Weekend ReCap

We had a Easter party on Saturday. Unfortunately, the lens on my Ni*kon broke and I didn't get any photos. Also, Chloe danced, grabbed some Easter eggs and then ran away from the party to play on the nearby playground, which was not part of the party. This is the only decent photo from the event.

In other news, we have officially commited to add another member to our family. No, not another child, we are still waiting for our 2nd China adoption and finishing up our dossier for our Ethiopian adoption, but in July we will add a new dog to the family. This isn't something we have taken lightly. After we lost our Clumber Spaniel, Shiner, I didn't think I would ever recover and be able to have another dog with Lizzie. I mean, I still cry over losing Shiner. But, lately, we have begun to feel like we are ready for a second dog. We've tossed the idea around for a few months, made a short list of breeds and went to a dog show that was a Westminster preliminary to see breeds in person. When we made the decision to get another dog, I decided that I would do the leg work, find some breeders, interview them and make the decision as a surprise for Matt's birthday. We had met a few breeders at the dog show, but I had already spoken several times to a breeder and had made my mind up that her breed, Gordon Setter, was the dog I wanted. I needed to convince Matt. I made sure we went to the dog show at the very time the Gordon Setters were being shown. It wasn't too hard for him to figure out which breed I wanted and he agreed. The breeder I had been speaking to was at the dog show too. Her female Gordon won that day, making her the #1 female Gordon in the U.S. and secured herself an invite to Cruft's (the big U.K. dog show). She won't be going to Cruft's though, she's pregnant with our puppy.

Today we went to our breeder's home and played with our dog's mother, brother and sister. Mommy Gordon Setter is only about 3 weeks along and is due on May 10. We have chosen to get a male and we will call him Flash (as in Flash Gordon). The dogs are absolutely beautiful with such an expressive face. We are really excited. Chloe can't wait to pick out a squeaky toy for the new puppy. In the meantime, here are a few photos of what our puppy will look like and what an adult Gordon looks like.

A Boy and His Toys

Matt got a new toy yesterday, a green Triu*mph Sp*rint ST motorbike...

He also got a new helmet to match his new bike, it has the Union Jack on it. Chloe is excited because she gets to wear his old, red helmet. And for those wondering, she plays like she is riding the motorcycle, she doesn't go for rides on the motorcycle.And, here's another Daddy/Daughter photo...

Chloe is assisting Daddy as he repairs my bumper. I seem to have difficulty comprehending how low the front bumper is on a B*MW. This is my 3rd B*MW and I've "curbed" the front bumper on each one. This time was the worst, I pulled up a little too close in a parking spot, curbed the car on the metal bolt holding the parking curb in place and when I reversed I ripped the bumper from the bolt holding it to the car. Thankfully, I have an understanding husband who took it all in stride and is fixing it himself---pretty handy for a girl who like to rip bumpers off of cars.

Dinosaurs

Chloe has been studying dinosaurs at school. This morning we took Matt to the train station and Chloe gave us a lesson in dinosaurs on the way. Apparently the dinosaurs are extinct because of a meteor that struck the earth. Upon impact the meteor made such a loud crashing noise that it hurt the dinosaur's ears causing them to die.

Matt and I couldn't help but laugh, which caused Chloe to get mad---not because we were laughing at her theory but that we were interrupting her lecture on dinosaurs.

I am going to start taking ear infections more seriously.

P.S. It's March 20, the first day of Spring, and it snowed this morning. OY!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Nothing could stop Chloe from returning to school today for their St. Pat's party. The entire classroom was reversed as a naughty leprechaun made mischief. She was completely wound up after school and so excited that its St. Pat's today.

London Calling...

We slipped away for a long weekend in London. Sad to say, but I much prefer the weather in London right now than in NJ. Who would think that anyone would say that? It seems there has been a mix up in the weather and London got NJ's weather and vice versa.

On to the highlights of our getaway...

The reason for our trip was to celebrate hubby's 40th birthday. Flights were reasonable and BA threw in a free hotel. Who could refuse? London is a fantastic city---moving up my ranks as one of my favorites. Since Matt is English, he knows London well. I would say I am familiar with London. I was lucky enough to live in England for 3 months in 1998-99 and got to frequently visit and explore London. We want Chloe to appreciate England too, which I think she does. This was her third trip to the U.K. She is more aware of the surroundings now---she noticed that cars and the drivers are on the opposite side, people have different accents and that the queen lives in a big palace.

We left for our trip on Thursday morning. We much prefer the morning flights that get you to England in the evening. It works out better with a child and frankly, I just prefer it. On my first visit to England we took the evening flight, arrived in England in the early hours of the next day and went about the day---I was shot. Couldn't stay awake and became so tired that my blood sugar spiked and I began vomiting. Never again.

After we arrived at Heathrow we took the train to Paddington from Terminal 5--very nice. From Paddington we took a taxi to our hotel. Our hotel was apparently field trip central with hundreds and hundreds of teenage students on school trips to London. In the courtyard of the hotel you could spy numerous adults standing on potted plants or tables shouting in Spanish, Italian or English at their group of teens about the days events. After checking in and putting our bags in our room it was about 9 p.m. We headed out for a bite to eat. Walking from the hotel we found an Indian restaurant and went in for a meal. We returned to our hotel around 1 a.m. and went to bed (it was after all 8 p.m. in NJ).

We woke the next morning, surveyed the sights in daylight, grabbed a quick bite for breakfast and jumped aboard a double-decker tour bus. Even though Matt knows London and I have toured it numerous times we had never done it. It was great and it worked out really well too. We could hop on and off at sights as we pleased and Chloe could take a nap, which apparently she needed. Unfortunately she slept right through the stop to Buckingham Palace.

The bus stop sign for our tour. The weather was bright and sunny the entire trip and the spring flowers were blooming (unlike NJ).

Matt and Chloe on the tour bus.

Matt on the tour bus with Big Ben in the background.


Chloe, having just awoken from her nap.
After seeing the sights, we went for dinner to our favorite Chinese restaurant, Wong Kei, which is in Chinatown. I have posted about this restaurant before. We love it for all its quirks---that it is three stories, that they sit you with other people to share a table, your drink choices consist only of soda, beer or green tea (they "don't do water"), and that their food is dirt cheap and really good.

Standing in Chinatown with Wong Kei restaurant in the background.

In Chinatown.

On Saturday we met Anne, Matt's mum at St. Pancras station and went to the London Eye. It was a clear and sunny day so we could see all of greater London.

The view of the carriage above us on the London Eye.

Matt, Chloe, Anne and I on the London Eye (with Big Ben and Parliament in the background).

A view of Buckingham Palace from the London Eye.

After the London Eye we walked across the Thames by Parliament and then headed to do some shopping at Harrod's. Matt and Chloe with Parliament and Big Ben in the background.


Chloe and I outside Harrod's. Chloe got a Formula 1 hat and Lewis Hamil*ton shirt.

We spent a long time in Harrod's. We took a break at a cafe across the street from Harrod's and did what everyone else was doing, people watching. Matt got a pair of Pr*ada sunglasses he has been spying since Mexico and I got an early birthday present--a pair of Cha*nel sunglasses. Notice a theme here?

Sunday was Matt's birthday and we decided to rent a car and drive to Matt's mums house. She has had some car trouble, so Matt wanted to check things out on the car and get it sorted. Matt managed to get things settled pretty quickly on the car and we headed to our favorite pub for lunch---

The Snooty Fox. I love this pub. Its got really good food and is in a small and quiet village. There is a stone house with a thatch-roof across the street that I have always loved. I figure if life gets too boring in this little hamlet, I could always walk across the street to the pub!

The birthday boy enjoying a pint in the garden of the pub.

Chloe's favorite thing about The Snooty Fox--a playground.

We left Matt's mums house after lunch and headed back to London on the M1. After we had made the flight arrangements I had booked high tea at The Ritz. I also requested champagne and a birthday cake for the event. We were making good time until---

A massive wreck on the M1 shut the entire highway down--on both sides. We were stuck, parked for two hours on the M1 while police attempted to turn everyone around. I had to call The Ritz and cancel high tea. It was a real disappointment, but we were glad we could go and see Matt's mum, get her car sorted and visit our favorite pub. Despite the setback, it was a good day and a good 40th birthday for Matt.

It was a great getaway. So glad we could do it for Matt's birthday.

Taking a Break to Celebrate!

We are heading out to celebrate Matt's birthday. Can you guess where we might be going?


See you when we return!

Su Casa es Su Casa...

that's what Chloe told me this morning. She explained further by telling me that this is my house and that when she got taller she was going to live in the beach house in North Carolina with Daddy. So, I could keep this house and live here. I told her I would miss her and Daddy and that I would be sad. I asked her if she would miss me. Her response, "I will just pretend like I don't." Heartwarming isn't it?

In other news, I went to see this pair last night in NYC with a group of friends. It was fun. Can you guess which one got booed? It was in NYC, shouldn't be too hard to figure it out.

What to do on a Snow Day

Viva La Mexico!

I guess we have truly become northeasterners as we fled from winter in NJ for the warmth of Cancun, Mexico for a few days.

I love this photo of Chloe. She had fallen asleep on the way to this market and after she woke up we put this sombrero on her. She's not very happy about it.

Because Matt traveled so much for work for so many years, he maintains the highest preferred member status with a few hotel chains. From time to time this gets us some good offers from the hotels. About a year ago, Starwood hotels made us an offer we couldn't refuse, 4 nights/5 days in Cancun for $156 and $200 in hotel cash. Done deal.

So last Friday we set out from JFK to Cancun for a nice long beach retreat. We had a great time soaking up some sun, playing in the sand and swimming. We lounged most of the time but did one excursion, which we had promised to do with Chloe, a dolphin swim.

Chloe playing in the sand on the beach. She would play on the beach for about 10 minutes and then want to swim in the pool. We constantly spent our day moving from beach to pool.

Matt and Chloe in a Cuban restaurant in Cancun.

Chloe got to write her name on the wall of the restaurant.

And below are our photos during our dolphin swim. Here, we are getting a "kiss" from the dolphins. We got to splash, pet and kiss the dolphins. The water was very cold, which Chloe didn't like at first but we convinced her to stay in the water. She wasn't scared of the dolphins even though they are big. She just wanted to touch them.

Happy Valentine's Day

Chloe and I had a great Friday the 13th yesterday. I was reminded why I so enjoy living in this area--there is so much to do. You can't possibly be bored. Chloe and I set out to get Matt's Valentine's Day present yesterday. A friend recently made us aware of the NYC cookie wars--a battle over which bakery makes the best cookie. Sue brought us some yummy goodness in a box from this bakery and we were hooked. Then, to heat up the competition, Deborah sent me the link to this bakery. I had to check it out and thus Matt's Valentine's gift was born...cookies from NYC's best cookie bakeries. He could determine the winner.

So, after prying the W*ii remotes out of Chloe's little hands in the morning and running some errands around town, we set out for NYC. We had multiple stops to make so we drove.

It was a sunny, not too cold day. Perfect for heading into the city. Every time I go into the city I think I should go into the city more. Our first stop was Ruby *et* Violette. Its in a mixed neighborhood, one that has not quite turned over for the better, one you wouldn't normally go to unless there was some fantastic little bakery in it that you just had to go to. So, it was surprising to find this darling little bakery.

They had a few customers inside the small storefront but they were very nice, gave Chloe some samples of brownies and were very nice when Chloe screamed that they had "gross, green cookies" (which were Creme de Menthe). We picked out Matt's cookie selection, 18 cookies nicely boxed up and tied with a silk ribbon.

We headed back to the car, and went to Le*Vain Bakery. It sits basement level, below a big storefront with a small sign. You have to look for it. If Sue hadn't told me you had to keep an eye out for it, I wouldn't have found it and thought I had the wrong address. Chloe and I found a rockstar parking space and headed to the bakery. HOLY MOTHER! I could have gone into diabetic shock just stepping foot in the door! This place makes cookies that are meals. It too is tiny. I wouldn't stop in here to sit and have a snack like I would Ruby *et* Violette, but I would stop in for the heavenly goodness they bake. We picked up a batch of chocolate chip walnut and chocolate chocolate chip cookies.

Realizing that I may have entered cookie overload, I decided to call Matt and bring the Le*Vain cookies by his work for an afternoon treat for him and his coworkers. So, we called Matt's work number, no answer, only voice mail. I tried Matt's cell phone. No answer. I called work again, left a message and thought about what Chloe and I could do until Matt called us back.

Its almost Valentine's, I have a four-year old in tow, we only need to waste a little time until Matt returns our call, so lets go here and so we did. Literally, Chloe was like a kid in a candy store. After spending 30 minutes or so fighting the crowds and having to cut Chloe off on her candy spending spree, we headed back to the car to see if Matt had returned our call. He had not. I tried calling again. No answer on either number. So we drove through NYC. It was nice. I kept hitting every bakery, restaurant, store I ever wanted to visit and found it. Chloe ate red hots, sour gummy worms and pixie sticks. She was also busy trying to pry the wrapper off a giant lollipop. She was as happy as Larry.

Meanwhile, I began to panic. Matt hadn't called back (and its not easy to park where he works and you cannot get in without a guest passed logged into their computer system from within their building--in other words, Matt had to know we were coming, which he didn't, and put us into the system) and I had a boatload of cookies in my car! I decided I had to take one for the team. I opened the Le*Vain Bakery bag, pulled out a mammoth chocolate walnut cookie and took a bite. I had to pull over. On a busy NYC road. It was manna from heaven. I heard choirs of angels sing. Then the phone rang. It was Matt. I told him Chloe and I were in the city and had priceless treasures to deliver to him and his coworkers.

I managed to find a space outside Matt's work (illegally) and we met Matt. He acquired said manna from heaven and Chloe and went into the building to deliver the chocolaty goodness. I sat in the car, watching for the parking/traffic police and watching a group of orthodox Jewish men ask passerbys if they were Jewish as they blared music from the camper they called the "Mitzvah Mobile" or "Mitzvah Tank". (I didn't take this picture, I got it off of the internet. I really wanted to take a picture, but it would have required me to leave my illegally parked car. I always think its funny and so NYC that this camper sits in front of a pretty landmark NY building on Park Ave.)

Chloe and Matt returned. Chloe was all smiles. She loves going to see Daddy at work and going to say hello to everyone in Daddy's office. We said our goodbyes and Chloe and I left...after we set out to find the Ethiopian restaurant someone recommended to us. Which we did.

I wasn't five minutes from Matt's office when my cell phone rang. It was Matt. People were demanding to know where the manna from heaven came from. I shared the good news and address.

It was a cookie overload day, but a good one. It reminded me about one of things I like so much about this area, the close proximity to NYC, how we can go in to the city for the afternoon to seek out deliciousness from the myriad of speciality shops and bakeries.

In the evening, Matt brought home another box of goodness for Chloe and I. It was from one of my favorite NYC stores not too far from Matt's work--Saks Fi*fth Avenue. I got some perfume and Chloe got this--


So, we had a good Valentine's, both yesterday and today. Hope your Valentine's Day was as sweet!