The Cotswolds

One of our must-dos was to spend some time in the English countryside -- we've just watched too many Masterpiece and BBC productions to be able to pass up the opportunity to see some quaint, quintessentially-British villages. Our base was the charming town of Chipping Campden and we enjoyed exploring the area until we suffered a "double puncture" (two flat tires) and were grounded. Even that, though, was somewhat delightful in that we met a lovely elderly man (who reminded us of Cary Grant) who lived in the cottage across from where we were stranded. He not only took us for a guided country ramble in the neighborhood, but then graciously drove us back to our bed and breakfast on the winding country roads at breakneck speed in his sports car.

We all loved the little village of Snowshill and visiting the Snowshill lavendar fields . . .

where we stopped for a cup of tea and lavendar scones slathered with jam and clotted cream

Mourning our double puncture

Sampling some delicious wild blackberries we found while on our country walk

Posing with our benefactor's dog, Bertie

Bath and Wales

We loved our afternoon in Bath -- Jane Austen country, after all. It was so beautifully charming. We re-enacted the scene from Persuasion when Anne is chasing after Captain Wentworth (pictures too ridiculous to post)

Experienced a little Bath ennui

Toured the fashion museum housed in the Assembly Rooms.

Ate dinner at the Pump Room

Took the waters at the Pump Room

And toured the Roman Baths awash in torchlight

We spent the night in Bristol, which we discovered was a mere 20 miles from the Welsh border. With all of our Welsh ancestry, we couldn't come so close and not visit, so we decided to attend church the next day in Newport, Wales. Of course we got lost and so didn't make it until the closing prayer, but the church members were so nice to give us the sacrament anyway and to tell us about the largest medieval castle in Wales that was another 20 miles away. Again, we couldn't pass up the chance to visit and made our way to Caerphilly Castle.

Oxford and Blenheim Palace

The next day we, gulp, rented a car and set out for Oxfordshire to see Blenheim Palace and stay the night in Oxford. Driving in England was not quite as easy as we had supposed it would be and after a hair-raising morning, we finally arrived at Blenheim -- home to the current and past Dukes of Marlborough.

After touring the palace and roaming the expansive gardens (so easy to imagine being in a Jane Austen novel), we made our way to Oxford. After dinner, we stopped by the Eagle and Child pub -- a favorite weekly haunt of the Inklings (a group of intellectuals that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein). Fortunately, we brought our own dessert of caramel digestives and sparkling elderberry juice as they were only serving alcoholic beverages by the time we arrived.

Cheers! Elderberry juice in shot glasses.

Christ Church College, Oxford

Oxford Dining Hall -- also known as Hogwarts Dining hall in the HP movies

Having a cup of hot chocolate at the White Horse Tavern, Oxford -- another favorite of the Inklings.

Cambridge

Last January my youngest sister, Miffy, applied to a summer program at Cambridge University. When I told Mark about it, knowing it has been a life-long dream of mine to go to England, he said, "If she gets in, I'll send you over there." Fortunately (and not surprisingly), Miffy got accepted and at the end of August, my older sister, Jennifer, and I went over ot pick her up and travel around a bit. It was a trip of a lifetime and so wonderful to spend time with two dear sisters!

I've been wanting to post some of the pics since I returned and will have to do it piecemeal whenever I have time. Of course, no one really loves travel pics and commentary as much as those who took the trip, so if there are any who still read this blog :), please bear with me.

We arrived on a gloriously gloomy morning (I love the rain!) and I was captivated by the accent, the quirky signs, the helpfulness of all those we met, and the mere fact that I was at last in England!

Jennifer and I miraculously met up in the airport after arriving 30 minutes apart, made our way to Kings Cross Station (hello Platform 9 3/4!), and transferred to a Cambridge-bound train to meet up with Miffy.

She welcomed us at the train station with breakfast pastries in hand and we were off to Kings College Cambridge (Miffy's assigned college for the duration of her program). The ornate entrace to Kings College, Cambridge

A forbidden picture of inside Kings Library

Inside the amazing and imposing Kings College Chapel

Sampling fish and chips at the Eagle Pub where the discovery of DNA was announced. Being such an over-the-top Anglophile, I was sure that even though I have heard much about how bad English food is, I would like it. Um, not so much.

Giddy arrival at Kings College.

The grand and majestic Kings Chapel

The delightful morning drizzle turned into a perfectly sunny, breezy, day. Here we are posing with the Bridge of Sighs in the background -- a view Queen Victoria dubbed the most beautiful in Cambridge.

At the entrance to Trinity College. We spent the early afternoon touring some of the other colleges that are part of Cambridge -- all were beautiful with perfectly-manicured lawns. There was a quiet calmness around the entire university that made it seem as if we had stepped into another time. Trinity is considered the most elite and we enjoyed seeing the treasures on display in the library -- a lock of Sir Isaac Newton's hair, a first folio edition of Shakespeare's work, original manuscript notebooks and sketches for Winnie-the-Pooh . . .

"Reading" in the Kings Library

Cam-bridge

An afternoon punt on the River Cam. Miffy checked out a Kings punt and gave us a lesson. We had so much fun!

I deftly steered straight into a willow

A view of Kings Chapel from the river bank

That evening, was the last formal hall of Miffy's program and since some of the students had already left, we were able to sneak in. It was magical -- one could almost imagine being at Hogwarts :) -- with only candlelight on the tables and the echoing Latin blessing on the food sung a capella from the balcony.

Fall 2011

Merry Christmas!! Excited for Christmas!

In search of the perfect tree Such a busy boy . . . Will enjoying the freedom to roam at Emily's 4th grade field trip to a nearby ranch.

We had such a fun Thanksgiving with my sister Jennifer and her family who came from Dallas. Somehow we ended up with 8 pies -- one per kid. We enjoyed pie with every meal for days!

Jane turns 5! The older girls made various banners for Jane's birthday and tacked them up throughout the house. This was Abby's portrait of Jane.

Jane loves bright colors and is a colorful girl. She said that she wanted a "colorful" party this year. It's our off-year for parties, but I just so happened to be hosting playgroup the week of her birthday and one only turns five once . . . She loved her "birthday celebration".

We've enjoyed biking the big girls to school on milder days this fall. Will and Jane love the trailer. Will says "arf, arf" to every passing dog on the trail and Jane -- with her need for speed -- most often calls out, "Faster!"

Halloween

In early October, Mark and I got away for the weekend and visited Oregon. So wonderful to get away together, and see great friends and new places. We enjoyed visiting Multnomah Falls near Portland, connecting with Sam and Abby Behunin and their family, driving down the spectacular Oregon coast, visiting Mark's cousin and his family in Corvallis, and cheering BYU on in a win over Oregon State. It was great to again be amongst a sea of cougar fans!

Multnomeh Falls

Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach

Go Cougars!

Mark with his Uncle Brent, cousin Mike and Mike's son, Alec

Will is 90% about balls and Daddy ("Da-yee" -- in the most adoring voice known to man), 8% about his sisters and cars and trucks ("Vroom, vroom"), and 2% about Mommy and food (I'll take whatever I can get :)). He still loves to have something in each hand and loves to shoot the basketball in his Little Tykes hoop. He loved sitting with Daddy and reading stories with him when, as a treat to all, Mommy and Will were able to join Mark downtown for lunch.

Abby turns 7! Can this tall, beautiful, sweet girl be my Abby baby?! Abby is our peacemaker and a wonderful little nurturer. She is such a loving, steady, beautiful little soul!

Birthday buddies -- same age, same day.

Field Day 2011 -- Go Red Thunder!

Many who have known us through the years are familiar with our little tan Geo Prism. It is the car we've had since our first year of marriage. It was our only car until we had Jane and could no longer fit all of the carseats in the car. We have loved this little car (167K miles, 16 years old, 12 years as a part of our family). It's seen us through so many fond memories and exciting family adventures.

In October, Mark, leaving for a business day trip, parked our good old faithful car at the airport. He arrived home in the evening to find that it had disappeared along with his golf clubs in the trunk and $75 in the glove compartment that he had meant to use to buy Emily a new bike on Craigs List. After four hours in the pouring rain with the police and parking attendants, it was determined that someone had, indeed, seen something worth stealing in our little car. We waited throughout the weekend, hoping for some word, but with Mark needing transportation, put the gears in motion to get a replacement car (as if our little car could ever be replaced in our hearts! Sniff.). Five days later, we received a certified notice in the mail saying that they had found our car. Mark went to pick it up and not only was it completely intact, albeit completely out of gas, but the golf clubs and cash were still there, and the thief had left his backpack containing all of his personal information in the car as well. We were so happy to be able to say a proper goodbye (and all felt a twinge at letting it go), and sold the car to a man who was thrilled to get it.

On a Sunday walk along the bayou

Will lending some support as the girls wait for the bus on the first day of first and fourth grades.

Emily proudly showing off the cookie dough from her first self-made batch of cookies (oatmeal chocolate chip)

Balls? check. Cars? check. Binky? check. Some of Will's favorite things make it palatable for him to be pulled around in a pink doll stroller by his sisters.