Friday, May 29, 2009
8:00 am Breakfast in a hostel: I learned on this day that in order for the kids to eat "Frosties" (Europe's version of Frosted Flakes) that I needed to go down the 3 flights of stairs to pick up 4 individual size boxes of Frosties, 4 packets of grape jelly and 1 honey and head back of 3 flights of stairs to get family up and ready. If I wait until 8...the Frosties will be gone, the grape jelly will be gone and I will have 2 cranky kids and I will be one cranky pregnant lady.
National Gallery - they had a fabulous kid's story time here. The lady told a story about one of the works of art and the kids acted out what the people might be doing in the picture. Great place to go even if you are not an art person.
Westminster Abby Tour - 1065 people. Ten Sixty-Five! I still cannot fathom the age of this place. Loved it! Loved the tour! Fun Fact: Near the tomb of Henry V is the Coronation Chair, made at the command of Edward I in 1300 to display the mystical Stone of Scone. SOME think this is the sacred stone mentioned in Genesis and known as Jacob's Pillar. But if you want to see the stone...it's back in Scotland. But the chair...it's there...and you can see where the stone was. Cool! And COLLIN was selected by a vicor there to sit in the QUEEN'S CHAIR!!! The Queen's chair! We were not allowed a picture of this event but it did happen.
Evensong at Westminster - wonderful, great, different worship service. Katie slept. Collin had a ton of questions like "Why are the Dads wearing dresses?" "Why are they (the choir) the only ones that get to sing right now?"
Late evening at the National Portrait Gallery. Again, I'm not an art person, but it was neat to see some very famous portraits. After a while, it was like looking through someone else's yearbook. (Ok, I got that quote from Rick Steves.) But seriously, I would go again and probably appreciate it more.
So...I've returned to the blogging world with my new Canon Power Shot in hand. Thanks for all your recommendations. Now...on to the more recent McCook events.
at Collin's elementary school. He had a dog painted on his face.
He played on the playground with his best friend.
And he ran a race. The whole family started the evening together and ended it together. Katie, Jackson and I left in the middle of Family Fun Night to go to soccer practice. My little soccer monster did NOT want to miss practice. Not even for Family Fun Night. Jackson couldn't have cared less about either event. He was happy to be out in the wind. Yes, he likes wind. 
We started our day with worship in a nearby park. The singing was great. The preaching was great. The fellowship was great. We even attracted a few who had apparently spent the night in the park and might have still been a bit intoxicated...but they came near and listened to us sing. One young man offered one of our students a 7up...he is the grey elbow on the left.
Then we headed over for the highly overrated Changing of the Guard. See the crowd across the way nearest the palace? That's where you want to be at 11:30 when the change takes place. See where we are? We arrived at 10:30. Note for future trips: skip it. Enjoy a walk by the palace at another time. 
The ants go marching one by one hurrah...hurrah...
Did not get some great pictures here...I'm hoping my mom did. Did you Momma? I can't remember the exact name of this playground but something like "The Princess Diana Memorial Playground". Oh so fun! Set up like Peter Pan and the Lost Boys in their little village, nearby is Captain Hooks ship in some sand and a great big alligator to climb on. Slides, digging, running, playing, hopping, hiding, relaxing - oh so fun.
Thanks to my trusty journal, I see that Saturday, May 30 began with breakfast at 8am. I am certain that I ran down the 3 flights of stairs to the breakfast room and grabbed the 4 boxes of Frosties and 4 grape jellies and hurried back on up the stairs. Then we headed out to see St. Paul's Cathedral. BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL! Matt and Collin opted to climb the 1000+ stairs up to the look out. Katie and I (and an in-utero Jackson) opted to just climb the stairs up to the "Whispering Gallery" and stop. Seriously - I don't know how I made it up the stairs because I remember carrying Katie part of the spiral up. And Jackson felt heavier and heavier that day although I was a mere 4 months along.
After touring St. Paul's we walked to the Tower of London (not a short walk by the way, for an already tired prego, a 6 year old and a 3 year old in a stroller). We made it! Along the way, our tour guide pointed out this facinating little alley way. Do you recognize it? Harry Potter was filmed here - it's part of Diagon Alley!
Made it to the Tower of London. Here is the spot where Anne Bolyn (and others) were executed. Interesting book, interesting movie, more interesting to see the actual tower where she was kept and later killed.
Family photo at the Tower of London.
