Toby Thursday

Our little stinker is constantly making us laugh with his clumsy, nerdy, goofball antics. For example:

If you stick his ear in his mouth he will chew on it.

He loves cucumbers and broccoli.

He enjoys carrying a toy (usually his stuffed mallard) in his mouth when we take him outside for a potty break.

All in all we're very lucky to have our goofy little dude. He's a character!

True Life: A Cold, Dreary Saturday in Germany

This past Saturday was dark, cold, and dreary. The perfect fall day for staying inside and being cozy. To combat the dreariness we:

Napped - a very important step when fighting off crappy weather.

Lit candles - what's cozier than candles?!

Cooked Roasted Rosemary Chicken - comfort food, yes please!

Watched College football all snuggled up in bed.

We beat the snot out of that cold, dreary Saturday with ease. The next day was bright and crisp, a classic fall day. Fingers crossed for more of the latter!


Also, we'd like to send warm birthday wishes to Brian's dad, Larry!!

We hope your day is full of joy and laughter. Happy Birthday!
Love - B & C

Cris & Randy: The Finale - An Impromptu Trip to Monaco

After a brilliant, late-night suggestion that Cris and Randy extend their trip in Europe for a week, we found ourselves on the road driving from St. Paul de Vence to Stuttgart via Monaco. What's a European vacation without a little unplanned excitement?! We were pumped. Not only would be get to hang out with my mom and Randy more, but we'd also get to visit Monaco, a place we'd talked about going to many times.

We pulled in to Monaco, checked-in, and enjoyed some snacks on our balcony looking out at the Mediterranean:

We then got ready for our fun night out. Dinner and a trip to the Casino were in order! We all got glammed up and made our way out on the town. After a few drinks and many Euros poorer, we decided to break from the gambling action and head to dinner. Dinner was a delight! Champagne and seafood all around. Refreshed with food and beverage, we made our way back to the Casino for Round Two. Here we are outside of the Casino (I didn't bring my camera out that night, so pleasebear with the iPhone photos):



We ventured back to the Casino to donate more of our money and people watch. The most interesting sight of the night: A mega-rich Italian man who walked in with his model girlfriend, sat down at his own private BlackJack table, and got 50,000 Euros worth of markers. THEN, 20 minutes in to his private game, he started pounding on the table and yelling at the dealer. I learned from a fellow onlooker that he was yelling "Impossible! Impossible! It is impossible to lose that many times!!" After his little tirade the pit boss let the dealer shuffle the deck and start fresh. What a little whiner!

Having gotten our fill at the Casino we headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest. The quiet, glittering harbor was waiting up to say Bon Soir to us:



The next morning we loaded up the car and started the long, but gorgeous drive to Stuttgart. Once in Stuttgart we inundated my mom and Randy with German food and beer; we even squeezed in a trip to our favorite, Rothenberg!

We had a fantastic visit with Cris and Randy. Thank you both so much for sharing your European vacation with us!!

If you'd like to view all of our photos from our visit from our visit with Cris & Randy,
please click on this link:
Cris & Randy Photos

Cris & Randy: St. Paul de Vence - The Flora

The French Riviera is exquisitely accessorized with the strikingly vibrant flowers and plants. I went a little trigger-happy photographing all of the remarkable blooms.

Take a stroll through our French Garden:

Up next: Impromptu Trip to Monaco!

Cris & Randy: St. Paul de Vence - The Food

As I'm sure you can imagine, the food in St. Paul was phenomenal. Fresh ingredients, real butter, and the meshing of French and Italian influences made for a culinary heaven.

Our first night in town we found our favorite restaurant (favorite because of the relaxed patio atmosphere, quality food, and charismatic waiter). We were greeted by a petite dish of deliciously marinaded olives, followed by scrumptious and hearty dinners: Perch with (in season) Purple Artichokes, Stuffed Chicken in a Mushroom Sauce, and Eggplant Parmesan with Ham:

Each morning in St. Paul brought forth a cornucopia of deliciousness. To include, but not limited to: Freshly baked croissants, hard rolls, warm homemade breads, cream and butter laden scrambled eggs, cheeses, ripe melon, fried ham, dry cereals, and hot coffee with warmed milk:

You'd think after a breakfeast like that, who needs lunch? Well...we did! On the lunch menu: Red Snapper Niçoise Salad and a Classique Club Sandwich:

And of course, what's a Merritt vacation without the standard picnic-style noshfest?!

Chocolate beignets for dessert:

Along with all of the yummy eats, we also enjoyed some tasty drinks. Champagne was the drink of the trip and we spent many serene evenings on the terrace sipping bubbly and chatting away.

For the foodie grand finale I have to share my favorite dessert, aka the Best Sorbet in the World (cue dramatic music): Pear, Vanilla Bean, and Cassis Sorbet:



We greatly enjoyed eating our way through St. Paul, although now we have some serious work to do at the gym!

Up next: St. Paul de Vence - The Flora

Cris & Randy: St. Paul de Vence - The Place

In trying to decide how to chronicle this latest trip, I realized that I have more photos than usual (most likely due to the splendidly beautiful French Riviera), so I decided to make these posts mostly photos with a few tidbits and anecdotes tossed in every once in a while. Please enjoy!

Tuesday of last week I flew to Nice, France to meet up with my mom, Cris, and her husband, Randy. (Brian met up with all of us last Thursday). Our destination for the trip: St. Paul de Vence, France. St. Paul is a darling village just 20 minutes from Nice in the rolling hills of the French Riviera.

St. Paul at night (and a little blurry):

Our charming hotel was located outside of the village walls by about 3 kilometers. Words won't do it justice, but hopefully these photos will. Scenes from around our hotel:

Tranquility and coziness absolutely oozed from our hotel. We couldn't have imagined a more perfect spot.

Venturing in to the village, we found even more picturesque views and quaint ambiance. Scenes from around town:

St. Paul de Vence provided a magnificent backdrop for a wonderful getaway!


Up next: St. Paul de Vence - The Food