Fun Day

It's hard to resist this face!

Rooke is into "doing work".  He'll stop at pay phones or ATMs and announce that he has some work to do.  He was sending an "important email" while we were shopping for cell phones.  And Gretchen wants to do whatever Rooke is doing.  Always.

Ryan actually fell asleep before Rooke did.  I had to wake him (Ryan) so we could go on our date!

My parents offered to keep the kids and we headed into the city for an afternoon/evening of just us.  It was perfect.

And our grand finale for the date was scoring half-price tickets to a show!!  We thought Legally Blonde was appropriate.  You laugh, but it was a great production and my husband enjoyed it as much as I did!  He's the legal one, after all.  

My Parents

I'm pretty sure I will never reach an age when I will stop needing my parents.  For the past two weeks, my needs for my mom and dad have been on high-demand.  And my parents have responded with grace, love, and patience beyond what I even thought I needed.  For the past two-plus weeks, my mom and/or dad have been: an overseas flying partner, host for myself and two crazy kids, chauffeur, laundromat, babysitter, cook, book reader, tour guide, child entertainer, frazzled-mom encourager, backyard adventure guide, and so much more.  They haven't been able to get much work done and their house is certainly worse for the wear after our visit.  But I didn't hear one complaint or sense for even a second that we weren't welcome.  What a blessing it is to call this incredible couple my parents!  

Thank you, Mom and Dad.  Thank you.

My parents have a lovely reading spot where they like to begin their days.  They were almost always interrupted by two little red-heads wanting to snuggle and put stickers in KayeK's journal.

We got to celebrate my mom's birthday together!  We spent the afternoon soaking up the sun at Hampstead Park.

 And had fried chicken and strawberry shortcake for the birthday dinner!

Aren't they cute?!

Into the City

My mom led the kids and I on an adventure into the city last week before Ryan was here.  It was a gloriously sunny day and Rooke finally got to ride the Tube.  We picnicked at Green Park, walked passed Buckingham Palace, played at James Park, ate ice cream, and did more walking along the river. 

Green Park picnic

The massive tents behind us are going to be used by the media who will be covering THE Royal wedding.  Just the media!

It's everywhere . . . "Royal Wedding Team 2011"

After passing the Palace and playing at James Park, Mom treated the kids to ice cream.  It was Gretchen's first taste!  

She was using her sign and her words to communicate that she wanted MORE!

Our first freckles of the season!

We're tucked in there in that massive crowd

One of KayeK's educational breaks.  She knows so much about the city and Rooke's inquisitive mind takes it all in.

While Gretchen loved hanging out on my back in the Ergo, Rooke got to ride in the stroller and finally decided to take a little nap while we finished our walk and headed home.  

Daddy's Home!

He's here!  He's really here!   I went to the airport Sunday morning to get Ryan.  While waiting, I watched plenty of other family reunions and, being so emotional, found myself crying with them, too.  The tears didn't stop when I saw my handsome man walk through the doors.  We grabbed a cup of coffee, got on the Tube, and had a nice hour-long ride back to my parents' house together.  The kids were just as excited to see him!  Rooke ran faster, so he got the first set of hugs.  Gretchen couldn't get enough cuddles.  It feels so good to be back together.  

Ryan brought all of us a fun gift.  The kids got some new trains and accessories.

My Man

For the past four weeks, Ryan has been working hard with limited sleep at his Commissioned Officer's Training at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.  The kids and I have missed him desperately.  This weekend was the graduation celebration.  His dad was there to cheer him on and they sent me these pictures today:

Is he not the most handsome JAG attorney you've ever seen?!  Don't answer that.  He's mine.  And I get to pick him up from the airport on Sunday!!!!  It will have been one month and two days of being apart.  Did I mention the kids and I have missed him like crazy?!  A lot has happened for all of us in the past four weeks.  We are ready to be together again and settle in to our new normal.  

Sunny Days

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here the past couple of days!  I'm so grateful for the chance to be outside, enjoying park adventures in the morning and backyard adventures in the afternoon.  Today was spent at an animal rescue shelter with one of my mom's friends and then bubbles and golf balls in the backyard after naps. 

These are the faces of two precious kids who are ready to see their daddy soon!!

The Parks

The weather has been beautiful since being here, which has helped the family morale immensely (namely Mommy's!).  The kids and I have ventured out to a park almost every day.  All have been beautiful with fantastic play structures and plenty of space to run and burn some energy.

We always stop at this "climbing log" on our way to/from the neighborhood park.

Riding on the top deck of a "tall London bus" to check out another park.

She's fearless when it comes to navigating new playgrounds.  I'm a nervous wreck trying to keep up with her and making sure she doesn't kill herself.  It's only because my mom was with us on this occasion that I was able to take a picture!

Rooke had as much fun pushing Gretchen as he did riding the tractor himself.  It was the perfect match.

Why play on a sprawling toy structure when you can push your sister around on a tractor?!