London!

By the Tower of London.

Westminster Abbey. By the way, it was cold today! We wished for winter coats, but we made it.

A typical Clement boys picture.

The Traitor's Gate.

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

We made it to London today and are staying at the lovely Leonard Hotel (same hotel, different room Jan and Jeanine!). We got right on the Original Tour Bus and began our exploration of London. The very first thing we got to see was Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard. Very royal! The funny thing was, right before all the marching began, the guard band was playing that Barry Manilow song, "Coca Cabana". Seemed rather out of place. We went to Westminster Abbey where almost all the Coronations have taken place and where so many famous people are buried. Tucker was awed at David Livingstone's grave. Winston Churchill's grave is there, too. By following a children's activity sheet we found a carved pelican on top of the baptismal font, we saw the oldest door in the country, made in 1050!, we found a picture of Edmund the Earl of Lancaster and learned his nickname was "Crouchback". Wouldn't want that nickname myself.
We went to the Tower of London. We saw the Traitor's Gate where prisoners used to be brought into the prison by boat off the Thames. We saw lots of towers, one where Sir Walter Ralegh was imprisoned. He was allowed to bring his wife, children and servants with him! One of his sons was born there. We went in the Bloody Tower which sorely disappointed Drew Preston because there wasn't any blood.:( The story of the Disappearing Princes is very sad. We also saw the Crown Jewels. SO beautiful. I couldn't believe how simple the security was. We got to parade right by all those diamonds and sapphires and emeralds and gold with just glass between us and it. It must be heavily booby-trapped. It all looked very heavy. We saw film footage of Queen Elizabeth being crowned and there were two men beside her apparently helping to hold her arms steady. She had to hold two scepters plus a heavy crown.
To Craig's surprise (hee hee) I decided to visit the Tower gift shop. Yep, Mom, I got you another mug! Drew Preston is on a quest to buy a key chain everywhere we go but I'm holding him in check.
We got back on our cool double decker bus and came back to our hotel, where we are now turning in for the night. It's 3:43 in the afternoon where most of you are.
Praying for Beverly!
Praying for Ivy and Co.!

From Stowaway Barbie

I got a GREAT new hat today!

Same Day, More pictures

Storming the castle walls.

The long walk in front of the castle (3 miles long). Drew Preston wanted to run it.

"And up in the nursery an absurd little bird, is popping out to say coo coo"

DP finds his own store.
Praying for Beverly!

Praying for Ivy and Co. !

A Day in Windsor

Tucker and Ellie in front of the Horse and Groom Pub.

St. George's Chapel

Craig and the kids at Windsor Castle (see the flag flying)

Cool doors. I've been taking door pictures.


Ellie in an Eton field.

Today was fun! After a delicious breakfast at the hotel we headed over to Windsor Castle (Windsor is very small so we walk everywhere). The guards were just marching by! We learned later that the castle guard takes a two hour shift and then gets a break, after which he goes on to a different post. The guard is a real soldier and carries a real, loaded gun. If there were an "incident" at the castle, he would quickly come to life and jump in the action. Even though he is very still, his eyes are always moving to watch what is going on in his area.

We got to see the rooms at the castle that hold Queen Mary's dollhouse (the sinks even have running water!), the Princess' doll collection, the exhibit on Henry VIII, the royal china, and St. George's Chapel. We did not get to see the rest of the castle, the Queen was there giving out medals to soldiers so the apartments were closed. That was disappointing but what we did get to see was awesome. The Chapel is spectacular. American rumor says Prince William may get married there but the lady we talked to said there's no way of knowing. She said IF he gets married no one will actually know till the day of. She says she always looks at the paper headlines, say, "Right" and then waves it away. She showed us where the royals sit it the chapel. They each have a crown above their particualar seat. Henry VIII and his favorite wife Jane Seymour (she was the third, the one who died, of the six) are entombed right there in the middle of the chapel under the marble floor and everyone just walks right over them.

After the chapel we took a fun picture with the guard and walked back to our hotel for a while. We went for a late lunch/early dinner at The Horse and Groom Pub where we ate stuff like: fish and chips, shepherd's pie, homeade chicken and mushroom pie, fizzy apple (apple soda) and learned that lemonade in England is like Sprite. We walked around, explored and shopped a little. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, blue skies, crisp air. Love it.

The Queen is here!

The Crooked House

Sully pouring tea.

Ellie adding sugar cubes.

We are in Windsor, England and the flag is flying over the castle which means the Queen is in residence! The first thing we did is eat at the Crooked House-tea and scones! Yummy! All the kids drank tea and liked it. Craig had "Earl Grey" (just like Jean-Luke Picard, trekkie), Sullivan and Drew Preston had "Gunpowder" which did not blow them away but was good anyway, Tucker had some kind of Chai, Ellie had rose and I had orchid. Ahhhhh. The scones and clotted cream are unbelievably yummy.

Jet lag has not been so bad!

Praying for Beverly!

Praying for Ivy and Co. !

From Stowaway Barbie

It's NOT easy to sleep on a plane!!!! I noticed Robyn and Ellie switched positions about 14 times. Craig didn't move and he had and a cool eye covering like mine. Sullivan watched The Blind Side and slept very little. Drew Preston and Tucker slept pretty good.

Seven suitcases, 6 backpacks, and 6 people packed and ready to go! Craig has the most luggage, he brings all his running stuff. I have the most shoes- 6 pairs! Which is crazy, because, if you know me, I only take one or two pairs anywhere I go! I just couldn't help it this time. My mom says it's really just 3 pairs because flip flops don't count. :)