The Riley Family

Saturday was a long day, but we made it home!  We really looked like a traveling wardrobe, with 6 checked suitcases, 2 bags of carseats, and about 2 carry-ons per person, but we made it.  The flight was uneventful and relatively on time.  We had a great car/driver from Base Limo back to the house. Everything looks almost the same, except A's plants are a little out of control.  We have been so happy to see friends and hang out in the yard :).  We still need new bicycles.  And for some reason our sea shipment is already on it's way, but our air ship is still in London, go figure.  Rather annoying as we have the things we wanted right away on the air ship (helmets, string instruments, computer...) The good news is our sea container is due to Chicago around 13 July!  We are very excited. We aren't quite caught up to Central time, but it is getting close.  Now only A is getting up at 5am, and the others closer to 6. And as a side note, thi...

Happy 3rd birthday, T!

Per theatre dinner and heading into the show.

As of yesterday we are moved out of Lyndhurst and into the hotel! We are excited to be one step closer to home. Today has been a relax day with just a few errands. I took Tom up to the Dr to get an Rx on case he still isn't better tomorrow. Ears, throat all fine, but still fever and cold symptoms. Grumpy but hopefully improving. Tonight Paul, Kate and Jack are going to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Here are a few pictures from the last views of our London home. Also K in Swiss Cottage and then Golders Green.

School ends 12 noon today!

So far it's only about 101, but he is clearly not feeling well. Not the best timing.

With the furry ones starting their journey home tomorrow, I took Scout for one last adventure in the Heath today. Despite the cool weather he still went for a swim. We had a great time exploring.

It's our last week in London!  It does seem that I am the only one remotely sad about leaving, so I'll try to keep my tears to a minimum.  Since Southbank is such a huge expat community, so many of the kids' friends are moving as well.  Even is we stayed, the relationships would all be very different come September.  (Approximately 1/3 of the current third graders (8 students), and approaching 1/2 of the first graders (I think its 13) are moving this term.) One week from today we will be heading home on our long flights to Chicago.  This weekend is relatively calm, but come Monday morning, the fun starts in earnest.  The pet shippers, the packers, the school run, sports day start down at Paddington field, Will's appointment for his shoulder at they Royal Free.... they all start about 9am Monday morning. This weekend we will be slowly sorting out clothes for our last week here, proper summer clothes for Naperville, and all the things we'd like to see aga...

All the Southbank talent show performers did a great job.  There were lots of music acts, a little bit of dancing and even a sports comedy routine.

Not great weather for a picnic, but the rain held off!  The EC kids, along with the kindergarteners celebrated the end of the school year with a picnic at Highgate Woods.  It had a pretty great playground, and tons of space for picnic time.

With his best friend Wille who is also moving.  This is a great song called Hungarian Dance, written by their teacher Emma's father.  A great piece to end the year.

Tom has been wanting to run a lot lately when we are in the Heath. Of course he is still wearing his costume.

Looking forward to the talent show tomorrow at Town Hall.  Jack is the first of the first graders on the agenda, then K is second in the third grade group.

Here's a picnic Tom and his bear on the way to school this morning.

Kate, Jack and I went to see Matilda last night at the Cambridge Theatre.  The show was great, and we had a really fun time.  Kate had known some of the music from choir, and it was very cool to see it performed live.

Have I mentioned the weather??  It has honestly been horrible the past two weeks.  Coldest summer on record in 50 years or something, and no sun.  It has been raining, cloudy, humid, and barely over 60.  We still wear coats, sweaters, scarves, etc. When we do see the sun, I turn into some weird sun worshiper, and stop and stare at the beautiful burning ball of fire.  Literally.

Here are the pictures from Jack's First Communion.     We really weren't supposed to take any during the Mass itself, but it was so crazy busy in there, that Paul sneaked in a few.  After Mass we went to a passably-good Chinese place and then down to Build a Bear.  Kate was already going to the bear place for a party, so we carted the boys along.  The weather was dreadful, and made Covent Garden seem like some kind of jail... everyone squished together trying to stay out of the pouring rain.  But the kids had fun building the bears.  Jack and Will both opted for Star Wars clothing, and of course Tom could not pass up the Iron Man suit for his bear. With the kids all in CCD this year (except T) we were very good about attending Mass unless we were traveling, so the kids were all very well behaved.  10 am is never a Mass that could be considered quiet.  That was clearly not the case with many little brothers and sisters at First Communion. ...

Tom, scout and I were at the Heath is morning, and for a few minutes we actually saw the sun! Don't mind Tom's pajamas. He was wearing Iron Man (of course) but then Scout shook when he came out of the pond and got the suit a bit wet.

Just one more week of the school run!