London Part 1: Friday- Monday

I don't know where to even begin with this blog post.  What an incredible trip Mark and I were able to enjoy.  It was truly amazing, fun, relaxing and filled to the brim with activities.  Mark was in charge of almost all of the planning and he truly outdid himself.  I am so lucky to have him as my eternal travel companion.  I get a little nervous with flying, dealing with crowds and adventures that take me out of my comfort zone.  He does very well with things like that and lets me hide behind him, figuratively and sometimes literally.  He studied the city of London and the streets surrounding our hotel so that I could just follow him around and not be stressed.  He took initiative with setting up tours and special outings so that I didn't have to worry about a thing.  Man I love him.
Ok...now on to the very detailed post about our trip.  I posted a ton on instagram but didn't really go in to great detail.  Well...here is the great detail.  I will be breaking the trip experience into multiple posts. Reader beware.

Friday in America:
We left home on Friday afternoon to head up to Twin Falls.  My awesome parents were excited to have my three littles for the week and it helped me feel more at ease having to leave them.  I was very sad and struggled a bit at the thought.  Mark and I made sure to have our wills and letters to the children in order and sealed in an envelope that I gave to my parents...just in case.  That sucked getting that all together!  But thankfully they never had to open it.  I had been a tad nervous a couple of days before due to the terrorist attack that took place on Westminster bridge and at the Houses of Parliament...but with some loving coaxing from my hubby, I overcame my irrational fear and didn't cancel the trip outright.

Saturday in America:
The next morning we hung out, I did some shopping with my sister Alicia and then around 1:30 we left to drive back to the airport.  Saying goodbye to the kids was rough and I am not ashamed to admit that I cried.  I knew they would be ok and safe but I just really love them!
The drive to the airport was so nice with Mark.  We talked the whole way without interruption and got more and more excited to have an entire week just with each other.  Our flight wasn't until 8 that evening but with the drive and having it be an international flight, we wanted to leave plenty of time to get through security and enjoy a good dinner.  Everything went so smoothly.  No traffic, security was a breeze and we found a great restaurant to sit and enjoy a warm dinner right by our gate before our ten hour flight.  I was also super grateful that there was no layover.  It was nice to know that once we got on the plane, the next time we got off we would be there.

The flight was uneventful which is how I like them.  Hard to sleep but lots of good movies and shows to watch.  Mark and I were on a two seat aisle which was so nice not to have to share arm room with anyone else.

Hanging in the airport

See ya later Utah!  It was nice to have such a beautiful sunset as we took off

Sunday in London:
We landed around 2:00 pm London time, made it through customs and then found our driver.  He took us to our amazing 5 star hotel and spa in a brand new black mercedes.  We felt pretty posh!  The hotel is a french hotel and everyone was so nice.  The doorman opened our car doors, the bell hop took our bags to the room and the front desk receptionist took us all the way up to our room to show us around.  Talk about feeling spoiled!  About 30 minutes after we settled in to the hotel, checked out the amenities and robes and read a sweet card welcoming us from the staff, room service brought us a cake with a chocolate message that read "Happy Anniversary."  As the bell hop dropped off our bags, he handed me a package of bath soaps and said, in a thick french accent "I doubt you are a mother yet but today it is Mother's Day and we want you to relax and feel pampered."  He was shocked as I proudly told him I have three kids at home.  Definitely not in Utah anymore!  We saw so few kids the entire trip!
We decided to walk down the street to a local grocery store to get some fruit and granola bars and water for the next few days while we walked around and had different tours.  Best tip ever from my mother in law and a life saver when we were out and about and hungry! Then he went back to our room, freshened up and went downstairs to the hotel restaurant called The Balcon.  Oh man was it a delicious dinner!  I had roasted baby chicken with truffle spaetzel and Mark had braised beef with blood orange aoili.  We ordered a fun pastry selection but then they also brought us some more for our anniversary!  Hahah!  We wouldn't have ordered the first plate if we had known.  But really...how cool that they did everything in their power to help us celebrate.  It was so great.
We went to bed around 9 that night trying to even out the jet lag and make sure we weren't wasted the next day.  We didn't nap when we first arrived so that we could sleep through the night, and sleep through the night we did!  It was the quietest hotel I have ever been in in my life.  Just perfect.

 I LOVE these checkered floors!  

And that tub was sooo luxurious.  

Outside of the hotel

Lobby

Our eyes are so tired but we were happy to be there!

The one we ordered...

...The complimentary one they brought us

Monday:

The next morning we got up sort of early and got ready for our very long tour day.  

First we headed down to The Balcon for breakfast, which was included each day on our trip.  What a breakfast!  There was an area with full English breakfast stuff, then a fruit and cheese and meat area, croissants and muffins and bread area, drinks and smoothies, cereal, granola and I am sure I am forgetting something.  We saved a lot of money because we had such a big breakfast that we were never super hungry to eat full lunches!  Not too shabby. 

This little kid's area was too cute to handle...and yes I took one of those teeny nutella bottles

The size of their breakfast smoothies was comical and yet, refreshing and perfect.

 We had a tour set up through a company called Golden Tours and it was the Spirit of London.  We walked through trafalgar square in a bit of fog with a nice crisp chill in the air, catching a glimpse of Big Ben in the background, to the meeting point at Charing Cross Station where we were picked up by the funniest British man named Nigel.

Had to get one next to these really nasty phone booths that no one uses

Trafalgar square

As he made sure we were all there before loading on to the bus he said "Let joy be unto all" once we had all arrived.  Then we drove to the next place to get on our correct tour bus.  I was sad he wouldn't be our tour guide but we got the nicest older lady who referred to herself as Mary Poppins since she held up an umbrella high in the air where we could all see her and follow her through the crowds.  She called us "my darlings" all day long.  Just adorable!

The bus was a comfy tour bus, high up off the road so we could see everything.  We drove by the Egyptian Obelisk and the Albert memorial first on our way to Westminster Abbey.  Once there we were able to walk around and take pictures and have a potty break.  We didn't have time to go in the Abbey but Mark and I knew we would be returning to that another day.  It is quite a sight to see!  And of course in the background you can see Big Ben.  It was truly breathtaking and we both couldn't believe we were there.  We loaded up the bus and headed to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards.  What a fun thing to see!  And we were right up close.  

Albert memorial

Egyptian Obelisk

Westminster Abbey

The size and beauty of it is so breathtaking

You can see the cute umbrella open and it was a lifesaver because we would have lost her in all the crowds

Afterwards we took some time for pictures, walked by the outer walls of Buckingham palace and headed to St Paul's cathedral.  Mark had been looking forward to this for quite some time.  It was very somber walking in and seeing the beauty of this cathedral.  Mark was overcome and emotional as he stood in the American Chapel, reflecting on why it was built and how many sacrificed their lives to win the war.  As he stood there looking at everything and taking it all in, a priest was in the background saying a prayer before people were invited to partake of the eucharist.  It was a powerful moment that we will not soon forget.  Then we headed downstairs to see flags that were carried during the battle at Waterloo, graves of famous people and memorials to so many.  Each place we went we tried to soak in everything and commit as much to memory as we could, especially places like this where pictures were not allowed.  It was also fun to shop in the gift shops for the kids and my family who helped watched them.  Mark wanted Fullback to have a snow globe of the cathedral that was similar to the one Mark Poppins has when she sings Feed the Birds.  He also found a really cool nativity scene carved from an olive tree from Jerusalem.  For the kids we bought cutesy things, tchotchkes if you will, and edible things, but for us we wanted things we would use often or on special occasions throughout the years.  I would say that nativity hit our goal.

We looked for a bird lady but didn't see one on these steps

A fun thing that the tour brought that we hadn't planned on was making new friends.  We sat next to a nice mom and daughter from California on their spring break and shared tips and experiences that they had done and that we wanted to do.  We also made friends with a very nice lesbian couple and their five year old daughter...and the funny thing is one of them was from Spanish Fork and had gone to BYU.  She bristled at first upon learning we are LDS but once she saw we were normal and non judgmental she opened up a bit.  Her wife on the other hand, loved us and never bristled.  She said "Hey look...she stopped being Mormon long before I met her so it isn't my fault."  We laughed and found lots in common and at each stop enjoyed talking and getting to know each other.  I was grateful for their advice on traveling with kids and I think they were grateful for our open attitudes and normal conversations.

We headed next to the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge.  We didn't go to the bridge but we did go in the Tower of London.  Wow!  The history is incredible!  I had no idea that it was like a little town/fortress. I maybe should have known but now I do.  We walked to the top of the Tower, learning all about the beheadings that took place there, the things guarded there and the prisoners kept there.  We listened to a beefeater tell his tales and tales of the past.  We then went to what I had been looking forward to...the crown jewels.  Oh my word!!!  It was overwhelming to see such incredible jewels and details and beauty in each crown, scepter and anointing spoon.  I have been in love with the royal family for years so to see this all in person...talk about holding in the emotion.  It was so neat to stand on the moving sidewalk that runs alongside the encased jewels and to marvel at them and be so close to them.  What incredible heads they have sat on!  Man how I wish I could have taken a picture.  We had a couple of hours here at the Tower of London so we saw everything we could and shopped a little more.  We decided to get Shortstop a snow globe of the tower so the boys could each have their own.

Look at that little kids armor!  I would say it is cute but considering that it had to be used for children it is too heartbreaking

Then we joined our group at a boat dock and took a river ride on the Thames.  Yeah, that happened.  How cool, right?!  We saw the HMS Belfast on the ride and then it stopped at the London eye where we rode the biggest ferris wheel I have ever been on!  It never stops either...just slowly moves around as you get on and off which I loved cause I HATE getting stuck at the top while people load on and off.  And I only had about 15 seconds of irrational panic that our cable was going to snap loose.  Seeing London from that high above was so cool.  And then the tour was over.  

Wish I could say that was fog but it is actually nasty smog.  Still...makes for a cool picture

We said goodbye to our Mary Poppins tour guide and Mark and I walked over the Westminster bridge to honor those who had died during the terrorist attack.  We stood right where the man from Utah fell over into the Thames and there were flowers everywhere.  And as we walked across that bridge, Big Ben struck 6:00 pm.  What a feeling!  Then we walked by the Houses of Parliament and saw even more flowers honoring those who had died, especially the officer who was stabbed.  I couldn't help but feel emotional that we live in a world that can see so much evil and yet have so much good and support following attacks like that one.  It's like what Mr. Rogers said "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping."

He loved that he was reppin BYU that day too

We headed to the hotel, rested our feet and looked up a good place to eat dinner.  We both wanted Indian food and somehow we ended up at a Thai food restaurant.  Mark had looked up Indian restaurants nearby and this Thai food place came up.  He was tired and not thinking and thought "well that is close so let's do that."  We walked in and I was tired because I saw the restaurant and thought "why is this Indian restaurant called Thai Place?"  We sat down, opened our menus and both realized our mistake...but it was a delicious mistake and a very nice place to eat.  With full bellies and a day full of happy memories, we went to bed exhausted.    

The view we got to come "home" to each night.