30 Jul 2009

Swimming Practice.

Rosie is taking her swimming very seriously indeed. She is taking her breathing even more seriously, which is a good thing but it is very hard not to laugh.

27 Jul 2009

Another Tough Day At Work.

Where have I been? Work, of course! Those words shocked you coming from me didn't they?

I had to take a seminar in order to keep my license legal and up to date and since it was being offered in paradise I took the family along with me. Too much work and no fun can't be good for anyone so I needed to be sure there would be some fun.
Jacob spent the days with the girlies either on the beach or poolside at the hotel and then once I was done working for the day I joined them for more fun.

While I was hitting the books and the bodies. Jacob and the girlies were doing lots of this.

Jacob and Lily in the pool


DQ time


A closer view of the DQ action!


The girlies on the beach


Rosie ready to dive in. (she is now swimming, sort of)



After my work was done we managed to squeeze a bit more fun out of the day before heading to bed and starting the same routine again in the morning.

The girlies and I on the beach


We accosted some poor innocent stranger and asked them to take our photo in the middle of the sea and they obliged us...the people in Naples are just so nice! LOL


Looks like fun to me.


Silly seaweed girl


We met so many families with adopted kidlets this trip. Every time we turned around we literally bumped into them. Some are Naples families and some are Naples families part of the year. We really did have a great time but we always do when we hit the west coast.
As for the seminar, it was good, not great but I met some really nice people and I learnt some new stuff that I can use and I found a nifty new tool that Jacob is loving and if I can get it back I am sure my clients will too.

22 Jul 2009

Happy Anniversary To My Big Bruvver.

Three years ago today we were in England for the Civil Union of my big brother to his partner of a trillion years Jon. This was something that we had waited a really long time to see and were thrilled was finally taking place. My brother Colin, as I have mentioned many times before, is one of the worlds kindest souls and his partner Jon is probably nuts for putting up with him. These 2 have been together for 20+ years and have the kind of relationship that is enviable.

Once gay marriage as it is frequently called was deemed legal in the UK Jon and Colin decided to partake in what was initially going to be a small ceremony but before long it had turned in to a huge event and was without a doubt one of the most fun and emotional "weddings" I have ever attended. They and 100's of their closest friends and family turn out to give them the biggest bash and not one they would soon forget.

Happy 3rd Anniversary Jon and Colin.
And just so you know, any time you are ready to throw another bash like that we are ready.

My brother is the short one only he isn't really that short Jon is just really really tall.





20 Jul 2009

Independent Annies

Both of the girls are very independent. Lily is fiercely independent and Rosie is independent when she is around people she knows and trusts, otherwise she is a complete wimp and is afraid of her own shadow but more about that another time.
We spent a fabulous day yesterday with Hollis and the girls. From the minute we arrived they all played harmoniously. Since we haven't seen each other for 6 weeks the kids were in heaven as were the adults. When we first came home with Rosie and had served our six weeks of self inflicted house arrest to get her used to being part of our nutty household one of the first homes we visited was Hollis' so she is really comfortable there and runs about as if she owns it which pleases Hollis tremendously.
Once the thunderstorms left we headed into the pool and the kids had a hayday. Rosie is starting to get quite brave in the water and we had all good intentions of getting her into swimming lessons this summer but (a) summer hasn't gone quite as we had planned it and (b) Rosie still freaks out around strangers so we have decided that it probably won't benefit her to give her swimming lessons with a stranger at this point and will have the adverse effect on her and she will end up hating water which is something that we don't want as we spend alot of time in the wet stuff. A couple of weeks ago she decided she liked tubes and would put herself in a tube and kick like mad to get around the pool. I trail her and she loves it. It gives her freedom and I can still do stuff with Lily. Yesterday we took some tubes up to Hollis' with us and the big girls played with them and the noodles and a myriad of other toys and Rosie clung to her tube and swam, as she calls it, all around. She also likes to jump in so she did alot of that too. In fact she tried hard to do what the big kids were doing but just her version of it. Just as we were getting ready to call it a day and go inside for ice cream Rosie said she wanted to swim under water. For the most part she hates to get her face wet. On occasion I shove her face under and push her really fast to the side and tell her to kick. She does it but reluctantly. (yes, I am harsh but the kid has to learn to swim. Lily could swim, properly at 18 months, this is Fl there is water everywhere) I called for Jacob and he sat on the steps and I gave Rosie a shove and she swam underwater to her Daddy. He pulled her up and she was all smiles and asked to do it again so he shoved her back to me and so it went again and again and again! She was swimming. Not well but she was doing it and she was loving it. She needs to kick a bit more but she has the concept so I think if we go into the pool everyday this week she will be swimming by the end of it. She just really wants to be able to do what the big kids are doing.

Joie came up to me yesterday afternoon and asked when Lily could sleepover again so Hollis said she could sleepover that evening. I realised that Lily didn't have her Bunny so I said, soon, she could sleepover again soon. Lily pleaded so I asked to talk to her in private and explained the situation. For a minute she looked panic stricken and then she pushed her shoulders back in a way that would have made my father proud and said, I can do it. I told Hollis that if it was fine with her it was fine with us and independent child number 2 took off playing without looking back.
When it was time to leave I barely got a kiss goodbye but she did ask that I send up her Daddy so could say good bye to him before he left. She loves to play with Joie, Anlie and Trevi and the idea of sleeping there is just the cats pajamas.
When we left, Rosie was so worried because she thought we had forgotten Lily and it took us quite some time to calm her fears and make her understand that everything was fine.
I am glad they are willing to try new things. Rosie has been so scared for so long and to see her break free from her chains is wonderful. Lily has always been outgoing but she used to say she would never sleep anywhere if we were not there but now she cannot wait to sleep with her friends, at least not these friends.

16 Jul 2009

Riding Out.

Lily had a really long riding lesson again today with the owner of the stables and after a brief warming up session they headed back out into the streets. She absolutely loves this. As she has now been taking lessons for over a year and the most she has ever done is ride around and around in the paddock we were ready to find a new stable but this past couple of weeks has given us a new faith in the school she is in and we are going to stay put since she is suddenly learning so much and doing so much more.

Once again Rosie and I drove around the neighbourhood in the car and pulled over to the side of the road and I took photos. The sky was so dark, due to an approaching storm, that the photos are really dingy looking, so much so that I edited them to brighten them up however I cannot do that to the video so if it looks like two different days that is why.

Just as they were leaving the stables and getting themselves organised.




In this video the kids are all a bit tightly packed so I will help you out. Lily is wearing a pale pink t-shirt and she doesn't really appear until about midway through it. Don't you just love the colour of the sky? The thunder and lightening were quite alarming but nobody else, including the horses seemed bothered!


This video makes me laugh because you can clearly hear Rosie shout," Hi Lily", in it. The group were all heading over to a grapevine where they stopped and everyone picked a few bunches of grapes. Rosie was very happy about this as we were the designated grape carriers and she was of course the tester.



Grapes, anyone?




I don't know when she got so confident but she did and I am happy about that....I think. No, I am happy about her confidence I am just unsure about this whole horsey thing.


THe storm got a little bit to close so Hema rounded them up and headed them home and they rode for a while longer back at the stables. The first thing out of Lily's mouth once they headed into the paddock was, "can we gallop now?" And off she went like a mad woman! I think I will take up drinking on days when Lily rides.

14 Jul 2009

Just Add Water.

It's hot, really, really flippin' hot! In my opinion summer time here is horrid and the only way to survive is to get wet. So today we teamed up with our good friends Ed, Jenny and little Evan, AKA, Ebby and we headed to a waterpark. Not one of those huge theme park jobbies just a little one in a local park but it is a great place and the oddly enough the kidlets all love it.

We took 2 cars and we followed Ed and as we were driving up Rosie asked me who was driving the car so I told her Uncle Ed and she said, Oh, Uncle Egg. Will this child never learn that it isn't a good idea to make me laugh that hard when I am behind the wheel. So now it is not only poor little Evan whose name is permanently butchered by my family members but Ed, whose name couldn't be any easier to say, is now known as Uncle Egg. He thought it was so funny that all day he kept asking Rosie what his name was and she would tell him, Egg.

We had such fun and it made the heat so much more bearable. I truly shouldn't be complaining about being hot cos Jenny wasn't and she is nine months pregnant. EGG ventured off with the bigger kidlets and I kept Rosie in the shallow waters and on the little slides. She loved it and became a huge fan of the lazy river. We spent lots of time floating around and around in tubes all holding hands getting squirted by the splashers and generally being lazy. Our fun came to a loud and abrupt end when the sirens went off warning us of lightening in the area so we all ran for cover, grabbed our stuff, headed for the cars. They clear the park in minutes once lightening is detected and Jenny and I were watching the storm approaching so I was already getting Rosie dried off because you are not given any time to get dressed they want you GONE! I quickly changed Lily and I changed in the car, not an easy feat anymore with a million people marching by. Once we were all dressed we went to an Italian Ice shop and all had a very refreshing Italian Ice before heading home.

I missed my exit on the way back cos I was in la la land as the girls were both asleep and I was driving along thinking about what a lovely day we had had when I suddenly realised, sh*t, that was my turn! Never mind I had always wondered where the other road headed and now I know. It heads right into a major traffic jam and you sit there for ages inching along like a snail. But we made it home, a lot later than we had if I had been paying closer attention and the girls got a good sleep out of the deal.

Little Fish

Having Fun. Ebby.
Lily


Jenny (and Danielle)

Rosie splashing me.

Lily and Ebby. Conspiring I am sure!


Jenny, Egg and I were talking today about how when we first met we were both trying so very hard to start families and both thought it would never happen and here we were today with our kidlets all playing together, well minus Danielle, she just came along for the ride but in just a couple more weeks she will be here with us. Life is good and is made better with good friends.

11 Jul 2009

How Big? So Big

Both of the girlies had mile stone days today.
Lily had her first ride out during her riding lesson. This means instead of staying at the ranch they actually went out on the road. She has so many make up lessons that she has to take and her usual instructor is taking a bereavement sabbatical which leaves Lily taking lessons with the owner. I thought her regular instructor was good but this woman has bowled us over. This week alone Lily has learnt more than in the past 12 months. She even got to wash a horse 2 days ago. I have photos but they are all on my phone and I have just torn the house upside down looking for the cord and I can't find it so I fear I may have pitched it in one of my many cleaning frenzies as we typically keep all the cords together in one place.
When we arrived at the ranch Hema pulled Lily and another little girl aside and asked if they could keep a secret. Lily looked very sheepish and said she could. Hema then sprung the news on them that they would be riding out. Lily nearly exploded. She saddled up in record time and did everything she was asked without question or being told twice. She then poured water over her head as she was instructed to do even though she thought that was very odd and proceeded to mount her horse.
We were asked to wait five minutes before following them so that they could be given concise instructions without distractions so Rosie and I sat down and watched them ride out of the gates. After a few minutes we leapt in the car to follow them from a safe distance. I was a little ticked off to see the other kids father hadn't waited and he was tailing them so I really couldn't see to well. As my father put it, "there is always at least one prat in every group! Since we live in this neighbourhood I took a few detours and met them coming the other way and pulled over so that we could watch them ride by. Lily was beaming. she was so proud of herself. I pulled out behind the other car and after a few minutes I detoured again only this time I lost them. (good thing I wasn't a detective) After a few panicky minutes of me tearing up and down streets I spotted them and we did the same thing again. At one point Lily's horse didn't want to stop at a stop sign and I watched her fight with him and I am happy to report that she won. It is always better when she has no idea I am about as I get to see her perform at her best instead of trying to put on a show for me. She had a really wonderful time and I loved every minute of it too. Well not the few minutes when I couldn't actually see her!

What was Rosie's big moment? She is having a sleepover tonight. Don't worry, I have not lost my mind she is sleeping in Lily's room with her. I put the trundle bed up, or tooty bed as they call it, and they are sleeping together. Rosie isn't in a bed yet so I am not sure how things will work out but time will tell. It has been 45 minutes and all is well so far. I have a bed rail from One Step a Head that I have put on as a safety measure so at least she won't go thump in the night.



SInce both the girlies are in bed rather early I am off to enjoy my freedom...what to do, what to do ??????????

9 Jul 2009

Not Going Anywhere For Awhile

We are back and I really hope that we are not going anywhere for a while. We have been gone for a month which is fine but it would have been a whole lot better if it had been one month in one place as opposed to 3 different places. Miss Rosie Posie seems to have her days and nights confused again and is waking up all night long and is up for the day around 4...groan.

The girls were great on the flight home and as were were waiting to de-plane the flight attendants came over and complimented both of them on their behaviour and then the passengers sitting near us did the same. One lady asked how I get them to behave so well????? I thought that was a really odd question. (I threaten to beat the daylights out of them if they are bad. Not really) We were questioned at immigration, to the third degree, as always. I really should get citizenship so that I can avoid this BS but that is hardly a good reason to apply for citizenship. LOL

I miss home and all my family and the girls keep asking to go back. Rosie just keeps sayings, wheres Grandpa and Nannie. She truly believes that Andie will be appearing from thin air at any minute which would be wonderful but I keep telling her that Andie is a little bit busy at the minute and won't be visiting for a while.

Here are some photos from the last few days. When Jacob left he took lots of our "extra" stuff with him and somehow ended up with the cord for my camera so I couldn't download any photos.

Nannis is quite the cook and has lots of gadgets and gizmos in her kitchen. 2 little gizmos caught Rosies attention and she decided they were boobies. I never did ask Nannis what they were for for but they delighted Rosie for hours.


Another object of both Rosies and Lilys desire is Ginger the cat. Lily has been smitten with Ginger since the very first time they met. He isn't the most friendly creature and I quite frankly don't get it. Ginger was inherited when Jeannes son Mike moved from one house to another when Ginger was already a senior cat and they felt it was better if he stayed with Daddy and Jeanne, I think that was about 10 years ago and he is still going. Rosie now follows him everywhere and was spotted many times trying to get Ging as she calls him to give her a high five, unsuccessfully.




These are all photos from Lilys camera that she took and some of them are really great and she did all the editing herself. Actually I think I really rather like her camera!

Nannie


Grandpa

Annie

Rosie



Finally I think I am up to date in blogland.

4 Jul 2009

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Happy Birthday Daddy. This is going to such a wonderful day. I have not been with my father on his birthday in years so this is really special for me. Lily hid in his workshop yesterday after demanding some supplies and made him a gift and tonight we are having a party.
To my hubby, happy 4th. We miss you and I hope you get to do something special and are not alone today...mind you you are probably jet lagged and enjoying the peace and quiet.
More on today later.

This update is better late than never. Lily painted a plate for Grandpa for his birthday and she was so proud of it. I was impressed also and of course her grandpa really loved it.






The grandchildren helped him open his cards and sang to him



Lily and Nannis baked a cake and Lily made the decoration for it, are you noticing a theme yet?


That night it was party time but the kidlets were sleeping and we all had a really lovely time and I think Daddy had a great birthday.

2 Jul 2009

Back To Regular Scheduled Programing.

The service is now behind us. I have to say it was the hardest funeral I have ever been too but also one of the nicest. The church was standing room only which wasn't a surprise. Everybody we meet has something to say about Uncle John.

The girls didn't come here to go to a funeral, well not that they are aware of anyway, they came to see Grandpa and Nannis and all of their cousins and that is just what they have been doing. We have kept things as normal as possible for them and they have been having a wonderful English summer. The weather here is hot, think 90 degrees hot. Everybody is wilting but not my girls cos they are used to this.

Here are some photos of the fun they have been having and the people we are having it with..


My Cousin Stephen.


My Big Brother


Playing with cousins


Beautiful riverbank


Oops...kids in the river!




Tonight daddy took us out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. 22 years ago we were here in the same church we were in yesterday getting married so it was really nice to be home to celebrate it for a change.






Jakey leaves us tomorrow and heads home. This will be a hard trip to leave but life must go on. Lily wants to move here and we all agree it would be for the best but it just isn't going to happen at least not yet.

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