From the halls of Burley Junior High School...

To the walls of York. April brought with it a visit from our very good and long time friends, the Nelsons. What can we say, these friendships have been around a while.

It isn't often that you could say friends marry friends. It is the kind of thing Angela and I would have (and probably did) imagine when we were younger...that we would grow up and marry friends. While rooming with Angela in college we met Barrett & Devin who were also roommates and long story short - we ended up marrying them despite the fact that they would wake us up each Saturday morning blaring AC DC from their apartment. I guess you can't say I wasn't warned :) :)!!! Needless to say, years later we are still great friends and it was so fun to have them come visit. Who knew we'd someday be traveling around the UK together.

Angela & Melinda, Edinbugh 2011

Barrett & Devin, London 2011

We trained to London to meet up and spend a few days sightseeing.

Due to a majorly delayed flight, we spent the majority of the first day on our own. We payed a not-so-little visit to the Embassy where Nell officially became a US citizen. We then ate some delicious lunch at Hummus Bros. I never knew hummus could be such a good meal but I loved it. A visit to the British Library was next where we saw many original documents by people like Jane Austen, the Beatles, Beethoven and many more. By then the Nelsons had arrived and we went to the British Museum for a little while. It was so wonderful to see their girls, Elly & Liza. Elly & Clara had a blast together.

After dinner together and the first of three (or more) visits to the Hummingbird Bakery, we made our way back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.

The following day we set out for a bus tour figuring that it would be the most efficient way of hitting the big sights - especially with children. On our way we managed another stop at the bakery before boarding the bus and heading to the Tower of London.


Elly & Clara joined in on a tour for children mid way but seemed to enjoy it even if I am not sure any of us understood the story being enacted since we missed the beginning. Still, it was entertaining.

And in the spirit of beheadings, Jonas decided to give it a go:

Jonas particularly loved the soldier (as he would call him) and I didn't try too hard to have him say "beefeater" instead. He loved watching him march back and forth in his big hat and was quite sad when it was time to go. Jonas being quite sad is also a very loud experience - those who have spent any time with us will know what I am talking about.

We then boarded a boat for a trip up the Thames to Big Ben and the Parliament Building. We walked past Westminster Abbey and enjoyed seeing all the Royal Wedding souvenirs out everywhere.


Buckingham palace was next on our list but not before a stop at a park on our way where the kids had fun eating cupcakes (the ones purchased earlier in the day at the aforementioned bakery...).


Liza and Jonas had fun playing in the dirt.


The kids were running around (well, not just the kids - I love this picture of Ang)


Even Nell was allowed out of her stroller prison.


Then came feeding the pigeons. I love Clara's expression - so calm and collected, wouldn't you say?

By now it was time for the Nelsons to head back to have dinner with friends and we rode the bus around a little longer (pretty sure at one point in time all 5 of us were fast asleep) and got stuck in traffic as London was preparing for the marathon the next day. We didn't care though, it felt good to sit and we were in no rush. For dinner we ventured to a Mexican restaurant. I know you are thinking "Mexican in London????" but you have to understand just how desperate we are. I love the food here but Mexican in Harrogate is non-existant so when we heard there was a good place in London, we had to try it. Maybe it has been too long since we have lived on the west coast but we loved it and even took the Nelsons back the next day for lunch.

Unfortunately Nell had been "poorly" as they say. She caught the cold going around our house and this last night in London she got much worse and was up the entire night screaming. Since this is so not typical of her, I wracked my brain to figure out what it could be. In my sleepless state I sat holding her wondering if it was a sign of shunt failure. Oh wait I thought - wrong child!! The many experiences I've had worrying about Jonas and his shunt have apparently ingrained themselves into my brain. The funny thing was that in the morning Devin confessed that he at one point had even wondered if it was her shunt. Glad to know that I am not the only crazy one - except that it means that our children have two crazy parents rather than just one. Sorry kids.

Our last day we knew getting around would be hard with the Marathon so we wandered around some different areas like Covent Garden and watched a not-so-impressive street performer, visited a market and spent some time in Trafalgar Square.

After lunch it was time to grab some delicious gelato, head to the hotel to collect our bags and get to the train station (not without a few diaper blow-outs along the walk of course).

Once in Harrogate we slowed down a bit and visited Fountains Abbey one day.


Jonas has been exhibiting a bit of a defiant streak lately. He did not want to pose for a picture here, and clearly my efforts were in vain.

But when not posing, he is still really cute...


I got a good laugh over some of Barrett's photo ops...

This is only one of MANY I could post. Barrett and Devin had the great idea that Ang could be on Barrett's shoulders for a great picture. Thankfully, they decided against it midway and Angela is safe but I think in earlier days - from what I hear - it would have been a different story.

Another day we visited Whitby and enjoyed the local fish and chips. But that wasn't the only fried food consumed that day. Devin walked past a fried food shop (can't bring myself to call it a restaurant) and saw that they served fried candy bars. Gross, right??? Well, Devin and Barrett decided they had to try it. I still can't believe it.

Ang & Barrett then managed to successfully talk us into joining them in Edinburgh. They were planning a trip up and were going to bring Clara with them while we stayed home for two days. We ended up getting tickets and spent a night and day in Scotland together.

Can I just say how much I dislike the actual travel part of traveling? Between 3 diaper blowouts on the train (children taking turns), Jonas falling on his head on the train and then almost not making it off the train in time due to the difficulty in getting the stroller, suitcases and children coordinated - it is a good thing the destinations are such a draw or I'd easily become a hermit. The bottom line is I don't like to draw attention and somehow that is exactly what we do, in fact I feel like the circus.

Anyway, we made it to Edinburgh and had a great day together.


Elly and Clara raced around wearing identical hats Ang had bought the day before. Very cute friends.

After some museum time and lunch the kids played at a park for a little while to maximize the sunshine!

The final day was spent in York. Seeing the Shambles, the Minster, walking on the wall and all the other great York sights.

Each day was so much fun and the girls had such a good time together. My favorite parts though were at night when we would get the kids in bed and eat a later dinner all together. It was fun catching up and enjoying the friendship we've had for so long.

We miss you Nelson's. Hugs from Jonas...