Spring Break Going South '19 (Grand Canyon)

The Grand Canyon was hard for us to grasp while we were there. It's just so big, and looks like a postcard painted on the horizon.

We drove to the South Rim, to the head of Bright Angel Trail and walked as far down in as the kids would willingly go. Or rather, we compromised to further than they wanted but not as far as the parents wanted. They were happiest hiking back up with the prospect of Lunchables making them extra anxious to get to the top! Then we walked along the rim for a little ways, enjoyed the movie at the visitor's center, took some pictures.

And we were done! What took the earth millions of years to create we saw to our liking in a few hours. Sigh. I'm a bit jealous of those adventurers who  ride mules down into the very depth, or hike rim to rim, or run the river on a raft for a few nights or even weeks.

But. This is us. We are surface enjoyers--for now, at least. Here are pictures to prove that each of the children has been to the Grand Canyon even if they don't remember it. They'll have to return someday as adults to try and comprehend the majesty of the earth's creations. And probably repeat the unrepeatable donkey joke that daddy told them to turn their moods around. ;)

Spring Break Going South '19 (Vegas)

I was excited to execute the going south trip I'd planned way back when we first repatriated. (We ended up not taking the trip last spring break for various reasons, including that I was a few weeks pregnant and starting to feel very sick. Grandma and cousins came up to join us for a staycation, and I'm so grateful we have those memories in the bank--they are great ones!!) First stop, Vegas. I had a few things on my itinerary. The main one was to see my college friend and her family. All the other Vegas things were bonus.

Henry was a good sport most of the drive--most of the long car drives--but hitting the eight hour mark in the car that first day was rough. We were all done. I was happy to see the Seven Magic Mountains at sunset. Step out of the car, stretch our legs, enjoy the strangeness of it.

The next morning we met my friend and her family at the graveyard for the Strip's old neon signs. It was awesome! I loved it, such a bizarre place. I particularly loved the guide book which had old photographs of the signs in situ. However, it was much hotter and sunnier than any of us are used to so we melted and burned. Ha! Cathryn and I were in many Latin classes together, so posing by Caesar's Palace was only appropriate.

We'd promised the kids (and ourselves) a buffet. But the buffets along the Strip were expensive and honestly we knew the kid wouldn't appreciate them. So we splurged on Golden Corral instead and laughed at the hilarious plates that came back from the buffet. Eddy. (insert eye roll)

After lunch we went back to walk the Strip a bit. Saw a random free show in one of the hotels, played an epic game of lawn jenga, watched the darkness fall and the lights flicker on. The kids were now experts at spotting the neon through the glare of fluorescent and LED. Proud moment. Getting close to bedtime, we took in the Bellagio fountains on the way back to the car. The second Celine started singing, Eliza started dancing. Charmed we stayed through another round of the fountains. The song was Simple Gifts and I was surprised to have a spiritual experience in the middle of Vegas. 

Sunday morning was Easter. We had had our Jerusalem dinner and other commemorations at home the previous week on Palm Sunday. We were lucky enough to spend Easter morning with Cathryn and her family for a lovely brunch and devotional, then church. It was perfect. I'm so grateful for the handful of lifetime friends I've collected. I'm a lucky one.

Carter's-boring-Steam-Fair

20 MAY 2017

Where have two years gone?! I thought I'd lost all the pictures and video clips in the hassle of the move but I hung on to my memory of the day and the hope that they'd resurface someday. And here they are! Not quite as good as my memory images (they never are) but a solid way to remember the day.

The UK has a few steam fairs that travel the country each fair season, a remnant of years gone by. The rides are still powered by steam or by hand and just as charming as can be. I waited for the fair to come to some part of London accessible on the underground during a weekend we were in town (few and far between for those two to collide!) and finally there it was! Our weekend! My aunt Sarah was visiting and she is always up for an adventure, especially a nostalgic one. I'm sad I didn't get her in any pictures, so focused on the children per the usual. But she knows and I know she was there. ;)

The best part of the morning was when Eddy was so upset to leave the house and wouldn't be persuaded into thinking it would be a fun day out. He was incredibly grumpy the whole way, mumbling, "I don't want to go to Carter's-boring-Steam-Fair!" Then look who enjoyed it the most, particularly the candy floss (=cotton candy). I'm trying to not say "I told you so" but I'm failing.

Thank you, Carter's-boring-Steam-Fair, the fabulous day out full of utterly non-boring fun!

Hello from the Lambournes, Around the World (part one)

Oh, how I've planned for this one for years now. It turned out both not quite and yet better than I envisioned. Each place we visited we came prepared with a flag and the phrase for 'Hello' in an effort to help the kids feel a little more brave to enter the country. We took a few minutes to film in each place as well--sometimes with more cooperation than others. Ha! All the clips were set aside immediately during organization and I have loved looking back and seeing for the first time what we got on camera. I could do a whole show of bloopers and outtakes though I tried to keep the best ones in. (I did remove one where Collin and I lost our patient voices and forgot that it was supposed to be fun.) I hope in years to come the kids do remember some of our travels with fondness and begin to realize how lucky they are. I also hope this is only the first installment with more 'Hello' videos to come in future years.

Hawaii video

I was discussing with Collin and then with my mom this past week about when done is better than perfect. Sometimes it really is more important that a project be done with precision and perfection but often done is enough. I think I could fiddle forever on these video projects of mine, tweaking them ad nauseam. However, I am learning that we love them too much to let them flounder too long in the land of the unfinished. So in this case, done is absolutely good enough.