Friday, October 10, 2008

The Saulniers

This past Sunday we drove to Mandelieu, which is on the other side of Cannes from Nice, to visit the Saulniers. They are very very good friends of the Ouillade family in Angers and were in the area on vacation, so we went and met up with them. Note to my family in America: remember Virginie, the French gal who came to the VT wedding and Paul picked her up at the airport, she used to work for Agrimark and often went to Cabot, and her luggage never arrived so she had to wear one of my dresses to my wedding? These are her parents!
Roland and Claudine were in a lovely resort that had a FIRST RATE, little used and brand new playground. We were there 3 different times in our 4 hour stay!


Roland and Thomas visit next to the pirate boat on the playground.

The resort had an artificial lake/pond in the middle of it and you could walk the perimeter on these floating dock-like structures. This provided lots of straight-away running practice for Estelle.


Can you make out the fountain in the middle of the lake?


We had a nice visit and meal with them. Estelle enjoyed tearing the place apart. She was asleep in the car before we even got to the highway.
She also came away from the day with presents from her grandparents sent via the Saulniers. Some lovely new clothes and also a few books. Here are photos of Thomas and Estelle enjoying reading and singing together:

Notice Thomas' amazing tambourine technique...

Later on I found Estelle quiet as a churchmouse for 30 mins, sitting on our bed, looking at her books. The photo quality is poor, but you get the idea!

5 comments:

W,C,H said...

Wow, what a beautiful place. Estelle looks like she was having a great time. I love seeing the playgrounds in France. They're so different from ours. In the pictures of Thomas and Estelle reading, Estelle's legs look like they are about 10 miles long.

W,C,H also keep asking when you'll come. I'll say, "Eight more days," and Cole will ask, "How long is eight days?" I'll say, "a little bit more than a week." He'll say "How long is a week?" and so it goes on and on...

See ya soon!

Anonymous said...

We also think Estelle looks so tall! I'm starting to practice my French! Grammie can't wait to see you all. She, like W,C,H, is counting down the days!

Anonymous said...

The above comment is from Sam, Jr., not Sam.

Sandy Alexander said...

Looks like Estelle got her exercise that day (as did you, I'm sure).
I had forgotten the story about the woman whose luggage never arrived for your wedding. I can picture her now. If I'm not mistaken, they were staying right at that same Inn where you got married?
I agree with Darlene. Estelle looks so big in those pictures!

Anonymous said...

Yikes! Estelle looks so tall!! It must be time to see her again!