Friday, December 7, 2012

Oxford/ Harefields.

Done with Norway!!!!
And I had already blogged about Italy so we can move on to even OLDER things!!
We were so lucky to follow David this summer to an Oxford adventure. Well, adventure for us while he worked during the summer :-)
Here is a glimpse of it!
Isn't this park so beautiful????! and this is just a bit of it. We lived about 5 minutes from it, pure delight!
 This was THE highlight. That Zip line was just so awesome. I went for a little run really early a couple of mornings and I would go down the zip line then ;-) 'cause no one was watching.
"Little Bunny Lulu hoping through the forest..."
Reading time with Daddy
Celebrating the 4th of July!
We went to an event called "Yeah baby!" and there they had this cool bus. Inside it had all kind of crafts for the kids and on the top carpet, books and toys for little ones to play with. Outside they had the sand and water table and paint for the kids to paint a big poster outside.
How cool is that? oh and it was free!!
Toria loved the Dinosaurs and sand/water table, while Nani painted for like two hours.

Oh yeah! did I mentioned that Elena fractured her elbow 5 days after arriving to England? same day her father flew to Germany for a conference? 
Meaning, me alone in a new country, no car, with no real knowledge of Health Care and baby sitter. All I can say is, I rather pay for my healthcare so I don't have to wait for 4 hours before someone comes and checks on us. Oh, we had to go two different days, yeah!
I wasn't really alone, I had someone with me that I was interviewing for baby sitting purposes and she told me how to do the whole thing but then she left and I took all three to wait forever at a hospital.
At least she got a blue cast with glitter all over it!
David took me to a fancy dinner at his College. Oh the things I learned there! the food was great and the company was wonderful and unique all at the same time. 
Luisa's corner,
She was learning hot to crawl, and always
ended in that little spot.
She LOVED the swings.
With or without her sisters in it.

Playground FUN!
Our little Luisa took a bath in the kitchen sink during the summer. The bathtub in the flat was HUGE and impossible to keep her safe there without me going in with her. 
She LOVED it! every night she got the floor wet for me, so I could mop after. We made a great team in the kitchen!
Millets Farm!!
Super cool corn maze place.

The corn wasn't super tall but we had fun anyway.
Funny story. They had the really big maze and you could go in with a map or without and we divided ourselves to take a little race. 
David took Victoria and Luisa and I went with Elena. To my surprise he arranged it this way because he believes Victoria and I have no sense of direction and would get lost!
So, he gave me Elena. Well Elena and I were doing great and then we saw him get on a tower and was looking for us. For the longest time Elena and I were able to keep going without David spotting us. We were hiding so well!! but then the corn wasn't very tall and it was getting too hot so he found us :-(

Luisa's number one Fan, Ty!
He LOVED her... She wasn't sure of his love.

Little Gwendolyn, was my friend's little girl and she loved showing me her belly, so I drew a face on it!!
Miss you Gordie and Alissa!!!
This girl only knows how to smile!

Finally after months of waiting, Grandma arrived and we were able to cut Victoria's hair in honor of some friends in Seattle. Their 2 year old was diagnose with cancer and they kept a blog of the treatments, I read them with the girls and Victoria was on board when pictures of the little girl came on without any hair. 
We were able to send 12 inches of thick "Rapunzel" hair. Well, Grandma took it back for us.
Two long, thick braids!!!
Next, Mom and Dad visit us!
The Ketchesons take over England!!!!!!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

PREIKESTOLEN

This was the hike of a life time. It was unbelievable, it was breath taking, it was hard, it was long, it was scary and it was one of the best memories we've made as a family.
Ready to start!!! 
Look at the map closely please.

After 5 minutes she declared herself tired. Oh poor kid, didn't really know how far she had to go.
She scraped her knee.
Oh, You can't see it? I couldn't either but look at the face!
View from the very first view point on our hike.
The first climb.

Ready to go!
They were climbing rocks as big as themselves!
Checking that we are all alive and going.
Luisa in on my back, it was hard to climb with her on the front.
Oh this picture!
This rock is where I stood for over 20 minutes, waiting and yelling Elena's name while David went to look for her. 
She was so excited to hike and had her own pace way ahead of us. I kept asking her to hold back but she liked being ahead. Well by the time we reached this area you could see ahead and behind for a bit and we could not see her. It was the scariest time for me, it is a big place and she could have been anywhere. I asked everyone that went by if they had seen her but no answers. I said many prayers and thankfully David returned with her. She took  a wrong turn but later realized what she'd done so she went back. 
My least favorite part of the whole trip.
We are deciding which way to go. Even though the picture shows other wise, the girls were set on going to the Cliff trail.
Thankfully there was a chain to hold on to.
This picture should be an add for Northface or Norway, can't decide!




Getting there!!
We can see it!!!!
Oh I wish I could explain the feeling in my stomach when we got to this point.
The feeling I got while taking this picture was way worse than any roller coaster ride.
They were happy!
What you can't see is the marks that David is leaving in the girls wrists because of how tight he was holding them.
I made it!!!!
I asked that nice man not to go away and leave me alone.
 He left anyway. I didn't!! I wanted him to say.
What you don't know is that, I didn't really want to go there but I was sure David was going to be disappointed with me. So I said to myself, "go quick, sit get your picture taken and ran back"
Well, it turns out David didn't really want me there but didn't want to say anything because he thought I really wanted to be there!
Communication people, it matters in a marriage!!!