[imagebrowser id=10] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’10’]   Yesterday, we spent the morning at La Roche D’Oëtre — it’s about 30 minutes from our home and has some great hikes and a really cool zip line course. We started at the zip lines. Some of their courses are way intense — but only Ralph and Maude were old enough to participate, so instead, we played around on the little kids course for a bit, and then went on a hike. I love hiking with my family! The trail went down the mountain through a lush forest, along a river, and then circled back up again. It was nice and shady (and lined with wild blackberry bushes) and just challenging enough to keep everyone interested. My favorite part was watching the kids play on the river rocks — and seeing if they could get across without getting their feet wet. (No, they could not. : ) I also loved seeing my kids help each other as they climbed up and down the bigger rocks. Nothing quite pulls at my heartstrings like watching them work together. I have fond memories of seeing my children play on rocks in a dozen different rivers. I’ve concluded it’s one of the most fun things a person can do in this life. How about you? Do you have any favorite family hikes?

When I was at Mom 2.0, my friend Ellen gave me a pair of Etymotic earphones and told me to wear them on the plane ride home. Holy cow! They are like magic — with my headphones in, I could hear the movies on my iPhone beautifully, and I could hear the Pilot’s announcements clearly too! Everything else was blocked out. (How in the world does that work?) I was thinking of the headphones today, because Ellen also told me I should have my kids use ear plugs during music practice. Apparently it’s common for musicians to lose their hearing. Isn’t that awful? Ralph is practicing trombone as I type. We haven’t tried the earplugs yet, but I think I should get some. The trombone is loud! Do your kids play instruments? Are you concerned about hearing loss? Or am I just being a worry-wart?

Flip flops are not very common here. The summer shoe of choice seems to be a pair of Espadrilles. I’ve spotted them at the beach, at the market, and at dinner too. We found ours at the grocery store (it’s sort of like a Super Target) for about 6 euros. They come in all sorts of colors and are worn by girls and boys, men and women. Have you ever worn Espadrilles? My advice: buy a pair that fits nice and tight — the fabric will stretch a bit as you walk. P.S. — I remember being in 5th grade and seeing espadrille style shoes by Esprit at the department store. I didn’t buy a pair, but I coveted them!

I’ve been putting leftover yogurt jars to good use as jewelry organizers. Technically, these are not yogurt jars, they’re pot de creme jars instead — and they work especially well for this task because they have wide mouths and very low profiles. Having my jewelry separated like this is so helpful to me! I keep all the little jars on a shelf in my bedroom and when I reach for a necklace or earrings, nothing is ever tangled or difficult to spot. Since the jars are out in the open, I wanted to pretty them up a bit. So I lined them with origami paper. Perhaps fabric would work even better. …

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We’ve had so many visitors this summer, we’ve had a chance to explore more of the D-Day sites. I think the one I find most compelling is Pointe du Hoc. 250 hand-picked Army Rangers were sent to this outcrop of land that juts into the ocean. Their assignment was to scale the cliffs and take out the big enemy guns that defended the Point. They achieved their goal, but at great cost. Only 90 survived. The land at Pointe du Hoc is above the ocean, so it hasn’t been washed clean by the waves. It still has all the scars of a fierce battle. The landscape is riddled with giant craters made from heavy bombing, cement rubble is found throughout the area, and many of the original defensive structures are still standing. For such a serious place, it’s surprisingly easy for children to visit. They can climb and explore and run as much as they like. They don’t even have to watch their volume, because the ocean wind tempers every noise. But if you do bring your kids, leave the food behind. There are no picnics allowed at Pointe du Hoc — there are no graves here, but it’s considered a burial ground.

Question: I have three children, two of which share a room. As they get older, there is much grumbling of why they have to share a room. Having six children, have you come across this issue and if so, how did you deal with it? Many thanks for your time. — Meg Grant Answer: Hi Meg! We’ve never lived in a house with 7 bedrooms, so as you guessed, we have lots of experience with room sharing in the Blair Family. It’s one of those things. Some kids love it. Some don’t. Olive loves it — we tried a solo room with her and didn’t last 2 days. Maude, on the other hand, begged for her own room for ages, and finally has one! But who knows in the next house… When Maude would be especially frustrated, the best fix for us was to help her do a mini bedroom makeover. Switch furniture around. Add a new piece of art. Decoupage some furniture. Make an inspiration board for her next bedroom. A trip to Target for a new throw pillow. Something small or big that would help her feel ownership of the room and be excited about it. How does it work at your house, Dear Readers? Do your kids share rooms? Did you share a room as a child? P.S. — The bedroom pictured is Oscar and Betty’s room in Colorado. We built the beds for super cheap! You can find instructions here.

I’ve got a (possibly scandalous!) question for you related to last week’s discussion about Cosmetic Procedures. But first, some backstory: On our visit to the beach at Deauville, we were getting our chairs and towels situated, when I looked up and realized many of the women on the beach were topless. Not everyone, mind you — I didn’t feel at all out of place wearing my swimsuit — but there were plenty of examples. It’s not like this was an official “topless beach,” it was just a normal public beach, and if you wanted to sunbathe topless, you could. This was the first time I had ever been to a French beach, so I didn’t know, but I’ve since heard it’s the norm here. And I have to say, it was not at all what I imagined a topless beach to be. Before I visited Deauville, the words “topless beach” brought to mind something scandalous — like a frat party from a movie or a glimpse into life at the Playboy mansion. But the women I saw on the beach were not 18 year olds, they were my peers. Some younger, some older, but pretty much all of them with children and a husband, having a regular family day at the shore. I didn’t want to stare, but I couldn’t help notice these were women who had evidently nursed their children. : ) I was unexpectedly impressed by these women. They weren’t trying to draw attention to themselves, and they weren’t trying to be “sexy”, but they were totally comfortable in their skin and they had very normal bodies — among the full spectrum of “normal”. Now, I realize there are different standards of modesty in different cultures — from burkas to topless bathing. (Fun fact: I’m a Mormon, and there are some Mormons who believe showing your shoulders is immodest.) I also realize that Americans are nutso when it comes to breasts — implants are commonplace, but women go to great lengths to cover up while nursing their babies. Bizarre! So, pretending modesty isn’t part of the equation, my question is: How do you feel about your body? Are you confident enough in your skin to hang out at the beach topless? (I don’t think I am.) Also. Have you ever visited a beach with topless bathers? Was it shocking? image by Oh Happy Day

In England, Ben Blair did all the driving. It happens on the opposite side of the road there and I was too chicken to try! The other fun thing about driving in England was spotting vintage British sports cars. They’re so cute. (I bet my Dad would cringe if he heard me call a sports car cute.) The high bid on this one is only $2650. Cute. Cute. Cute. Have you ever visited a place where you had to drive on the “wrong” side of the road? Are you brave enough?

While we were in England, we bought a small length of fabric from Liberty of London. Have you been? It’s a gorgeous store and I didn’t want to leave! Mimi is going to use it to sew little sachets — then fill them with lavender from the garden at La Cressonnière. Won’t that make a sweet souvenir from our time here? What sorts of souvenirs do you collect when you’re traveling? P.S. — Have you ever harvested lavender? I have no idea how.

Two little stories and some questions: 1) The other day, I saw a picture of myself and remembered I need braces. I had braces as a teenager — it was actually my freshman year of college — but they have since gone a bit wonky on top. I confess, I was never good about wearing my retainer. : ) 2) Our friend Olya came to visit last week. During one conversation she mentioned that eyelid surgery, botox and fillers were really popular where she lives — even for women in their twenties. I was shocked! I’m not sure I know any one in real life who has tried any of these procedures. Both of these stories have me thinking. Yes, I would definitely be interested in having my teeth fixed and no, botox has never crossed my mind, but they are probably equally invasive. It makes me wonder, what do you consider cosmetic surgery? What’s okay with you and what’s not? Are botox and breast augmentation the same in your book? How about teeth whitening? Or laser treatments for spider veins? Are there any lines you draw when considering cosmetic procedures? Maybe nothing that requires general anesthesia? Are cosmetic procedures common where you live? If yes, are women secretive about it, or is it out in the open. I’m so curious! Also, back to my teeth for a minute, are braces on a 30-something too tacky to even think about?

Yesterday, we were in Paris dropping off two of our nieces. Happily, it happened to be the Tour de France finish. So of course, we decided to watch as the racers made their way up and down the Champs Elysées. I know very little about the Tour de France (basically, I know Lance Armstrong’s name), so I had no idea what to expect, but this is what it was like. We walked along the very festive Champs Elysées. Banners were out, streets were blocked off, the weather was ideal, everyone was in a good mood. And everybody was waiting. We bought a hat. About an hour before the racers made their appearance there was a parade of sorts that came through and got the crowd pumped up. Then more waiting, so we treated ourselves to ice cream cones. Then the first group of bikers appeared! It was a breathless few seconds (seconds!) and they were gone. Just like that. So crazy! I couldn’t believe how fast they went. And there were team cars following behind them going crazy fast as well. We stuck around for the next group of bikers, caught some fun pics and headed home. Such an experience! I’m so glad we got to see it. Are you a Tour de France fan? Did you have a favorite racer this year?

We spent Monday morning at the Tower of London. This was my first visit to the Tower and I really had no idea what it was before I actually got it line for tickets and started reading about it. It was right by our hotel and we had a gorgeous shot of both the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. In fact, I took these photos from our 2 hotel rooms. The views were amazing! …

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My goodness. We really packed it in during our little family trip to London. Here’s a list of what we fit in:

We rode around on a double-decker bus tour to get an overview of the city.

We took a ferry up the Thames from Big Ben to the London Tower.

The older kids saw Shakespeare’s Alls Well That Ends Well at the Globe Theatre.

We rode the London Eye.

We visited Big Ben.

We got familiar with the London Underground.

We saw the final Harry Potter movie on opening night at Leicester Square.

We took Afternoon Tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace.

We went shopping at Hamleys.

We swam at the hotel.

We saw the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

We met up with our brother-in-law (and Shakespeare Professor), Bruce Young.

We shopped at Liberty of London.

We saw the White Cliffs of Dover.

We toured the Tower of London.

And we walked through lots of rain! rain! rain!

P.S. — Note to self: next time, pack wellies.

Have you seen it yet? It really was a treat to see Harry Potter in London on opening night. The theater was enormous and absolutely packed. We arranged a babysitter for Oscar, Betty and June at the hotel, and took the 3 older kids, plus our niece Zella, who is staying with us for a couple of weeks, to the 8:15 showing. The crowd clapped and hooted throughout. And when Harry mentioned Kings Cross station, they cheered! Our assessment of the movie: we loved it. It felt like a fitting end to the series and made us want to read the books again asap. It has also left us a bit Potter obsessed. As soon as we got back to the hotel, we were looking up behind the scenes footage and re-watching the earlier movies. And since we’ve arrived home, it has been non-stop magical dueling, using paint brushes as wands. Alohomora! Stupefy! Expelliarmus! We had to make a rule yesterday that there were no spells allowed during dinner. : ) Are you into it? Are your kids old enough to be interested yet? What did you think of the movie?

image by Greg Williams I’m on the road! The whole family piled into the van this morning and we are driving to London. We have tickets to see Harry Potter 7 Part 2 tonight!!! Some might say this is a silly excuse for a roadtrip, but I can not believe how excited I am. Maude and I visited in March, but no one else in the family has ever been to England, not even Ben Blair. Ralph and Olive have been practicing English accents and Betty is sure we’ll get to meet Princess Kate. I’m hoping to sneak in a visit to the Liberty store. It’s a short trip — we’ll be driving back on Monday. But I’m absolutely giddy that we’re going. I’m such a Harry Potter fan, of both the books and the movies, and I can’t think of a better place than London to see the show. But I’m a little stunned that this is really the final installment. What? No more HP to look forward to? Sad. : ( The other day, I told Ben Blair that I secretly hope they’ll debut a Harry Potter Reboot trailer during the previews. A restart of the movie series with book 1, and a totally new cast of 11 year olds. Does that qualify me as the biggest nerd ever, or what? : ) P.S. — Maude and I stayed at the Grange St. Paul on our last visit, and we loved it. So for this visit, we booked rooms at the Grange City. The location looks fantastic! Where do you stay in London?

Happy Bastille Day! Wouldn’t it be fun to be in Paris to see the parades? Businesses here are completely closed for the day, but it’s a normal work day at the Blair house. Such a funny feeling. : ) We will be celebrating the holiday this evening with a big pack of fireworks. Vive La France! image here

On Tuesday, I made my second trip to the D-Day beaches, this time with Laura and her family. Our first trip was on the 4th of July — and it was a really amazing place to spend Independence Day. We started on Omaha Beach in the morning. Then, spent some of the afternoon at the nearby American Military Cemetery where over 10,000 soldiers are buried. The grounds at the cemetery are immaculate and beautiful. There is an excellent visitor center and it will prepare you a little bit for the humbling sight of all those graves. Part of the memorial at the cemetery includes huge maps, beautifully made of colored tile, showing where the war movement centered in Normandy, and we were surprised to find out our town of Argentan played a part in the action. Because it was the 4th of July, there also happened to be a choir at the cemetery — wearing red, white & blue, of course — and singing American patriotic songs. What a treat! As you can imagine, it was pretty much impossible to keep the tears at bay. The cemetery and memorial overlook the water and it’s such a sacred feeling to walk among the graves, feel the ocean breeze and see the shore where all those boys gave their lives.

First, can I just say I loved coming up with this list and really thinking about the books that my children love the most — I kept having endearing flashbacks to cozy reading sessions and quiet bedtime routines. Second, coming up with this list was such a challenge! There is an incredible amount of excellent work out there. Narrowing it down to fifty was tougher than I expected. Most of all, I’m over-the-moon about the reaction to the Children’s Library Giveaway. Yay for books! A few notes: As I compiled, I realized I want to make a few different lists — favorite toddler books, favorite chapter books, favorite holiday books… But for this list, I’m focusing on picture books. I had in mind children ages 3 to 10 — though some books skew younger than 7 and some skew older than 6. I also included a few books that would fall under the toddler book category, but that are loved by most everyone of any age. There are a couple of well-illustrated chapter books too — selections that even my young children enjoy. The other thing I tried to do as I compiled the list, was to include as many authors and illustrators as possible. For example, there are at least 6 Dr. Seuss books I would consider essential to a children’s library, but I only included one here. Lastly, I made sure to include a Fairy Tales collection, Mother Goose collection and Fables collection — it wouldn’t be a decent library without them. I’d love(!) to hear how your list might look different. Any picture books that would make your top 50 that didn’t make mine? P.S. — Image by Brooke of Inchmark. She writes wonderful library book reviews. …

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Sometimes we daydream about buying a house here. We imagine renting it out as a vacation home, and maybe living in it for part of each year. Sharon recently told us about this property: It has 5 bedrooms & 4 bathrooms, sits on 2 acres and has outbuildings. It’s priced at about $300,000. Are you tempted? The idea of owning and renovating a house in a foreign country sounds amazing and terrifying at the same time. What’s your take? Would you ever look at property in another country? If you’re curious, we like this site for searching. P.S. — Speaking of real estate, our House Hunters International episode re-airs tonight. See schedule here. Or you can find it on YouTube.