Le Beau Chapeau

Balance

Yoga Practice With Eva

Les Petites Mains

Silhouette

We went to the Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival on Saturday. We didn't find any paintings that we liked and could afford but we did find Leslie Stone from California and she did this for us.
It is amazing how fast she drew Eva's profile while she sat on Mommy's lap and Daddy held a book for her to read. She really captured her expression, her long eyelashes, and those two little curls.

Reading With Grandma

La Brioche

On a eu un petit probleme de levure...alors, on l'a mangee comme un petit pain. 

Victor Gilbert (1847-1933) - The Brioche

The next one will look exactly like that. Hopefully.

This is Eva, your best friend...

This is my monkey clock

This is my microphone

Those are my sneakers

And this is me, Eva.

Eva's First Poem

Papy, Grandma, Mimi, Eva,

Papy, Mimi and you

Mamy and Daddy and Grandma too.

Play with me.

Eva is playing with Mommy. 

I love you. Thank you.

Eva is your best friend.

Tonton, Tata, and Marcel. Thank you. I love you Tonton, and Tata.

Eva

Spelling Game

Finding her way to the door with the help of Swiper the Fox and Minnie.

Un peu de gymnastique

Dr Eva

Merci pour les cadeaux Tonton et Tata ! 

Boeuf en Daube

We're making it in a slow cooker, This is what it looks like to start...

That was the best beef stew EVER... Barry added some Cointreau, orange juice and orange zest 2 hours before it was done. I am going to call it our Orange beef stew or The Christmas Boeuf Bourguignon. 

Après Noël

Off to Grandma's to bring her some food.

Les Oranges

Nous sommes alles chez Michelle pour ramasser ces belles oranges et pamplemousses. On a besoin de Vitamine C! 

Christmas Dinner

We roasted a duck with some vegetables for Christmas dinner and Cécile made a Gâteau á l'orange. Also today, Barry successfully poached eggs for the first time. Thank you, Julia Child (Guess what Barry got for his anniversary present this year).

Our technique for Crispy Roast Duck

1. Slit skin (not flesh) and rub duck with salt and various spices and aromatics inside and  out. Let sit in refrigerator for at least 1 day.

2. Add additional aromatics (thyme, orange slices, garlic cloves) to cavity.

3. Add about .5 to .75 inches of water and a cup of vermouth to bottom of roasting pan. Place duck breast side up on rack and cover with foil. Bring liquid to boil, turn down to a simmer and steam duck for half an hour.

4. Remove liquid to sauce pan, flip duck breast side down and roast at 450F for 30 minutes. Then turn oven down to 350F and roast for another half hour.

5. Meanwhile, add orange juice, salt, pepper, and sugar to liquid in sauce pan and reduce to thicken.

6. Flip the bird breast side up and roast an additional hour (or more). You want the legs to feel loose and the temperature of the thigh meat to be higher than 170F.

7. When the duck is pretty much ready, brush the skin with the reduced concoction you created and place the duck back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Christmas Morning

Madeleine At The Park

Joyeux Noel

This is Luna. She loves to wear Monique's Toile de Jouy dress.

Trimming The Trees and Bushes

What a Good Day!

We made some clementine "Jack-O-Lanterns" with cloves.

It smells so good!

And learn how to make Coconut Snowballs.

What a good day!