Home

It's never felt so good to be home. Our trip back was nuts and that's putting it lightly! We got up early around 5:30 am and got packed and ready to catch our 7:15 train to London Heathrow Airport. We got there in plenty of time, they announced the train's arrival in 5 minutes so we said our tearful goodbyes to Mark's parents, then waited... 10 minutes go by, then 15... these trains are never late. Word starts to spread around the platform that the train's been in some kind of accident (which rarely happens) so we scramble around for answers only to find out that there will be no trains passing through that station for the rest of day because the train hit a pedestrian!! We run back to the car and shove all our crazy luggage back in and start the 200 mile commute to London not knowing if we will make our flight! Well, miracles do happen and we did make it there in 4 hours which is unheard of due to all the traffic going that way and we made it on our nearly empty flight. Having 4 seats to ourselves would seem like making the 12 hour flight home a breeze, well not with a crazy 11 month old. We followed the sun the entire way back, so sleep was out of the question! He was the entertainment of the flight crew because we hung out in the back galley for hours so he could crawl around on the floor and laugh and play with the crew. After straping him to me in the baby bjorn and pacing the plane for what felt like hours, he finally dozed off and we could lay him in the bassinet, but he didn't sleep more than a few hours before he was up and ready for more action! Needless to say, Mark and I were beyond exhaustion, so far gone after 24 hours of traveling with a crazy tot that when we collected our luggage and packed into the car, it wasn't until we got home that we realized we'd made it all the way from LAX to Ladera Ranch with someone else's bag!!! And, of course, mine was missing. Poor Mark made 5 trips to LAX in 4 days doing luggage duty and carting us to and from for all our trips! Yes, we turned around less than 24 hours after getting home to leave again from LAX to UT for my dearest friend Debbie's wedding. Besides seeing Debbie get married to the greatest guy ever, the highlight was Cafe Rio. You can never know how good Cafe Rio looks from thousands of miles away with bad expensive food everywhere! The whole time Mark and I were in Spain and France we kept saying how we could NOT wait for Cafe Rio despite turning around after coming home and leaving again! It was so amazingly good, we savored every bite. And, now to be sitting here on my very own couch with internet at my fingertips, Grey's Anatomy in the background, a REAL diet dr. pepper at my side, and a happy sleeping child upstairs, I am in heaven. Mark outside our hotel in Spain, the nicest hotel of the trip. It was gorgeous with views of the ocean and nestled away from the city on this beautiful cliff.This was Lloret de Mar, the beach city on the Costa Brava about an hour away from Barcelona where we stayed for 4 days... it looks inviting, but believe me it was so COLD the whole time. Right off the restaurant, these breathtaking views of the water and cliffs. We loved our hotel! It was the highlight of our trip to Spain. The food was another story, but I lived on cereal so I survived!Ahh, Paris! My favorite city in the world! It really was as cold as it looks.This is no fake! The actual "Mona Lisa" - I love the Louvre! It was my favorite place in Paris, I could've walked around there snapping pictures all day.

The River Sien, seriously I LOVE PARIS. It's the most serene, peaceful beautiful city in the world. I could live there honestly. I need to learn French though, I know nothing. "Bonjour!" that's about it.

The greatest tour guide!! You can see the Arc de Triomphe in the background. The big arch the troops marched under coming and going to battle.Notre Dame where Quasimoto lived!!Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in a very rainy and chilly London

Shopping for my birthday boots in Notting Hill at all the boutiques and local shops. Let me just say the shopping was a disappointment for several reasons... 1. Everything is in pounds or euros, double the price and it's in dollars. It's hard to fathom paying double for something I could buy in the states for half. 2. We missed all the good sales, August. For anyone wanting to shop Europe and buy things for under $10 (5 pounds) you have to shop the sales in August. and 3. We just didn't have the time to spend in Paris and London to discover the REALLY good places to shop... where all the good deals are, flea markets and such... So, slightly disappointing, but successful! I did find 2 pairs of gorgeous boots for winter at 50 pounds each, yea... do the math 2 pairs, $200... But WORTH IT! I love them. Thanks, honey for such a great birthday present!!

Oh but this gift was the BEST! This was my early anniversary present (coming up October 16th). My favorite night in Europe.

DISCLAIMER: I know it looks like I wore that gray A&F sweatshirt every day for 8 days, and let me assure you, I practically did. We were not prepared for the cold weather and Mark and I were both sickened by how many times we wore the same jeans and sweatshirt! Oh well, gotta love unpredictable weather and poor packing!

But this was a wonderful trip full of incredible memories. Thank you Mark for putting it all together and planning every detail! You are the best, LOVE YOU!