Happy Friday!

It is the start of the weekend! This weekend has gone by slowly in my opinion but lots has happened this week:

• Scott passed his first IT exam on Monday
• We set our official move home date
• Booked Bailey's flight back to the US for December
• Planned our trip to Dublin in April
• Went to dinner with the Nestie Ladies

With the weekend now upon us we are having a relaxing weekend of playing tennis (Scott thinks that he is going to win...ha we shall see about that), Scott will be studying for his next IT exam, planning and booking our remaining trips around Europe for the rest of the year, reading the Sunday paper, going to the Borough Market in London, I will be packing for my trip back to NJ and relaxing!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend and I will post some pics this weekend of the Borough Market and update on how many games I win against Scott!

TEST PASSER!

After countless hours of studying after work, on the weekends, before work, on airplanes, at coffee shops, etc. Scott passed his first of 4 IT exams!

For those who know Scott well all know that he is a computer "geek". He loves tinkering with computers and so the time came to pursue his love for computers and get into the IT industry. So that means that he is basically getting his equivalent of a Master's in IT with these certifications. He is going for his MCSA "Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator" and then once we move home to the US this year or if not before he will be getting his MCSE "Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"

What does all of this mean? He passed his first exam which is called your CompTia A+ Essentials with an 81! Once he passes the next exam which we think will be in the beginning of May he will then be able to get an official job in the IT world! That is the great news as he can then get some experience in IT prior to moving home to the US in December.

So I leave you with his quote of the day yesterday "TEST PASSER"!

Congrats Scott and glad that you are persuing your dream!

Another week come and gone

and you are thinking to your self what does that mean? That means only 9 months 2 weeks and 6 days until we move back to New Jersey! We are excited!

With every passing day and week it brings us closer to the official move home day but that also means we have a lot to do in the next 9 1/2 months here. On the list to do still you ask?

Venice for Easter in March
Prague for a weekend April
Dublin for a weekend in April
Berlin for a weekend in June
Wisconsin for a week in July
Barcelona for a week in August/Sept.
Copenhagen for a weekend in Sept.
Russia for a 4 day weekend in Oct.
Brugges for a weekend in Dec.

I am sure there will be a trip to Scotland and one to Wales for a weekend in there too just need to work out the timing. Of course there is also still the things to do around England. So with the plan as it stands we will be very busy which is good! We have had to cut things out of the list that we would like to go back to in order to see the things that we haven't done yet but in the end it will enable us to see more of Europe before moving home!

So since this weekend is upon us now you might be thinking where are they off to now.....dinner tonight and then the Lion King tomorrow night. Scott has his IT exam on Monday so will be studying this weekend. Wish him luck that he passes to move on to the next certification!!!

I hope everyone in NJ is enjoying the snow and can you send some over this way :-)

Weekend Recap!

What a delightful long weekend Scott and I had! When you live abroad there is always a long build up in time until your guests arrive and I would say that is very true with our guests this weekend. It has been 2 years and 1.5 months since I have moved to London and this is the first time my brother has made his way over. There have been very valid reasons for it (i.e. him changing jobs, Scott and I getting married my first year over here, trips to the US for all holidays, etc.), but nonetheless the day finally came.

It all started on Thursday morning when my brother Chris and his girlfriend Leigh Ann arrived! We spent Thursday laying low and letting them get accustomed to the time (taking a nap), we went to get some lunch and then had a WONDERFUL Valentine's Dinner! It was so nice to catch up with the two of them in person rather that on a phone or email.

On Friday, we let them sleep in a little while and we headed out to see the sights of London. Chris and Scott headed to the Imperial War Museum and Leigh Ann and I went our shopping on Oxford Street, New Bond Street, Regent Street and the Chiswick High Road.

Some Pictures from the Imperial War Museam:

After walking around on Friday, we went to one of our favorite Thai Restaurants in the city and then proceeded to the pubs on the Chiswick High Street.






















Above: Me and Leigh Ann having a pint

Left: Scott and Chris having a pint














Saturday we ventured out to Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms which was very interesting to see then walked through St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace through Hyde Park Corner to Harrod's then the tube home . We had Mexican Night on Saturday at the house and made fajitas with Spanish Rice, Margaritas and played "Catch Phrase" with our friends Jenn and Conrad. It was guys vs. gals and to set the record straight the gals one 3-2 (p.s. Conrad what is a Gnome?). It was a late evening or shall I say early morning playing Catch Phrase till 2:30am! We had a wonderful time though.



Sunday, Chris and Leigh Ann headed to Tower Bridge to do some more sightseeing and Scott and I stayed home to get caught up on some items before having to head back to work Monday. We met Chris and Leigh Ann at The Devonshire (one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants) in Chiswick and had an exquisite meal!


So as I am sitting here typing this blog, Chris is about 2 hours into his flight home and Leigh Ann is about 2.5 hours into her flight home. I said to Scott last night it is weird to think that we don't have a date for any more visitors now :-( Sad to think but we know more will be coming sometime.

Thank you Chris and Leigh Ann for a fantastic weekend and it was great spending lots of time with you two!

2 days to go!

The LONG anticipated arrival of my brother Chris and his girl friend Leigh Ann is finally (almost) here!!! What does that mean....well lots!

Thursday (Valentine's Day)-

Arrive in the am, to the flat to get cleaned up and out to wander the city. I am sure they will be a little tired as the flights aren't that long (longer for Leigh Ann coming from Atlanta) but still you have to fall asleep immediately otherwise you get like 4 hours (max). Then we are headed out to the http://www.highroadhouse.co.uk/ for Valentine's Day dinner!

Friday-

Some more touring of London to see Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, etc. Dinner in Picadilly Circus at one of our favorite Thai restaurants

Saturday-

Ladies shopping day and guys museam day! Dinner at http://www.gordonramsay.com/thedevonshire/

Sunday-

who knows yet. We will leave that up to them once they get a feel for what else they want to do

Monday-

Chris and Leigh Ann are traveling back to the US :-(

I will leave you with one of my favorite photos of Chris and I:

Bailey

Everytime we come home we are greated at the door by a wagging tale, a happy puppy and a chocolate labrador whom we call Bailey!

We have posted a picture before of Bailey on a post but thought why not show her now growing up through the 8 1/2 months thus far since most have not seen her.

It is amazing how a pet can change your life. I don't care what kind of pet you have they all have their own character to make them each unique. Bailey, our 8 1/2 month old Chocolate Labrador, is definetly a "child". She loves to play, run, go to doggie day care, sleep, eat and I guess you would say just be a puppy!

This is when she first came home at 8 weeks!

Her first time playing with rocks and she thought when she hit them and they moved they were alive. Pretty funny to watch.

Here she is at 10weeks. Getting a little bigger and getting more of a personality!

Here she is with Scott with her big girl collar on and when we actually could still carry her.

This is her first day of Doggie Day Care. We send her now three days a week where she gets to run and play with 7 other dogs, swim, nap and have a great time. She typically comes home from day care and is pooped for the night (i.e. she doesn't move since she is so tired).

It amazes me how attached you can get to a pet and more especially one that can't talk english back to you. Bailey is a momma's girl by far (as much as Scott doesn't want to admit it). If I go upstairs my shadow follows me. If I go to the kitchen to cook, she will plop herself on the kitchen floor and watch me.

She is about 6 months here and just getting comfortable with going down the stairs. FINALLY!

She is starting to out grow the original bed that we bought her. Yes we did buy her a new bed that she loves and we flew it back with us from the states (who would have thought it was basically 1/2 price in the US???).

The last few now were taken this weekend. She loves to play with anything. If you are trying to put socks on, she wants them so she will tug at them when you are putting them on. We do have our good days and bad days with her (depending on what sort of trouble she gets into) but all in all she is a Good Dog!

So now she is about 45-50lbs and 8 1/2 months old. She is basically full grown! Scott and I talk about how much different our life would be without her now. You get so attached that we can't imagine life now without her. We can't wait for our next 8 years with her and hopefully longer!

Bailey you are the best!