Lets travel - part two: Paris, days one and two

We left Amsterdam Wednesday morning and arrived in Paris around 1:00.

After Jims failed attempt at skipping the taxi line, a 45 minute walk with luggage and carry-on, and a series of count to ten moments, we arrived at our apartment. Jim, the great researcher found a good deal on an apartment that was close to the action, the metro, and cost less than a hotel. The apartment experience was just ok. It wasn't awful, but we wouldn't do it again.

There are just little things that I missed from a hotel. New, fresh towels everyday, knowing if something goes wrong you call the front desk and right away it's fixed. Also, we were traveling for two weeks and thought it would be nice to be able to pack a little lighter since the apartment had a washer and dryer. Here's the catch...dryer, means drying rack. Yeah, that makes a difference. Like I said, it wasn't horrible, but a definite learning experience.

After settling in, we found some lunch (croque madame was delightful) and made our way to the Eiffel Tower. It was my first experience in Paris and I was so excited to see it all.

After the trip to Eiffel Tower, along with some walking and sightseeing, we made our way to dinner. In case you didn't know, I am a foodie (I could go on and on). A lot of our time in Paris was focused on food. I had lists of places to eat. Most people search hotels and attractions. I search for food experiences.
Night one was fallafel. If you think I am kidding, check here (where there are actually several posts on the place) or here. The line was long, but moved fairly quickly and was well worth the wait. Be prepared when you get up to the counter. They are very friendly, but not exactly patient.
I didn't get a picture of the fallafel and that is probably a good thing, because I am hungry just thinking about it, so a picture would be torture.

Thursday started with warm croissants (chocolate filled) and coffee. Then it was off to Fat Tire Bike Tours for a day bike tour. Jim and I are not exactly museum people. It just doesn't do it for us. The bike tours were perfect for us. You got to see the big sites (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Ecole Militaire, etc.), and learn fun facts about them, but you skip the lines and the actual museum. Even if museums are your thing, I would highly recommend the tour on one of your first days in Paris. You learn a lot, get great tips, and it can help to decide what you want to see later in your trip. Like this tip...If you spent 60 seconds looking at each and every item in the Louvre twenty four hours a day, seven days a week it would take you 9 1/2 months to see it all. Yeah, they pack a lot in that place.

We ended the day with a stop to visit my two favorite men, Pierre Herme and Pierre Marcollini, followed by a visit to Notre Dame, and a delightful dinner.

Have you ever had a macaron? In France? O-M-G! For the record, I am not talking coconut macaroon. I am talking delicious, amazing, flaky then soft and slightly chewy goodness.

Notre Dame took my breath away. I had to just stop and stare. We stepped in, grabbed a mass schedule and walked around adoring the history and embracing its beauty.

We packed quite a bit into our first day and a half.

Here are few more pictures (not sure why some are so small). Enjoy


I was totally THAT tourist. And I loved it!

My amazing husband (for seven years now)

Lets start biking!
Luxor obelisk

Notre Dame
Stained glass at Notre Dame
The Louvre (its huge)My favorite picture of the Eiffel.

We love taking our own pictures!


Up next: Paris, days three and four.

Still balancing, oh and I need some encouragement

Remember this post? You know, where I told you that Jim balances me? Well, we balance each other.
And Friday as we completed the second week of our eight week running program I was reminded why. The running program that I hate (and I won't even apologize for using that word), that I feel like a loser doing, and that I really really want to give up on. Until, as I was "cooling down" in the 6:15am heat and lovely Florida humidity, Jim said to me "Hey, its ok if you're not perfect at it, at least we are exercising, and I need you to get me up and motivated to keep going." And there is the balance. I have to tip the scales back sometimes as well.

Maybe I should back up.

You may know, and if not, are about to find out that two years ago we moved to southeast Florida from Northern Ohio. It was a big change in many ways. Many are amazingly positive, some are negative. One that is neither great or awful is the physical differences. It's hard to explain, but a friend said it best once when he said "In Ohio I am a bit out of shape, in Florida I am morbidly obese!" It's a bit of wake up. It's not just the stereotypical changes. I am not talking about the clothes, cosmetic surgery, or the cars. Sure, its a difference, but I don't care about those things. I haven't changed the way I dress (Jessica would still probably put money on me being the first to where a sweater with snowman buttons to a PTA meeting), the things I value, etc.

So let's just put it out there, sometimes it's hard to feel like you are in a sea of fit people and not be there yourself. I have often said that my weight didn't matter, but being fit did. The numbers on the scale don't mean as much to me as knowing that I am in shape. And the thing is, I could use some work.

We have taken great strides in eating better, but neither of us were really exercising. A few weeks ago Jim told me we should start exercising together. I, in a moment I will forever look back on with great regret, said "Why don't we start a running program?" And like that, it was done.

We found a program called "From the Couch to the 5K". Over the course of eight weeks, through interval training, you work your way through the program and are at the end, able to run a 5k. There are no promises for speed in the 5K, just the ability to endure and run the distance. Pretty simple right? Well, I would have thought so too. Then there was me on Friday, sweating and trying to breathe at 6:15 in the morning (and btw it's like 70 and humid at that point already).

I wanted to quit, and Jim kept encouraging me. I kept thinking, six more weeks, just get through it. Then the moment happened. I realized that he needed me for this. To get him up 45 minutes earlier than normal, to make him do this, to help us both. CRAP! It's my turn. I can't keep whining, and hoping we can quit. I have to make this happen, I have to be the balance. Did I already say CRAP!

How do you runners do it? Did you ever hate it? Is it bad that I have to remind myself to breathe? Am I loser because I struggle to run 90 seconds straight? How many Ibuprofen do you take before, during, and after each run? Are you suppose to lose 8 gallons of sweat during your run?

The truth is I want to enjoy this. I want to want to keep doing this after eight weeks. I do.

Do me a favor please. Send me comments and emails and tell me I am a loser if I can't do this. Tell me to push through this program or you will make fun of me. I need a kick in the pants.

Miss Independent

Mama Kats Writers Workshop
Other than the birth of a child or your wedding, write about a joyous moment.

This is our old house. Isn't it adorable. It is 100 years old. I loved that house. It was charming, it had character, and the turret going up the side just screamed "Buy me, I'm cute You need me". It also laughed in my face and heckled "You now have to cut about 10 more corners in order to paint the rooms I am part of. BA-HA-HA-HA!!!"
Jim and I walked into this house and just knew it was ours. Being that it was 100 years old, it came with some "quirks", but that was ok. We took care of our baby and enjoyed the time we had with it. When it was time sell her, we were embarking on a new adventure and we were ok leaving the house behind. It was during this time I had an amazingly joyous moment.

Jim and I have a fairly traditional marriage in my opinion. We both work full time, so household duties are pretty much a 50/50 split. The split is traditional in the sense that he thinks little elves put away his laundry and I have no clue when the oil in my car needs changed unless he tells me.
When the time came to sell our house, we both struggled with our "roles". Jim began spending the majority of his time in Florida in Jan 2007, and made the permanent move in March. I didn't move til May. Things needed to get done to sell our house during that time and he couldn't be in Ohio to take care of it all. We had plenty of people that would help, but once the ball started rolling we were under a huge time crunch. I had to step up. Jim felt bad, I was less than thrilled, but it didn't matter, things had to get done. Our normally traditional roles had to shift.
Nothing major needed done, but little things add up quick. One of the first things our realtor told us when he came in March (um still snowing in Ohio), was that we needed to paint the porch. Curb appeal is big he said, and even though its winter, you can still make a statement. We kind of panicked. The porch need painted, closets needed emptied, the worlds tiniest, weirdest shaped, impossible to get a ladder in bathroom need painted, etc. etc. It was winter so we had weather among other things stacked against us. The only weekend Jim could have done it before we listed it rained/sleeted/snowed. Finding a painter was ridiculous, and we were both freaking out over getting it all done.
One day after work I did what I do best. I made lists. Lots of lists. Then, I yelled at myself and reminded myself that I could do this. "You are a strong, smart woman. You are independent. Jim is always there for you and now it is time for you to step up and take care of things. He is living alone in a condo in Florida, starting a new position, and has a lot going on. Get it together, make a plan and make it happen." And I did.
I watched the weather for a nice day, took a vacation day, enlisted our friend Joe and painted the porch (and didn't tell Jim - I wanted to surprise him). Joe arrived at about 1 and I had been painting for hours. He stayed til dark and we finished up what would have been a two day project with the porch light on to help us that same day. I felt awesome, I felt strong, and it was truly a joyous moment.

I should note that the joyous event left me on high. Joe left, and I proceeded upstairs to paint the bathroom. I still curse that teeny tiny awkward bathroom. I was on a roll and stayed up all night cleaning closets, scrubbing floors and making chandeliers sparkle. So as joyous as it was, I didn't sleep at all that night and when I arrived at work at 7 the next morning one of just two guys in our pretty girly department, Nick said "Hey Carrie, how is everything going". I then proceeded to start crying because I still needed to paint the trim in one of the crazy turret rooms and I just wanted it all to be done with. I think I may have scared him. Poor Nick.

It was worth it though. Jim looked so happy when he came home you would have thought the Browns won the Super Bowl, The Indians won the World Series, and the Cavs won the NBA Finals all on the same day. We sold our house in less than one month and when I arrived in Florida in May, we didn't have the house to worry about and could concentrate the adventure ahead.


ps - did birth of A child, mean any child, or one of your own children? Cuz I was there when my niece Kara was born and it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. She is eight and I still tear up thinking about it. I am also still mad at her for saying Jim first. I witnessed your entrance into the world kara! That ought to count for something.

Balancing Act

This week one of ideas we were given for Writers Workshop was:
Describe your significant other's most attractive quality (on the inside).

I could truly go on about the amazing man I get to spend life with, but I will say that one of his most amazing qualities is that he truly keeps me balanced.
Jim is as laid back as the come, but:
When I am sad, he reminds of all I have to be happy about
When I am angry, he does just the right thing to make me laugh.
When I am hurt, he tries to ease the pain.
When I feel really bad for the little old man eating by himself at a restaurant, he gets it and rather than tease me he says "No worries, his wife is probably out shopping" or "His wife was probably watching reality TV and he wanted to get out of the house."
When I am really excited about something he shares the excitement (even if he doesn't find excitement in taking a quilting class)
When I laugh at my own jokes, he says "Hon, you're a riot"
When I struggled with the uncertainty of moving to Florida, he spent hours making lists with me while sipping coffee even though he just knew everything would fall into place.
When I am really missing my friends back in Ohio, he goes shopping and to girl movies with me.
When I don't want to make dinner (yes it happens), he just knows and says "Hey, how about we have cereal for dinner tonight, or order a pizza."

I am a worrier. I am emotional. I wear my heart on my sleeve and in the past I thought I needed to change it.
I took me years to accept and even embrace that part of me (and its still a work in progress), but Jim just did. I love him for that and so many other reasons

This just in....

My husband is too sweet....


Just to tell me that he knew I was missing Ohio this Christmas but that he was enjoying the time with me.
Flowers just to cheer me up! And only two days before Christmas! Either a last ditch effort to get on the nice list or just a really nice husband.

And here they are in front of the sink. Definitely makes washing dishes easier.