first eight weeks in France

Dear friends and family,

Our sabbatical year in France is the perfect excuse to resurrect this blog! It took us a while to get settled, but now I'm ready to provide a steady stream of pictures and occasional commentary. I plan to post new content once or twice a week, maybe more. We've been here exactly eight weeks, and it's been wonderful so far. We miss everyone in the U.S. and hope you are doing well!

Daniel (on behalf of the four of us)

Haven't forgotten about our home state!

Ella is fascinated with the skate park.

We had a nice picture of the girls in this exact spot two years ago (in Cassis).

The sea is already cold at this time of year, but Ella answered my dare to jump in.

Lambesc has a surprisingly nice sports and activities center.

Birthday party at a farm house means you get to pet a chicken.

Playing chaises musicales at the party

Not clear why Ella enjoys this game so much

Interesting art exhibit on site at Chateau des Baux.

The French know how to do dessert (and every other course).

Where all the stars go for their hair (not really)

Gordes, one of the hilltop villages of the Luberon

I had a quick work trip to London and stayed right next to the Tower of London!

The girls have enjoyed the pony riding club in town.

There are beautiful clay courts near Aix,
but I decided to stick with the much more conveniently located hard courts in Lambesc (sigh).

First grade initiation ceremony for Ella and classmates (elementary starts with first)

First day of school

Schoolmates during a work day to prepare the school grounds

Farm fields near our rental house

In the mountains with Oma Helene and Opa Robert

Ella has progressed as a hiker from completely unwilling to sporadically enthusiastic

The former family chalet in Vallouise built by Oma's father...now a center for nordic skiers

Lac-de-Ste-Croix

The green guy's name is Silly Monster, in case you are wondering

Entering the Gorges du Verdon

Abbaye du Thoronet

Played with a 10 year old future star (ranked #5 in France for his age, according to his dad!)

Rosalind and Alice (from Brighton, England) on the St.Raphael-St. Tropez ferry

The restaurant host in St. Raphael gave Ella the royal treatment

Antibes

Roman ruins in Frejus

Plage Tiki near St. Raphael

Waiting for hotel shuttle in Nice after nearly 24 hour trip (Orlando->Oslo->Nice)

With the Baileys in St. Augustine, FL (family trip before departure to France)

Cousins getting silly together

Backyard at the cousins' new house in Ocala

Leaving Ann Arbor for a year...excited but already missing everyone!