A Place Like This

Author: Valarie Budayr

  • Visiting EarthMama and a Big Giveaway

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    Valarie Budayr
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      Photo by Lisa DeNardo   This week sees me out visiting friends. My kid lit blog Jump into a Book is happily a sponsor of the Earthmama herself Lisa Denardo. As part of our sponsor giveaway we are hosting this list of wonderful books to get everyone in the mood for summer. ~Over in…

  • Meanwhile Back at the Casbah

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    Valarie Budayr
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    While still in Paris, one day we decided to go for Moroccan food. All of us are huge couscous fans and we had heard that this little place was like stepping back in time. As I was trying to have a conversation with my family, I couldn't help but notice that my children were very…

  • In the Garden of Versailles

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    Valarie Budayr
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    On our unexpected, unplanned outing to the Palace of Versailles we were totally mesmerized by the interior. No one mentioned the upcoming picnic lunch on the terrace or that soon we would be enchanted by a magical spring like day in March.  As far as the eye could see the garden went on. The long…

  • To the Palace of Versailles

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    Valarie Budayr
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    He had that look in his eye. The one where a bevy of questions are about to be unleashed.   "Mom, is Chateau de Versailles just a metro stop or is there a palace there?"  O asked. " Oh,there's an incredible palace there. Remember the French revolution sites we visited? This is the Palace that…

  • Eiffel’s Tower

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Though we are back from Paris, I haven't yet finished sharing the most magical moments of that trip. The initial reason I started blogging was to save moments my family and I shared. It came from a place of longing, wishing I had captured the incredible moments with my family growing up. So that my…

  • Happy Spring Renewal

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    Valarie Budayr
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    A Scandinavian tradition,Spring is brought in by making a flower and feather tree on a pussy-willow branch. After all that work it's time to eat the traditional meatballs, mashed potatoes, ligonberry jam or linkin berry jam as Mia calls it, knacke bread and of course a spring salad. A very special thank you to Sanna…

  • Up On The Roof Top

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    Valarie Budayr
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    As Emily and I went roaming around Paris discovering the most amazing knit shop, and having coffee and molten lava cake at the Louvre, nothing could have prepared us for our re-entry into our domestic bliss.  "Mom, the girls were on the roof and they could have killed themselves. Why didn't you tell them not…

  • Shared Moments

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    Valarie Budayr
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    I love catching little glimmars of when they come together.  Brother and Sister meet after 3 weeks of being apart. After flying all night, Zaina arrived in Paris during the early morning hours. The stillness of this moment and the three of them together brought a happy beat to this momma's heart. A couple of…

  • Locked on the Bridge of Love

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    Valarie Budayr
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    I was teaching my sweet daughter the art of the flanneur.  Flanneur in French means to stroll and it's one of the things I love to do the most when I'm in Paris. As we were strolling along the Seine, I noticed this tree, the same tree that spits out hundreds of little spikey pods…

  • One Year Later: For Japan With Love

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Today one year later, March 11, 2012, we're honroing the lives lost and saved in response to the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan. Please help us send a message to Japan by clicking here to share the banner and spread the word of remembrance. Directly after the earthquake and tsunamis the goal was to raise…