We have been busy

this week. We finally got the dining room painted, all but the ceiling. 

Before, complete with faux-brick wallpaper and blue textured wallpaper with a pastel-colored-yet-southwestern-style-motif border.

And after.

The other side before, with a full wall and the same yuck wallpaper.

And after, with the wall opened up to the kitchen.

With the new bar, or as they call it in France, the "American kitchen."

Next on the list: new kitchen!
(It will be a few years, so don't sit in front of your computer waiting anxiously for pictures of that.)

* * * *

In other family news, Benjamin is a budding artist

when he is not an engineer.

We're teaching Noah great table manners.

And Noah is not walking (and we thought Benjamin was a slowpoke!) but is standing unassisted when he thinks we are not looking.