Easter

The girls have been on Easter/Spring holidays for the last two and a half weeks, and they don't go back to school for another week and a half. This has been death on my work schedule (what work?), but has been amazing in terms of spending time with them. We've had a bunch of expeditions: the first week we braved the rain and cold temperatures to go to a farm with friends T and M (4.5 yrs and 20 months respectively), who we met our first day here. The girls had great fun feeding the animals (sheep, goats, horses), ooohing and aaaahing at the baby lambs, and playing on the playground. We even managed to time it so we left just as the skies were opening up in a true downpour.

The following weekend was Easter weekend, and it was very busy. First up was the Easter Egg Hunt, 2010 version, with M and T again.

We kicked everyone out early so we could hop on the train and go to watch the Boat Race at Barnes Bridge. There were lots of people,

and tasty adult beverages.

I got all nostalgic about rowing,

while Devil decided she could do without the cheering,

and Boo sprawled full length in a mud puddle.

This past week, the weather has taken a turn for the absolutely divine, so we've been spending lots of time outside. We went to Leeds Castle (home of the famous albino peacock) again,

and spent another day at the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, a girl favorite.

To round off the week, yesterday we went to the Zoo in Battersea Park. We didn't do much of anything with the animals, but the playground was very popular. As was ice cream!

We've got one more full week of holiday left, and then a couple of days, and I'm beginning to think I'll actually make it through in one piece! Plans for the upcoming week include at least one more visit out of town if the weather stays good, and maybe some museums if it gets crappy goes back to normal. It's funny watching all the Brits come out from under cover, kind of like mushrooms popping up in the lawn, as soon as the sun comes out. And then I realize that we were all wearing shorts yesterday, so I guess we're in the same boat!