WBW: Sunday, May 31, 2009

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...

We then headed over to the British Museum. Ate lunch in the cafe' inside. Had to evacuate because a suspicious backpack was left inside the cafe' and security was checking it for bombs!! Yep...a little scary. When things were clear, we collected our items left behind on the table at the time of the evacuation and headed into to see the wonderful British Museum. LOVED IT!!! Collin, Katie and I followed a kid's guide to the museum. The guide sent us on "adventures" to different sections finding different items. The kids even got to dress up in part of the adventure (note for scrapbooking purposes: get picture from Momma). Loved seeing the Rosetta Stone! Loved seeing the Elgin Marbles! Loved seeing the Black Obelisk from 860BC. BC!! Wonderful! Can't wait to go back and do it again!

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.

Star Struck

I have been a fan of Acapella since 1987. Been to a few of their concerts over the past 23 years. I did a little Keith Lancaster stalking while in Nashville, Tennessee in the summer of 2000. He was leading singing at the church we were visiting. Stalked him. Had him sign my church bulletin. Had him take photo with me. In 2002 - was at a Christmas party at the University presidents home. Looking in the Master bath. Met Wes McKinzie and wife in master bath. Star struck. I can't say anything smart. Our paths have crossed occasionally over the past 8 years. Fast forward to tonight...I see Wes McKinzie on stage with Acapella. Yep, star struck. I will be sporting my Acapella t-shirt for the next 3 days - well, at least until Jackson spits up on it.

Way Back Wednesday: Saturday, May 30, 2009

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.

We spent our "free time" that day by exploring more at the Tower of London - great, facinating place. Too much to do and see in the short time allotted by the OC time slot. Loved it! That evening Matt and the college kids went to see Les Miserables. My mom and kids and I went on back to the hostel to go to bed early and sleep off more of our jet lag.

ADORABLE...if I do say so myself.

Oh my goodness...I am so in love.

Pooh's Special Friend

Collin FINALLY got to be Pooh's Special Friend. It's kinda like a "Student of the Week" type deal for his first grade class. Although he tells me at 7:15 this morning..."I'm Pooh's Special Friend today." Ok...what does that mean? "Fill a bag with stuff for show and tell and you and dad come to my school at 10:30 for the interview." HUH??? Shouldn't Mom get a note about this? "No. I know about it. Just come at 10:30. Then you and dad can take me out to eat for lunch." I call the school at 8:05 to talk to teacher and then go about painting the "black bathroom". Teacher calls back and says to come on up to school today. I change out of the painting clothes, wake up Katie (still asleep at 10 am), change Jackson, go pick up Matt and arrive at school smiling and fearing the 1st grade interview.

No pictures...I was too nervous to take any...the kids grilled Matt and me and Collin and Katie with questions like, "What do you do while Collin is at school?" "What is American history?" "Why do you only work on Tuesday and Thursday?" "Where are your parents taking you for lunch?" "How many wars were there?" "Do college kids have to do more work than us?" "Why don't your parents have a safety net around their trampoline?", etc. etc. etc.

Collin LOVED being the center of attention. Can you believe it?

Way Back Wednesday on Thursday

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.

The Camera Has Died

I know...it's not breaking news. But it is big news in our family. This is/was my first digital camera. Sniff...sniff... Birthday present 2007. Sniff...sniff... I'll get over it.

Collin and Katie spent Spring Break in Texas with my parents. And when they got home on Friday we had a little surprise in the backyard - our trampoline! They got it for Christmas from Matt's parents but we had not taken the time to go to the store to pick it up or put it together. So we took some pictures outside on that nice balmy 70 degree Friday. And I guess the camera was left outside by an adult member of this household that is in fact not me. And Saturday when I ask, "Where is the camera?" so I can take a picture of the cuteness of Jackson Matt-Matt...well, let's just say that's when we discover a frosty Kodak Easy Share.

So, I'll be shopping for my early Mother's Day gift this week. I'm certain that I will miss some very important milestone in Jackson's life (and Collin and Katie's) while I am searching for a new camera. I think I will buy a disposable camera tomorrow just in case. In the meantime...and fellow bloggers have any new camera recommendations of the point and shoot kind?

Blessings! And thanks!!!