The Halloween Season

We carved pumpkins a while ago. Mine was named Wacko Jacko. We then displayed them in the bathroom, but due to the all the water in the bathroom they rotted very fast. Shauna, Mindy, and Me




This was at the BYU football game. It just started blizzarding! It was really funny to see all the kids in the dorms from Southern California who had never seen snow before. They also thought that there would be snow on the ground for the rest of the winter. To their surprise it was melted by the next day. Allie, Me, and Natalia



A few girls on my floor and I got plastic bags and went up to rock canyon park when it was snowing. We slid down the hills and it was one of the funnest things of my life. We got soaking wet of course, but it was completely worth it. Me and Shauna



THis is the Taylor family dinner up and G & G Taylor's cabin. These are all the BYU students. You can't see, but outside was covered in snow.



This was in consideration for our halloween costume, but in the end we decided that it just wasn't the best idea.



We decided to be the ninja turtles for our ward party. Needless to say we won the costume contest and we now have two pounds of chocolate. Millie, Shauna, Me, and Mindy



Heroes in a half shell. TURTLE POWER!

Stonehenge, Stourhead, & Winchester

It's getting a little more brisk, but it was still a beautiful day.

The kids had fun making some human blue stone formations.

Who needs to really listen to the audio guides anyway.

The colors at Stourhead were fantastic and they were burning off some stuff, so it smelled great also.

A highlight for all the girls in the program, including Eliza, was hiking up to the temple where Darcy proposes in the new Pride and Predudice. Many of the girls acted out the scene.

Hansen and Eliza inside Winchester Cathedral, Jane Austen is buried here, so of course the students found that immediately

Winchester has a great little shopping street. If course all we bought were treats.

At the old city gate they had a fun museum and the kids got to try on aurmor and other costumes.

Oct. 14th-16th: Adventures With The Carliles and Other Stuff

We had a great day in the city with the Carliles. They went ahead of us, while we were doing a little school, to St Pauls and we met them there. We took a ramble through the city on our way to The Tower. We went into Old Baily, in a few Wren churches, saw the Bank of England museum, cruised through Leadenhall market and passed by the pickle and Lloyds of London. Eventually we ended up at the Tower.


Looking back at St Paul's.

A stop at St Dunstan's.

Finally the Tower.

This is just after being amazed by the Crown Jewels.

We had a funny tour from a Beefeater, but this is actually not the one we got the tour from.

Walking around the wall inside the Tower.

Finishing up the day with a great meal at the ussual place.
Shopping Covent Garden with the Bartons. Emma had just purchased this mask to decorate, it looks a little scary like this.

A Sunday afternoon with just the family at Hampton Court. Now that we have the palaces membership we can go into Kennsington, Hampton, The Tower and Banqueting House as many times as we'd like.

Things for Jeff to Bring Back

Here's the list:

Dice

Soccer drawstring bag

Hansen's A's hat

Maybe shoes for Hansen if you have time to shop-Vans sz 10-1st choice-Navy blue lace ups w/white soles or 2nd choice-black lace-ups w/ white soles

The things on my original list-Do you have that?

Thanks- call if you get this list

We miss you. See you soon.
Love the fam

The Carliles Arrive

The Carliles got to Palace Ct around 11:30, of course we're not sure because we didn't hear the bell and they had to get some repair man to let them in. Our first stop was Portabello Rd. and a Bratwurst. Then we went through the parks and hit the major sights.



We are not going to get so much time with them after today because Lauren gets back from Ireland tonight.

Weekend Adventure

The students were given a short free travel period, Thursday afternoon, Friday and Saturday. So we had the place to ourselves, not that we were home much. Thursday afternoon we with the Bartons to Kensington palace to see Diana remembered and the rest of the palace rooms, then the kids played soccer and we walked Kensington Church street and checked out antique shops. That night we all went to Sound of music. We had front row tickets and loved all the familiar songs. The Maria was really good.
The next day just our family went to Leeds Castle on the train. We had a fun relaxing day. On day trips we get at the most 2 hours at any one stop, so it was fun to have a longer time to play around.
Saturday the Carliles arrived so we had a fun day with them walking the parks and seeing some of the major sights, Kennsington Palace, Albert Memorial & Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham, Parliament & Big Ben, and Trafalgar Square. That night we went out to eat and to Covent Garden. Then slowly the students trickled back in.

Our night out at Sound of Music.(sorry Gary for cutting you out of the picture)

Leeds Castle

At Leeds they had just built a fantastic new playground. The kids wished that the Barton kids were there ot play with.

One of there favorite things there is the maze. You go through a grotto and tunnel to exit. We had a little trouble getting to the middle on this one, it is tricky.

The kids had some fun jumping the streams.

The castle is not bad either and one of the coolest parts is the dog collar museum. (you would have to see them to understand)

Hever, Penshurst, and Chartwell

We had a fantastic day trip. All the places are amazing and they are all so close togethter that you spend a lot more time off the coach than on. We also had a great coach driver who had lots of interesting facts for us. We also slipped in a temple stop first. Last time we went to the temple it had been in the spring with all the daffodils coming up, so I didn't think that the grounds could compare to that, but it was beautiful with all the fall colors. We did seem to have picked the same day to visit Hever as every primary school around though. Hansen said that it made the maze even more fun.


The family at the London Temple, which is really in Surrey.




The kids at Hever with one of the students, Annie. We love her because she always gets on the bus last, so that saves me from being the last one.



This is at the edge of the gardens at Hever, looking out at the lake.

This is at Penshurst. We had never been here before. Penshurst has the oldest surviving Great Hall. It was beautiful and more importantly it is where the fight between Inigo Montoya(sp?) and the six fingered man was filmed in the Princess Bride.

The girls performing on a little outdoor stage in the gardens at Penshurst.

A view back at the Great Hall and Jeff giving us his backside view.(he was matching the statues backside view)
When the Santiagos left they challenged Hansen to get a hug from all of the girls on the trip, so here he is adding one more to the list.

Eliza in the gardens at Penshurst.

Sometimes the best part of the visits for the kids are the playgrounds. Of course by the time we get to them, the kids have about 5 min. to play and then run for the coach. Luckily we know that Annie will arrive at the coach after us.

One of Jeff's favorite sites, Chartwell. (Winston Churchill's home)

Eliza's favorite place at Chartwell is the play house in the garden.

Winnie and Clemmie.

Looking out over the beautiful grounds at Chartwell. The fall colors were great on this trip!