Konichiwa from Tokyo!!!

Me and Marco at the Imperial Gardens!

We are in Tokyo with Mommy and Daddy!!! After a LOOONNNNGGGG flight from London, we landed late yesterday afternoon. After an hour long train ride we arrived in Tokyo. Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London so we are very confused as to when we are supposed to sleep and when we are supposed to be awake.... In fact, we were awake from 12 midnight to 4am. We even had breakfast TWICE - once at 3:00 am and once when we woke up for real at about 9 am!!

Today we went out sight-seeing. WE went to the Ginza district to look at all the fancy shops. We also went to the Imperial Palace Gardens (you can't go in; it's closed), the hibiya gardens and a temple (which we slept through). We saw lots of nice things. Tomorrow I think Mommy might take us to the Aquarium or a zoo!! She said we could do some fun kid things!!! We can't wait!!!

Thus far we like Tokyo. It's very clean and the people are very nice!!! Once we get our times squared away I think we will enjoy ourselves!!!

Hyde Park in the Fall!!!

We have had GORGEOUS weather here in London. Dad says it's like an Indian Summer and that it's been nicer than it was this summer (when we were at home in California!)! It's been warm and sunny most days which means we've been spending a lot of time outside; mom says you have to do it while you can because this is the calm before the storm on the weather front!

Last weekend we went to Hyde Park with our friends the Beyer's. It was really fun. Marco and I played with Brooke and Ryan. Marco got DRENCHED in the water. We also had a yummy picnic!!! It was LOADS of fun!!!

This is what Marco looked like by the end of the day! (he's the one in the diapers... not the tall one with curly hair, by the way!)

Brooke and Ryan!

Brooke road her scooter with Marco

The whole group (except mommy who was taking the pictures!)

Brooke, Ryan and I scooted over to the park!!! It was a long haul!!! (And daddy nearly had several heart attacks!)

Kensington Palace!

Katrina in front of the Orangerie (with Kensington Palace behind!)!
Mommy looking less-than-thrilled at Kensington Palace!

Mommy is still on her tear to see London while Marco and I are at school! This week she went to Kensington Palace in Hyde Park with Katrina (McCarthy). She said they had fun. I wish I could have gone. I KNOW mommy LOVED Princess Diana and that's where she lived. Mommy said they had some of her dresses there. She also said they had loads of interesting things. I think mommy just likes getting out without me and Marco!!!

Winter Uni!

Me and my brother....

FINALLY, I get to wear a cute dress to school! The beginning of October saw the christening (get it?...Catholic school....christening!) of the new winter uniform! I LOVE IT. I still have to wear my track suit (sweatsuit for those of you Americans who don't know what I mean!) a few days a week but at least I get to wear a cute dress, blouse, tights and (yuck) hat too!!! My mom thinks I look pretty cute. I think she's right!

The Burrough Market for Mommy!!!

Mommy had another outing with her friends (she sure is doing a lot of them lately). They went on a tour of the Burrough Market, by Tower Bridge. The Burrough Market has been a food market for several hundred years. Mommy likes going there but seemed to have a particularly good time this time with Gretchen and Monica. The bought all sorts of yummy treats (my favorite were the brownies and the owl-shaped shortbread cookies). Mommy said that they ate their way from one end of the market to the other. Too bad it was very very cold!!!

Here's mommy with something icky called wheat grass!

Gretchen, Mommy and Monica!

Julia Maloney of the Dance!!!

One of my favorite after school activities is Irish Dance! I take lessons from Miss Kate at St. Christina's School every Tuesday. Mom picks me up after dance! She doesn't even need to come take me to dance! (She likes that about Irish)

My Irish class is very fun and very fast! We are learning to dance just like real Irish dancers! We do all sorts of hops and skips. Sometimes the big girls help us; sometimes we all dance together! There is a lot of back and forth going on. It's very fun! I take Irish with my friends Julia I. and Olivia M.

The whole group! (Julia and Olivia are in the middle!)

Miss Kate is a good instructor!

Saturday out with the girls!!!

This past Saturday, our mommy was supposed to go to Paris to run in a long race. Unfortunately, she could not go; none of the moms could go since the train had problems in the tunnel. Mom said that there was some sort of fire or something and that if they went they, quite possibly, would never come home. I'm not sure if that was because of the fire that was in the tunnel a few weeks ago or if that was because they would have too much fun and not want to come home! In any case, they stayed in London (whew!) and did some fun things while we stayed home and did our own fun things with daddy.

Mommy and her friends went to Clarence House, where Prince Charles and the Princes live, and to tea and to dinner. I think they had lots of fun. They were gone a - long time. All day!!!

Katrina, mommy, Kelly and Colleen after tea. They look very happy.

All the moms outside of Clarence House.

Tea with the Queen????

Our mommy FINALLY made it over to see Buckingham Palace. She said she was going to have tea with the Queen -- we think she was kidding. We don't think she had tea or even coffee. We don't even think she had snacks with the Queen. We seriously doubt she even saw the Queen. We do know, however, that the Queen was there that day because the flags were out over the palace.
We do know that mommy went with her friends Matt and Katrina McCarthy. We also know that they liked the tour and saw lots of neat and interesting things. We also know that mommy visited the gift shop, which she LOVES to do! (Thank goodness she didn't go with daddy!) Maybe some day mommy will take us!!

Katrina ready to go!!


Mommy and Katrina behind the palace!

The palace gardens!

Julia starts school too!!!

I started school again this week too!!! I LOVE my school, St. Christina's. It's a fun school and the uniforms are really comfy!! Mom says she likes the dresses better than our sweats, our "track suit". I like the track suit best because I can wear my light up tennis shoes (or "trainers" as they are called here).

I'm lucky because I have two teachers: Mrs. Carr and Mrs. Donahue. They are both very nice. They "team teach" whatever that is. All I know is that I see Mrs. Carr two days a week and Mrs. Donahue 3 days a week.

My best friends, Isabella and Olivia aren't in my class, which I'm very sad about, but luckily my friend Mia is in my class. We have fun.

I'm sure this year will be a great year and we will learn alot. I'm looking forward to learning to read!!! We do jolly phonics so I'm sure I'll be able to read in NO time!!!

Here Marco and I are on our front porch. We have our uniforms on!!

Here we are inside!! Getting ready to go!

I like to walk to school with Brenna and Olivia McCarthy!

This is the way we go to school!!

School Daze!!

This week I started school. Despite the fact that I am only 2, I'm old enough to go to school, just like Julia. I go to Toddler's Inn Nursery School up near the St. John's Wood High Street. It's where my big sister, Julia, went too. I like school okay. I cried a little bit the first day but overall mommy said I was pretty good. I did, however, cry when mommy wasn't there on Friday. She said she had to run errands but I was sad that she wasn't there to watch all my fun activities!!! Luckily one of my teachers, Miss Chloe, was there to give me a cuddle. (I like Miss Chloe!)

I LOVE my teachers. Their names are Miss Chloe, Miss Kim, Miss Laura and Miss Pip. Mom is already prepping me that I will be going back this week and she won't be there! We will see what happens!

Me & Daddy with my new backpack!!

Me and my pal Amy in front of school!

Since it's very rainy outside we do fun stuff - like slide - inside!
Whheeeeeee!!!!

I like to ride the bikes too!

Cricket Anyone???

On Sunday daddy was in a Cricket Match. In the match, not an observer, not the ball boy (or whatever they are called in Cricket), not the water boy, etc. Early Sunday we drove out to Kent (about 2 hours away) so daddy could suit up and play for about 40 minutes. Marco and I played with the other kids and hid when it rained. Mommy wasn't thrilled about the whole thing but she had fun talking to her friend Katy, Lila's mommy. Everyone said daddy did a great job (I think their team won but I'm not sure) but I have no idea... I really don't get that game. It was a fun way to get out of the city!!!

The teams!
Marco throwing overhand!

Daddy throwing overhand!

Daddy batting!

Summer Fun - part deux!

We are home after a nice long (sunny) summer in California!! We did loads of fun things there: We spent time with our grandparents, our aunts and uncles, our cousins, and our friends! We saw lots AND LOTS of friends and family.

We visited two states while we were home - California and Nevada - and several counties - Sacramento, Placer, Marin, etc.

We celebrated many birthdays - Julia's (4), Calvie's (6), Nana's (25+) AND Alex Odland's (5).

We went to two zoo's: The San Francisco Zoo (gladly without incident!) and the Sacramento Zoo. We went to Fairyland in Oakland and Funderland and Fairytale Town in Sacramento.

We also did LOTS of swimming - in pools and in lakes! We swam in Donner lake (brrrr), at Auntie Julie and Uncle Jim's, at Aunt Bethie's, the Lawrence's, the Carter's, and the Kurtzig's!
We LOVE to swim. Julia even learned how to jump in off the side and was FEARLESS by the end of holiday!

Here are some pictures!!!

Marco and Unkie Andy!!

Julia and Drewsie LOVE each other!

Auntie Ann loves Marco!

Greg and all the kids (sans marco) on the boat (in Oregon)!

Julia and Marco at the cabin!

With Nana on the gondola at Northstar!

On the porch with Nina and Greta!

Greta, Drewsie, Marco, Nina & Julia in the tub.

Julia and Marco with Andrew and Allison.

Aunt Michelle and Alex, Sara and Julia on the ferry to the city!

Off to the city with the Odland's!

The Milani's at Stinson beach (the only non-sunny day!)!

Happy Birthday Alex!

Happy Birthday Calvie!

Happy Birthday Nana!

And, Happy Birthday Julia!

The San Francisco Zoo!

The Sacramento Zoo!

Funderland with Kevin Jose!

FairyLand (in Oakland) with Olivia and Amanda Hallas!

Fairytale Town in Sacramento!

We did TONS of swimming!

With Brooke Carter

With Unkie Brian!

With Matthew (at Aunt Bethie's)!

Julia was fearless diving in at Auntie Julie and Uncle Jim's!

Marco LOVED swimming in Donner lake!! (Brrrr!)