O Christmas Tree!

Even with our big move, we still made time to get a Christmas tree - since it is Mom and Ava's favorite time of year.

Ava chose this one and it really was the best one there! Perfect shape!

All decorated! Ava was such a big help this year. It was so much fun to decorate the tree together!

Moving into our San Francisco home

There was a LOT of unpacking!

Pardubice

Why we didn't do this sooner, I don't know. We spent one of our last days with Jana (Dave's office manager from work, but she was also a great friend of ours) and her family in her hometown village of Pardubice. Her family was so wonderful! Her mother treated us to a traditional Czech meal of Svíčková, which was delicious. Ava loved her father and played with him all day, sitting on his lap and talking away in English, even though he didn't know a word of it. We went to the old square of Pardubice to see the Christmas markets, have a coffee and see the petting zoo. We also visited the river and fed the ducks. The people in Pardubice were beautiful and kind, a far stretch from people in Prague. It was a great experience and we wish we had gone much earlier in our stay!

Last brunch with Tadhg

We often had brunch with Tadhg and his parents, Deb and Steve, at Bohemia Bagel on the weekends. This was a our last brunch before leaving. They are also leaving Prague to move to Toronto!

Old Town Sqaure - Miklaus

Old Town Square in the snow is one of the most festive places to be in the world. There was tons of snow...and it was still snowing. There were Christmas markets, lots of Miklaus', angels and devils. It was one of our favorite nights in Prague. Czech's celebrate Miklaus even more than Christmas and the angel and devil advise Miklaus on what children are good or bad. The good ones get presents and the bad ones get taken away in a burlap sack by the devil. That is quite a threat!

Snow in Prague!

We had lots of snow in our last weeks in Prague. It was really fun to live in a place with so much snow and holiday cheer! It was a great way to spend our last few weeks. Ava got to go to and from school on her sled everyday...how can you beat that?

Versailles

Ava discovered a cat at Versailles that looked JUST like Maia! We always knew she came from royalty :)

Our first snow of the year started at Versailles in front of Marie Antoinette's chateau - they were some of the biggest snowflakes we have ever seen!

Ava bathing in some rare sunlight after the snow

Around Paris: Thanksgiving 2010

A Series: Dave, Jill and Paris Landmarks

Tour Eiffel

Paris brings out the model in Dave