Fleet Weekend

10-11 March 2012

Once again I failed to properly document a great weekend with Kath.  We drove to Fleet on a Saturday morning to visit The Schliebens (Kath, Oliver, and Rocco).  They had us overnight at their lovely (and spacious) home, which Bryce tornadoed through testing out all of Rocco's awesome toys.  They were very patient with us as Bryce was on week 2 of potty-training.  Thankfully the only big accident I can recall came when we were outside (at a pub with a play area-- WHAT?!! AWESOME!).   Rocco has grown up loads since we saw him in the fall-- talking and running and generally just not a baby anymore.

Took lovely walks around the town (village?) along the river to the playground and to the pub.  Had gloriously sunny, but crisp weather and am a little annoyed with myself for not taking more photos.

Kath made a delicious Sunday roast and gave me her tips on roasting a chicken.  (I can count on one hand... or maybe one finger how many chickens I've roasted.)  Since our visit I have roasted 2 using her advice and they were tasty and juicy!  Thanks Kath!

All-around great weekend of relaxing and catching up, even if Kath and I were outnumbered 5:2 boys:girls.  Times have changed, though.  Fell asleep watching Tropic Thunder well before midnight. 

Thanks for having us!  Planning to see those Schlieben characters at least once more before we head back to Brooklyn. XO

Handsome dudes getting a scrub

So cute.  I think this would have been a good one of Kath, too, if I hadn't cropped her out by accident.

A day in London: Natural History Museum

3 March 2012

Bryce's interest in dinosaurs and their remains seems to have out-lasted his construction vehicle, monster, and pirate phases.  (We'll blame it on him, but Stephen was anxious to update his inner dinosaur encyclopedia as well.)  And, alright, I have a teeny interest for the first time in my life.  So we three paleontological nerds subjected poor baby Ellis to a day of DINOS at the Natural History Museum in London!

Got an early-ish train to London (50 minute journey) and then took a long, cramped tube ride from King's Cross to South Kensington.  The museum was packed, as would be expected on a weekend.  We managed to see what we wanted to see without too much fuss and then ended on a low note when Bryce tossed his cookies (or, more specifically, his pink Ribena) during a coughing fit all over himself and the sidewalk in front of Harrods.  

Found the only decently-priced pair of toddler pants within a 2-block radius at, of all places, the Gap and cleaned him up for our journey home.  Poor little guy.  He forgot all about it quickly with his new bucket of dinosaurs.  (He is into the Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs books and videos).

Ellis was very patient while we geeked out and actually was quite keen on looking at all the stuffed wildlife at the museum.

Sadly our want of a pub lunch in town was dismissed and we settled for some snacks for the train ride back to Cambridge.  Picked up lamb kebabs on the way back from the station and tucked in when we got home.

We passed a bow maker on the way to the train station.  Seemed to me a dying art, but I suppose someone's gotta string that horsehair or whatever bows are made of.  Tried to take a photo of the workshop through the window (neat!) but there was too much glare.  :(

A sea of bicycles parked outside Cambridge Rail Station

We're off!

Choo choo!

Always happy if there is food around.  A breadstick will do.

Natural History Museum.  Gorgeous building.  And slightly overcast. 

Ste & Bryce on the escalator

"What dat???"

The neck / spine of Diplodocus in the entry hall

Our buddy Darwin overseeing things in the main hall

What?  I have to wait in a queue to see the dinosaurs?

Bryce's old favourite, Steggy.

Who's more excited?

One of my favorites: Pachycephalosaurus  (Is that an awesome skull or what??!)

But even better: Parasaurolophus.  This guy played that giant horn thing on his head like a big trumpet.  Watch this awesome video where scientists tried to re-create the sound!

Hey, I recognize these fellas!

You'd think they'd dust this bad boy off once in a blue moon, but no.  I mean, with the invention of the swiffer you'd think it would be quite manageable.

Man's brain looking puny next to a whale's.

Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert, and blue skies peeking through!

That sky doesn't belong in England!

Cuddles

This pictogram had me laughing.

Brycie and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs

Bryce in his new green pants on the train back to C-bridge...

... relaxing.

Randomness

28 Feb 2012

Just some random cute photos.

 

Bryce taking Ellis down and Ellis encouraging his behaviour with giggles.

My attempt at providing delicious seafood for Bryce after our seafood-packed trip to Barcelona.  Cod with leeks and rosemary.  Looks pretty.  Tastes bland.

Painting in the tub!  Recipe for bathtub paint courtesy of Boo: "Take 1 cup of clear bubble bath or body wash, add cornflour to make it a gloopy paste. Put into little boxes and add a few drops of food colouring. Add toddler to bath with paintbrush and tell him to paint himself. Watch him wash himself."

Only one child is enjoying himself.  Also, next time we will stick to blue.  Red looked bloody and yellow didn't really show up very well.

Wandlebury Country Park

26 February, 2012

Took the bus to Wandlebury Country Park where we had a lovely walk, saw more than our share of snowdrops, and got up close with some Highland Cattle.  We had a cool, sunny day and ended it with a pot of tea, a cheesy scone, and a tantrum at the otherwise pleasant Gog Magog Hills Cafe.  

Forest floor blanketed in snowdrops and another pretty yellow flower.  Anyone know what it is?

Sooooo pretty!

One, Two, Three... Four, Five, Six... Sorry, I know it's stuck in your head now.  But seriously these ladybirds crashed our picnic!

The Sweet Façade

That's more like it!

This one has a sweet candy shell and an ooey-gooey sticky sweet center.  I'm not playing favorites, honest.  Just a long week of tantrums from BRF, mostly in public and mostly that ended in (grown-up) tears.

Snowdrop, up close and personal

He looks cuddly, but once he got over to us he was ENORMOUS and mooing in a not-so-friendly way.

Nice eyelashes.  And tongue.

You do kind of want to cuddle it, right?

The view.  Supposedly you can see Ely from here, but the sky's a little hazy and we couldn't make it out.  You'd think we were in Kansas, it's so flat!

Probably the last photo you'll see of Ellis with 6 teeth.  I think there are about 4 more on the way at the moment.

Bryce hid in this stand of trees "to take a wee" he told me.  Hey, sometimes a dude needs privacy.

"You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!"

Looking for Gruffalo

Happy Pancake Day!

25 February, 2012

Celebrated a belated "Pancake Day" (equivalent to Fat Tuesday) and had thin & crispy English-style pancakes, complete with lemon and powdered sugar.  YUM! 

Hello!

I want more pancakes!