Saturday in London

Justin didn't have to work on Saturday so we got to go out as a family.  We ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and then headed out to the train station.  The train station was just a few blocks away.  We bought an all day transportation pass.  So, we could hop on and off of the trains, tube, etc.

We rode the train into Waterloo (I just love saying Waterloo).  Then connected to the tube and came up at Victoria Station. 

A traditional English taxi cab.  Even the newest cabs are still made in this style.

Victoria Station

We were trying to see the changing of the guard.  They only do it once every other day.  Unfortunately every tourist in all of the United Kingdom was there, too.  This is out in front of Buckingham Palace.  The Bobbies had stopped traffic so that the guards could march through.  There was a band, guards, and mounted guards.

The guards marching towards the palace.

The mounted guards

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace with the Victoria memorial statue in front

The guards marching back to wherever they came from after the ceremony.

St. James Park park with the London Eye and Big Ben Clocktower in the distance

Westminster Abbey

They had a really neat activity for kids, so we got to really explore and they weren't too bored.  They had their own clipboards with a special leaflet of things to find, count, etc.  It was a bit like a scavenger hunt.

One of the clergymen (I don't know exactly what they are called in the Church of England) spotted us and showed us around a bit.  He even opened up the special spot where the Queen sits when she comes to the Abbey.  He let me go up the stairs and stand in her spot, but not sit on her cushion.

There was no photography in the Abbey so all I have are outside shots.  The whole thing was just gorgeous!!  Since the kids were having so much fun on their scavenger hunt we really had time to explore.

The clocktower that houses Big Ben.  Big Ben is not the tower it is the bells.

Parliament 

Sort of a spooky view of Big Ben

Across the Thames from parliament

Noah, Callie, and Lucy in front of Parliament

While Justin waited in line to get tickets for the London Eye we ate a quick lunch.

There was a McDonald's really close but I refused to allow us to eat there!  Hot dogs from a street vendor seemed like the better choice. HA!

The Millenium Bridge from the London Eye

Noah and Callie were a nervous wreck on the London Eye.  Callie cowered most of the time, and Noah hollered at anyone who went near the sides. 

Finally they loosened up a bit and started to walk around and look out.

From the Eye we took the tube towards Piccadilly Circus.  

We were walking towards Trafalgar Square when we heard drumming.  So we went over to see what was going on.

We ended up in China Town and they were celebrating Chinese New Year.  It was really fun and festive.  I have always wanted to see these big dragons.  The street was lined with Chinese restaurants.  Each one put out an offering for the dragons.  The dragons would go up to each restaurant and "eat" the offering.  

Beautiful buildings the we saw while walking towards Trafalgar Square.  By this point we had practically walked our legs off, so the pictures and descriptions are sparse.  Sorry!

Really?!

As we were walking home from school yesterday the kids told me that I would have to change their guitar lesson.  They have to go to school early Tuesday (today) because there is a teacher's meeting.  School will be from 10-12:30.

REALLY?!

They have been out of school for two weeks.  Don't you think that the teachers could have possibly fit their meeting into those 15 days instead of the very next day after we get back.  Parents have to be so flexible here!

Birthday Party

Callie's birthday is this Sunday.  She wants to have a birthday party.  It has been a few years since her last party, so she is due.

Since that last party we have moved.  In our last apartment, all of Callie's friends were from our apartment complex.  I knew them and their mothers pretty well.  Here, her friends are from her class.  I hardly know their moms at all.  That is one reason that I want to have a party for her.  It will be a good opportunity to meet the moms.

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that birthday parties here are really different.  It is more of an opportunity for the moms to talk, eat, and drink tea than it is an opportunity to celebrate the birthday child.  The women belly up to the table while the children run wild and are constantly being shushed.

I hate that.  So, I try to do things slightly different- honoring the culture yet celebrating the birthday child at the same time.

Anyhow, here's the scary part.  I don't know the girls very well and I hardly know any of their moms.  So I am so worried that they will not bother to come to Callie's party.  Usually party invites are done by word of mouth.  So today when Callie asked a few girls if they would come, most of them flat out said no!

When I picked Callie up she was upset.  She told me that most of her friends said they wouldn't come.  My heart is breaking!

What kind of friends are these?

Is it because they are strict Muslims and so they don't celebrate any birthday but the Prophet's?  We have been to plenty of birthday parties for children of conservatives.

I am so worried that they won't come because we are the foreign family.  Maybe Callie doesn't talk much in class.  Or maybe Callie isn't a good friend.  I don't know.  I just know that I am so scared for her (and for us).

We made invitations tonight to encourage people to come.  I hope it works.

I know this probably makes no sense to you, but for us, its our life here.  As hard as we try to fit in, we are still different.  Sometimes people like us because we are different.  Often times people are very cautious with us or suspicious of us because we are different.  And, sometimes people hate us because we are different.

Usually we can handle it with grace, but in moments like these it is overwhelming!

Dear Justin,

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate,my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
 (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

Edward Estlin Cummings


Happy Valentine's Day, Justin.
I love you so much!!

Sunday Sneak Peak

On the last day of school before the Winter Holiday Lucy had a special performance.  She begged me to curl her hair and put on lip gloss.  She looked absolutely adorable.  See for yourself:

Last Friday

Last Friday we woke up, got ready, and went to breakfast at the inn with Justin before he left for work.  It was a proper English breakfast with toast, jam, cereal, and tea. 

Then the kids and I went on a walk along the Thames towards Hampton Court Palace.

Starting to get a bit weary because the walk was farther than we had thought!

But it was beautiful,

and so peaceful

until we came along!

The river was lined the the most adorable houses.  Each one had such charm and amazing gardens.

Finally we found the palace.  

This palace was built for Cardinal Woolsey but after he fell from graces, Henry VIII himself expanded it and took up residence here.

It is an odd mix of Tudor and Baroque architecture- 

like two smaller palaces squished together to form one huge beautiful one.

The gardens were amazing!  

This fountain garden was redone a few years ago to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's jubilee.

I know he is contemplating whether or not to push his sister into this fountain.

Callie was planning our next steps.

One of the famous parts of the gardens is a shrubbery maze.

We found our way to the center and then back out again.  The kids LOVED it, 

but it freaked me out a little.

Noah and Callie did the maze several times but Lucy and I sat out in the garden.

Entrance to the front courtyard.

The front of the palace.

The inner courtyard.

Lucy plopped right down in this beggar's lap.  This child loves to pose for pictures.

Noah fainted over with hunger.

The three most powerful people in all the world.

I like windows

This incredible painting started about shoulder high on a wall above a huge staircase

and continued all the way up and covered the ceiling.  

It was enormous and beautiful beyond words.

The clocktower

Every hour different guides gave 30 minute tours on particular aspects of the castle and the Tudors.

We learned about each of Henry's wives, why there were so many, and why he was so desperate for a son.

We met Henry VIII.

We heard his side of the story and what a handsome and fierce warrior he was in his early days.

Noah had to help Henry prepare for bed at the end of the day.

He said, "all those clothes were HEAVY!"

The kids loved the tours with the characters.  

Everyone was amazed at how attentive and into it the kids were.

This was Noah's favorite room.  It was decorated so beautifully with all sorts of weapons.

I love this boy!

Some more beautiful wall murals and paintings.

By about 5:00 we were spent.  We took a bus back to Kingston where Justin's office was.  The bus system in London is fantastic.  Really all of the public transport is.  Each bus stop has a little electronic sign that tells the next three buses due- when they are due and where they are going.  So you are not left wondering if you missed your bus or if a bus even comes to that stop.  It was so easy to use.

We were so tired so we went to McDonald's to get a drink and rest.  Justin met us when he got off of work.  We went to the grocery store to see what kind of food they have.  I know its weird, but I love to look in grocery stores and figure out what people eat.  We bought some essentials to take home like peanut butter, M & Ms, and fajita seasoning.  Then we went to dinner.  

This is the town area.  It was so adorable.

This night we really did try to find some traditional English food, 

but none of the pubs allow children in at dinner-time.

We walked and searched for a place to eat.

Although we were tired and hungry, it was still fun to explore this beautiful town.

A modern double-decker bus.  FYI our city has double-deckers, too!

We ate at the Italian restaurant behind these telephone booths.  it was really yummy, but I felt guilty for not eating English food, again.  But, hey, we can't really get Italian food here, either, so this was quite a treat!

I took this picture because I thought that these zig-zag road lines were so funny.  

They were very common, but what do they mean?

First guitar lesson today.  Lets hope their teacher has an extra measure of patience!!

I am hoping for a sound that is at least bearable!  HA!

Practice, practice, practice...

Last Thursday

Last Thursday the kids were awake, dressed, and ready for our London adventure by 7 am.  They were jumping around excitedly and "helping" me get ready and pack the last minute things.

Our neighbor across the hall drives a taxi and was going to take us to the airport.  So, we got ourselves prepared and when we couldn't wait any longer we rang his bell.

It was 9:30.

He was expecting us at 10.

He got himself together, stuffed our luggage into his tiny trunk (sidenote: I had to think for a full minute before my brain produced the word trunk.  My English is slipping away, I tell ya!!), and off we went.

The traffic was bad, so I was glad that we got an early start.  I did not need any extra stress in this journey.  The only bad thing was that he talks so fast I can hardly understand him.  So, it made for a long taxi ride trying to figure out what topic we were discussing and exactly what I was agreeing to!

We got to the airport, checked in, went through the standard probing, prodding, and pat-downs.  That is always fun!  We ate a quick meal which consisted of basically a chicken tender on a bun for the bargain price of 60 lira!

We finished up just as they were opening our gate.  Quick potty stop, and then off to find our gate.  After one last anal probing we were through our last security check.  We only had to wait a few minutes before we boarded the plane and were off.

The flight could not have gone better.  The plane was pretty empty so Lucy and I sat in one row with a seat in between us and Noah and Callie sat behind us with a seat in between them.  I had downloaded two new movies onto their ipods so they were so excited (and totally quiet and content).  Lucy was happy to color for a little bit.

Dear Lord, thank you for ipods.  They are the BEST!  How did the cavemen vacation without such novelties?

As soon as we were at cruising altitude they served us lunch.  At which point I praised the Lord for my overpriced chicken tender on a bun because the kids were served fish and I was served stuffed eggplant.

Um... no thanks!!

After they collected the trays I took Lucy to the bathroom.  I swear those bathrooms are insane.  Could they be any smaller?  And, really, who has decided that scarves are in style?  Certainly not a mother of young children.  Yes, they look cute, but if I bend over one more time to wipe my child's hiney and fail to realize that the end of my cute scarf is dangling in the toilet I am going to flush it down, too!  What is more indignant, hiney wiping or a scarf wet with toilet water?

BOTH!

Anyhow, I sat Lucy back down and told her that she should go to sleep for awhile.  And lo and behold SHE DID!!  So, I did.  We woke up just before landing.

We got off the plane, collected our stuff, and met our driver.  It was so weird to get in on the driver's side as the passenger.  Driving on the opposite side of the road felt was weird, too.

I finally figured out how round-abouts are supposed to work.  I'd like to teach a seminar on that to the drivers in this city!!

It was so fun to finally be reunited with Justin!  We were all so happy.

We put our stuff in the cute little inn and headed out to explore a bit.  The area where we stayed was just south of London.  It was the most lovely village with a really nice shopping area and beautiful old buildings.

We ate at Tony Roma's.  I was embarrassed that the first thing we ate in London was American food, but...RIBS = YUM!!

So, this is really long and I didn't take any pictures.  Sorry.  Tomorrow will probably be longer, but at least there will be pictures!

We're back from London.  We had the best time!  It was so good to see Justin. 

London is such a great city!  We just loved every minute of it!

Let me crawl out from under the laundry and then I'll start posting pictures and telling about our adventures.  

London

We are in London now.  I may or may not post while we are here.

Who knows?

I'll probably be too busy drinking tea with the queen and helping Will and Kate plan their wedding.

Crazy?!?

It has just recently occurred to me that I am about to board a plane with my three (THREE) children by myself (BY MYSELF)!!!!!!  Sweet mercy I must really love Justin a lot...or be CRAZY!!!

We are Not in Kansas Anymore

Lucy's Report Card Celebration Program

Untitled from Elizabeth on Vimeo.




Untitled from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Squeak, Squeal, Squeak

This is our old form of musical entertainment.  Um... even Callie holds her ears when she hears it.  That little recorder can hit some H-I-G-H notes!


Untitled from Elizabeth on Vimeo.


You can see why I have my hopes set on the guitar!

Gee-Tar

Lucy is finally almost 100% better after a long bout with an ear infection.  Praise the Lord!  I think we are all well!

Anyhow, for some time Noah and Callie have been asking for guitar lessons.  Without a car the travel time to something like that was just too much.  Now that we have a car, we have found a local high school student to give them lessons.  So we are off to the music district to try to find used or for-rent guitars.

I have asked the kids to make a commitment to stick with guitar lessons until June.  I really hope that they stick with it and learn to play well.  It would be so fun to have musical kids!!