Last weekend we went to London for a mini getaway to visit our dear friends, Canadian K who is pregnant and her British husband, E. They moved to a lovely home in Twickenham, near the Thames which we walked along on a Sunday afternoon.

I took Frunty on the Friday, just the two of us. The train now goes to St. Pancras so the trip is shorter and we enjoyed it. Upon arrival in London, we went to the nearby Euston Flyer Pub and shared a hamburger. Frunty was so cute "playing" the games in the pub. We stopped at bookshops on the way to the British Museum to see the Sphinx's stolen beard. In the shops, Frunty sat on little stools, looking through books. It was so cute to see him there. I was, of course, like a little kid in a candy shop and could hardly get my head around all the wonderful books for sale.

We met K at the British Museum and took a double decker/train to her home where we enjoyed grocery shopping at Waitrose. Frunty got to choose his dinner which was pasta, sauce and sausages because "sausages come from England." He asked me several times if we could visit Leo's gramma but she lives 7 hours by car from London and in any case, she hadn't invited us!

The next day we relaxed before taking the train back into the city to see The Lion King. It was a beautiful show with great performances, awesome singing and amazing costumes for sure but three hours in a dark and hot theatre made us quite sleepy! Afterwards, we came outside of the theatre to find our beloved Daddy and Pit! After a nice cold drink, we proceeded to K and E's.

On Sunday, as I mentioned, we meandered along the Thames, enjoying the warmth and sunshine and took a little boat over to the other side. We made it to Richmond which is a great little town and had a pub meal. The kids weren't allowed in this particular pub so we all had to sit outside where it was pretty freezing...in the shade and in a wind tunnel. Poor E shivered his way through dinner. After the meal, we visited some bookshops while K and E did their own thing and met up later back at their home. We watched In Brugges, a movie, once the kids were in bed. Daddy wanted to play Carcassone but the others just wanted to veg.

On Monday we took the kids into town to see the London Bridge, Frunty's choice, Tower Bridge and Science Museum and because we just missed a showing of a space movie, decided to return the following day. The kids really loved their time in the museum, especially playing with the water system in the kid zone, wearing their little smocks. We came home to a really nice vegetarian meal prepared by K and the following day, Tuesday, we said good bye as we headed back to the Science Museum and also visited the Natural History Museum. The kids loved both and the movie was worth the visit as well as the IMAX 3D is always neat. The NH Museum had a wonderful discovery zone for kids where they could touch everything and draw pictures of items like fur, skulls, tortoise shells as well as looking at things through microscopes. That was fun.

Finally, we had a good bye pub meal at the Euston Flyer near the station and head home to Bruxelles. London is so busy, so crowded with tourists, so expensive but also so neat for kids and a few days there felt like being in the real world again!

The kids went to the Little Gym today for a morning stage and Frunts said he wants to go again next week. The staff, whom we know now so well, said they were really impressed with Frunt's French. They can tell he isn't French because of a tiny, unknown accent, but he speaks very very well and I was thrilled to hear this. I definitely want my kids to continue with their French no matter where in the world we live!

Afterwards we went to Pit's friend, Mandy's house for playtime. It was ok although we were all tired. While we were there I got an sms from Raj as Jess had her baby boy today, at 2:17pm! Congratulations! What really impressed me was how we walked all the way home and Pit did not complain one single time, even though he was just wearing his crocs. The boys walked at one point with their arms around eachother which was adorable. They also loved it when I gave them a little whack on the bottom with a stick, telling them it wasn't me, it was the power of the stick and it was pushing them forward. Although the sky was a gorgeous, dark grey it held off from starting to rain again.

Daddy is on his way home now. We are enjoying a little Volkswagen substitute car while our car gets fix. I think I hear his arrival now. Gotta go.

I start the day by writing that Ninong has undergone his surgery and is now resting so thank goodness that is over. The sun is shining, my sunflowers are beautiful on the table and I am ready to start the day by making jam with Freeland although he still sleeps now.

We are off to the club today for more swimming but I will go for a much needed shiatsu first. I was rear-ended a short while ago and my back aches at times. An osteopath said thank goodness I do yoga/tai chi/pilates so my back is strong and also, that I was in an amazing car at the time of the accident. But running around with the boys at the park yesterday, playing scarey crocodile (which makes them scream!) was fun but hurt a bit...so off for a massage I must go!

The kids played so well yesterday with their lego, building towers/buildings etc. They were really in the mood for that and preferred playing to watching a movie. With this cold, rainy weather, I am happy I have kids who play well inside but it sure feels good to get out and run around a bit too. It is supposed to get colder starting tomorrow. Two summers in a row here where the weather has been the pits but we have fun anyway. Before you know it we'll be sweltering in Greece!

Have a great day, everyone.

Both kids are swimming so well now and today we enjoyed our time at the pool after they attended their morning English camp with Sophie at Anna and Rich's house. Frunty is always asking if he can go to school in English so I thought he would enjoy this camp instead. There are two children from Spain and Frunt says he is picking up some Spanish too!

We took Sophie to the pool and I think she did her first little swim! So it was a special day and we are all really tired now...the kids going pretty easily to bed, that's for sure. Frunty insisted on painting a house he made with Daddy, an ancient Egyptian house in fact. Today at the pool, he put his towel around him like a toga and called himself an Egyptian. Actually, he looked like a mini-Ghandi!

So far it has been a really rainy summer here and quite cool. It feels like fall actually and although I usually don't complain, I do find it kind of annoying because, for example, I like to walk to the club without getting soaking wet. And picnics outside would be nice although we are making the most of it and still doing tons of fun stuff like last summer. (which incidentally was rainy and cool like this!) Hopefully Greece will be awesome but before that, could London be nicer weather wise? Ah who cares!? We'll be inside the smoke-free pub after seeing the indoor musical, Lion King!

Hope anyone reading this is having a lovely summer too...regardless of the weather!

The kids started an English camp this morning which will run all week at Sue's house, the owner of Lounge 81. Her daughter, Anna, is running the programme with her husband, Rich and Sophie, Frunty's friend and classmate is also attending. He told me that she doesn't really want to speak English very much and so he helps her. Obviously our kids know English but we hope they will just enjoy singing/games etc. and help the others learn some of the language. Frunty always asks to go to English school so this is his chance to have a taste of it.

On another note: Since Egypt, we have been reading about life in ancient times and received some more books from the nonni. Thanks so much! We will be making ancient crafts in the weeks to come. We had better change gears though and start learning Greek before our Odyssey begins in a few short weeks!

Speaking of languages, it was really funny when Pit said to Frunty, who had just brought him a banana, "Merci madame". We all laughed at the table when he said it...funny voice and all! His French is progressing and it's adorable, as is his pursed lips as he swims under water with our resident dolphin, Frunts.

What fun these little ones and all their "stages", pun intended!

Trip to Cairo to celebrate our three birthdays, the 18th, 20th and 21st...so many highlights! Picture Pit and Frunts sitting on a camel, with the pyramids in the background, as the sun rises and Pit putting his arm around his brother and exclaiming, "Frunty, it's my birthday!" with absolute glee so pleased with being 3 and being there.

Picture Frunty running in and out and back in again the one particular pyramid of Queen H., wanting to show us something new he had discovered as Daddy and I took turns accompanying him. And then later, looking at all the treasures having been taken from the pyramids and other places in Egypt and placed in the museum with great interest.

Sitting by the pool, watching Pit make great gains with swimming underwater without his water wings, lips pursed, goggles on, swishing his arms about...you can't get any cuter than that. Frunts dancing to Egyptian music at the hotel bar as we celebrate with our third, Movenpick cake of the week.

There were hard bits too. Pit throwing up in every taxi ride we took! Being bothered by camel owners trying to sell their wares. Small annoyances well worth the incredible adventure our family of four enjoyed.

I will write again soon with some more details of our birthday trip extraordinaire.

Yesterday we hosted a joint birthday party for Frunty and Pit at our St. Anthony's Parish church. It was fun! We chose this venue because of the beautiful grounds and despite the rain, we did the Treasure Hunt and played a little game of soccer.

We invited 15 kids and any adults who could stay for this Fancy Dress party. One child could not come at the last minute but the others did wearing pirate costumes, Flamenco and princess dresses and we even had a ninja turtle. Our swimming teacher, Pierre Antoine, brought his little baby, 7 month old Margot which was really sweet.

We played pass-the-parcel after the kids decorated wooden picture frames with a photo of them and the birthday boys. (I took these photos prior to the birthday party and it was a real hit!) The kids do just beautiful artwork and I love seeing their creations.

Perdie and I, dressed as a witch and a pirate, enjoyed doing a little skit with an overflowing magic potion which Frunty said was his favourite part of the party, other than the presents! Who needs to hire a clown! Daddy was excellent as a bar man and we had a baby bathtub full of ice (compliments of Delhaize and chez Andy and Perdie) and lots of fun drinks.

I made a soccer themed cake with the boys the day before but they didn't see the decorations until the party which included two Playmobil soccer fellows, one with the #6 on his shirt, one with #3. I made grass out of green coconut and put flags all around the cake which the kids loved getting on top of their piece, of their respective countries. Inkeri was at first sad there was no Finland but accepted graciously a Belgium flag! Of course, there were tons of candies on top and later I saw little mice scurry around, stealing them. I just had to laugh.

I think it was a really lovely atmosphere, with good spirit, lots of laughs and amazingly, only one tiny cry by Max because someone took his seat but that really only last a second before we cheered him up. Amazingly moreso that neither birthday boy cried which is a first for all the parties I have been too in recent memories. I mean afterall, they are entitled to do so but I was thrilled they didn't because it meant they had a thoroughly good time, as did I.

Well, I really could go into business doing these parties as I enjoy the work. The hard for me is getting the cakes right. Because I want the kids to help and they enjoy doing so, it means the cakes aren't store-bought perfect. Also, I make hypoallergenique cakes which are really wanting! But with all the allergies in the class, we have to be careful! Sandro loved the raspberry clafouti and was our photographer thoroughout the party as well as my personal translator!

Today Frunty took 22 party bags to school and two cakes, one banana with fresh cream/orange frosting and one chocolate for his classmates at school, a tradition here in Belgium. I hope he has fun.

And now, ready for a surprise???!!!! I am! Tomorrow we are off on a big, birthday adventure, shall I write HUGE! So stay tuned.................

Having fun as always with my glorious little ones and thanks be to the great spirits what watch over us all...and may the force be with you all too,

Party Mama