5 minutes and from thousands of miles away, my dad was able to help me turn the lights back on!

So, thank you dad. I am so glad to know that I can call you whenever I am in trouble and you will always be there for me. Even if you are not even on the same continent as me, it really means a lot. I don't know what I would have done!

Here's some pictures of the aftermath...

 

Ps. The converter still works thank goodness, and I'm really sorry Malorey! It was an accident and now I'm super sad because it was the only necklace that I've worn since I've been here. It also make the third necklace I've accidentally broken in two months :/

It's kind of funny now lol but in the time, I was a wreck. At least now we can all look back and laugh...hah hah hah...


Abby

My Bucket List

It seem's weird to put this into actual print, because this list is still growing, it's not finished. But, I have a bucket list, and I would like to share it. Maybe it will inspire someone else to add something to theirs, or even start their own.

I take this list very seriously. It's short because a lot of contemplation goes into it before I add a new idea. I do this because this is a list that I actually want to complete. That before I die, I can actually cross everything off. So no, you won't see "Go Skydiving" on here because in reality I know myself well enough that even if someone manages to get me on a plane, once I'm up there, my anxiety will be so high it'll probably be medically prohibited to let me jump anyway. And you won't see anything like "Defy Gravity" either because quite frankly, to me, isn't possible.

So these things on my list are very practical, and very achievable in my lifetime. Some may require some travelling, or a little bit of money, or the right timing, but I can do all of them, and I will.

1. Live in France for an extended amount of time. -This has always been number one to me and look folks, I'm doing it! I can't cross it off yet because I'm not finished, so we'll call this one in progress.

2. Be fluent in French. -This one is in progress too. I don't know about fluent, but I'm definitely getting there.

3. Go on vacation with a friend. -This one comes with criteria. I've been on mini weekend visits to friends houses which in my head doesn't count. I mean me and a friend catch a plane or a bus somewhere far away and spend at least 5 days living it up. So far that hasn't happened, but if anyone would like to, hit me up!

4. Travel Europe again. -One could classify this as "in progress" as well but since I've been here, I haven't been doing so well on the travelling part so I can't decide. For this, my criteria includes: Italie, Austria, England, Switzerland and Spain. So I can't cross it off yet.

5. Get ice cream on the top of the Eiffel Tower. -I've mentioned this a few times before, and have gotten close not once, but twice! (The first time, I was in line for ice cream when our tour guide decided it was time to leave). This one came about when I was in France before. I was 16 and with a group of Student Ambassadors. Everybody was talking about what it would be like to be kissed on the top of the Eiffel Tower. Suddenly I got afraid that someone might try!! So instead I came up with "Me, all I want is ice cream!" to make it really clear to anyone who was even considering it, that I wasn't interested! Not that anyone was probably lol...

6. Go snorkeling. -I've been to the ocean twice in my lifetime: California. I have yet to actually see the ocean where the water is bluer than my eyes. But, when I do, I'd like to see it first hand, in the reef.

7. Get kissed in the rain. -If my memory serves me right, this has already happened, but I don't want to cross this off quite yet because who doesn't want to get kissed in the rain?? I think this one will be forever on my list.

8. Have crutches. -I'll admit, this one is kind of morbid. But crutches doesn't mean that I've done anything serious to myself, and trust me, I'm not going to do anything on purpose to ensure that this one gets fulfilled, but come on, they look so fun! Yes, no one ever has anything good to say about them but I don't know that for myself so I HAVE to have them at least once so then I can be one of those people who can complain about how much of a pain they were.

9. See a Broadway play. -I've been to New York before, and even Times Square, but I didn't get to see a Broadway play and I would like to...that's really all there is to say about that one..

10. Dance in the Georgia rain. -Growing up listening to country music, I always heard about "the rain in Georgia" like "Night's in Georgia" by Conway Twitty and Trisha Yearwood's "Georgia Rain" so I've always wondered what all the hype was about. But, the one song that really wanted me to dance in the Georgia Rain is a song that Reba McIntire sang but for the life of me, I can't remember what song it was. All I remember is watching a music video where she was singing while the Georgia Rain was falling. It may not have even be Reba lol, I don't know. Buy anyway I remember reading somewhere that Georgia Rain is warm? Is that true? I'll have to look it up again. But I really want to experience warm rain lol...and this one takes perfect timing because I don't know exactly when it rains in Georgia, but I figure that when I get there and it doesn't rain, I'll just take a shower there and call it good.

11. Sleep in the bed of a truck. - Pinterest gave me the good idea to fill the bed of a truck with a mattress and lots of pillows and sleep under the stars. I think that would be a fun date for me and my hubby to do someday. Maybe make it so we have a projector on the side of a wall and have our own little drive in movie theater.. Which brings me to number 12...

12. Go to a Drive-in Movie. -Sadly this might prove to be difficult if I don't do it soon because Drive-in's are quickly disappearing. Which is exactly why I want to go, so that when they disappear all together, I can at least say that I've been once. Criteria though: I want to be with my sweetheart. There's just some romanticism to it that wouldn't make it as fun if I just went with my friends or alone.

13. Go on a cruise. -As much as I hate water, I really wanna experience a cruise. I would love to go on a Disney Cruise that is just for adults so there's not a thousand kids running around everywhere and it's a little bit more classy. I also wouldn't mind spending my Honeymoon on a ship, I think it would be fun.

14. Be a black belt in Karate. -This one is also in progress! I'm about two or three belts away actually. I have my brown belt but I stopped going when I went to college, and well, now I'm in France. But I've witnessed a woman in her late 50's early 60's achieve her black belt so she gives me hope that one day I can start again and get my black belt too.

15. Go to they Olympics. -I don't mean compete in the Olympics, I just want to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics. That mean's I would have to travel to where ever they are, which could be an adventure in and of itself. Oh, and I would prefer to go to the Summer Olympics.

16. Fly first class. -I would like to fly first class one day. I'll probably kill two birds with one stone, and as I'm flying somewhere to accomplish one of these goals, fly first class there as well. But it has to be a long flight so that I can lay back on their bed like this and watch a movie as I sip expensive something or other, and then roll over and take a nap. Yeah, that sounds nice.

17. Visit a castle. -If we are going to be technical, I've been to Versailles. But I don't count that because this wasn't on my bucket list then, and it didn't look very castle-y. I want one that looks like Cinderella's castle. I found one called Vaux-Le-Vicomte which is about an hour east of Paris and I'm going to try and convince my parents to take me there when they visit next summer. Or, there are plenty of old, old castles in the Loire valley that are just as good too.

18. Run a 5K. -For the past few years, my dad has taken part in organizing several 5K and 10K races, but being family, I've always been sucked into helping out instead of running. I am nowhere fit enough now, but I think it would be awesome if I could get into shape enough to run a 5K. It's not so hard right?

19. Meet a Prophet. - I don't know how I am going to accomplish this one, this might be like the Georgia Rain one and I'll have to rely on good luck. Living in Utah I don't think it would be impossible lol, and I've heard of stories of people sitting next to General Authorities on a plane ride or something, so I think it can be done. I just wanna shake their hand at least, a conversation would be nice, but I'll take what I can get.

20. Visit Pearl Harbor. -I added this one recently after my best friend, Harmony, went there in Hawaii. Being the Girlfriend of a US Soldier, I have become very interested in military history and well, anything Army. Pearl Harbor was a huge military and nationwide event and I would really like to visit and pay my respects to those who lost their lives for their country. Another one that isn't on my list but I'm now considering it is to visit Arlington Cemetery as well. For the same reason. I'd like to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

21. Go to a NASCAR race. -An old Sunday tradition for my family was to eat quesadillas and watch NASCAR...Oh heavens, if that doesn't sound redneck, I don't know what does...But nonetheless, we had our family favorite driver and car and everything. I've seen so many races on the TV, I'd like to experience the Indy 500 in person one day. Maybe I'll just take a visit to the south and knock out the Georgia rain, NASCAR and Arlington all in one.

22. Attend a Masquerade dance/ball. -Just once I want to buy an expensive ball gown and a pretty mask and go to a ball like Cinderella. I want to be whisked off my feet by a "prince" and dance the night away. Yeah it probably won't happen like that, but as long as I feel like a princess and get to dance, I can dream can't I?

23. Put a lock on a bridge and throw the key into the river. -I see this all the time, if you look on my earlier post, there is a bridge in Paris that has so many locks on it I have no idea how it just doesn't collapse. I'm not picky about where the bridge is, it doesn't have to be in Europe, but I want to take my husband there and seal our love with a lock and eternalize it by throwing away the key. I am a sucker for romantics.

24. Drive a car in England. -Because they drive on the opposite side of the road, I want to see how that feels. Preferably not in the heart of Britain though because I'm too afraid I'll forget like they do in the movies and have to swerve back into my lane suddenly to avoid an oncoming car!

So there is my list. There was 25 but this summer I crossed the very first one off my list: Dye my hair. I've dyed it blue, brown and then bleached it blonde on my own, which was not the best idea I've ever had, but it was on my list so I did it. Unfortunately now I'll probably have to keep dying my hair for the rest of my life, but since I'm in France my roots are pretty much grown out several inches so maybe I'll just deal with funny looking hair for a year longer. I am missing my blue though, I wish I had blue tips again.

Anyway, that is my list. What do you think? Those are practical right? Maybe a little expensive at times but I have my whole life to do these things. And a few of them I will be able to cross off by the end of this year!! Yay!

Abby

PARIS

Voila!

I just had the most wonderful time in Paris this weekend. So much packed into two days, I don't know if I'll be able to remember all of what we did!

First off, what I don't understand is why it takes 5 (FIVE) hours by car, but only 2 (TWO!!) hours by train?? Screw it, I'd take the train any day! Definitely beats being squished in the middle of two car seats with two little ones sleeping on your shoulder the whole time. Ok, it was kind of tender that Lucile felt comfortable enough to lay her head on my shoulder, but only for about two minutes. After I got over being all "Aww" I was more like "Ok, get off." Luckily I had 100 new songs thanks to my mommy's Christmas present (iTunes gift card, thank you mommy!), to keep me company for the five hours I had ahead of me. I kept chanting "I'm going to Paris, I'm going to Paris" to keep myself from going insane.

We arrived around one in the morning. It was raining, and oddly enough I was listening to "Raining in Paris" by A Rocket to the Moon, at that time...Gilles had rented a small one room apartment just three blocks south of Notre Dame. It was smaller than my apartment in Lyon! But for two days, we managed.

Day one: We took the metro (oh la la, what a maze down there!) to La Defense which is surround by a lot of skyscrapers and businesses that are very well known in Paris. The thing was huge!! I even learned that it's not just a huge...thing...it's a business building in and of itself too!

Next was the Arc de Triomphe. It's surround by a huge round-a-bout that really has no rules when it comes to lanes, so conveniently they build a tunnel underneath to get to it. The Arc de Triomphe is also the resting place of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI. It honors all those who were lost in combat and never identified. That place struck very close to my heart due to the fact that My Boyfriend, Connor, is currently serving the US Army. So I felt a certain level of reverence there. Doesn't matter that these men weren't American, these men were soldiers and I know what that means, so I respect them. 

We walked down Champs-Elysees which was WAY over priced by the way... But it was fun to see all the Shops and Stores. The entire time I was singing the old song, "Champs-Elysees," of course. Walk Off The Earth did a fun little cover of that, which I added below. 

Then..... BA DA DUM!!! La Tour Eiffel!! I could hardly hold in my squeals as we approached it. I gained some crazy looks from some passerby's as I took some shameless selfies. It's on my bucket list to get ice cream on the top of The Eiffel Tower. The last time I was here, I was in line to get some but my tour left before I got to order :(. This time we didn't buy tickets far enough in advance to go up, but I know for sure that it's not my last time here. I will get my ice cream!! Which by the way, remind me to blog about my bucket list...Any way, I got some pretty good pictures, non? 

 
 
 
 


Next, off to the Ecole Militaire (Military School) and Hotel des Invalides, which is now a military museum. It was fun because I got to see a lot of French Soldiers. Don't worry Connor, I still think you look better in uniform ;) But it was fun for me because of my relations to the US Army. The Invalides is also the final resting place of Napolean Bonaparte which I thought was super cool.

 
 
  

Then in the evening we went out to see a Pixar Convention, The Opera, Obelisque, Le Louvre and Notre Dame. I was kind of bummed we didn't get to go through the museum. I would have loved to see The Mona Lisa for the second time. The last time I was there, the room was so crowded, I passed out...One can spend a whole two day's there and still not see it all! Tant pis, next time!! No photos were allowed, but I managed to get a shot of the original lamp and ball from all the Pixar openings, and an army guy drawing from Toy Story for Connor. The bridge with all the locks was cool. It looked like that all across the whole thing! It's also on my bucket list to put a lock of my own on a bridge like that one day with my husband. I even witnessed a couple having candle lit picnic next to the lock they placed on that bridge years ago. Tres Romantique!

 
 
 
 

 

 

The next day was of Montmarte, Sacre-Coeur and the Citie des Sciences et l'industrie. Gilles is a gamer so he wanted to go to the Video Game exhibit they had going on there. The Sacre-Coeur was AMAZING! I didn't get to visit that on my first visit to Paris three years ago so I was blown away. With the blue sky and clouds behind it, it was simply breath taking.

                                                          

And lastly, how could I forget the food???



  I do have to say, it wasn't as awe striking the second time as it was the first. I think that is because for the past two months, I've spent every day living, eating, shopping and going to school in places just like the places I saw there. I see these kinds of buildings every day. Although I had a  wonderful time, it didn't feel...New? I don't know how to explain it. Regardless, I am still in love with Paris.

Ah, Paris. I will return again!

Abi