H made herself comfortable on the underground...looks like a regular.
A quick bus trip & easy tube ride later I found myself looking up at Big Ben from a dock on the Thames.
As you can see it was another gorgeously sunny day in London so we made the most of it by taking a boat tour on the river. My favorite part about being on board? The unbelievable photo ops...
Amazing, right? Once we were back on shore with rumbling tummies we found a nice little lunch spot on St Katharine dock. (Thought of you, Kat.) We weaved through the yachts to Zizzi, an Italian restaurant, where a friendly host led us to our table on the garden terrace overlooking the water. I ordered my salad & swiftly scooped H up to go for a walk while our food was prepared.
We found a Starbucks & drank some foamy milk, yum!
After our drinks we said hi to all the ducks in the river & by the time we were finished our lunch was ready. My salad was amazing: a mix of butternut squash, pine nuts, goat cheese, green beans, & chicken all on top of a fresh bed of spinach. Deeelicious. Then we made our way down the road to the infamous Tower of London.
The boys went with mum & dad on a guided tour while H & I participated in our own festivities...
Princess H
Sometimes I think we're related...
Somehow Mr. C found us & we got to cut the queue with him to see the best part: the Crown Jewels! No pictures allowed, I'm afraid, but it was a wonderful experience. The day seemed to slip away from us & before we knew it it was time to head home. Mum & dad had a date night so I took the kids to the park to play. The boys tackled an obstacle course while H found more interest in chasing the pigeons...
We found a giant tree!
The boys decided to hide from us when they heard it was time to go, but we caught them eventually. Sneaky little monkeys! We walked home, had a bite to eat for supper, & got all snuggled into bed.
We were all very sleepy after a full day of activities
The next day London showed us who's boss. It rained. Bundled in our raincoats with umbrellas & coffees in hand we set out on the town.
No more sunshine & parks for us...we decided to go to the toy store instead. Hamleys, the self-declared finest toy shop in the world, was our destination of choice. All three little faces lit up upon entering a world of remote cars, finger paint, & tutus. (Five stories of them to be exact.) We spent most of the day wide-eyed & smiling at the various displays of every toy you could imagine.
We ate lunch in Soho at a cute little Hawaiian themed restaurant called Kua 'Aina. We arrived cold from the rain, but were cozily tucked away in a hidden booth in the corner. Mrs. C & I loved our ahi tuna/avocado sandwiches & the boys gulped down juicy burgers. I highly recommend it, especially on a rainy day.
With satisfied stomachs we marched back into the drizzle to shop among the masses in Oxford Circus. I chose to separate & explore TopShop, Zara, & a nice little shoe store while the rest of the family played at NikeWorld. Eventually we were all shopped-out & found our way back home to a nice, warm flat.
I quickly changed, freshened up, & got right back on the bus to treat myself to a delicious dinner in Sloane Square. I found The Botanist at the corner & slipped inside. After a glass of wine at the bar I sat down & enjoyed a succulent steak cooked to perfection.
Somehow every bite disappeared off my plate, I don't know where it went!
I strolled back to the bus stop, admiring London all lit up. I made it home safely feeling proud of myself for navigating the big city, but most of all grateful to be here with my loving second family.
Looks awesome babes, can't wait to see you in July!!
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