Happy Christmas

From the three and a half of us, with love!

All I Want for Christmas

This week's Top Ten List highlights commercialism and my materialistic nature, without apologies.

10. THE COACH DELPHINE LIMITED EDITION HOBO PURSE click here to see the model I prefer. It is perfect for maneuvering two children, a stroller and the metros of Europe (meaning a zipper closure). Here is a picture of Rebecca Romjin rocking a python version.


9. PEOPLE MAGAZINE, YEAR SUBSCRIPTION: My guilty pleasure. I feel it connects me to mainstream America and no matter how foreign my surroundings, the down home dramas, murder mysteries and starlet hysteria takes me right back to the comforts of home.



8.FLIP VIDEO ULTRA SERIES CAMCORDER 60 MINUTES: A video recorder that plugs directly into your USB port eliminating cords and promoting regular use thanks to its convenient shirt pocket size.


7. A BABY NAME WE BOTH LOVE: Apparently this book could solve all of our baby name woes, from the editors

Yes, your baby’s perfect name is out there.
The trick is finding it.

The perfect baby name will speak to your heart, give your child a great start in life—and maybe even satisfy your relatives. But you can't expect to just stumble on a name like that in an A to Z dictionary or on a trendy list.

That’s why you need The Baby Name Wizard. Created by a name-searching mom, it uses groundbreaking research and computer generated models to pinpoint each name’s image, examine its usage and popularity over the last 100 years, and suggest other promising ideas. A perfect guide to the modern world of names, The Baby Name Wizard will engage you from the first name you look up and keep you enchanted through your journey to the just-right name for your baby.

That sounds magical to me and at only $10.36 and FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING on Amazon.com, how could I not ask that to be one of my stocking stuffers.

6. BUGABOO WHEELED BOARD: A stroller attachment that makes the need to use a bulky double stroller unnecessary and still allows me to hit the road.



5. NINA: The perfect perfume when warmer weather starts to descend and the musky scent of my favorite (Chanel no.5) is just too heavy for the heat and humidity. Inspired by the smell of the red toffee apple, a pop of citrus mixes with hints of vanilla and pralines. YUMMY MUMMY!


4. FRYE ENGINEER 12R: Kick ace and sexy. Need I say more?


3. ANTIQUE FRENCH ARMOIRE: Older than the Declaration of Independence, these beautiful pieces are like purchasing a piece of French history. Can't you just imagine your excitement if one were sitting beside your tree with a red bow on top come Christmas morning?


2. CANON DIGITAL REBEL XTi: I would love a camera which had the shutter speed to capture Ruby's smile, in addition to allowing me to pursue my desire to become a decent hobby photographer.


1. CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY: No one celebrates Christmas as well as the Germans with lebkuchen, marzipan, and the smell of roasted candied almonds wafting through the crisp winter air.

Back By Popular Demand

Top Ten: Reasons I Love Christmas
1. Traditions! Making new ones, celebrating old ones, and participating in those of others, it gives life this continuity that is somehow exciting despite its familiarity.
2. It's a Wonderful Life, my all time favorite Christmas movie.
3. Decking the Halls. A home never feels as warm and lived in, nor as beautiful as it does in the evening when the tree is lit.
4. Singing! Christmas carols are beautiful and I love just listening to groups of individuals with untrained voices, unabashedly singing. (And might I use this opportunity to suggest you save the singing of Silent Night until Christmas Eve, it is really quite powerful when sung as the Germans--who wrote it--intended!)
5. Clementines, packed with vitamin C and more taste than an orange, they are perfection in a small package.
6. Wish Lists. The fact that at 30 it is perfectly acceptable to make an itemized list of desired gifts makes me much more capable of being in the spirit of giving myself.
7. Fudge, with nuts please!
8. Parties! And an excuse to buy yet another pair of red heels.
9. Christmas Eve dinner courtesy Nate's family traditions.
10. Christmas morning courtesy ole St. Nick!

And the winner is...

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails! We will soon have a little Henry, or Max, or William, or Axel joining our family. And now that these names are potentially reality, no negative comments. You had your chance with the name poll conducted last month.

I handled the news quite well (and in truth our excitement has increased through out the evening) and with the added bonus of a little retail therapy, happily found a great little fall/winter ensemble in just the right color scheme. Thanks to Rebecca for suggesting the orange, navy, brown combo to me when I feared the unknown land of non-pink children's attire.



Ruby is clearly excited about the new wardrobe, though the idea of sharing is obviously going to take a lifetime to master. Here she is modeling the new purchases immediately after I pulled them out of the shopping bag.

Presidential Trivia - Tecumseh's Curse

So Sina and I were reading about William Henry Harrison, our nation's 9th President (don't ask, we seem to enjoy very obscure trivia), when we came across this little historical note. In his previous life as a US Army leader, Harrison defeated the Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, also known as "the Prophet". To exact their revenge, some say they put a curse on him and any succeeding US President elected to office in a year ending in "0". For those of you with my level of math skills, that ends up being every 20 years.

Harrison lived all of 31 days as President before dying of pneumonia. 20 years later a fellow named Lincoln was elected President, and so on it continued for 5 more Presidents including Garfield, McKinley, Harding, Roosevelt and Kennedy. Reagan was the first one to break it, and only barely!

Les Grèves

I love reading US media reports discussing the screen writer's and the Broadway stage hands strikes. There was an article in the New York Times a couple of days ago talking about a Broadway actress whose life's dream was put on hold because of the chaos. It was heartbreaking...for her at least.

But, here in Paris we are facing more than re-runs of our favorite shows or delayed theater opening dates. The city's transportation is shut down completely and we are now entering week 2 of the showdown between unions and the newly minted, pro-sconomic reform government of Nicolas Sarkozy. You may be familiar with him due to his recent "honeymoon" in the US where he was greeted with a standing ovation by a joint session of Congress. No greater love has been shown to a French man in the states since Lafayette's post revolutionary tour of America. I digress...

So Sarkozy's government refuses to engage in any talks with the transportation unions until they return to work. In 1995 similar economic reforms were shutdown after a FIVE WEEK transportation strike, the reforms never happened.

No public transportation in Paris is akin to the Wasatch Front running out of gasoline. Just last night our friend was out running when the traffic was still at a complete stand still, around 8pm. The intersection of a major artery was completely blocked, and two men stood outside of their cars hitting each other.

Personally, I say suck it up with the re-runs.

The New Face of Global Mormonism

This is an interesting article from the Washington Post discussing the LDS church in Nigeria.

Top Ten: Reasons I Want to Have Another Girl

1. Boys scare me: I don't buy into the adage that boys are easier, if you grew up within 100 miles of my home you wouldn't either. My brother was never easy, from day one, just ask my mom. And don't get us started on the Chow boys, their mother achieved Sainthood from the trials they put her through. And from my observations on the playground, I would rather deal with a cry-baby than a bully.

2.Circumcision: Enough said.

3.The clothes: Not only do I have plenty of hand-me-downs in excellent condition, but I am also willing to shop for more. But seriously, the options for a boy-at least until he is a toddler- are camo and cowboys...blah!

4. Names: They are plain and boring or just weird.

5. Tutus: I love them and need excuses to have many, many in a dress up box...I mean girls can wear a doctors jacket and a tutu to play hospital right? But boys have to wear scrubs...boring!!

6. Nate's athletic skills: Though he has great numchuck skills and computer hacking skills, he has told me far too many stories about standing in right field during little league games "watching the dandelions grow."

7. Boy Scouts: Let me say only this, in fear of backlash from my few readers, I have some very strong anti-BSA opinions not shared by my husband. But then I also have a competitive streak in me so, if I have to sew that stupid yellow sash for his uniform, it better be covered in merit badges. And how much time will I have to spend making sure his troop leader is on the ball? And don't get me started on my need to win the Pinewood Derby.

8. Pink

9. Girls squeal and hug eachother. They talk about how pretty that sparkley dress is. They twirl around in princess dresses (and you don't think twice).

10. Because I like the idea of having an entire entourage of mini-me's roaming the earth!

What's your IQ?

I have refused my entire life to submit to an IQ test, lest I discover that I am not as intelligent as I like to think I am. However, my sister Daphne insists that I had one while in elementary school, which means someone could dig up my permanent record if I ever decided to run for public office (which, by the way, I never will).

Today Nate sent me an IQ test I couldn't resist. It is called the Traveler IQ Challenge. You can chose to test your knowledge on a number of topics such as world cities, US cities, UNESCO World Heritage sites and the one that kicks my backside, photos of world sites, such as the one below. (Ten points to you if you already know what it is, but haven't been there.)



If you are up for the challenge, I warn you, you just might spend the afternoon on the site.

Nate finally posts something

Here's a fun little video, courtesy of our friend Erin. Just in case you'd exhausted all your ideas for feeding your adrenaline addiction, maybe you should give this a try...

Parenting 102

Thanks to my friend, Snowbunny, who answered my plea for parenting advice with information on a new article on Barack Obama in the December issue of the Atlantic Monthly- I sat my oldest child in front of the tv so I could absorb more on a topic I already spend an entire nap time reading. But, the article is very well written, well worth the time- and in the end if reading this stuff leads to a better world for my children, then it is also a means of parenting, right?

Here is the link, I will fix it later, but until then you must cut and paste: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/obama

Parenting 101

I remember visiting our friends Kandi and Von while we were expecting Ruby. They had just brought home their second child and watching them work the house and family was like watching this well oiled machine. There was one moment specifically when Kandi bundled the newborn so tightly and perfectly that the swaddle could function almost as a portable baby carrier. I hadn't swaddled a baby since I stopped playing with dolls. (And in fact, while in the hospital we had to ask a nurse twice to show us how to both swaddle the baby and properly burp her.) In hindsight, and as a parent now myself, I am sure they felt they were barely pulling it off. But from my vantage point, they did no wrong and I wondered if I could manage half as well with one.

Now, expecting number two, I am yet again overwhelmed. I lie in bed sleepless at night fretting over multiple scenarios, completely aware of my ineptitude and the fact that I still couldn't swaddle a baby with the skill I long ago witnessed. I deal with stress such as this by absorbing as much information as possible. I now, to my great horror, like to read parenting magazines and Babycenter.com. And while I know a lot of people don't advocate reading parenting literature, when you don't leave near any family and there is a vast time difference between you and a sibling with four children, you need to rely on the knowledge in your bookshelves a little more heavily than you otherwise might.

So, today's question is for anyone out there who knows of parenting literature that is exceptionally helpful. And I already know about the "What to Expect" books. Are there books you found invaluable? Books you would say to stear clear of?

PS: To those still wondering what we are having, we don't know yet...sometime in December maybe?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ruby

Without an operational digi cam, I fail to give my child her due face time on our blog, so I felt this week was best dedicated to the many things you might not know about her.

1. She dances to all music and often demands two things. First, that we put on her Snow White princess dress so she looks pretty while she moves. And second, she will drag you from your seat begging "Please" the whole time when she wants you to waltz with her.

2. Any sadness can be made better with a two step remedy: her kitty and her pacifier.

3. She sleeps like a champ--and ALWAYS in her own bed. She has slept with us only once in her two years of life. Her schedule is fantastic for a family who values sleep: 12-14 hours at night and a two hour nap.

4. She loves her best friends Abby, Hannah, and Axelle. She jumps up and down as soon as she sees them, screaming and hugging them.

5. She now wakes up in the morning yelling "Mama. MaaaaMaaa." Unless I told her the night before that Papa would be home when she wakes up. She remembers and calls for him in that case.

6. She has the deepest, funniest laugh, but somehow talks in the highest, sweetest voice.

7. When we get home she runs through the house yelling, "puppy" until she finds him and then she gives him a big hug (you might not know, he is taller than her).

8. She reads already! OK, not really. But she will sit and read a book, and if it is one of her faves you can hear her saying, "Go, Dog. Go!"

9. She sits in front of the mirror and pretends to put makeup on while I get ready in the morning.

10. When Nate gets home in the evening, she drops everything to run for the door to get to him before Barkley. Between the two of them, it is total pandemonium.

Iowa Caucuses

Ever wondered why we call early voting in Iowa a caucus, but in New Hampshire we call it a primary? Check out this article from the Washington Post. For politico geeks like me, it will make you wish you were from some small unknown Iowa town...like Pella, for example.

It really is fascinating how personal these early voting procedures can be.

Ruby's Two!

For Ruby's second birthday, Nate and I threw her a "Barnyard Celebration" party with all her little friends from the neighborhood. We stayed up late, even late for us, decorating the dining room. Nate was so great about it, he just kept saying how much fun it was to celebrate our daughter. In an attempt to be the uber-Mom I would like to someday become, I even baked a cake and decorated it myself. Quite the feat, given I have never even iced a cupcake before.


Ruby has been obsessed with Winnie the Pooh recently, so we gave her a stuffed Pooh which she has since fed and taken on walks in her stroller. My mom sent a picture of me on my second birthday, and apparently, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Top Ten Tuesday: Albums

Have you ever listened to a song and felt that the music spoke to your soul? These records are not only great memories, but when I listen to them I feel like I am at home.

1. August and Everything After, The Counting Crows: My all time favorite album since I first heard it in 1994. Although everyone knows Mr. Jones or Rain King, I play the song Anna Begins over and over.

2. Legend, Bob Marley: Is it possible to listen to this album and not be happy by the end? And Redemption Song, has a better song ever been composed?

3. U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb: I was listening to this album when Ruby was born, I don't think she could have had a better introduction to the world around her.

4. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: The kind of music I can play over
and over and never tire of-- great beats, a beautiful voice, and powerful lyrics.

5. Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing: It is hard to find a Sarah album that I prefer over the others. I love her. Surfacing was the album that pulled me through a time in my life when I could only turn to my stereo and the open road to calm my heart and clear my mind.

6. The Cranberries, No Need to Argue: Some people hate the voice of the lead singer, but for me she does emo better than anyone else. This was the first non-Rap or R&B album I ever thought was fun to listen to.

7. Madonna, The Immaculate Collection: While her songs don't speak to me in a spiritual sense, in a very worldly way no one beats Madonna. The songs on this record remind me of every period of my life--childhood, college, motherhood. Madonna is sooo universal.

8. Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome-The Seeger Sessions: If you ever thought a road trip was complete without this collection, you just don't know what you have been missing.

9. Frou Frou, Details: It changed my life.

10. Dido, No Angel: I guess the addition of this album should prove how much I loved Roswell and convince you all to add it to your Netflix queue.

What is diplomacy post 9/11?

I often find myself wishing I were still in academia, while simultaneously rejoicing in the fact that I left it long ago! But, there are times when a topic comes to mind in which I find the available answers to be less than even a cursory understanding of the topic. Perhaps this comes largely because I read mostly national and international media sources as opposed to professional journals. But, then that leads me to my major issue (and when it comes to academia, I have so, so many) with academics. They spend their time writing and researching, discussing and debating and have no true ability to reach the masses with their writings. Thus making them, more often than not, disposable. I could also mention, and will, the issue I have with media sources requiring degrees in journalism--because that will really give someone the background knowledge to write on domestic politics or environmental issues with any real degree of understanding?

OK, so what is my point? Recently a well-televised town hall meeting was held at the US Department of State to discuss the new policy of directed assignments of Foreign Service officers to Iraq. I mention "well-televised" to emphasize the fact that the officers were given no other forum in which to discuss concerns they have on a policy that hasn't existed since the Vietnam war. The event has topped headlines in the political section of papers, to the extent that even uninvolved-in-matters-of-diplomacy-and-international-relations (unless you include immigration) Utah rep Chris Cannon has called for an inquiry into what he referred to as a "mutiny," stating:

"I believe it is incumbent upon this committee to investigate whether the Foreign Service, as it is currently constituted, is suited to fulfill its mission or whether it is in need of serious reform, including the personnel flexibility to remove officers unwilling to fulfill their duties."

What IS the mission of the Foreign Service post Cold War, post 9/11? What is diplomacy in this new environment?

Does diplomacy, regardless of historical precedent, belong in a war zone? If so, what kind of training and security resources are essential and does it exist? For example, much has been said of Foreign Service personnel who are not willing to serve, but no one is mentioning that when a diplomat serves in a war zone, unlike members of the Armed Forces, his/her life insurance policy becomes null and void, a great concern to individuals with families (and something Congress actually has the power to change). What kind of work, given the level of security in a war zone, can really be done? Does the United States truly require a 1,000 man embassy in Iraq? It will be the largest in history and has cost the US taxpayers 6 billion dollars to build.

Finally, we have heard much over the last two years of Secretary Rice's plan for transformational diplomacy in which resources are being moved from more traditional posts, like Europe for example, to places such as India where the population greatly exceeds that of European nations. Does an embassy the size of the one in Iraq fit with this policy? And if so, what is the goal on an immediate, medium, and long term basis?

Friday Night Lights

Since we can't watch our favorite tv show until it hits dvd at the end of the season, we find other methods to get our much needed fix.

For all those of you who believe that a team can make a miracle happen, and don't care how ugly that miracle looks along the way, this clip is for you.

Background: Last play of the game, offense (Trinity) down by 5 points with 2 seconds left (which means the game ends when the ball touches the ground) they are on their own 30 yard line (and therefore can't realistically kick a field goal). And break...

Happy Halloween!

Today's inspirational thought:

Obama said he would accompany his daughters in trick-or-treating on Halloween while wearing a Mitt Romney mask, which has "two sides to it, it goes in both directions."

Top Ten Tuesday

This week's Top Ten was inspired by our friend Matt who cannot deal with top ten lists in general (too much pressure and commitment I guess?) He felt that in order to have a truly representative list we needed both a favorite men list,as well as a favorite male characters list. I thought that task would be nearly impossible, but as you will see, I had no shortage of great options.

10. Sam Seaborn-

The Deputy Communications Director in Aaron Sorkin's tv drama, The West Wing. Sam was young, intelligent, idealistic, witty and he had my dream job (he was primarily responsible for writing the President's speeches).

9. Jerry Maguire-

No matter what Nate says I believe it is a movie for everyone, football and Tom Cruise--that is not a chick flick. I know we all got sick of hearing the line playing over and over again on the radio, but really when Jerry declared "You complete me" I think any of us who have hearts melted.

8. Gilbert Blythe-

He really makes me believe I don't need star bursts or marbled halls.

7. Maxwell Evans-

The hottest alien EVER! If you haven't seen the series Roswell, you absolutely MUST netflix-it. Especially if you like the Stephenie Myers books, she just copied the plot line from the series and changed the characters from aliens to vampires.

6. CK Dexter Haven-

Could a top ten list really be complete with an appearance from Cary Grant!! CK Dexter Haven is the debonair playboy ex-husband of Catherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story. And how can you not love a man who everyone refers to by his full name!

5. Lloyd Dobler-

One question, after you saw him confess his love didn't you wish that someone would hold his boom box over his head, playing your song, outside your window? I mean, he gave her his heart and she gave him a pen!

4. Mr. Darcy-

Wet t-shirt contest winner hands down...of course it wasn't Pimberly she fell in love with.

3. Ethan Hunt-

He orchestrated a break in of Langley--how hot is that!

2. Maverick-

"You've lost that lovin' feelin'!" And while Ice Man shows him up with his shirt off during the volleyball scene, we all still want Maverick to be our wing man!

1. Legolas-

All I can say is, I sat through nearly 9 hours of film, full price, in crowded theaters just to see an elf. That earns him top billing for sure!

Serendipity

(noun) 1- an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. 2- good fortune; luck. From the Arabic Serendib, or Sri Lanka.

We have the good fortune, and luck, to have been assigned to work in Sri Lanka for our next post. We are really quite excited and think it is the perfect location for us. It has just the right balance of comfortable living and an exciting job opportunity.

Sri Lanka is located just off the southern coast of India, from which it obtains one of its many names "The Teardrop of India."


If you are interested in
pristine beaches


herds of elephants


ancient buddhist temples


or even yoga retreats and excellent cuisine--you just might want to start saving now (airfare isn't cheap).

Top Ten Tuesday

This week my friend Shannon and I decided to create a weekly feature on our blogs that truly represents who we are, and one of the many reasons our friendship is so strong: Top Ten Lists. We have one on every topic, and if we don't, we can't wait to figure it out. The first time I met her we were driving to a restaurant and she asked everyone in the car, "What are your top ten favorite albums" I had previously given this topic much thought and was readily able to give detailed answers. Our friendship was solidified.

To introduce you all to the topic, this week is the old standard, a first step in embracing the world of top ten lists: Top Ten Men (famous men--no cheesy "my husband" answers--PUHLEEZ! Of course he is, so give us 11 in that case). Give it a try and enjoy the show.

Flashback Friday

One of my college roommates started Flashback Friday's on her blog. I thought it was a great idea, so I have copied it and have decided to devote my first flashback to our days as roommates, or as we called ourselves (along with Marisa), the Trinity--because we were one in purpose.

We loved:
-Monday night trash tv and would leave FHE early to watch the new movie of the week
-Late night water fights
-Jessica's red sweater
-Bill Nye the Science Guy
-Angela eating the cord
-Roommates who respected the no talking before 10am rule
-Late night runs to Maverick
-Afternoon naps while watching Days and Oprah
-"I always feel like somebody's watching ME-ah! and I have no privacy!"
-Playing "Sweet Dreams" as we plotted revenge
-Renting video recorders and recording ourselves performing

The following clip is sadly not our performance, but we did recreate it-- both in front of the vanity mirror and for the video camera...if only I had been able to post the performance. Here's to you Baby Spice!

Halloween 911!

I have a costume party Saturday, and I am on the committee, I just realized today I am supposed to dress up!! Any last minute, super simple ideas? We have no access to anything like DI or Salvation Army!

HELP!!

Transformers, More Than Meets the Eye

When we arrived in Paris last year, we bought two of the cheapest transformers we could find to convert our 110 volt electronics to the 220v system most of the rest of the world uses. These transformers could operate the tv and dvd player for 30min-1.5 hours max before quitting. If we were watching a movie we would have to switch transformers,when one overheated (which inevitably occurred at the most crucial point of the film). Of course this situation lead us to determine not to get cable tv, what was the point, we couldn't trust to get through a show. A couple of weeks ago we blew both transformers within a few days of each other. The real tragedy is that disc 4 of Veronica Mars season 1 was trapped inside the dvd player before we had a chance to watch it!

This last weekend we made a trip up to Belgium to do some American style shopping at the commissary. It was heavenly: shopping carts instead of strollers, large isles, clean atmosphere, Toaster Struddle, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and reasonable prices. We also found another cheap transformer, it was only $8 more than the others we had purchased. To our surprise, it was the little transformer that could. It ran for over nine hours without quitting. We finished watching season 1 of Veronica Mars without pause. Which leads me to the following insightful poem from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Moral of the story, maybe it was better with the 30 min transformers!

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set–
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all the shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink–
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK–HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,'
But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?'
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?
'Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY...USED...TO...READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic takes
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy–Winkle and–
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole–
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks–
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start–oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

A New List

While Nate and I were dating we took sea kayaking lessons together. In an attempt to learn and practice a new skill we discussed how to go about it over and over again, in great length. Our instructor, a bit exasperated, rolled his eyes and said, "You two sure do talk a lot." It truly defines our relationship and how we go about making every decision. And while that can be quite tedious with the mundane scenarios (like what to have for dinner and where to park the car), it comes in quite handy in major life choices, like moving your family to an unknown country. Deciding on a location far removed from the comforts and quality of life with which we are familiar requires a great deal of negotiation and communication skills.


After talking a lot, we submitted our final list for our next posting today. In typical fashion (we are both procrastinators) we finalized the list mere moments before it was due. Luckily, we feel really good about the cities on our new list.

1. Ankara, Turkey
2. Warsaw, Poland
3. Colombo, Sri Lanka
4. Riga, Latvia
5. Bangkok, Thailand
6. Frankfurt, Germany
7. Toronto, Canada
8. Rome, Italy
9. San Jose, Costa Rica
10. Mexico City
11. Maputo, Mozambique
12. Ljubljana, Slovenia
13. Oslo, Norway
14. Shanghai, China
15. Budapest, Hungary
16. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
17. Krakow, Poland
18. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
19. Tokyo, Japan
20. Hong Kong

The Name Game

I am catching up on all of my friend's blogs and along with the Tag from below, I found this fun little personality analysis based on your name. Mine is freakishly accurate, IMHO and I think Nate and Ruby's are right on target as well. You can "Discover the hidden meaning behind your name" at http://www.bostonuk.com/name_meanings.php?f=Boston.

Sina
You are a charismatic individual with a dynamic and attractive personality. Probably not known for your caution or patience you are a risk taker who hates to be restricted in any way. Freedom is very important to you. Your thinking and intuition is strong and you have a talent for communication. You enjoy the sensual and material pleasures of life and with the application of care and wisdom you can achieve wonderful worldly success.

Nathan
A gift of God "Hebrew"
You are an inspiring leader whose originality, creativity and wisdom are applied to creating practical solutions to "unsolvable" problems. Humanitarian and idealistic your vision is to make the world a better place and you will work to this end. Hardworking and tenacious people admire you for your honesty and integrity. You are a loved and loyal friend and partner. Your have the potential to achieve enormous success in the world.

Ruby
You are charming, talented and have a very positive attitude to life so it is hardly surprising that you attract success and recognition. Focussed and patient you understand that material rewards are a result of discipline. Being so creative and with a need for self-expression you may be drawn towards the arts, travel is also likely to be important. A loyal friend, you are a person who must be allowed freedom and independence.

Tag Your It

Life with Shannon tagged me, and to insure she knows I do in fact read her blog regularly, I am dutifully responding (not to mention, I actually like these lists!)
Jobs I have had:
1 – Legislative Aide
2 – BYU Student Leadership Event Planning
3 – BYU night shift custodian
4 – Lockheed Martin Consultant
Movies I could watch over and over:
1 – Pride & Prejudice (the BBC version)
2 – Return to Me
3 – Bottlerocket
4 – Anne of Green Gables
Favorite TV Shows:
1 – Entourage
2 – Friday Night Lights
3 – Heroes
4 – Grey's Anatomy
Favorite Hobbies:
1 – walking around Paris
2 – planning parties for Ruby and her friends (also known as playdates)
3 – discovering a new tv show to obsess about via Netflix with Nate
4 – Imagining how I would decorate my dream house
Places I have lived:
1 – Henderson, NV
2 – Hamburg, Germany
3 – Washington, DC
4 – Rexburg, ID
Favorite Foods:
1 – Jr. Crown Burger cut iin half with fries, fry sauce and a pineapple shake
2 – Cafe Rio grilled chicken burrito, enchilada style with black beans and green sauce
3 – Sushi
4 – Root Beer Floats (notice all things I can't get my hands on here!)
Places I'd rather be:
1 – In America
2 – In a mall
3 – At a hairdressers
4 – Getting a manicure and pedicure
Websites I visit:
1 – washingtonpost.com
2 – BarackObama.com
3 – gmail.com
4 – babycenter.com
Who I am Tagging:
1 – Daph (because she needs to post something new)
2 – dasstew
3 – The Last Unicorn
4 – Beaux Mondes (does she still blog!)

Where in the World is...

These are the options we have narrowed it down to for our next overseas assignment:
Ankara, Turkey
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Tblisi, Georgia
Riga, Latvia
Bangkok, Thailand
Warsaw, Poland
Bogota, Columbia
Frankfurt, Germany
Rome, Italy
Toronto, Canada
Maputo, Mozambique
San Jose, Costa Rica
Mexico City
Maseru, Lesotho
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Minsk, Belarus
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Budapest, Hungary
Beijing, China

We should find out in November which one it will be...and who knows, maybe they will throw us a curve ball and give us something besides what is listed. Any votes for vacation destinations? I know Rome would be nice, but the chance is slim.

Growing Pains

After weeks away from truly contributing to my blog (Twilight surveys might fill space, but come on—does it really tell anyone what’s new in Paris) it is time to share the news: I’m Knocked Up.

I could have been a bit more sentimental about it, a little less, shall we say, crass. But, it hasn’t been the easiest 12 weeks of my life. Let me give you a rundown: and answer some frequently asked questions:

1. It is worse than last time. If you were around me throughout, or even momentarily during, my last pregnancy you will know that I considered it a more trying experience than even hell would be. I promised NEVER to do it again. Somehow I convinced myself I wanted to do it…damn that Ruby for being so freaking adorable.
2. How bad is it? Does three times a day losing your lunch sound even tolerable to you? It isn’t.
3. NO, your home remedies won’t work
4. YES, I have probably tried that home remedy already.
5. NO, that prescription didn’t work
6. Neither did that one.

Pregnancy is really a life state I don’t believe I should be asked to “endure”, but I do think Ruby is the greatest joy, real joy, I have experienced in life and even increased my love for my husband, which I didn’t know could happen. I could have done with out all the nausea and health concerns, but I couldn’t imagine having done with out her. I am optimistic I will feel this same way come April 19th, 2008.

In Retrospect

I found this 1992 speech by Dick Cheney, then Secretary of Defense, explaining why the US military withdrew from the Gulf before Sadaam Hussein was ousted. It seems clear why so many of us thought we could trust these men with "experience." You have to watch the video to the end.

Twilight

If you have read the book/s take the quiz yourself and who you are! Thanks Shannon for leading me to this quiz.

Which Twilight novel character are you?

You're Esme Cullen - Your maternal instinct to take care of people and be kind draw people towards you. You're compassionate and loving, yet firm when you need to be. You appreciate hard work and value the beautiful results of your dedication to any project.
Take this quiz!








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Dinner Party Anxiety

A clip from Ellen that demonstrates why I am overwhelmed with hosting and attending dinner parties for Nate's office.

Skinniest Building Ever

I found this building while walking around in the 16th arrondisement the other day.

Transparency in Political Campaigns

I believe politicians initially enter the arena to effect change, but not long after they begin to make a name for themselves, the requisite "call time" (aka calling everyone you know and begging for money) eventually makes them beholden to various interest groups. Money drives the election machine. As I continue to read about the democratic front runners, I am even more pleased (and often times suprised) with the straight forward, non-beltway insider manner in which Barack Obama runs his campaign. Here is more on the topic of campaign finance transparency, a topic that should really top every voters list of demands from a candidate (from the Washington Post):

"On this issue, Obama leads the pack -- I'd say PAC, but he (and Edwards) don't take their checks, either. He helped pass a far-reaching ethics and campaign finance bill in the Illinois state Senate and made the issue a priority on arriving in Washington. Much to the displeasure of his colleagues, Obama promoted an outside commission to handle Senate ethics complaints. He co-authored the lobbying reform bill awaiting President Bush's signature and pushed -- again to the dismay of some colleagues -- to include a provision requiring lawmakers to report the names of their lobbyist-bundlers.

"He has co-sponsored bills to overhaul the presidential public financing system and public financing of Senate campaigns. It's nice to hear Clinton talk about how "we've got to move toward public financing" -- Edwards backs it, too -- but I don't see her name on those measures.

"Obama readily agreed to identify his bundlers. Unlike Clinton and Edwards, he has released his income tax returns. Perhaps most important, Obama has pledged to take public financing for the general election if he is the Democratic nominee and his Republican opponent will do the same."

With his pledge, I am happy to say that I marked the box on my IRS form this year to donate money to publically finance federal campaigns.

The No Spin Zone

I often find it alarming what news media outlets cover in their "investigative" journalism reports. Always striving for higher ratings and viewership, few actually fact check or demand quality out of their pieces. I found this piece outlining a series of egregious errors and cover-ups after one of Bill O'Reilly's uninformed outbursts. Of course, I don't enjoy O'Reilly and so I love to see him called to the carpet in such an indepth manner. But, I feel like the information outlined here really sheds light on some of the problems facing 24 hour news and the amount we rely on our reporters to be presenting the facts.

Playing Catch Up

So, despite my lack of postings, life has been rather eventful around out house. Here are some highlights I could have written about, but since so much time has passed, I will only provide a list.

1. My big sis, who likes to make it clear she is older than me in every way possible, visited and brought along a few Euro games (please visit her blog if you don't know what a Euro game is). Much to our suprise, we had several of our own hanging about in the closet waiting for someone who wanted to play games. My favorites, in order are: Carcassone, Settlers (which I played often on my mission, bought the game for the Deli Family on my way home, but then decided I couldn't part with it--I was young and selfish!), Basari, Medici, and I am committed to giving St. Petersburg more of a chance.

2. I wanted to post this picture for my friend Stewart who commented long ago about a bike he wanted to make for grocery shopping. This bike, and many like it, was spotted in Amsterdam. Most commonly with a kid or two playing contently in the box.


3. Despite the scandal that seems to plague the sport and keeps it difficult to really get your heart set on one athlete (Nothing has ever been proven against Jan Ullrich so I remain a loyal fan), the Tour de France made its appearance on the Champs Elysees on July 28th. We stood outside for 5 hours waiting for their 8 lap finish in Paris. Seeing the yellow jersey race in ahead of the peleton left no regrets. Next year we will take seats and provisions (I was smart enough to take along Harry Potter).




4. Harry Potter has a different cover in Europe. I never took a picture, so look it up online if you really care to see it.

5. We celebrated our one year anniversary of arriving in Paris last weekend. A bittersweet occassion. Sweet because we truly can call this place home and bitter because we only have a year left.

6. We celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. And while to some it may seem unromantic, we used the last bit of time we had with a babysitter and treated ourselves to dinner (a famous steak and fries restaurant) and a movie (The Simpson's). It was the perfect evening with someone, who after four years, I still believe is the perfect one for me.

Salsa

(Did anyone catch the Seinfeld reference? Super bonus points for you!)

Nate and I threw our annual 24th of July party last Saturday and it was a triumphant success (at least in my book!). I had planned on serving--in addition to a wide array of pancake options--scrambled eggs with roasted asparagus and parmesan, but discovered that asparagus is only in season in Peru (hooray Country of Origin Labeling exists in the EU!!) and it now costs 6€ a bundle!! So I made some last minute adjustments, serving only scrambled eggs and put a small bowl of salsa next to it. Since the party was for Pioneer Day, people were asking a lot of questions about Utah in general. But then my big shock came, someone asked if salsa was a Utah-thing.

Now, I like to think of myself as quite informed and cultured, etc...but this threw me completely off. Salsa with scrambled eggs is a novelty? Not everyone does it? Can someone who was raised outside of Utah, and those within, please tell me if they grew up with, or have seen other people eat, scrambled eggs and salsa?

Velib: Another Reason to Love Paris

On Bastille day, the city of Paris launched a new public transportation system in the form of 10,000 bikes placed in hundreds of locations through out the central areas of the city. Everyone was stoked to try them out and while it is only two weeks into the new program, the excitement continues to increase. I found this article in the NYTimes regarding Velib and Parisian public transportation in general.

I Love Paris on a Bus, a Bike, a Train and in Anything but a Car
From the NYTimes, July 26, 2007

Now that Michael Moore has broken a taboo by holding up France as a model for national health care, maybe it’s safe to point out other things France seems to do right. Like how Paris is trying to manage traffic and auto pollution.

What Paris has done right is to make it awful to get around by car and awfully easy to get around by public transportation or by bike. Any tourist in a rent-a-car who’s circumnavigated the Arc de Triomphe most likely will never drive in Paris again. But there are plenty of Parisians who do it all the time — far too many, in fact. So Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, a Socialist, vowed in coming to office in 2001 to reduce car traffic by 40 percent by 2020.

He’s serious about it. I live near the Boulevard St. Michel, and two years ago the city laid down a granite divider between the bus-only lane and the cars, squeezing private cars from three lanes to two. Taxis and bicycles may use the bus lane.

At the same time, every bus stop was newly equipped with a screen that told you how long the wait was for the bus. During rush hour, when the cars stand still along Boul’ Mich, there’s nothing better than zooming past them in a bus.

Bus routes reach the most obscure corners of Paris. There’s also the Metro — and especially the great Line No. 1, which runs on tires under the Champs-Élysées and beyond. Then there’s a nifty new tramway that runs along the southern rim of the city and several suburban train lines that can be used for rapid transport within the city.

In short, public transportation will take you where you want to go, and you can use it all you want on an electronic card that can be paid by the week or by the month (about $70 these days). Taxis, of course, can also be summoned anywhere by phone.
The lesson for big-city mayors: If you’re going to squeeze the cars, first primp the public ride.

Mayor Delanoë’s latest front in the anti-car war is the bicycle. Last week, more than 10,000 stolid, gray-painted bicycles (no Tour de France speedsters) became available for rent at 750 self-service locations across Paris. The cost is modest, less than $1.50 for a one-day pass, about $7.50 for a week and about $43.50 for a year — and the bikes can be dropped off at any docking station. The number of bikes is supposed to double by the end of the year. Already in their first week, the bikes are all over central Paris, many carrying commuters — and, yes, some New Yorkers. (An outdoor advertising company paid for everything in return for exclusive use of city-owned billboards.)

Lesson for all big cities: This is an idea whose time has come.

Now, a word about cars. In American cities, it’s “big.”

Parisians overwhelmingly buy small cars. And it’s not because people are petite, but because fuel is drop-dead expensive. Gasoline costs more than twice as much in Paris as in New York.

But the price of diesel fuel is deliberately set far lower. That’s because diesel-powered cars produce about 30 percent less greenhouse gas pollution than equivalent gasoline-powered engines. So car-buyers in Paris get small, diesel cars not because the French are virtuous (a separate topic), but because it makes economic good sense.

Many of these small cars have ample room for full-size people and have no trouble maintaining (or seriously exceeding) the 130 kilometers-per-hour (about 80 m.p.h.) limit on the national highways and are as clean and almost as quiet as gasoline engines.

The lesson for the next U.S. president: raise the taxes on fuel. A lot.

Shakespeare & Co

When I was in college we had a special lesson on "creative dating" courtesy our Bishop and his wife. As ideas were prattled off one after another I continued to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all: ice blocking, progressive dinners with a twist...and on...and on... Now don't get me wrong, these can all be well and good, but when that is always what one does it loses its inheirent creativity.

Being naturally outspoken and somewhat contrary, I raised my hand and sweetly said "These are all nice, but sometimes I would just like to be taken to Barnes & Nobel to leaf through books together for the evening." I received a round of applause, literally, from the men in the room and was asked on four dates that week alone--some were creative but not one took me to Barnes & Nobel.

Last night we had the luxury of a babysitter, a rare event since living here. We opted to spend the evening at Shakespeare & Co. A famous english language book store located on Paris' Left Bank. For three hours we wandered through the books stacked floor to ceiling, wall to wall, piled on the floor, strewn across tables, hidden in corners, and spilling out on to the street. While the rest of the world stayed up late to welcome in the new Harry Potter, we became reacquainted with Edith Wharton, Irene Nemerovsky, and others (no, we weren't protesting, we just didn't reserve our copy in time). We dug through books on cinema, street photography, Zola, and Flaubert. We learned who the real Butterball is and what Axel's Castle was, through we might not understand it. We climbed the stairs to the second floor where the shop owner keeps an extra bed in case a weary traveller needs a place to stay. We left just as the store was closing to grab a gyro in the Latin Quarter before lazily walking home along the banks of the Seine.

For me, as I had suggested in college, sifting through the books was the perfect night.

Vegetable Free Zone

It is official. In our house we watch a huge variety of media. But Veggie Tales are VERBOTEN! My mom accidentally picked up a copy for us. The following clip Iinfuriates and annoys me on so many levels, I can't be bothered to make a coherent argument about the right-wing ode to the SUV or the mockery of the upper-middle class from a cartoon that is meant to instill good values in children (last time I checked mockery based on socio-economic status was not an admirable quality). So here it is, in the very least you will just be annoyed by the bad lyrics and voices.

What a Girl Wants

Ruby has a few things she adores:
1. Her Harrod's kitty, a gift given to her from our friend Tom-- she never goes to bed without it.
2. Silver "widdy" shoes ( I think that is her way of saying pretty). Anais sent them to her for Easter and she demands they are put on as soon as she catches a glimpse of them peeping out from her closet.
3. Tap dancing numbers in the silver shoes, a la Happy Feet. She saw it once and has been busy at work mastering the choreography.
4. This probably should have been listed at number one, talking on the phone. She has been known to answer it when it rings and just starts babbling. At a recent softball game she wandered into the field busily chatting on a toy cell phone, looking like she was trying to find the best signal. You will notice in this picture she in fact is multi-tasking with two phones.

5. Purses and necklaces, she already has an eye for accessorizing. Quite the fashonista with her totes, cell phone and necklaces! I can honestly say that while I love it, she really picked up this all on her own.
6. When Papa comes home, she throws whatever she has in her hands and fights Barkley to get to him first.
7. Go Dog! Go. Her favorite book, she will search high and low until she finds it and she wants it read over and over again. "Dog. Big dog. Little dog. Big dogs and little dogs. Black and white dogs."
8. Saying, "Mmmmwah" when she gives kisses.
9. Saying "Yummy Yummy" while she is eating.
10. Her binky. There was an incident at the playground with binkies yesterday. Let's just say she will go to great lengths to get a hit when she needs one.

House Calls

When you need to visit the doctor there is a well established procedure we all follow. First you make the call and deal with an often horrendous and incapable secretary. Second, depending on how bad you feel, you try to convince the not-medically-trained nurse that you are in fact close to death. Once she places you on hold for ten minutes, she asks if you can make it there at a most inconvenient time, and of course, you are obligated. This routine becomes even more complicated when you add a child to the scenario. For some inexplainable reason, when I need to get out of the house with Ruby I require a minimum of 10 additional minutes to my routine to cover the check list: water, diapers, wipes, snacks, binky, books, change her diaper, shoes and socks, jacket in case it rains, sweater in case it gets cold (that is a product of our crazy weather however). Inevitably I find myself in the hallway, baby loaded in the stroller waiting for the elevator when I realize I didn't put the dog away or I forgot my ID, or I left my address book that has the door code so I can get into the place I am going. I promise myself regularly I will be more prepared and streamlined...but at some point I just need to embrace who I am.

Ruby was sick recently and I wanted to take her to the doctor, but when a baby is sick you want to keep her in when it is wet and cold outside and for her to get as much sleep as she can. The medical system here operates quite a bit like it does back home, with a few nice exceptions. First, if a nurse can't immediately assist you she gives you the doctors direct cell phone number, which he answers without fail. (Note: I use he simply because our pediatrician, is a he). The doctor will then tell you if there are any over the counter medications you should try or he will schedule an appointment.

In our case there was also a third option. We called SOS Medecin. An on call doctor service, that for a price LOWER than a office visit, comes straight to your home at a time best for you. Once they have made their analysis they call your doctor on his cell phone, tell him what they found for his records, inform him of prescriptions they are giving and seek his advice on further treatment recommendations. I don't think I will be going back to the doctor's office for anything other than a routine check up and vaccines in the near future.

PS: This post is dedicated to Daphne, for always believing in me and encouraging me when I was most discouraged (really she was hogging the computer and I couldn't post the entire time she was here visiting and now she is all mad that I didn't update! Sisters!)

The Magic Kingdom

We took Ruby to experience the marketing goldmine that is Disneyland, or rather we took my Mom to Disneyland and Ruby came along. The day was fantastic, and although I was a bit disappointed not to have met up with Cinderella or Alice (my childhood faves), Ruby had a blast on tried and true rides (It's a Small World and the Mad Hatter's Tea Cups), thought she was in heaven on Casey Jr.'s Circus Train, and slept through Pirates of the Caribbean.

The Boys of Pointe du Hoc

"We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.





"We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.




"The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers--the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

"Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.





"These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war." -President Ronald Reagan, June 6, 1984

Celebrity Sighting

If you aren't familiar with this celebrity, check out the video below (courtesy Dan):

Bugatti Veyron at top speed
Uploaded by Flabber

Happily Ever After

The Loire Valley, located in central France, boasts landscapes which provide the perfect backdrops for fairy tales. A casual drive through the winding roads leads one to castle after castle--one of the most famous of which is Chenonceau. King Henry IV gave this property to his mistress Diana de Portiers (rumour has it they got together when he was 12--queue the eww factor). After his death, his wife Catherine de Medici kicked out the mistress and took over the idyllic castle. Since that time the castle has been occupied or operated by women. During World War II the front door was located in Nazi occupied France, while the rear door opened to unoccupied France.