SPRING BREAK!!!!

So maybe this wasn't quite the wild 'n crazy spring break trip that some dream about... but I think we all had a pretty good time. Since my brother-in-law Ben and my good friend (and former coworker) Casey are both teachers, spring break seemed the best time for them to visit. And Momma Joy (my mother-in-law) certainly couldn't pass up the chance to see her Oli Wally. So a full house we had for the week.

My sweet boy was in HEAVEN:

With constant playmates and attention, I think he was ready for me to move out and these folks to stay permanently.

While Casey was much more faithful at taking pictures throughout the week, I took a few our last couple of days. We enjoyed a chilly boat ride down the Seine:

Where Oliver and Casey managed to keep each other warm:

And the river became magical as dusk fell...

We even snapped some photos as the boat was docking under the Eiffel Tower:

The following day, we walk from the Arc de Triomphe all the way down the Champs Elysee to the Place de la Concorde:

And visited the Orangerie museum in the adjacent Tuileries Gardens:

From the Tuileries, you can look across the river to the Orsay Museum (which you see in this photo); though we did not visit the Orsay on this day of the trip, we visited it at the beginning of the week.

We did, however, stop for some of that incredible hot chocolate at Angelina's, just a few steps from the Tuileries. While there, Momma Joy and Oli had a great time:

From there, we visited the Louvre, where Ben (whose education background is in history), had to take a picture with Hammurabi's Code:

The following day, Casey caught the early flight back to Houston, but the Paxtons all visited several areas of Paris. We walked by the Hotel de Ville (just one block north of Notre Dame) on our way through the Marais area:

And we spent the afternoon in Montmartre. At the base of the steps leading up to L'Eglise du Sacre Coeur:

In the scene of Utrillo's famous Boulangerie with a view:

And just outside Picasso's former workshop where we caught a (rather good, I might add) jazz band:

A very fun time. I'm so glad it worked out to have them all visit for that week. Thanks for coming and for putting up with our tight quarters! We miss you all!