John John's FIVE!

After so many long months of waiting, it was finally John's turn to celebrate his birthday!

On his birthday morning, John -- who loves space, the solar system and astronauts -- woke up to a room full of balloons and blow-up planets (courtesy of Oriental Trading via the german Amazon)! His happy squeals were our alarm clock. Then we had a singing candle for breakfast (with astronaut ice cream) and opened his gifts from family before school! A self-inflating Whoopsie Cushion, a Storm Trooper, a set of checkers, a bathtub submarine, Star Wars scooter, three science kits and a foot-operated rocket launcher that blew his five-year-old mind. All that by 7:45am!

Later that morning, Bitsy and I celebrated with John's K1 class at the International School of Luxembourg. John wore a birthday crown and felt like Big Stuff passing out his cupcakes. Bitsy was quite an attraction.

Mrs. Lambert was terrific! She understood John's zany little personality.

Dancing to birthday songs!

Bitsy has an entourage at ISL everywhere we go....

Bitsy settled right in.

After school, the kids had swimming lessons, which is John's favorite, so it was perfect that it landed on his birthday! Rob got home from work early and we ate dinner outside in the gorgeous and rare sunshine (it has been colder in Luxembourg than Russia, and it has rained for weeks on end). At John's request, we had Subway and smoothies. He blew out his second set of birthday candles for the day and we all laughed while Bitsy lathered herself in the homemade blue frosting.

Bitsy lathered herself up and was sweet enough to eat!

On Saturday morning, John's three best friends came over for a Space/Astronaut-themed birthday party! Sandra, from Spain, Zade from the States, and Alexandre, from Luxembourg. The kids colored rocket ships and solar system coloring sheets until everyone arrived, and then we began Astronaut Training. I spun the kids to teach them about centrifugal force. Then they had to blow wads of paper across the table with a straw to test their lung capacity. And their favorite....they each received a homemade jet pack, which they "activated" and then sprinted across the room one-at-a-time, jumping up and batting at balloons I held higher and higher each turn.

 

Next we did dangling donuts....an oldie but a goodie. For lunch, the kids ate hotdogs and fruit spaceships that Madeline and John made. Afterwards, we hunted for moon rocks (candy wrapped in tin foil), opened gifts and cut the rocket ship cake. And at last, we went outside and the kids took turns walloping a piñata, which John's has been talking about for months. After everyone had a turn, we gave John extra whacks and that kid blew it open; the kids scrambled filling their goodie bags.

Sandra, John and Alex

John John cracks us up; we're absolutely bananas about him! His sense of humor is off the charts. It has been a giant year for him....dropping naps and going to school all-day, every-day as is required in Luxembourg (besides half-day Wednesdays). He's thriving and happy. Testing boundaries at home and needling his older brother and sister with his little elf smirk, rosebud lips and raspy voice. He's desperate to show Madeline and Charlie his art projects at school pick up, and picks Bitsy up under her arms like a little rag doll to take her with him as he plays. He's learning french, and I love listening to him sing his pre-K songs; the sight of him in his goggles, swim cap and pirate Speedos at his weekly swimming lessons is just too darn cute. He sometimes asks if he can take a piano lesson....so Miss Daniela spends five minutes with him at the piano....he's so proud. And we're so proud of the sweet boy that he is.

We love you like CRAZY, John John!! Happy 5th birthday!

My Bubbly Birthday in Champagne

We left straight from school on Friday afternoon, winding through France's Champagne region from little Luxembourg. Our rental house was located in Vertus, a charming and quiet champagne-centric town where we were surrounded on all four sides by budding vineyards. Our only sightseeing was scootering (as in literally riding scooters) through the country roads, pulling aside when the field hands came and went for the day. Friday night we put the kids to bed and Rob and I sat in the gorgeous garden out back, sipping local champagne. The pace of life in the last two months of school had ramped up to a frantic, barely-sustainable fever pitch; this trip was just what we needed. It was a lovely way to celebrate my birthday, and since my mom's birthday is the day after mine, I felt like we were soaking up the beauty around us in her memory as well.

Wild poppies

The next morning we made a big pancake breakfast and drove 25 minutes to Epernay, the heart of the Champagne region. The drive was one of our favorite parts of the entire trip, passing through rolling vineyards for the big champagne houses like Veuve Cliquot; the roadsides were dotted with wild poppies. We arrived in Epernay just as shop owners were unlocking their doors. The streets were quiet so we let the kids ride their scooters through the squares and past mural covered walls. 

A mural you can practically smell...

Then we headed over to the Avenue de Champagne and took a fabulous tour of the Mercier Maison de Champagne (champagne house), riding a 30 meter lift down into the 18 km of caves where the champagne is produced and stored. We were delighted by the way our four young children were not just tolerated, but absolutely catered too. In fact, our guide asked everyone to step aside so that Madeline, Charlie and John could have a front row "seats" in both the entertaining elevator ride and the laser-guided train, which zipped us through the caves. I even watched him tie a special knot in John's listening guide so it would be just his size.

Bas Relief in the Caves

We saw a Caterpillar skid steer in the champagne caves!

While Rob took the big kids to grab sandwiches for lunch, Bitsy and I strolled the Avenue de Champagne, where Moët & Chandon is located, peering through the iron gates at the mansions and neoclassical villas that were rebuilt after World War I. We drove back to Vertus, taking a different, equally-gorgeous route to our 2 o'clock tasting at Champagne Doyard Mahé. Its grounds reminded me of the Secret Garden with hidden doors peeking out from ivy-covered brick walls, an arched footpath beside a bubbling stream, and romantic trellises. The proprietor welcomed us here too, and once again catered to the children! She was on her hands and knees playing ball with Bitsy, evening bringing out special refreshments and art supplies for the kids, and happily chatting with Rob and me. A beautiful rain drizzled outside while we made our selections…a couple of dry champagnes and a bubbly rosé, which we'll look forward to for future birthdays and anniversaries. 

Champagne Doyard Mahé

I loved all the French titles.

We headed home and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the sunshine and taking another leisurely family walk through the vineyards. The kids collected snails and the boys handed me handfuls of poppies. The next day was an easy two-hour trip home. It was such an elegant, relaxing vacation that Rob and I are already planning when we will come back.

(Here's a flashback to some highlights from May 26....a gorgeous breakfast with friends at Ladurée and special gifts from loved ones...)

Kristine, Angie, Leanne, Megan, Mary, me, little Sabina, Anna and Meredith