She is back after 12 years!!

We just returned on Sunday and had visitors coming the next day..... we could hardly stand waiting to see them! Axelle was our first exchange student over the 16+ years we have hosted (check out: Nacelopendoor.org). 

Our family has also been to France to see her and Bri stayed there a few times on subsequent summers. She brought her friend Is Ma En which we enjoyed getting to know.....we hope Axelle warned her about the crazy Bartlett's!

Michelle, Marissa, Bri and Nate, Is Ma En, Axelle

Nate really loves Marissa... who wouldn't?

We ventured out to see a few sites in downtown Salt Lake City... but mostly have time to spend together.

Park City here we come! The Olympic venues are always interesting to see and perhaps we will participate in a few. You will have to wait and see.......

Do you think they won? It is a good thing they don't look scared!

Where were these two when Marissa called the police while we were in Australia because she thought someone was in our house. So brave! 

A close family friend, Lizzy Lambert, who has been studying French and LOVES to cook ... did we mention that she loves to cook, was invited to come practice her French and cook with these two lovely French ladies. There was definitely some cooking magic going on in the kitchen and lots of laughs.

On the weekend we headed up to Cache Valley which is where we lived the two summers Axelle spent with us. On the way we stopped for some 'wholesome' American food from "Wingers". Fried chicken wings and fries - no calories there!

We ended up with a fantastic waiter (with a mullet) who talked a lot with us that evening.  The 'girls' had never heard the term for mullets as:    Business in the Front, Party in the Back

They could not stop laughing, even for this photo. Although it didn't help that he took his mullet and flipped it over his shoulder just to take the photo with them.

If you want to get up-close and personal with a few hundred elk, Hardware Ranch in Hyrum, Utah is a great place to explore. They take you out in their sleighs for a small fee. We were hoping to do a lot of snow sledding but unfortunately this year has been too warm. There was a bit of snow mixed with lots of rocks....not a fabulous combination for sledding. 

After sledding our family and many guests came over for some treats and hot cocoa (for the 'suppose to be COLD day'). Michelle is showing off the French pastries made by Axelle and Is Ma En.

We know.... you wish you could try them.... delectable!

For their last night at our home they planned a French Fondue dinner. Before heading off on their world wind USA tour (they were in NYC for a week, a week in Utah, then a week in LA) they sent us the Raclette machine with some french cheese for the gourmet meal. We actually received it the day they arrived at our home. 

They worked all day (after attending church together) cooking for us, including an apple tart for dinner.  Everyone left feeling happily full from their delicious French dishes. We wished that they would stay longer so that we could get fed like this all the time! Actually we really would have loved to have them stay longer because we had such a wonderful time visiting with them!!

Check out Axelle and Is Ma En's blog... which tells the real story of their visit with us:)

http://onvaoudeja.over-blog.com/2015/01/le-lac-sale.html