Hogmanay Holiday

I've already put a bunch of photos of our recent trips to Edinburgh and Italy up on Facebook, but I figure it can't hurt to cover all the bases for my homies (a.k.a. Moms and Dads of the Stryker-Hamberlin dynasty :). So, Grandmas & Grandpas, this is for you!

We began the festivities with a torchlight procession, "Son et Lumiere" (that's Sound and Light). Everyone sauf Emma had a large torch that could've easily doubled as a weapon. Nico and Mason were especially dangerous, and I believe I have some colorful commentary on the Flip camera footage to prove it. A few fellow tourists and myself almost got singed from their efforts. We eventually made our way to the Tower where some cool fireworks were set off. Freezing, we retreated to the hotel for some rest after the train ride and day's events.

The next day we met up with our friends, the Crane's and the Whitehead's. We ventured to Camera Obscura (see black and white building above) where we enjoyed lots of cool little exhibits with trompe l'oeil and many other forms of visual stimulation. We ventured to the rooftop for lovely views of grey but picturesque Edinburgh.

During our stay we also visited the castle for a very chilly and windy evening of storytelling from its former inhabitants including Mary Queen of Scots. It was fun but I felt sorry for the narrators/actors the entire time!

Oh man, I just realized this has been sitting in my edit box for two months! I am losing the will to blog. I have to pay more attention to my family so hopefully the relatives will forgive the quarterly posting instead of the monthly one :) There is just too much going on and not enough time to do it. So, I'm signing off for a bit and living life . . .

Mark's 40th Birthday . . . Last Year

Ok, so it was in December but last year sounds more dramatic as we're in 2010 now. My honey turned the big 4-0 with a surprise party during the Thanksgiving weekend. He was surprised so the party was a success, even a low key affair, really. Mark wanted to invite people over for Thanksgiving, American-style, and encouraged me to go with a caterer so we could invite more friends and not be stressed! Way to go, Hambo! It worked out well and we had a fun time. I wish we could have had family and friends from the U.S., too, but with the quick timing and cost of flying everyone over it couldn't happen.

He also had a party of sorts with his global HR team, who happened to be in town for meetings on the day of his birthday. Dare I say he had more fun on this day since they made a big fuss, going out to eat and bowling (crazy, I know :) We also celebrated the day before (as a family) since he was to be out with his colleagues. Forty wasn't going too badly, perhaps even looking positive, until Mark pinched some kind of nerve that wracked his neck, shoulder and upper back with pain and left his arm numb. It happened right at midnight on his birthday, so the funny thing is that he kept saying; "The warranty expired! I'm broken, it's all downhill from here . . . " It took over a month to where he could move like he did before the incident, however he was determined to ride in the Hell of Ashdown bike race on Jan. 30th (35 miles, I think). It's a race named after the forest area from whence his decendants originated in England. It's the same 100 Acre Wood from the Winnie the Poo stories. It was very hilly, chilly, icy and difficult so Mark was just hoping to pedal like he was out on a leisurely ride--not wanting to push it since the course itself would do that! Of course, his competitive side always wins out and he turned in a 6th place finish (out of 100+ participants). Not bad for an old man, eh?

Blog, What's a Blog? Who Cares, Look at My Handsome Husband!

The world's most striking 40 year old man, Mark Hambo

Marina performs with the Middle School Orchestra

I can never get a clear shot of her with all those other kids in the way :)

Beautiful Trafalgar Square Night Shot (courtesy of Mr. Allison)

Nico in the reflecting pool at Salisbury Cathedral

Mark & Nico at Stonehenge, yet again!

Emma & her good friend, James

Nico blocks a goal (from his Dad)

Always the dirtiest player on his team

Cute Scramblers in costume

Madge & Mason strike a pose

Really? Posting a picture from October in December (yes, that's my life)

Some People that I See Everyday Who Make Me Happy

Mark, many moons ago in 6th grade

Marina, 5th grade

Emma, pre-school

Nico, a.k.a Vlad the Impaler, 2nd grade

Mason, 8th grade

Auschwitz-Birkenau

This will not be the most uplifting post, in terms of what was photographed, but it was very enlightening and interesting. Words cannot describe what occurred at this concentration/work camp, however, it is a place I've always wanted to visit and see for myself . . . I guess the pictures tell the story.

I will say there were no other children around, unless you count high-school age kids visiting on school break tours. Our stroller and young ones set us apart and probably caused some people to think we were a bit strange to expose our children to something they may not remember or understand. Perhaps, but when you're this close to something so historical, so incredibly important, how can you not go? The history major in me had to be there. We were touched and haunted by the materials, the possessions, the photos of all the people--Jewish, gypsy, disabled--from many nations that were left behind. It was horrible to see how the Nazis dehumanized them in every way possible from shaving their heads to labeling them for "crimes." And that's just the tip of the iceberg as we all know.

Auschwitz seemed much smaller than the huge Birkenau camp. They're 3 km apart and were both used for various experiments, labor, and ultimately death. I kept having images flash in my head from "Schindler's List, " especially the train arrivals, screaming of people in the showers and gas chambers, the boy hiding in the latrines, and so on. On a positive note, we were heartened to see many groups of Jewish teens walking with Israeli flags, leaving memorial candles here and there, and hopefully taking pride in all their people endured and survived. We say never again, but the adversary works hard to harden people's hearts and minds . . .