My front porch

One of the things I have enjoyed the most about our home here in Poughkeepsie is our front porch.
I have many great memories from the view of my front porch: countless whiffle ball games, soccer, lawn darts, running through the sprinkler, croquet, bocce ball, fireworks, storms, etc.
As spring hit this year after such a long, hard winter, I realized again how beautiful the view from our front porch is.  Tom said it several times while here.  We were so lucky and blessed to have such a great front and back yard for you kids to play in.
Today I sat and had my morning yogurt and granola. The bees were buzzing, (and yes, Tom also noticed we keep our tennis rackets on all our porches), the flowers are in bloom and giving off a great scent,  hummingbirds visiting, and such a sweet breeze blowing.
I can picture Tevia sitting on the front steps while her kids played with water.  Kathy's kids playing on the porch and swinging.  Jarek cutting the lawn. Jacob practicing pitching with dad, prom photos, etc.  I would take the time to post pics, but they are in so many different places it would take a whole day.

Then there were the great Halloweens, Christmas lights, Easter egg hunts.
Not to mention all the animals- deer eating my front bushes, squirrels stealing my small pumpkins, turkeys crossing the yard.

Here is a recent one.

I am grateful for such wonderful memories.  We surely have used this front yard happily and fully.
I found a few more. The older ones are still in photo books.
(Who wants a good photo scanning-organizing project?  Will pay top dollar)
The last one is a movie about the trapped raccoon.
Yep, many memories were made here  in this front yard.  Love love love my front porch!

Jerusalem 2015

I had to come to Israel for my business and decided to take a small detour to see Jerusalem on the weekend. I had suggested Tevia come along as well as this was something we have always wanted to do and to take advantage of one ticket paid for by my company. It is a long flight to Tel Aviv, but we arrived on Thursday afternoon and rented a car and drove out to Jerusalem after landing. It was about an hour drive and we didn't have any issues finding our hotel. We had chosen a hotel based on tripadvisor and one that was cheap but had great reviews. It was very cute and quaint and in a quite residential neighborhood.

One thing we hadn't expected was it to be so cold. It was only in the 50s upon arrival and quite windy. We had been on a plane for quite some time and were a little hungry so we asked the hotel where to go. He suggested a place down the road about a mile that used to be a train station. We walked down there in the cold (at this point it was in the 40s and dark) and bundled up. The place was very cool and we found a little stand that was making falafel and other food. We ordered some food and it was amazing. It was a great start to our trip.

Unfortunately the night wasn't as good. Our room was by a bunch of teenage girls who pretty much partied all night. I think they finally settled down around 1 or 2. I didn't get much sleep. I even went out and asked them to be quiet at one point. With little sleep I was frustrated and in the morning we went down for breakfast. I complained and they apologized and assured me they were leaving that day and it would be quiet that night. Breakfast was amazing. Simple and flavorful.

We had arranged a private tour with a guy named Marty for a few hours. We met him at our hotel at 8:30 and drove up to the Old City to look around. He was great to have around. With so little time in the city, we thought it worth paying for a guide and I think it was worth it. I've wanted for years to go to Jerusalem, so we were excited to start. It was cold and windy, but we were up for it.

I think we all have preconceived notions of what something is going to be like. I definitely had an idea in my mind what Jerusalem would be like. I mean, this is the religious center of several large religions and something I'd read about for my entire life. My first impressions were how old and cool the old city looks. My second impression was how it no longer really feels like a religious spot, but more of a commercial spot with tons of markets and restaurants, etc. This make sense as people still live in the old city, but it was a little disappointing. The city is split into 4 quarters: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian. I frankly had never even heard of the Armenian religion.

There were several things we told our guide we wanted to see. We entered Jaffa Gate (there are 8 gates into the Old City, one of which is sealed: the Easter Gate or Mercy Gate, where Jesus will return). We traversed the city learning about the history and seeing the different levels and sections going back for thousands of years. It is pretty amazing to think you are standing in a spot that not only Jesus stood, but Solomon and David.

We went to the Western (or Wailing) Wall to see the people praying there. This wall is what is left from the original temple (now where the Dome of the Rock stands). It is pretty much the only spot the Jews can go near the old temple site. They had three sections: one where only men can go, one for women, and a newer spot further down for mixed groups. Our tour guide was Jewish and told us a lot of the discussions about feminism within Judaism. It was very interesting. We exited Dung Gate and looked over the Kidron valley and the City of David. It was cool to hear the history of the area. From there we walked up to the Garden of Gethsemane. Like all religious spots, there is a church here. This one was a Catholic church just put up a hundred years ago or so. I really had expected this part to be a very spiritual experience. This was the location of the Atonement. But I found it very difficult to be too moved when you are surrounded by so many tourists. The garden is fenced off. There really isn't a place to sit and reflect as they move you through quickly. It was disappointing. Very cool, but disappointing. This was probably the them of the day for me. It is hard to feel spiritual (for me) when you feel like you are in a line at Disneyland.

It was cool to see the Eastern Gate, which is now walled up (by the Muslims centuries ago). This is the gate Christians believe Christ will return and Jews believe the Messiah will come. The Muslims built a cemetery in front of it to spite the Jews since some priests aren't allowed in cemeteries, so this would keep the Messiah from coming.

We reentered the old city through the Lion's gate (or Stephen's gate). It was Friday so the Muslim holy day and it was packed with Muslims going to the mosque to worship. No non-Muslims are allowed to enter that area (usually) so as we approached the Israeli police stopped us.

From here we took a quick side trip to the Pool of Bethesda. This is the site where Christ cured the man who couldn't get to the pool. This area required an entrance fee but was not very crowded. This was one of my favorite spots of the day. There is a church here (Roman Catholic again) and our guide suggested we enter and sing as the accoustics were awesome. I sang in the empty chapel and it was pretty cool. You can see the pool and it was cool later to see this scene in the LDS bible videos as it looks just like it.

We then began the Via Dolorosa which is the traditional route Christ took after being scourged and given his cross. It has several stations you follow, each one a spot Christ allegedly stopped. Many of these are not in the New Testament or even in any scripture, so likely people just made some of them up. They are split at different churches along the way (from different denominations). These include where Christ was scourged, where he got the cross, where he fell, where Simon took the cross, where he stopped and rested his head and finally ends up at the site of his crucifixion and burial. These last two are in the Church of the Holy Sepuchre. This church is split between several churches including the Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Catholic and others. This is very odd as a Christian, to have a church be split between several churches. There are lines to see the place where the cross was in Calvary and then further down is a monument to where he was buried (different from the Garden Tomb where several Protestant churches believe Christ was buried). So here you have thousands of Christians lining up to go through different church stations mixed with many different Christian religions. This was fascinating if not a little off-putting. We did not stand in line to touch the place of the cross or touch the anointing stone (where Christ's body was anointed) or go into the tomb (replica) as the lines were so long and who knows if this is really where these things took place. But it was interesting seeing all these people, some very overcome as they touched these spots and thought about their Savior.

This was the end of our tour and we then ate lunch in the Old City (Shawarma!). It started to get cooler and rainy, so we headed back to the hotel for a nap and relaxation. It was the beginning of the sabbath at sundown, so everything was closed. To eat we just went to a shop (likely ran by Muslims as it was open) and grabbed some crackers and cheese and chocolate milk. I slept great that night.

Saturday (the sabbath) we got up and got dressed and checked out of our hotel and headed to BYU Jerusalem for church. Sacrament is held on Saturday. It is located on the Mount of Olives. We arrived and were asked by the guard if we were LDS, which we affirmed, and then were allowed in. We explored the gardens briefly before entering. The view is AMAZING. You can see the whole Old City with the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, etc. We entered the building and the chapel faces west (towards the old city) with huge windows so you can see the whole landscape. It was moving just to sit and see the view. We talked to several people as we awaited church to start. The meeting was one of the most touching services I've ever been in. It was amazing to take the sacrament as you see where Christ held the last supper and was crucified and resurrected. The speakers were fantastic and there was a musical number that was perhaps the best I've ever heard. It was truly a spiritual experience for me and was a stark contrast to how I had felt the day before. I wanted so bad to have my children experience this. As I looked at the East Gate, knowing that this is where Jesus would return triumphant into the city, my testimony was strengthened.

We had planned on going to the Dead Sea that afternoon before heading to Tel Aviv as the workweek starts on Sunday and I had meetings. But I changed my mind in church and decided to stay. I wanted to visit the Garden Tomb and then go through the Old City again. The weather was a little better and I am glad we changed our plans. The Garden Tomb was mostly empty when we went and I enjoyed this feeling. We then entered the old city through the Damascus Gate and ate lunch at a great place in the Muslim quarter. We then went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre again as I wanted to spend a little more time there. We finished doing the Ramparts walk where you literally walk the walls surrounding Jerusalem (old city). We then got in our car and headed to Tel Aviv.

To summarize, Jerusalem was an amazing visit. But by far the most spiritual experience was sitting in the chapel at BYU and seeing the place where Jesus walked as we renewed our covenants with him. I think that had we had a chance to go up to Galilee, where it is less touristy and more open for reflection, etc., we would have had more of a spiritual experience there. But it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to come and see this holy city, where three religions claim it as a place of holy worship. Three religions that over thousands of years have fought, reclaimed, and lost the city. Now it is shared by all as a sort of compromise. It is not a big city and was even smaller in the days of Solomon and David. Here sat the Holy of Holies and now the Dome of the Rock and just down the way the burial and ressurection of Jesus. The center of the religious universe on a small hill in the middle of the desert. It was a great experience.

Daisy 2004 - 2015

Jacob

Daisy didn't always live with us.   I brought Daisy home from the airport after my Mom felt she would be happier with our family, which included small children and less travel time away.  Also, my wife had fallen in love with Daisy during a summer visit.

I believe she was just over eleven years old.  Daisy stayed with us almost five years of that eleven.  She was a very obedient dog and let all four of our children humiliate, torment, wrestle and even ride  her without the slightest hint of aggression.  If dog is man's best friend, Daisy was anything's best friend that would give her attention.

Daisy's greatest weakness was also my favorite strength.  Daisy loved food, almost everything.  Considering four children it is amazing how clean our floors have been through the years.  Unfortunately, Daisy was very good and begging kids to donate large portions of their plates before they were finished.  And if Speed had forgotten to feed Daisy in the morning, this sometimes led to the bravado of a drive by snatch of a full sandwich, hot dog or better.  I always found this humorous, but Cari would force me to drag Daisy in the garage as a punishment for her crimes.  This was silly though, because both Daisy and I knew that no punishment was too great for even the attempt at a freshly grilled Nathan's hot dog.

Daisy shed... a lot.  This dog, especially the last couple years would leave clefts of hair behind.  We probably could have started a gross textile industry from her alone.  We have went through 3 industrial vacuums to prove it.

Water and Daisy do not mix.  It won't be heaven for Daisy unless she is assured no baths.  I was always worried the neighbors would call the cops when I gave Daisy a bath.  Man she would holler.  You have never heard anything like it.  I'm serious.

I will miss my second beagle.  I will miss waking up with a nightmare unsure of reality only to be comforted by Daisy's calm demeanor indicating there is nothing amiss in the house.  Daisy took her role of guard dog very seriously and even desperately tried to get up and howl when the neighbor came by a few hours before passing.

The children got to say goodbye to Daisy.  I was on my mission when Bugle (my first beagle) died.  I had always lacked closure from her death and me being away.  It was comforting to hold Daisy tonight as she left this world.

Cari

I'm gonna miss that smelly old girl. You'd think I wouldn't be so sad about the passing of a creature that could get me so annoyed but (what do you know) Jacob was right about how hard Daisy's passing would be for me.

Having her in our home the last (almost) five years has brought me lots of happiness, funny moments, and annoyance. I certainly didn't know what I was getting into when we got her - the shedding, the howling, the food stealing, the smell. And I know that I only got a taste of having a dog since she was mature and so well trained when she came to us. I was also unaware of the comfort of having another presence around, even if she didn't say much.

Daisy was the best dog I could have imagined for our young kids. She was always so gentle and patient with them. Except for maybe when she had a ham bone, but hey - it was a ham bone. I was really glad that the kids got to say good-bye to her tonight before they went to bed. I'm also glad for the time I got to spend sitting with her and petting her the last couple of days when we realized her time was short.

I'm sure it will take some time before I stop checking the house to make sure she's here when the front door gets left open and checking for her tail before I move my office chair. Daisy, I'll miss you.

Cari's 2014 Book Bingo

A book with more than 500 pages: Clockwork Princess
A forgotten Classic: Daddy-Long-Legs
A book that became a movie: City of Bones
A book published this year (2014) Sand Omnibus
A book with a Number in its title: The Wright 3
A book written by someone under thirty: The Tiger's Wife
A book with non-human characters: The One and Only Ivan
A funny book: Dad Is Fat
A book by a female author: Twenties Girl
A book with a mystery: Moon Over Manifest
A book with a single word title: Dust
A book of short stories: Philip K. Dick Megapack
A book set on a different continent: Remember Me?
A book of Non-fiction: Reality Is Broken
The first book by a favorite author: Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue
A book you heard about online: Eden
A best-selling book: Inferno
A book based on a true story: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
A book at the bottom of your to be read pile: The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle
A book your friend loves: The Healer's Apprentice
A book that scares you: The Lost World
A book that is more than ten years old: Jurassic Park
The Second book in a series: City of Ashes
A book with a blue cover: The Atlantis Plague

I was going to tackle the YA board after I finished this one but I didn't think I would make much progress in the 21 minutes I had left in 2014 after I finished this board. :)

Going creative with 2015 goals this year

I am tired of the same old things for my goals. I usually do make some, but I make too many some years. The times when I am most specific, like, learn how to make chicken soup, I have  done better.
I thoroughly enjoyed the bingo book card, as I read things I usually do not choose.
I took a class last year, lost 5 lbs, sewed more, did something I had never done before- kayaking, and didn't make it to a new temple.

This year, I am looking to fill different slots.  Sometimes I list as goals: something physical, mental, social, spiritual, hard, etc.

This year- here is are my slots.  I just need specific goals to fill in to each one.

Something:

• creative
• educational- take another class, or BYU Ed week
• inspiring
• funny
• energizing- joined the gym, go twice a week,  Walk 2 X a week, yoga 3X
• healthy- giving up m&m's for a month, and cutting diet coke to 1 a week
• charitable- 
• peaceful= I am going to start meditating
• brave
• brand new

 Any ideas are welcome!

I would also like to start up doing an online  FHE once a month with a different family each month.

I also need a new and creative way to read the Book of Mormon; I have read it forwards, backwards, with a note book, in novel form, with a class, underlining the words of Christ in red, teaching a class, and in a bishop's challenge to read it in the 4 months before Christmas.  I Need a new way. 

2014 Best of Lists

It's the end of the year, so here are my top lists for 2014.

Top Songs (see playlist to the right to play songs):

Adore You - Miley Cyrus
Como Le Gusta Tu Cuerpo - Carlos Vives/Michel Telo
Empire - Shakira
Dare - Shakira
Come With Me Now - The Kongos
Centuries - Fall Out Boy
Cigarette Daydreams - Cage the Elephant
Flaws - Bastille
Bang, Bang - Jessie J/Ariana Grande
I Bet My Life - Imagine Dragons

Favorite Movie:

Guardians of the Galaxy

Favorite Book:

Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson

Favorite TV Show:

Arrow

Thanksgiving 2014

Tevia did a great job of documenting Thanksgiving on her blog, but I thought I would put some words down as I am currently on a plane from Phoenix to Chicago and have plenty of time to kill.

I love Thanksgiving as it is an opportunity to spend time with family, eat some great food, and typically is the longest holiday in the USA. This year I took an extra day off to give us time to drive up to Lakeside and go the long way and spend time with Kathy and Jimmy. It was a great idea and we had an awesome lunch there. I also love the drive up 89A north of Sedona. Oak Creek Canyon is gorgeous any time of year.

Last year we actually were in Sedona for Thanksgiving. It was a great time except a few of us, including myself, were a little sick. This year we only had one person sick (Risa's husband Mark) and hopefully nobody will catch what he had. I knew I had a business trip the week after Thanksgiving, so I really wanted to get in some good rest and enjoy the time with family. Mission accomplished. Here were some highlights:

- Enjoyed playing football with Jacob Webb and Jarek and Enok. I missed not having a Turkey Bowl so this was the next best thing.
- Had fun playing Tetris Attacks with Jarek. I don't play games with the kids as much as I used to and Jarek is getting pretty good at this game.
- Enjoyed watching some football games
- The trip around Lakeside with Tevia and the boys was actually more fun than Tevia suggests.
- The lunch at Annie's was fantastic and loved having cheesepuffs again after so many years
- The dinner at Pizza Time or whatever it was called was fun, even though the service and food wasn't all that great. It was fun to sit and talk
- Shooting guns was fun
- Loved playing games as a group. It always makes me laugh and this was no exception.

The drive home was the fastest we've ever done it in. Mark - who drove home with us as he had a plane to catch today, too - said it was because of him. He still wasn't feeling that great and the faster trip worked out great for him.

I am truly grateful for many things in my life. But mostly I love my family. Tevia is a wonderful woman who is a great example and is such a great mom to my boys. My boys bring me so much joy. They each are unique and they all make me proud to be their dad. I was touched today when Enok ran out as I was getting in the car to go to the airport and he said "just one more hug, father!". It made my evening as I knew I would spend the next few hours on a plane and rental car to the hotel. Beyond my family I have health, a good job, and many more things. It is great to remember that on Thanksgiving.

Long Weekend

I took off last Monday and Tuesday to spend some time with the family as I've been traveling a lot and the boys had off of school. It was a great idea. I had a lot of fun. Monday night we had a lot of fun going to the movies and we saw Big Hero Six, which was great. We then did dinner afterwards at Chick-Fil-A and got the peppermint shakes.

It was great to just be able to spend time with everyone and relax. I practiced some soccer with Enok, spent time with the other boys, and just enjoyed the days. It is always great to remember how wonderful your family is. My wife and kids are the reason I do everything I do. And it is good to slow down once in a while and remember why. They are great! And they bring me joy.

Kathy joins the family

   After having 2 surprise C-sections, Kathy's planned C- section seemed easy.  We were able to choose the day, and be totally prepared, since we also knew it was a girl.
I think we chose the date based on the doctor's suggestions, and a deer or elk hunt, but I would have to look over  my old diaries to check that.
   We had yearned for another child, and I had really wanted a girl. I had 2 very special spiritual experiences before Kathy was born- both confirming she was the daughter we were hoping for.
   Yes, it is true, after waiting over 3 years, we were thinking of adopting, and I was actually in the doctor's office for a physical during the application phase when he asked me if I could be pregnant, and told me I was.
   All my pregnancies were easy, and we were thrilled.
   Financially, she was our most expensive baby.  We also still had only a 2 bedroom apartment, so we had to put all 3 kids into one room.
   Bret and Jacob were thrilled to have a sister. Bret was a big help, being old enough to babysit. We spent the next year still in Salt Lake, and enjoying family and friends and fun. We moved to NY right before she turned 1.  We gave her a pink donut with a candle in it for her birthday that year.
   Unfortunately, she was what they used to call, colicky.  Every night, from after dinner to about 11pm, she was fussy, and then cried for hours.  We tried rocking her, cuddling her, swaddling her. I was advised to watch  my diet, I gave up chocolate, dairy, cucumbers, broccoli; basically one thing every week or so, till I realized it wasn't helping at all.  When we got really frustrated, we would put her in the car and drive around to make her fall asleep.
  She even started out crying more than she should right after she was born,  and at her 2 week check up, the doctor told me she had 2 ear infections. I felt so guilty that I didn't know that, as she was too young to pull her ear. Poor little thing.
   She had very little hair, blond like the Wall side,and chubby.  I would get so upset with Ralph when he would tease me about her weight, yet, I was only nursing her, with no other foods.
   I made so many cute dresses and jumpers.  It was fun having a girl.  As she grew, she disliked them all, wouldn't keep a clip or headband in her hair, and only liked frilly dresses and slips for a phase.  One year she wouldn't wear pants, then she switched to not wanting to wear dresses.
   She was stubborn and whiny, but when she turned 3, she changed into a pleasant, fun little girl. She loved to help me, and she adored her baby brother.
   I can still picture you dancing on the coffee table, and watching Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh over and over.  You loved your bunny, which you were given to help you stop sucking your finger.
   Kathy, you have brought much joy to our family. I love have a daughter.

Halloween 2014

Beckham was Cosmo the Cougar this year for Halloween.  He wore it well!  Holly made him this costume and she did an excellent job.  Beckham really loved trick-or-treating.  He got to go to a BYU sponsored activity, a ward trunk-or-treat, a mall sponsored trick-or-treat, and he got to do a little bit of trick-or-treating on the street where Boomer's in-laws live.  I'd say he had a great year this year. Here are the pics.

Beckham turns 2

Beckham had a very low key birthday party this last Thursday (His parents aren't the biggest party people in the world).  Sadly I had to go into work all day and I didn't get home until around 5:30 but I was told by Holly that he had a pretty fun day.  For dinner we had the Hawks over and Holly made a new chipotle chicken quesadilla recipe that she had found.  They were pretty good.  Then Beckham got to unwrap a couple presents.  It wasn't the biggest haul I'd ever seen, we actually regifted him a fire truck that he had gotten for Christmas last year, but never played with.  He loves it now though. We also got him a bag of new bouncy balls.  The Hawks gave him some new cars and a coloring book.  Earlier that month mom had given him a home-made city with roads for cars.  He still really loves that gift.  He also got a cool car ramp from the other grandparents.

After opening presents, Beckham got some cake and ice cream, both of which he really enjoyed.  We played with his presents for the rest of the night (He even got to stay up an hour later than normal) and then it was off to bed for him.

I think he had a good day and we were pleased with how it went.  I can't believe that he is already turning two!  It just seems crazy to me that he is already that old.

Beckham and Mia

Beckham has really taken to having a baby sister.  We cannot lay Mia anywhere without Beckham trying to get as close to her as possible.  He loves to give her kisses and he's always getting up close to her and saying, "Hi Mia!"  He also likes to try to give her lots of toys for her to play with. I'm not sure that Mia really loves all the yelling, poking, and prodding and when Beckham gets too close he gets his mother pretty nervous, but it is cute to seem them interact.  I thought we would share a couple pictures of them.

Mia's Baby Blessing

On October 12, 2014, we had Mia's name and blessing.  Sadly, because our ward was doing no exceptions for baby blessings not on fast Sunday the Wall family was not able to be there.  However, Jim and Debby Christenson were able to attend and we were lucky to at least have some family there. We're sorry we couldn't do it while mom, dad, Jimmy, and Kathy were here.

The blessing went great and Mia was blessed with many things.  She was blessed with health and strength and with love for those around her.  She was blessed to be especially aware of the strong examples of all the women who came before her.  She has a great heritage and I thought that this was a special blessing.

Here are a few pics of Mia in her dress.  The blanket in the background was made for her by mom. Also, Mia is wearing the same dress that Holly was blessed in.

UK Trip October 2014

Unfortunately I had to go to the UK again this year.  Not that I don't like the UK, but I am a little tired of traveling.  I would much rather have been home with my wife and kids.  But I get paid to do a job, so I do.

I took the regular direct flight on BA to London from Phoenix which I've taken many times.  I arrived at the airport earlier than usual as it was an international flight.  As I approached my gate, I noticed a lot of young people.  As I got closer I noticed they were clean cut and dressed like missionaries.  And sure enough, there was a group of nearly 30 LDS missionaries on my flight.  This is always a good sign as it made me feel safe.  I was able to speak to a few of them.  They were all going to either Norway or some other country.  As I boarded the plane I was happy to find that there were two free seats between me and the other person on my row of four.  He was a missionary and we chatted for a while.  I don't sleep well on planes so set up for a long flight.  I watched a movie, at my dinner, and then felt a little tired. With the missionary having gone to sit with someone else in the plane, I now had the entire row to myself.  So I laid down and tried to sleep.  I tossed and turned for a while and used my eye cover I used on Lake Powell. How surprised I was that when I woke up, the lights were on.  This meant we were nearly to London!  I had slept most of the flight.  It was awesome.

I had decided to try something new on this trip.  My company's office is about an hour outside of London and it is expensive to get a taxi or even take the train (which takes even longer as you have to go to downtown London to catch the train). So I decided to rent a car.  It would save the company a bunch of money and give me something new to try.  I've never driven on the other side of the road.  Even though we lived in Hong Kong, I never actually drove a car; just drove in cars.  So I headed to rent the car and began my adventure to drive in England.  Thankfully I got to my hotel safe with no issues.

My days at work the first few days were long.  My jet lag wasn't too bad, though I did have difficulty sleeping one night.  I knew I had a weekend with some free time so I tried to decide what to do.  In the end I decided to spend Saturday in Bath.  Bath is about 30 minutes away by train, so I decided to take the train instead of drive as it was pretty cheap.  All I knew about Bath was that it was a site of an ancient Roman Bath.  A few people had said going to Bath was a great choice.  And upon arrival, I was so happy.  It was a beautiful city.  It reminded me a little of Paris.  It definitely is a tourist town as there is tons of shops for shopping (not why I was there).  But this meant some better food.

I walked around and enjoyed some of the sights and eventually ended up going to the Roman Bath.  This is a museum on the site of the natural hot water spring that the Romans set up as a Bath back in about 40 AD.  Though a little pricey, the museum was very cool.  You are provided a "phone" where you can enter numbers to hear about certain parts of the tour that you want.  It was amazing to see something so old.  The original pools are still there - nearly 2000 years later.  And it is still hot.  I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.  It was good weather so I decided to walk around a bit more and stumbled upon a river tour.  This tour was between two "weirs", which I didn't know what those were before my tour.  Basically they are like mini dams to raise the level of the river a few feet. This was pretty cool as we went along the slow river watching life go on along the banks.  We saw rugby games, people doing archery, gorgeous homes and even a couple of boys who had just caught a huge pike (it was nearly 2 feet long).

Afterwards I had a quick dinner (at Nando's - one of my fav chicken places) and took the train back.  Then I spent most of the evening binge watching Arrow.  This was a cool trick I figured out.  Netflix is blocked in the UK.  Arrow season 2 had just been released and I had watched a few before traveling.  While here I had an epiphany: I use a VPN when working when I need to access certain things.  The VPN would show a US ip address.  I wouldn't want to use it on the weekdays as people are using it and it might slow down speeds, etc.  But on the weekends hardly anybody is working, so I was able to stream Arrow.  (Loving it BTW).

Sunday I got up and got ready to attend church.  I was lucky my boss (also Mormon) warned me that they aren't currently meeting in the local chapel as it is being expanded.  So they are meeting in a school.  The LDS website does not mention this, so it was lucky for him to tell me (he had just been here a few weeks ago and actually used to live here).  I made it in time for sacrament meeting.  It was ward conference.  The speakers (audio system) weren't working, so it was a little hard to hear.  But there were a lot of people.  And the speakers were excellent.  The bishop and the entire Stake Presidency spoke.  They all spoke about "being alone".  I was touched most by the bishop's talk and the Stake President's.  Tears...

I then took a quick drive down the road to Avebury, which is a site with stones similar to Stonehenge (I considered going to Stonehenge, but felt like the hour drive wouldn't be worth it).  Though this site is one of the largest stone circles and quite old, I only stayed like 30 minutes and went back to the hotel as it was just a bunch of stones.  Cool to see for a few minutes, but beyond that not much else to do.

The rest of the week was just spent waiting to go home.  I wasn't thrilled about being in the UK and just wanted to be home.  The days were busy and went fast.  Going home was going to be fun in hte fact that I decided to pick the cheaper option of flying into LA (as opposed to the direct route to Phoenix) so I could fly on an A380, the world's largest plane (for people).  It was pretty cool.  Besides being so big and having two decks the entire plane, I was impressed with the quietness of the plane and it seemed a little more roomy than usual planes.  The entertainment screen was also quite large.  It was packed, so no luck sleeping on the way back - and I then had to wait for the flight back to PHX from LA (which, BTW, I hate the LA airport), but I was happy to take it.

I got home safe and sound having learned to drive on the wrong side of the road.  I took Friday off to recuperate, which worked out great as I was able to recover quickly.

BYU vs. Virginia

Some of our friends with all-sports passes (now called ROC passes) were going out of town this weekend and offered us their tickets to the game.  We decided it would be fun to go and bring Beckham.  Beckham was excited to get all geared up for the game.  He looked good in his BYU uniform!

The kids actually did pretty good.  It was sunny that day and probably over 90 degrees, but we were able to find some seats with just a little bit of shade and that helped a ton.  Mia made it through the first half and Beckham an I stayed through the 3rd quarter.  He was getting a little bit tired by then and the shade was all but gone, so we left.  It was a fun game.  Too bad it didn't go as well 2 weeks later...