Scottish Adventures For Pipes and Jewels

Chloe's Souvenir from the travelers
~Love it!! The 'hair' is a crack-up!

We really enjoyed this vacation vicariously of Piper and Julia's, our oldest granddaughters. Since Piper was born in Edinburgh eleven years ago she has been looking forward to returning to her birthplace. Lowell's work took him there this month and it was the perfect time for them to fulfill their promise to Piper to take her back. In a way Julia's beginnings are here too as Jen was 4 months pregnant when they returned to the USA. I have been to Edinburgh twice and Jim three times so these lovely places are so familiar. If you haven't been you may enjoy seeing some of their adventures around this beautiful city and the surrounding areas. Jim and I have dreamed of serving a mission here someday. We will start looking for that opportunity very soon.

Fashionable young ladies at the
Royal Botanical Gardens
always kept at the ready for a
visit from the Queen!

At the Pond in Invertleith Park near
the flat where they once lived.

The girls beach combing @ North Berwick

The streets of Edinburgh

The Monument to Greyfriar's Bobby
This little Skye Terrier kept watch over his
master's grave until
he himself died 14 years later.

Ice Cream from Luca's

Where JK Rowlings got much of her
inspiration as she sat writing while over
looking Edinburgh Castle.

JK Rowling's home in Edinburgh,
she lives fairly close to
our friend Paul's home
where Lowell and the kids were staying.
The girls enjoyed Harry Potter
so this was fun for them.

This particular phone booth
does not descend to the Ministry of Magic!

Monument to Sir Walter Scott,
one of Scotland's favorite sons.
Under this huge structure dedicated
to him sits this statue of him and his dog.

The Pilgrimage

The Royal Infirmary where Piper was born.

The street where they lived~
Dean Park Street

Piper and Julia in front of the building
where they lived when Piper was a tiny baby.

The Scottish National Monument

Piper hugging one of the columns...

Flamingos at the Edinburgh Zoo

Julia loved the nooks and crannies of the castles.

Across the street from their old flat.

The Famous Princes Street very crowded this day.

The girls at the National Science
Museum trying on Space suits!

On the town on Castle Street

View of the Castle from the gorgeous
Princes Street Gardens

Enjoying the scenery and taking photos!
Waiting for their lunch at Mamma's Pizza!

Climbing, climbing, climbing~
The Castle Wynd Steps

The Cannon at Edinburgh Castle.
Mons Meg

The view from the top!

Check out the seat covers on this bus!

Loving the open air tourist buses.

Cute photo, Lowell!

Highlander all dressed up and sporting
a kilt for the passersby and photographs.

A glimpse of Holyrood Castle where the
Queen stays when she visits Edinburgh.

The Castle where The Crown Jewels are kept.

The Castle from Waverly Bridge above
the rails and near the Waverly Station.

Old Town

St. Giles Cathedral in the background.

Royal Scottish Academy

Inside St. Giles Cathedral

Edinburgh Castle Entrance with Paul.

Piper and the guys!

Julia's turn!

A little window shopping...

The Plaza in front of St. Giles Cathedral
Piper once had her photo taken here with a bagpiper!

Heading for Paul's flat.

These photos are not any particular order...they were just selected from a group of many, many more pics! Thanks Lowell for taking us along! We had a lot of fun! We are glad you are home safe and sound. Loved the gift you brought Chloe! I have a feeling it was a winner in her eyes!

All About You!

Rossie cramming himself into the
grocery store car one last time!
Not really made for big kid 7-year-olds!

There are always just some fun random photos of the kids and their busyness playing and having fun. These are a bunch of photos posted by Laura daily on her My Life in Pictures blog and some that the other kids have sent electronically.

This is one of the most wonderful ways they can make Gramma and Grampa feel a part of the kids' lives. I am so thankful for digital cameras, scanners, and computers. They literally shrink the world to a manageable size. Oh and not to forget the telephones...They have saved us from dying of loneliness for these little people and their precious parents that we love more than life itself.

Spencer and Rossie~Italian Coolness

These grandkids are on the go. Spencer and Ross will be coming back to America to live on July 15th. Piper and Julia are going to Scotland on Tuesday. Connor, Anyslee, Zach and Owen are all in Oklahoma right now. The only two staying put are Chloe and Hazie! It sure is a different world they are growing up in compared to when we were kids. There is so much mobility and so many opportunities to be had. We love their parents for giving these little ones so many memories.

Zach in the dog house.

Chloe Jane's...Yummy chocolate residue?

Piper and Julia complete today's art projects.
For the full story on this go here! It is really cool!

Connor leading out on an end of the year activity.

Piper going off the school~She is so Jen!

Spencer with the thing he'll
miss most about Italy.
Marguerita Pizza

Julia in one of her funky hats! Love it!

Chloe~Dog Sitting
Her Mommy's favorite way to
have a dog. This is today!

Julia and Chloe in the first two Jacuzzi tubs
with their friends! Simple pleasures!

Computer Time for Owie at the Library!

Packing Out of Italy~they have to live
for eight weeks without their stuff as
it makes its slow boat trip to Rhode Island.

Hazie with her baby kitten!

Julia~Parachute Dance at the end of school year.

Rossie with his short cast!

Rossie getting it off
If only it was that fast!

Sleeping Beauty~Miss Chloe!

Piper on the right with her friend Mitrian.
Love her new bob. She started the year
with waist length hair!

Hazie tries the slide!

Whee!
Looks like a hit!
I can just hear her saying "AGAIN!"

Spencer in the middle of what

looks like The Scrambler with his friends.

Connor practicing his music.
He likes to do this for fun!
That = Success!

Owen's wheels

Pizza for our little Pirate!

Spencer with one of the Campbell
boys in Laura's seminary class!
What a great role model for the boys!

Julia and Aynslee playing with the new kittens!
Sleeping over to celebrate the end of school!
We just love having these sweet cousins
living so close to each other!
They are such good friends!

Miss Aynslee!

Zachary James Flyin' High!