Been Busy!!

I know I've not posted here in a bit.... and that I've yet to blog on the last leg of our xmas trip.  I/We've been busy.  I just haven't been very busy on the blog.

Just a few quick items of interest.  This past Sunday was Mothering Sunday in the UK, AKA Mother's Day.  I believe I receive two Mother's Days--one UK, and one American!  Not sure how that'll go over with the kids, although its a novelty to them to serve Mom breakfast in bed, which is the ideal they think they need to uphold, for some reason.  Not sure why. 

Yesterday, I was a chaperone for a school field trip.  Please recall that the kids school year is divided into 3 terms, and each of these terms are separated into half-terms.  At W/N's school, the first term was concentrated on studying robots.  The entire school studied robots in various aspects.  In English, they wrote about what robots do, created a robot, etc.  In art they designed a robot, decorated, etc, in science they worked on electricity and circuits, etc.  So the topic encompassed all subject areas.  This term, they've been studying the 60s, particularly the Beatles.  We had dances, they designed some 60s clothing, wrote some songs, studied the history of the Beatles, etc.  Yesterday, the entire school went on a Beatles tour.  Two coach buses (remember, no school buses!) were loaded up, and we travelled to Liverpool, where we toured the Beatles Story Museum at Albert Dock, went to the Fab 4D Movie, did some special hands-on kids' things related to the Beatles (dress up, dancing, music-playing, etc).  Then we hopped back on our bus, and a professional tour guide was on board to direct our driver through Liverpool and give us commentary on various Beatles and Liverpool sites, including childhood homes of the Beatles and their manager, Brian Epstein, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, Matthew Street, schools they attended, parks they went to, where different references in their songs came from, and finally ending at the Cavern Club.  (A little interesting, a field trip that goes to a pub!  We didn't stay long here though--it was essentially a potty break.)  Although I was chaperoning, I was able to take in quite a bit of the lore as well.  I've been to Liverpool a few times, and along Albert Dock, but have never toured the Beatles Museum, or had a bus tour of Liverpool.   Very glad I was able to attend.

Finally, although I've yet to finish blogging on our xmas break, we are looking to our next holiday.  The kids 2nd term is out Mar 22 for J, and Mar 28 for W/N (just before Easter).  J will have 19 days off of school, returning Apr 11, and the younger 2 only have off 17 days.  Quite the Easter break!!  So doing a bit of tour planning.  G needs to work, but he does have off on Good Friday and Easter Monday, so we'll be able to take a long weekend.  Currently weighing the options of air travel, vs taking an overnight ferry.  Ferry is a little cheaper (even with the car), but you gotta drive 3 hours to get to the ferry.  Unless we change our destination, (still in the planning stage, remember?), we are looking at going to the Netherlands, particularly Amsterdam, Lisse and Keukenhof, and perhaps going into Brugges, Belgium.  I've heard there are some 40 chocolatiers, and many beers here too.  I'll take the chocolate, G can have the Heineken.  When we return, we will be having some visitors later in the week, which we are also looking forward to.

Thanks for stopping by!