I have had such a major blogger's block (something like writer's cramp) the last while that I just haven't been able to make myself sit down and write. It isn't that I don't have plenty to blog about or even that I haven't wanted to. It is that I just couldn't seem to get started. Anyway this morning Larry was leaving to run some errands and suggested that I use the time to blog, so here I am.
There is much that has happened since I last blogged but I must start with the Kathy's visit. It was so sweet of Scott to spend a big part of his vacation watching the boys so Kathy could come and spend time with her Mom and Dad. Thanks again Scott!!
Kathy flew through Dallas and spent a couple of days there catching up with her old high school buddy Debby and her college pal Kristi. It was fun for her to see their homes and spend time with their families. Good friends are just the best!
After a difficult day getting out of Dallas (she was flying on standby), she arrived here on Saturday night. It was quite late when we got home from picking her up at the airport so we just visited and caught up on things. It was so good to see her and she looked great!!
Sunday we had a very low keyed morning, had a nice dinner and then went to church at 2 pm. It was fun to introduce Kathy to our friends there and to have her join us in our meetings. She seemed to pick up quite a bit of what was going on. That evening we went to the Visitors Center and took a tour and watched a movie. Again, we loved being able to introduce Kathy to all of our "other daughters" and the Stewarts.
Sunday dinner coming up
Kathy and her Dad
On Monday we were off to Teotihuacan and our trek to the Pyramid of the Sun. It was a beautiful day and all went well. We left early and took a bus and it was kind of fun. The bus on the way out stopped in every little berg. Kathy actually seemed to enjoy seeing the Mexican countryside. Once there she joined us in our awe of the place. It was really beautiful because of all the rain we had been having and everything was really green. We did the usual rounds but we got to see a couple of new things we had never before seen. After we all climbed the Pyramid of the Sun, Kathy became the first member of the family to climb the Pyramid of the Moon. Way to go Kathy!!
An interesting new area we hadn't seen before
On Tuesday we hit downtown. Mexico City is such a huge place that you can never run out of things to see. In the morning we started off at the National Palace. It is such a beautiful building and we looked at all the Diego Rivera murals on the 2nd floor and then went through much of the rest of the building and grounds. We especially enjoyed the cactus garden and the other gardens in the courtyard behind the palace.
Off on the metro for a day in town
We next walked by the Templo Mayor and saw the amazing ruins there. We decided not to go in the museum as there was so many other things we wanted to see. We went to the Metropolitan Cathedral and then took a Turibus tour of the city. The bus tour takes about 3 hours but gives you a really good overview of the city. There are headphones with a recording in English to point out the history of the sites as you pass by. After the tour we went to the Tile House and had a late lunch and then, of course, we had to visit the Ideal Bakery. Finally we headed back to the metro and back home for a relaxing night.
On the Turibus
On Wednesday we woke up to rain. We decided to go to the Temple in the morning and then head to Chapultepec Park in the afternoon. The Temple session was wonderful. It was so great to have Kathy there with us. She got a headset to listen in English but ended up listening to much of it in Spanish and she did well.
After we got home we changed and took the metro to town. By now we had great weather and the walk from the metro to Maxmillian's Castle was really pleasant. Beautiful flowers blooming in the park and lots of people to watch. We actually didn't walk all the way to the castle because we decided it might be fun to ride the little tram up. It was a lot easier. The castle, as always, was beautiful and we were able to share a little of the history of Mexico with Kathy that we had learned on earlier visits. One of the upstairs hallways has beautiful stained glass windows of Greek goddesses. This area is not always open to the public, so it was a real treat to see them with her.
After we left the castle we walked by the lake and then back to the metro to head home. Kathy got her things together and we enjoyed our last night with her.
Chapultapec Castle
Kathy by the lake
Thursday morning we took Kathy to the airport and then headed back to work to resume our missionary activities. Kathy spent much of the day in the Mexico City airport on standby but finally got to Dallas. Standby there was also difficult so she ended up spending the night there. The next day after much more airport waiting and round about flights she finally returned home to her cute family who were very excited to see her.
If you want to see additional pictures and story line check out Kathy's blogs.
here
here
here
and here
There is much that has happened since I last blogged but I must start with the Kathy's visit. It was so sweet of Scott to spend a big part of his vacation watching the boys so Kathy could come and spend time with her Mom and Dad. Thanks again Scott!!
Kathy flew through Dallas and spent a couple of days there catching up with her old high school buddy Debby and her college pal Kristi. It was fun for her to see their homes and spend time with their families. Good friends are just the best!
After a difficult day getting out of Dallas (she was flying on standby), she arrived here on Saturday night. It was quite late when we got home from picking her up at the airport so we just visited and caught up on things. It was so good to see her and she looked great!!
Sunday we had a very low keyed morning, had a nice dinner and then went to church at 2 pm. It was fun to introduce Kathy to our friends there and to have her join us in our meetings. She seemed to pick up quite a bit of what was going on. That evening we went to the Visitors Center and took a tour and watched a movie. Again, we loved being able to introduce Kathy to all of our "other daughters" and the Stewarts.
Sunday dinner coming up
Kathy and her Dad
The temple on our walk
The VC
Our Christus picture
On Monday we were off to Teotihuacan and our trek to the Pyramid of the Sun. It was a beautiful day and all went well. We left early and took a bus and it was kind of fun. The bus on the way out stopped in every little berg. Kathy actually seemed to enjoy seeing the Mexican countryside. Once there she joined us in our awe of the place. It was really beautiful because of all the rain we had been having and everything was really green. We did the usual rounds but we got to see a couple of new things we had never before seen. After we all climbed the Pyramid of the Sun, Kathy became the first member of the family to climb the Pyramid of the Moon. Way to go Kathy!!
Larry and Kathy by the Temple of the Plumed Serpent
An interesting new area we hadn't seen before
A rest in the shade before the long climb
Top of the Pyramid of the Sun
View from the Pyramid of the Sun
Top of the Pyramid of the Sun
View from the Pyramid of the Sun
Kathy's view from the Pyramid of the Moon
On Tuesday we hit downtown. Mexico City is such a huge place that you can never run out of things to see. In the morning we started off at the National Palace. It is such a beautiful building and we looked at all the Diego Rivera murals on the 2nd floor and then went through much of the rest of the building and grounds. We especially enjoyed the cactus garden and the other gardens in the courtyard behind the palace.
Palacio Nacional
Courtyard at the National Palace
Garden behind National Palace
We next walked by the Templo Mayor and saw the amazing ruins there. We decided not to go in the museum as there was so many other things we wanted to see. We went to the Metropolitan Cathedral and then took a Turibus tour of the city. The bus tour takes about 3 hours but gives you a really good overview of the city. There are headphones with a recording in English to point out the history of the sites as you pass by. After the tour we went to the Tile House and had a late lunch and then, of course, we had to visit the Ideal Bakery. Finally we headed back to the metro and back home for a relaxing night.
Templo Mayor
Metropolitan Cathedral in the Zocolo
On the Turibus
The Tile House
This cake made me think of my princess-loving granddaughters
Cookies galore at the Ideal Bakery
On Wednesday we woke up to rain. We decided to go to the Temple in the morning and then head to Chapultepec Park in the afternoon. The Temple session was wonderful. It was so great to have Kathy there with us. She got a headset to listen in English but ended up listening to much of it in Spanish and she did well.
After we got home we changed and took the metro to town. By now we had great weather and the walk from the metro to Maxmillian's Castle was really pleasant. Beautiful flowers blooming in the park and lots of people to watch. We actually didn't walk all the way to the castle because we decided it might be fun to ride the little tram up. It was a lot easier. The castle, as always, was beautiful and we were able to share a little of the history of Mexico with Kathy that we had learned on earlier visits. One of the upstairs hallways has beautiful stained glass windows of Greek goddesses. This area is not always open to the public, so it was a real treat to see them with her.
After we left the castle we walked by the lake and then back to the metro to head home. Kathy got her things together and we enjoyed our last night with her.
Chapultapec Castle
On the tram going up to the castle
Kathy on the beautiful patio of the castle overlooking Mexico City
Fountain of Mother and Child in the rooftop garden
Kathy on the beautiful patio of the castle overlooking Mexico City
Two of the beautiful stained glass windows in the castle
Fountain of Mother and Child in the rooftop garden
Kathy by the lake
Thursday morning we took Kathy to the airport and then headed back to work to resume our missionary activities. Kathy spent much of the day in the Mexico City airport on standby but finally got to Dallas. Standby there was also difficult so she ended up spending the night there. The next day after much more airport waiting and round about flights she finally returned home to her cute family who were very excited to see her.
If you want to see additional pictures and story line check out Kathy's blogs.
here
here
here
and here
