We Love Visitors!

Not only do they bring us goodies from home (See's Candy, Chocolate Chips & Yankee Candles-thank you Grandma!), but we get the opportunity to do fun touristy things.

Danny's mom came in for a visit, and we had a fabulous time showing her our new home. I had tried to warn her about the amount of walking and stair-climbing that our lifestyle requires, but I'm still not sure that she was entirely prepared!


We spent a day at Hampton Court Palace, which was a royal retreat just south of London. It was originally the private home of Cardinal Wolsey, who was Henry VIII chief minister. Henry decided that the time had come to trade in his starter wife, Katherine of Aragon, for a new one, Anne Boleyn, and the Catholic Church did not agree. So of course, like any reasonable person, Henry decided just to start his own church and declared the Catholic church illegal in Britain. Cardinal Wolsey was no longer an ally, and his home was seized by Henry.



It was an amazing visit, and we can't wait to go back. Most castles and palaces I've visited only allow you in a few select rooms, and at the end you think "I paid $25 for THAT?", but this one was well worth it. Most of the palace was open to tour, and there were amazing gardens as well. Kate loved the daffodils so much that she couldn't even focus on one of her favorite activities, posing for the camera. Hey Kate, the camera is over here.







The Tudors loved to drink wine as much we do, but they had a better wine cellar.


Kate even had time for a quick Latin lesson.




Michael...well, Michael slept through the entire thing.