Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Tuesdays with Oli♥














J'adore.
No mood uplifter like a boy after school happy for a grilled cheese,chocolate milk,clementines ,chips and cookies:)
We try and do math(J) and French dictées(Moi)..I am telling you the stuff you learn in school can be tedious..and do I remember what les déterminants indéfinis..définis..possessifs and démonstratifs are? I know them all but to assign a name to them is quite by heart heavy.I also know which is which..but in the mind of a 9 year old football player..this is tedious.
This Little makes me laugh so much..at least once lately he sneaks up on me and scares the living daylights out of me..yes..I find that funny..:) Lucas did that too..and Lucas used to come after school but now he could teach me things .
Max came for a bit but he was just so fast at learning everything..that he didn't need us.
And darling Noah doesn't live across the street.

I have to give the French in France..their beautiful language.
My family is not a slang French family and it irks me when the French from France mock the Québécois French because we're not all slangers LOL.
They do admire many Québécois artists..
And in Provence we were constantly told how they loved our accent.
Not so much in Paris.
I must say Paris people are different from Provence people.
Like any big city vs the countryside.

However..literature and spelling etc..is important and it shows in France.
So..this is what we try to do w/Oli..on Tuesdays.

The eraser says FOR BIG MISTAKES lol..it's huge.I buy the books that are supposed to help during the year..but it doesn't seem to be their curriculum.
I love how he wrote Olivier et Nana last yr..we're still using that one for when I ask him things or give him his vocabulary words:)

Oh and see those orange and green things?
Oli has always had a distinct and never seen by me way of holding his pencil..this ad popped up on IG for these contraptions and I thought..Ideal.
Poor Little tried to make me happy and tried..after 2 tries I said you know what Oli..I love the way you hold your pencil..let's ditch these..I kept them..I may find a use ..;) Lol ..not..

The cookies this week were Marie's original PB cookies..every Tuesday I make new and he leaves w/ the rest for his family.

Here is her recipe..they are the ones of my youth.. that the neighbour made:)

I went cross border shopping with those two fun girls above..and bought the Reeses pieces bag w/ everything you see in them:)
I bought skinny cheddar popcorn..Jif crunchy PB..not that our Kraft isn't excellent but I love US and Euro food shopping..here too.

We went toTarget and TJ's and Home Goods and Walmart and Panera and The Plattsburgh Brewing Co..
Slept over .
Lovely tradition..
Oh and Michael's  .I had a US gift certificate..and Hobby Lobby.
Love that ceramic palette:)
New brushes and a smaller Mixed Media  pad.2.

After lessons he likes to start a movie or a show w/ us..
the crocs are mine..my loving Mario Batali days after I met him:)

Tradition..lol..put some crocs over your socks..they often don't last the whole time;):):)
When we say it's time to leave he ends up on the floor:)
he's 9.
Let him be a kid.

Finally buds and blooms..not many..trilliums..my tulips are coming up looking paltry..
my garlic is stellar except one patch.
I brought my tomato seedlings up into the garage to get them used to outside..

It's a really paltry Spring to be honest.



Another thing I love and please forgive the paltry pic..I am just full of paltry today:)
But I pasted it to my Carol wall of fame and it's been dark ever since apart from today for one bit!My wall is an INSPIRATION.
These are Carol Gillott's Letters From Paris~
You can go here to read about them:)Or to subscribe:)

They come w/ goodies and even the envelopes are adorb.
This one..has Notre Dame♥
I'll never forget.

Have a super week ..we've got projects galore.

And did I mention our grass is so paltry this year?
Well it is.
Paltry.

27 comments:

  1. Dearest Monique,
    J'adore your way of molding the little ones in your family! Not only creating perfectly molded cookies for them to remember their dear Nana forever by, but teaching them just that little extra for taking across the ocean with pride! Different accents, we all have and when they tell me here, at times I reply: 'You yourself have a funny accent too!'... When going to Atlanta with Pieter they so many times have asked if I'm French. Guess it's the dialect accent I speak to Pieter... We talk faster too in the South and yes, there's a LOT of French influence in the language and culture. And I LOVE IT!
    Enjoy this spring season, with your gorgeous Trilliums showing up.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Great answer you have!!I love the diversity and all we can glean from one another.
      I find people so interesting.
      There isn't a stranger I have talked to that did not leave an impression on me.
      Bonne semaine !!

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  2. Olivier et Nana...How that touched me! Memories of my own grandmother having afterschool lessons in Polish with me...Paris, the people there are not as open, are they? When in Quebec City I hear different prononciations, including my own! One French teacher one time told me that everyone in the world has an accent, so don't worry! But it can be mean when one group makes fun of another's language...
    Those pencil thingies: I tried one myself on a too skinny pen...It is now in the trash!
    How lucky and blessed is your family, complete with home baked cookies. And you are Movie Star gorgeous, lucky you!!

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    1. Oh Rita..you are kind!I love being in back of a camera not in front☺️☺️And if you ask me to smile I freeze.My girls are selfie savvy..not me..
      Yes all our accents are different☺️I love diversity.
      J'adore la compagnie de mes petits-fils and time is not standing still..soon they will be Soso busy these special times will be fleeting.
      Trash it will be:)
      Olivier et nana touches me too💙How fortunate you have grandparent memories🙏🏻

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  3. Well one thing for sure Monique, this is NOT a paltry post! It is filled with love and all of the finer, most important things in life, like family and all the little things we do for and with each other because of well . . . LOVE! How wonderful that you have this time each week with Oli. He will treasure those moments. My oldest son and my mother were very close, probably because we lived with her when he was a baby up until he was almost 3, and then off and on through the years. She loved all her grands but he was special and I am sure it was because of those days. You will always be so special to your grandchildren. What a great blessing that is! Your cookies look fabulous! Love all the add ins. I amm not surprised Oli loves them also. I wouldn't dare bake or I would be very naughty! Love that you get to go away with your girls as well. How special is that. ♥♥♥ I would love to subscribe to Paris Letters, maybe when I win the lottery. They look très charmant! My father could only speak French basically when he met my mother. He wanted to learn English so we never learned French at home, just school. Pity that because there is a whole half of our family now we have difficulty communicating with, although we try out best. High school French. My youngest daughter is bilingual and all of my grands are learning in French at School. It will serve them well I think. Perhaps one day we will have a Canada that is bilingual all over. the French people we experienced in France did not like Canadian French, lol. But they liked the British even less. We could not win! Thanks for all that you share dear friend. Love and hugs, xoxo

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    1. Your cookies are super popular:)I don't think I have ever made something of yours that was paltry LOL..I should look into synonyms for paltry.I hope they remember these days..I hardly remember anything..my girls tell me they remember nothing.
      It's funny you can ask me things since I married..but events prior to my mom's death are so vague..so vague..apparaently shock can do that.
      Thank you for everything you share!
      French English..bg issue here of course in QC..for years..and years..all the Westmount(rich) homes were owned in majority by English..so much has changed..We have Bill 101 ..I have always been on the fence..a true 50/50..French and English.

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    2. I am on the fence also. I think it would be a good thing for everyone in Canada to be well versed in both languages. ♥

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  4. Ohh, my first article is now published: https://chefknives.expert/best-carving-knives/
    If you want to have a look. Working on one about paring knives now! Its a steep learning curve this!

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    1. Brava!! Wow..that's quite the article..So well written and I know the author knows her stuff!! No paltry opinions there:):):)A lot of words Marie..great for the brain..Kudos again!!

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    2. Thanks so much Monique. Its lovely for me to be able to write about things I know! I feel like a writer. Finally! xo

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  5. How wonderful to be able to spend time with Oli and help with lessons.

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    1. Just a few more wees and it's done:( I hope to start agin in Sept..the chips and cookies help:)

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  6. First la belle famille!
    Such stunning women ❤️
    And then your PB wall of letters.,! You made my day"I'm sitting on a park bench (not in a park though) eating popcorn of all things in Deauville! Popcorn is hard to find over here sans sucre so any opp... i was thinking 'boys to men' How fast they grow.
    Xxxx❤️🐻🇫🇷

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    1. Oui tu as raison!I love popcorn..not sweet ..one I love is cheddar 35 calls per cup.
      I am outside watching Bécassine waiting to help J put up a lamp standard.You would not believe what this guy does at 78🌟I love my wall!!!

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  7. Tuesday with Oli, Olivier et Nana ♥♥ What special times! How wonderful that you are able to do lessons together and such cute photos of Oli relaxing on the sofa. How do you keep it white?! LOL. I adore that photo of you and your girls and what a special time together, shopping and restos! You look so in love with them and they look so happy. Lots of memories being made, none of which are paltry :) Beautiful trilliums and those tomato plants look so healthy. Marie's cookies look amazing and I am adding those mini peanut butter cups to my shopping list! It just hailed here!

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    1. Hail!!!!Thank goodness you bring in the plants.Sun Sugar is the beast!!
      Cannot wait to see everything grow.
      These are IKEA Ektorp loveseats..slip covers ..washing machine and bleach.I have not regretted them once..imagine🙂👍🏻Putting them back on is the tricky part.
      Not sure how much Oki is getting out of this..but I am getting a lot☺️
      The mini cups came with the pieces!!I so many neat packs of things there.
      Here..pretty paltry lol in that dept.
      Here's to a fulfilling gardening season to us Pea!

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  8. Dearest Nana,
    I am absolutely sure that you are creating deep bonds of affection with these boys - the determinants are indeed a great torment for the children.
    xoxo

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    1. Lol well said Nina determinants are actually deterrents:)Bon weekend!

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  9. Oh I love Oli...he is the cutest thing!!!
    Those cookies!!!
    Have a great weekend...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. You'll have a new little one so soon ❤️I admit to envy:)Have a good weekend!

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  10. I love Carol's letters. I need to resubscribe. But oh, I adore them!

    This post totally makes me smile. The photos of Oli are real gems. Love the look of them. And the cookies. And your beautiful flowers. I've never seen a red trillium, only the white before. That's magnificent. But my favorite photo is beautiful you, off on your adventure! It's nice to "see" you! And I love grocery shopping in Canada so we're even! Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

    Happy Happy to you!

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    1. Her letters are so special.How brilliant of her!
      Thanks for all the kind words Jeanie..have a great weekend!!

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  11. So fun for you and Oli... :) What a nice Mother's Day tradition too....love the pic of the three of you - a keeper! Hope you well. xo

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