| We decided to make the official celebration day today, Saturday. Hawk and I jumped into our litte car and went to the boulangerie right next door and came back with a huge loaf of bread, a dozen croissants and a chocolate cake. Then we all went to the market to buy lamb, vegetables for ratatouille, and a lot of other delicious stuff. When we got back, there was a castle expedition that happened while the rest of us napped, hung out by the pool, and cooked. |
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A darling family at the castle. Cora and Morgan are wearing clothes I bought them in the market. I got Charlie a matching sundress. So so cute!!! |
| The rest of them. Morgan took the picture. You can just barely see his adorable little finger at the top left there. |
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The drawbridge. WIth Ray. |
| A tower at the castle. |
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Peter and Cora admire the view. |
| Our birthday dinner table. Ray figured out a much better table arrangement than long and formal, it also keeps half of us from staring into the sun as it slowly sinks during dinner. Kit's tablecloth and my tablecloth make the table perfect. And the roses from the garden. So beautiful! |
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Ray sets up his dinner time lapse. |
| While Jim read a bedtime story to precious Cora. I think he was missing Claire. |
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Paisley and Peter take a minute for themselves. |
| And Haley and Liam attempt to hold a pose for the time lapse. |
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Hawk is dressed in his sexy blue and white striped shirt. |
| We had cornichons, foie gras, bread and olives for apps. |
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Doesn't Kit look great in her new French jacket from the market? |
| Hawk dishes up Gina and Graham's ratatouille, which was the best we ever tasted. |
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Haley sat next to Hawk. |
| Paisley sat next to me. |
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We had grilled butterflied lamb that Liam cooked on the outdoor grill, Ray made bearnaise with duck fat and potatoes, Kit made the salad with gorgonzola, dried fruit and glazed walnuts, and Gina and Graham made the ratatouille. We bought two cakes, one at the Sarlat indoor market and one at our local boulangerie, they were equally delicious. We had them with strawberries and armagnac. |
| After dinner, Graham went on the hunt. |
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The mosquitos have no chance when he is hunting. |
| Then we did a Pingree family pop. |
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We're a little rusty, it's been a long time. |
| Even Kit did a pretty good job, but then she was sitting next to an expert... |
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Then we did a wave for the time lapse. Ray coached us through it, but Gina's wine glass innovation made it sing. Unfortunately, the time lapse camera was off. Fortunately, mine wasn't. |
| Then a huge bug droned in, and Peter jumped up to find where it landed. That's Jonee's hand holding it. She likes bugs. Perfect end to a delicious evening. |
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