Happy Halloween!

Since we were in Greece for Halloween, I didn't pack costumes....but found these shirts and brought the masks I made with Grace's class during her Halloween party at school.  Halloween isn't really celebrated in Europe (except maybe in England) like it is in the US.  The girls will be in for a huge surprise when they get to do a real trick-or-treat in the US!

AWCB Trunk or Treat 2014

We still try to expose the girls to American traditions while living in Belgium....Halloween isn't really celebrated here.  The longer we live here, the more we see, but there is no door to door trick or treating or big celebrations at school.  Thankfully, the American Women's Club does a good job at hosting a Trunk or Treat.  You gather in the parking lot, decorate your trunk, and the kids go from car to car trick or treating.  Then we all do a potluck dinner....and voila!  You've celebrated Halloween.  Although this year, it was about two weeks early because of the timing of fall break.

 Doc McStuffins

 Sophia the First

 Our trunk

Making the rounds

Villers La Ville Abbey

After church, I wanted to take pictures of the girls at the Abbaye de Villers with their famed red ivy.  The red ivy was a complete bust.  Almost non-existent. But this is one of my favorite places in Belgium....

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes....in French!

And her accent is amazing!  I can't pronounce ears...les oreilles.  I have trouble with all words starting with vowels.

She is taking 30 minutes a day of French, and comes home every day saying or singing something new or different in French.  LOVE IT!  Wish it had started 3 years ago.....but oh well!

Giverny, France

Our last stop on our long weekend in France is Monet's Garden in Giverny. 

It was really beautiful.  I imagine it's even more beautiful in late spring.  Luckily, we got there before the hordes of bus tours arrived.  And it was definitely one of those places you could spend as little or as much time as you wanted.  I definitely WANTED to get better pictures of two little girls, but it just wasn't really happening.  They get tired of the camera.  I guess I can't blame them.

For more pictures, check out my album: Monet's Garden

Chartres, France

Next we visited the town of Chartres, France to see Chartres Cathedral. 

Chartres Cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The current cathedral, mostly constructed between 1194 and 1250, is the last of at least five which have occupied the site.

We attended a guided tour within the Cathedral, hosted by a British man who has lived in Chartres for years, and has basically devoted his life to educating people on the church.  It was interesting, but hard to keep the little ones interest....as you can imagine. 

The town itself also turned out to be amazing.  So quaint.  

A river running through...

Timbered buildings....

Just a beautiful place to visit.  For more pictures from our day in Chartres, here is a link:  Chartres

Next up....Monet's Garden.....

Versaille - Day Two

On our second day at Versailles, we did the Gardens and other Chateaus on the grounds.  We walked over 9 miles!!!  They gave the girls a kids activity book and map, and we followed along that tour for some of the things.

There were a lot of hidden gardens and fountains, and at certain times of the day, they choreographed the fountains within the secret gardens to music.

It was one of those unpredictable weather days that is so much the norm in this part of Europe....

Marie Antoinette's Hamlet....an area on the grounds she built to replicate her native country.

Look at how BIG Versailles is, and how far away it is....and this all still the grounds of the Chateau.

So yes....after all that walking, ice cream was very much in order!

Here is a link to all of our Versailles pictures: Versailles
Up next....Chartres, France.

Versailles - Day One

We broke our visit up to Versaille into two days.  On the first day, we stuck to the Chateau and only the periphery of the gardens.

The Chaeau from afar...

The Golden Gate

For size, my tiny girls in front of the ginormous golden gate.

The only one willing to pose

The Hall of Mirrors

Appeased with the audio guide.  Versaille Palace, fail.  They do not have a children's audio guide.  Not cool.  And therefore why Matt and I heard NOTHING.

Happy in the Hall of Mirrors.  I told them that they will learn about this place in a history class in about 10-12 years and have pictures to prove they were there!  Super cool.

The Family.

And again.

On the edge of the gardens....with an imposter St. Louis arch.

And this is what we will concour tomorrow....  all 9 miles, 2 additional palaces, and a hamlet of it.