Familia!

September 8th - Sept 21st, 2014

Our week started off great when my incredibly talented cousin, Dave, came in from SLC for some work he had to do in London. He just finished a 206 mile bike ride from Logan, UT to Jackson, WY (LOTOJA) with the support of his amazing wife, Kate, then jumped on a plane and flew over here to London. He gave a few of his precious hours to us and we loved it. We had dinner, treats and finished up with a little FHE (family home evening). Spence drove him down to the train so he could get back into London.

Love you Dave! (Bring Kate next time!)

The next evening Spencer had a class activity with his youth group (totally forgot to take a picture). They played ultimate frisbee and came back for pizza and treats. It was really fun. Then we (adults) went out for a quick bite to eat with Alyson and Shawn while the kids chilled and watched a movie. 

Quick story: The kids have a small addiction problem to electronics. Spencer grounded them all from ANY electronics for a week. (Can I just say, I was seriously worried about this when he said it, but it turned out really nice. We discovered the library and the kids read a lot. It was so nice having them "turned off" for the week.)

Anyway, this picture was when they got to watch their first movie after their 'sentence' was lifted. 

Shout out to my beautiful niece Vanessa, who went through the Rexburg Temple this week. She's getting ready for her mission to Peru. 
So beautiful. 

Just thought you'd like to see that 
Ike is happily playing football :) 

Best news! 

Mimi and Vanessa came to visit for the week! Wahoo!

We spent all day Saturday in London. Mom and Nessa got off the plane at 7am and we didn't finish till 10pm! It was such a great day. We visited Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Borough Market, Tate Modern, Harrods, walked past Parliament, alone the Thames and even ate sushi! Corrine joined us for the afternoon and we loved having her give us our personal tour of London. She is amazing and I am so lucky to have her here!

 Getting on the train in Egham to go to Waterloo
and Mimi beginning to tell the kids stories about what they
were going to see at the Tower of London

 Approaching Tower Bridge

View of the Thames and the financial district from Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge

Coming around the side of the Tower of London. All of the red poppies are hand placed as a symbol of tribute to those who have died in the wars. 
It's incredibly beautiful and humbling. Too many poppies..

 In front of the Tower of London

 Within the city walls

The great White Tower where the Kings and conquers lived - sits in the heart of the surrounding structures, signifying strength and power. 

Where the knights would hide on/in the castle walls: being able to see from all angles on the inside, and they shot their arrows at the intruders outside the city walls.                                     

  

Legend is: When the last raven flies from the Tower's courtyard, the kingdom will fall. (So they clip the raven's wings so they can't fly!...you know...just in case) 

         

We met up with Corri and she took us to Borough Market for lunch.

Not so sure the kids appreciated the dense crowds. It was SO busy. All sorts of smells, foods and people. I think everyone in London was hungry at the same time and all decided to eat at Borough Market. 

Onto Tate Modern. 
Ike had a personal tour with Corrine explaining why Picasso's art is considered so valuable. (He has an art project due on Picasso this next week so I thought a real tour of would be a nice touch.)

He lasted a strong 30 minutes! Not bad for a 13 year old.


The littler kids (and Spence haha) lasted 0 minutes and spent their time rolling pence coins up and down the slanted corridor entry hall into the museum. They had a great time!

Taking a quick rest before we were off to Harrods

We are sooo discreet on the subways....we totally look & act like locals...

 Window display at Harrods - for you Nat and all you Choo-lovers..

 Ordering and getting the "Harrod's special" ice cream treat!

Vanessa insisted, "This treat's on my dad!" lol Thanks Uncle Jason! mwah! mwah!

At about 5:30, Spencer took the boys home and the girls kept on going!

Vanessa was SO cute! She loved the sites and wanted to see 
everything we could before it got too dark.

 Parliament - Elizabeth Tower (which most people call Big Ben - 
Big Ben is actually the 13 ton bell that rests inside the tower which you can't actually see :))

 Front entrance of Westminster Abby - We couldn't actually go in because it was closed at this time, but Vanessa, Mom and I went the next day. 

 Seriously! The architecture in this city is unbelievable! 

 Another view of Parliament

 Anne wanted her picture next to Victoria Tower

 We crossed the River Thames and just enjoyed the amazing 
view as the sky changed colors.

 Oh! I loved having them here! Such a fun evening together!!
Anne's growing up too fast - sniff sniff

 Anne witnessed her first display of "Tag Art" as we were walking to the tube station. 
(Nessa and Anne got their "gangsta" on~)

Yes, wore them slap out...

(I know I shouldn't have,  
But I did tell them I took the picture. Darn Jet-lag!) 

***Britain's dental care at it's finest***
We discovered these bad boys on the train... nice...

Sad news: my nephew, Mitch took one for the team (He's the team Captain) and broke his arm in the big Homecoming game. 

He is so dang handsome. Love you Mitchell~


Sunday we went to church together and my family got to see the beautiful diversity of our Staines Ward. Afterwards, Corrine and Olive came over and Spencer made and EPIC dinner - salmon, roast, garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. It was delicious. I contributed the cowboy chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. We went for a lovely walk through Great Windsor Park and got to see deer and learn from Corrine what 'concord' nuts were. 

My kids loved playing with Corri's little girl Olive. She is SO cute. 

(Oh, and Debbie, Olive LOVED her present from you..She kept "oohing and aaahing" over her new books.)

Great Windsor Park

Monday, we got the kids off to school and spent another fabulous day in London. 

We got to visit Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalger Square, the National Portrait Gallery and ate 'linner' at a yummy pub. Fish n' chips!

Westminster - Inside the grounds of the monastery
You are prohibited from taking pictures inside the actual building itself as it is considered very sacred. It was absolutely FASCINATING to see where Prince William and Kate got married as well as literally hundreds of grave sites within these walls. 

More pictures of the Abby

We went onto visit Buckingham Palace - one of the very few "working" palaces in England

Looking onto the grounds from the backside of the Palace

We walked next door to the Royal Mews where the royal's carriages and cars are kept. This Rolls-Royce is the car Kate Middleton rode in on he way to the wedding.

 The remarkable "Gold State Coach" built for George III and has been used for every coronation since 1821. It weighs 4 tons! It's stunning but almost never used. 

 In front of the National Gallery 
(Do you notice anything especially strange about these artists??)





Ike's first football game. Egham vs. Hillingdon - He did a good job on defense. Score 2:2

                                                                           

I am still learning everyone's name, but the third boy in, next to Ike, is Bas. He's been a great friend to Ike. His family is from Netherlands. Alex is right next to Ike on the far left. Then next to Bas is Juan, Machiek and Kameron - Ike thinks his accent is sweeeet!
(Ike LOVES practicing the British accent and is getting quite good at it)
(it's a little obnoxious too :))

 Mom and Nessa went to Paris for two days and then spent their last day with me shopping in Windsor. It was "all-hands-on-deck" scouting for the perfect dress for her farewell. We had a blast. Vanessa could have bought out the stores she looked so cute in everything!

Thank you soooo much for coming! It was food for my soul and we LOVED LOVED having you come. Can't wait for you to come back.
Vanessa, good luck in Peru! You will be absolutely fantastic! We love you!

Saturday morning...

 We finally figured out the "Long Walk" from Bishops Gate to Windsor Castle. 
It is 6 mile run round trip and it was so beautiful. 

 Hundreds of deer just roamed around the park. 
(Rodney, you would have been in heaven.)

 View from the atop the walk

Ike with Elder's Cluff, White, Johnson and Bodhaine 
We have the most amazing missionaries in this ward. Three sets! 

Sunday after church we had four students over for 
dinner who are attending Royal Holloway University. 
Josh- from England and Richard and Shi'a from China 
and Rachel from Southern California. 

* Funny story - When Spencer introduced the students to our children he said, "This is Shi'a - it sounded like he said 'She'; so then Joshy piped in, "And this is the other 'She'!!"- as he pointed to Rachel! We died laughing!
 He thought we were referring to her as a "she" (girl) not her name.
Big Josh laughed so hard and said, "Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant!"

 Bishop Knight and his wife Sarah came by with their two sons, Matthew and Luke, and invited us to go on a Sunday walk on the other side of Great Windsor.

Such a beautiful walk...

I also had to add some pics I received this week...

What is with these McWhorter girls??? Absolutely Stunning! 

Aysia, Remi and Natalie!