Sunday lunch

My brother and BIL, Jon, drove over from Cambridge today, and we all went out for lunch. There were only 11 of us, quite small for a gathering with my family. We had a lovely time.

My brother, who is loved beyond measure by Lily. Everytime I tried to get a photo he decided they needed to act up.
Again, my brother influencing his niece
My sister is missing from this

All the grown up talk and long winded conversations got quite tedious for the girls but they survived and were taken to the Rec for some fun on the zipline afterwards.

LilyLily
Uncle Andy wearing his daughters pretty scarf
Crazy Auntie Sally
When we got back to Grandpa's house lots more cousins had arrived. The girlies were in heaven.

Lily is rather taken with her newest cousin Taylor, I am too.

I'm really not short it's just my brother in law is really tall.

Honestly they really are a motley crew and not at all trust worthy! I know they are scheming

It always happens when we come here, we bring the warmer weather with us. I really wanted some really cold weather and I had had my fingers crossed for a little snow but it's not happening. We have beautiful blues skies and sunshine. I'm not saying it is hot but it certainly isn't winter.

Back in the Old Country

We made it! On the first flight out no less. Sadly we were separated from Lily by 8 rows but she was such a good girl about the whole ordeal.

My sister picked us up at the airport and I have to add a few lines about that. We marched through customs into the arrival area where the girls were ready to combust as they scanned the crowd for Crazy Auntie Sally. No Auntie Sally. I had emailed her from the plane before we left that we were on the first flight and I suddenly had a sinking feeling that she didn't get the email. We saw computers and logged in, she had responded so that meant she was en route. I was a bit nervous that something had happened to her so I kept things light and jolly for the girls and we walked about. I eventually had to use the loo, as I had consumed gallons of water on the flight. We marched off and found the ladies room and it had a stall big enough to take the luggage cart in with us. So we and the luggage trekked in and just as Rosie was pulling up her bloomers I heard someone say , Dawn. I ignored it as no one would be calling for me in the loo at Heathrow Airport. A second later I heard it again and whaddayaknow, my sister was in the stall next to us. It was hilarious as we had this huge reunion with all of us falling out of the bathroom stall.

We headed to the car and hit the road. We drove out of the long Heathrow tunnel and my sister took the wrong turn so we ended up doing back into the long Heathrow tunnel and back out. We were laughing hysterically. I was on the phone with my BIL asking which way to go and we still didn't listen and went wrong 3 times and through that long tunnel 3 times. I have never laughed so hard going out of an airport. She just makes me laugh all the time, that's just one reason why I love her. We then missed our turn for the motorway twice? We have no idea what we were doing as we can both drive this route with our eyes closed.

We finally made it to my Fathers house as the girls had to see him NOW. We stayed for a while and then headed back to Sally's house. The girls have had a wonderful day with all their cousins, they went for a long walk, played in a park, eaten lots of English chocolate and have now crashed so hard they will sleep for days.

Lily and her grandpa, it's a beautiful thing

As soon as we walked into the garden Rosie gasped, what happened? She has never been here in the winter and couldn't believe all the flowers were dead

Arts and crafts
Cousin Elise
Cousin Tiffy
Cousin Christopher, who does not like having his photo taken

While we were at my Fathers house one of his chicken s got out so we all went to round it up. I have no idea why I went, Rosie must have called me first. My father told me to go in one direction and head it off towards it's house. I did but the chicken flew towards me and I just screamed and ran the other way. I got "the look" but he couldn't stop laughing at my patheticness

Wish us luck

I do believe the last time I took the girls on an adventure I said I would never do it again. Our luck with the airlines appeared to have ran out but here I am again all packed (well nearly) and ready to fly off with the girls again. It took me 36 hours to get home from Seattle with them and I am crossing everything in hopes that this quick jaunt will be a whole lot smoother.

I haven't decided yet whether I am taking the laptop with us or if I will just catch up when we get home. We have so much luggage for such a short trip. Almost as much as the 4 of us had with us China and that was for the 4 of us and was for 2+ weeks. Winter clothing takes up so much more space.




Is it just me who loves the winglets that the airlines are adding to the wings of their planes now as a fuel saving measure. I think they are adorable. Hey, we all have our thing!

Are you kidding me

For many years the only time the kids saw the pediatrician was for their well visits. Both girls went a whole year without seeing her.
This is not going to be another year like that. Oh No. It's March and tomorrow morning will mark our 4th visit to the doc. Why you ask? Because when I picked up Lily from school she had virtually lost her voice, had a really sore throat and was running a fever. 10 kids were absent from her class today, all for the same reason.Oh and did I mention her nose is like a faucet. Are you kidding me? She just had strep!

Nothing has changed, they still both get plenty of sleep, their diets are good, they eat fruit and veggies like there is no tomorrow so what's going on? I don't like it at all.

But the real kicker here is that we are flying to England on Friday! GAHHHHHHH. Or at least we are meant to be.

Talking of flying, packing winter clothes is a lot more complicated than summer clothes. They take up a lot more real estate in the suitcase. I started packing this afternoon, before I picked up sicky kid, and before I knew it the case was full and it only had the kids clothes in it. No wonder I detest this aspect of travelling so much.

Beam me up Scotty

I have long said I don't want to raise the girls here. That sentiment was compounded this weekend during a long conversation with Lily.

This child is growing up way to fast.

I don't recall exactly how the conversation started but I remember vividly all the things she told me about school. The words that they use, the F bomb for one. These kids are 9 and 10 years old. What are they doing using this word in school. Worse than just the fact that she knows it already is the fact that she told me the kids use it all the time and that it means nothing. Aha, nothing. They just throw it about all the time. Then there were others. Hate is a word that I, well quite frankly, I hate it. I don't use it and don't allow the girls to use it. Lily told me it isn't as bad as I say it is. I then went on to explain hate crimes and how people hate others just for skin colour or religious beliefs and how I cannot tolerate such narrow mindedness.

She understood where I was coming from. She also said her little group doesn't use the F word. I explained how when I hear a child using it I find it pathetic.

We spoke about how her life is going to be filled with conflict for about the next 10 years. She will be pressured by her peers to say and do things that she knows are wrong. Her heart will tell her when it is wrong but it doesn't mean she will listen to it.

We ended it with me explaining that she must always be true to herself and not to others as they may have ulterior motives.

She sadi she does do what she believes in and when people talk about things that she isn't interested in she just walks away.

Beam me up Scotty I am just not ready for this yet. She just isn't old enough. I want a log cabin in the woods where I can keep her safe and PURE. I just want her to be PURE.

This will make them proud.....cringe

I know that their are things that are absolutely acceptable in this country that are not so in the U.K. and vice versa. Since I am British and my family all lives there I have to teach my girls what they can't do at Grandpa's house. The list is very long. At least now that Lily is older she knows what's what and often says when she does something, don't worry I won't do it at Grandpa's.

Rosie asked for a piece of gum today and I gave her some. (growing up in my house gum was taboo I think that is why I'm addicted to the stuff now)
About 2 minutes later this is what I was looking at.






She doesn't understand why her Grandpa won't like it ~ snort.

I actually believe this is the real deal

As you know, Lily joined her swim team the last week of October. She was moved up to the intermediate class shortly thereafter. I know that horse riding is her one true love but swimming is growing on her fast and furiously. There is a little girl on her team who she loves and hence really enjoys being at swimming. They are both very competitive but have fun together.
Lily's coach is an Olympian and he had swimmers in China in 08 and has some heading to London this summer. The man knows his stuff. He was talking to me a while ago and wants Lily to swim more days. She swims 3 but can swim 5. Tis I who does not want 5. It's so unfair on Rosie to be stuck at the side of the pool for that many days and it bloody boring.

Yesterday the coach came to talk to me about Lily (and Paula) moving to the advanced class. This would mean 5 days a week. Apparently Lily is swimming very well. She is swimming a lot better than some of the kids that go five days a week and has great potential. Now I heard this schpeel when Lily did gymnastics at the age of 3. She was great, we need her to join the team, blah blah blah, I saw straight through it. I'm not cynical by nature but that was a ploy for me to pay more money and get her there more often.

It costs the same amount of money for Lily to swim everyday day as it does for her to swim just 1. So money or profit is not the case here. Of course when he hit the competition circuit it will be more expensive but nothing outrageous.

Oh and let me clarify here: I do not have any lofty ideas of Lily being an Olympic swimmer. She is good and can have fun in competition. Nothing has been said at all about her being AMAZING. just a regular kid with great swimming skills who can kick some booty at local competitions.

So after Spring Break I am going to have to put my big girl panties on and sit at the side of a pool 5 freaking days a week. Come April I will be sitting at 2 pools 3 days a week . I need to talk to my Auntie, she did it for years and years and she survived.

Ro and Camilla passing the time. Rosie now packs a big bag of stuck that she lugs with her to the pool each day.

Lily
Paula
Hmmm, I can only imagine what they are talking about
Paula
Lily
On your marks....

Field trip

Today I accompanied Rosie's Pre-K class on a field trip. They went to the Environmental Centre at the local college. She wasn't to concerned about where she went, she just wanted to be sure they were going on a big yellow school bus.

She is finally embracing new things and it is so lovely to see. She was all excited this morning and raring to go. A huge difference from last year.

First thing this morning in her classroom. All smiles and ready to get going

Woo hoo, the school bus is here. I find them quite a novelty also. I travelled to school each day by coach. These buses are disgusting.
Not a creature comfort in sight.
Rosie and her buddy for the day Sebastian. Oh he is the sweetest little guy.
They got to touch all sorts of creepy crawlies.

A hissing cockroach. Yepper, she touched it even though I thought it was a dreadful idea.
A scarlet tarantula. She wanted no part of this guy.
They were all given fish food and we fed turtles and....
big snapping turtles, and
these huge fish
After that it was time for a snack

and then on to the next exhibit. I actually thought this dude was kind of sweet
Rosie, not so much. Every time I look at this photo I laugh. Her face is hilarious
She loved this baby Gator, go figure
Learning about plants

Planting her own seeds.


From there we headed back to the bus. The kiddies were all zonked which can only mean they had a fabulous time. IT was a great experience for them and fun for me to be able to tag along.

Bwa ha ha.

The pictures aren't that good. It was a stealth photography attack.

Lily was doing homework. I was doing this and that and Rosie was playing a game. I could hear her chatting away and doing various things but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. You can't see the flippers.

They say that children emulate their parents. For the record I would just like to say that I NEVER, not once, walked down the street pushing either of them in their pushchairs whilst wearing nothing more than my bloomers, swimming goggles and cap. NEVER.