George is 3 years and 7 months old today!
Picking up our pumpkins--it was George's first visit to a pumpkin patch!
Cheering on Daddy at the Abbey Dash!
George loved wearing Richard's medal!
Over Remembrance Sunday weekend, we went to Elsecar Heritage Centre's "Home From the Front" event
First of several visits to the Leeds German Christmas Market!
It wouldn't be Christkindlmarkt time without a 1/2 meter Bratwurst!
Leaf-crunching at Roundhay Park
Bonfire Night! On the Friday night we went to a fireworks display with Carly and Steve
On Monday night, we went to the bonfire at Woodhouse Moor after work
George was much more into it this year--he says "Weee-Boom!" for the fireworks sound
Thanksgiving Dinner
George enjoyed everything--especially the pumpkin and pecan pies!
We visited Castle Howard, another lovely Christmas tradition
I love their Christmas decorations
Their theme this year was 12 Days of Christmas--it started with a tree near the entrance filled with pear and partridge ornaments and went on as you toured the house
This was the room for "seven swans a swimming": the mirror on the table makes it look like water!
George loved going on the rides at the Christkindlmarkt this year--he's (mostly) not afraid of them anymore
We ran into one of his friends from nursery--they were so cute, giggling away together!
It's been so cute to see these two grow up together, moving from the baby room to the preschool class!
George had his first Nativity play at nursery--it was so cute!
He's the sheep closest to the manger
York Minster
In York's Christmas funfair
The Shambles--I love the little Christmas trees they have up at sign-level
The carol service at church was lovely as always
Playmobil Pirate advent calendar
I attended my department's graduation ceremony for the first time as a member of staff!
Birthday dinner at the Alp Chalet
Birmingham's German Christmas Market
George hand-delivering his Christmas cards to nursery--"These are for my friends!"
One last visit to the Leeds Christkindlmarkt
Decorating gingerbread cookies!
Crib service on Christmas Eve
George's big present this year was the Playmobil pirate ship from Grandma! We did the pirate advent calendar, too, so he has lots of accessories to go with it
Biscuit enjoyed her stocking, too!
George loves his Mr. Potato Head from Tissa!
I got him this amazing wind-up tractor in Prague--it has 3 speeds & reverse, operated by a tiny gearshift and handbrake!
Seven Dwarfs pajamas from Julie & Debbie
He loved his pirate books and pajamas from Ruth!
Christmas dinner--we had roast lamb, ham, roast potatoes, roast veg, and sprouts
George wasn't too keen on the sprouts, but he loves the roast potatoes and veg
Biscuit enjoyed her Christmas dinner of wet food
George loved the crackers this year!
Our Christmas cards to each other were very similar laser-cut cards--it reminded me of our first wedding anniversary, when we both bought each other cards with meerkats on them!
Biscuit preferred having the crown around her neck--it's like a little scarf!
Over the Christmas break, we went to Temple Newsam farm one day
On New Years Day, we drove up to Edinburgh to celebrate Richard's birthday--this was during our lunch break in Berwick-Upon-Tweed
It's a gorgeous town--I saw it from the train on my first trip to Scotland in 2009, and I've always remembered it as the most picturesque place I've ever seen. Now that we've finally visited it up close, I can confirm that it's just as lovely as it looks from the train!
Edinburgh still has its Christmas market--they run it until 6 January, little Christmas/Epiphany!
Princes Street Gardens is transformed, with market stalls, fairground rides and a winter wonderland, complete with a little train!
Happy Hogmanay!
Calton Hill
The climb is worth it for the view from the top!
Edinburgh Castle
Royal Yacht Britannia
One of the Queen's Rolls Royces in a special little on-deck garage
Prince Philip's painting set
The Queen's on-board office
Captain's dining room
Royal family's lounge
Board games
The Queen's bedroom
Prince Philip's bedroom
Bedroom--the only double bed on the ship, installed when Charles & Diana used the yacht for their honeymoon on a Mediterranean cruise. I was both creeped out and fascinated by this fact--Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew all used the yacht for their honeymoons, and all four marriages ended in divorce.
China room
Silver room
State dining room
Crew bunks, below stairs
George loves getting treats when we're out and about--he calls it "Coffee Cake!"
Trying out the new playground at Roundhay Park--we had a lovely day out with Grandma!
Feeding the swans and ducks
Mom's first visit to Scotland--we started with tea at Jenners department store, where the Queen shops
Gorgeous lunch at Makars Mash Shop
National Museum of Scotland
Dolly the cloned sheep
This terrible pun makes me laugh every time!
Edinburgh Castle!
It took awhile, but we finally found a real piper!
Greyfriars Bobby
Tom Riddell (Riddle)'s grave in Greyfriars cemetery
The Elephant House, where J.K.Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter books, by hand on legal pads
Haggis, tatties and neeps with whisky sauce--delicious!
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Holyrood Abbey ruins
They had sugar-free Irn Bru!
Elsecar Heritage Centre
Buckingham Palace
The changing of the guards
Thames bus
Tower of London
Tower bridge
Pie & Mash for lunch
On the Prime Meridian, where time begins!
It's been a lovely long holiday season! George loves Christmas and still talks about it often, saying "When it's Christmas..." Only 10 months to go, buddy!
We didn't end up doing much for Halloween, as it wasn't a day George was in nursery and we don't really have any trick-or-treaters in our neighbourhood. Supposedly there are areas where kids trick-or-treat, but in my 10 years of living here, I've never seen it. At any rate, we celebrated the way we usually do, carving pumpkins, eating apples with caramel dip, and watching Ichabod Crane.
Soon after Halloween we had Bonfire Night--we went to two displays this year, one on the closest Friday in Meanwood with our friends Carly and Steve, and our usual one in Hyde Park/Woodhouse Moor after work on the actual 5th of November itself. Both were great!
The next week, I had a conference in Nottingham, so we missed our traditional Christmas Light Switch-on event and Christmas market opening, but we made up for it with a nice visit to the market the following week. George loves the market as much as I do! He loves the nutcrackers, the live music, and all of the yummy food. When we had dinner at the Alp Chalet for my 33rd birthday, he loved watching the accordion-playing polka singer!
Christmas was lovely--very relaxed and fun, with lots of movies and food. We watched the Queen's speech and George recognised the scenes from Harry and Meghan's wedding in her 2018 highlight reel--"They getting married!"
On New Year's Eve, we prepared for our trip by watching Sunshine on Leith, a musical based on The Proclaimers songs, set in Edinburgh. George went to bed at his usual time, and we managed to stay up until midnight, but not much longer than that!
We had a great time celebrating Richard's 40th birthday up in Edinburgh! We fit a lot of sightseeing in to a quick 2-night visit--the Royal Mile, Princes Street, Royal Yacht Britannia, Calton Hill and we visited a little motor museum in the East Lothian countryside on the drive home.
Mom/Grandma came out for an extended Christmas visit the week after we got back home. George warmed up to her more quickly this time--I think FaceTime really helps! We had a wonderful time, with days out to Roundhay Park, Elsecar Heritage Center and Ilkley, a creche party at Church where everyone was excited to see Mom/Grandma again, and of course our side trips to Edinburgh and London. We crammed a lot of great things into those two weeks--it's always so fun to have her here!
First visit to a pumpkin patch
First Santa Special on the Embsay-Bolton Abbey line
First Nativity play--it was so cute!
First trip to Scotland--George loves bagpipes!
