Tout es Bon

As the weeks wind down towards the end of our time in Toulouse, we are trying to soak it all in. Spring, le pritemp, is certainly here in full force with weather in the 60's and 70's, full blooms and leaves on trees, and more daylight. Here are some city pics as of late - Toulouse in the spring!

Spotted on my walk to Picard

Finn found his brain plant from NZ in France

Can't get enough of these purple Wisteria plants

They're everywhere and grow off wooden vines

Walking around our hood and taking it all in.

Cats always popping up in the city 

Looking out our front door

One question we keep asking ourselves is, "How can we bring what we've learned from this experience and lifestyle back to the US?" It's interesting, because we feel like we are living a very laid back, European lifestyle here, which we are. Yet, we have to remind ourselves that the kids aren't in a million activities here, going to school, nor do they have social activities to attend. Not to mention, I'm not working and Jay's schedule is about as laid back as it can get without his teaching and other faculty responsibilities confining his time. 

Interestingly, Jay was talking with his coworker at Supaero who lives here and has two elementary aged children. She was complaining to Jay about the stress of juggling all the things and talking about how booked they always are. Jay says it's no different from what we experience in Colorado...so again the question is, how to make life slow down when we get back home. Is it even possible? Anything is possible, right? 

Jay still works full days, and in fact, even works later here until 7 or 7:30pm, but he's working from home, for at least half the day, and we interact with him since we're around, too. This makes it feel like he's less busy since we get to actually see him more often.

Finn has become Jay's private barista and delivers him an espresso each afternoon around 4:00pm while he's on his meetings. Last week, Finn started slipping Jay a handwritten bill on a napkin, with a family discount included, bien sur! 

1 coffee caffeine 4:45 / 1 Coffee decaf 5:30 - Finn's Coffee Service 

Usual cost 5 Euros / Family discount 2 Euros

Midweek drinks at Place St. George with Mattia and Carla. Mattia was in town for meetings with Jay. 

Jay and Mattia

Mattia and Carla 

Maggie and Finn met some other kids who were here on Holiday from Ireland. They were having so much playing - it was awesome! Jay and I ended up getting a bottle of wine and sitting on the plaza while they played until 11:30pm. I'm always surprised at how the city is still buzzing at midnight; everything feels so alive! 

I ended up taking the kids back to a park on Sunday to meet up with the Irish kids, Elise (12) and Ryan (9). Their mom, Joanna, and I ended up sitting at a cafe and having a coffee. It was fun to chat about their life in Irleand (they live outside of Dublin). We talked about everything from kids having phones, the school system, dogs, and politics. Their current immigration debate is over how many refugees to let in from Ukraine. It's so interesting to compare other cultures and lifestyles - it's all the same, same but different. 

Place St. George - 11:30pm on a Wednesday 

The Irish friends

They didn't want to leave each other! 

Can every restaurant and cafe be on a square with playground - c'est magnifique

The kids and I checked out Carmes, a covered market, in town. We spent the rest of our afternoon at the Japanese garden and park. The guy at one of the produce stalls was super friendly. He kept giving us samples of the fruit; he said you should always taste the fruit before you buy it. We got some juicy mangos, crisp apples, and delicious tangerines from Espagna! 

Tiny artichokes - so mignon (cute)! 

Inside the marche

So much to choose from

Great day to be walking the city

Finally t-shirt and skirt weather! 

Date night Thursday at Une Table a Deux. This was a bib gourmand so we were excited for it, but actually it was one of our least favorite places we ate. The food was still good and very pretty, it just wasn't as mind blowing as some of the other restaurants we've experienced. 

My entree-fish

Jay's entree-duck

The dessert-The best part! 

Still haven't met a bottle of wine we don't like 

Family French lunch Friday! We went back to one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Le Jour de Marche

Jay's mussels were to die for and I had yummy, fresh asparagus with whipped yogurt 

The "enfants" meal - steak and pomme de terre $12 euors 

The main course - Cod with amazing sauce that almost tasted like a deviled egg

Banoffee!!!

Chocolate gateau and creme brulee

The rose 

Day trip to Carcassonne - a walled city about an hour away by train from Toulouse. Carcassonne was a bigger city than I expected! The main town is relatively good size with shops and cafes, etc. Then, you walk, through the town and across the river, into the walled city where the castle is. There are even more shops and restaurants inside the walled city. It was fun to explore inside and we found a traditional French restaurant for lunch. Jay finally got to order cassoulete! 

Lunch time! 

Le Salad

Pork ribs with honey, grilled veggies, and potatoes au gratin

Jay's bubbling hot cassoulete

Finally!!

Yet, another creme brulee...

...and another banoffee

A slippery fromage plate for dessert 

 

More post lunch exploring around the castle and inside the cathedral 

The castle 

I played too much Fortnite

I shopped too much in France and can't pay my debts

Why am I here? 

Carrying daddy after he ate too much cassoulette

Wearing their new layers from Monoprix - was a little cooler than we had expected

More church pics 

Looking down on the town from inside the walled city

Shops inside the walled city

Finn, we're not on a pirate ship

And that's a wrap on the past week - on to our next adventure - PARIS! 

Maggie and I are currently on the train to Paris to meet Jodee and Avery...followed Annie, Gigi, and Nancy....followed by Mama and Papa. LET THE NEXT ADVENTURE BEGIN!