paris, part deux.

on the thursday that we were in paris, my favorite british family came to see us via the eurostar. as paul and i trekked our way across the city to get the the gare du nord station, i felt nervous (and a little sick from too much wine, but that was just a typical morning in france for me, and really neither here nor there). i hadn't seen them since paul and i got married, nearly three years ago, and i wanted to make sure we showed them a good time in paris. i was happily prepared for long lines at the louvre or overcoming my acrophobia (as well as my fear of overpriced-elevator-rides) at the eiffel tower.

and then they got there. and i was instantly reminded how easy-going and just easy they are. not to mention charming and wonderful. seriously, i feel sorry for you that they're not in your family.

turns out, they're the paul-and-ashley brand of tourists. and so we walked. the day we spent with my family turned out to be one of our most productive days in paris. we started at le sacre-coeur...

 ...it is so beautiful sitting on that hill that you actually want to climb up to it. despite your out-of-shape legs. and your wine hangover (here nor there). so we dodged all the crazy people trying to sell us wooden trains and bits of string (there's more business being done on the steps of the sacre-couer than in the tiny kansas town we live in) and somehow made it to stand below and walk within this mammoth thing. (as a side note, my trip to paris really reignited my catholic pride. we have some problems (the whole creepy priest thing is an issue) but we know how to do churches, y'all.)

after all that exercise, we desperately need some empty calories that only a crepe filled with nutella could provide. yum. we then crossed the city by foot and metro to conduct some good ol' fashioned family photoshoots, complete with "cheese!"s and accosting strangers with the camera and a smiley "do you mind?" no shame, folks.

then it was off to invalides, a military hospital turned museum. the nerd of the family (hey, andrew!) wanted to tour the whole thing (even though he'd been through it before!) but the rest of us dummies really just wanted to see napoleon's tomb and skip the whole coats of armor thing. and we weren't afraid to admit it. so we paid admission, saw old bonaparte, and sat in the cafeteria waiting for the more cultured members of our group to finish their tour.

we walked some more. ate a classic parisian lunch (nothing screams bon appetit! like cheeseburgers, am i right?). walked some more (right by the louvre and to the champ-elysees). and then settled in for what the stimpsons do best: imbibe. in a sweet, small cafe where we could really catch up.

all too soon, it was time for goodbyes. but not before some train stations photos, ordered by yours truly!

uncle phil and aunt shirley.

(two of the best) cousins andy and jim. 

i'm not sure i've ever been more tired. or slept harder. we let ourselves sleep until 10 on friday morning. i woke up in a panic that i had missed the hotel breakfast (read: coffee) so i jumped straight out of bed...and fell right back into it. my legs said "no mas." (that's spanish for however you say "no more" in french.)

the last few days in paris were a blur. between the time-change sleeplessness and the walking (did i mention the walking?), we were exausted. we focused a lot on food at the end, eating five or six meals a day just to try everything once. we spent some time apart, so that i could browse the shops and paul could saunter the city with his ipod.

and then we came back to kansas. two weeks later, we're still waiting for consistent warm weather and getting through the second half of paul's semester. lots of things are happening and changing and one day soon, i will write about them.

right now, it's gray outside and snowing a little, i'm digging a teen-mom marathon (no, jenelle, no!) and throwing back some chocolate cookies. gus is farting and the cats are giving him dirty looks.

we're certainly not in paris anymore.