Fun at the Beach

Had a great time this weekend in LaBaule. Claire's family has been very encouraging in terms of my gradual improvement in the French language...I get impatient at times with what appears to me to be a lack of progress...but perhaps I don't appreciate my improvement due to the gradual nature of learning a language. I hadn't seen Claire's family since within weeks of moving to France, so perhaps they are more easily able to notice any changes.

The weather was pretty nice; in fact, I think it was perhaps even warmer than last August when we visited La Baule! Sadly, I did not think to bring my maillot de bain (swimsuit), though we were able to spend some quality time searching for coquillages (shells) and building chateaus de sable (sand castles)! Featured in these pictures are my two ever-adorable nieces, Maeva and Auxanne.

Stay tuned on this very blog for sneak-peak details at this year's Nate Hellman-sponsored Chrismas card! It's still only in the earliest of planning stages, but I might try some "audience participation" to brainstorm some ideas.