Birthdays Begin

Dad and Martha got to celebrate this year while we were at the Temple.  

Martha's first birthday away from home.

(she almost had one before but the ash cloud cleared and we got home from the USA just in time)

Present opening

The traditional photo of the two birthday people.

Cupcakes was the order of the day as they travel happily!

These were made with Mary Berry's lemon tray bake recipe and extra added lemon curd in the icing!!

Happy Birthday Both.

Trip 3- More

We try to go to the Temple at least 3 or 4 times a year.  It takes about 4 1/2 hours to get there but it is so rewarding because of the peace we can feel there.

Even though we have been many times, we all take photos every time!  

These are a couple of Martha's shots this time, maybe with some help from dad but if its on your camera you can claim it as yours!

So here we all are at the end of our visit together.

Thanks everyone for making the trip so special and memorable.

See you next year!

Trip 3- I love to see the Temple

We travelled down to London to our Temple. There we met up with family members and had a really lovely time.  the first of many of these family trips hopefully.

2nd Cousins on the steps (1 missing- due to the lateness of the hour)

Arty photos of the boys with Uncle Colin and Granddad

Martha and Grandma

Nice shot Martha!

Trip 2 Part 2

Cadbury World was great fun on Good Friday.  

Ross helped to guide me there safely and we ate too much chocolate!

Trip 2 Part 1

Calvin had a Union Conference in Birmingham over the easter weekend.  Ross, Martha and I went with him .  

We were very lucky to have a suite in the Marriott Hotel, with an adjoining family room!

                                                This is the kids room, double bed EACH.

This is the lounge/dining area.  Its lovely to have that extra space.

We shopped lots, and I would have got lost lots without Ross, my very own sat nav.

This is the new Birmingham Library, very impassive from the outside and in, better in the sunshine though!

Easter Holidays Trip 1

Calvin's mum arranged a girls night away, staying at the Vale Hotel in Cardiff.  We left home on Monday and stopped off for a spot of shopping and lunch at Bridgend.

This was our lovely room at the Vale

We spent the afternoon relaxing in the pool and jacuzzi.  

She had booked me in to have my eyebrows ripped off my face with boiling wax 

in the "Health Spa" for an extra TREAT.  

Despite the obvious and immediate pain from this process I was pleased with the results.

We walked around the grounds in the evening before having a meal in the bar.

Next morning we ate a hearty breakfast before hitting the city centre for some serious shopping.

We managed to ring some lovely clothes, mostly in Debenhams. In fact we spent so long in the store that we eventually returned everything and started again by opening up a store card to get a discount.

We usually like to try on a few hats on our outings, what do you think?

We found this travelling show in the town....

...but we couldn't think of anything to tell them about!!

We needed food so we popped to the carvery on the way home, Grandma was sent back to repark the car but not before I had snapped the evidence.

You can't just leave it there!!!!

That's better.

Anyway, a HUGE Thank you to all involved in this production.

I should also mention here that while we were away both granddads were involved in site maintenance at the Williams residence in readiness for our new shed.  so a BIG thank you to them too.

My Faith

This last weekend was General Conference for our Church, 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

We are really blessed to be able to hear the words of our leaders speaking to us the things that Heavenly Father wants us to hear.  

I wanted to share this talk with you, It is about my Saviour, Jesus Christ.  

It is by Elder D Todd Christofferson one of the General Authorities of the Church

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/04?lang=eng&vid=3439077340001&cid=10

I was once talking about my faith with someone and they questioned my beliefs, they wanted to know what I believed and not what the Church believed.  That question caused me to really think and gave me the chance to deepen my own personal testimony of my Saviour.  I know that He lived, died and was resurrected.  And I know that through Him and His atoning sacrifice I can be made clean and return to live with Him and my Heavenly Father and my loved ones again.  

This is the reason I do the things I do, the reason I live the standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the reason I raise my children the way I do.