Testing Me

Ohh....

I am so stinking mad right now, I could spit!

It seems like it is just one thing after another lately. I just want to curse someone out. And even when/if I were to do that, I'm not one hundred percent sure I would feel better. Actually, I know I wouldn't feel better at all. I despise feeling this way, and I despise even more how accustomed to reacting I have become. Ahhh...

I DESPISE Best Buy, I DESPISE Precision Television Repair, I DESPISE hold music, I DESPISE automated voice operators.

--------Wait. Wait a minute...---------

There is one girl at Best Buy-Kelsey-that I don't despise. Maybe I will get some help after all!




-- Done throwing tantrum --

Ahh.... the smell of acrylic paint in the air!

I love painting. I especially love painting walls. There is just something about those fumes wafting through a house that speaks "progress" to me. Even if it is solely for completing a repair, there is nothing like that sour, burning smell.

Plus I like finding the dried up paint spots on my elbows and in my hair.

Lets me know I'm living.
My way.

Last day in London...

Okay, so these pictures are a little bit out of order, but I will get you through it. You can start at the top this time! :)

So today being our last day in London, we wanted to make sure we did and saw all of the things on our "to do/see list". The London Tower and the Tower Bridge were two things my mom wanted to see, and I really wanted to get my picture taken with the man with the funny black hat. We set out this morning after our continental breakfast and headed east. Most of the tubes were down for construction, so we ended up taking an hour for a 15 minute journey. But hey, we got to see alot of different underground stations that we hadn't seen yet.

We ended up over by the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London first. Amazing!

This is a shot of part of the Tower of London. A huge castle building that was the first royal castle built in England. It is most famously known for the executions of famous queens, kings and other related noblemen and women.

Here is a look at the Tower Bridge.

Another shot of the amazing castle.

Look at me. By a castle! A real one!

We took a guided tour of the castle led by a Yeoman Warder-one of 26 that live, work and exist on the castle grounds. Even his family. Amazing.

This is a shot from inside the castle, in the Bloody Tower where the prisoners were held. This is looking out of the window of one of the cells where prisoners spent years and years of their lives. And this was a sunny day!

I found my funny hat man! They don't have the ones that you can go right up to anymore. I heard that the tourists were getting too touchy feely if you know what I mean.

Here is one of the little boxes that the guards stand in!

Kodak moment #236

The sunset was amazing as we left the castle. There is so much to this place and so much history there. You could spend days there and not get to hear about everything. If you ever get the chance to go to London, this should be stop #1!!!

Now we're headed home!

I miss my family terribly and cannot wait to be with them again!

Catching up on Paris in London...

Once again, you need to start at the bottom and go up!

We had another amazing night, but I think we are both so glad to be back in an English speaking country! And perhaps, a bit happier that we are on the "going home" portion of our trip!

These are the steps down the Arc. Talk about sore knees!!!

That foot belonged to the man on the right of the image (facing us). It must have broken off and been replaced because we could see the patching job.

Inside, we found this foot. I am becoming fascinated with all of the ancient feet I've found on my trip so far. This was no exception.

Here is a view from the top of the Arc! Amazing all around!

This is the museum inside the arch. We had to take a lift up there because it was so close to closing time. We were so grateful...you'll see why soon!

Can you believe how huge it is compared to my mom?

This is me by the Arc de Triomphe!

Later on, we headed out in the city. This is an average alleyway in Paris!

The sun finally peeked out and we were able to see Notre Dame with some sun on it's cheeks!

This is the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore... Mom and I both got books from there!

This is the kind of cool stuff we got to walk by everyday!

We ate French food in a French cafe. This was the special of the day and it was DELICIOUS!

We made it back to London this afternoon. We didn't get a chance to post anything last night because we got to bed so late. So, catching up on Paris...

Paris Day Two!

Paris! Woke up this morning at 11:30 am! Guess I needed to sleep in! We got up and dressed and headed out to see the sights!

First off, the Notre Dame Cathedral. Amazing exterior. Much taller than I thought! So, what better to do when you see something really tall than to climb it! Here I am at the "halfway point". Let me tell you I was smiling on the outside, but grimacing on the inside. I hope my kneecaps recuperate! :) That is a lot of steps!

The steps have been climbed so much that the stone is worn down.

Here is a shot of the outside of Notre Dame...Next, we walked down a bit to the Sainte-Chapelle Church. This building was originally designed to house the Crown of Thorns! It is absolutely amazing and also is home to the oldest wall painting in Paris!

Then, we walked down to the LOUVRE!

Here I am outside by the Pyramid!

Of course, while we were there, we HAD to make a stop at the Mona Lisa!

They have an AMAZING egyptology section here too. Below is an actual mummy-still wrapped up and with all of his organs in the containers below him. He still has his original shroud and headdress too!

This is an amazing shot of the Venus de Milo! She was in a different spot than the map suggests, but we found her-finally!

Here is a shot outside the Louvre. Gorgeous!

Well, that is all for now! Tomorrow we are going to bop around some more! Hope you all are having fun in the nice warm weather... it snowed on us here a bit this morning, but it's mostly the freezing cold that is keeping us on our toes!

I had better go to bed before I have to sleep in 'til noon again!

:)

Message for my kiddos...

Here is a video for my kids...

Sorry about the distraction, a lady needed directions in the middle of my "shoot"!

How fun!

London Day Two!

I put them in the right order this time!

P.s. it is really 6:24 a.m. on the 3rd here in London. This stuff happened yesterday!

We woke up to a winter wonderland. However, that winter wonderland shut down the entire city of London and we ended up having to walk everywhere we wanted to go!

Trudging along in the snow!

2 HOURS LATER... we arrived at the British Museum!

This is the original, real, Rosetta Stone!

They have an amazing array of Egyptian artifacts!

This is a portion of the Sphinx's goatee!

Here is an ancient statue of Cupid!

This is Ptolemy.

I was fascinated by all of the feet. And the big toe.

Ancient statue of Venus!

Me outside Buckingham Palace!

Again, outside the Palace.

Finally the tube started working again. But this is how crowded it was...

Oh well. Just another day in paradise!

Today we are on to PARIS!

Au Revoir!

London Time!

Start at the bottom and work your way up!Look at the snow!

The river Thames and the London Eye!

Don, pack up our stuff...

Outside Westminster Abbey!

Can you believe it? It's BIG BEN!

We walked out of the Tube station, and onto this!

They really do exist!

Making a "call"

In London, on the TUBE!