Snow Days

We have hit the snow jackpot in Paris!  The kids were in heaven.  According to the neighbor, his wife has lived here 20 years and this was only the second time she had seen this much snow (it was maybe 2 inches).   We should have headed straight to the Tuileries or Luxembourg Gardens but the kids just wanted to go out to our courtyard, and honestly, that was much less work for us, so the courtyard it was!  We went to the neighborhood park as well, and I think every Parisian kid was there.  We've never seen so many people in our building and neighborhood. 
Paris isn't prepared for the snow though.  Buses were shut down and I didn't see one snow shovel.  A few brooms and a bit of sand was put down here and there, but we just had to wait for it to melt a day and a half later. 

 

And a few location shots.  My photos (and my lack of photo skills) do not do Paris justice.  It really is the City of Light and always seems to glow.  The last photo is a 360 of the plaza we are near often.  We emerge from the subway and I smile each time I see it.  Two churches stand across from one another.  One still has large Christmas trees decorated.  A small carousel is lit up, the restaurant glows red, and the streets are strung with overhead lights.  It is just stunning.  This is the Paris you imagine.

Paris Parks

Parks in Paris are great and they always seem to pop up just when we need one.  Funny how kids are So tired and their legs hurt from too much walking (2 blocks) until you happen upon a park ;) Miraculously they are cured and have energy to play for hours.  Even in the cold!
Here are a few photos of the parks where the kids have played so far.  We haven't even been to some of the best Paris parks yet.  

Carousels are also everywhere and in nearly every park.  Most of them are beautiful and vintage.  My favorite so far is this little green one.  There is a man that pushes it to start and then he turns a crank to keep it going! So neat!  All the while, the kids each get a lance and use it to hit a target and collect gold rings every time around (we didn't catch on until near the end).  Did I mention this is in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower!?!  

2013

Its already a week we've been in Paris.  It was on our first night that we walked down the middle of Champs Elysees and watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle at midnight to welcome the New Year!

Apartment

The place we call home in the 18th arrondissement ...

View from our bedroom window

Neighborhood at night

Paris Update

The first few days in Paris have been overwhelming.  It is beyond beautiful here and I am excited each day to see as much as possible, but this jetlag is killing us!  4 days in and we still feel like we've been run over by a truck. 
Our internet is also giving us a fit, so we're working on getting a more reliable connection.  I'd love to post a few videos, so keep your fingers crossed.  The good news is that our place is large (by Paris standards) and the boulangerie voted best in Paris is across the street!
Photos to come as soon as possible.  In the mean time, Instagram is working and you can check on us there.