Dreamer.Thinker.Player.

Losing my parents has been unbelievable. It sometimes still doesn’t feel real…it has now been two years since we lost my amazing mother. As I sit here, with Ben in my lap and Jonathan playing with his cars at my feet, I can’t fathom that they will not know my parents, their Nana and Gramps.

It has been a really difficult two years of trying to figure out who I am without her. As most of you know, mom was my best friend. She and I spoke every day, multiple times each day…so needless to say, there has been an unbelievable void in my life. I am very aware that my life hasn’t been the only one affected by her absence. She was so much to so many…

I recently heard a sermon where the pastor spoke on death. He said, “Time does NOT heal wounds, you just learn how to manage your pain.” I could not agree more.

Here are some of mom’s beautiful watercolor paintings. She took a class at the Woman’s Club from about 2005-2007. She was such a talented artist. Fun Fact: She was a Fine Art Major at UTEP.

If you would like a copy of any of these paintings, please contact me. Amy and I would be happy to share them with you.

So maybe it's the fact that I have been cooped up in the house all summer or maybe it's that I am missing my mom a lot or maybe it's the fact that I took a photography class last weekend (more on that later)...or maybe it's all 3 combine. In any case, I was really thinking about my trip to London and Paris recently. Mom and I were lucky enough to tag along with Amy on her business trip back in April 2005. It was an amazing trip. I loved both of those cities! I would go back in a heartbeat...and I hope I do! That was my best year ever! I went to London and Paris, got married, then went on the best Honeymoon EVER to Acapulco (more on that later)!

I hope you enjoy a little escape...I thought I was some world traveling photographer on this trip and so did my adoring mom!

London: We were there for 3 1/2 days. I'll admit, I wasn't super excited about the London part of the trip at first. I had wanted to go to Paris all my life, so I spent most of my time planning for that trip. So when we got to London my first attitude was like, yeah, yeah, whatever are we leaving for Paris yet? That was short lived once we got out and about...
A very smart person had recommended to us to take the Red Double Decker Tourist Bus when we first got there, so we did. It was really the smartest thing we did. It drives by every tourist spot in the city at lightening speed. You can get off at any stop and get back on when the next bus comes around.

My favorite places and things about London:
1) How beautiful and well preserved it was. I was really, really pretty and really, really old. Having never left America before, I was taken back by the history of the buildings and places. I had a quick change of heart and feel in love with London!
2) St. Paul's Cathedral. Hand's down best Cathedral I have ever been to. This was something that I was surprised by. Again, on this location, I was like, sure, lets go there. But when we walked in it almost took my breath away. We weren't aloud to take pictures inside and all my outside pictures were blurry. It's a shame. But the imagines are forever in my mind.
3) The Tower of London. Super cool and historic place! Mom and I had so much fun exploring! (Amy was working that day) Had little to no knowledge about this place prior to going and since then it's been cool when I see it in movies and hear it being referenced...etc. I have always been more of a hands on learner!
4) Public Transit. I know it sounds weird. But, we figured out the "Underground" (that's what they call the subway system) and we used it and above ground trains to get around almost 100% of the time. We were quite proud of ourselves. The subway conductor says "Mind the Gap", meaning don't step in the gap between the train and the station. Mom thought that was the funniest thing! She said it for a while after we got back and she would just crack up! She even got herself a coffee mug that said it!
Dislikes:
1) Really I would only say, THE FOOD!!! So gross. Fish and Chips? Gross. The Orangery, a little cafe at Kinsington Palace, supposed to be really good...GROSS! I actually gagged when eating there...I had scones with clotted cream for the first time! Yum! Scones are the only thing they do right in my book! And tea, but that's not really food.

Mom and Amy - at the airport Chili's in Dallas, super excited! Dad said this was one of his favorite photo's of them.

Me and Amy, just got there and ready to get the tour going!

Mom and Big Ben

Amy, me and Big Ben

The Parliament Building...I was really taken back by the beauty of this building in person. This photo always reminds me of Harry Potter for some reason. Maybe it's the bird? Maybe it's taking a message to Harry?

Me and Amy in front of Trafalgar Square. There was some kind of protest going on.

Amy and mom in front of the glass egg building.

We stopped off at a pub for a pint. Ha! (never 'been drinking' with mom before, it was funny!)

One of my favorites.

At Buckingham Palace!

Another one of my favorites. All the posts around there have crowns on top. So I had her stay still so I could get it so it looked like the crown was on her head. It kinda sorta turned out. I just think she looks so cute in the photo! She was inching to the right and scooting backwards...it was funny!

At Westminster Abby.

Cool shot at Big Ben

This is in the crypt below St. Paul. Right before I became an Ewert. We saw this and Mom got so excited that it was my soon to be name, so we asked the man that worked down there for special permission to take a pic! She was so funny!

We went to see Momma Mia at the Prince of Wales theater! Very awesome show at a very awesome venue! Not to mention the cool pic mom took of me!

Mom in the Tower of London

At the Tower of London, in front of the famous Tower Bridge

At Kinsington Palace...FYI this is the new residence of William and Kate!

We 'lunched' at the Orangery. Gross food, but great ambiance.

PARIS...oh wonderful Paris...whats not to love? Seriously. I loved everything. There wasn't a thing I didn't like. But here are the high points:
1) The Eiffle Tower. Once I saw it, I didn't really want to do anything else. I could have hung out there all day, every day. It mezmerized me. We were there 3 days and we went there every day!
2) The Muse D'Orsay. The best museum, in my opinion. I know everyone loves the Loruve, but there is just something amazing about the D'Orsay. But I could have stayed at both for a week alone!
3) Notre Dame. Beauiful, amazing. I was again surprised how much I loved it (like with St. Paul). I even loved hanging out in the garden behind it!
4) La Sacre Coeur. I had never heard of it before, now I will never forget it! Beautiful. It is on this hill, in a very flat area and you can see it from everywhere in the city, it is just amazing. And then once your there and your at the bottom of the hill looking up at it, wow. And then once you climb all the millions of steps to be at it's door way...well, just go there, you'll know what I mean!
5) I loved walking the streets. There was always something beautiful to look at. Something good to smell. Something to learn. Loved it.
6) Everyone says that Paris people are rude, but I completely disagree, actually the oposite for us! We had this one waitress that when she found out we were from America she came and sat with us and asked us all sorts of questions. One being, "Do we live in Las Vegas?" No. - "Then, have you been to Las Vegas?" No. "Oh?" Ha! She was so dissappointed! We got a kick out of that!

Finally! On our way to Paris! We are on the Euro Star Train zipping through the French country side. Amy was up in business class with her colleagues and mom and I were back in coach. So mom and I went exploring and found the coach dinning car. We had coffee and yummy cookies. Then on the way back we had red wine and baguettes.

Super excited! We had finally arrived in Paris!!! At the Nord (north) Train Station.

First night in Paris = Awesome! The guy we are with is one of Amy's colleagues. He was British and came with us to Paris and he was SO FUNNY. He took us to dinner that night at this amazing restaurant! Then I finally got to see the Eiffel tower!

On top of the Arc de Triomphe looking at the Eiffel tower.

It doesn't look that far away...we can totally walk there...trust me...it's far away.

All smiles...before our journey.

I was really taken back by the beauty of it.

Cool trees.

Finally! We made it! Our legs were rubber! Don't ask me why we didn't just get a cab.

One of my favorite shots that I got.

At the D'Orsay in front of Starry Night Over The Rhone. I am a huge Van Gogh fan!

We were giddy amongst all the beautiful paintings!

Inside the Big Clock at the D'Orsay looking across at the Louvre.

The main area of the D'Orsay. It was a train station about 100 years ago.

Mom really liked this. She said she was going to paint this some where.

View from the middle section of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. Accidental effect but I think it turned out pretty cool.

Looking up the tower. Man I love this thing. :)

The Eiffel Tower twinkles at the top of every hour...I thought it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen...

Walking over a cool bridge to Notre Dame.

The stain glass window inside Notre Dame.

Behind the Alter at Notre Dame.

I loved the ceilings of all these old structures.

In the garden behind Notre Dame. Mom in the bottom right.

Amy and Mom walking in the Garden behind Notre Dame.

We are on this cool island in the middle of Paris, I forget the name. We had so much fun on this street. We popped in and out of shops. This is where I got Michael some cheese. The hotel on the right, we went in there and got the info and the 3 of us swore that we would come back and stay there one day!

The breath taking Basilica of the Sacre Coeur.

Me at Moulin Rouge. We only stopped for the photo...didn't hang around there too long! :)

Eating dinner at a street cafe...oh la la!

The sparkling thing coming out of the top of my head is the Eiffel Tower.

At night time...it was so romantic!

Eating Crepes for breakfast!

For my fellow Da VInci Code fans.

The Mona Lisa. Yes, it is always this packed to see her, I kept going back to see if it had cleared but everyone wants to see her! And she is amazing!