Seattle

Every one in Seattle drinks coffee… actually little Jack snuck into mom’s mocha when her back was turned. Fortunately, more of the drink ended up on him then in his mouth.

Welcome Little Dilly

Niku (Lauren’s friend) and Sarah hosted a shower to welcome Scott and Lauren’s baby boy. Lauren suggested a chili theme. No Problem! Fajitas, margaritas (virgin for the mom to be), chips salsa, what’s not to love?





We had fun playing games & watching Scott and Lauren open presents. The highlight was when we were playing a game to guess how big Lauren’s belly was. We discovered that Scott’s belly is still bigger than Lauren’s.



We can’t wait to meet Baby Dillard! What will he think of this toy….

Fairy Tale Town

We spent the morning at Fairy Tale Town in Sacramento. Jack and I went with Sandy, my friend form high school and Haylie, her daughter who is 2 months older than Jack.





What fun!

5 Years

We can hardly believe we have been married 5 years. It has just flown by. Well except for the time… no that is another blog . Seriously though, our first 5 years of marriage has been full of adventure. We have lived in 2 different houses, one French cottage, one tiny duplex, and a city loft. We have traveled thousands of miles, seen beautiful cities, beaches, county villages, ocean waters. We hope the next 5 are just as great!







For our anniversary we were in France. We had dinner at a small French restaurant. It was neat the way they had the menu on a chalk board and brought it to the table. The waitress spoke no English. So when Marty got a curious looking dish he was sure he misunderstood. He had! He ordered cow kidneys!! The delicious dessert and smooth wine made up for the dinner though.

Belgium

Our hosts in Belgium were Johan and Marleen. They were terrific hosts. They had just returned from their honeymoon and let the Dillard family; Marty, Sarah and Jack stay with them for 2 nights. It was fun being with them. It reminded us of what it was like to be newlyweds!



Our first day in Belgium some of Johan’s friends, who Marty knew through a high school exchange program, had a BBQ. It was a fun time. We enjoyed good food and wine and lots of political discussions.



The next day we visited the beautiful town of Brugge. This is one of the most beautiful European cities. It is intersected by rivers and canals. We enjoyed lunch on the river, a boat tour, and a walk among twelfth buildings and public squares. Marty went into paparazzi mode and took more pictures of this city then any other city we visited!!!









Belgian waffle anyone?


To see more pictures of our trip click the link below
http://calmarty.smugmug.com/gallery/2987924#161841260

Belgium, the Tour Continues

Our tour of Belgium continued on Sunday. We went to Brussels and the college town of Leuven. Johan and Marleen, planned a full day of sight seeing.

Bargain hunting at a street fair




Sausage, a Belgium specialty.


This merry-go-round was in the antique district of Brussels.


We found tiny frogs in a fountain.


Petite Piss… Jack was fascinated; we could not get him to look at the camera.




Beer is to Belgium, as wine is to France. No trip to Belgium would be complete with out tasting several, of the hundreds of varieties of Belgium beers. Yum!



Cheers!

Jackson is 18 Months Old

What a difference a few months make. Jack is not really a baby any more. He is such an independent little boy. He loves to run, play, explore, sing, dance and read books. He is fascinated by any moving vehicle. The first word he says when he wakes up in the morning is truck. He spends the rest of the day pointing out trucks, trains, cars, motorcycles, helicopters, and airplanes. He talks quite a bit and has become a little parrot. We have to be careful what we say around him. He understands everything we say and will repeat any word that catches his attention. Sarah’s mom was telling a lively story which included the word Sh*^. Sure enough, clear as a bell he said “Sh*^!



Jackson is doing a great job traveling along with us as we explore Europe. He is happy checking out sites. He loves to yell hi at people we pass, and he gets excited when ever he sees another child. He shouts out “bebe” just like a little French child. All the time exploring cities and being outdoors has turned his hair a beautiful golden color. We feel fortunate to have such a joyful child.

Another Adventure in Paris

We spent the day in Paris. Marty had a book that listed all the best places to buy baguettes in Paris. We tried a few of the suggestions. We also visited a Sunday Bazzar, window shopped in the high end furniture district and boutique shops, strolled through the Luxembourg Gardens, and walked through Eiffel Tower park.

Tour d'Royal

Sarah’s mom came to visit us in France. We spent 10 days, touring different cities and small towns, sight seeing, enjoying the garden at the cottage we rent (especially the fresh raspberries growning in the yard), eating French goodies, and shopping.

Paris

We took a day trip to Paris. We drove to the Metro station in Porte de Orleans, parked, and set off for the city. We had no itinerary, no planned tours, no agenda- so un-Dillard like! We got off at St. Michelle on the blue line. We had lunch at a small café, wondered a bit, and then came upon Notre Dame.








The strangest thing was in the square directly in front of Notre Dame there was a “Fete du Pan”- a bread party! The bread was fresh and the birds appreciated the party as much as we did.









Next we wondered over down the river, past the river side vendors, bought a few posters, past the Jardin District (Garden District), and to a park with many interesting sights.



Last we came upon a park that had an under-ground mall that looked like an arboream, an ancient and beautiful church, a children’s playground and an amphitheater like court yard with a gigantic piece of modern art. We picked up some crepes and had a picnic in the park. Then hopped back on the Metro and headed back to our small cottage.