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