a visit from my other dad and sister

I'm doing some serious blog updating (cheating a bit on the posting dates, but finally catching up!).

Last week, J's dad and sister came out to visit us ... my father-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law. Ugh - I don't really like those formal titles. So ... my other dad and one of my new sisters came to visit us from LA :) Mike stayed in a hotel and Caitlin got our posh couch cushion bed on the floor.

They had both been to London several times, so this wasn't a tourist trip. We just did a lot of family bonding -- which in our family means relaxing in the living room, watching TV, debating (any) issues, reading, snacking and eating out. Good times, good times.

Of course, we did catch a few local sights. We visited Borough Market and Tate Modern. Walked across the Millenium Bridge. Wandered down Portobello Road. Sampled dim sum at Ping Pong in Notting Hill. Dined at Roast overlooking St. Paul's Cathedral. Caught a great showing of the Blue Man Group. While I relaxed on Sunday (cleaned house, laundry & napping), the others took a train to Cambridge to visit the Imperial War Museum -- and they highly recommend it!

It was so nice to see Mike. I finally started to see him as "Grandpa S"-- and our kid is going to be lucky. He's like a magnet for little ones. When we were taking a coffee break at a cafe, there was the cutest little girl running back and forth from table to table. As soon as she spotted Mike, her eyes lit up and she just kept bringing him toys and flashing her big toothless grin. She didn't give me or Caitlin a second glance. It was pretty darn cute.

It was so great to live with Caitlin for a week. We're officially family, need I say more? We laughed, burped, cried, ate, snuggled, napped and lazed around together for hours. On Wednesday, she headed out to Egypt for a week and will be joining us again for one night before we all head out to LA together.

Oh, did I mention that we're leaving for a family vacation to Hawaii next week? Hee ... don't be jealous. Ok, you can be a little jealous.