Happy...Halloween?

I was on my way home from London when this little mechanic went trick-or-treating!

Even Darth Vader needs a mechanic.

"Max, I am your father."

Better late than never!

Now, on to Advent!

Dear, Deer

We've returned from our epic trip up north! It was a great week spent hanging out with family and eating a lot. The hunters went out last Saturday for opening day of deer season and Aaron shot his first deer! It just so happened that a 10 point buck wandered through about 20 minutes into the season and Aaron made a great shot! He was very excited! The boys and I drove out to his stand to help drag it out (well, the boys weren't much help for that...) and it was the first deer registered at the station Aaron went to! A great first deer after just three years of hunting!

The View from Here

And I leave you with my favorite picture from London - the view from the sculpture court at Hampton Court Palace.

We're heading up north for a loooooong stay!

Back next Friday!

Haunted London

Sarah and I went on a Haunted London ghost walk over Halloween weekend. The guide was from the same company that led the Jack the Ripper walk I went on with a friend while studying abroad. That walk was amazing, and I knew this one would most likely follow suit. The atmosphere was perfect; it started raining lightly and then became blustery and dark the further we walked. We heard about many unfortunate individuals who met untimely deaths and still walk the small alleyways we wound our way through. Our guide was a great storyteller and really drew in our crowd of about 25. We walked for a good two hours before disbanding in a dark alley and looking over our shoulders (for ghosts of course) as we walked back to the tube station. We had a great time! Sarah took this awesome shot as we walked past St. Dunstan's church. It captures the mood of the evening perfectly!

London Potpourri

Here are a few more photos of the London trip!

I love tea-time fare...especially scones, clotted cream and jam. Yum!

Walking through Kensington Park...

...we happened upon an art installation similar to "the bean" in Chicago...and got yelled at for standing on this cement platform. "NOT FOR STANDING!" the guard yelled. Ummm...ok, chill out, buddy.

Can you tell I love the park?

We also love Quality Street chocolates. I discovered them on my first trip to London and haven't been able to live without it since. Here, Sarah illustrates how easy it is to consume an entire Quality Street tin.

We visited The Globe...one of my other favorite places in London. I saw The Taming of the Shrew about five times and Twelfth Night four times when I studied abroad. Amazing. Their season only goes through early October though (it's an outdoor theater), so I wasn't able to see a show this time.

We had fish and chips at this lovely pub down the road from Sarah's flat. Salt, malt vinegar...and it only tastes like this in London! So good.

After our epic walk from Fleet Street, along the Thames and over to the south bank.

St. Paul's Cathedral is behind us.

I had so much fun, sister! Can't wait until you get home!

Family

I look at this family of mine and think of all the generations before us who lived and loved us into being.

The ones who worked hard and built their families so I might one day build my own.

Those who have served as great examples of living simply and loving well.

I see their reflection in me and in my children.

And the best in them becomes the best in us.

Tudor Gardening...

Sarah and I spent quite a bit of time exploring the extensive gardens around Hampton Court Palace.

It was deserted since we had arrived so early, and we walked amidst the perfectly manicured lawns alone.

The trees evoked that very "ancient" feel that every palace should have...

Under King Henry's windows

There are most fair and pleasant gardens

With royal knots and herbs

And many marvellous beasts

Such as lions, dragons and other diverse kinds

With many vines, seats and strange fruit well kept

And nourished with much labour and dilligence.

Oh, Maxwell...

...you drooly little heart-melter, you.

Happy Birthday, Liam!

Thanks for coming, everyone! It was a great day!

Love

Aaron and I took an epic journey to Minneapolis (and back) on Saturday! We thought it made sense to just drive back Saturday night/Sunday morning instead of staying at a hotel. Liam's birthday party was on Sunday, so we would have to leave MN early in the morning anyway. All good reasons on paper...not so great in reality! We're still catching up on sleep, but the trip was well worth it.

My very best friend Becky married Carrie on Saturday! Becky and I met while studying abroad and have been friends ever since. She is the kind of friend you hope to find amidst the impermanence of the transient college life. She and Carrie have been great encouragements to us as we've built our life together and become parents. It was an honor for us to witness their marriage and the start of their new life together.

Guests at the wedding may remember me as "the crying girl"... the ceremony was simple but beautiful.

The reception was held at the Gale Mansion in downtown Minneapolis. Great atmosphere and great food!

Each table featured a city the couple has visited together. Aaron and I were at the "London" table...of course!

We didn't really know many people at the wedding, so it was nice to just visit together and have time for just the two of us. We love weddings, so it wasn't difficult to have a good time!

The first dance...taken through the french doors, but I thought it turned out kind of neat.

This one, too.

Congratulations, Carrie & Becky! Love you both.

Swarm to the Saatchi Gallery

I visited the Saatchi Gallery twice when I studied abroad. They exhibit the most contemporary British art, and often the most controversial. I wanted to go with Sarah to see what they are featuring now. Admission is free now, but the art was less dramatic (for me anyway). There were some very interesting pieces, though, and this was one of our favorites.

Swarm by Tessa Farmer

Here's the description from the gallery's website:

Made from desiccated insect remains, dried plant roots, and other organic ephemera, Tessa Farmer’s tiny sculptures give a glimpse into the world of fairies. No story book land of Tinkerbells, Farmer’s Swarm envisions the purveyors of mischief and magic as an actual species, as animalistic and Darwinian as any other. Exchanging Victorian romanticism for the darker pragmatism of science, Farmer evidences her specimens as fearsome skeletal fiends, plausible “hell’s angels” of a microscopic apocalypse. Posed in dramatic battle formations, Farmer’s menagerie wages war against garden variety pests; each figure, painstakingly hand crafted and adorned with real insect wings, stands less than 1 cm tall.

It was amazing! And I always love just being immersed in art in London.

Johnny Depp Meets Henry VIII

Sarah and I took an epic train journey to Surrey, just southwest of London, last Thursday. We were on our way to visit Hampton Court Palace, the former home of Henry VIII. The walk to the palace from the train station was just over a bridge, and when we reached the other side Sarah suddenly said, "P4 Trucks! That's a Pirates sign!" Blackbeard Productions was indeed filming Pirates of the Carribean 4 on site! Sarah had tracked them down in west London earlier this fall and we just happened to be in the right place at the right time that day, too!

Sarah was beyond excited, and it was pretty cool to be there when they filmed something people around the world will see not too long from now. It was annoying that the usual routes around the palace were blocked because of the production setup, but we were able to see everything we had planned to without much disruption.

Here's Sarah with the production crew!

Here's Sarah knocking on every door she could find and calling out, "Johnny?!"

We got to the palace right when it opened, so we were able to walk through the rooms on the tour with minimal crowds.

Center Courtyard

Reflected in a huge gilt mirror.

Sculpture Hall

The palace was beautiful, and the grounds even more so (photos to come!). It was such an interesting place, steeped in history, and I wish it hadn't gotten busy and congested as the day went on. It would have been nice to spend even more time there. I was excited to walk in the footsteps of Henry VIII (and Elizabeth I) and to be in a place so filled with Tudor history. We didn't find Johnny, but we had fun anyway!