All Aboard!

The last thing we did before we moved from England

was to take the boys on the steam-powered "Santa" Train.

I must admit that we weren't feeling all that Christmasy this year without being

able to decorate with anything but boxes,

so this was our last attempt to get into the spirit of things...

Santa and his elves visited each box car and gave each child their own gift.

The boys LOVED it!

We love "Santa's" steam train!

London Town

During the 3 day weekend for Thanksgiving, we decided to take one last trip down to London before we make the big move across the pond in a week!



1.waiting for the train to London, 2.giant Lego Christmas tree at King’s Cross station, 3.Harry Potter platform, 4.outside our hotel next to the London Eye, 5.Harrod’s, 6.another Lego masterpiece at Harrod’s, 7.Big Ben and little Ben, 8.Parliament at night!

Buckingham Palace

We went to see the famous “Changing of the Guard,”

but unfortunately they weren’t doing it because of some issue…grrr!

1.Palace guard in his winter uniform, 2.Palace gates, 3.how we got around, 4.the guy who invented Wellies?, 5-6.Sherlock Holmes Museum, 7.Santa, 8.carnival ride

We happened upon the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland…

it was a German-run carnival in the middle of the park.

Once the boys saw it, there was no turning back!

Here we are getting them their first cotton candy.

Can you see the enjoyment on their faces? 

Don’t think they’ll be having the ‘candy floss’ again any time soon!

Last sunset by the London Eye before we head home to our hotel for the night and back to Yorkshire the next morning.

Bye for a while London!  Thanks for showing us a good time.

We will be back again some day…

Guy Fawkes Night

Yesterday we celebrated Guy Fawkes Night here in England!

We didn't make it to the Stray to see the giant bonfire and fireworks last year,

but we figured we should this time...

since it will probably be our last chance before we move home.

So we donned our wellies and headed out into the cold to check it all out.

The boys really enjoyed it...until they got cold and wanted to go home.

Bonfire...ehhh, fireworks..they've seen better, 

glowsticks...highlight of the evening!

And here we are at the end of an eventful 

and Fawkesy evening.

Harvest Festival

This week is Harvest Festival in England!

It is very similar to Thanksgiving in the U.S.,
except there is no giant meal that you pig out on.

You basically give thanks for the crops that have been harvested that year 

and give to the poor in your community.

Nate had a little assembly at the village church this morning for Harvest Festival.  

(unfortunately no pictures of him or video due to poor planning on my part)

The children sang songs about the Harvest and gave thanks to God.

They even said a prayer...yes, in school!

The children also showed what they had harvested themselves that year

(a result of being a tiny country school, they grow their own vegetables!)

So Happy Pre-Thanksgiving Harvest Festival to you all back home!

Beamish

Some friends of ours suggested Beamish Living Museum this weekend,

so we went out for an adventure...

 It is in the Durham area, which used to be a coal mining town...

 Here is Ben and friends checking out one of the coal factories.

 ice cream. enough said.

 Tea anyone?

 Lovely lady making scones for the tea spread...

gardens...

 It's true.  I bet you didn't know.

 Ready for school! (I wish)

 It totally reminded me of something from Anne of Green Gables.

Except I'm bummed I didn't get to act out any slate breaking scenes
over Ben's head while I was there.

(go here at minute 1:49).

Maybe next time.

 Waiting in the queue...

 for this old bloke.

 Nate was excited to be 'a top the double decker tram...

 as was Spence.

 See....I AM in pictures some times!

 Mmmmm, candy.

Here is a nice shopkeeper explaining about how they played football
back in the day, and how the football cleats worked.

She said because the balls were made of thin leather,

if it rained (which in England it inevitably does), 

you could break your foot kicking the ball when it was waterlogged.

Awesome.

 Come again?  Could someone explain "medical gymnastics" to me?
 It sounds amazing.

 This one's for you dental Dan!

Old dentist tools and chair.

 I think I'd rather have my teeth rot out, thank you.

No foot powered drills for me.

 Yes, those are teeth.

 Some Victorian era rooms...

 That steam train left a nice cloud of smoke for those people on the bridge. 

 I bet they loved it.

 Ummm yeah, we caved and let the boys take a spin
 on the carousel before we left.

...and yes, I am sooo mature that I went on it with them.

Good times.

p.s.- check out Spencer's awesome face.