tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49798315521865369852024-03-13T19:52:06.247-07:00 Jeana's Family BlogJeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-41304230287424361752016-07-28T10:38:00.000-07:002017-03-24T11:24:23.765-07:00Australia: Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today we didn't have a ton planned because we wanted to give ourselves a chance to sleep in because of the jet lag. Weird thing is that it's the kind of jet lag that made me wake up earlier than I normally should. I just read until the Eric and Portia woke up.<br />
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We decided to walk the scenic pathway from Bawgolhah Heights to Manly Beach. It was a lovely, wooded walk that stayed close to the bay. The views were gorgeous and Portia was playing Pokemon Go on the way to find the cool Australian Pokemon. And wanted to stop everytime we could get pretty close to the water. But it's nice when you don't really have a schedule or a plan for the day because you can wander wherever you want and do whatever you want to do.<br />
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We went to the Manly Aquarium. Our favorite was the shark tunnel, which had some huge sharks in it, some sea turtles and stingrays. It wasn't a very big aquarium so we spent the morning there only.<br />
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Next, we went to a gourmet fish & chips place, called Fish Mongers. Portia didn't want fish so she had McDonald's. I had the shrimp. This guy's a beast! I'd already eaten all my delicious chips!<br />
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Portia wanted to get over to the waves (it's just not the same on the bay side) so we spent the next hour or so letting her play in the waves. It is winter there, so it's pretty chilly (not exactly swimsuit weather) but she enjoyed getting her feet and legs in the water. We walked back the scenic walkway to our place.<br />
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Tonight, we drove to Sydney to see the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House! Eric was really excited because the symphony played the live music of Raiders of the Lost Ark while the movie played on a big screen.<br />
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It was a really cool experience. I started getting pretty tired though and with the lights turned low, it was hard to stay awake. I may have nodded off a time or two.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-64673156418250445842016-07-27T10:37:00.000-07:002017-03-24T11:20:53.635-07:00Australia: Day One <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: center;">Quigleys went "Down Under!" We left on a Monday for Sydney, Australia, skipped Tuesday—somehow during our flight—and spent our Wednesday wandering around the Royal Botanical Gardens, near the Sydney Opera House. We walked around a lot and looked at all the trees, flowers and gardens. One of the first thing we noticed upon stepping into Australia was the loud squawking of the Cockatoos that are all over the place. They're loud, but exotic and very cool. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; text-align: center;">We stopped by the New South Wales Public Library nearby because it was beautiful. Then we ate at an outdoor bistro called Piccolo Me for lunch. Portia had a sausage roll and Eric a meat pie and I had a chicken avocado sandwich with some mint hot chocolate. Did I mention Bianca is still at Meadowmount until mid-August and couldn't come on this trip with us. In my defense, I gave her the option for us to go before she left and she acted like she didn't really care. So Portia's an only child for this trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We rented a small car (they drive on the left side of the street again so thankfully, Eric is doing all the driving) and drove to the house where we're staying the entire trip at Balgowlah Heights, near Manly Beach. We have a beautiful view of the bay from the huge windows of our 2 bedroom/2 bathroom place. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">And nope, I didn't see one spider inside the house—people kept warning me about the huge spiders that were crawling all over Australia!) Our place is very comfortable. I took a nap and had a difficult time waking up when Eric and Portia were hungry for dinner. We drove all over looking for a quick place to eat but it was more difficult than you'd expect. All I wanted was McDonald's fries and it closed at 6pm!!! Instead we found some Chinese restaurant and brought back some takeaway. Meh! Australia seems a lot like the US. Same types of foods and the streets are big and wide. </span></div>
Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-37982841429816919612016-07-01T12:23:00.000-07:002017-03-20T12:23:49.986-07:00Visiting Home: July 2016Since Bianca was gone nearly the entire summer, Portia and I went on a trip with Susannah and her kids to St. Louis. They picked us up on the way and we took turns driving all the way to Columbia, Illinois.<br />
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We did tons of fun stuff, like eat at Imo's:<br />
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visit Grant's Farm:<br />
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go to the zoo:<br />
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and visit the Magic House:<br />
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One day, Portia decided to try to make a bit of change by playing her cello outside the Painted Lady before a summer outdoor concert at the park nearby. She did make a dollar and some change with the help of her cousins.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, that's the girls on the street in front of The Painted Lady</td></tr>
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Portia even was teaching Ella cello lessons every day:<br />
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Because we were there over the Fourth of July, we got to celebrate with our extended family as well.<br />
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Pretty much, we went there to be together and spend time together as a family.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-20235082737485114772016-06-15T12:02:00.000-07:002017-03-20T12:03:06.471-07:00Bianca's off to Meadowmount <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bianca was so excited to get accepted to Meadowmount School of Music for this summer (seven weeks, which is sooo long).<br />
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Eric flew out to New York City with Bianca in the middle of June. They spent a couple days exploring New York, then he drove her to upstate New York, near Lake Champlain, where she spent the next 7 weeks.<br />
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We missed her a ton, and I think she didn't like being gone for quite that long. She got a little homesick near the middle and asked to come home. But she made it through and had a good experience. For a while, she was sending me a picture a day so that we'd stay in touch.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-70599523012416881942016-04-23T10:47:00.000-07:002017-03-20T10:47:31.440-07:00Portia turned 9!Portia is obsessed with the Warrior Cat book series. She's read nearly all of them (and I'm pretty sure there are over 20—and they're long)! So, she was dying to have a Warrior Cats birthday party. Although it was rainy (so they couldn't adventure out in the woods in our backyard as she wanted), Portia was pretty happy with how it all turned out. Portia and Bianca helped make the cat-ear headbands and I had cupcakes custom made with the Warrior Cat clans on them.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-6057274796638626792016-04-10T10:41:00.000-07:002017-03-20T10:42:28.200-07:00Spring Break in California with my Sister!The girls and I spent spring break with Susannah and her family in California this year. She's truly the best hostess ever and spoiled us with tons of day trips and lots of yummy meals. I'm so lucky she's my sister! And I love when my girls get to spend time with their cousins, although sadly it wasn't their spring break.<br />
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We went to Disneyland:<br />
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We went paddleboarding on the ocean and saw seals (no sharks, thankfully):<br />
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We went to Santa Monica Pier and did some shopping and ate at Steak 'N' Shake:<br />
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It was the first day of the opening of Harry Potter world at Universal Studios and was crowded, but we went anyway. We even met some friends from our neighborhood there:<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-22082640737950223912016-01-22T10:25:00.000-08:002017-03-20T11:34:58.030-07:00Portia's Reflections Entry is going to State!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-84561650087685938632015-12-30T12:37:00.000-08:002017-03-17T15:46:35.290-07:00England Day Ten: London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We woke up at 3 am and left Anstruther. I couldn't sleep anyway most of the night because the wind was shaking the house, so we drove on to London!<br />
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We arrived right before lunch and checked into our hotel, The Town Hall. We're only staying here one night but it's nice and comfortable. Eric dropped off the rental car and we took a taxi (I swear the drive looked exactly like Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey) to The New Globe Theatre. We stopped at TAS Pide for Turkish pides (boat-shaped bread filled with meat and egg). We loved it!<br />
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When we got to the Globe Theatre, we almost bought tickets to see Cymbeline in the candle-lit inside theatre, but the only two tickets they had left weren't near each other and we didn't want to split up. So instead, we took a tour of the outdoor theatre. Our tour guide was great and kept directing his comments to Portia, who was the youngest person in the tour.<br />
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Afterward, Portia and I took the underground back to our hotel to swim, while Eric and Bianca went shopping at Picadilly Circus.<br />
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In the morning, we took a taxi to Gatwick Airport and flew home. We arrived home on New Year's Eve.Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-8483194584082958412015-12-29T12:29:00.000-08:002017-03-17T15:47:28.156-07:00Scotland Day Nine: St. Andrews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is our last day in Scotland. We have absolutely loved it here and wished we had arranged to spend more time in Scotland. We'll have to come back someday. After breakfast, we went to the water again. The wind had died down a bit and the sun was out. It was gorgeous!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDguEFxXQodIzt69CWj6Gnbgt_OZldRrJTlGcW6Pn0OSos1q-ZZGPEV2WgRBvppzShLzz8jo7c8YeMhwut-wcPlfdx6A6bMKl1W2pHtRYa4bP9G7V_Eciqo1My_XF70BrSDNymc1iFU8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+4.02.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDguEFxXQodIzt69CWj6Gnbgt_OZldRrJTlGcW6Pn0OSos1q-ZZGPEV2WgRBvppzShLzz8jo7c8YeMhwut-wcPlfdx6A6bMKl1W2pHtRYa4bP9G7V_Eciqo1My_XF70BrSDNymc1iFU8/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+4.02.44+PM.png" width="302" /></a>We were going to visit Kellie's Castle but we kept missing the turn—the signs weren't so helpful—on our 10-minute drive to St. Andrew's. Another beautiful city! The waves were crazy, like 20 of them curling to the beach at once, and the ruins overlooked the sea. Portia wanted to stay near the water, so I stayed with her while Eric and Bianca explored the castle. We met back up after we explored the cathedral ruins and the historic harbour. We stopped at a bookstore (of course!) and then headed back to Anstruther for lunch.<br />
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We took the girls to our fish & chips place we loved so much. I got the hot smoked salmon & prawn salad with chips & curry sauce. That places is truly amazing!<br />
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After lunch, Eric and I walked into town and it turned windy & cold again. The waves were crashing so violently against the stone walls, it was spraying the people on the street. We stopped into a couple gift shops and ended our evening by playing Monopoly, then packing up as we leave again in the morning.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-76994336898413998352015-12-29T12:04:00.000-08:002017-03-17T15:44:03.371-07:00Scotland Day Eight: Anstruther & Edinburgh <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We love Anstruther! It's windy—really windy—but so charming and quaint and beautiful! We walked down to the rocky beach first thing after breakfast. Then drove to Cowdenbeath, where Eric's grandma Peggy grew up before she came over to the US when she was 16. We walked around the cemetery looking for family names but didn't really find anything interesting.<br />
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Next we drove on the Edinburgh. We were starved by the time we got there, so we had lunch at a restaurant called The Wedgewood. It was so good! I had the potato & leek soup, gnocchi and for dessert: parsnip brulet with thyme ice cream! Sounds weird but tastes divine!<br />
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We walked all over Edinburgh—to the royal mile, up to the castle, and then did some shopping.<br />
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We went into the most amazing bookshop called Armchair Books!!! And we walked by a Cat Cafe but couldn't go in because it was all booked. Portia thinks we should start a Cat Cafe of our own and call it The Cat & Cocoa Cafe and serve gourmet hot chocolates. Bianca says Edinburgh is here favorite city she's even been to.<br />
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When we returned to Anstruther, Eric and I went to a Fish & Chips place near our place, where we walked along the ocean to get there. Still windy, but lovely. I had some salmon & dill fish cakes. What a lovely time we had!<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-47810994586189571482015-12-28T11:47:00.000-08:002017-03-17T11:48:06.400-07:00England Day Seven: Warwick, then on to Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This morning, we left Stratford and went to church in Warwick. After sacrament meeting, several people told us we must stop at Warwick Castle before we head out of England. They said it's the best castle in England, so we did! It was still completely furnished and all the ceilings were simply amazing! I'm obsessed with cool ceilings and doors and there were plenty to see! The library was full of antique books and the whole castle was decorating for Christmas with beautiful trees and lights everywhere. Very beautiful!<br />
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Then we began driving to Scotland. There was tons of traffic and it ended up taking a lot longer than we hoped. Ugh! We ate at McDonald's on the way (how is it we always end up at McDonald's while we're in Europe?!?).<br />
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We finally arrived in Anstruther, Scotland, around nine o'clock at night. But we LOVE our little place here. The girls each get their own rooms; Eric and I have our own suite in the attic. And it's clean and big and decorated like a beach house. I can hear the ocean out there but haven't yet seen it.Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-371393466480375732015-12-26T11:31:00.000-08:002017-03-17T11:32:06.235-07:00England Day Six: Hay-on-Wye<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmihpTGPuBcjUtWlcYfJYKADSKzsl208czZ0Jh1uQ3RDUsK0HzRDu4mNkzxDy1HngPUBZEYVIGMz10o_fRPO1KkXE0wh6yrXmAHDZFxCy6BMf4j9HVzyT1RROGGVJoZouOt_0DlUrTQ2s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmihpTGPuBcjUtWlcYfJYKADSKzsl208czZ0Jh1uQ3RDUsK0HzRDu4mNkzxDy1HngPUBZEYVIGMz10o_fRPO1KkXE0wh6yrXmAHDZFxCy6BMf4j9HVzyT1RROGGVJoZouOt_0DlUrTQ2s/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="243" /></a>Today we actually got up early and drove to Wales. On the way, because we were on a lot of backroads, we actually ran right into Elgar's (the famous composer) birthplace. It wasn't open because it's Christmas break (in fact, today is Boxing Day), but we stopped for a bit, then drove on.<br />
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When we arrived at Hay-on-Wye (the book capital of the world), the town was congregating to leave for a big hunt. They were in their hunting outfits, sitting on their horses, and all the town was gathered. Someone made a speech about the government trying to take away their right to hunt before they left. <br />
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Sadly, because it was boxing day, many of the bookstores (the reason we traveled there) were closed. There were a few, however, so I did spend a couple hours in a bookstore, then we ate at a pub called The Blue Boar, which was wonderful! So I bought some books, we walked around a bit, then drove back. The early morning took a lot out of me because I slept on the way home. Eric's so good to stay awake and drive on the left side of the road!<br />
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Tonight was our last night in Stratford, so we did a little laundry and packed our bags.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-82644106035019605142015-12-25T10:33:00.000-08:002017-03-17T12:06:09.478-07:00England Day Five: Christmas Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExH9v2woscdUuOIXi1wPjnA5Q7eFMaqIp2RT4OFNKOGoIayaJRLts1eU5W8gjEmX8vue-FxSDntrCdJ-8L6rVUN0ElWJWGrBnNhFysoUOlsjatp8ulvvkRqffya2AuTrAmHLgEO0myHE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+11.19.27+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExH9v2woscdUuOIXi1wPjnA5Q7eFMaqIp2RT4OFNKOGoIayaJRLts1eU5W8gjEmX8vue-FxSDntrCdJ-8L6rVUN0ElWJWGrBnNhFysoUOlsjatp8ulvvkRqffya2AuTrAmHLgEO0myHE/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+11.19.27+AM.png" width="400" /></a>I've definitely never had a Christmas like today. We all slept in until 11. We had no presents to open, but the souvenirs we placed under the tree (to remind us that we were actually getting presents). Instead of buying presents, we gave the girls a set amount of money they're allowed to spend while we're here.<br />
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We lit another fire and the girls opened their Christmas Crackers Eric had bought. After they "popped," there were little toys and jokes in each one. We played with the mini cards (that was one of the gifts in the crackers).<br />
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We decided at the last minute to drive to the closest beach, which was a two-hour drive to Weston-Suer-Mare. At least the beach can't be closed on Christmas Day! We stopped by some interesting castles on the way, then arrived while it was still light outside. It was rainy and windy, but we walked along the beach anyway and watched the lighthouse blinking from Cardiff.<br />
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We drove back to Stratford where we had dinner reservations at Bamboodle (a Thai restaurant) only to find out they had no chef and decided not to open. Lovely. We had nowhere to to go and I was frustrated that we didn't take that last available table they had at The Swan. Thank heavens for Indian restaurants! We ended up at Avon Spice and made the best of our situation. We all love Indian food so it worked out, although that's definitely not a typical Christmas meal. We went back to the park near the Avon River and fed our leftover naan to the swans and geese and ducks.<br />
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I don't think we'll ever forget this Christmas!<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-30786850782445677112015-12-24T10:30:00.000-08:002017-03-17T15:21:40.262-07:00England Day Four: Christmas Eve in Stratford-Upon-Avon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v6HQS4hcmAc9y90LjNF2_39dpbtVyu_j3SsmldgKj_fh0MztvwwKpNq3L9JoZ-8KCtdA5CbLbU3JzY0IA_tDDJqekC3pYCgcxKgMJPZFxCalxWJgw2gmmiVsgTVaDVTiQdEtmZzgrHA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+11.19.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v6HQS4hcmAc9y90LjNF2_39dpbtVyu_j3SsmldgKj_fh0MztvwwKpNq3L9JoZ-8KCtdA5CbLbU3JzY0IA_tDDJqekC3pYCgcxKgMJPZFxCalxWJgw2gmmiVsgTVaDVTiQdEtmZzgrHA/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-03-17+at+11.19.10+AM.png" width="387" /></a>Today was windy and rainy in Stratford-Upon-Avon. We got off to a late start and then went to Shakespeare's grave, which is inside a church. We kind of jumped onto a tour that was happening and listened to the guide. He said something interesting about Psalms 46 (46 words into it is "shake" and 46 works from the bottom is "spear.") Some people even thought Shakespeare helped translate the King James version of the Bible, but I'm not sure about that.<br />
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The girls wanted to sit for a while so they stayed at the public library to read, while Eric and I walked to the Avon River and nearby park to check it out. We saw swans, statues, trees wearing crochet sweaters. It was nice to be walking around just the two of us for a bit.<br />
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We picked up the girls and went to Benson's for afternoon tea. We had sandwiches, salads, fruit cake, scones & tea. One of our favorite things is having the tea experience while we're abroad. We also did a bit of shopping, then came back to our little house.<br />
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Eric and I went back to Shakespeare's church for their nativity in the evening, then built a fire at home and turned on "Little Women," ate shortbread cookies and some LemonLime with Mint soda we found at the market. We read from the Bible about Jesus' birth, then shared and listened to our favorite Christmas hymns. It wasn't a huge deal but our Christmas Eve was nice.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-10043412310760965522015-12-23T10:07:00.000-08:002016-05-13T10:22:57.592-07:00England Day Three: Bath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been having a very difficult time sleeping in this bed. I don't mind the uneven floors but an uncomfortable bed is hard to deal with. But the floors creak and the house groans at night. Everytime someone gets up in the night and creeps down the creaky steps to the water closet (and it really is a water closet, nearly an outhouse as it's outside the main doors of the house), it wakes the whole house up.<br />
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We slept in until 9 this morning, then had our breakfast of fruit, toast and cocoa all scrunched up at the table. After finally getting ready, we headed off to Bath. It was a bit of a drive so we didn't arrive until noon. First, we walked through the University.<br />
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We also walked around some public parks.<br />
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Next we visited the Jane Austen musem, which Eric was a good sport about. Jane Austen had lived in Bath (and set two of her novels there) so they're trying to take a little ownership of her. I'd recently read Northanger Abbey (Austen's first novel that also takes place there), so it was fresh in my mind and made it even more exciting and interesting. She died at 41, that's like me dying next year. Kind of a sobering thought. We got to eat plum cake (Austen's mother's recipe) and put on Austen-esque clothing at the end. The girls used the ink & quill.<br />
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Next, we visited the Roman baths that make Bath "Bath." The girls wanted to put their hands in the hot springs, but it wasn't allowed. We did drink some of the water though, but it was very mineral-ly and not so good. Maybe it will make this cold go away.<br />
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After a teensy bit of shopping (they had an Anthropologie!), we wanted to get some dinner. We had a hard time finding a good place to eat. It gets dark around 4 o'clock around here, which makes us all even hungrier. And more frustrated when we can't agree upon a place to eat, and when we finally did, they were booked for the night. We ended up at a pub near our cottage called The Four Alls. Probably my least favorite meal of the trip. Meh.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-83962176376915734872015-12-22T14:28:00.000-08:002016-05-13T10:25:42.682-07:00England Day Two: Stratford-Upon-Avon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So the bed isn't very comfortable—again, part of the whole experience! But still, we all managed to sleep in until 11! We stayed in Stratford today, starting out at Anne Hathaway's house. The Tudor-style house is very similar to the house we're staying in. The tour taught us all about William Shakespeare and Anne's courtship. My mom would have loved this, with all the history. I found it most interesting the they would light fires in their houses on the ground with no flue or chimney—can you imagine all the smoke?<br />
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We also went to Shakespeare's birthplace and childhood home, which the tour ended with a little performance at the end (Bianca asked for The Taming of the Shrew). </div>
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It gets dark around 4 o'clock here and then it started raining. We stopped at a coffee shop for hot chocolate, did a little shopping, and had dinner at a pub called The Olde Thatched Tavern. I didn't love it as much as last night's dinner. We were stopping around looking for a place to reserve our Christmas dinner so that took some time. And we stopped at Waterstone's for some bookshopping. </div>
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-23277183835189073842015-12-20T12:48:00.000-08:002016-04-26T13:27:36.208-07:00England Day One: Arriving in LondonWe hadn't spent Christmas away from home since Portia was born. This year, we found a good airplane price to London and decided to spend Christmas in England this year. The plane flew out of Las Vegas, so we drove to Las Vegas, Eric went to the BYU football bowl game (BYU v. U of U), we spent the night in a hotel, and then go on an airplane the next morning. Eric's dad even flew in from Dallas to watch the game with Eric. I won't mention the ridiculous night I spent in the Las Vegas Emergency Room worried I was having an appendicitis. Anyway, we all did get on an airplane the next day (after a quick lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville) and watched movies & slept.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jkj47bVjo7Nba7YygEDhjIG6qtAF3Kb7PK0PgQtqkL8hSrlFAUEUP6GXVaAjCu2gv-QIjbd-r0NjSrzLBhLZnGdMADzajvMImrSEFqx6P2es8CfQWnUIjRLIVN3sKLBRsUP-zHotBy0/s1600/Screen+shot+2016-04-26+at+2.12.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jkj47bVjo7Nba7YygEDhjIG6qtAF3Kb7PK0PgQtqkL8hSrlFAUEUP6GXVaAjCu2gv-QIjbd-r0NjSrzLBhLZnGdMADzajvMImrSEFqx6P2es8CfQWnUIjRLIVN3sKLBRsUP-zHotBy0/s320/Screen+shot+2016-04-26+at+2.12.34+PM.png" width="320" /></a>We arrived in London in the morning to rain and cold, as expected. We had to carry our suitcases up stairs in the subway (not sure we thought this through), then Bianca, Portia, and I waited at a park near the Tower of London while Eric went to pick up our rental car. I don't know how he does it—driving a manual transmission car on the left side of the road—but am just glad I don't have to! We slept while Eric drove to Stratford-upon-Avon. Rose Cottage (where we stayed) is near the Anne Hathaway house (Shakespeare's wife). The house where we're staying is sooo old, nearly as old as Anne Hathaway and Shakespeare's childhood home and may have been built with the same timbers! The walls and stone floors were cold (and a little lopsided) so it wasn't the most comfortable place to stay, but we were definitely getting an "experience." It's cute and authentic for learning all about Shakespeare's time.<br />
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Here are some pics of our little cottage. They had even put up a Christmas tree and decorated for Christmas!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAp0EsETa6NPeLHRxlA03u-tFgOoUqzQVPJLAywzgWr6wfQKgtQYcQR0Ixdr93FxEPsLayb4Dv5XiePCB95Rqxgr2DCAZUMEOsQ7rPjSIv6m0okEdOgSut2SG8itjAcTHUPL06VONC0w/s1600/IMG_3638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAp0EsETa6NPeLHRxlA03u-tFgOoUqzQVPJLAywzgWr6wfQKgtQYcQR0Ixdr93FxEPsLayb4Dv5XiePCB95Rqxgr2DCAZUMEOsQ7rPjSIv6m0okEdOgSut2SG8itjAcTHUPL06VONC0w/s200/IMG_3638.jpg" width="150" /></a>We unpacked a bit, then went to The Bell (a pub nearby) for dinner. It was a really cute, laid-back place with really good food. I ordered lasagna and it was actually amazing! I wanted to eat there every night, but we didn't get back to The Bell sadly. Here's Portia eating the ice cream that came with her meal.<br />
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We stopped by the supermarket on our way home to pick up milk, bread and fruit so that we can eat our breakfasts at home. We mainly unpacked and settled in before bed.<br />
<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-69896005514403490502015-08-20T15:44:00.000-07:002016-01-28T15:47:19.759-08:00First Day of School (2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's our annual first-day-of-school picture of the girls. Portia is in Mrs. Black's 3rd grade class, while Bianca starts ninth grade (but technically she still has to go to Timberline Middle School one more year, so it won't feel much like high school).<br />
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It's going to be another great year!Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-21118612434913155102015-08-18T08:44:00.000-07:002016-02-02T09:32:00.419-08:00A couple weeks on the Oregon Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After Bianca returned home from Indiana, we spent two weeks on the Oregon Coast, as a final hurrah before school started. I don't think I mentioned that in February, Eric and I bought a little vacation rental house in Lincoln City, Oregon, that we use a management company to rent out, but part of the allure is that I want to have a reason to get to the beach more often. So even though I couldn't take all the time away from work (I worked half days remotely), and Eric had to get on some calls as well, but we made it work. We were finally together for some good family time. First, here's the cute little house we bought:<br />
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It sits on this little island that's completely surrounded by the canal that feeds into Devil's Lake, as well as the D-River (the world's shortest), which then feeds right into the ocean. </div>
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In fact, we can kayak right from our property and we got two kayaks that came with the house when we bought it. I love the bright, beachy kitchen!</div>
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Another plus for us was that the house came completely furnished, including the pictures on the wall, sheets on the bed, TV, and plates and cups. Of course we had to buy some extra stuff to get it fully stocked for renters, but it was the perfect house for us. And here in the cozy living room is the pellet stove, which runs warm and is super efficient. One of my must-haves was a fireplace or stove, so this house ended up being perfect for us! Not too big, but just comfortable for our time at the beach.<br />
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We brought Tigger and Skippy (who loved exploring outside all night long—we joke that he was fishing in the canal).<br />
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And we spent TONS of time at the beach. Portia wanted to go there at least 3 times each day and since we're less than 5-minutes walking, we went—a lot! She liked building little sand cakes and she'd always scoop me a little chair and pillow with her shovel so I could be comfortable while she kicked in the waves or played in the sand.<br />
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We also walked along the beach. It was cold and windy (as usual) which I don't mind at all because then I can make a fire and warm myself—even in the middle of August!<br />
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Usually, Eric and I would work in the morning, while the girls practiced (of course we brought instruments since we were there for two weeks). Portia liked playing out on the deck for the group of ducks who hung out back there. I worked out here a lot too.<br />
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We went to Siletz Bay often and saw the harbor seals. We also saw whales on three different occasions. It still makes me so happy every time. And Portia and I saw something one day in the waves I still can't explain.<br />
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I love the fog and mist we had most days. It makes everything so beautiful. We also took a lot of day trips. One of our favorites was to Neskowin.<br />
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We went kayaking several times.<br />
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And since Eric and I celebrated our anniversary while we were there, we went to Blackfish (quite possibly the best seafood restaurant I've ever eaten at). Yep, that's my salmon and Eric's plate in the background.<br />
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One more pic of our house (on our little island) as seen from the beach.<br />
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While we were there, we got a call from HGTV and got to come back much sooner than we thought—during fall break to film for the show we're going to be on! Here's a little sneak peek:<br />
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And here we are, finding our first glass float on the beach.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-57210975652603251792015-07-24T10:43:00.000-07:002016-01-08T10:47:43.857-08:00Shakespeare Festival—Summer 2015Ahhh, our yearly tradition of Bianca and me going to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LFggII5IbliSeVq2HpmIwhsdyUrkktF9GQxNMnlSmTBUTMSXkoVCX78X6Ye3VAjgrtOXIEsrzVZ69nt3O7mNOKD2GwpZRu9mLSn76paFn0PQ55yQqkKszoi2_Hj60RfQ4Wh-hPLr6hg/s1600/Screen+shot+2016-01-08+at+11.38.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LFggII5IbliSeVq2HpmIwhsdyUrkktF9GQxNMnlSmTBUTMSXkoVCX78X6Ye3VAjgrtOXIEsrzVZ69nt3O7mNOKD2GwpZRu9mLSn76paFn0PQ55yQqkKszoi2_Hj60RfQ4Wh-hPLr6hg/s200/Screen+shot+2016-01-08+at+11.38.58+AM.png" width="194" /></a>This year, we stopped in Santequin for our favorite scones at the Family Tree Restaurant (please remind me to only get ONE to share next year as they're way too big and with that honey butter, I try to eat it all). I always joke that their scones are larger than my first-born, so I guess it's apropo that that's where I eat with my firstborn.<br />
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We tried out a new B&B this year but it felt a lot like staying in someone's house so we probably won't stay there again. We love the Big Yellow Inn, so we'll try to book early next year.<br />
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We had tickets to see two plays: King Lear and The Taming of the Shrew, both in the theatre that's being replaced soon. Bianca and I took some pictures (there was a selfie contest and we won tickets so we're coming back in the fall!) of the theatre before it's gone.<br />
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We also went to see a movie (Papertowns) and ate out (a terrible Indian restaurant and then our Centro Pizza place that reminds us of Italy).<br />
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This time, we even went to the lecture the next morning in the trees and that was a ton of fun. I can't believe we've never done that before!!!<br />
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All in all, another great mother-daughter bonding weekend. Sometimes with all this teenager stuff, we don't get a chance to bond. Love these weekends!Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-63594158432871807172015-07-09T10:52:00.000-07:002016-01-12T16:19:07.449-08:00Watters Family Reunion 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have a family reunion every two years. This year, mom planned it for Bear Lake (only 3 hours from us!) for all of my siblings and our families to spend time together. Mom rented this really nice log house to stay in with a view of the lake. Oh, and we all got these great matching t-shirts. =)<br />
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With these matching t-shirts, we were ready for a family portrait that we haven't done in quite some time (yes, Bianca is missing but don't worry, she got a t-shirt).<br />
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The weather was surprisingly cold for July so we spent a lot of time inside (and even built a fire!) but also went hiking up into Winnetonka Cave, spent one day on the lake in boats (I'd elaborate but I think it's still a touchy story for those who were on the boat that broke down), and saw a play. Honestly, it was a relaxing weekend where we could all talk and spend time as a family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(btw, those people in the last row are NOT part of the Watters family--hahaha)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming in the lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on the boat</td></tr>
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We had little FHEs every night and took turns who taught (I did my lesson on talents). And mom had fun little crafts for each night.<br />
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I love spending time with my family!!! Bianca wasn't here because she's in Indiana, but it's also fun to see my kids playing with their cousins they don't get to see all that often.<br />
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Oh, and I think I forgot to mention the shakes. We had an excuse to get ice cream often, even with the cold weather.<br />
<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-65984847845452727962015-06-30T08:25:00.000-07:002016-01-25T08:33:13.747-08:00Portia's Summer Camp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I signed Portia up for a little music camp while Bianca was away. It wasn't actually playing but a movement and music class at the school where Bianca goes to orchestra, Gifted Music School. It was low key musical camp and about stories behind some classical music and dancing and they even got to do some art work (see that scenery?).<br />
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Portia even made a couple friends and really enjoyed her time. They had a recital at the end of the week for the parents to watch.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-18365874814967925022015-06-20T09:47:00.000-07:002016-01-08T10:29:26.920-08:00A month away (Bianca's off to Indiana for music camp)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">We put Bianca on a plane to Indiana for a month for music camp at the Jacobs School of Music in Indiana. All of a sudden our house felt so empty. She didn't seem nervous at all about it, but I was. She's never had to take care of herself before and even had to do her own laundry in the dorms. She had a roommate (ironically named Gina, hahaha) and made a ton of friends.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I had a rule that she had to send me a picture a day (since she didn't hardly ever call). They were required to practice four hours a day, plus time spent in lessons, practicing with their chamber group, the viola choir, and attending concerts at night. Here are some of the photos she sent.</span><br />
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In the viola competition, she got second place (they all had to play the same pieces, which were the 3rd and 4th movements of the Telemann Viola Concerto. </div>
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Here's the viola choir when they performed together.</div>
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And they had a recital for the pieces they learned while they were there. Here is Bianca playing the 2nd movement of the Handel Viola Concerto (wearing a borrowed dress as I hadn't realized I was supposed to send her with something fancy like the dress she wore here).</div>
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But wow, I know she was working hard (and playing hard too) and am so impressed with all she learned.</div>
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Until next summer...</div>
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Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-60073744348804899712015-06-17T15:01:00.000-07:002016-01-07T15:08:53.305-08:00Lake Powell 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yep, we were crazy. We got off our flight, drove home, dropped off our bags and picked up new pre-packed bags (I cut some of my peonies that were in full bloom and were drooping their heads onto the ground) and drove another four hours to Lake Powell. Thank goodness Eric is able to stay awake because the girls and I slept the whole time. The cat and dog were not impressed with this situation at all!<br />
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I put the vase of peonies on the nightstand of our room in the houseboat because they only bloom once a year and I adore them—and their scent—and I wasn't going to lose my last chance to enjoy them for the year. They were especially gorgeous this year and mostly dead when we returned.<br />
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Another great week at Powell. We played games, laid in the sun, played on the boats, jet skis, went paddleboarding (my favorite!), watched movies, slept in, didn't get dressed or wear makeup.<br />
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The kids made friends with the other kids on the boat and we ate well (of course, we had to cook our mandatory three meals for everyone) and had a blast! The girls had to practice their instruments, but that's a small price to pay.<br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4979831552186536985.post-91403173555375983132015-06-06T10:18:00.000-07:002016-01-06T15:20:08.912-08:00Day Nine—Padua & Back to Rome & Back Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent our last full day in Italy in Padua, the setting place of The Taming of the Shrew (Bianca's play). First, we checked out of our cute Verona apartment and they let us leave our bags at the manager's office. We took the train again, then started walking.<br />
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Padua is a university town so we started at the university. On our walk there, we came across this beautiful flowering tree (I wish I knew what kind of tree it was. The flowers were gorgeous!)<br />
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We spent half the day hunting down bathrooms. We had an amazing lunch at a small local restaurant called Osteria de Capo. I had the white vegetarian lasagnette. We all had great meals, actually.<br />
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And the restaurant's bathroom had just the hole in the middle of the tile. Portia really had to go so I took off her shoes, everything, and held her over the hole. I decided I didn't need to use the restroom <i>that </i>much.<br />
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Next we wandered back to a circular park, crowned with statues and surrounded by a canal.<br />
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We visited several churches and Basilicas and the girls lit a candle for Grandma Quigley. The stone was so cold on the floor that we stayed for a while and cooled off, letting our feet settle from all the walking.</div>
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We did a bit more shopping, then took the train back to Verona.</div>
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When we got back to Verona, we stopped at a gelateria the LDS sister missions (who we ran into several times in Verona) recommended, called La Romano Gelato. Wow, it was amazing!!! They filled the tip of the cone with hot nutella and I ordered the white mint (Menta Bianca) and chocolate. Best gelato in Italy, methinks! </div>
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We walked back to get our bags, tried a type of soda called Crodino (ginger & orange), then stopped for dinner at Bella Napoli Pizzaria since we had nowhere else to go until our train left late that night.I had the Bianca quatro formaggio one last time. I'm really going to miss the pizza here.<br />
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Our train (a sleeping train) left at 11:30pm. Mom, Bianca, Portia and I all shared a 4-person bunk room. It was loud and hot and I didn't get much sleep because the train kept stopping and going all night, and I was worried Portia was going to roll out of the top bunk. We arrived in Rome at 6am. Nothing was open so we went to airport. Trip over. We'll miss you, Beautiful Italy!<br />
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<b>Doors of the Day:</b><br />
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<br />Jeanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.com0