Day Four: Bateaux Mouches and Picnics

Our day began much earlier today since we were able to get the girls to sleep by 11:30pm. First thing Samantha and Kenny went to the bakery for some breakfast:

 

A rare moment of genuine sweetness before we set off:

Although touristy and a bit cliche, we felt we had to do the Bateaux Mouches. I think the girls were psyched to be (mostly) sitting for a change:

 

 

Next, off to the Champs-Elysees to try some hoity toity hot chocolate that came highly recommended.  Apparently, this location of Laduree is not fancy enough and is closed for renovations:

Undeterred, we headed to the next fancy place we could find:

And we had a lovely picnic with the pigeons:

After a short rest at home, we went to Monoprix to stock up on groceries since Kenny is leaving for Finland tomorrow. The girls carried the groceries without a single complaint:

Eliza snacking on her beloved carottes rappees:

Then a dinner picnic on the bank below our apartment:

Card tricks:

Venturing into the Marais:

And stumbling upon an adorable park tucked between the buildings:

The girls loved playing with the locals:

After the Marais, we walked back toward home, past L'Hotel de Ville:

And Notre Dame:

 

While we were planning to grab some ice cream on the island, we decided to head toward Place St. Michel and Rue de la Huchette for a change of pace:

We devoured some Tunisian pastry, braved the crowds, and headed back home.  Eliza began to melt down just as we approached our apartment. Her level of exhaustion is directly proportional to the size of the bulging vein that appears on her neck when her meltdown begins. This was a medium one:

Tomorrow begins the portion of the trip that I have been anticipating with a bit of trepidation.  If I can make it through the next nine days without seeing the aforementioned neck bulge more than twice a day, I will consider myself blessed.  And if Kenny comes home to three mentally and physically intact Walker women, he should consider himself blessed as well.