What to say about London?!? Amazing city with amazing energy. Let me just start to show you pictures.

Here we are at Piccadilly Circus, one of the main city centers with tons of lights, people, theaters, and more. It kind of reminds me of a mini-Times Square.

To the left:                                                                                                                               To the right:
Big Ben, The London Eye, and Parliament Building                                    Russ and I at Buckingham Palace

On Sunday we went to church at the Hyde Park building. I'm still amazed how I can show up to a foreign city and attend the same church I am a member of in San Antonio. It was such a great experience!

After church all of us grabbed some sandwiches and headed to Hyde Park to enjoy the scenery and warm weather. We also saw some museums -- the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Natural Science Museum.

We were traveling with 3 other couples (Brittney/Stuart, Caitlin/Robbie, and some friends named Rusty/Chelsea).

We had a lot of fun together. That's all.

How much do I love orange poppies? So much. The gardens within Hyde Park were gorgeous.

This is the Natural History Museum. Even the building is a sight to behold.

Here is the group overlooking Trafalgar Square!! From left, Caitlin, Stuart, Robbie, Brittney, Rusty, Chelsea

The group again from left to right... us, B & Stu, Caitlin & Robbie, Chelsea & Rusty

Russell loves Trafalgar Square. It is one of the funnest places to just hang out at and people watch. We also completely lucked out with the weather... in London of all places!

R & C ... Elephant style. London has these painted elephants all over the city as a way to bring awareness to and raise funds for endangered elephants in Africa. Pretty cool.

Here is the Tower Bridge, definitely one of the most impressive bridges in London.

One of my favorite things about London is being on the Thames River at night. Love, love love.

While we were in London there was a protest camp right outside the Parliament buildings and Big Ben. Apparently these political crazies had been camping out there for 9 months to voice concerns concerning the war, gay/lesbian rights, the Siege of Gaza, and more. Free Speech! Except while we were there someone was arrested at this camp for speaking too freely.

St. Paul's Cathedral is an incredible building. You can see it in the back in the picture to the left, and the picture on the right is taken from the front of the Cathedral. We took a gander by this building after visiting the Tate Modern Museum.

Alright guys, this is serious. We went to Kings Cross Station to see the ever-popular Platform 9 3/4. While we were there, Caitlin was talking to an employee of the station, who let it slip that the next Harry Potter movie was being filmed on the next platform over RIGHT NOW!!! What did we do? We ran over to that platform pronto, and made a fool of ourselves as we bordered on becoming paparazzi's. We didn't see any of the actors (unfortunately), but we did get a picture of the film that was just filmed!! Even the man carrying the film had 3 bodyguards as he walked out of the station.

This so made my day in London complete.

Abbey Road. And for those fellow Beatles fans out there, please note Brittney is even barefoot.

 The Tower of London. Russell loooooooooooved this castle. He went twice. 

I just had to put these pictures on here. This was on our way to the British Museum, where we saw the Rosetta Stone and more Egyptian and Greek treasures.

St. James Park, which is right next to Buckingham Palace.

Our last night of the trip was in London, and to celebrate we saw Les Miserables, one of my very favorite musicals for lots of nostalgic reasons. It was Russell's first time, and he loved it. Perfect end to the perfect trip.

I apologize for the mass amounts of pictures! After London we headed to Paris for a short time. Stay tuned!

Bath, England

See this beautiful train platform? We saw a lot of these in Europe.  After a short train ride from the Cotswalds, we arrived in the absolutely lovely town of Bath, England.

FUN FACTS OF BATH:

• Jane Austen lived here
• Bath was known as a "Hollywood" of sorts back in this era -- It was the leading center of fashionable life.
• It was first established as a spa resort by the Romans
• Was inscribed as a "World Heritage Site" in 1987.

One afternoon Russ and I sat down in a park that was on the edge of this river and just relaxed. That's one thing I looooove about Europe -- there are parks everywhere, and they are always full. Going to the park is a daily activity.


For example, one day we sat down and ate lunch in this little park, and enjoyed the splendor of the Bath Abbey, an amazing church that dates all the way back to the 7th century (even though it was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries).

I believe this lunch was the first Ham and Brie panini I ate in Europe. But do not be fooled, it was not my last. I <3 Brie Cheese. That may have been one of my favorite meals I had the whole trip.

To the right, Stuart is drinking a "milk shake"... or better known to us, flavored milk. Europe does not have quite the same terminologies for some food items.

One day we made the long walk up to Prior Park, an 18th-century landscape garden, designed by the poet Alexander Pope. It is the quintessential "English Garden," which tries to portray the idealized view of nature, and replace the formal, symmetrical gardens of the 17th-century. Anywho, it was absolutely gorgeous.

Prior park has one of the 4 remaining Palladian bridges overlooking a strikingly blue lake. Yes, this place is for real.

 More of the park. They did not make it in this shot, but to the right were some black and white cows grazing in the field. You know, just because.

To make Prior Park even more idyllic, there is a private high school at the top (the building behind me in the picture below). We ran into a few of the students who looked like a group of Ralph Lauren models. One guy seriously was wearing riding boots, tan riding pants, a white button down shirt that was flowing open, and blond hair effortlessly swooped to the side. I didn't know people actually lived like that -- only in Bath, I'm assuming.

Here are some pictures of the lovely Bath Abbey I talked about. I loved just sitting and people watching in the square right outside this church's entrance. We saw street performers galore.

 

After our wonderful time in Bath, we embarked on the next adventure in the amazing city of

LONDON.

Post will be soon to come.

It's raining hard, so I will show you the Cotswalds!

Oh hey guys! We're home! We were sad to have our trip come to a close, but are also ready for a routine again, not to mention our wonderful bed and no suitcases. Not a big surprise that we came home to an apartment that has like zero food here, so as Russ and I stepped out to go to the grocery store, we look down the breezeway of our apartment and it is literally the biggest/scariest/most intense rain storm I have ever seen. Like lightening every 5 seconds, rain blowing off the roof because the wind is so strong, thunder, flickering lights, etc. We both just stared and started to laugh and turned back into our apartment. No groceries right now. Next on the agenda: begin posting pictures. And that is the preface to this post.

So far I have only sorted through the pictures from the first stop of the trip: THE COTSWALDS

Sigh.

I LOVED this place. I felt like I was in a movie. After a bit of delay out of the United States (thanks to the volcano), we finally made it to London, caught a train out to the Cotswalds and met Brittney and Stuart in a quaint town called Moreton-in-Marsh. From there we took a bus to "Stow-In-The-Wald" and found our bed and breakfast.

The Fosse Manor

We  totally scored with this place. A perfectly quaint bed and breakfast in a remote town in the English countryside. There were beautiful gardens with scattered tables and benches, a croquet set, and of course, a full English breakfast in the morning.

Our room was that top window in the middle. It probably wouldn't have mattered where we slept that night considering we were so tired from the flight over, but it made our arrival into Europe that much more exciting that this place was so perfect.

 After settling in, we walked into town to get some dinner and see the sights....

.... not until we played croquet of course.

We passed an awesomely old cemetery on our way into town. Is it odd I thought the cemetery was beautiful?

We saw this chapel, and when we went inside we happened upon the Trinity College playing a beautiful symphony in the chapel. We heard some beautiful pieces by Mendelssohn and Britten. Such a great find.

I loved how the Cotswalds had ivy all over everything. Brings a nice charming quality to such old buildings.

So yes. We absolutely loved the Cotswalds and would recommend for anyone to take the short trip out of London to visit such a unique and absolutely stunning group of towns. It was the perfect beginning to our trip. Next was the lovely town of Bath, which will be coming soon.

Until then, we will continue to stay nestled in our little apartment as we wait out this crazy storm. Oh Texas, thanks for the warm welcome home.

Checking in from Spain

So remember how I said I would check in with you guys? Well here´s the thing. This vacation has been a whirlwind of a trip from beginning till now. But I thought it was time to say ¨hey!¨

Last night we got into Barcelona on a train from Paris super late, and were excited to finally get a GOOD nights rest. When we awoke this morning we were shocked to see it was 11:40 am! OOPS! Even though we were a little bummed that we let a few precious hours of sightseeing slip through our sleeping fingers, apparently we needed the sleep. I haven´t slept in that long since, like, high school. We were still able to have an amazing day here in Barcelona. WHAT A COOL CITY. If I could explain it in one phrase I would say its ¨packed with energy, youth, excitement, and amazing art all on a historic coastal town.¨ Tomorrow we are off to Montserrat, a mountain town about an hour inland in Spain. Goodness, we´re going to need a vacation from this vacation! (jk).

We get home in a few days, and I promise you will see more pictures than your little hearts can imagine. See you soon my friends!

¡Viva España!

It's here. It's finally here.

May 19th! The day I have been anticipating since late fall. We catch a plane in about 2 1/2 hours to begin our European Adventure. This is the view I will have for a long, long time. Till tomorrow, actually. -->

But it will be worth it. If you have some time on your hands, come join us in any of the following cities:

London

Cotswold, England (think Kate Winslet's hometown in "The Holiday")

Bath, England

Paris, France

Barcelona, Spain

Cadaques, Spain

Bah! Ecstatic is the word that comes to mind. Also, a tad bit of anxiety that I do in fact have all necessary documents, itineraries, clothes, shoes, etc. I'm sure it's fine. I only went over my excel spreadsheet entitled "Europe packing list" like 9+ times.

Anyway, I'll try to check in periodically via internet cafe's and whatnot. See ya in like 10 days, America. Unless of course the Icelandic volcano makes another cloud canceling my flight out of London indefinitely. If that's the case, I may just stay there.

We're so social these days

Ok, just kidding. But we did throw together a hoppin' impromptu barbecue yesterday that was pretty dang tasty, if I do say so myself. It was an ULTRA rainy week here in San Antonio, so the sunny Saturday was a welcome gift. Thanks to our old and new friends for comin' by the Alamo Ranch pool. We had fun, and we hope you did, too.

No one ever really likes pool-side swimsuit pictures of themselves, but we needed a smidgen of proof that this social gathering really did happen.

Here I am with Holly (left) and Kate (right) at the pool post hamburger time.

 In other news:

• I have a 2 1/2 day workweek this week, and I couldn't be more excited about it. We take off for our European adventure Wednesday afternoon. I'm super excited, but mostly just thinking about how much we still have to do before we leave. This trip-planning experience has been somewhat exhausting! I kind of miss the days when my mom planned every nuance of the trip, or better yet, you give BYU money and then they plan your whole study abroad and tell you where to be and when. That sure was nice.
•  Have I mentioned to anyone that I have been drinking CAFFEINE-FREE Diet Coke?? Well I am, and I'm still alive. The weening process has begun.
• I know we are late jumping on the bandwagon, but after hearing so much about it we are now obsessed with the show "Modern Family." This was our date on Friday. Holy shmoly people, I haven't laughed that hard in so long. I thought Russell was going to pass out he was laughing so hard. This was his favorite episode (for obvious reasons.. eh hmm.. the mustache), but they are all hilarious. 

...and last but not least...

• Found out last night that my dear Aunt Lisa Forsey, literally the sweetest woman on the planet and mother of four, has a tumor on her brain. She and her family are all in my prayers, and if you happen to remember, keep them in yours as well. 

Sorry to leave you on such an un-happy note, but that's what's on my mind. Not quite sure why things like that have to happen to such good people (like I said, nicest, most gentle and kind woman ever), but everything happens for a reason, and better yet, everything will work out in the end just like it should.

D + D's Wedding

Let me introduce the new Mrs. Danielle Doty:

I flew to Utah last weekend for the quickest get-away ever, but it was so worth it. I got to watch as one of my best friends in the whole world married David Doty, whom I had only met the morning of the wedding. But he is perfect for her. How do I know? I know by the way he looked at her. It was completely endearing, and I know he will take care of her forever. They got sealed in the Draper Temple and had a reception at the new Sleepy Ridge golf course in Orem. The whole day was beautiful, and she looked completely stunning.

One of my favorite parts of the day was being back in the Draper temple, the beautiful temple Russell and I were married in. This was my first time back since that amazing day in July. I arrived a little early and had some time to ponder. Russ and I are married for time AND all ETERNITY. Not just "till death do us part." How lucky are we??? I am so grateful for the temple and the blessings it provides. It was a great day for celebration and reflection.


Danielle had nine bridesmaids, and I was lucky enough to be one of them. Besides being reunited with my long lost friend Danielle, my favorite part of this whole event were these fantastic flower balls:


After the wedding I got to spend some time with Brittney! The night included a little gander at the cutest craft show ever (Brittney and her friend had a booth), dinner at Bajio's, and another random bonus with a Fictionist concert I didn't know was happening the very weekend I was in town. I have been really lucky with the timing of being in Utah and the Fictionist shows... it's like fate or something. It was probably one of the best shows I have seen in a lonnnnng time. They did some awesome covers, including Tom Petty's "Honey Bee," and the always epic "Helter Skelter" by the one and only Beatles.

Brittney, her rock star of a husband, and their child -- the Deusenberg guitar.

Should I quit my day job? Yeah, I agree. Probably not.

I also got to spend some time with the Lewis's and be with my mother-in-law on Mother's Day! We had a fun time. It was such a quick trip, but like all trips back home to Utah, was so great. Let's just hope that next time I can stay a little longer.

Mothers Day

On the way to church today, I passed a graveyard and couldn't help but notice the huge amount of people paying respects to their deceased mothers. This just made me think about how powerful an impact mothers everywhere have. Ever person on this planet is a product of how their mother raised them. From the way they wash dishes to the moral beliefs they hold. I have especially noticed this since I have gotten married. Camille notices little things that I do and we realize that they are because of my mother. I have seen the same in her, (diet coke anyone?). Both of our mothers are great influences in our lives and can be attributed for many of the great qualities we have. I believe that mothers everywhere have the ability to make the world a better place, and I am grateful for those who do so. Camille follows a blog of one particular mother who we feel has made this world a better place. See the video below.

The 'stache alternative

Let me pose a question here: why do all men have a fascination with dirty mustaches??

You know what I'm talking about.
Do the phrases "Mustache March" or "No Shave November" jog your memory?

The picture above is of Russ sporting one of his "epic 'staches" while on a dude trip in Memphis (and yes, it was in March... pre-Camille days of course). So as you can see, my dear husband just happens to be one of those men.

And I just happen to be one of those women who hate them with a passion. (I wrote a story once about the horrifying morning when I woke up to such a mustache. A shocking sight, I assure you.)

With thanks from my friend Melissa, I have found the perfect compromise. My friends, I present you with...

THE CARSTACHE

These are totally for real. And bonus! They are on sale from $49 to $39. It's not a big surprise that Russ was all for this idea for his sweet ride. We're thinking maybe the light blond? Or maybe just the classic black? Or perhaps you readers are still searching for the perfect mother's day gift. I may have just saved your day.

Sun & Our New Sundays

We got some sun this weekend! I have been feeling especially translucent, and I'm pretty sure sitting in a poorly-lit room with no windows for the majority of my day does not help the situation. Saturday was another hot day down here in Texas. I think from here through the rest of the summer it is going to be almost intolerable to be outside unless you are near water. Anyway, we spent some time at the pool. But here's the kicker of the whole story -- my Mexican husband is only HALF Mexican! He has always been rather proud of his skin color and the fact that it is immune from sunburns. This is not so, my friends. His brown skin is a rather deep shade of red. Poor Russell.

Here is Russ as we are wrapping up our time at the pool. You can't quite tell here, but Russ is feeling pretty fried. The beautifully red skin showed up a few hours later. I am no longer the only member of this family who turns red before they turn brown.

And now to the second part of this post's title. OUR NEW SUNDAYS. We got new callings in our church, and it appears as though we're heading back to the singles ward!! For those of you readers who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), the members of the church are all given "callings." A calling is an opportunity to serve and is a specific responsibility and duty in the church. Since the church has grown so much, it is organized into stakes and wards throughout the world to ensure the same doctrine and lessons are taught throughout the world in an organized fashion. And the SINGLES ward is just one aspect of the church where single adults in the area meet for church, to socialize and date those who are of the same faith.

Anyway, Russ is now the "ward financial clerk" of the San Antonio Stake, Palo Alto Singles Ward. I am the official ward pianist (surprise, surprise, right?) It's a pretty tiny ward, but definitely solid. Today was our first Sunday there, and it sounds like we will have some amazing experiences.

Some interesting facts you should know:

• As you can see, the building the ward meets in is in an area of town that primarily speaks Spanish. Ole!
• Russ and I left the singles ward only 9 1/2 months ago. We thought we were done forever. Jokes on us!
• A large majority of this ward is older than us.
• When I did my internship in San Francisco a few summers ago, I attended the Stanford's singles ward. This ward was ALSO called the "Palo Alto Ward." It's all come full circle.

That's all for now! 

We are excited about this new adventure, and will be sure to keep y'all posted!

PS. Made some cookies today. Not bad for being "healthy cookies."