Tet and Valentine's Playdate

We had such a busy weekend!  Here's a recap:

Gracie got a haircut in preparation of this weekend's events.

Angled bob at Cartoon Cuts

 I bought red, red, lipstick at MAC...I'm trying to be less ho-hum and more La Dolce Vita!

It's Lunar New Year today, and yesterday my family had our traditional Vietnamese celebration.  Almost everyone gets dressed up in ao dai and we give speeches, wish each other prosperity and good health, and pass out lucky money to the little ones.  It was extra special because we had family from California and New Jersey come too!

My parents and their four grandkids

Me with some of my cousins.  I'm wearing my Vietnamese wedding gown and it really didn't fit anymore!

Remy, Sophie and Gracie getting lucky money from their great-grandmother--a precious tradition.

Bodhi and Sophie

Matthew, Bodhi, and Ethan

Sophie and her cousins

Afterwards, some of my cousins and I had a traditional American dinner at Red Robin!   You can take your gourmet burger joints.  I'll take Red Robin, any day.

Today, we invited two little girls from next door over and had a Valentine's Day playdate.  Any excuse for me to throw a party is a good one!

Waiting for their friends to arrive

Hamming it up.  Sophie is going from 5 to 15.

Crafts and snacks

It was a wonderful, super, awesome weekend.  I spent time with my favorite people (my family), and we had friends over.  I am one lucky girl!

Renovated Italian Farmhouse in Parma

Here's another modern-rustic farmhouse renovation that I like, from Parma, Italy.  The only thing I would change is the white floors and maybe limit the use of sheetrock on the interior walls, using stone instead.  The floors seem a bit impractical for a country home where mud and dirt would be tracked in regularly.  I like terra cotta tile there instead.  And I would prefer stone for the exterior/interior walls...some of these pictures look like they could've been taken in the suburbs of Washington, DC, not a farmhouse in Italy.  Gotta love those huge floor to ceiling windows though!

images via the style files

Le Marche Villa

Lately, I've been obsessed with renovated Italian farmhouses.  I especially appreciate the contrast of ancient stonework with modern interiors.  This villa, which is located in Italy's central Le Marche region, is one of my favorites.

images via yatzer

I can't believe I actually have readers!

Hello, friends!!  I have to apologize for posting so erratically...life gets in the way sometimes and I rarely find that I have the opportunity to take pictures and then sit down at the computer to post.  I'm alive and doing well these days--still trying new recipes and obsessing over various things, of course, but with no time to write about them.  I will try and blog more regularly in the future, but for right now, I'll share my past two months with you in photos:

Of course my family was in town over Christmas, and Sophie went ice skating for the first time.

Putting on ice skates was a novel thing for this first-timer.

Sophie and Ashley

Aimee taking Sophie around for many, many slow loops.

And we did have Christmas dinner with Darren's mom.

Sophie and her Oma (and Pocahantas)

I had a very nice meal with my sister and cousin Jenny (who came from California) at L'Auberge Chez Francois.  The meal was especially enjoyable because of the company.

 And more recently, here is a typical day at my house.  Dress up.  I feel so lucky that my girls have each other!  They play together and sometimes have the sweetest moments.  Have you ever seen Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings?  Tinkerbell finds her long lost sister and they discover that when they stand back to back and touch wings....ok, sorry, I digress...

Tinkerbell and Periwinkle (of Fairywinkle, as Sophs likes to call her)

We built one of those bookcase thingys for Grace's room too.  She's got more books than Sophie now!  I'm redecorating Grace's room in the next few months.  She's already sleeping in her big girl bed!

Hey.  We can't look glamorous ALL the time.

Oh, and I continue to strive to feed my children like French kids.  Simple foods, few ingredients.  More water, less juice.  I think we're doing pretty well!  This is a typical breakfast for them now.  Fruit, cheese, and half a croissant.  Magnifique!