Sister visit and London Day 1

I hadn't seen my sister for two years, since before we'd moved. We do text a lot and talk, but I have been excited for months waiting for her family's visit.

Lesa, Jimmy, and James flew into Heathrow, so we caught a train for our first visit to London.

The train ride wasn't too long, only a few hours, and was very comfortable. The kids played on their tablets and got along really well.

Once we arrived in London, we had a taxi take us to our hotel. We really didn't want to deal with the underground and luggage with the kids. Although we were early, our rooms were ready, so we settled in and waited for family to arrive. We didn't have to wait very long.

Of course, the kids couldn't contain their excitement, but Lesa and Jimmy were feeling the jet lag. Lesa, Matt, and I took the kids for a walk while Jimmy rested.

I thought that our visitors might need extra rest, so all we had planned for the first day was an early dinner. We had booked a table at The Narrow, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant near our hotel, and the food did not disappoint.

I completely forgot to take food pictures

We really enjoyed both the food and the company at dinner, and when we were finished we went back to the hotel for an early bedtime. We only had two days to explore London, so we wanted to make the most of it.

Craft Gin Club - July

After last month's dud, we had high hopes for our July gin box. We were not disappointed.

Osmoz Citrus Gin 

This is a French gin, distilled from grapes.

Tasting notes from Ginned!: On the nose, note the subtle aromas of liquorice root, apple and apricot. On the palate, the freshness of juniper is bolstered by citrus notes, joined by a chorus of fruit and fresh herbal notes. The long finish is fresh and spicy, with notes of clove and saffron.

Leann says: Very light, fruity but not overwhelming. Makes a great summer drink with the recommended basil and strawberry garnish. Definitely one of the top gins we have received.   

Matt: It has alcohol in it, I'm pretty excited about that.  There's a little fruit and some other stuff. I don't know. (He did like it though).

Double Dutch Cucumber and Watermelon Premium Mixer 

The cucumber flavor comes across first, and is strong but not overwhelming. There is an underlying sweetness of the watermelon, and it does complement the gin very nicely. I would seek this out and try other Double Dutch flavors.

St Germain Elderflower Liqueur 

This has a light, sweet, and smooth flavor. It was good in the gin and tonic. I'm looking forward to trying it with another gin as well.

Green & Black's Praline Milk Chocolates 

Very nice, creamy milk chocolate with a whole hazelnut inside. We had to put these in the fridge because of our heat wave (80°+ with no air conditioning). I prefer this brand's dark chocolate, but this was a nice treat (and a full sized container).

Real Hand Cooked Strong Cheese & Onion Flavour Potato Crisps 

These are crunchy, kettle style crisps. The mature cheese and onion flavor is strong, but not overpowering. Tasty and tangy, they do complement the gin. Some of the other flavors sound interesting as well.

Flower & White Chocolate Meringue Bar

I guess what's attractive about this is that it has less than 100 calories.  It was not good at all.  It has a strange after taste, almost plastic like. The kids ate it.

Overall, this was a fantastic month, and we really enjoyed almost everything. As long as there's no more window cleaner, I think I'll be excited for next month.

School's Out!

The past few weeks have been a blur of activity for the end of the school term. Here's a sampling of what we've been up to.

Sports Day 

All three kids participated in sports day this year. Clara and her class did a couple of simple races, and she did really well listening and following directions.
Lily did a few races such as the egg and spoon race, and a silly race with rubber chickens. Miles did two relays and a silly race where he had to stop and put on winter accessories. All three did a great job and had fun. Matt and I also got our exercise running back and forth across the field trying to catch every race.
After the races, everyone settled in for a picnic. Last year the weather was cold and rainy, and this year couldn't have been better. It was clear and sunny, and warm enough for shorts. It was nice to chat with the other parents, and we opted to take everyone home afterward.

Miles was second from the left, in a red shirt

The winter accessories race. I thought I was taking a video.

Clara in the middle, pink shirt and white hat

Clara, white hat and dark shirt

Miles having much fun in a race

Ballet 

Lily does ballet, which goes on during school hours. Parents are invited to watch the last class each term, which is always cute. Lily was feeling silly this day, but still pulled it together to perform.

No children were harmed in the blurring of faces

Summer Fair 

I'm involved with the parent/teacher organization, and each year we put on a fun summer fair. There are cakes and sausages, games, and a few vendors. This year Matt helped cook sausages while I watched over the kids. The kids won some great prizes and we all had a great time.

Summer Production 

Another highlight was the infant production. Infant classes are Reception-Year 2 (age equivalents of Pre-K to 1st grade), so Miles and Lily were both involved. The play was a trip through time, stopping in different eras. Miles and Lily were both in the school disco (which just means dance, it was meant to be 2017).  They did beautifully, and Lily especially seemed to enjoy dancing and performing.

My DJ and disco dancer

Year 3 Dance 

Each year, the Year 3 parents put on a dance. It's a fun kid-free social event, with food and raffles. This year it was held in the school hall, and a taco truck provided our delicious dinner. There was wine, a DJ, cocktails, more wine, and a photo booth. We met up with some friends and had a really nice evening.

Teddy Bear Picnic 

On the last day of school, parents of nursery children are invited to watch a few songs and have a special picnic with a small stuffed toy. Clara sang about two songs before joining us on our picnic blanket and refusing to perform any more. It was still a nice time on her last morning.

Last Day of School  


First day of school...

And last day...

Also in the last three weeks, there were two class trip and five birthday parties. I felt like we were constantly busy, but after writing it all out, no wonder we're all exhausted!

Birthday party fun

Not that we get to rest much. This summer will be full of visitors and short getaways, and I'm looking into a few summer clubs in between. I'm so excited!