Park, Park, Park & Park

A lovely dinner at the Union League Club, on a very cold evening.

Just back from the Nativity service at church.

As a Christmas gift, we received 3 inches of snow today.  The kids loved it.

...it was D's turn on the snowmobile.

We arrived in Eagle River and promptly bumped into Ian, a Kiwi, who now lives there. He insisted on taking the "pomies" for a ride on a snowmobile. After 20 minutes getting all the clothing and gear on, he took C out into the woods and across the state line for half an hour. And then let him drive around on his own.

We're in Wisconsin, where the girls are learning to ski and the boys are learning to snowboard.

Out on Wimbledon Common for a 3 mild fun run.  Left to right- Bella, Jess, Adam, David, John.

D, our aspiring ballet and dance phenomenon, at her recital today.  With Bobbi, our great babysitter since C was 1, coming to support. 

His project constructing the inside of a cell for Science class.

D had a day off from school, so she came to my office today.   And we put her straight to work- ordering pizzas for lunch. 

Grandpa joined us for a simple Thanksgiving meal last night.  He brought the bread and cheese; C and I cooked up some turkey breast. 

At Starbucks very early, before our trains. 

...in the evening twilight.

...on our way to the Southbank Centre for a BBC kids jazz concert.  

Out at Wimbledon Park with Alejandro and Veronica, over from Luxembourg.  It was a really great display. And then all of us went off for Lebanese food.

Boo!

Uncle Nate helped me hang the most recent addition to the family portraiture- Richard Stewart Nosworthy.  So we then toasted both the arrival of Richard and the departure of Uncle Nate.

Burgers for dinner at Five Guys on Oxford Street.  Then on to the musical Five Guys Named Moe in a tent at Marble Arch.  We loved it all.

C, Pen, D, Charlie Hampden-Turner

...with a strange haircut. D is not sure what to think.

D and I out together for a celebratory Friday night pizza.

Park run at Wimbledon Park. Then off for a hot chocolate. And then to church for acolyte-ing. 

Just after their 2km race.

Notice the sports uniform and socks under the school sport coat.

Sunday morning, Wimbledon Park. D, ?, Alice, Izzy, Jess.

D and I took the river taxi out to a party in Greenwich on Sunday.  Here she is in front of the the Greenwich Maritime Museum.

KGS is taking C's year to the castle later this week. In prep, we needed to make a sheild. C's design, our joint construction.

C in goal- his choice for the A team.  They lost to Reeds School 7-2.

The reaction to C and I leaving for school and work...

C and Ben, a new good friend from KGS. After pizza late on a Friday.

A lovely dinner all 4 of us in the garden.  C learns for the first time how to light the grill and barbaque steaks. D sets and clears the table.  And makes the drinks for everyone. By the time dessert was served, it was down to candle light.

The boys took themselves off to Wimbledon Common for their own boys hike.   After a few updates via mobile phone, they arrived back 4 hours and 7 miles later.

D, Will, C, Ana, Bobby. 

It's a plane... It's an... Eclipse. Slightly cloudy, but we could still make it out with glasses and pin hole viewers.

Great friends. Bella, me, Cary, Bob.

Spent a lovely day on the beach at Miller,  Lake Michigan with C's godfather Ubu.  Lots of fun, food and memories. In the picture: Will, D, C.

Mom and Dad took both kids into the city for the day. The agenda included: The Art Institute for medieval armour and the Thorn Rooms, then a stage production of Moby Dick for C, the American Girl store for D, finishing with the Nutella restaurant.

My close friend from high school.  And his daughter Alina.

On our road trip, we swung through Minneapolis to spend time with my great friend Mark. He is one of two of D's gadfadders.  Here is Michael (and family)- the other one.

In Spain, the kids did some riding. We got an opportunity here in Chicago as well. Trails wove through the Palos Forest Preserve.

We arrived back in Hinsdale at the same time B did by train.  So we met her at the train station.