Jordan

I'm very lucky in friendship.  I have so many wonderful friends and a few really special ones.  And some of the things we share apart from living away from our families, is a love a travel.  We also share the misfortune of living in the British weather, so this year we put our heads together and planned an escape!  Though I had been to Jordan before with the family, it made a great girls getaway for a return trip.  You really do have to go pretty far from the UK to get some hot weather in early June.  So with Rachel as our trusty travel planner extraordinaire, Rachel, Trina, Becca, Lindsey and I all headed for a hot pre-summer escape.  It was fabulous!  We spent most of the time relaxing poolside at a resort on the Dead Sea.  Spending time talking, eating and laughing in the sun with these girls was really amazing.  We also took an overnight excursion to Petra and broke the Ramadan fast with Jordanians in Amman at a special Ramadan feast one evening.  Such a great trip, and can't wait for the next one!

Mawin Turns 13

For a long time Trevon couldn't say Madeleine's name very well, so it always came out mushed together, sounding like "Mawin."  It became and endearing term in our family, and one that stuck.  So much so that Madeleine's friends have often nicknamed her Mawin.  It's very sweet.  Our very sweet, capable, strong girl turned 13 this year.  She celebrated with friends with a party at the local trampoline park.  It's all the rage, these things, which I really cannot stand, but the kids love it.  She had a blast with her school friends and her one very special friend who moved away last year who was in town between the US and Norway.  What a great birthday weekend for our girl!

Madeleine and Thea, who was able to join the birthday celebrations on her way from the US to Norway

Playing Sequence, like we did in Norway

Hampton Court Palace

Occasionally, every now and then, sometimes, very rarely we spend the afternoon frolicking around our local palace.  Meaning maybe about once a year if we're lucky.  As card carrying members we go more regularly as tour guides with guests, but almost never on our own.  We pass this beautiful palace at least 4 times a day on our way to and from school.  I never tire of seeing it.  It was so nice to have a free Sunday afternoon, wait let's rephrase that . . . it was so nice to have a free sunny Sunday afternoon.  Okay, free Sunday afternoons are rare, but sunny ones are like Hayley's comet kind of rare.  We took advantage of the pleasant climes, our membership card and the grand opening of the palace's newest addition, the whimsical Magic Garden play area for kids (or kids at heart).  Really just a lovely English springtime afternoon.