Chris, Caitlin and Hannah in Scotland

This post is long overdue. We had a fantastic visit with Chris, Caitlin and Hannah over the Thanksgiving week. The weather was so nice they began to doubt our stories and our moaning about the rain. I'll let the pictures speak for the week!

We enjoyed a beautiful day in St. Andrews touring the cathedral and castle ruins, flying kites on the beach and a long leisurely lunch. The boys skipped school that day so that they could come along.

We toured the Glasgow School of Art and did a little shopping on the High Street. We passed this political protest which was interesting.

Scott took another day off to join us for a tour of Loch Lomond, a cozy pub lunch and a distillery tour! It was a fantastic day.

And the last 2 days were spent in Edinburgh touring the Castle, Holyrood Palace, Walking the Royal Mile, Tucking in a few pubs along the way, visiting Camera Obscura, and a tour of the tunnels under the Royal Mile.

We bribed the boys with a stop to the sweetie shop after a little shopping and this is what they picked! Nice.

We crammed so much into our week that I am sure Caitlin and Hannah slept most of the way home. It was a brilliant week and we can't thank you guys enough for making the effort to visit! We miss you already. Cheers!

Thanksgiving 2010

We have much to be thankful for in 2010. Blessings too many to count.

Our second annual Thanksgiving Party (in Scotland) was on Sunday the 21st of November. The turkeys came from a farm in Southern England and the entertainment came in the form of 30 of our Scottish friends! And to top it off, my brother Chris and my nieces Caitlin and Hannah, arrived for their Scotland visit on that morning. Splendid!

We picked them up at the airport at 7:30 and then hit the ground running to prepare for our afternoon feast. Poor Caitlin and Hannah, they must of thought I was crazy.

We made the following: 2 20lb turkeys, 1 15 lb ham, 2 pans of cornbread dressing, roasted carrots, gravy, and our friends brought the rest: mashed potatoes, roasted parsnips, brussel sprouts, roasted pumpkin stuffed with spiced rice, green beans, cranberry sauce and sausages. The boys helped me prepare a pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and pecan pie. One friend brought a cheeseboard and the children decorated (with the help of Caitlin and Hannah) sugar cookies. It was definitely a feast for a king!

We laughed, and ate, and drank, and danced, and played games and laughed and ate and drank some more! A fantastic day by all accounts!

Happy Thanksgiving to you! We count you among our many blessings!

Let it Snow!

Saturday morning we woke to a few inches of snow on the ground. As the day progressed, more and more fell and by Sunday lunchtime, Scotland was a winter wonderland. For those trying to travel, work, or get anywhere safely and on time, it has created havoc. For those of us avoiding the grey, cold, rainy days, it has been delightful! The boys played outside all day Sunday and we even built this crazy snowman with other parents in the hood! Muscles and all! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Cambridge, United Kingdom

I want to go back to school. I never knew there was a town quite like Cambridge. I shouldn't have been an Aggie. Did I just say that out loud? I know, I know. I wouldn't have met my husband, or the favourite girlfriends I mentioned in a previous post, but man, does Cambridge blow College Station out of the water.

Ethan had a fencing tournament in Cambridge in early November and we took the opportunity to have a long weekend away as a family. It was delightful. And delicious. And simply brilliant.

According to Wikipedia, Cambridge is the second oldest university in England (and the English speaking world) and the seventh oldest in the world. It is said that the university was founded by scholars in 1209 after they left Oxford following a debate with the townspeople. Academically, Cambridge ranks as one of the world's top universities and it regularly contends with Oxford for the top of the UK league tables. The University of Cambridge is made up of 31 colleges, each with it's own property and income. They are mostly diverse in their academia but give the students a smaller place to call home.

The college buildings are magnificent and the property breathtaking. The town itself is centered around the colleges and therefore has a youthful vibrancy that is unmatched. Everyone is on foot or bike, going to and fro with a sense of relaxed urgency. The River Cam runs through the town and was once a means of transportation and commercial delivery for the colleges. We highly recommend a guided punting tour along the river where you will see the backs (great expanses of green park land) and many of the college buildings.

Sunday we attended Evening Song at the Kings College Chapel and had the privilege of seeing their famous Boys Choir. It was worship like we'd never known. Again, breathtaking and spectacular.

Overall, it was a weekend to remember. The fencing was fun and challenging for Ethan, with 40 boys in his age group. (In Scotland, he rarely has more than 15 in his age group at competitions) It encouraged him to travel to more events next year and we are hoping that they will be in towns as lovely as Cambridge!