Photo Gallery Update... Finally

We're not up to date yet, but we have posted more photos of the UK and added France. More of the year to come -- soon. Really. No, I'm serious.

If you're unmotivated and don't want to go all the way up there to the 'Photos' button, you can just click this link to go to the UK and Scotland photos. Or, here to go see France.

Video Blog: South American Explorers -- Cusco Clubhouse

Before we decided to head to Peru, friends told us about a place in Cusco called South American Explorers. They are a non-profit travel organization based in several cities in - you guessed it - South America. We all fell in love with the concept of SAE, as well as the people who work and volunteer there.

Here's how they describe themselves:

The vision of South American Explorers is to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions within South America by fostering the diffusion of information and positive cross-cultural interaction.

The mission of South American Explorers is to support and promote a deeper understanding of South American history and culture through programs, lectures, accurate information, and in-country clubhouses.

Mary, Mark, Doris, & Miguel have created a home-away-from-home in Cusco, and our kids

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Reverse Hiatus: Back to Los Angeles for Work

Brenna at the fountain in Saint Quentin la Poterie, FranceI feel like I've just started getting the lay of the land around here in the south of France, and now I'm heading back to Los Angeles for almost a month. I'm going home to work Pilot Season - that crazy time of year when all the hopeful TV shows for the next season come tumbling into post-production within a few days of each other, each one hoping to be among the lucky few picked to be added to the network schedule. All of us in Post work very long days, 7 days a week, for a few weeks, and then it's over. It's intense, but the money is good.

By the time I get back to Saint Quentin la Poterie again, Spring will be in full bloom, Ella will finally have a missing tooth grown in, and Owen will probably

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Six Months on the Road

Today is Dec. 22, 2009. We flew out of LAX, and away from our lives, six months ago today, on June 22. Pretty crazy to think about.

Some days we've felt like we were living the dream, and other days we have been absolutely sure that our lives were ruined forever. The way we look at things; the world, ourselves, our roles, is changing. We don't know how it'll all look in another six months, but right now it's exciting to plan, rather than scary to contemplate.

We've been told by friends we've met along the way

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Thanksgiving Friday

I got an email from my sister yesterday, and she asked "Is it hard being in a place where they don't celebrate Thanksgiving?" The answere is both "Yes - very!!" and also "No, not at all." We miss our friends and family so very much, and that's difficult, but we are also so very thankful.

These months on the road have been many things: taxing, joyous, maddening, frightening, enlightening, eye-opening. Sometimes we think we're brave and intrepid, and sometimes we're convinced that we're complete idiots. Living in this uncertainty has made us so very aware of our blessings. I know it sounds corny. It doesn't feel corny.

Our plan for a Thanksgiving blog was for each family member to list the things we're thankful for, and we realized that it was almost absurd.  There's nothing that we're NOT thankful for right now.