A Spree in Pa-ree!

Our travels to Paris started on Wednesday morning with a departure time of 7 am. We left from Waterloo station on the Eurostar train. We were excited to be on the train because it travels over 200 mph and through the "Chunnel". The time in the chunnel is surprising little, probably not more than 15 minutes. The entire time in route was 3 hours, with a one-hour time difference. The views of the English and French countrysides were beautiful.




Our first stop after unpacking our bags, and lunch at our hotel, was the Eiffel Tower. It is located on the "left bank" of the Seine River. The city is divided into two by the Seine; the left and right banks. It was a very windy day and we spent most of our time standing in the lines. There are only two elevators to the top. You have an option: walk/take the stairs to the second level and then an elevator to the top, OR take the elevator to the second and top levels. After standing in the lines, we decided to take the elevator to both levels. The view was foggy but you could see for miles. This is Alex and Andrew at the bottom before our treck up to the top.

Here we are at the top!

The next day, our first site was the Musee d'Orsay. I believe we all enjoyed this museum full of impressionist paintings and sculptures and both boys surprisingly recognized a few of them on their own! (VanGogh's bedroom, etc..) John and I agreed that some paintings were brighter in color than we had ever seen them in print, while others were saddly muddled and more subdued. The VanGogh's were incredibly clear and crisp with their thick brush strokes. This is outside the museum which is an old converted train station.

Our next site was the Cathedral Notre Dame. It is located on one of the islands in the middle of the Seine. Of course we had to go to the top of this one too. The staircase was narrow and circular and of course became a race to the top between the boys. There is a bell at the very top that is not used anymore, however the bells in the second tower do work and did chime 3:00 while we were up there! Inside, the cathedral is was dreadfully dark (didn't help there was no sunshine.) The rose window did provide some light and a moment for an architectural lesson or two for the boys. (and of course they hung onto our every word I might add - NOT!)

Friday we used our morning to find a great patisserie and cafe for breakfast which is pretty easy to do. Afterwards we rode the Metropolitan to the Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie (on the right bank). It is the largest science museum in Europe. However, being that most of it was in French we were a bit lost at times. (However, we were happy to see an exhibit by Essilor-Aunt Steph's empoyer- describing (we think) the advancement in eyewear research.) Next it was off to the Louvre. Massive, crowded, and loud is how I would decribe it. Of course we had to go- however, we didn't stay long. We managed to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo which was our goal. Here is Andrew outside after our self-guided tour.




A walk down Av. Des Champs Elysees from the Louvre led us to a dinner of pizza and pasta and our last site for the day...the Arc de Tromphe. Napoleon ordered the arch's construction in 1809 as a monument to the triumph of his armies. It is 50m (164 feet) high and 45m (148 feet) wide.This picture was taken around 8 p.m. The walk to the top was more stairs (of course) but provided a great nightime view of the entire city. France's Unknown Soldier was buried here, and the annual Bastille Day military porcession begins here.

This picture was taken by John from the top of the Arc. At the top of every hour, for ten minutes, the Eiffel's lights flicker. It is really cool!

Goodbye, Summer!

Here is a very brief summary of our first adventures this Summer in London. More to come later!













Boarding our plane in Houston, June 21st. The flight from Houston was 9 hours long.















Our "sea-shipment" arrives 2 weeks later. Here are our things.....sitting outside our building after the sea container has left. Everything arrived in one piece, however, we believe some items went to storage that should have come here. (we also got things/boxes that were supposed to go to storage delivered here!)

















One of our first weekends here we spent at LegoLand Windsor. Here you see a minature Lego-built city of London. (Big Ben, London Eye, St. Pauls, Kensington Palace.)















Alex is peeking over to see the riders in the time trials of the Tour de France. The race started here in London. Unfortunately, we didn't see any American riders. (We have no idea who this one is!) These riders were going so fast it was hard to read their numbers, signs, etc...!

















Can you tell what this is? This is looking out the window, of our flat, at the King's horse brigade. Almost every Thursday and Saturday morning the horses (which are kept up the road in the barracks) are walked right down St. Johns Wood High Street.

















You can hear the clip-clop coming and we still rush over to see them everytime. Here they are even dressed in their coats!

Testing, Testing, 1-2-3!

Hello All! This is a test to see if the blog and our computer are cooperating with each other. Several other attempts have been unsucessful after much time was involved.





Silly Chaps on the "London Eye".












Silly Chaps ready for the first day of school in London.

Adios Texas!

Our visit to Texas, before taking off for London, was a stop in Houston with many attractions and fun things to do.....






The Butterfly Museum......















More Butterfly museum.....












Golfing with Papa Ed......













"Hot Rodding" with Papa Ed........









Treats with Papa Ed after picking blueberries.
(where is GaGa HoHo??)

Spring Break

(silly chap 2) This is me and my brother with Dad. He (Dad) is kinda being squished.















I got this chocolate bar at the airport when my dad came home from London. (he bought it in London for me) It is huge. And my brother got one too. The pictures on it are famous buildings in London. (?, Buckingham Palace, London bridge, and Big Ben) Pretty cool.

Alex and me after Sunday church. (in our easter outfits)

This was easter morning. I would be rich if we were in CandyLand!














Playing monkey-in-the-middle at Grammy Roberts house with Uncle Tom, Aunt Beth, and Cousin Caroline. Uncle Tom is the monkey! (Alex says, " I'm being cut in half!" (see him in the background receiving the pass from Dad.))

SNOW?!!

(Mom dictating)You would never guess that it was the 7th of April here in Virginia. The boys woke up this morning to snow on the ground.....and we were forced to go up into the attic to retrieve our snow gear. (Poppa Ed and GaGa, recognize those snow boots?!)

It was 82 degrees here on Wednesday, hence no snow accumulated on the streets or sidewalks. But as you can tell, it stuck to the rooftops and bushes.
























Ah, yes. The weekly photo of the tulips. (Does it mean that I am getting old when I take pictures of plants and foliage and get excited?!)

She's Baack!!

(Silly Chap #2) Go Devil Rays! This is me with my Aunt Stephie. She is sooo weird. She is the one holding up the bunny ears. (Silly Chap #1) This is me posing for the picture.















(#1) This is me with the sun in my eyes. (#2) This is me at the baseball field. That is a glove from the lost and found that I don't know how to wear. I lost my other glove.

(#2) This is me and Aunt Stephie again. We are in my front yard in the tulips that we planted together last fall. There is one with a bloom.