caught up

I'm almost caught up to April......only about 2000 pictures from April til now. Our Europe trip is completed.

Back in the USA

 We took a taxi from the hotel to the airport - no trains.

 

 saw this guy in the South Carolina airport - knew he was famous, but didn't know why. Say yes to the dress - Atlanta.

 how to get a sincere smile.....photo-bomb your own picture with a goofy face.

 Love France and Love England - until next time!

We arrived home to this: missed our kids.

London Temple

 Beautiful, serene, peaceful, quiet. Away from the noise and chaos of the city life, away from the distractions of a civil wedding. Again this was my favorite, very favorite few hours of the trip. I would have given up all the rest to just be there for the few hours of the Temple sealing. (The sealing is not that long, but I wanted to stay there for hours)

 wonderful maid of honor and friends - waiting out the cold while Alyssa and Duncan froze taking pictures around the Temple grounds. :)

home.

Wedding Extravaganza - Alyssa style

 I borrowed this from Alyssa.....hope that's okay!?

To say this wedding was an extravaganza is not an understatement. This is her show - ask her brothers and her parents. Alyssa is the star, the producer, choreographer, wardrobe, etc. This is her production and we got to be a part of it. There was no detail left undone. For those of us who stayed at the hotel, we were able to ride in a 'bus' to the church. For our listening enjoyment, we got to hear Alyssa and Duncan commentate their very own mix CD. :) We got our own copy which disappeared while we were gone to the wedding......bummer. We did enjoy it all the way to the wedding though.

hahaha

 this cute little church is where they were married civilly. a few rules for getting married in London. If you want to have your Bishop marry you, it must be in the church he serves over. If you want to be sealed in the Temple, you must be married civilly by order of the Queen. Then you are free to do as you please.

 It was beautiful and simply decorated. Her brothers spoke and his brother spoke - each with lots of wedding advice that I posted before here. It was church just without the sacrament and a wedding ceremony instead. The treats after were so yummy!

 This is what they rode around in. Apparently it's not a 'nice car' in England - a Rolls Royce is an amazingly nice car in the USA.

 The church was so unique. Loved that too.

To the reception - wow!

 my handsome husband

 Alyssa's sweet mom

 busy looking busy....really taking photos of Duncan taking on the American tradition of the garter belt.....and Alyssa tossing the bouquet

I believe this is the 'circular' part of the top floor where the dancing took place and these photos were taken with the gorgeous stained glass windows.

 our table - yes I kept my coat on most of the time (except when dancing to my heart's content) because I was always cold.

Congratulations Alyssa! Love ya! (on to the Temple)

Hens night

 What do you get when you gather a large group of females from all over the world??? According to Alyssa 'it's the world's best slumber party!!' All of us from Alyssa's past and present here to celebrate her. It was awesome fun. Friends from Germany, Norway, Philippines, Utah, Arizona (that's me), California, DC, London - only 2 were from London aside from Alyssa. Knowing Alyssa from 30+ years to 2 years. Love this girl! Most of them knew her from drama and other work - I had the privilege of being her roommate and we had a blast!

 We rode out to this B&B where Alyssa and Duncan had their first date after meeting in the Temple baptistry. 'It all started with a towel'

 adorable.

Leaving London

  We finished up our last day by returning to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels - at 9 am, there was NO line. We walked right in and absolutely NO photography is allowed. Truly amazing - I'm glad we went back to see it all. It's not just the crown jewels, it's pictures from past royalty, a video of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and then the Crown Jewels - after you pass through an open vault door, you proceed past some ridiculously expensive dinner ware - that's hardly the word for it as most of it was solid gold. Some pieces were being used by the Queen and her family for their Easter dinner. We get to the Crown Jewels and there is a moving sidewalk (slow, but still moving) on either side to keep the people moving. You finally exit the other side of the vault door (try to forget about what happens if some idiot tries to steal something while you're in there and those doors close) there is a booth/drop box for donations.....really?! Donations?? I found that very ironic....

We make our way to the train station - remember my last unsuccessful train ride....this one ranks right up there. We get tickets for Eastbourne (first mistake), one way tickets (2nd mistake), had commented before we wanted to see more English countryside (3rd mistake). Turns out we only had to go one underground stop farther and we would have made it to the hotel in Lingfield...enjoy the pictures - they tell quite the story.

I'm an intense reader when I think noone was is watching and taking photos....

and here's where the trip turns bad - shouldn't have been on the train that long....

 this is where Jeff gets google maps working and we are about an hour past where we need to be and we (ready for this.....) have to buy tickets back. ugh. I was so mad - again. Jeff mad again. I hate trains, again.

 we finally make it on the right train and we're in a hurry because I need to be there at the hotel for the Hen's night for Alyssa. I told her what happened and she gently laughed and said rookie mistake....now I know. I don't know everything and always ask, double ask, have Jeff check and double check at the train station, where we need to go. 

We finally make it to Lingfield and we have to walk, carrying and lugging our suitcases 'off-road' to the hotel about a 10-15 minute walk.

We made it, I showered and left Jeff to have some alone time......he earned it after me and my trains not getting along.

We stayed at the Lingfield Marroitt which is right on a horse track. Our window on the first floor opened up to this:

 It was beautiful and peaceful without all the chaos of the city. I loved this.

Jeff had bangers and mash for dinner, I headed out for a ladies night - complete with dancing and sparklers.... :)