Tennis

The boys tennis season is in full swing and things are going better than last year.  We still are having some challenges, but for the most part things are better.  Right now we are 1-2 for the season, but one of the losses was very close.

The last two days I have spent large amounts of time at the tennis courts.  Yesterday I think the count was six hours.  I played some for about an hour or maybe just 45 minutes.  Then I watched some of my team play each other and then I played some again at the end.  It was a beautiful day, that is the only reason I stayed as long as I did.  In fact I got a very small sun burn yesterday.  I don't have any friends that play tennis, so if I ever want to play it has to be with students, so I had to take advantage of it while I could yesterday.  It is odd to think that I am starting to really like tennis.  I enjoy just rallying (hitting) than playing a real match, but I have liked learning a new skill.

Paris Day Three

Day three is Paris was not a full day, I had to actually learn a few things...you know since that is why I was in Paris.  So I had about three hours of training before we headed back out.  I learned some awesome things that I hope to use in the near future to make these trips amazing.  Anyways we had an option after the training, we could have free time in Paris or go with the tour guide to a city just outside of Paris that is where all the artist live.  They have street artists in this square where you can buy local artwork, or even sit for an artist.  The cool part for me was the church... the Church of the Sacred Heart.  It is this HUGE church as you can see above.  I was so beautiful.  I think I might even like it more than Notre Dame.

After that we went to dinner, it was this flat bread thing, that was almost a pizza.  It was pretty good, I can't complain...actually I really liked it.  Then it was off to our cruise...

We had been offered a chance to go on a river cruise earlier in the morning.  The tour guide had worked out a great price for us, only 13 Euro each.  I was told a river cruise is something you cannot miss in Paris so of course I signed up.  I think it was from the river that I got my best pictures of the Eiffel Tower, you could actually see the whole thing.  We also got to see the Statue of Liberty up close.  This Lady Liberty is one fourth the size of the one in New York, but they are facing each other.  I like this one because you can see the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Feb. Running Totals

I started of Feb on fire at the gym.  I thought I was going to blow my Jan running totals out of the water.  Then Paris happened and I lost a lot of steam.  I was still determined to at least match Jan and run 28 miles.  In Feb I ran 28.5 miles!!!  Again I have started off March doing awesome at running, in fact yesterday I ran 3.25 miles and then 2.0 miles today.  I can only hope to keep up the good work.  I'm still trying to lose the weight I gained in Paris.

Paris Day Two

 Sorry for the long delay for more updates on my Paris trip.  Day two was another AMAZING day in Paris.  After walking and riding the subway on the first day, I was glad to see a bus waiting for us after breakfast.  We drove through town and I just loved looking at the building, it was crazy to think about how old they were.  I was also glad that I didn't have to drive, they streets were crazy and I didn't understand the rules of the road.  In fact in one place they told us that the round about at the Arc de Triumph had no rules, you just had to be gusty and go for it.  Our first stop was at one of two domes in Paris, this happens to be where Napoleon is buried.  We didn't have time to go inside, but the outside is pretty impressive so I can only guess what the inside was like. After most of the group stopped in a cafe for some coffee and I used the bathroom (I learned to never pass up a bathroom) we got back on the bus for a stop at the Eiffel Tower.  I didn't want to be one of those people that just LOVE the Eiffel Tower, but let me tell you....I LOVE the Eiffel Tower.  It is so impressive.  We only had time for a few pictures but I cam back to see the tower at night later on day two.  After the Eiffel Tower we got back on the bus to head out of Paris to Versailles...I honestly can't tell you how long the drive was because I fell asleep on the bus.  On the way back it wasn't too long so I think it was just a small cat nap for me.  Which I know was much needed at the time.

I know it is a cheesy picture of me trying to prove the Eiffel Tower isn't that big, but I thought it was funny.  Then we move on to Versailles, which was a royal palace for many years before the French Revolution.  Many rooms had paintings on the ceiling, this one was actually painted on the ceiling while others were painted then glued on the ceiling...crazy huh?  Versailles is VERY ornate, like they were trying to prove how important they were.  Outside the very fancy and impressive palace is a GOLD fence!!!  That's right the fence is painted in gold leaf...oh to be rich.

 Around 5:00 they dropped us off and gave us some free time to do whatever we wanted to do in Paris.  The two people I was close friends with got together and we decided that we were going to get a crepe, walk around some, eat dinner in the Latin Corner, and then go see the Eiffel Tower at night.  The crepe was super yummy, dinner not so much, but it was an adventure...but the Eiffel Tower at night is a must see.  We figured out how to get there on the subway and as soon as you come up out of the subway we got a perfect view.  We walked a minute or two and looked up and it began to sparkle.  We figured out that it sparkles for five minutes on the hour, but it was cool to see in real life.  Once we got to the base of the Tower, we knew we wanted to go up.  It was a Saturday night so we waited for about a hour, but sooooo worth it.

The Eiffel Tower truly is amazing and I'm so happy I got to experience it.  I'm said my camera with a flash wasn't working so I don't have great pictures from the top...Next time. 

 Remember how I said you never pass up a bathroom??  Well when I got in line for the Eiffel Tower I didn't realize how long the wait was going to be.  About half way through the line I knew I was in trouble, but I couldn't leave the line to go the bathroom.  So I just had to suck it up and be a big girl.  I was very lucky and they had a bathroom at the top, if they didn't I'm pretty sure I was going to have to pee my pants.