England Vacation

We recently arrived back from a 2-week trip to see my family and friends in England. For Jack, it was (amazingly) his 6th trip across the pond, while Kate was making her Delta debut. We had a great time overall, balancing family parties with opportunities to go walking and running outdoors. Both kids did exceptionally well on the 8 hour flights to London, sleeping much of the way there on the overnight flight, and taking full advantage of the seat-back video on the return leg.

Highlights included my step-mum's birthday festival (3 nights of fun), a sans-kids night away in Leeds for Kelly and I, and a couple of days in London (Jack loved the dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History in South Kensington).

We drank plenty of beer, enjoyed copious sunshine, and knocked back a few curries (the one we had at Akbars in Leeds was possibly the best curry I've ever had!).

Here are a couple of photos.

Jack with his own seat on Delta


Jack and Grandad at Horse Guards Parade in London


Walking on the hills around Littleborough


Jack looking at the sheep and cows in Littleborough

Preparing for Pre-School

This week, Kelly took Jack to pre-school to prepare him for next Tuesday, when he'll formally begin attending school. Sandwiched between Economics, Middle-Eastern Geography, and The Classics were trucks, games, and painting. He did amazingly well, given his tendency to cling to one of us at all times. He played independently, made some pictures and toys, and seemed very excited to be there. We will see how he does next week, without Kelly in the room.