London

Here are some of the photos from our London trip. Dave and I traveled over with my parents and we all had Business Elite seats on Delta from ATL to LHR. Talk about nice!! Lay flat seats, down pillows and comforters, individual toiletry kits with socks, earplugs, eye shades, lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste. For dinner we had 3 different appetizers, Crab Cakes and Steak and for dessert we had a cheese and fruit plate and an ice cream sundae. Warm rolls and nuts, wine, Mimosa's, you name it they had it. We ate like kings and then promptly fell asleep until they woke us for breakfast. The food was excellent and the service was terrible, but it sure beats economy!! I love my job perks!!
Once we arrived in London we took the tube (subway) to Craig's place where we visited and had a lovely Lasagna and salad for dinner. We crashed pretty hard around 9pm so we could get up early for our full day on Friday. We started the day at the Tower of London, where the Crown Jewels are on display and you can walk through a recreation of what medieval life was like in London. We had a great tour guide and the Crown Jewels are amazing. No crowds thanks to it being the off tourist season. Rainy and dang COLD at times! We headed over to Westminster Abby and Big Ben after lunch. We didn't go inside the Abby because it was another $18/person. We finished the day at Harrods department store. Dad and Dave headed to the pub in the basement while Mom and I ogled at all their clothes and weird specialty items. They have section called Pet Kingdom where you can buy a pet, its clothes, food, leash, potty, bedding, kennel pretty much anything you can think of. Crazy. Friday night we went to a great place called The Golden Hind for awesome fish and chips and mushy peas(not Deb's favorite).
Saturday morning we headed to the town hall for Craig and Ian's Civil Partnership ceremony. Sara, Ian's sister and I served as the witnesses and signed all the documents with the boys. It was a very short but touching ceremony. We then headed back to the flat for Chili, munchies and drinks. We then headed over to the British Museum for a few hours. It is so huge. It would take days to explore everything completely. We took a guided tour in the Ancient Egyptian Section and we spent most of our time their. The mummy's are fascinating. Later Saturday evening we met the wedding group (around 20 people) at Vinoteca for dinner. Craig and Ian has reserved the basement wine cellar and we had one large table all to ourselves. We drank and dined in candlelight until we could barely walk home. Good thing everybody walks in London, no need for designated drivers!! Dave went back to Craig's place until 4:30am ( does he think he is still 21???) while I crashed back at our room.
On Sunday I got up with Mom and Dad and we went to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. It is just one of the cheesy tourist things you have to do at least once. I probably would not go see it again but it was neat one time. Dave met us later in the day due to his late night adventures:) We then took a bus tour around the city which showcased the major highlights. It was about 2 1/2 hours but we saw everthing and got a great overview of the city for the next time we visit.
It is super easy to get around Lodon. The subway maps are very user friendly. First timers beware, there are no public toilets except in restaurants and museums. There are also no trash cans so you have to hold on to your trash until you arrive home or get where you are going. It is also not very kid friendly. Many subway stops do not have elevators, so you would need to carry your baby and the stroller up multiple flights of stairs. Hard work. I think I will wait to bring Maddie over until she walks fairly well on her own for long periods. Strollers do not work well here.
I just want to thatnk Craig and Ian again for all their hospitality and planning and advice on how to have great first trip...we did!! We love you guys and are so happy for you. We welcome Ian into our crazy family:)

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas Nana

Look at all the Santa loot...wow are we spoiled!

Mom...hurry up..I want to open presents!

Ash at Dave's parents house

Christmas day at our house started around 8:30am thanks to the girls sleeping in late! We opened our stockings and had some breakfast then it was on to the tree for more presents. Ash was surprisingly grateful for all her gifts and it was joy to watch her open them. As the girls napped during the afternoon the adults watched Elf and cooked the turkey on the grill...yum yum. We stuffed ourselves silly then headed to Dave's parents house for more food and presents. Ash got a little restlesss waiting to open presents while the aduts cleaned the

kitchen...she is only 3:) We had lots of fun watching the 3 little ones open gifts and play with new toys. Then we headed to the basement for some serious Texas Hold Em. I never had a chance to play...perhaps next year! Maddie conked out about 9pm and Ash made it all the way until 10:30pm when we left. The day after Christmas is almost my favorite day because we don't shower and sit in frontof the TV all day in our jammies...bliss! That night we had a quick adult night out while Dave's sister Cathy watched the girls and went to dinner at Trio Cafe with some good friends of ours. I had the BEST cheese pizza, caesar salad and tomato soup EVER...a really great restaurant. We tried to hit a late movie but everything was sold out that night...so we went home and watched a video...again in our jammies:)

We are headed down to Vegas tomorrow to stay with Mike and Katie during the weekend this time WITHOUT kiddies!! My wonderful parents have agreed to watch them so Dave and I can have a little mini vacation without spending too much money:) Thank you Nana and Papa...we are so excited to sleep in for 3 mornings!!

Christmas Eve

Reading the night Before Christmas

Look at those cheeks!

Oh joy...Santa is coming!

Yummy ribbon!

Playing trains with Papa

Christmas Eve this year was just like the last three...don't you love traditions?? We spend some time at Nana and Papa's before they go to church, then we head over Dave's Grandpas house for a turkey and ham dinner and a silly gift exchange. Then it is home to wait for Santa. Mike, Dave's brother, and his wife Katie alwasys stay with us and it is so fun to hang out together. After the kiddies were in bed we stayed up way too late watching the Hangover...very crass but very funny:)

Cookies for Santa

Have you ever seen such pretty cookies???

Is it Rudolf or just Nana???

We had a fun night a few days before Christmas making cookies for Santa. Ash had a great time frosting the cookies and decorating them however she wanted. Santa ate both cookies we left him! It was a sucess:)

Halloween fun

Cornbelly's
My sweet flower whose head is too big for the costume:)

Alex, Ash and Gavin or should I say Alice, Minnie and Iron Man

Our first pumpkin carving

Ash and Garrett

We did the annual trick or treat party at our community center with Kate and Garrett. We also had everyone stop by for chili and then trick or treating on Halloween. We actually ran out of candy at 7:45pm...I must be more prepared next year! We had one crazy adult dressed as Batman with his wife/girlfriend ring the door and the try to explain why he was asking for free candy on a kids holiday..I hope he doesn't live in our neighborhood...FREAK. We also had a fun Saturday at Cornbelly's with Whitney, Andrea, Cristol and the kids. The weather was so warm and wonderful..just really crowded because it was a Saturday. I actually lost Ashley for about 10 minutes and the kindness of strangers had me reunited with her at the information desk shortly. When I say shortly, it sure didn't feel that way as I am envisioning who took her and where she is going to end up dead...etc, etc. I was hoping to keep it our little secret till we came home and the 1st thing she says to Dave..." I get lost at Cornbelly's Daddy!!" Like she was proud or something..ooops. I had some explaining to do:)

More birthday fun???

We has Ashley's family party at our house on Satuday the 24th. The kids were wild and she was completely obnoxious. She didn't listen to one word, had no interest in opening her presents and was as sassy as could be. Not exactly what I had pictured in my mind for her 3rd birthday. I guess you have good and bad days and this was just a bad one. Maybe next year will be better:)

Yo Ho Yo Ho a pirates life for me!

Trying on our new outfits
Yummy cupcakes Mom

A visit from Captain Jack

Lookslike a party

Happy 3rd birthday!

We has a great afternoon at Pirate Island Pizza with out good buddies. It was pretty empty being a Wednesday afternoon. The food was good and the atmosphere was great. Thank you all for coming, we love all of you!