Prince Phillip aka Prince Liam

Little Ella had to get in on the action.

Prince Liam demonstrating his sword technique.

The towel/cape completes the outfit.

Prince Liam to the rescue!!

Dinner after the Alamo

Once we arrived at the restaurant, the food was amazing- though we look very well-traveled!

After the Alamo

After the Alamo we decided to get something to eat. And, we didn't leave the kids at home alone, Anne- a young woman from their ward had come to babysit while we went out. She was great to have on the entire trip. Also, San Antonio is known for the riverwalk, which is a path along a river that runs below street level. There are shops, restaurants, etc. We had seen a place we wanted to try and had consulted the map as seen above, and so we started our journey.

We walked a fair piece and Tanya who was 4 or 5 months pregnant at the time was amazing- but all of us were getting tired and hungry, but Buck and Brian said they knew where they were going, so we kept walking.

As we neared the timeshare, clearly not where the food was, Tanya and I decided to stop and ask for help. We had to wait for the nice man to finish telling the other people where they could go to dinner as well.

We learned that our problem was, once we entered the riverwalk, had we turned right instead of left, we would have been at the door of the restaurant. So back we went, but dinner was delicious.

The Alamo

The Alamo was a part of history that I had often heard referenced, but I didn't know what actually took place. In fact, the battle at the Alamo was lost by Texas, but the soldiers are honored by their valor in standing against an army many times larger than they were and holding their posts. That is the short version of why they are remembered.

Brian and Tanya outside the Alamo

Buck and Nadia

Gunther House San Antonio December 2008

A morning in San Antonio found us having breakfast at the Gunther or Guenther House. They are known for delicious biscuits. I bought some mix and they were just as good at home, just not quite so large. Liam and Ella lead the way into eat.

This gingerbread house is a replica of the Gunther House- and the inside has every detail of the building as well. The cooks prepare a gingerbread house each year during the holidays.

And after breakfast we had a little exercise on the lawn while Tanya was inside getting some biscuit mix of her own. You know this game- first I let you chase me,

then I chase you,

then I chase all of you,

then I catch all of you and I tickle you until we are all laughing so hard we can't breathe. It's a good game.

Flowers

This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. My Grandma said after she and my Grandpa had lived in New Zealand that the beauty was comparable only to the Garden of Eden. By seeing the beauty of this island, I can understand why she would say that of another island.
I love the expression on his face- we are so happy to have eachother.

I took so many pictures of flowers with nothing in them for scale- as my Grandpa always would have us put a book or scale or ice pick in for scale- I didn't want to disturb the beauty.

On a hike, taking time to smell the fragrance of nature.

Last flower picture- I have loved books like The Secret Garden and the expressions in Anne of Green Gables "light way to light"- I am so hapy to have such a beautiful garden right outside my own house now.

Honeymoon Food

This was our first real meal in Hawaii- baked ono- it was so delicious. Perhaps it was even more delicious because we ate this after the 5 mile hike which turned into a 10 mile hike. More delicious seafood after another day of hiking.

This was a great breakfast place, though you would not have guessed it from the outside. The staff wear scrubs and serve the food on carts that we use in the hospital. However, the banana pancakes with cocunut macadamian syrup were divine. And while I have forgotten the name of it- which is another reason to not wait years to scrapbook your honeymoon pictures- he is eating a typical dish which is rice, a small hamburger patty, a fried egg with gravy on top. It is actually not that bad.

Of course, what would a record of Cotter Consumption be without sushi? I am trying to learn to like sushi, and because it makes him so happy to eat it- I can't deny him his love for raw fish. And- had I never gone,thanks first to Jena, then Buck- I never would have tried edamame which I do enjoy.