Exploring with Mom

As I have said a time, or twenty, my mom wasn't too interested in sight-seeing.  We did all of that last time she was here.  This time has been all about relaxing together!  It has been such a fun visit!

There was one place that Justin and I had recently discovered, and thought that if we had the opportunity, it would be fun to take mom and the kids there.

We started the day with our small group worship time.  Four families gather together to worship together.  The friend whose birthday party that we went to yesterday also had a relative in town.  So we were a big group.  We always start out with breakfast.  Then we sing and pray.  After that we study the Word together.  Finally, we release the kids for a little bit, and have a more intensive time of prayer.

The forecast had called for rain and terrible weather.  But, we woke up to beautiful blue skies!  So, after worship we dropped by the flat to get our jackets and comfy clothes on- not that we have to dress up for worship, but my girls always do.  We piled in the car and headed here:

The beautiful Black Sea

My beautiful mother and me at the Black Sea

Gamma and her babies
This time next year, Noah will be taller than Gamma!

 This beach is one of our favorite places.  We come here almost weekly during the summer.  It was fun to show Gamma one of our major hang-outs!

After we explored a little bit (and Lucy fell into some mud and had to get her pants rinsed out) we continued on to this place.  It has huge lovely wooded grounds, a playground, a little cafe, and a beautiful palace that is now a nice restaurant.  A hundred years ago, it was the summer home for the Egyptian viceroy.

Gamma and Lucy looking at the pictures that Lucy took while we had a tea at the cafe.

Mom and me at one of the patios that overlook the Bosphorus.

Here are a few pictures that I copied from the website that I linked to:

 It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful place to explore!  After we walked around the entire property we decided it was time to go eat dinner.

I had been wanting to try this restaurant nearby.  It sits way up on a hill overlooking the city all the way down to the water.  We went upstairs to the closed in terrace.  It tilted a bit, and Callie was afraid we were going to slide right off the mountain.  I bet my mom was, too!

Anyhow, the food was good.  Everyone had worked up quite an appetite, so we chowed down!