Weekend of May 19th

Pretty quite weekend here. Mary Ann was in Chicago, I was in NJ.

Picked the boys up on Friday night and picked up takeout for dinner. Got a movie on the way home (Poseidon) which they watched after dinner.

Saturday morning Nicholas and I got up and went to the gym. Picked up bagels on the way home. Had to drop Nicholas off at his school at 11 for a birthday party. Some kid in his class was taking the entire 1st grade into NY to see The Lion King on Broadway. A parent had to go as well so Anita went along. They had party at the school gym before they hopped on a bus to go into the city. Photo is taken at the party.

After we dropped Nicholas off Kieran and I went to see Spiderman 3 (which we both thought was pretty good). By the time that finished I had to drop Kieran at a birthday party at 4.30 which was at a roller skating rink in the middle of nowhere. It was far enough away from home it wasn't worth going home and coming back so I just ended up hanging around.

Got home around 7 and Nicholas got dropped off around 8. He had a great time and really enjoyed The Lion King.

Sunday was a pretty relaxed day. Got up a little late and cooked the boys breakfast. Kieran had to type a social studies report on Qin Shi Huangdi (China's 1st Emperor - who would have thought, I always thought the 1st Emperor of China was Qui-Gon Jinn from Star Wars).

We went to the wool shop so Nicholas could choose the wool for the sweater I am going to make him. Unfortunately they had sold out of the book the pattern is in so they are ordering it in for me. Nicholas picked out the color he wants so hopefully the book will arrive soon.

Kieran wanted to go see Shrek 3 so we went to see that in the afternoon. Again, it was pretty good, but not as funny as the first two.

When we got home we played rugby outside for a while and then it was time for dinner and to drop them off at Anita's.

Next weekend is a long weekend here (Memorial Day) and Anita has the boys so Mary Ann and I are going out to San Francisco to stay with Catherine for a few days and spend a couple of days up in Napa as it is MA's birthday mid-week. Looking forward to the break.

More holiday photos

Easter 2007 - New Jersey

Mt Sourland

Photos of Various Trips

Thought you would like to see photos of various trips that have been taken in last couple of years. First is trip to Yosemite in Sept 2005. Next one is cruise in April 2006. Final one is trip to Outer banks with Mary Ann in October last year.

Camping Yosemite

Cruise 2006

Outer Banks Vacation

Weekend in Chicago

Spent a lovely weekend in Chicago with Mary Ann. She picked me up at O'Hare around 10pm with a sandwich and a cup of tea.

Saturday was spent mainly getting ready forthe house warming party at her place. We had to go buy finger food and booze for the party. As ever with these things we acquired too much of both.

After getting home we had to clean up the apartment a little and start getting the snacks ready.

People started arriving about 7pm. The last left around midnight. A good time was had by all, and too the surprise of both of us it was a big beer drinking crowd.

Sunday we had promised ourselves a lazy day which is exactly what we had. Got up in the morning and cleaned the place after the party. Went out for breakfast and then just mucked around before going for a nice long walk down to Michigan Avenue too have a look around the shops. Watched a DVD Sunday night before turning in as unfortunately I was on a 6am flight back to NY so had to get up around 4pm.

Hershey Park and Gettysburg

Last weekend the boys and I picked up Mary Ann on Friday evening from Phillie airport. Sandwiches and a cup of tea were provided!!

Saturday morning MA and I went to the gym while Nicholas was in the kids club. We picked up bagels on the way home. After putzing around home for a while it was off to Hershey Park which is about 2 hrs away in Pennsylvania. We got to the hotel we were staying about 2.30 and then went off to a brew pub for a late lunch early dinner.

We arrived at the park about 5pm (it was open until 10). MA was a trooper, going on all the rides with the boys as Daddy is a complete wimp when it comes to roller coaster rides. MA and Kieran even went on the really fast, super high one.

Nicholas and I spent a bit of time on the bumper cars, but fortunately, he was old enough to go on quite a few of the rides himself.

Sunday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then drove to Gettysburg to have a look around the battlefield. We went to the cemetery where Lincoln gave the famous "Gettysburg address". The story Lincoln penned the words on the train up from Washington to Gettysburg. he had been asked to say just a few words to commemorate the soldiers who had died on the battlefield. The Governor of Massachusetts had just spoken for 2 hours before Lincoln got up. Lincoln spoke for 2 minutes and left the stage thinking he had disappointed the 20,000 odd people who had turned up. At the time he didn't know it would go down as one of the most famous speeches given by an American President. I tried to use that story as a lesson for Kieran and Nicholas - brevity is good!!!

We bought a CD and did a driving tour of the battlefield. It was really interesting, and over quite a large area. I think the boys got a bit bored during the drive.

We stopped in Gettysburg to have an early dinner, then drove back. We stopped MA at Phille airport and then I drove the boys back to Anita's.

If Kieran ever becomes a world famous American historian this could be the photo on the dust cover of his best selling book "My first trip to Gettysburg".

Click photo below to see photos of trip to Gettysburg

Gettysburg