The kids went down to FL

Michele took the kids to warm and sunny Florida while Gregoire toiled in rain-soaked Paris, where the weather in July was on average 10F below normal...

Despite the warning signs, Michele and the kids decided to enter the US anyways...

Malo quickly figured out how to continue his phone-operated bombing campaign from the poolside. 

He got some wheels - the kid loves to ride.

At the same time, he's not so convinced by the pool.

Grand-father and grandson shared a drink. Pop-pop has been drinking nothing but milk lately...

Being all about dogs these days, Malo went gaga when we met Sloopy.

Sloopy, being incredibly good-natured, allow Malo to try to put googles on her.

Lucie jumped in the pool as soon as she arrived.

Malo said, Haven't you noticed? I won't sit in the bathtub! There's no way I'm going in there!

This boat stays on land.

Lucie rediscovered her love for the jacuzzi. (Here she is hiding her water pistol.)

Is there really a wading pool just in front of me? No really, I'm fine sitting here in the shade with PopPop.

Can I wear this into the pool? I don't feel safe in just a life jacket. 

Our Little Lions

I (as in Michele) think it is funny and cute to dress Lucie and Malo in matching pajamas. Lucie loves to wear the same pajamas as her brother. Malo and Greg tolerate all this (if they even notice).

The other night Lucie and Malo wore their matching lion pajamas. We danced to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and Greg had a mini photo shoot with the kids. Here are some of the pictures.

Few more pictures of Bourgogne

We all went for a walk in the woods, and Pakkah and his brother got some time to chill, while wrangling Malo.

The kids decided to build a dam in the stream, which is something that's been tried by every generation of kids going to this particular spot (including Lucie's father)

The water was frigid, but that didn't stop the kids from playing.

or grandmothers, for that matter. A little later, all of the kids would be naked in the water, screeching.

Dadouh and Sabine, with her bouquet of lilies of the valley picked from the undergrowth.

On the way back, the kids rolled downhill in the grass.

and scrammed through the tall grass.

Another day, another walk. This time Lucie got to wear her spinning skirt and green boots!

We stopped to look at a snake down a water hole - non poisonous, of course.

This is what happens when you mix a 300mm lens (thanks Santa!), a nice camera, a field of flowers, and a 4.5 year old.

Gardening

 Sabine and Patrick have a large beautiful vegetable garden.

It is well watered.

 And weeded (at least of pretty flowers).

Enough of this gardening. Let's go find some cows.

Photographing little ones

Greg took about ten or fifteen shots in a row of these five kids sitting on the step.

Ok, everyone smile.

 Try all looking at the camera.

 No, not at each other. At the camera.

 Hey. Hey. Over here.

Trying to get one photo where all the kids are looking at the camera and smiling proved to be impossible. It gives you a new appreciation for the people who take class photos. 

Malo in Burgundy

Malo had a busy weekend in Burgundy. 

He walked.

He played basketball.

 

He biked.

 He ate ginger bread.

Delicious.

He pushed around a wheel barrow.

 Even check to see if it would work as a hat.

Tired babies do need to be carried from time to time by their grandfathers.

All in all it was a lot of fun