The UK to the West Coast, and Back Again

Well, in the past six weeks or so, in addition to our little addition, we've had lots of fun visits to and from my side of the family.

First, about ten days after Naomi's birth (we are starting to use this as a sort of BC/AD dividing line), I flew to the mothercountry for a California wedding. My brother Brandon, the last Lincicum man standing, married Jeni Wright (now Lincicum!). They had a beautiful ceremony and reception at a botanical garden near Ventura on the 4th of July (insert Independence Day joke here). It was such a blast and we are thrilled to have Jeni in the family (the only person in their marriage, ahem, who ever comments on our blog). I stupidly forgot my camera for the wedding, but I managed to track down a YouTube video of them here.

Here's the four of us siblings, standing in birth-order, in Brandon and Jeni's kitchen:

We introduced my parents to Naomi via this photograph:

A couple of weeks later my mom and sister, Amy, came to stay with us for a week. It was so refreshing to have them, and we did a whirlwind tour of Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon (of Shakespeare fame), Bath and London. Naomi may not quite remember their visit, but her parents certainly will. Here's some highlights in pictures:

At London's Trafalgar Square:

Representing the West Coast in the London Eye:

The obligatory phonebooth shot:

Watching the changing of the guard from afar:

Samples of the great food we had. This is the dessert at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant in Oxford:

And here's a new take on an old British classic from The Pie Minister:

Naomi enjoyed lots of snuggles from her Auntie and Nana:

Posing in front of the Royal Crescent in Bath:

Julia heroically calming Naomi on one of our many bus rides:

Actors playing a scene from Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's birthplace:

A cream tea at The Parsonage in Oxford:

And what trip to Oxford would be complete without some shots of the Bodleian Library and Christ Church College?

Finally, my brother Matt and his wife Katherine came to Oxford for a couple of days as part of their European vacation celebrating the fact that Matt just finished law school and is about to start a job at a patent law firm in San Francisco. We had a great time touring Oxford, introducing them to Naomi, stopping by Bath and Stonehenge, and finally sending them on their onward journey via London.

Here they are with their new niece:

And here they are trying to sneak a peak into the Roman baths:

It's been an amazing season, and we've been so happy to share Naomi with family. Now, lamentably, it's time to get back to work!