New York, New York...

What a beautiful city!!! I am happy that I wasn't on my own to tour around...it is HUGE!!!

I can't believe I have now lived in Montréal a year and hadn't gone yet: it is so close!

I made it!

Just a few hours away... who would have thought??? Here are some of the pictures I took : you will see Cabrini Boulevard ( where David's family lives) , the view from his rooftop at sunset, and the George Washington bridge... I wasn't sure how close I was to the city, so I was really excited to get on the bridge because that meant finally getting out of the car!!!

I love to drive!

Decided to have an adventure and drove To New York City to visit my friend David Jones...my last chance get a guided tour from my friend befote he moves West...
Now I know what my wheel has to look at when I drive!
(gluon du volant...qu'en pensez-vous?)

cutest baby ever!

This is Estelle Amanda Couture ( and her mom Rebecca)...isn't she CUTE??? Estelle is now 8 months old and she just started smiling on time for the pictures we take!!! She is starting to walk and boys will be calling her number in no time at all!!!
I love being an aunt!

the adventure of having a car

What a beautiful city I live in!!!
I was very excited to come home...and remained clueless as to how dreadful all this snow really was!!! My car was parked in the alley and I had to dig not only the snow-ploughed mountain....

...but also the 41 meters to get from my car to it!!! My friend Danny Ignacio came by to help me---This was the length of 5 houses, and it took me 45 minutes to dig past the first one...

I was so exhausted that I went to bed VERY early last night and slept soundly the whole night!

(had to put my bag and hat down to give an idea of the height we dug through!)

The moral to this episode?1- real friends come through even when the help you need isn't fun, 2- I seriously need to work out more often...I am so sore today!3- I have lived one whole year in Montréal...and I am still clueless

Merry Christmas!

Their names are Tahia, Helena, Mananina and Tahoni...the Tahitian YSA who served our family so kindly for the wedding...It was so nive to be with family- because that is how it feels to me with Tahitian people! As they were leaving, we were blessed with 2 sisters and the missionary couple in the Mission office, the Hills. We also had the ZL's over for dinner--sorry no pics of the regular missionaries... A great time and too much food was had by one and all!!!


who ever thinks we look our best first thing in the morning is...CRAZY-- just take a look at us!!!!
Of couse, the fact that it's 7 am and we've only had a very short night just might have something to do with our looks...

Mom, you look great...HOW DO YOU DO IT?

So the food wasn't our traditional...but we did get a puzzle (and for once, one that didn't take up the living room for months...Tiare and Mithona completed it that same night, they are amazing!)

Christmas preparations

I think we had the easy part : preparing food is nothing compared to coordinating gifts, stockings, guests...not to mention all the "real adult stuff" we are spared by being the children in this home... Thanks for the holiday Mom and Dad!

I was in charge of our "Tahitian salad"...or "poisson cru"... see me make coconut milk: 1st you have to break the coconut in half and then grate it (I am sitting on the grater and collecting the shreds in bowl between my legs) ; then you have to "milk" the shreds...

oh and somehow, I talked about having apple pie--- guess I got myself in trouble all on my own...I shouldn't have told Mom the apples were going bad! (anything for you, Mom!)

I have spent so much time in this kitchen!!! Thanks Mithona for teaching us how to make srping rolls and convincing us to have some "Pas Bon"...that is for sure a dish that will be in my recipe book---when I grow up and write one!

You know, I love Mom's kitchen... no matter which house she has lived in. True, it is perhaps the only well heated place in a French home...but it is also a place we all come together and learn from each other...
I learned that Mithona and Tiare work well together-- not doubt they will be able to sort out their life...Emilie, thanks for just doing the dishes!!!

Wonder what I was up to by myself at home after I you guys off to Montréal, China and the Temple? Here it is!the very boring truth : I cleaned and then went out in outrageous outfits to get stuck in muddy fields on my bike! ( Yeah, I was pretty excited when you all got back!)

Thank you Rebecca and Yohann for making all those sacrifices to bring your adorable kids to France for us to enjoy!! I hope they enjoyed us as much as we did them and that they are not too spoiled rotten now that they have spent time with us!

 

Stinky cheese, wine (none for me), architecture, history...small cars, silly road signs and CRAZY drivers-- What I still like best about "le nombril du monde" are good friends, family and the memories that have tied my heart to them! 

My favorite part about being home is just little things we do: dinner, walks, outings...and learning weird things from each other: that our mouths all twist in the same direction---except for Tiare's! 

wedding get together

Being with Mithona and Tiare's family really helped me realize why these 2 are so GRRREAT! 

December 17th, 2005!

What a cute couple you make! Thank you Tiare and Mithona for giving us this opportunity to gather and share the joy you feel being married! I am so grateful I got to come home and visit! I feel privileged to now have such an amazing brother-in-law...I am sure great things await you both! 

Sarah's Blog

wow... The hardest thing in me having a blog is really remembering my username and password! gotta write this down before I forget!