Last Strawberries

One of the gifts of this dear green place is the fresh strawberries. If you've read our blog before, then you may have seen earlier pictures from our trips to the Cairnie Fruit Farm. We love this place. It's an adventure playground and pick-your-own fruit farm in one. The boys and I decided to make our last trip this season to pick til our hearts content. It was glorious. Beautiful day, not crowded, plenty of yummy fruit and pumpkins for our front door!

Bliss.

Monster Madness

Not the Halloween kind. The 2-wheeled kind. Last Saturday, we took the boys to the Museum of Flight (where we went this summer with Grandma and Davis) to see the Magnificent Machines. They included Monster Trucks, steam trains, ambulances, firetrucks, tanks, motorcycles, BMX bikes, scooters, and of course all of the planes on site.

It was right up our alley. The weather was perfect, windy and cool and we spent the whole day testing our families testosterone.

But I forgot my camera. So no cute pictures. Scott took a few on his phone but has yet to share them with me and he's on his way around the world.

So just for now, picture a Monster Truck Jam in Texas with Scottish scenery, 4 smiling boys and you got it!

Backpack

A few weeks ago I went to the Coldplay concert with a few girlfriends and had a ball. The weather was decent, the music was brilliant and the company was terrific.

One of the things that cracked me up was the drink distribution. I'd never seen the beer keg backpacks before and had to laugh at the inefficiency of their use in a crowd of 40,000 people. The beer queue was 1 hour long. And there must have been 40 guys with these backpacks on. Have you seen these things?? Seems like a regular tap at the concession stand would work better. But they didn't ask me.

http://www.thirstsolution.com/thirst-packs.asp?gclid=COvqu4X_k50CFYIA4wodgUhp0w

Birthdays finale 2009!

To finish off the Nicol boy's birthdays for 2009, we celebrated with Ethan at the Cream O Galloway Ice Creamery on Sunday. For those that do not know, we went there this summer with Grandma Jane and Cousin Davis and had a blast. Even though it's 2 hours away, Ethan was set on having his party there.

So Sunday morning, we loaded 13 children and 5 adults into a "people carrier" and my car and headed south. The day could not have been better! The weather was brilliant, the ice cream making was spectacular, and the outdoor playing was SUPER! And we all slept really well Sunday night!

Ethan had a great day and weekend! Counting our blessings!

Tartan Night Out

One of life's greatest blessings is a trustworthy, fun, kind, mature babysitter. We've been blessed many times.

In Dallas, we had a few regulars. One of these was Kimberly. She moved to London shortly before we moved to Scotland and it's fun to keep in touch on this side of the pond. We email back and forth and chat about the little things we miss and the things that annoy us here. Kimberly came for a quick visit a few weeks ago and it was if no time had passed. It was great to see her, and Kimberly, we thank you for taking the time to stop in Glasgow!

And in Scotland, we've been lucky enough to have a wonderful child-minder (as they are called). Once a week, Scott and I have a quiet dinner sans children and the boys get time with Gemma. They look forward to it each week and so do we.

Gemma planned a night out for the boys' birthday. She booked a table for dinner and let me know when she'd be here to pick them up. They were so excited and readily agreed to put on a button down shirt and clean themselves up a bit. Don't you wonder about Charlie's outfit?? I'm not sure Ethan would have been allowed out of the house like that but I'd like to think, I've relaxed a bit in the last 5 years.

The boys had a blast and Scott and I enjoyed dinner at home sans children, a first for our time in Scotland! Here's to more tartan nights out!

The Spud

As the leaves begin to change and fall, I am thinking of autumn menus. Comfort foods come in many different forms don't they? What might be comfortable to me, might not be comfortable to you. Since I was raised on Louisiana and Tex-Mex cooking, those are the foods that I crave for comfort.

In not so sunny, frugal, Scotland, comfort foods find their roots in what is plentiful. And that my friends, is the potato. In many different forms: as chips (french fries to you and me), baked, boiled, or mashed.

Chips are served with many things here. Even pizza. And sometimes they are lacking in salt and most times they are accompanied by fried fish. Yummy, sometimes. The chips are either plain, salted, salt and vinegar, or with ketchup. Or curry. Or mayonnaise.

And the Baked Potato on many menus includes toppings that do little to comfort me. Baked beans and tuna fish are the 2 that really challenge me.

Mashed potatoes are found mainly in pies. Not sweet pies, but cottage pie, steak pie, fish pie, etc. I'm sure they are lovely if prepared by your mom or grandmother, but again, they've done little to comfort me.

As we brace ourselves for the cold Scottish fall and winter, I will continue to savor the memories of my comfort foods and I will continue to support Lupe Pintos Deli. Happy Harvest!

Happy 11th Birthday Ethan!

Whoa. I can't believe it. I know I've said this in previous birthday posts, but it is ringing even truer today. Time is flying by. Ethan is 11 today and I really can't believe it.

Ethan, when I was pregnant with you, a woman in my office building said to me no less than once a week that I was the happiest pregnant person she'd ever seen. And then when you were born and she met you, she said she knew why. You were the happiest baby she'd ever seen! Your zest for life is contagious and for that, we are grateful!

Mom and Dad are so proud of you and feel it's a privilege to be your parents. You are kind, funny, clever, fun to be around, courageous, wise beyond your years and you are one of the best big brother's I know. We learn from you each day and we love you more than you will ever know. Happy 11th Birthday Ethan!

"O, God, our times are in your hand: look with favor, we pray, on your servant Ethan, as he begins another year. Grant that he may grow in wisdom and grace , and strengthen his trust in your goodness all the days of his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN."

Book of Common Prayer

PS....We only have a few digital pictures from your earliest years, the majority are on OLD FASHIONED FILM! See, I told you time is flying!