I love Paris in the Fall

I heart Paris.

It's just that simple.

I was able to spend a week in the city and it was absolute perfection.

70 degress the entire time, hanging with my parents, strolling through the city streets, eating crepes whenever I wanted and laughing my head off with some of my favorite DC friends.

Oh it was wonderful.

Me, KA and MJ inside the Eiffel Tower, where we enjoyed an amazing lunch with my parents.
Mom and I atop the Eiffel Tower.

Blowing away on top of the Eiffel Tower.

Aren't my parents adorable?! Oh how I love them

Me and my Daddy.

We spent the whole first day in Paris with the Eiffel Tower. From every angle. It was awesome.

Just taking it all in.

Hall of Mirrors. Versailles.

Golf Cart through the Versailles Gardens. An absolute MUST.

Marie Antoinette's Chateau.

Little Garden off of Marie Atoinette's Chateau.

Versailles (I just love Versailles!!)

McDonalds. I don't care what you think.

I love it!

Front Row seats to the Mona Lisa. Turns out, all you gotta do is tear your ACL, get a wheelchair and your VIP baby.

I was laughing so dang hard when they wheeled her over....hahahaha.

Just taking a stretch break in the Louvre.

Don't know about you, but I get super tight after walking a few miles.

Aww...sunset outside the Louvre.

Merry and Bright.

Love this picture.

Sunset in Paris. Gorgeous.

Notre Dame.

Enjoying some down time by the Seine River.

These next few photos just crack me up... KA had my camera and was able to capture the slow motion destruction of my crepe and apparently proving that I am 5 years old and incapable of eating properly. Hahahaha.

It begins to fall...

Attempting another bite...

And I'm done and covered in chocolate.

Out of control.

Oh she is just too beautiful for words.

Standing on top of the Arc de Triumphe.

Yearning from afar.

One of my favorite photos from the Normandy Museum at Caen. These are French Women liberated when the American and Allied Troops arrived.

So real. You can just see the joy on their faces.

Another photo, this one from the actual D-Day landing.

Incredibly humbling.

WWII/D-day Museum at Caen (Normandy).

It was the greatest museum... I could have spent a whole day in there alone.

The only thing I really wanted to do this trip, was Normandy. So we signed up for the Full Day Tour with a guide. It was the best money I spent all week. We hit the museum and the Beaches and the American Cemetery. It was such a powerful day. This is a picture of us at Gold Beach (I think).

Looking down at one of the beaches the Allies stormed on D-day.

Another beach shot.

MJ singing and bonding with our Tour Guide.

Outside the American Cemetery at Normandy.

Rossi, our other Tour Guide and our personal Fave. She knew everything and was such a sweetheart. I love French people :)

June 6, 1944.

D-Day.

Standing there with the rows and rows of White Crosses was a very reverent experience.

Reminded me of Gettysburg.

Hallowed Ground.

We are so indebted to those who have fought and who continue to fight for the cause of Freedom.

Gratitude.

Omaha Beach.

I love this girl. We had so much fun together.

Attempting to jump and not quite capturing it... haha.

Our very last stop on the tour, it decided to down pour. It was Pont du Hac (?). It was where the Rangers crawled up the cliffs and fought it out with the Germans for 2 days.

Incredible.

Mom and I at Angelina's with the girls. The desserts at this place were INCREDIBLE. Seriously, rock your world, good.

Another Sunset...our last one in the city. Beautiful as always.

Our last night we walked along the river from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower. It was the best way to say farewell to the City of Love.

Oh, Paris, I already miss you.

Long Lost Summer

Where has summer gone?!

Seriously, my heart is breaking.

Yes, it is nice not to be sweating to death, but I also know that Fall is just a nice little way to ease us into the misery of Winter.

Oh well... it was another great summer and since I sorta slacked on the blogging (at least since June), here's the highlights:

My friend Deana is a wiz at the grill.

She loves it and I love her. We make a good pair.

Anytime I was in town, we'd get together and she'd grill me up something delish. A new summer tradition has officially been born.

Yes, I can still cook! Or bake. Whatever.

It's a super easy recipe I put together to try and impress these friends, yeah see her blog, I mean I knew I had to up the ante. But its really super easy and delish. Check it out.
Oh my babies. How I adore them.
They were here in Virginia and because I love them so, I had to go and have a play date.

They are just too stinking cute.

Kat and I at the MINI Cross.

It was a rally for MINI Coopers.

Kat has a MINI and she loves it. So we had to go and rally with other MINI lovers.

It was awesome!

MINIs!!

Finally.

My moment has arrived.

I was Guest of the Day at The Hampton Inns.

Yes, this is my sad little life. Hahaha.

Heaven.

Who knew it was in Madisonville, KY?!

If it weren't for that silly 3oz rule, I'd have carried the whole crate on.

My little Ham. Another wonderful weekend in FL with the family.

Love it.

The reason for the trip...

Our Baby Clyde (yes we do still call him that) turned 1!!!

And yes his Aunt Mimi bought him that adorable little onesie :)

I. Could. Eat. Those. Cheeks.

Girls Dates. Oh how I love them!

Tried a new Vietnamese place.

Delicious!

My one true love (forgive me DDP).

Cafe Rio. Cedar City.

Had a work trip in Southern Utah and spend the weekend with Grandma and the family in Parowan. It was perfect.

Sharing my love with my Cousins.

They are now addicts too :)

My incredible Grandma.

Utah Sky.

You really do impress me sometimes.

This is what friendship looks like.

Couldn't make the trip up North so my BFFs met me halfway (somewhere in Beaver) and we just hungout on the side of I-15.

It was hilarious and perfect.

Michelle, Tiffany and me.

So blessed.

Blurry shot but hey, its the 4th of July in DC!

Melissa came up for the 4th and we had the best weekend.

Seriously it was an absolute blast.

Waiting for the Concert on the Capital Lawn.

Go Reba!

Sneaking up on Abe.

Sisters.

Just leaning on the Washington :)

The Jersey Shore.

Made my first (and possibly last) trip to Atlantic City.

Held a Workshop there for work.

Still better than Vegas, at least we had the ocean.

My co-worker ET gearing up for the drive to Atlantic City.

It was a fun little Road Trip.

(This actually took place in June, so the pictures start with the most recent and go backwards)

So that was my summer up until Labor Day, which considering I hit up Paris again, will have to be its own post :)

Life is good.