My Parents Are in Town!

Back at the beginning of February, my parents came to visit London (and Morocco, but we will get to that later).  I haven't seen them since early June (EIGHT months ago!) so I was totally excited to spend some good time together.  They arrived early Monday morning and I assumed their loooong flight would have wiped them out, requiring a nap before they'd be able to function.  I was wrong.  They barely had their bags set down in their room before they wanted to get out and explore!  It was awesome and we didn't waste a minute...

Day One: Explored Notting Hill (gorgeous, charming, uppity in a good way), walked Portobello Road in the rain, ate lunch at Granger & Co. (hello, ricotta hotcakes with bananas and honey butter!!), and finished that off with the yummiest treats at Ottolenghi (their flourless chocolate cake was made in heaven).  We caught the tube home just in time to beat my older girls home from school.  They were so excited to see Grandma and Poppy!!

(Covent Garden and its street performers below)

Day Two: Brian, Tessa, my parents and I had breakfast reservations at Darwin's Brasserie at the Walkie Talkie building in central London.  The breakfast was sub-par, but the company and the views were a m a z i n g.  You can literally see ALL of London way, way way high from every angle.  It was pretty awesome and a definite must-do for visitors (you have to book in advance, but the Sky Garden views are free and cannot be beat).  We loitered around for quite some time getting our bearings and taking it in.  Below is a picture looking south at the Shard.  From there, we took the tube to Westminster Abbey and the buildings of Parliament/Big Ben- one of my favorite parts of the city.  I love the Abbey as well as the memorials surrounding it and a visit to London is incomplete without this stop.  We then walked to the Tate Britain museum.  I cannot believe I haven't been here yet- I absolutely loved seeing many of JMW Turner's masterpieces...I would fill the walls of my home with his work if I could.  Last, we took a bus past Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.  The sun was out in full force, and so were the street performers.  We sat and watched from between the columns of the National Gallery to take the perfect afternoon in...now this spot is my favorite place in all of London.  

(Above is the Sky Garden)

Day Three: Tessa wanted to go to preschool today because she was missing her sweet friends. After dropping her off, we put our comfortable shoes on for a long walk around the neighborhood.  We admired the gorgeous homes of Avenue Road and then wound over to the top of Primrose Hill for another view of London.  From there, we went up....up the hills and winding streets to the charming, quaint, and quiet streets of Hampstead.  Dad wanted to check out some antiques, so we did that, and then headed back to get Tessa from preschool.  We scooted down to Borough Market for a yummy lunch and treats (the best brownies and doughnuts ever!).  Later that night, we all went to Harrod's to check out the famous Food Hall and Toy Kingdom.

Day Four: We walked Covent Garden for lunch and the best street performers (video above)...Trafalgar Square again (you really can't tire of that place)...Piccadilly Circus...Leicester Square (struck out on tickets to a Broadway here)...Regent Street for shopping...finished off with a walk through gorgeous Mayfair.  (I think I may be starting to finally wear my parents out...we have been averaging about 8 miles/day so far).

Saatchi Gallery

The girls giggled forever at this installation that distorted their faces and bodies.

Gorgeous side streets of Chelsea

Day Five: Still having some energy to go, we headed to Chelsea- another area that I've never been to.  I bought these cool walking tour cards, which I brought along, so we could navigate and see some interesting things.  We walked off the bus and into bustling Sloane Square and then down the famous King's Road (high-end shopper's paradise).  We then headed straight for the Saatchi Gallery.  Taylor and Lauren's classes were asked to participate in an art display with 3000 other kids from around the world.  They decorated boxes and filled an entire room at the Saatchi with all of them...it was really cool and also hard to find the one you were looking for- we could sadly only find Taylor's box.  But now Taylor and Lauren can say that they've had art on display at a famous gallery in London, right?! ;)  We finished our Chelsea walk through the charming side streets where famous people used to live (and probably still do!) and then by the handsome Royal Hospital Chelsea built by Christopher Wren in the 1600's.  Gorgeous.  

It sure was fun to show my parents all around London.  We mostly spent time in places that I hadn't seen yet, so it was really cool to see more of this city.  But, man, I just love spending time with family no matter what we do or see.  There really is nothing better.

Big Sur, CA

Brian spent a couple of weeks in beautiful California for work all the way back in January.  We sure missed him while he was gone...California is REALLY far away from London and we feel it when he's there.  I'm glad he got some sunshine and warm weather though and we can't complain about seeing all of the pictures of the beautiful places he was able to visit on the weekend.  Brian also got to visit his sister, Nicole, and her cute family in Scotts Valley and they all enjoyed a fun dinner together.  For how little we get to see family, it really is so nice when we get the chance.  

While away, Brian came down with "walking" pneumonia. Which meant he had to cancel his weekend ski trip and reduce it to walking around the beach when too bored to lay around in a hotel. 

When Brian made it back home, I planned a fun little surprise birthday date for the both of us (his birthday was on the 20th and he didn't get home until the 22nd).  I gave him a post code to meet me for dinner on Friday after work.  We ate the yummiest dinner at Nopi, a middle-eastern restaurant in Soho...so good!  Then, I surprised him with tickets to see "Wicked" on broadway afterwards. I really am so grateful for such a sweet, loving husband and father who is one of the most driven people I know.  It was a great night to celebrate one year older....and definitely wiser too! 

Because Brian was gone on his birthday, each of the girls made these cute videos for him.  I sent one to his phone every couple of hours so his birthday could last ALL day long. :)

Lauren is 7!

This "Little Lady" turned 7 this month.  SEVEN!  I don't even know how this happened, but it did. The older my kids get, the more I realize that I cannot stop them from growing up.  But, the bonus is that there are all sorts of fun things you learn about who your child is becoming and your relationship changes as they start to see the world through older, more experienced eyes.  So, I guess I'll let the years keep coming...here's to seven glorious years (on this earth at least!) of knowing our sweet Lauren. 

Lauren was just about the sweetest baby to ever be born. She was super easy-- never cried, always smiled, ate well, didn't sleep great (but I didn't mind at the time, seeing as I was still in my resilient 20's), and always seemed happy and cuddly.  When she was 4 months old, I took her on a trip to Boston to see my BIL run the Boston Marathon and we trekked all over that city, walking, tubing, bussing, everything.  She was showing off because she was basically perfect the entire time.  I couldn't have asked for a better buddy on that very full trip. 

Things haven't changed much as far as that goes.  She's the easiest going kid with whatever comes her way. She never complains about walking for miles on our trips and pretty much goes with the flow whenever and always with a cheerful attitude.  She will be the first to pipe up with a smile and optimism when things get tough.  She's got a huge heart and will always share with anyone and she looooves to cuddle!

We decided that for the first year of birthdays that our kids celebrate in London, we would celebrate with family experiences instead of big friend parties like we have done in the past.  All Lauren wanted to do was go to Build-A-Bear Workshop (I really tried to convince her to let me take the family to see "Matilda" on Broadway), so thats what we did.  She picked out a pink bear and dressed it in a UK flag and sparkly skirt at the famous Hamley's toy store on Regent Street.  She didn't even want cake, instead opting for her favorite gelato at Gelato Mio by our house.  (I didn't get to a post about Taylor's birthday, where we all went to the Harry Potter exhibit at Warner Bros. Studios or Tessa's birthday that landed us at Royal Albert Hall for a Frozen sing-along).  

We sure love our 7-year old Little Lady Lauren!

Happy Hogmanay

Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and the celebration that they put on in Edinburgh from December 30 through Jan 1.  When we planned our trip to Edinburgh, we had no idea this was such a big deal.  However, we quickly found out when we started doing our trip research that we would be in for a treat once we arrived.  You can see from our earlier post on Edinburgh that we got to walk in the city's torch light procession on the 30th, which was a highlight for us.  We have never seen or done anything like it before, which always makes for a good memory.  On the 31st, the city became more crowded, sidewalks were packed and so were the tourist attractions.  We ended up leaving for London that night and were able to watch some pretty spectacular midnight fireworks from the window of our flat.

The view looking down from Edinburgh Castle toward the Old City and Royal Mile...this is a mirror image shot. Arthurs Seat is the hill in the background, and you can see the coastline as well.  The Old City is just perfection.

More hot chocolate and the sun even came out for a little bit! Below is part of the Royal Mile, going up towards the castle.

Got a picture with guy playing the bagpipes...because you have to!  Such a cool sound to hear as you're walking the streets.  The girls were in awe at how he could hold his breath for as long as he did.  :)  

We took a tour of the 1100 year old Edinburgh Castle, which claims to be the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world.  The inside felt more like a castle village, which was super charming.  I love the cobblestone streets and the architecture they use here.  The next few pictures are all views from inside the gates looking down into the New City.

Waiting in line to see the crown jewels

This little cutie has sass to spare.  She tests our patience all of the time, but we love her to pieces.

After our tour, we decided to catch the next train home before dark (seeing as the sun sets at 3:30, we had to be on the 2:30 train). Because the Old City sits so high above the New, they are connected by these "closes"- narrow alleyways with tall buildings on both sides, giving them a canyon-like atmosphere with lots of stairs.  At night, they were lit up and really cozy.  We took this close to get from our hotel to the train station.

We got reserved seats on the ride home (learned our lesson the hard way).  We love riding trains because you can get up and walk around and still see so much of the countryside as you go.  We made it into first class, so they would wheel down the alleys with food carts, much to our Harry-Potter-loving girls' delight.  This is a speed train too, so what would normally take you 8 hours to drive in a car, takes 4.5 in a train.  

Gorgeous views from the train as we sped toward London.  This was a fantastic getaway for our family and we are already planning on going back in the summer, renting a car and driving even further north through the Scottish Highlands.  Scotland is one beautiful country.

The Streets of Edinburgh

In the summer following my freshman year at BYU, my Dad let me, Beau and Claire (my little brother and sister) tag along with him on a work trip to London. The three of us would tour the city while he worked. I remember walking the streets of Mayfair as well as Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace.  We must have slept in a lot because, sadly, I don't remember much more than that.  After his work ended, we rented a car and drove north through the Lake District and ended in Edinburgh, Scotland.  And, I remember being totally smitten with this city even then.  I thought that "if I ever GOT THE CHANCE to live abroad, then I would definitely choose this place"...big words.  It is a spectacular place, seemingly untouched by time and filled with the best topography around.  I felt  the exact same way when we visited over New Year's with my own family.  

Tons of hills and winding streets lined with tall, stone buildings everywhere.  Calton Hill (below) gives a great view of the entire city and was our first stop after we arrived.  I love the distinctive blackened spires of churches and memorials poking their way through the buildings.

You can see the Edinburgh Castle in the background- this historical fortress dominates the skyline and sits on a 350 million year old volcanic plug.  This amazing edifice is visible from any point in the city and it is beyond stunning.

More atop Calton Hill. Thank you, Brian, for these pictures. ;) It wasn't necessarily that cold when were were there, but the the high winds were freezing.

Tessa has come a long way as far as walking around goes.   We've gone from full-blown meltdowns the moment her feet hit the pavement to running up big hills and walking for miles a day!  I have to give Kate all of the credit- she can always manage to get her to enjoy it by making it into a game.  I mean, just look at that face!

North Bridge links the High Street with Princes Street, and the New Town with the Old.  We stayed in the Old town, right at the start of the Royal Mile, which was a perfect location.  You really can walk most, if not all, of the city in no time at all. 

We took a train from King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley.  It was about a 4 1/2 hour train ride and it was gorgeous.  However, we didn't reserve seats, so the 6 of us were playing musical chairs with all of our stuff as more passengers boarded along the way.

After seeing Calton Hill, we walked along the famed Royal Mile, lined with several men playing bag pipes, one man dressed like a war-ready William Wallace (face paint and all!), and tons of woolen mill shops filled with cashmere and plaid scarves, sweaters, tweed jackets and kilts.  We weren't prepared for the cold wind, so we grabbed these cute hats that the girls wore the entire trip (always a bonus when you can put a souvenir to good use).  We then walked down to the incredibly charming and historic Grassmarket area to grab dinner.

And, we drank lots of hot chocolate to keep us warm while we were there.  

On a morning jog the next day, Brian and I ran through the Old and New Town and over to the awesome Dean Village.  Along the way, we stumbled upon this amazing Christmas market.  We had to bring the girls back later to check out all of the cute things for sale.  We tried a chocolate kiss (shortbread cookie topped with marshmallow foam and dipped in chocolate) as well as their fresh fried donuts (so good!).  

I loved looking at all of the Nativities.  I also love this skyline above the stalls.  

We didn't realize that Edinburgh hosts one of the biggest New Year's celebrations in Europe, called Hogmanay.  They celebrate for days, starting with a huge (35,000 people!) torch light procession starting along the Royal Mile and winding through the New City up to Calton Hill on December 30.  We bought a torch and joined in the fun and loved every second of the energy we felt with everyone else walking.  Below you can see the torches snaking up the hill- the procession was huge!

Daddy and his girls!  Everyone took turns holding our torch, even Tessa.  :)

Hogmanay celebrations to be continued....

Exploring Bath

Before Christmas, we decided to take a day trip to Bath- a quick 1.5 hour train ride west from London.  Once we arrived, we started from the train station and walked almost directly to the Roman Bath Museum in the heart of the mostly pedestrian city.  Across from the museum is the famous Bath Abbey, where a round of Christmas performances were happening all day long and the opera singer we heard on our way into the museum was incredible.  

The waters below were steaming hot, despite the chilly temperatures.  These have been used as baths since AD 60 and later in the 17th century, people would come from far and wide to "take the waters" (believed to have curative properties).  I definitely remember seeing visits to Bath on one of my favorite shows, Downton Abbey. :) 

The natural hot spring empties here in to the pool

Walking around outside town- this is the Pulteney Bridge over the river Avon.  The scene where Javert jumps off the bridge in Les Miserables was filmed right here.  There are definite similarities to the architecture in Bath and France, where the original Les Mis story was based.  

View of Pulteney from the other side- you can see the familiar weir below that Javert fell into.  Shops span both sides of the bridge and its totally charming and awesome.  Bath had a small-town and ancient feel while being quite a big city with most of the same stores you would find in central London.  We really loved it.

The famous Royal Crescent that you see in so many period movies.  Jane Austen lived in Bath in the 19th century and wrote some novels based on her relationships and time spent here.  The whole city has a very Jane Austen feel to it- like you've literally stepped in to one of her novels (take the modern cars away and you're totally there!)

See what I mean?? :)

After the Royal Crescent, we walked to the Royal Victoria Park so we could go ice-skating...

Because the ice-skating was sold-out for a few more hours, we headed back to the shops and grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at one of our favorite family restaurants, Nando's!

I love ice-skating and it was really fun (and extremely exhausting!) to show my kids how to do it.  Brian has had a bad ankle so he watched while Kate and I helped our 3 novices: Taylor, Lauren and Tessa learn how to handle the ice.  We got the penguins for Tessa and Lauren, but Tessa soon learned that all she needed to do was stand backwards on its feet and be pushed around...she had a fantastic time! ;) 

Lauren worked really hard and eventually got the hang of it, which was really fun for me to see.  I love it when my kids grasp new things and she was on her own before too long.  Ever since Taylor broke her arm when she fell off a horse a year ago, she's been terrified of anything with the slight possibility of the same thing happening.  She used Lauren's penguin most of the time and never really got the idea, but I'm still pretty sure she had a great time anyway.  

Bath was so beautifully decorated for Christmas...we loved wandering the lighted streets and admiring this new town.  I can totally see why this is such a popular place.

Christmas in London

Our first London Christmas....

No matter where you live, Christmas is just the best time of the year.  And, we were especially looking forward to our first Christmas here in London.  Almost every street in the city is strung with ornate and colorful lights- all of Oxford and Regent Streets (our local "mall") are totally decked out and store window displays are top-notch.  Its magic.  

But, the very best part of all of it has to be the feeling in the air- people trying harder to be nice, thoughtful, and eagerly serving others.  And, I have to believe there is one reason why (click for video).  Which is also why when we were asked to play Mary, Joseph and four angels in a living Nativity the week before Christmas, we had to do it.  And, it ended up being one of the best things ever. We were really late because of traffic and had to cut our time slot in half, but we rushed to get outfitted and into the handmade stable that sat on Exhibition Road, right in the crosshairs of the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science Museums, which makes it a very busy place.  There were a lot of people that stopped and watched, took pictures, and even climbed in with us for a quick picture, and even more that went inside the chapel to watch a video about the birth of Christ.  It was absolutely amazing and humbling to play the part of such a pinnacle moment in our world's history.  It definitely made the Christmas Spirit come alive for our family and hopefully for a few others.  The only downside was that it wasn't long enough!  We cannot wait to do it next year.  

The clothes we wore were the very outfits our church uses for their Bible videos so they felt and looked very authentic.

Carnaby Street is one of my favorite parts of London.  And at Christmastime its that much better!

Santa found us at our new home!

We survived without television here for 6 months...so Santa thought we could use one ;)

Tessa doesn't ever lack for attention in our house...she's such a sweet girl, but also has a huge diva inside of that tiny little body. We love her so much.  

The kids were so happy to see that Santa had no trouble finding our house on Christmas morning...we had a much more simple Christmas and it was just right.  It always amazes me that kids think every Christmas is the best one, even if there aren't always piles of gifts to open.  It really is all about spending time together and giving more than receiving.

Public transport in the city completely shuts down on Christmas and because we don't have a car, we decided to just stay in our pajamas all day long and watch movies, eat yummy food (way too much candy!) and watch movies.  How often do you get to do that??  It was pretty perfect.  

A Weekend in Rome

I've wanted to visit Italy for as long as I can remember.  My favorite food (all things carbs + gelato...how can you go wrong??), the golden colors, dreaminess, history, etc. have always put Italy at the top of my vacation bucket list.  So, Brian pulled off the ultimate birthday surprise when two days before we were to leave, he told me we were going to Rome!  He had been planning the trip for over a month and kept it a total secret- he sorted two different babysitters, purchased the plane tickets, and researched the most magical hotel for us to stay in.  We stayed at the DOM hotel on the famous Via Giulia, on the right bank of the Tiber River.  It was a 16th century monastery at one time, and you can still find tons of exposed brick walls, cathedral ceilings and ancient sacred marble inscriptions, but its been beautifully and tastefully modernized.  It was within walking distance of all of the Roman sites and all-in-all absolute perfection.  

We arrived late Thursday night, checked in, and then went for a quick walk down the narrow, cobblestoned streets of Rome.  I seriously could hardly take it all in- I have never seen so much amazing charm all in one place.  It was everything that I imagined Italy to be... times 1000.  The gorgeous architecture, ancient cathedrals peering out and commanding the narrow alleys, perfect shutters and colors on every building, slippery cobblestone walkways, Christmas lights strung on all of the streets- I could hardly stand how awesome it was!  

The next morning, we woke up and went on a run around Roma...it really is the best way to see any city- and this is one stunning city. We ran by the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill by the Piazza Venezia, and through the winding maze-like streets and hills of the right bank.  I could not get over how beautiful this place is and made even better by the sprinkling of ancient ruins that you would just happen upon.  This is definitely one of my favorite cities we've been so lucky to visit.

After we returned to the hotel, we sat down for our continental breakfast of breads and pastries, with nutella, ricotta and custard cream spreads (only in Italy!) as well as some fruit and yogurt for good measure. :)  Our first stop after getting ready for the day was the Pantheon, one of the best preserved of all ancient Roman buildings because it has been in constant use since its construction in 126 AD.  Inside is a massive circular domed room, with an oculus at the top for its only source of light.  The most interesting thing about the oculus is that it never closes, so when it rains, it also rains inside the ancient church!  

Next up was the Colosseum.  The size of it is incredible- it is so massive and entirely dominates where it stands in the city.  However, both Brian and I felt like it was far more impressive from the outside than the inside.  We followed the Colosseum with the Roman Forum across the street, which was also very interesting and really huge- the signage inside was almost non-existent though, so at several points we felt like we were walking through a maze to try and find the exit! But, the views from the top of the hill looking over the city were fantastic.

View from inside the Roman Forum looking toward Capitoline Hill

Il Vittoriano is a monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy and its location on Capitoline Hill as well as its sparkling white facade command the city.

The Italians knew what they were doing when they chose the colors to paint this city.  When the sun hits off the ochre architecture, the effect is incredible. 

After a slow Italian dinner, we wandered over to the Trevi Fountain, one of the most famous in the world and the largest Baroque fountain in the city.  We had seen it earlier in the sunlight, but at night, it really is an unbelievable work of art.  The water is a gorgeous green-blue and it is all lit up so perfectly against the white backdrop.  Its a major tourist hangout, understandably so, and you have to muscle your way in to get a picture.  But, its totally worth it.  

We finished off Day 1 with some delicious gelato...they sell gelato here like the Texans sell donuts (on every corner!) and I am not complaining about it.  I have to admit, though, that the Italian gelato shop on our street in London is still my very favorite.

The church of Sant'Agnese in Agone in the Piazza Navona.  

DAY 2 ... Crossing the Tiber to get to the Vatican.  How awesomely Italian is this car with this view??

We saw the new James Bond a couple of weeks before we visited Rome and Brian said it took every inch of his self-control not to tell me about the trip during the movie.  The car chase scene took place right here along the river.  

St. Peter's Basilica was MUCH bigger than I anticipated.  We couldn't walk in St. Peter's Square, only along the outside, because they had set up a ton of chairs for a service.  Getting in to the Basilica was akin to the TSA security lines in an airport.

The mezzanine of the Vatican Museum

The tallest dome in the world is St. Peter's (in the background) re-designed by Michelangelo in 1547

Its a good long walk to the Sistine Chapel from the entrance of the Vatican Museum.   But, its a masterpiece without precedent, so thank you very much to Michelangelo.

Man's hand on left, God's on right.  I love the symbolism of God deliberately and wholeheartedly reaching for us while we often idly and leisurely reach for Him.  Lots of deep thoughts on this one.

The modern Bramante staircase at the Vatican museum

There are tons of people in Rome on motorcycles...like TONS.  On our first day, I told Brian that we had to find a Vespa to rent and ride through Rome.  Perfection, right?! So, on our walk home from the Vatican we noticed a place right there that rented Vespas for 50 Euros for an entire day!  We just haaaad to do it.  I made Brian drive because last time I was at the wheel of a scooter, I had a major crash on Cozumel while 23 weeks pregnant (read the story here).  Donning our matching helmets, we raced around every part of Rome we wanted to, in the very best way you can.  We climbed the Gianicolo Hill for one of the most spectacular views of the entire city with its many domed cathedrals and orange hues and from there, the view at the Pincio is just as spectacular (especially at sunset).  We rode through the charming neighborhoods by the Villa Borghese as well as Capitoline Hill with its traffic-filled roundabout and over and around the Colosseum.  We ate the most delicious dinner nearby, and then took our scooter back when it turned dark.  We followed up our chilly ride with...another gelato!  

View from the Pincio

Looking like true tourists ;)

As we were driving into Rome on our first night, I had a lot of thoughts running through my head and wanted to share them.  To begin, we know our time in Europe isn't going to last forever and we also know and recognize that we are SO SO SO lucky to have this opportunity.  Those two facts make living "in the moment" much easier- its akin to a vacation that you know is about to end and you just want to soak up every moment and feel so grateful for every second you have. Thats what I've felt on every trip we've been on since moving to London (and in London itself!).  I know our time here is relatively short and I cannot help but feel like my heart might literally burst with gratitude almost every second- its hard to describe, but its a very real feeling.  I don't take any second for granted and am so appreciative of all of the things we are learning and places we get to see.  My emotions are all crazily heightened- I cry at almost every school function that my kids are a part of and I think its because I know it won't last forever; these life-changing experiences we get to have here are becoming such a big part of us.  We are so very, very blessed.