Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

The Christmas season has begun at the Burbank residence...

Starting with the search for the perfect tree...

finding the perfect tree...

and cutting down the perfect tree...

decorating the perfect tree...

the perfect "CHEESE!"

the perfect tree...

the perfectly bizarre picture...

the perfect tree once more...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thanksgiving Week 2009

It was a great Thanksgiving holiday. It started out with knee surgery for Randy - I'll spare you the pictures - so he had some time off to recuperate. And my family came up for a week of R & R + F & L (food and Lucas:)

Thanksgiving morning...

Add in some mimosas!

the boys...

and girls...

making cookies with Grandma...

and Great Grandma...

Turkey from the new roaster...perfection!

Dinner time... with lots to be thankful for...

Lucas turned two...on Friday the 13th

The Burbank household was very busy this weekend. Our big boy turned two! So, of course we had to have two parties, actually we partied all weekend. Aunt Jana came to town, as well as our cousins Siouxsie and Eric, and their baby Olivia. Lucas had a great time - ate lots of cake, opened presents, played and visited all weekend long. It was a great time.

Can't have a party without lots of balloons.

The family party - with the rock hard cake I made - Lucas seemed to like it though:)

Eric, Siouxsie, and Ollie - The cutest baby on the planet!

The birthday boy, who of course wouldn't let us take a picture of him.

The yummy cake Malinda made for Lucas.

Lucas' girlfriend Lilly and her parents - Greg and Malinda

Lucas' buddy Trevor, his brother Sage, and parents, Matt and Dawn

The kids having fun - sugared up on cake and ice cream.
Lucas is now two. Growing up so fast - Thanks to everyone who made this such a memorable birthday for Lucas and his parents! Happy Birthday Lucas!

Burbank/Beard England Holiday 2009

After a 10 hour flight we finally made it to London, exhausted. We found our friends and travel companions, The Beards - in the very busy Heathrow International Terminal - and headed for The Underground. We made it to our hotel, checked in, and headed right back out to explore the area. Of course the only place Randy wanted to go in London was the Hard Rock Cafe - so be it.

The next morning we checked out of London, ventured to the Paddington Train Station, boarded a train and headed for the beautiful lush green English countryside.

We stayed in Ellesmere at Shropshire at a local B&B, The Mereside Farm. It was absolutely gorgeous.

The Beards - Kevin, Fairlight, and Brayden.

The one and only decent picture we got of the three of us the whole trip - Lucas hates posing for pictures.

The back side of the farm overlooking the canal and the Blackwater Marina off to the right - where we began our waterway expedition.

Every morning at the Farm we had a full English breakfast - farm fresh eggs (from the chickens in the yard), English style bacon, mushrooms, tomato, and sausage (made on site by Mr. Stokes in their commercial kitchen). All served to us with whatever we wanted, I do miss it so....

Before boarding the boat we had a few days to explore the area. We decided to jump on a bus and venture south to a town called Shrewsbury. We went to a few key sites in the town, one being the Shrewsbury Abbey - The site of first English parliament.

It was founded in 1083. Yeah, that would make it almost a 1000 years old!

It was so amazingly beautiful inside - the ceiling over the alter.

The Abbey Church towers over the adjacent education center which is a nature preserve.

After the Abbey we walked to the Shropshire Regimental Museum in Shrewsbury Castle. This is the "keep" overlooking the Castle and most of the city.

Shrewsbury is the birthplace and home of Charles Darwin.

View of the Castle from the Keep.

Finally we board! Our first evening on the boat - we cruise, eat crusty bread, meats and cheeses, and drink lots of Guiness- at least Fairlight and I do- the boys drink Bitters! We had perfect sunny weather most of our trip, we only had about two or three days of rain the entire two weeks; it was perfect.

Most of England and Wales looks like this - beautiful rolling green hills, pastures as far as the eye can see, spotted with sheep and cows. That's it - It is so serene and beautiful.

This is how we spend our days, cruising along, stopping if we want, mooring in the evening, and to the pub for a beer. It was a good life....

Lucas in the bow of the boat. He really loved all the boats.

Our first Lock - New Marton Bottom Lock

KB at the helm.

Lucas opening the Lock to allow Askam Loop No 104 to pass.

The wash on the top side of the Lock.

My little sailor

We didn't mean to dress alike - but great minds do think alike.

Pub # 75:) The Bridge Inn, where we moored up for the night before crossing the Chirk Aqueduct, the lower of the two. The bridge above is the railway viaduct - which we took on the way to Ellesmere.

The Chirk Aqueduct, constructed in 1801 standing 70 feet above the English/Welsh border.

Another beautiful day on the water crossing into Wales.

Immediately after the Aqueduct the canal enters a tunnel - 459 yards long.

Entering the tunnel. Ooooo.....

Cruising along at a good 2 to 3 mile clip. Top speed is about 4 mph.

Entrance to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The "Ponty" carries the canal 1007 feet across the Dee valley and is regarded as one of the most amazing feats of waterway engineering in the world. Let me tell you, if you're on this thing you're wondering how the hell they did it. It's breath taking.

200 years old, rising 126 feet above the river with NO railing on the canal side - you feel like your floating on air. It was truly amazing and indescribable.

Those two dots at the stern of the boat are Kevin and Randy.

Coming into Llangollen cruising on a very narrow passage.

One of many lift/draw bridges we had to operate.

Randy bringing us into Llangollen - the start of the Llangollen Canal, and our turn around point.

The only other picture we managed to get of the three of us - little stinker! This is the mooring station, the end/beginning of Llangollen Canal.

Llangollen is home to the steam railway - and home to Thomas the Train. Above is the station situated on the beautiful River Dee. We missed Thomas by one week, but we did ride the steam train.

Lucas loved it,

but he was so tired...

He didn't get to see the steam engine.

The morning we left Llangollen, we went for a hike up to Castle Dinas Bran. You can barely see the ruins at the top of the mountain.

The Castle was built in the 1200's and was only used for about two decades.

This site is one of the top ten Blue Sky View's in the entire would.

It was worth the hike.

The passage leaving Llangollen, a no passing zone. Randy and I had to run ahead to make sure the pass was clear, would hate to have to reverse all the way out if we ran into another boat.

Lucas steering the Askam Loop!

Back over the Ponty, that's my foot!

This video, as Randy says, does not do the aqueduct justice.

The tunnel- The amazing story is that back in the day the canal boats were horse drawn. The men had to take the horses over the tunnel, then lay on their backs on the roof of the boats and "walk" them hand over foot through the tunnel. Crazy.

Chef KB.

Entering the Mere (lake) District.

Lucas contimplating life.

Troll under the bridge.

Our final destination the other direction - Grindley Brook Locks at Bridge 29.

A series of 6 locks back to back.

Looking at the lock from the road above.

A rainbow guiding us to the pub.

I love that they had a playground outside the pub - what a great concept.

At the Horse and Jockey. The night before we head back to port.

Fairlight and I had to do laundry - good thing the pub was right around the corner!

The morning we got off the boat.

Waiting for the train to take us back to London - my world traveler.

Standing on the bridge that was built for the Olympics - looking over the River Thames to the London Eye and Big Ben.

In the Eye just starting the climb to the top.

At the top of London!

Look kids Big Ben, Parliament!

Lucas in the Eye - didn't even phase him.

The Eye is 443 feet tall!

It was a well spent 30 minutes.

Westminster Bridge - closed to vehicle traffic that day.

The Household Cavalry Museum

Randy and I saw Phantom of the Opera at its original venue - Her Majesty's Theatre. What an incredible show!

The only reason these phone booths are still everywhere on the streets - for the tourists.

It was our turn to take the kids so Kevin and Fairlight could see a show - they had great fun together.

It was a wonderful two weeks spent with great friends in the UK - a trip of a lifetime, lots of good memories that will never be forgotten. And given that I took about 800 pictures, I think I did pretty good keeping this post to a minimum. Cheerio!