Sunday, May 25, 2014

Phone Photo Dump

I have not been a good blogger this month and for that I am so sorry!  School is getting crazy busy as the end of the school year is getting close (3 more weeks!... oh how I miss year-round).  I have been doing lots of school work on the weekends so there is not much to show on the blog.  But I finished my report cards yesterday (WAHOO!) so life is a little free-er. 

Both of my camera batteries are dead and I have not bothered to charge them so I am just living through my phone right now.  I am going to show you what I have been up to the past week or so through my photos.

Last weekend after my market run (I need to take a picture with my market guy soon... he is the sweetie who gets my produce for me each week), I decided to take a walk on the beach right below where I park my car. It was a gorgeous day and the water was a beautiful blue-green! 
 





Then on my way to the grocery store, I decided to make another impromptu stop at this glass shop everyone has been talking about.  They make all the glass products there and all of it was absolutely gorgeous!  I refrained from buying a lot since I move soon and glass is not the friendliest stuff to move.  I will go back there when I come back after summer for sure!


Then headed to the grocery store (this is smaller and much calmer Carrefour).

Then I stopped by this pet store to get Zoe some shampoo and conditioner. 

That night (last Saturday), Zoe and I went out for her to go potty right before bed and these dogs came darting at us twice.  I think it scared me more than her but she left good that night!

Sunday night, Joni and I went to pick up this table and chairs (and the beautiful flowers) from a teacher who is leaving.  It is now my happy place and Zoe and I spend each night out there!  She didn't seem to care for it at first which surprised me because we were outside.

I put her up here more as a joke for mom but I realized she liked looking out (even though she didn't feel safe up there).

My friend Cheryl went to the states recently for her son's graduation and she brought Zoe a pig ear back!  She loved it and destroyed it in a matter of minutes!

Mom suggested putting my rug on my table and then Zoe could look out.  She LOVED it up there!





Yesterday, my friend had a college party for her husband who just graduated with his MBA.  We all wore our college t-shirts and played college drinking games.  I am in love with flip cup!

Before the party started, Jeff made a shrimp boil which was amazing!

You boil all these yummy things and then you dump them on the table and everyone chows down... no plates, no forks just the table and fingers!  The food was amazing and loved by all!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Doggie Playdate!

Katie invited Zoe and I over to her house (with a great back/side yard) for a doggie playdate last Sunday!  Zoe "played" with Lola and Zelda.  While she does not play with other dogs, she enjoyed the big yard and handled their playing well!  I was proud of how she reacted and how kind the other dogs were!  We hope to have more playdates with Zelda and Lola!

Lola (6 month old rescued Tunisian puppy)

Hot Zoe

Zelda (corgie) and Lola

Lola and Zoe

Zelda

Katie and Zelda

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Sunday in London!

Sunday morning, we packed up the car (and my suitcase) and headed to London for church!

After church, I was hoping to see Berine and Janet who are from Kenya.  Janet (in the red... love the flower) and I met while I was visiting Kenya and loved her gentle and sweet spirit!  It was so good to see her again! I got to meet Berine who is also from Kenya. But after church on Sunday, Dave said he saw JP!!!!  I was crazy excited!  We worked closely with him when we visit Kenya and I just loved his sweet spirit- he was so much fun and has the biggest smile!  Berine and Janet live in London while JP lives in Switzerland!  What I love about this picture is these three Africans live in Europe and the American lives in Africa!  God is good!
 

After church, we walked around London to find a place for lunch!






Caitlin LaFrance and I ate at a Pizza Express in London 10 years ago when we went backpacking through Europe!  That was my first time I traveled abroad without my family! What a special memory!



Look what I found, Dad!

We were hoping to eat at this Chinese place because my last meal in Rome with the Boyers was Chinese!



Then it was time to head to the airport and say my goodbyes!  Boyers, I had an amazing trip and am so grateful we live just one plane ride (less than 3 hours) away!  I love you all so much!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Happy Anniversary, Grandma!

Today we are celebrating your long marriage, Grandma, to the love of your life!  You took such good care of him and he loved you so much!  I always loved it when the two of you would hold hands- oh how Grandpa loved affection!  Thank you for setting a good example in your marriage!  I love you, Grandma!

 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Saturday in England: Audley End

On Saturday, the Boyers and I headed to tour this gorgeous home called Audley End about an hour away from their house.  They were having a May Day celebration so we went to check it out! This is a home where a well-off family lived a long time ago.  It was just so neat to see how it was set up many years ago!  It was also a gorgeous day so we all had a blast!

The drive there was just gorgeous!  These yellow fields were all over the countryside in England!  Just breathtaking! 

More of the countryside on our drive there

Audley End!

There was a puppet show going on as soon as we got there!  Too cute for sure!

Mommy making Josh fly

Daddy then wanted to show off his strength...
I went to England during Tunisian Labor Day and no Labor Day is complete without salt and pepper chips!

Caleb is making butter!

The Dairy

Kate ironing the old fashion way!

Laundry room

Caleb cleaning clothes

Then we went to the nursery which just opened!  Since it can get busy, they only allowed people in there for 30 minutes which flew by but it was so much fun for us and the boys!

Caleb and the awesome rocking horse

The girls' awesome dollhouse!

The sitting room part of the nursery

Josh riding the rocking horse too

They had a gorgeous tulip garden





These singers were absolutely hilarious!

Loved these horses at the May Day interactive class

Riding horses in the stable


Look at all these tomato plants in the greenhouse!!

It was time to head back to the Boyers' house, repack the car, and head to Norwich for a going away party!

We stopped for dinner at this Belgian restaurant!  I finally found beer I like!  Cherry and raspberry!

Two chilly girls eating Belgian stew outside

I got to see Kristen Norman at the going away party!  She went to same church my family goes to in NC before she moved to England!  Now she lives in England and goes to the same church as the Boyers!

A fun beautiful English day for sure!