Nelson Family Thanksgiving

Oh, what a day it was, full of surprises at every turn. The greatest being my husband's idea of cooking a turkey himself for our Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, this is the same husband that a few years back asked me how to boil water, you know, in case I was ever ill and he needed to cook a meal to take care of me. And this is the same husband that doesn't know where our spoons and forks are located. Don't get me wrong, my prince charming has more endearing attributes and strengths than I could list, however, anything related to cooking, other than the job of opening a bag of pretzels or a tube of Pringles, is just not his strong suite.

So, now you may understand why this video is just cracking me up:



And here is the finished product. Look at that pride on his face. And for good reason. Let me just tell you, sorry mom and Linda, I mean Luby's, it was the best turkey that I have ever had!

Thank you dear, for daring to go where I was too daunted to venture, to the art and skill of cooking gamefowl. Even after 13 years of wedded bliss, you are still full of tricks and surprises! Our relationship in the kitchen will never be the same.

A few photos of the boys to mark the occasion:

So much to be thankful for!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

Live from the Nile Valley

We were transported to the far reaches of Egypt today as little G's class produced an amazing show about its ancient civilization. You can spot G on the right side of the photo, second from the end.

I just love the ability to download these videos.

It's just like being there in person, don't you think?

G told me there is no need for Skype anymore. I thought you would be thrilled with that news.

Passing Time on a Rainy Sunday Afternoon

Today we awoke to an ice storm, we left for church in the cold rain, we walked to lunch after church in the beautiful sunshine, and then spent the afternoon inside because it started to rain once again. London weather is nutty!

These videos are a little snapshot of how we chose to spend our afternoon.

If you need a translation, the last line of this song is and flush you down the toilet. I know, nice isn't it? I now know why the mothers of S's friends cringe, just as I used to do, when they learn that he has a big brother that teaches him all of these goodies. Makes a mamma so proud.

Can I just tell you how smitten I am with these little monkeys?

Now It's S

Little G's still holding tight and has not picked up the English accent. His voice inflection continues to rise at the end of a sentence which is just what he hears at school and from his friends.

S on the other hand is picking it all up! Just in the last few weeks, I have heard this:

th-yah for there

he-yah for here

wa-tah for water

When he is counting, it is one, two, three, f-oah.

It has G and I in stitches. Maybe the proper accent will proper up his behaviour. Wishful thinking anyway!

And Another

I have to add to my last post with one more thing that I absolutely, positively love about living in London. It is the art of online grocery shopping and to-your-kitchen delivery. It truly doesn't get much better than that.

I'm hoping this modern day convenience makes it's way across the pond. Until that day, I'm thinking it's best to stay. These little luxuries make a huge difference in the life of a busy mom!

One More Great Thing About Living in Europe

Doctors make house calls.

Let me just say that again so that you can really let the words sink in . . .

Doctors make house calls.

I'm hoping that you are able to hear the angels singing like I am! I have not had to drag my children to a doctor's office in months. If one of the monkeys is feeling a bit ill, I simply call the pediatrician on her mobile and we chat for awhile about our best course of action. If a visit is needed, she comes to the house, possibly even that afternoon. This little convenience has been the greatest gift to an assiduous mom and has truly been life changing. Not exaggerating here one bit.

And for this reason alone, I am considering the possibility of staying here forever. Or at least until the boys are of the age that I don't chat with my pediatrician on the phone more often than my own mother!

Lord Mayor's Show

We spent the day Saturday at the festivites and celebrations to honour (I'm trying to adopt my new English spellings!) the new Lord Mayor. A new Lord Mayor is elected every year, and since the 13th century, the reveling has had a serious purpose.

In 1215, King John granted a charter allowing the City's people to choose their own Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor, accompanied by supporters, had to journey to the Palace of Westminster to be presented to the Sovereign for approval and to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown. At one point in history,this showing of the Mayor to the people took place on the River Thames, coining the term "floats".

The Lord Mayor still takes an oath, only now it is held at the Royal Courts of Justice. We bundled the boys up and braved the quintessential London weather to see the parade, or the "showing" of the Lord Mayor to the people.

The new Lord Mayor in his gilded carriage:

Following the parade, we went St Paul's Cathedral. Truly a magnificent building with beautiful architectural details

Upon walking around the cathedral, we discovered a carnival, much to the delight of the little ones, which is where we spent the rest of our evening.



This photo makes me laugh, a deluge of modern sights and sounds in the shadows of such an historically significant cathedral!

Our night concluded with spectacular fireworks over the River Thames.

Ahhhhhh . . .

So this is what life is like when everyone feels healthy and well. I almost forgot, seeing as we've had at least 50 consecutive sick days in our home. I like it. I really, really like it! And I like my children again. Things were getting a bit sketchy on sick day 45 or so. Oh, I'm only kidding. But we did have some moments!

We enjoyed a fun weekend out and about and have photos to share, but for now I am much too busy watching mindless TV and enjoying a vomit-free home!

More of the Same

And I just thought we were done with the tummy bug . . .

Poor little S was taken in the middle of the night. And right before his afternoon tea at G's school. I've never seen him more excited for something in all the years of his short little life so far! KS held a sibling tea for the children that will start in the nursery there next year. S is one of those siblings and could not wait for the big occasion. Too bad it fell on the same day as the tummy bug.

So, I did what every other good mother would do had they been in my shoes today.

I gave him a heavy dose of Motrin and we were on our way. I'm not proud. I just could not face that disappointed little face with the big alligator tears rolling down those sweet little cheeks, cheeks hot with fever mind you.

Clearly not my best mothering moment. But you should have seen how proud and excited he was to be at big boy school with G. Priceless!

Distractions, Distractions

I just can't seem to turn my attention away from the election coverage tonight. G and I are planning to stay up for the results which will start coming in at 1am our time. As if I wasn't already tired enough from 3 sick little monkeys! I'll catch up one of these years, I mean days, but for now, the news is calling . . .

If It's Not One . . .

then it's the other, or the other.

We seem to be plagued with microscopic organisms that continue to taint one little boy or the other, or the other. It started with B on Saturday, made it's way to S last night and then finally on to G early this morning. And this is just the tummy bug that I am referring to, I won't go into the details of the head and chest colds that the boys have had since we returned to London in September mind you!

It has been a trying 48 hours to say the least, not just because of the fact that I've had 3 ill children, but trying to keep them separated, checked-on, hydrated, fed and medicined in 4 hour increments in a home with 4 floors just adds to the physical challenge.

So with that, I am off to bed to collapse so that I can be ready for the next germ victim!