.....we walked and walked in the world know as Ikea

I have seen Ikea catalogs.  I have visited Ikea's website.  Neither of these will prepare you for the all day trip it requires to go through the Ikea store outside of Paris.

For those of you from N.C., picture Crabtree Valley Mall, add a floor and then fill it with everything you could imagine for furnishing a home.  Not just furniture.  We are talking EVERY room.  They even have a separate store for kitchen stuff (as big as a major department store, adding a floor!).  We unfortunately found this store first when we were really trying for the furniture (bedrooms, specifically).  We bought a few things at the kitchen store, then went on to the other location.  Enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria there (Patrick had a lamb shank that was awesome).  Alas, I could not remember my new pin number for my debt card, but Patrick found a bank machine and took out a little cash, so we got some bed linens, an area rug and new pillows for all.

Stopped by the new apartment to show the kids and thankfully they gave it their seal of approval.  Whew!  No way I want to go through looking for a place again.  ;-)  They picked their rooms, explored all the nooks and crannies and then back to the hotel, which seems even smaller now!  Jumping suitcases to go to the bathroom is not my idea of fun.  Plus I am ready to prove to these dogs that there is grass in France!

Tomorrow we plan to hit another home store called Conforama which is like Ikea but on a smaller scale....maybe just half of Crabtree Mall.

...we were in Paris

So time to start blogging again.  Let it slide for awhile...life was just to crazy and things were changing daily if not hourly!

We are staying in a hotel temporarily until we can outfit the apartment.  I did get the kitchen done yesterday (oven, refrig, washer/dryer, dishwasher) and it should be delivered and installed on Monday.  We are renting a car for the weekend and hitting Ikea for furniture but have been told that delivery may take up to 3 weeks!  Eeeeks!  Might have to go buy some air mattresses, 'cause I am already ready to get out of this hotel.  Cramped and can't unpack since it would be crazy hard to stuff all this stuff back into the suitcases since it took a crowbar and magic to get it in in the first place!

Plus, and I consider this my first French lesson, dogs who have grown up with a backyard all their lives, do not know it's okay to pee/poop on concrete.  Needless to say, the dogs aren't to keen on this hotel living!  Don't get me wrong, they love the idea that every room has a bed for them, but the whole "relief" issue has them a "wee" (pun intended) bit confused.

So wish us luck and a miracle that someone has cancelled their order with Ikea and we can slide into their vacated delivery slot.....yeah, I know, but a girl can dream!