17 tiny, little devils

Yesterday was Maialen's 5th birthday party and that means 17 little, tiny french children who all wanted to speak to the American... and me.. hardly understanding a word they said. I can barely understand english children when they speak, imagine children in a different language! Most of my conversations the kids would ask my name, try to repeat "Shelby" (usually not very well), and then laugh and laugh and laugh.. apparently my name is very funny in France.

So the birthday party was princess themed and Maialen (a girl after my own heart) was Elsa, and might I say she is the cutest little Elsa i have ever seen!

Luckily for me she loves to take pictures, loves the "duck face", and is very sassy... so we get along well. 

I spent most of the party with the littlest one Ewen so Aline could yell and chase around all the other children as much as she could, because 17 kids in 1 house is A LOT of noise and A LOT of trouble. 

(how cute is he!?!)

So far i've learned a few things about kids:

1. all children love to play with and steal (and run away with) your Iphone 

2. When children speak to you, all you have to do is smile and laugh at what they say and it will be a good response (I do this mostly because I cannot understand the children)

3. a baby's scream is much... much louder than seventeen 5 year olds screams

4. the average 5-year old asks 437 questions a day (real fact), and the average French child who knows I cannot understand what they are saying asks 5,670 questions a day 

5. in every country as soon as you hear a mom start to count to 3.. that is bad news for the kids (un.. deux.. trois!)

6. last but not least, french children are very naughty. 

So its easy to say after the party we were all pooped, but of course that did not stop the family from all sitting down and having dinner together. I like the French because they take their food very seriously, and that is something I can totally relate to. 

So today I woke up early to go for a run and then get ready to go to the market with Aline. There is a pond with a running track around it very near the house, and it is absolutely breath taking. 

After we went the the market in the town that has everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, tea, bread and pastries, and all types of clothes. The market surrounds the church and is exactly what I imagined France would look like.

After the market we relaxed at home and Aline's parents made their trip back to Paris since Maialen's birthday is officially over.

This afternoon we made a short (and cold) trip to the beach. The beach was only about 10 minutes away and very beautiful. There was a castle that looks about 400 feet from the shore connected by a land bridge that is hidden during high tide. We didnt have a chance to check out the castle, but it was just neat to see. Also all over the side of the road on the way to the beach were the entrances to WWII bunkers that are now painted with skies and children playing on them. This town was absolutely obliterated during WWII from bombs that the Allies dropped because there was a very large German force here.

now we are all getting ready for bed and to start another week here in France!

Au Revoir! Bonne Nuit!

Goodbye! Goodnight!