Phoenix

I've gotten behind on blogging...we are here in Phoenix now and the weather has cooled off! It actually feels like fall.  Its been a busy couple of months.  We jumped right into school and activities; thanks to Lainey for giving us a head start.  We enjoyed staying with T's sister and family for a month prior to moving into our place.  They were very gracious hosts and hopefully were fond of that time :)   We are in our house now and pretty much settled minus a few piles, organizing projects, curtains, and hanging things up.  We've had a visit from T's sister recently returned from a mission, it was a great time seeing her.  We celebrated Isaac's 6th birthday with traditional cookie making.  Every year I'm astonished at how the time passes.  He has blessed our lives in countless ways.

Halloween came and went.  The stomach flu came and went and here we are into November already...yikes.

Isaac's cookies

Yay for Aunt Ammie

 Happy Halloween!

Hermione and Cinderella

First Day of 3rd grade and preschool

 A trip to the farm

 working in the garden

 Our house on Potter Dr.

Last Days in England

One last trip to London...just for now I hope.  On top of St. Paul's.  It was quite the climb up there on tiny staircases and narrow passage ways.

It was a typical rainy day.  England wouldn't let us forget the summer it rained, and rained, and rained.

The favorite Kipling Gardens.  If ever I were to have English gardens they would look like this place.

About to devour some yummy pasties.

A trip to Arundel Castle

The three pigs :) at our neighborhood Stoneham Park

Brighton/Hove Beach.  It was a strange day where the tide was so low we could actually see sand.  It was the only day while we were there that it looked like that, at least that I know of.

A fun girls night out with some awesome ladies from our ward.

Baptism

Our oldest made us so proud with her decision and excitement to be baptized on August 18, 2012.  I have a feeling this will be a memorable occasion for her first because it was in Brighton, England. Second because our awesome ward threw us a farewell party following her service so this little chick got to limbo and play musical chairs etc.  It was a great time!  

After her dad baptized her and they closed the dividers she said "dad it feels so good in here can I swim around a little bit."  It made us smile.  

We felt fortunate to have T's parents and Aunt K visit us then so they could be there for the baptism.  Grandpa got to confirm her, special times.  

Germany

Germany!

While the world came to London for the Olympics, we fled to Germany (at least for the first half anyway) where we met T-man's parents and Aunt K. 

First stop, Nurnberg!

Behind the scenic outer gate of the old city of Nurnberg was this tourist shopping area with traditional crafts.

The girls were troopers, walking all over the city!  Here we are in front of the poorly named "White tower," perhaps the architect was color blind. 

A and Grandma

A and Aunt K, with a view looking down on Nurmberg from the former HQ of the Holy Roman Empire.

On a beautiful Sunday walk through the town.

Next stop, Schwartzwald (The Black Forest)!

A beautiful waterfall in Triberg.

Schintzel, yum!  And yes that's beer, or at least apple beer ( apfelsaftschorle) , a delicious carbonated apple drink we drank frequently.

Hohenzollern castle - a beautiful fortress, surrounded by beautiful countryside. Like Neuschwanstein, the current version of the castle was hardly lived in by its patron monarch.

Letty and Gracie trying on hats.  Letty is sporting the traditional yarn ball hat of the Black Forest.  Apparently someone thought this was high fashion and it stuck for a while. 

On a hike above the guest house where we stayed in the Black Forest.

Our Final Stop:  Bavaria

Hohenschwangau Castle, childhood home of Ludwig II near the Austrian border in southern Germany

 

Fabled Neuschwanstein castle, beautiful architecture matching the gorgeous scenerly around it and matched in quality and magnificense on the inside.

Grandpa served his mission in this part of Germany.  The little one story building behind him was his apartment... and the chapel where his branch met in Kaufbaren.

 

Weiss Kirke (White Church), famous for its overly done Rococo style.  We were lucky to stop in while the organist was playing... and just in time to dodge a torrential downpour.

 

Quality Grandpa time!

 

 

Kids are so easy to please, this was probably Gracie's favorite part of the trip, the trampoline at the last place we stayed.

 

 

Townhall in the famous central square of Munich, the Marionplatz. 

 

 

Being 8 is GREAT!

Happy Birthday Letty!  She is so excited to be 8.  This little girl has blessed our lives for the last eight years in ways I never expected.  Life wouldn't be complete without her.  We love you Letty!!

We were very fortunate that the sun decided to bless us on her birthday.  Upon request we had Thai food and decided to eat in the park.

 The blowing of the candles.  She wanted root beer floats for her treat so I stuck the candles in some little cakes. 

 Unfortunately the Americans around must have been celebrating the 4th with root beer since the few cans that the store stocked were wiped clean.  We improvised with sorbet and sprite.

 I loved this face! I forgot and wrote her card in cursive, she got most of it but when she got stuck it looked like this. 

 For the friend party

 We had a pottery painting party, how's that for 3 p's?

I told her we could do this kind of party if we kept it small.  There should have been 8 total but one couldn't come.

She was sweet enough to include her sister as one of her friends.