Jet Lag Rocks

For the first time in my life I can say, "Yay for jet lag!"

Normally a summer of relaxing makes for nightmarish 6:15am wake-ups during the first week of school, but we got smart this time. Nick and the girls returned from France late Friday night (Aug 22), which meant they were up and at 'em at 5am (4am if you're Acacia) for days. Perfect for an Aug 25th school start date.

They even had time to make their beds. It's a miracle.

And they left for school with plenty of fodder for the "What I Did This Summer" essays, having climbed ten more 14ers and spent some quality time with their extended family in France...

Cayenne and her Awesome Great-Grandfather in St-Raphael

I can just hear the laughing, taste the rosé, and feel the warm sticky air. *sigh* 

Playing Mah-Jong is a family tradition.

Papa in his happy place.

They all had a good time at the beach...

But Acacia kept finding the jelly fish and anemones.

And at the end of every fun-filled day, all the kids slept en plein air on the upstairs balcony.

Awesome, right?

But wait... there's more...

Most of the crowd traveled back to Grenoble where they enjoyed more big family dinners, hiking, and hanging out at the cabin known as La Maison Bleue.

Marion made birthday cakes for both Tiphaine and Acacia, born six weeks apart. It was in this living room almost 13 years ago that we both shared the news we were expecting. :)

I can't say thank you enough to our French Family for taking such good care of my little family on their trip. 

They loved every minute of it!

♥ Merci Merci Merci!! ♥