Cares of the world

Today I read an article about a woman who escaped from a long term capture under ISIS authority. I actually didn't even finish reading it, because her story was so disturbing, horrific, and heart wrenching. She watched her family be tortured and killed, and then was repeatedly tortured and abused by her captors for months. Those people who do such things are barbarians, and it is hard for me to think that we live in a world where such evil exists and often reigns. 

I'm not sure how to respond, what to do, or how to feel when I read such things. 

I live in a gloriously happy little bubble, I know. And I am so grateful for the stability and serenity that surrounds me and my family -- and always has surrounded me. I have felt so blessed, protected and guided by God my whole life. 

That said, I do also feel compelled to know what is going on in the world around me. And so I read, I watch, and I study. And I find myself surrounded by the stories like the one I described above. When I hear these things, the compassion in me seizes up; I fear, I sorrow, I weep. And the mother in me worries deeply about the future my children must face. How am I to prepare them? How am I to shelter and protect them, while also getting them ready to deal with whatever life throws their way?

There is a part of me that just can't reconcile my fortunate, prosperous circumstances with the horrors and heartaches that belong to so many others. I believe in God. I believe he loves all of his children, and watches over them. I have felt his blessings in my life in inmeasurable ways. But so many others seem to have so little, live such hard lives, and face such personal tragedies.

Yesterday in Sunday school, we discussed the parable of the sower. What does that have to do with anything I've just written? Well, one of the phrases struck me as we were discussing this parable: Jesus explained that the seeds that fell among thorns represented those who were sidetracked by the deceitfulness of riches and the "cares of the world."

Our Sunday school teacher actually talked a lot about the riches and the pleasures of this world, and how easily we get tempted and sidetracked. But I silently reflected on what "the cares of the world" are to me. These heartbreaking tales of others lives are heavy burdens – – cares that way me down sometimes with so much helplessness and sadness. As I pondered this particular wording from this parable, in a figurative sense, I was able to see how my parylizing reaction to the atrocities and calamities around me are like the thorns swallowing up the good seeds of faith in my heart. While I weep and fear and wonder where God is in the lives of these people who are hurting, I am failing to recognize, respect and be grateful for the Lord's unwavering hand in my own life. He is there; He is real; and I feel His presence constantly in my life. There is a fine line between compassion and what I call "borrowing trouble." I want to work harder to stay on the right side of this line.

But I also hope with all my heart that God is hearing and answering the prayers of those who are truly downtrodden, suffering, and broken.

Camille is talking to us

Our baby girl is starting to say lots of fun little words. It is so cute to hear her, and so fun to watch her learning. I just wanted to take a few minutes to write some of her best words…

She says:

Dada, and sometimes daddy. She calls  Spencer daddy also, which he thinks is hilarious. :-)

Mama, finally… It took her a longer time than I was hoping!

Grandma, although it sounds a lot like mama. :-)

Grandpa – sounds like pop-pop

Popcorn – – Also sounds kind of like Pop-pop

She also uses pop-pop to mean soda pop, otter pop or popsicle. I think she just knows "pop" usually means something good. :-)

Go

Hot

More

Baby

No – – This is new, as of today. I'm not sure I'm so happy about it, but it was inevitable.

Natalie – – Sounds more like Nah-yee, and it is so cute! :-)

Hello– – sounds more like heyyo. She looks down her own shirt, and says hello to herself. :-) I'm not so fond of it when she does it to me, but I think she's looking for her binky. Ha!

Ella,  because she absolutely adores her cousin Ella. She talks about Ella even when she's not around. :-)

Up

Help– – She said this this morning, trying to help me make my bed.

Oh, I almost forgot two...

Here-ya-go-- she says this when she's handing me something. It sounds more like heee-go. 

Shoes-- she LOVES shoes and wanders around finding people's shoes and bringing them to their owners. And when she gives them to you, of course she says "hee-go!":) She has brought me as many as four pairs of my shoes while I've been making dinner!

That's all I can think of right now. We sure do love this little cutie, and can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Some pics of our one year old girl

Happy Birthday Wade!

All our Hone family got together again this year at my parents' house, to remember Wade's birthday. He would have turned 44 this week. It was a really special time, being together and remembering some of our best memories with him. :-)

I should have taken more pictures, but the only ones I got were these cute ones of my mom and Camille, decorating the great big chocolate cake we all ate together. Wade would have loved it! His favorite!!

All my brothers went on a hiking trip, up in the back country behind the Sawtooth Mountains. Brian even got to join them at the last minute. (He was thinking he would likely miss, due to his work schedule. But things changed and got less busy, so he got to go! Yay! ) The pictures they took of that beautiful scenery are pretty stunning! Looks like a great place to be.

While they were gone, all of us moms stayed at my parents' house and around there, and got together each day to do fun stuff with the kids. We all went to see a movie one day. Melissa got some free matinee tickets for us. Everyone really enjoyed it, especially Camille, who spent the entire time in the lobby, rolling around on the floor…

The next day, we went to a kids art fair in the park, up in Idaho Falls. They had lots of fun painting and crafting projects for the kids.

The last night we were there, my mom was kind enough to watch the kids for me, so I could go out on a special date with my two best girlfriends from high school – – Amber and Kerri. So much fun!! We celebrated all three of our 40th birthdays, since we all have birthdays within a month of each other. We went out to dinner, then drove around Blackfoot to all our old sites, even swinging on the swings at Casey Park. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, maybe since the last time we all got together. :-)

Through the years, I have sometimes taken it for granted how good I had it growing up. But looking back, I am extremely grateful for these two amazing best friends in my life. From grade school on up, we three were always together! In high school, people used to joke that they didn't know which of us was which, but if they just said Amber Kamber and Kerri all at once, they'd be covering their bases! :-) 

We had our ins and outs, our insecurities, and growing pains, of course. But we really helped each other stay strong and grounded in our mutual faith and love of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We also helped each other grow up, laughing at life's craziness and unpredictability. Our friendship is the kind where we pick up exactly where we left off, every time we see each other – – whether it's been a week, month, or even a couple of years. Looking at these two wonderful, beautiful ladies, I know without a doubt how extremely blessed I am!

We got home from my parents' house late last night, and Brian was unloading his stuff from the camping trip. We were all tired, and went to bed in a bit of a frenzy. But I woke up this morning feeling great amounts of gratitude for the wonderful people in my life, both friends and family, my greatest treasures.

Can't Catch a Break!

Atchoo!!
Yep. Head cold again. Goodness me, I've been too sick this winter!! I am NOT documenting it all here, but for the record, it's been pretty rough this season, and I'm ready for it to END! I mean, I don't mind if winter continues, but I want my sickness streak to end. And I want to NOT pass it on to all my family. And I want to feel as great as I imagine I will when I'm not grabbing tissues, popping ibuprofen, icing my back or making my way to urgent care for another strep test. So, here's to a HEALTHY me in this new year!!

In other news, Samantha has discovered the world of Harry Potter. I know, we're behind the times and many moms now read it to their kids in kindergarten, right? But I have cautious kids, so I guess 9 was the unofficial age of Harry Potter. The funny thing is, she DEVOURED the first book in two days! No joke. She is a FAST reader -- faster than me, for sure. She tore through it so fast she forgot to do laundry, homework, piano practice and most anything I asked her to do -- three times over. And so now, the second volume is waiting until she can prove she has enough self control to handle it. But secretly, I hope she proves herself very soon, so she can continue her thorough enjoyment of the series.

Spencer has started piano lessons with the same teacher who teaches Samantha. He has learned a few songs with the youtube videos, and seems to like it as a calming mechanism. So, he started last week and we're hoping he enjoys it understands it well enough. He's come a long way with the finger sucking, but still has a ways to go. We're hoping to kick this habit! Soon!! His newest love seems to be soccer. He got a soccer ball for Christmas, and loves kicking it around the back yard -- or the living room, until it gets confiscated.

Natalie got a CD of "Frozen" songs, so we're all "Letting it Go," for the "First time in Forever." All.... Day.... Long. She loves dressing up and dancing, and pretending she's saving Anna or Elsa from a frigid fate. She also loves her preschool class and any play dates I arrange for her. I love seeing how social she is, and how confident. She's also becoming very aware of herself right now, which is sweet --and sometimes hard-- to watch; with peers or other mothers, she sometimes get very shy or clingy, or very indignant and stubborn. Whatever emotion she experiences, it's FULL STEAM and usually very darling and amusing to observe, as a mom.

Camille is our big bundle of love and cuddles. She really loves to be held and patted and coddled along. She can hold her own bottle, but refuses because she likes me or Brian to give it to her. She crawls like a champ now and rifles through the tupperware cupboard and any drawers that are slightly ajar. She is starting to cruise along the couches and chairs. Just today, she pulled up to the piano for the first time and banged out her first notes with those chubby little fingers, while I was practicing. She is wearing 18 month clothes now, and some 24 month stuff. I'm sadly putting away all the 12-month clothes I thought would fit her for awhile longer. She'll turn one in just a week and a half. So exciting to have a one-year-old!! I love babies, but I also LOVE watching my grow and grow. I know I'll miss them when they're all grown up. But I get excited watching them reach each new stage.

As for Brian, he's busy, but not soooo busy. Not like before Christmas. This is a much more manageable kind of busyness then we had all last fall. So I'm feeling very appreciative that he's in bed with me most nights and has time to eat and visit with us in the evenings. Almost feels like what I imagine "normal" hours might be like?? He has had more time to exercise and take care of himself, which makes me feel so happy for him. And he is able to focus on church responsibilities more effectively. And, I have to add that he's been especially sweet with me these past weeks, taking good care of me and kissing me better when I hurt a lot. My back is my biggest concern.(And I guess we're back to me?)

It's been hurting off and on these past few months, as Camille has gotten bigger and I'm still lifting her a lot. Then, last Sunday during Sacrament meeting, it went waaaayyy out, pretty embarrassing because the tears just wouldn't stop and I couldn't really stand up straight. So, now I've got this funky brace on, plus lots of ibuprofen and ice. It's been a week and a half now, and it still hurts a lot. But I'm exercising and seeing a chiropractor and hoping it will get stronger and heal up quickly!!

That's all for now, I think. I better go to bed and see if this cold magically disappears by morning, eh?! :) Bye for now.

Kamber

A Better Day

Yes, today was a better day.
Much better, in fact.

I'm not sure what made it so much better, considering my back still hurts and I only got 5 1/2 hours of sleep last night. But I sure felt better today. Probably it was getting that whole rant out of my system and onto (virtual) paper. It's not that I solved any of my prioritizing dilemmas. But just putting it out there helps somehow. I can let it go for a little bit. (And then I start singing like Elsa, of course.)

Here are things I did that made it feel like a better day:
Got the kids to school on time. Went grocery shopping for TONS of healthy food right after dropping off kids. Ate delicious, nutritious stuff all day. Organized my pantry and fridge enough to fit and find all the food I bought today. Changed that hall lightbulb that's been out for a whole month because it's high and hard to reach. Had a dance party with Brian and the kids, using Spencer's new strobe light Christmas toy from Grandma Hone. Exercised and showered before bed. Goooo me!! It was a good day, and I didn't have too much of a priority panic attack, but tried to focus on being okay just accomplishing what I was doing at the moment. Baby steps. :)

So, while I'm here, having this much better day, I should tell you all my New Year's plan this year. I have looked at past journals -- many of them, many different times. And when I try to list really specific resolutions they are generally the SAME ONES almost every year. Kinda makes me wonder if I'm making any progress from year to year. But let's not get down about that, eh? I mean, one of the top ones I've made (and broken) through the years is "GO TO BED EARLIER." or "GO TO BED BY MIDNIGHT." or, one of my old college journals actually said "BE IN BED NO LATER THAN 1A.M. EVERY NIGHT." Ha! Let's set some reachable expectations, right?! Well, I'm just facing my true night-owl self, and trying to do a little better when I can. But I'm tired of making it an actual "resolution." I just don't think I have it in me to resolve things like that.

Instead of doing resolutions, I've been thinking of one specific something that I want to focus on this year. It's made me feel excited all day, just keeping it in mind through most of the afternoon and evening. Ready to hear what it is?? I know, the suspense is building.

Okay. I want to try my hardest to practice love in everything I do. I mean, REALLY practice focusing on love as my motive for the things I do and say:
-- Why do I want to read the scriptures each day? and pray? Because I really do LOVE the Lord. I want Him to know I love him.
-- Why do I keep my kitchen clean and fix delicious meals for my family? Because I LOVE them so much! I want to REMEMBER that I'm doing these mundane things out of LOVE -- it really changes the way I feel about even little household chores when I'm focused on this.
-- Why am I trying to eat healthy and exercise regularly?? Because I love myself. I love my body and am grateful for the gift it is to me.
-- Why do I want to BLOG?!? Because I LOVE writing! I LOVE recording the happenings of my life and my family -- learning from our past and cherishing our memories that I LOVE so much.

See where this is going? I'm liking it already!

I've lost sooo many resolutions in the past. So, this year, my word is LOVE. And I'm going to try hard to focus and remember and FILL myself with LOVE. If you're reading this, I probably love you. See, isn't this fun?!?

Good night, Blog. Good night, virtual paper.

Prioritizing -- it ain't for wimps!

Ok, Blog. The inevitable has happened. I have taken so long to write the wonderful, happy thoughts and events that I really WANT to put up here. (Like Paris, for instance.) And now, I’m past the point of caring and I just NEED to put up some not-so-happy thoughts and frustrations, because they need to come out. In fact, I’m sensing a bit of a rant coming on here. So… sorry, Mom. I know you don’t approve of rants. But trust me, it’s better said here than unloading it all onto Brian.

In a recent Facebook exchange, a friend asked me what positive ways do I rely on to relieve stress and frustration. I started to analyze, and I realized one of my most often-used methods for relieving stress is to totally unload with my ever-loving and patient husband. He listens, he sympathizes, he hugs me until I feel better – or sometimes just throws chocolate at me, if that’s what I prefer. And then… I feel better. But guess what? Once I feel better, I have just totally thrown Brian a big ball of worry, concern, frustration, anger, or whatever else was bothering me. I don’t know what he does with it, but he doesn’t give it back to me. He lets me just feel better and the dark cloud goes away. It’s really selfless and generous of him, I know.

I have been doing this for years. Maybe even our whole marriage. And the poor guy just takes it. Even tonight, I started telling him the “rant” I’m going to write about here. (And you thought this was my rant, didn’t you? nope. This is just my preamble to the real rant.) He listened, and then he had to go upstairs and finish some work. I wasn’t finished working out my frustration, but I let him go because I actually realized I was unloading like usual. And I didn’t want to finish with him tonight. I want to stop using his patient, listening ear in that way. He probably doesn’t even know I didn’t finish unloading. But this is my small start to correct some unhealthy behavior that is most certainly a drag on our marriage.

So… instead, out comes my frustration on this beautiful, pristine virtual page. Lucky you! I have concerns that just need to be vented somewhere. I don’t know that there are answers or solutions to my problems. But they need a voice, and tonight, dear Blog, you are giving them that voice.

Here’s the dilemma…

I am a mother. And I love my children, my home, my family, my life. But I really struggle knowing how to properly prioritize my limited time and resources in a way that meaningfully meets the needs of all these wonderful different facets of my life. When I’m caring for my children, I feel the house closing in  on me in a dreadfully overwhelming way. The laundry alone threatens to swallow me alive, almost daily. When I’m doing the house chores, the mommy guilt sweeps in mercilessly and I find myself feeling three things that are not good: 1. irritation that I have to spend so much time keeping up with the house, that I can’t seem to stop and enjoy my dear children in their sweet innocence. 2. frustration at these little redistributors who keep making messes all. the. time. and have made these chores so endless and constant and repetitive that I can’t ever catch a break. 3. anxiety that I’m not spending enough quality time with them, teaching them the most important things that I really, really want them to learn.

Add on grocery shopping, doctor visits, and basic Mom scheduling stuff. I should be able to do this, right? I mean, it’s my job. But I usually feel like wherever I’m focusing my time and energy, I’m just simultaneously depriving some other number one priority. Sometimes I can deal with the balancing act. Other times I feel I’m just slipping in all directions. It's not that I'm comparing myself to what all the other SuperMoms are getting done. No, I'm just trying to keep up with my own "to do" list, and it's not getting done. My girls don’t even get their hair done half the time, just because it’s too much. Then there’s more guilt about that, of course.

Let’s talk for a minute about my friends and family relationships. I am a phone person. I am an email person and a facebook person. More recently, I am even a text person. I love these things because they keep me connected to the many, many wonderful people who have made my life rich and meaningful. For me, connecting with these people is PART of what makes my life rich and meaningful, even if there are no more everyday relationships happening there. Does that make sense?? So, even my cousins that I only see twice a year, or my old roommates that I see even less often… I still love and cherish them and the memories and the connection. I understand that not everyone is like me in this way. And I’ve come to be okay with that. Really. But… oh how hard it is for me to know how to prioritize the people who mean something to me, outside of my immediate family. I mean, I just confessed that I nearly drown in laundry almost every day. Right? But the “connector” part of me longs to talk on the phone and catch up with the people in my life. I long to sit on facebook and read about every little thing my friends are doing, just because I LIKE that. I like sending emails or texts to people, just to catch up. Because when I do, I feel like I’m saying, “you are still important to me, even though I don’t get to see you every day. I still think of you, and the connection we have still means something to me.”

But the everyday busyness around me makes that part of my life seem like it just MUST take a back seat. It MUST. Sometimes. And so then it feels like another “slip” – another something I wish I was doing better. I could at least send a little fb note, or text, right?? Add on some guilt. Sigh. We won’t even talk about my church calling tonight, or my spirituality, okay? Okay.

And now, recently, I’ve decided to throw another ball in the air. I’ve thought it would be a good idea to devote some real, consistent time to myself – making my health and wellness and fitness a priority. This is a GOOD thing, everyone tells me. I even tell myself it’s a good thing. And it really SHOULD be a good thing. But it doesn’t always feel like a good thing. It just feels like ONE. MORE. THING. And when I’m trying to push to find that extra half hour to exercise, or plan some healthy meals, or read my scriptures, I find myself getting irritated that my kids need me again. I feel really frustrated about all I have to do for them, because it means I can’t really have any time to take care of me. And how can I be the best Mom if I’m not taking care of me?! Or I resent the fact that dinner needs to be made or cleared – even though it’s my job and I really don’t mind it all that much. Or I pile the laundry high and just try to ignore it even though I know it will find me and consume me eventually. See where I’m going with this?? Putting *ME* on the list of priorities makes me feel even more frustrated with my list. And more guilty, because it means one more thing that isn't getting done very well. And I’m not sure what to do about it. Tonight, I feel like I was better off before this new kick. Like, what was I thinking, trying to do something for me?! Selfishness.

Sigh. The truth is, I was doing really well with exercising and healthy eating, for 3 1/2 weeks straight. Right through Christmas, people. I lost five pounds in December. Yay for me!! I should have blogged about it while I was on top. Because then… I got a cold, then I got strep. And I wrenched my back. And I ate crap and junk and all the wrong things over New Years and I’m not ready to get back on the wagon now that I steered so far off course. And I still don’t really have the strength to start up full swing anyway because my back is still sore and my throat still hurts.  And I look at how my house fell apart while I was taking extra time to exercise. And I look at the time I didn’t spend with my kids. And honestly, I didn’t have any extra energy… I guess I didn’t hit my groove yet or something? So I just felt tired and more tired most of the time.

So what to do? I really don’t know, right now. I want to find a healthier way to balance my various priorities. I want to find a better way to deal with stress and anxiety. I want to be more positive and optimistic and grateful. I really do. Maybe that’s a place to start, I guess. It’s a new year, I can try harder to develop a new perspective that includes balance, and health, and energy, and positive relationships with my kids and husband, as well as my family and friends, and a clean, organized house. Too much to ask for?? ;) And sparkly rainbows and unicorns, too, please!

That’s the end for tonight. This has been my *ME* time. And I feel better. Thanks!

I miss my brother.

Dear Wade, 

It was a very cold day today. In fact, the kids in Blackfoot didn't even have school because of the cold. And even here, my kids didn't have to go out to recess. I keep thinking of last year on this day…

The sun was shining, the leaves were changing, but not gone, and the day was absolutely beautiful, especially for the middle of November. I wore a short sleeve blue maternity shirt – the same color blue as your Chevy Cavalier that you loved.

Two of my kids curled up under the pews in the chapel during your funeral and slept almost the entire time. I looked at them and part of me wanted to do the same, so I didn't have to face this reality.

I wonder if you got to be there for part of it? We told a lot of nice things about you. It felt good to remember all the good in your life, and feel so much love for you. So many of your friends came -- some I knew, others I didn't know, but they were people I respected because they knew and loved you too.

It was such an beautiful, hard day. That whole time was.… Something I've never had to go through before. And every day since then has been hard in some way. Hard just to miss you and feel that emptiness of not having you here.

I think of you every. Single. Day. In fact, here I am sick in bed today, gargling Listerine for my sore throat. Every time I grab that blue bottle, I smile and think of you. You could have done infomercials for Listerine, remember? :-) 

And this morning, I asked Natalie what she remembers about you. She told me she remembers the things I made her memorize … Playing your iPad, and getting birthday presents from you for her third birthday. 

I need to go to bed now, Wade. But I somehow felt that if I could write you tonight, I would miss you little bit less.I would love to pick up the phone and hear your voice. A Wade chat has been long overdue! Maybe a nice dream tonight will work too. :-)

I love you, I miss you. Good night.

Saturday and Sunday: Covent Garden, Friends, and Church

So, Friday night we stayed in a nice hotel in St. Albans, near our friends, after our nice Halloween adventure. We woke up, packed up, and had a very lovely full English breakfast buffet in our hotel restaurant. No pictures, but believe me when I tell you those baked beans on toast were delicious! And, my kids were not huge fans of the fried mushrooms or grilled tomatoes, but Brian and I enjoyed them.

Then we set off to explore some of our old haunts, near Golders Green, where we used to live. We drove by our old flat, but didn't try to go in or anything. Here it is…

Good memories in that flat. Spencer was born while we lived there, and the back garden was so lovely and homey for us.

From there, we went into the village and visited our favorite neighborhood park, Golder's Hill Park. The kids really enjoyed themselves for an hour or so, and we got some cute pictures of them…

They even have a small zoo in the park, and the kids were very impressed with some of the animals. Here is Spencer with the ring tailed lemurs...

The sandbox could have kept them busy for another few hours. I was cringing, because I had just given them all baths at our hotel that morning. :-)

Natalie requested this picture specifically, because she saw other children really enjoying this telescope...

scenic view of the park…

We had to drag the kids away, so that we could show them Covent Garden for a few minutes that afternoon. They were very glad we did, once they saw how fun Covent Garden is. They especially loved the live statues…

Not sure if you can tell, but this soldier dude was standing in mid air. Pretty cool! Samantha gave him money, so he gave her a high-five! :-)

The magician was a hit with all three of our big kids! He was funny, and had some pretty good tricks. The best trick was inviting all the children to sit right in front, so the parents couldn't leave! Ha!

I tried to get some good pictures of my kids faces, because they were so excited to watch him perform.…

After the magician show was done, we wandered around Covent Garden's for a few more minutes, then headed over to the British museum because it was nearby.

Some were more excited to be there than others. Here is Spencer pouting on the floor...

Here is a cool shot of the ceiling. It really is such an impressive place! And it is free!! That meant we could run in, take our own 15 minute tour, and check it off our list. :-)

Can you believe they have ancient Egyptian sarcophaguses sitting right out in the open where you can touch them?!  Crazy and cool!

We also took a peek at the Algean Marbles. I told Brian our kids would just think they were a bunch of naked statues. But he thought someday in the future they might think it is cool that they had seen them, all the way from ancient Greece!

So, I dutifully took pictures of the kids standing next to the naked statues…

On our way out, we stopped by the Easter Island statue guy. Apparently he is pretty famous, according to Brian. He looks like a figure from Night at The Museum to me, no? So I guess he really is famous! :-)

I snapped this quick picture (below) of one of the squares we walked through on our way to the Tube. One of my favorite things about London are all the little parks or squares everywhere. They just make the city so green and bright and cheery.

On Saturday evening, we got together with our dear friend Ruth and her grandson. We had great plans of going to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant near our old flat.  Sadly, the place was all booked up and we couldn't get in, so we had to go somewhere else. But we enjoyed a fun visit and saw them at church the next day as well. I made Ruth take a selfie picture with me, which she did not enjoy but I think she looks cute…

It was really nice being back at our old London North Ward. We didn't know many people there, but it was a nice familiar feeling anyway. Ruth and our friends the Leavitts put together a light luncheon afterward for us and people we knew. It was fun to catch up and the food was lovely. Here is one more picture of Ruth and me in front of the church. I sure do love her! We have stayed friends by talking on the phone every week or so since we moved away six years ago.

Saturday and Sunday night we stayed at the Leavitt's house. They are also some of our good friends, and we really enjoyed catching up with them. Brian stayed up talking to Vance about American politics until waaaay late both nights we were there! :-) I didn't get any pictures of them. But I did go around taking pictures of their amazing kitchen. One day when we build our dream home, I want a kitchen just like Marquitta's. :)

Anyway, we had a very nice weekend and really enjoyed catching up with old friends. Monday morning we took off for our adventure "on the Continent." Stay tuned for Paris, coming up next!

Tuesday and Wednesday: Stonehenge and Stroud

Hello, Stonehenge! 

My kids were adamant that we must stop at Stonehenge, and so we did. We checked out of our place Tuesday morning and headed out to see famous Stonehenge and Bath.

It took FOR-EV-ER to get there! It's supposed to just be a 2 1/2 hr drive, but there was a semi truck that had overturned on the motorway, and we were parked for hours, then detoured. Blah. Our kids thought they might die of starvation in our car! 

We finally made it, hours behind schedule. It was the same as it's ever been, surprise.:) Only, they've changed the road around since our last visit. So, now you can't just drive right up to it. Instead they are "preserving" it, and they make you park a mile away at a tourist center and ride their little bus over the hill to walk around it. (Can we say revenue racket??)

Anyway, our kids enjoyed it, and at least we weren't in the car for awhile.

But then, it was nearly dark and traffic stayed bad, and we didn't have time to go to Bath, sadly. Instead we traveled on to our flat in a little town called Stroud.

Our place was lovely--a two bedroom flat with nice light and really comfy beds. Here are the kids trying to teach Camille to crawl on the stairs. She didn't catch on, but they all looked cute!

Here they are, settling in on the hide-a-bed couch to watch part of The Bee Movie before bed.

Here's the cute room where Brian and I got to stay... In an American king bed, hooray! (Most of our beda have been doubles.)

Our view out the bedroom window in the morning...

The front of our flat... So cute and English.

We set off for Wales that next morning, and stopped at Gadfield Elm, which is the first LDS chapel the church ever owned. 

Our kids liked learning a bit about its history, and the service missionary who showed us around was very informative and kind.

He even took a family picture for us--one of the only ones from our trip so far, just because it's too much trouble to get everyone all rounded up and smiling while a stranger has to wait.;)

The missionary recommended a small village nearby for lunch, so we drove over to Ledbury. It was a nice scenic drive with a misty rain falling... Felt so very English...

We even happened into a private castle and stopped for a quick picture...

Ledbury truly was delightful. A perfect little English village...

We happened up this cobbled street...

And happened upon this gorgeous old church...

The missionary from Gadfield Elm told us Brigham Young actually went to Ledbury as a missionary, and visited this church...

We had our lunch in a tiny tea room called Mrs. Muffins. It was perfect. The kids shared a milk shake with Brian at the end, and I'm still dreaming of my sweet potato soup with red pepper and coconut milk.mmmmm...

And then.... We drove the rest of the day. It took forever to get to Wales to visit our friends, Rob and Jenny. I took this picture of our three back-seat sleepers...

Worn out!! It was a long day, but memorable for what we did along the way.