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One of the things I love most about our time in France is the unique experiences we have.  I had the opportunity to go with the IWC (International Women’s Club) on a tour organized by local students as a project for one of their classes.  Our first stop was at a pottery shop in the center of town.  Behind the shop was a workshop and we were able to watch a demonstration and learn about different types of pottery.  Then in the shop we learned about enameled lava stone, because the Auvergne area of France (where we live) is home to inactive volcanos.  Some of this stone is turned into art with enamel, while others use it as countertops.

After the pottery shop we went to visit a lace maker in the neighboring town of Ceyrat.  It turned out to be the woman’s home, not a shop.  The woman showed us different types of looms used in different countries and how the lace can vary.  She also demonstrated how to make lace and we were able to purchase items she makes.  I was impressed because her items included necklaces, bracelets and other items you wouldn’t typically think of being made of lace.  While we were shopping, the lace maker disappeared and came back into the room playing the accordion!  She played a traditional Auvergne song and taught us a dance that goes with the song.

We ended the day with having a small lunch in her kitchen which included a traditional Auvergnat dish called Pounti.  It is a loaf made with prunes, meat (usually pork) and parsley.  It was very different from anything I’ve tasted but I liked it!  This tour was really an experience to remember.

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Makenna’s birthday was on a Monday this year, so we wound up celebrating her birthday a little on Sunday (Ryan’s birthday) so that we could FaceTime with Ryan’s parents and let them see her open her presents.  On her actual birthday, we FaceTimed with my mom so Makenna could open her gifts and then we had her birthday cake (which was Funfetti thanks to Nana sending some mix over to us!).  She was spoiled with lots of great gifts including some Doc McStuffins and Peppa Pig toys because those are her favorite shows.  Then on Saturday we took Makenna to a petting farm in a nearby town, Montpeyroux.  They had goats, sheep, rabbits, horses, ponies, pigs and chickens.  We were able to feed some of the animals bread, but Makenna was afraid of most of the animals.  She liked to baby pig, so she had fun feeding him some bread.  Then we took her for a pony ride and after her being afraid of the animals I didn’t think she would get on it, but she did!  Ryan was told to lead the pony around while I held onto Makenna (which unfortunately made it impossible to get a photo of her riding the pony).  She was really enjoying it until the pony started to neigh and then she wanted to get off.  As we were walking back, a horse in front of us had to stop and go “caca” and for the rest of the afternoon Makenna kept saying “cheval (French for horse) caca, pee-yew!”.  The farm also had a bouncy house so she tried that out for the first time and loved it!

After the farm we walked around the small village and found a tea room, so we stopped and had tea and cakes.  It was a great way to celebrate her birthday as a family!