Léna turns 4 today!

 Yesterday (Sat 27th) we drove to Saint Cannat, near Aix-en-Provence, to meet up with everyone at Thomas' cousin Pascal & Sylvie's house.   I brought the cake (well really it was 2 cakes one top of the other, but that's another story).

 The 8 Smurf candles were certainly the crowning touch - they should be, at 14 bucks.  !

 Andrée & Guy drove to Pascal's from Calvinet, where the girls had been since April 12th.  Though both of them had been car sick, they were in fine form.  Aurore (pictured above, Pascal's younger daughter), had also made a cake to celebrate Yvette's 81st bday which was on the 25th.

 Somehow Estelle was the one to blow out the candles!

 Yvette & Dédé live right in Aix, so we were so happy to see them too!  It was a nice reunion.

 Meanwhile, Agathe, Pascal's older daughter, owns a horse, named Cascabel, and the stables is just down the road.  So she brought him by, and SuperChat (class mascot of Léna's class who has been with us since April 12th) got to meet the horse!

 After the horse, we went back in and lit the candles again (gotta get my 14 bucks worth!)

 Finally the sun came out and Estelle got to do what she's been waiting for - the trampoline!

 Meanwhile, guy talk.  And, Guy talks.  (I know, I know, but it was too fun a joke to pass it up).  Thomas and Pascale (first cousins), Dédé and Guy (married to sisters).

 We got home LATE last night - 10:15!   One of these little girls below stepped into the apartment, put on her pymamas and went right to sleep.  The other stayed awake until midnight.  Guess which was which.  Hmmmmmm.  This morning, said night owl was awake at 6:45.  Hmmmmmm.......

 The day began with Barbie.  Then, waffles and a card from Grammie & Aunt Lisa & Uncle Dan.

 Then, we took Léna shopping with her special birthday money from Papy & Manou.  After, we went out to an Indian restaurant.  SuperChat enjoyed this outing as well.  He's really been getting around France in the past 2 weeks.  I think he'll be happy for a little peace and quiet back at school tomorrow.

 After lunch, back home to open up the new Barbie and her horse, Tawny.  Thanks Agathe and Cascabelle for inspiring us!

 Merci Papy & Manou!

 So much to play with, so little time.  It's hard to be 4 years old.

 There's a lot of decisions to make.

 And cake to eat.  (please note the "4" candle in use AGAIN. I'm saving the Smurfs for their encore appearance next weekend at Léna big birthday party  - lord give me strength).

 And after bath time, one last round of singing Happy Birthday, behind the lilacs from Saint Cannat.  We also REALLY enjoyed Aunt Martha & Uncle Chris calling and singing pretending to be their cats meowing out the Happy Birthday song.  They were on our speakerphone and our whole family was howling with appreciative amusement cause they REALLY sounded like cats.

It's been a great birthday, even if it rained all day!