Birthday Party!

We had a wonderful time celebrating Wiley's 5th birthday back in May (and in London). We had a bit of an "old-fashioned" (read: low-key, low maintenance) birthday party in our across-the-street garden. Thankfully, the weather cooperated, and it was really a nice day to be outside. Here are a few highlights.

Wiley and one of his best friends, Fabian along with F's brother Kit and sister Imogen. They lived above us for a little while. Unfortunately, they moved outside of London last summer, but we still kept up. They are our best "English" friends and were sweet to drive up for the afternoon and stayed for birthday dinner.

Back to the party--nothing better than a little pile-on action. Which of course ended in tears.

Playing duck-duck goose

Divine cake from Primrose Hill Bakery.

A little pinata action. Wil was in the danger zone to protect the other children (and grab the bat if someone got carried away).

Red rover! No broken arms, thank goodness!

And finally, back to the beginning of our morning--Wiley with all of the Toy Story gang. He got Jessie, Slinkdog, and RC Car.

Warwick Castle

On our way home from Stratford-Upon-Avon, we stopped by Warwick Castle. It is owned by Madame Tussaud's company so it is, of course, a bit cheesy. But I don't think there is a more kid-friendly castle than this one! We got there at the end of the day so we missed a lot of the activities, but there seemed to be lots to do and see, not to mention just looking at the gorgeous countryside around it. It was a nice day out from London, and I would recommend it to anyone with little knights or princesses!

Here is Wiley trying out a sword borrowed from one of the knights.

The view from the top of the Castle. Wil and Wiley climbed this while I staked out our seats for the knight fight. Apparently, as soon as they started climbing past the first tower (and it's one-way), Wiley had to go to the bathroom, so they had to climb and run quickly through the rest of it. Why does it always happen that a potty is needed when you are in the middle of climbing a very old castle?

Just practicing shooting an arrow!

Wiley said his favorite thing we did that day was shooting the bow and arrow. He did pretty well too!

Family picture looking at the back of the castle.

I believe this is after Wiley had recovered from being told that the large vulture-like bird who was not in a cage but merely tethered to a stump (There was a birds of prey area.) liked to eat little boys like him. His sweet father told him this little tale that sent him into hysterics after a long day out. Ah, life with boys, I guess. But here are my sweet (and mischievous) boys.

black, grey, white

You know you live in London when your stacks of shirts look like this:

black. grey. white. one dark green shirt.

gone are the bright colors.

i type this wearing black leggings and grey turtleneck.

i don't even know when this happened.

Back to Christmas

Here are just a few pictures from a wonderful Christmas in London!

One of the highlights for me was how much Wiley enjoyed playing with his toys. We didn't tear through Santa and on to family gifts at all. He genuinely loved playing with Woody and Buzz and his legos for a long time...at least long enough for us to all have coffee and coffee cake. Having a Christmas morning that was not rushed through and was savored was so special.

Back to Christmas Eve (below) Wiley went to work with Wil! Here Wiley is in Lloyd's of London (Insurance Market). The Titanic, Marilyn Monroe's legs, Brad Paisley's voice, your beach condo...you name it...is insured in this building.

The boys before they leave for work. Wiley insisted on wearing a tie like Wil.

Winter Wonderland

On Saturday, we got about 4 inches of snow here in London! It was beautiful watching it snow and a bit shocking to see so much of it stick so quickly! We had a great time playing with our friend Jill and her daughters Elizabeth and Victoria. Wiley and I made it out late morning to run quick errands then go to their house for lunch. It was pretty magical to be drinking a peppermint mocha while walking in the snow!

Wil was waiting patiently at home for us to get back (read: man cave time) and play in the snow. Tackling followed.

There was a big snow angel out there. Wil was not going to miss the fun, and very delicately threw himself down into fresh snow and proceeded to do the angel motions.

Wil, Wiley, and Elizabeth built a wonderful snowman!

Winter Wonderland! (This is our square's garden)

There is still more snow forecasted this week. We've still got tons on the ground, so if it could hold off until my family gets back here from Paris, that would would be grand. I'm all for a white Christmas, but only after the jet-setters return!

Snow...in November?

It snowed here yesterday--that's right. In November! What a wintry place we live in, apparently! Tonight and tomorrow we are forecasted to have more snow...1-3 inches in fact! Not really that much, but to Southerners, that is a lot! And it is absolutely, positively freezing--especially with that damp London air and arctic winds.

One friend at school, who moved from Charlotte, was certain school was cancelled since it is in Charlotte (and anywhere in the South) for 1 cm of snow; but this is London, and we trudge on. However, last year the city was pretty shut down with minimal snow--so maybe tonight and tomorrow will be enough to do it. London is like the South in that way--not totally prepared for winter precipitation.

Funnily enough, on Tuesday, I was going from our area just outside central London to the Marylebone area. I texted my friend to say I might be late because of the slick conditions. I felt crazy (and was sure she thought I was crazy or telling lies!) when I got off the bus and there was absolutely NO snow on the ground there. Just a few miles into the city and no accumulation. Shows how warm the city itself is, as well as the slight difference in elevation (or at least that is what I'm told) between the areas.

Wiley of course loves the snow, and hopefully tomorrow there will be enough for a snowman. I'm just trying to encourage him to stop eating snow off of London sidewalks/houses/gates/you name it.

Cambridge

We took a day trip last weekend to Cambridge. It was a beautiful, cold-ish day. Cambridge is an easy day-trip out from London, and it is much bigger than I was expecting. Here are a few memories from our quick trip!

At Kings College. Not stepping on the grass.

Punting. (A boat steered/powered by a guy standing on the back with a long pole. Think gondolas, but less greasy Italian and more tweedy heart-of-England.

The Bridge of Sighs. Think Italy. But not really. Because the real one is in Venice. You know, where the prisoner would walk across it to his impending death on the other side. The (real) Bridge of Sighs is not in England. When our punter (?) told us about this, the lovely Chinese guys with us were a bit confused. "Oh, the prisoner walk across the bridge and is executed. This bridge?" I mean, what if, the punter did not correct him? "Yes, the student who failed his exams must walk across this bridge to be executed." Pretty sure you would have heard about that if it were true, buddy. Needless to say, Wil and I could barely contain ourselves. Even more so when the punter asked where everyone was from. "China." "China? Really?" I don't know how he contained himself. Such a professional. Unlike the obnoxious Americans behind him. America? Really? (Psh, no worries, we always like to add "But we live in London currently." Gosh, we are so exotic.)

Beautiful Kings College Chapel at sunset.

Happily punting down the River Cam.

(not our best angle, but the 3 of us, nonetheless)

And then when we arrived back at Kings Cross at Platform 10, we of course had to take advantage and check out 9 and 3/4! Woo Hoo Harry Potter.

Happy Halloween from London!

From carving our pumpkin to dressing up as Sir Wiley the Knight and trick or treating with friends, Halloween was a lot of fun this year! Here are just a few pictures of the brave knight and his scary pumpkin!

One Year Anniversary

Wiley eating ice cream after our tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace last week.

One year ago today, we were collapsing into bed after a long flight to London. Our bags were stacked in a friend's flat. We had either gotten fixings for ham sandwiches/grilled cheeses or we had gotten take away pizza (both dinner fixtures that first week). We might have watched a Friends re-run. Either way we were really tired.

I was posting Bible verses that a friend had made me in the bathroom, in the kitchen, on the dresser. Verses that got me through flat searching and the realization that London was home. Verses that reminded me that He is in London too. It is funny to look back on those first couple of weeks. Part of me would love to go back to those. But only because it would mean that Wil would be home for almost a month and that we would travel and do fun things. It was hard but mostly exciting. Taking turns going to answer e-mails in Starbucks. Skyping with my friends in the Starbucks bathroom (maybe one of the sketchier things I've done). Eating Nutella constantly. (I still think of those first 2 weeks whenever I eat Nutella on toast.) Maybe hard is the wrong word. It was the unknown of what to expect. But the excitement and fun of knowing you are going to be doing it with your best friend and a pretty darn cute (then) 3 year old.

But the majority of me prefers to re-read my blog posts during that first month from the comfort of our second flat. With a new life inside of me. And with the knowledge and if I can say it-satisfaction-that it has been one year. We've lived here, in London, for a year. I never, ever would have thought I would type or say those words. We know where to go to get most things. I have a slight city-side that can get a little cross or maybe we'll say can stand up for myself when I want something done. We'll call it thick skin that I might should not be too proud of. We can navigate the tube and bus systems. We love our church so much. We get asked for directions. I may not have Wil home for almost a month, but you know, after that honeymoon period, the first year living in a foreign country is sometimes more hard than fun. It's nice to be on this side of that.

I'm grateful for this city. In the way it has opened our eyes to the world. In how we have turned to one another and depend upon our little family so.much.more. For how it has made us appreciate our dear family and friends and country too. We've met some amazing people here. I'm not gonna lie, I sometimes get a thrill telling someone I live in London.

And we'll always have London.

When Wil comes back for work. When we bring Wiley (and baby) back and show them where we lived. When we visit the city or send friends here for visits. Maybe when we take a retired trip around Europe. We'll say "remember that time..." and London will again be our city.

So, one year. Cheers! Here's to some more London memories to be made, friendships to be deepened, our faith grown stronger, and our family grown closer.

{Want to look back on our first month?}

Fall

Kensington Gardens in early October 2009

I'm taking a break from Junior League work (shhh, don't tell!) to do a quick post on fall.

Walking to school this morning with Wiley, we had a productive and positive conversation. While we had a few tears at the start due to the stroller getting parked back inside, we rallied for some fun, fall talk. (Pushing a stroller in the morning to school before caffeine doesn't usually lend itself in my case to lovely conversation with anyone. I'm working on it. And being honest.)

The leaves here are starting to change color. We talked about how tomorrow is October 1st. His aunt's birthday. And as I declared, the official start to we-bake-with-overpriced-imported-canned-pumpkin day! We also got excited about carving a pumpkin, jumping in leaves, dressing up for Halloween, and in my head I envisioned my door having a yellow mum as well.

Of course, Halloween leads Wiley to thoughts of Christmas. And, as he reminded me this morning, our new baby coming around Christmas. But before we get ahead to Christmas, I can't wait to enjoy this fall.

I want to bake my pumpkin bread and muffins from Birmingham's Junior League cookbook, Magic. Then I'm going to try this Pumpkin Roll via Fly Through Our Window. And after carving, I'll toast our seeds as that was a new-found treat last year.

What will you do to celebrate fall?

Chicken

While we were in Switzerland, Wiley noticed the abundance of cows and goats. Our hosts told us that their friends (actually the Pastor of their church) had chickens. Wiley was all over that one. Surprisingly enough, Wil actually took to the chickens and helped Odette (or Ode?) put the chickens (hens, as she said) back in their area. As he explained later, 'you just have to pick it up and not be afraid of it. They will try to fly, so you have to hold them tight so they can't move their wings.' And there you have it: Farmer Wil. I'm not going to lie, we kinda want chickens someday. Hens to be exact! Who wants to be our neighbor!?!

* and clarification from previous post...wil says I made it sound like we were coming home soon. when it really isn't till early next summer (we think, and if that is His will). but what i was trying to explain is that when you factor in a baby & a couple weddings, it leaves a few less opportunities for weekend trips around europe and the like. so, take note. i am enjoying our time here and now. and no, wil, i am not counting down the days. thankyouverymuch. now, go take care of some chickens!

Cheryl Cole

Not so much about the singer, herself. But as I'm listening to "Fight for this Love" by Cheryl Cole (who is from very tip top Northern England, meaning you will hardly understand a word she says in her thick accent, but you should try just to hear it.), I realize that even this silly dance song is something that when I hear, I think of and will think of our time in London.

While we still have more time here, with a baby on the way, I can't help but feel like our life in London is winding down a bit--at least when it comes to traveling and the spontaneity that our sweet 4 year old allows. And even though I can't wait to live closer to family and friends, be able to call them on my cell phone just to chat, and have some of those home comforts again, I am admittedly in this moment feeling a little sad that this season in London feels like it is winding down, or that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And we still have about a year left (we think) but when you throw in a newborn that time is going to fly.

I want to share with you Cheryl Cole. I want to make you tea around 3:30 in the afternoon. I want you to come to London, and I want you to walk to school with Wiley and me. I want you to take our bus to All Souls with us on Sunday mornings when we seem to be the only ones on the streets. I want you to see how hard this move was. (In case I haven't told you about that one.) But I want you to look at my family of three, and soon to be family of four, and see how much we've grown together as a family--just our family. I want you to feel how loved and cherished I feel by Wil here. How we are all the other has here aside from our Lord, because it takes time to make new friends. And how that has pulled us even closer. I want you to see how the Lord has been with us. This entire time. From my tears on our interview trip to my heart changing towards our move in August to our actual move in October. I want you to see and know that the Lord is not just at Wake. Or Birmingham. He is in London, too.

So, while earlier this week I was in tears over the healthcare system here and the thought of how we would actually get this baby out was too overwhelming to think about, this morning, listening to Cheryl Cole, all I want to do is praise the Lord for this season. For London. Because slowly I'm beginning to cherish this time and this place--simply for how the Lord has used it to bless and grow our family.

And now back to my "Prepare for trip to USA" playlist...American Girls (Counting Crows) and Fortunate Son (CCR) are up next followed by some Brooks and Dunn, the Boss, and Garth Brooks. God Bless the USA, but thank you Lord for our season in London.

the Monument

Last week, Wiley and I headed to the City with a friend and her mom to see the Monument. After arriving at London Bridge Station and being a bit turned around, we asked the London Dungeon man with fake blood on his face for which way to go to cross London Bridge. He directed us to Tower Bridge. We didn't fall for it. So often visitors here (and I've certainly never had any of these confused friends...haha) think London Bridge (very boring bridge) is Tower Bridge (very beautiful bridge). He must have heard our accents and assumed we were confused tourists as well. We were only directionally confused semi-locals, thank you very much.

After running into Wil and Grant near Leadenhall Market, we grabbed lunch at a stand there (delicious Mediterranean meze plate) and a sandwich for the children and headed down to Monument again. Thanks to semi-often trips for a curry in the City this summer, I was able to get us to Leadenhall and back again, which is always fun. Not that it is particularly hard! :-) We annoyed the City suits trying to take in a peaceful lunch as the children chased pigeons all around the Monument.

Here it is! 313 steps to the top! I did it at almost 20 weeks--and the fact that I'm proud of this may or may not be a bit pitiful. Needless to say, the children and mamas were tired after this day of walking.

The Monument was built as well, a monument, to the Great Fire of London 1666 and the consequential rebuilding of the City. The Fire destroyed a major part of the City including damage done to St.Paul's Cathedral. The column itself is the exact distance (202 feet) between the itself and the site of the beginning of the fire on Pudding Lane. Built and designed by Christopher Wren, who also designed St. Paul's, the column was initially used by scientists to carry out experiments, but thanks to traffic, it was not stable enough to measure accurately some of those experiments. Today, for 1 GBP for a child and 3 GBP for an adult, you can climb the stairs, enjoy a great panoramic view and get a certificate at the end that says "You did it!"

Looking towards (from left): Canary Wharf (far left, tall buildings), Tower of London, Tower Bridge (not London Bridge), and Southbank area...

Looking towards Parliament (far, far left, tiny tower-like building), London Eye (big circle!)

Looking towards St. Paul's (dead center)

We waved to Wil when we looked this way! Looking at the Gherkin (pickle shaped or as Wiley says rocket-shaped building), Lloyds of London is directly in front of it with blue cranes on the top. It is an inside-out building with all of its "insides" like plumbing on the outside.

Wahoo! We did it! My friend (the mom) got a picture of the 4 of us with our certificates, hands in there, jubilant looks on our faces, V for victory signs, you name it. When I get that I'll be sure to brag, I mean show you that, one too.

All in all, I am feeling less and less inclined to do the London Eye when you discover a few other ways to get the Panorama of the skyline of London that doesn't involve hoards of people. For a cheap and quick way to see the City in particular, and Parliament from a distance, check out the Monument!

A reason to love London...

London has got to be one of the greatest {big} cities in the world when it comes to entertaining children. Not only do they have incredible green spaces with well-kept playgrounds, but free museums and occasionally a child-friendly play? Yes. Please.

From 13 August to 3 September, the West End (London's Broadway) is offering the coolest deals! Want to take your child or young teen to a big-time show? Sister Act? Wicked? Lion King? Grease? Les Mis? This is the time. When you buy your ticket (under this promotion via ticketmaster for full price), you can get a child's ( 16 and under ) ticket for free. Lion King is of course sold out, but we'll be using this deal to see Room on the Broom, based on a children's book by a popular author, Julia Donaldson (also wrote the Gruffalo). There is even a Q&A session/activity after our show. I can't imagine what the under 5s are going to ask!

Click the icon to see more from the shows being offered to different activities and workshops...I just wish Wiley was old enough to go to some of these bigger shows!

I just had to brag about this city!