Octobrefete!

Wow, yet another season flashing before our eyes. My excuse for lack of blogging is that the Paris autumn has been so gorgeous there hasn't been time. Of course that's only part of the story -- we've had loads of visitors: Nam and Bee-pa, Hannah and Papa and friends, Melissa, David and Nathalie, and the Chicago Goldbergs.

Josie started a new preschool in September: The Preschool for Music and Art at Ecole Koenig in the 15eme. It's technically bilingual, but she's the only American/English speaker in the class right now, so classes are primarily in French and the teachers are gradually introducing more English. It's a lovely school, with a Montessori approach to music, art, and play. Josie loves it and they love her. It's far away, so I stick around the neighborhood and spend the 3 hours wandering, running to the gym, sitting in cafes and reading... it's nice. Nam and Bee-Pa arrived at the end of September and Bee-Pa's 10 days with us were CRAZY touristy (in a good way): Versailles, the Pantheon, the Musee de l'Armee and Napoleon's Tomb, the Louvre, D'Orsay, the Orangerie, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Medieval History Musuem, Notre Dame, the Marais, crepes, lots of coffee and kirs.

We celebrated Josie's birthday with a musical fete in her favorite park, the Jardin Catherine Laboure (or as she now calls it, "Birthday Park"). We had a wonderful American singer perform for the kids, and I successfully constructed and decorated the famous Elmo cake (see photos in Sept. gallery!). Hannah and Papa and their friends Madeline and Ed came...and afterward the grownups celebrated with a yummy dinner at a nearby bistro, La Petite Chaise. It was a whirlwind weekend - and Bee-Pa left on the 7th Oct but Nam stayed for the month! We made multiple return trips to the D'Orsay (including for an amazing exhibit on Art Nouveau), did lots of shopping and sitting in chic cafes all across the Left Bank (and Montmartre, as you'll see). A teething and cranky Josie got us booted from nearly every major museum in Paris, but oh well.

We also took Nam for a lovely weekend in the Loire - we stayed again at La Couture, where we stayed last spring, and toured some fab chateaux: Chenonceau, Villandry, and Chambord. We also went to a fabulous zoo, where Josie did actually tell the tiger: "Pooh-pooh!" It was a lovely and memorable trip! We love the Loire...

We're now in the midst of Halloween season - Josie has already been to 3 parties and a bit confused about why I make her dress up as a clownfish every couple of days and beg for candy. We have a last pumpkin-carving party on Saturday! Well that's it for now - I know you're here for the pix, so I'll sign off. More again very soon, promise...