Europe, Day 1

We'll see how fast I get pictures up (I have good intentions!); the combination of housing/renting fun, jumping back into work, and jet-lag is all messing up my evening time.

Our first day in Europe was a pretty short one as we didn't fly into London until mid-afternoon. Uneventful 10-hour direct flight without kids--international travel doesn't get much smoother than this!

We landed, hopped on a train to find our hotel, dropped off our bags, and headed to Westminister Abbey for Evensong with hopes of meeting Heather and Joel there.

From the bridge over the Thames on our walk from our hotel to Westminister Abbey

Big Ben

 We were five minutes late to Evensong, so were in the overflow wing instead of the main section, but still beautiful! Happily, Heather and Joel were waiting for us outside the gate afterwards because we didn't have a back-up meeting plan (and our cell phones, it turned out, don't work internationally).

We headed out to a pub so I could get my requested fish-and-chips. After walking and walking in the cold, we ended up eating at the one we started at, initially rejected because it was likely nicer/less kid friendly than the other ones Dustin had scoped out on-line. But they were all closed! It was lovely to see the Berriers again and catch up a bit with them.

As view as above at night

Then back to the hotel for bed as we had an early start planned for the next day. I am a fan of the fly through the night, but only have to stay up half a day before bed again international travel plan.

4 Birthdays for a 4-year-old!

Birthday #1 was a pre-birthday celebration up in Fresno with Grandpa and Grandma.

Birthday #2 was a small family celebration with just the four of us on his actual birthday. The day had a rough start (he was sick!), but ended well. He normally loves our third grade school days, and our extended book club days are also a treat because they are accompanied by literal treats. Alas, he was feeling too poorly to enjoy anything. He cried his way through recess and then was upset at my suggestion that after lunch he lay down for a bit so that he could enjoy the end of school ("But I'll miss all the fun!"). Watching way more tv than he has ever watched in day (multiple episodes of Richard Scarry plus Finding Nemo) saved the afternoon.

We found it ironic that Elijah's birthday "feast" could qualify has our weekly Lenten fasting-from-meat meal. The menu: mac and cheese and sides served in train cars: veggies, berries, and tangerines. And, of course, a train cake.

Celebration #3 was dinner with my family. It was extra special to have my brother there, as he just happened to be out here to be courted by UCLA for PhD work.

And more train cake was served! I'm getting lots of practice at this cake....This is year three of it for Elijah, and Josiah, I'm sure, would be thrilled with a train cake, too. The number one candle is because Thomas's engine number is one.

We ended our birthday week with a party with his preschool buddies--duplo train building time, outside play, presents, lunch, cake, and playdough. It was a nice time even if my little introvert was ready to take the new toys up to room-time by the end.

Last cake: a down at the docks cake featuring Cranky the Crane and Bulstrode the Barge

More Fresno Pictures

Dad got the trucks and cars all cleaned up for the boys--they loved it!

Other happy, unphotographed moments:
--Mom made Elijah cupcakes, so that he could have an early birthday celebration. Presents + cupcakes + candles = always fun!
--Josiah got early morning train watching and playing time with Grandpa twice (the perk of having his room closer to the grandparents than us--more sleep for me!)

Snow!

We used our three-day weekend to go up to Fresno and take the boys up to the mountains to play in the snow.

Elijah was super excited to go! After trying on his snow things (thanks to the loans from sweet friends!),  he went to bed in the snowsuit.

There wasn't lots of snow on the ground at Grant's Grove, but it was more than enough for little boys!

Josiah was less than enthused to begin with

Josiah loved sledding--he went down the hill over and over!

Elijah's top thing he wanted to do in the snow was to make an igloo. The poor guy, however, spent most of the day feeling sick and in car or my arms, but as I was getting the boys ready to head home, Dustin's family decided to surprise him by making an igloo.

Holding the "hot" snow

Elijah perked up enough to join in the building!

Finished!

Valentine's Day Activities

Some of our Valentine's Day Inspired Activities:

Themed Playdough (i.e., pink dough for the trucks and trains instead of January's white; I think they each might have used the heart cutters once or twice....)

Josiah was super into cutting that night

Careful counting (at preschool)

Going to 10 is a bit trickier

Making Valentines for family and friends

We made chocolate covered cherries to deliver with our Valentines, and Elijah was my big helper--he did a great job!

Slicing all of the cherries for chocolate covered cherries

Adding chocolate to the molds

Putting on the chocolate tops

Even getting them out of the freezer (my childhood memory of this is making chocolates for the Fair and not getting any help with the freezer part since the work was supposed to be done independently--I was too short to reach it without a chair)

Transferring hearts: he transferred them all at least once before carefully spooning them into his mouth (at preschool)

Decorating cookies

Snapshots from January

Elijah was inspired by our planting unit to want to plant corn kernels from our birdseed....It actually grew and now he has an ear of corn, two in fact.

Trains, trains, trains: This is what we do everyday

Josiah's good at laying track, but can't get it to make a loop

Eljah's designs have lately gotten more and more intricate (just like his daddy's!); note the two levels of track

Moon sand (sand + cornstarch + water)--fun, but not significantly more so than normal damp sand

January's sensory tub: cotton balls for snow, blocks for buildings, and (of course!) vehicles

Bath paints--Elijah dislikes finger paints, so I was hoping bath paints might pair sensory play with easy finger cleaning. He very carefully only put a tiny bit on his finger at a time.

Bedtime reading: Thomas book--life doesn't get much better than this

Big brother is also reading Thomas (our life is currently very themed)

Tonging ice at preschool

Making an igloo at preschool

Josiah's igloo

Igloo building, take 2 (you know an activity was successful when you're asked to set it up again the next day)

Josiah's igloo, take 2: he didn't really eat the marshmallows, but was a huge fan of licking the peanut butter

More trains and tracks; note J's use of the long straight pieces for the bridge--whatever gets the job done

Thomas math worksheets and a Thomas coloring book

Post-rainy day play

"Snowy" shaving cream play--again an attempt at more sensory play; he loved having it there, but barely touched it because, you know, it gets all over your hands