TGIF

The week has flown by in a big blur of sleepless nights, crying fits that seems to last for hours, yucky colds, long exams, death-defying plummets over crib railings, long afternoon naps, and packing suitcases, with a few intermittent trips to the park thrown in to keep the sanity.

So to celebrate the fact that it is Friday and we have successfully made it to the weekend, the girls and I took a morning adventure to Highgate Wood - a park we haven't yet explored.

It's a straight shot from our house on either the bus or the train. Victoria has been wanting to ride the train for the last couple weeks, but since it's almost a mile walk to the train station, I decided we would take the train there, and then the bus to come home (since it drops us right outside our door).

We took our time getting to the train, stopping along the way at all our usual stops (it's the same route we take to Antalya's school everyday). Victoria was so excited when we made it to the train (you'd think this girl had never ridden the train before), but she played it cool sitting in her own seat for the entire 10 min ride.


The park was beautiful. But then again, all English parks are truly amazing. It's one of the things I will most miss about living in London. I loved walking through the wooded area, but Antalya all too quickly spotted a bright colored something in the distance and took off at mach-speed through the trees in hopes it was a playground.


The girls were happy to play while I chatted with a friend. It was like a little piece of heaven. I can't remember the last time I sat down on a park bench with a friend and was able to hold a conversation. Only once did I walk search the entire playarea in a bit of frantic wondering where Antalya had run off to (she was there the whole time, just hidden from my searching eye).

When we had had enough of the playground, we headed back to the wooded area for some climbing.


And then after a quick stop for ice cream we were on the bus back home - dirty and a bit tired, but happy!

And now for an update on all of us:

Jason is three exams down, two to go!

Sunny has surprisingly convinced her body that sleep isn't really all that necessary and is managing to get the house organized and things packed (hoping to be completely done and ready to go by next Saturday).

Antalya is finally on antibiotics for her sinus infection and eye infection. She was able to sleep last night, so I think we are on the mend (although watching Monsters Inc and eating popsicles at 1:00am was memorable, it's not something this momma enjoys on a regular basis).

Victoria has decided she is ready to be a big girl (despite my wishing that she would stay in a crib for another year). I took the side rail off her crib this morning and she was thrilled. And today instead of going down for a nap she got to sit on the couch with Antalya and watch a show. I was pleasantly surprised when this happened: