Chez Paris!

While January is not the ideal time to be trekking around London and Paris, I will register no complaints about spending 9 days there at Mead's request with my colleagues. It was a great trip, but a long time to be so far away from home.



In anticipation of my missing her, Ella decided to outfit my luggage with a custom-made love note for each day.


As I opened them each night in my hotel room, I taped them to my wall. Here's the lovely vision my thoughtful girl created for me.


Note: did you see the green "Let's Skype?"




Ella, you are the sweetest kid I know. You made my day every single day, and brightened my weary eyes upon arriving home!


Back home, Derek was holding down the fort all by himself, and doing it quite well.

So well, in fact, that I came home to find that Carson was, quite proudly...


POTTY TRAINED!


Tres bien, Carson...tres bien!

(So you know, Carson, this was a tiny toilet in the family restroom at a department store, and you were REALLY REALLY excited about it. "Just my size!!" you shouted, then sighed out, "FINE-uh-wee!")

Yes, for the record, I DID take your picture...on a toilet...in Kohl's, the day after I got back.

To me, this sort of thing is just as photo-worthy as Paris!