Chad and Catherine's Adventures in London

Holiday

It's amazing how just one day at the beach can take the edge off.  Chad got up early today to play golf and I got to spend a few hours at the beach with my favorite little man:

William entertaining the ladies deep into yoga on the beach

 

And once again, William is a total rock star on his scooter - people literally gawk, point out car windows and stand up from chairs to get a view of him zooming around.  Cracks us up.

We drove into Harbor Town to watch the second half of the UNC v. Kansas game (what a bummer) and then watch the sunset before dinner.  Beautiful!

An unexpected, bright fushia sunset

Harbor town at night

Car trip

Yesterday, we packed up and headed south for a week's vacation in Hilton Head.  Chad and I were wrangled into buying a time share week down here a few months after we were engaged... and haven't been back together for over 10 years.  Now that we are back in NC, it was the perfect opportunity to use it verses trading it for another destination.

What we under-estimated was the pain of traveling with a three year old on what turned out to be a 6.5 hour car trip down.  Wow.  We packed up on Saturday morning and left after William's regular nine am swim lesson.  We thought that would tire him out a little bit and make him mellow for the ride.  Not so much.  Despite leaving "two drops" in the toilet before exiting the house, we had to stop about 45 mintues out for our first potty break.  Within 45 minutes, we had to stop again for lunch where we gave our little angel a chance to run around in a field beside the subway and piggly wiggly grocery store.  Great shot of him dropping his pants in the middle of the field to tee-tee:

Once packed up again, it took about 7 minutes before he then had to stop again.  This time, we found a nice hotel and utilized their lobby restroom.  And then a nice long 1.5 hour stretch before a stop for gas. Before finally making it to Hilton Head!  

We've certainly taken trips in the last three years that required at least six plus hours of travel time.  The difference is this was 100% car ride.  Everything else has been primarily by train or plane.  After all, you can cover a significant portion of the UK in a six hour car ride... and why would you actually take a car verses the train when you have the option?  Everything else required a plane ride off the island.  Handling a toddler on a train or plane where he can get up, move around, use the bathroom is a totally different experience.  

Mom, I now know why you used to put us in the car at 7pm and would drive through the night by yourself to and from those great Florida vacations to see Aunt Ann.  Great strategy.

 

 

Would you like to save an additional 15%...

This past Sunday afternoon, I got the luxury of three hours at the mall by myself. I went with a specific list of several things to pick up or shop for - make up, a few pairs of shorts for William, a sundress for our upcoming beach trip, drop alterations, find a pair of white summer dress pants for work, etc. And of course, I had some unplanned stops and purchases along the way. The scary part is that I was offered a credit card six times. SIX TIMES.

First, it happened at a store called Cache where I found a cute summer top. In my entire life, I might have purchased one other item in this store - but somehow they thought I would spend enough there in the future to warrant a credit card. Then at Macy's. Belk's. Gymboree. Talbot's. At Belk's again. The last time, I couldn't help but laugh out loud when the check out lady offered me an additional $20 of three bras if I signed up today. I told her she was the sixth person to offer me a credit card in a three hour period and it was absolutely blowing my mind that I couldn't complete one purchase without being offered credit.

I've been combing through the files of my mind trying to remember ONE situation in London where I was offered a credit card while shopping. Not once. In the UK, it is hard enough just to get a bank account, much less a credit card. For any of you out there wondering why Americans have the highest personal debt levels in the world, just visit Crabtree Valley Mall.

St. Patrick's Day

We had a great time this weekend celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Raleigh. My Mom came through town and spent Saturday with us downtown where we took in a parade and enjoyed some great Lebanese food at a place called Setti. I was actually quite surprised at just how many people were out and about.

Our little guy really enjoyed the parade, particularly the fire engines and police cars:

My favorite were the bagpipes:

and the Irish dancers... three local dance schools - who would have guessed?

There were a lot of people just walking in the parade for no aparent reason, but all decked out:

Chad, William & Grandmama

William & Mama

Grandmama brought William some sidewalk chalk which has been a huge hit. After this self-portrait, he moved on to drawing train tracks and even a huge airplane where we all had seats and he flew us to Paris, London and Thailand:

Spring like temperatures in the neighborhood... and the red buds are blooming!

Mary and Jerry

Aunt Mary and Uncle Jerry are certainly on my top ten list of the best things about living in Raleigh.  They live in a beautiful neighborhood about 15 minutes down the road in Garner (home to Scotty of American Idol fame).  Despite how incredibly busy we've been trying to get settled over the past three months, we've been fortunate to see them very frequently.  Whether it was bring lunch over while we furiously cleaned this rental house for days, meeting up at the K&W cafeteria for dinner on Wednesday nights or being close enough to attend a Christmas Eve celebration and Jerry's 75th birthday party at their house... it is fantastic to be so close to them.

Thursday night, Mary invited us over for a St. Patrick's Day themed dinner of roasted corn beef, cabbage, potatoes and cornbread... complete with homemade iced tea and cupcakes.  We spent some time in the yard before dinner admiring Jerry's landscaping and the new touches of spring around the garden.  Then we sat down and had a nice long dinner together catching up, re-living funny stories about family and enjoying William.  Jerry read to us from a book he's been reading about a man's travels in London.  I even learned a new fun fact that Mary used to have her pilot's license and was one of the first to introduce Chad to flying when he was a little boy.  Who knew?  

Here's a picture of someone enjoying the reward of a good meal:

 

Thank you Mary and Jerry - we love you so much!

 

Waitrose Bag

Today, I really missed London. What triggered it was a plastic bag from our London grocery store,Waitrose. I was packing up to go to work and leaned into our laundry closet to pull a plastic bag out of the storage bin to use for my lunch.  It wasn't until I got to work and was putting it in the fridge that I realized it was a bag from Waitrose.  And then after lunch, I felt incredibly compelled to save it... like forever. 

I allowed myself about 5 full minutes to reflect on exactly what I missed about Waitrose.  After all, how different can a market in London be from one in America.  Quite, indeed.  First, I always walked to get there verses driving.  Second, I only bought what I could carry home - - where as now I would never make it home and often need help to get everything out of the trunk and into the house.  Shopping atWaitrose, I would only buy what I needed for a couple of days, verses everything coming in super jumbo sizes.  For example, I don't ever think I saw a full gallon of milk for sale at Waitrose - ever.  Too much milk, too big for most UK fridges, too heavy to carry on foot with other groceries.  

At Waitrose, organic wasn't a special section with extremely high prices.  Most everything was just organic and healthy.  And no candy and rows of tabloid magazines in the check out isles. Had to go to separate sections of the store to get those goods.  I miss the fresh soup aisle, the Pizza Express pizzas, the compact yet efficient use of space.... about 1/4 to  1/3 the square footage of your average Harris Teeter or Safeway, yet everything you could need. The mini Green and Black ice creams.  Of course, Harris Teeter does have free balloons for the kids and lots of free food samples throughout the store.

If anyone out there is still even checking this blog (given it's been a solid two plus months since I've posted anything), you are probably curious as to why a plastic bag would spark a blog post.  I don't know... it just did.  I've been wavering back and forth quite a bit on whether or not to keep this thing going... or just shut the door on the wonderful chapter of our life that was London.  Life has certainly not slowed down since we've moved back to the US - - it's just exciting in different ways.

Good thing that it takes a few hundred years for plastic bags to disintegrate.

 

Boyd Christmas Family Reunion

As long as I've known Chad, the Sunday before Christmas is reserved for the Boyd family Christmas reunion.  Chad's grandfather - Jay R Boyd - was part of a very big family who were born and raised on the family farm in Ararat, VA, just over the state line from Mt. Airy.  And luckily, there are many family members still in the local area that gather together to connect, catch up and celebrate the season.  Chad flew in from Charlotte just the evening before - - and this was the first time in four years that we've made the reunion and it was really wonderful to see everyone and introduce them in person to William.

William and his cousins Logan and Hayden

Exchanging gifts with the cousins.  William got an amazing kitchen play set from Susan, Lane, Logan and Hayden!  (Thanks so much Aunt Susan - he will LOVE it!)

Brothers Hayden and Logan, waiting patiently to open gifts!

A time honored tradition - the Chinese Christmas gift exchange.  The most popular (and hijacked) gift this year was a twenty dollar bill!  Cynthia, Latia and Chris: 

 Cousins Melody and Jeannie

 Hayden, Robert and William - William holding a duck hand carved by Robert

A beautiful painting of the Boyd family farmhouse by the talented Latiah - it took our breath away - she is so very talented!

The entire family together: 

By the time we finished driving from Charlotte to the reunion outside of Mt. Airy and back to Raleigh, we were exhausted.  Seeing all these folks was worth every minute.  After all, being close to family is the top reason we've moved back to this great state!

 

 

Nixon Family Christmas

We gathered in Charlotte the weekend before Christmas with my Mom and sisters to celebrate the season as a Nixon family.  It was a great joy to be together and catch up on all the happenings since we'd been together last.  My sister Andrea hosted the event at her cozy home and we cooked enough food for about 25 people verses the 12 we actually had present!  And of course the kids had lots of gifts to open and share with one another.

Andrea and Catherine: 

The grandbabies:  Ellowyn (10), Isaac (5), Bella (5), William (2)

Mom and Jim: 

Uncle Gene:

William, Grandmama and Isaac checking out a new gift 

Renata, William and Catherine 

 Fun poses for a family photo:

Andrea with the huge feast:

Half the fun....

Half the fun of Christmas is just getting there.  It seems like three is the magic age where Christmas really comes to life for little ones.  They probably don't grasp every bit of it, but they start to understand giving gifts, and they certainly pick up quickly on receiving.  Santa isn't quite so scary - - in fact, he's pretty exciting stuff.  Despite still being in transition, in the lead up to Christmas this year, I tried my best to bring it to life for William.

Although I've got Christmas decorations galore in storage in DC and also plenty on the way over from London, I did my part to support the US and Chinese economies by purchasing decorations for our little two bedroom apartment.  William loved the Christmas tree skirt most of all... although the soft Santa for the dining room table (he sees you when you're eating...) was a hit as well. 

We hung some stockings off the island in our kitchen (thanks to Nana for the stockings this year!), and had fun trying them on and checking them occasionally throughout the weeks to see if Santa had show up yet.  

 And we made cookies!  William has really been into cooking lately and loves to help out.  He picked out two cookie cutters and we made gingerbread men and stars.... and there was total joy when he actually got to EAT the first one he made himself!

I almost went artificial this year, but couldn't quite make the leap yet.  The smell of a fresh tree is just wonderful and we got a small one to place on a corner table in the apartment.  William loved hanging ornaments, although the candy cane decorations drove him up the wall as he couldn't understand why we would just leave them there without eating any.  Renata and William also would surprise me a few times a week with new decorations like a classic paper chain for garland around the tree. 

I bought three books about Christmas - one about the birth of Jesus, The Night Before Christmas, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  By far, the Grinch was the most requested read... until we bought a video of the classic Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer.  It was all over for the Grinch.

Whoops...Sharing a room

Sorry folks... found this in my "draft" box but I wrote it a few weeks back:

I found myself griping a little Thursday night while at a holiday party with some girlfriends about the fact that I'm currently sharing a room with William... and how that will become a lot more crowded when Chad arrives later this month.  Let me start by saying sharing a room means that I have a king sized bed to myself and he has a full sized roll away single mattress bed.

Then I came home and found this article posted by a friend of mine on Facebook.  It was a great reminder of just how incredibly lucky I am.  Please do me a favor and watch this full slide show and in full screen mode:

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/where-children-sleep/ 

A brief sample: