Saving the World

From a previous post you might recall that I usually forget to bring my own shopping bags when I go shopping. I've been "encouraged", I've been given free bags that last longer, stores give me points for playing the 'Save the World' game right. It's not just that I'm forgetful, it's that I have become a shopping bag snob. There--it's out there! (Honesty does feel good, doesn't it?) I don't like ugly bags. I've been looking for cute ones so that I can shop with pretty bags and not ugly ones like this orange one! Well making a quick stop in the local high end grocery store, I saw my bags! Now I can help save the world in style!

A Style of Her Own

What can I say that you're not already seeing for yourself? Thankfully, this outfit only made it to our front yard to play.

Getting Through Winter

Winter hasn't been bad here, but it's still been winter. Here are my two favorite things that have helped me through weeks like this one (40s and rainy). And it also shows what happens when I combine boredom with shopping late at night.

Funky Socks! It's a very small thing, but I needed something to break up the drab days. I've been wearing socks almost every day since I've been here and I got tired of white socks! Sometimes my socks don't match my outfit and I think it's funny!

Sun-kissed Look Lotion: (Sorry if I sound like an ad for my next favorite item.) I finally have a tan and I don't have to feel guilty about it! I was starting to look on the outside how I feel on the inside (When did my body last see the sun?). I noticed a difference after Day 1. I only wanted a subtle glow, so I only use it every couple of days. I'm happy with anything that brings a little sunshine into my life on the dreary days!

Things That Make Me Chuckle #2

Jon and I drove over an hour (mostly on motorways) to get to the temple last Friday. We didn't eat before we left with the thought that we would find a place on our way. I'm not quite sure why we thought that--we know better! Old habits die hard I guess. We did find a place after an hour--a small petrol station. As we ate our plastic-wrapped white bread sandwiches in the car, I looked at Jon, he looked at me and we just had to laugh. We miss American fast food!

Things That Make Me Chuckle #1

I've been driving in the UK for 10 months. I've done okay (meaning the girls don't scream about cars driving towards us anymore). I still ocassionally walk to the passenger's side ready to drive and reach over my left shoulder to grab the seat belt. Those are small chuckles compared to this:
I've mentioned before the tightness of the roads. What I don't think I've mentioned before is the lack of parking spaces in the country. Solution? Park on the sides of the road, which leaves one lane down the middle of the road to drive through. Not a problem, I can weave around cars just fine. The problem comes when I want to let an oncoming car come through first. I know what I need to do--flash my lights. What I end up doing is washing my windshield! By the time I find the right stick the car has driven past me and I drive on with a clean windshield. It always makes me laugh, but the other day I was driving with Jon and he did it twice! Let me just say it's absolutely hilarious watching someone else do it!!

Answers to Questions

Sorry for the blog disappearance! The following 4 posts are an attempt at trying to explain what happened to me during March. I put in lots of pictures to make up for my earlier wordy postings sans pictures.
Many have asked, many have wondered...Where are we going next? Here is your answer: I'm not telling...yet. We do know, but we'd like to tell our girls first when we have more details. If you know even a small part of what we went through last year, then you'll know that this is not a quick process. So, stay tuned and I will put in lots of details as soon as I have some. But, if you want to guess, feel free!

Update on Girls

*Is enjoying reading Beatrix Potter and Roald Dahl books
*Does a great British accent
*Has discovered online shopping and likes it!
*Likes school and being with her friends
*Is excited to go to Utah this summer
*Enjoys teasing me by making up stories and then laughs and laughs when I do believe her. She's pretty clever!

*LOVES school and being with her friends

*A boy in class has a bit of a crush on her--likes to tell her and the class and his parents how beautiful and nice she is

*LOVES to read anything and any time of the day (or night)

*LOVES Lizzie!

*Has picked up some great British words and sayings: loads of fun, sensible, clever, a bit, telly

*Writes kind notes to the family

*Loves being outside

*Wants a countdown to the family weddig this summer--she gets to wear a fancy dress

*Got tired of paper and is exploring new places for markers--I don't mind the washable places so much as the other places

*Wants Granma to come make a birthday cake for her

*Is waiting for June--she's ready to be three

*Recently had three haircuts: one from herself, one from me to fix what she did, and one from someone who knew what she was doing

*Likes to carry around "numee" (money) in her pocket shopping--she used to donate it to the charity shops (thrift stores with a purpose), but over Spring Break she watched her sisters buy fun things like candy and stickers with their "numee"

*SWEET, SWEET, SWEET!

*Loves her big sisters

*Gives great smiles when she wakes up

*LOVES food!

It's Snowing!

After a wonderful few days of perfect spring weather we get this! Not wanting to cry in front of the children, I instead bundled us all up so we could make a very mini snow girl (that melted by dinner time). This is our backyard snow girl...(Rachel stuck a big rock in for her mouth because she wanted the snow girl to say "Ooooh!")

And this is Emily's front yard snow woman...

The others encouraged her from inside the house!

It actually was the perfect snowfall--beautiful, bright and white in the morning, melting and dirty-looking by lunch time and gone by dinner time!

Spring Break--Week 2

Week 2 of Spring Break brought family! We love visitors!

After a fun afternoon of playing at the Diana Memorial Playground, we went to Harrod's where a whole floor is dedicated to TOYS! We caught J and C playing in the Barbie section and Emily quickly found the stuffed animals.

We also visited Waddeson Manor.

I love child-friendly places. Waddeson Manor had a fun park with lots of things to climb on.

SIL and me--taking a walk with our babies through daffodils.

I had a very fun day at the park with 5 girls! The weather was a perfect spring day and it was a great day to share with a very fun cousin.

Thanks family for a great visit!

Spring Break--Week 1

Week one of Easter Break found us starting our last big UK trip in the Lake District in NW England 4 1/2 hours from where we are. With Emily in the midst of studying Beatrix Potter we thought it a perfect beginning to our trip to go to the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction. It was well done. It was fun that Emily could be our tour guide.

Then we drove 2 1/2 more hours to Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It was a good city for a "good" night's rest, but not much else. (Lizzie woke up 12 times during the night.)

We looked and looked for Nessie in Loch Ness but only found this one at one of the Loch Ness Museums. The lake is long and skinny and we drove around it to get to our next destination--a water resort! It was a very welcome break to a trip full of lots of driving and scenery. It was perfect timing--a snowstorm came through that night. It was lovely to look at...from a nice warm pool!

We enjoyed driving around Scotland, but our favorite rest stop (just a place to pull over, no bathrooms, of course!) had beatiful views of snow-capped mountains and free-roaming stags that did a great job at posing. The rest stop also had a visiting Scotsman who played his bagpipe.

Edinburgh

We spent the last few days of our trip enjoying this great city--lots to see.

We took a hop on hop off bus tour of the city. Jon and I always enjoy these, but this time we enjoyed it even more because Jon brought the iPod so the girls could watch 'Arthur'! Entertained kids are happy kids.

Edinburgh has a very cool-looking castle that sits on top of an extinct volcano. We played at this fun park that had a great view of the castle. The next day we toured the castle. It had a great view of the city, but it was SOOOOO cold that we sought shelter in the castle's very small chapel.

We warmed up a bit, quickly toured the rest of the castle (which included this room with swords everywhere) then looked for warmth elsewhere.

I'm wearing down! This trip was a beautiful one, but lots of walking, sleepless nights (thanks Lizzie), and VERY cold weather wore me down. So, we cut York out of our itinerary and just did a quick stop of Durham Cathedral and Castle on our way home (a 7 hour drive). I'm glad we did. The city has been preserved well--small village, small narrow roads, small shops. We walked up to the cathedral--which is well hidden at the top of the village. The cathedral was voted UK's favority building. The castle has been a university since 1840. Both were built in the 11th century.