still no photos, but having lots of fun!

After being up with Brent's family, my parents flew in and we drove to Star Valley, Wyoming. Everyone but Andy and Angela were there with all the kids. We hiked, rode horses, played, enjoyed Maverik frozen yogurt and had a blast playing with cousins. I drove Brent down to Idaho Falls so he could fly out and he and I went to the temple. It was nice. Then I drove back to Wyoming, packed up and the next day drove Rebekah to a camp in Logan, Utah. Then we drove back to Idaho Falls to get my dad on an airplane. Me and kids are in Idaho Falls for the next week, along with my mom. I will have my surgery tomorrow and then we have to drive (again) down to Utah next week to take Josh to soccer camp. We are seeing lots of family, getting outside as much as possible, and enjoying being together.

Hope you are all doing well. I promise I will get pictures up eventually.....still trying to get that together, but doesn't seem to be a moment to do it!

Amiee, Brent and crew

Lots happening---just no time to blog!

On June 17th we left Egypt and flew through Paris to London. I saw the Eiffel Tower with my own 2 eyes, so that was cool. Once in London, we rented a car and spent 6 days exploring England and Wales. It was great. I have lots of pictures, but we are now in Idaho for a few weeks and haven't had time/facilities to download all the pictures. I am getting on that asap, so look back for photos soon.

Since we have been in Idaho, we have visited some beautiful areas, done a lot of shopping for necessities, ran around on the grass for hours, played with cousins, eaten pork products to no end and enjoyed the fresh air and normal driving:) We drove to Soda Springs and didn't hit one single pot-hole on the freeway---it was great!

We love you all and hope all is well.

Alexandria

For Brent's birthday, he and I went on a 36 hour get away together to Alexandria. We rode the train for 2 1/2 hours, then spent the rest of the time enjoying the coast, eating good fish, exploring and laughing together. Great trip!

Fort of Alexandria----dates back to Roman times. Amazing!

View of Alexandria's harbor from the fort

There were a number of beautiful mosques in Alex

Brent by the Med. Sea

Amiee by Pompei's Pillar

The restored library at Alexandria---beautiful, but I was kind of angry the whole time we were there because of all the history that was lost when the original library was thoughtlessly destroyed by the conquering Arabs. There was only 1 small paper on display that they had recovered from the original library.

Another thing we saw, one of my favorites, was the old Roman catacombs. It was cool! We felt like we were on a movie set with water dripping and pooling from the cave ceiling around our feet, dark caves all around and musty smells of earth and times gone by. Brent laid in the one of the tombs and I took a picture with my cell phone camera. Once I learn how to get it off the phone and onto the computer, I will put it on here. Camera's weren't allowed, but we just had to capture that moment:)

Some funnies

My favorite building in Maadi....columns to nowhere:)

Can't you tell....that means no honking allowed (or is it "aloud"....hahaha!)

the Egyptian version of 7-11

I think there is room for one more bag, don't you!

A couple of weeks ago I was in Carre Foure (like super walmart, but less.....) and saw some capris that looked almost normal and decided to try them on. In the fitting room (really a broom closet with a curtain rod and curtain) they had ETERNITY mirrors. For those of you who don't know what those are, they are mirrors that when you look in them, you can see your image reflected over and over again, infinately---or eternally.

Now, ETERNITY mirrors have great meaning and purpose to me, but they DO NOT belong in a dressing room. Who wants to see their physical flaws repeated over and over again into eternity. I can't think of a more depressing image or thought...or a worse way to sell clothes! SO FUNNY! I actually burst out laughing while in the dressing closet.

AAHHH....I love Egypt:)

Life, also known as the whirlwind.

May seems to be crazy busy every year. This year is no exception. The calendar is full, the to-do list is miles long and the motivation to "do" is worn-out. We are all dragging ourselves up in the morning, hitting the pillow asleep at night and just trying to make it through to the end. Summer holiday is like a light at the end of a long tunnel and we are all trying to keep going until we get there.

We have had balls, dinner parties, meetings, art shows, choir and band concerts, writer's cafes, fieldtrips...the list goes on. It is great to be involved and see how far we have come this year, but we are all looking forward to the calm that is fast approaching.

Here are some pictures of:

Brent and Amiee at the US Embassy OMC military ball, our van windshield that was vandalized while we slept---and is STILL NOT FIXED, and Elisabeth in her 3rd grade music concert.

Sarah's Self Portraits

Sarah took the camera off the desk and the next thing I know there is a whole gallery of her self-portraits. Gotta love that girl:)

Hey Everyone! we miss you! I feel like i'm trapped here in Egypt, but we're, thankfully, leaving soon for the states! yes!!!!!! It's the same here as it has always been. Nothing really new or exciting, but I'll tell you how everyone is getting along:

Sarah: Having fun in kindergarten. Learning new words and always singing weird songs she made up two seconds ago:) She's been crying a lot lately. but that's not really new. She is very strange and it just crackes you up to see her, even whe she is pretending to drive a bus. It looks like she has to get to the emergancy room, and fast!

Emma: She's the trickster. She is so darn funny! ha ha! She's the "do anything to crack you up" kind of person. She literally will do anything! She's doing gymnastics and basketball. Emma likes to act. Well it seems like it because whenever you tapp her on the shoulder, she cries like she broke something. She just exagerates everything!

Elisabeth: I don't really know. She's the same old same old. She's still doing horse back riding. I don't know really much of what's new with her. She is so kind and loving and helps mom lots. I'm very much closer to her than I used to be. Wich is a very, very good thing! Making progress here!

Josh: Still being a meany pants. Loves to tackle us and tease us for no reason. You would think I would get tired of it from all these years of him bothering me, well, you'll be suprised, because guess what? I am tired of it! Ugggggg!:( Geez Josh! He has turned into one of my best friends over the years though. He still annouyes me soososososo much , but we're closer than ever. :)

Me(Rebekah): Not much is new with me. I have found a new interest though. Track! I LOVE track! It's sososo much fun to run your heart out! I'm also pretty good at long jump. Josh and I just finished track, but I'm gonna keep on runnin! ha ha! I still like singing and acting. I'm not doing much but homework. All day long! Ugggg! Well schools alomost over! That's the good news! Can't wait till summer! Yay!!!!!!!

Well, gotta go!

See ya!

Later

Rebekah House

Emily and Sarah look so cute together! SOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE! ha ha!

Sarah is so funny! She didn't think I saw this, but I did!

Man do I love my parenats! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them!