Visitors

Brad's parents are here visiting for a week and a half.  They arrived Tuesday morning.  Yesterday, we took them to London for the day.  We went by train of course, and then took a bus tour of the major London sights.  We are finally getting some good hot weather and it felt particulary hot on the top of the open-top double-decker bus!  The bus tour was good - we stayed on for the whole loop.  The kids of course found it a bit boring and both had a nap after devouring all the snacks I packed for the day.

After the bus tour, we somehow ended up having lunch at McDonald's.  We don't see McDonald's much around where we live (unlike Lancaster where they were everywhere!) so its a big treat.  

We then walked over to Covent Garden, which is sort of a market area with nice shops and lots of street performers.  We watched one guy do a tightrope/juggling act and then a group of 5 musicians with string and wind instruments.  Both good shows for the cost of a small donation in their hats!

Today we are having a quieter day around home.  Brad took everyone out for breakfast in town and now they are headed out to the model village down the street.  We can't fit everyone in our car so we have to work around that.  Tomorrow we will rent a larger vehicle that can fit everyone, and then we will go for a drive to the countryside and do some exploring.

Back-to-school shopping

Now that school is over, its time for back-to-school shopping!  Summer things (clothes, shoes, etc.) are on big clearance, and new clothes, shoes, and school supplies for autumn are on display. 

We went shopping for sandals for the kids yesterday and had a hard time finding anything in their sizes.  We did eventually find a pair for each of them, and I'm hoping the kids wear them instead of their Crocs.  Ben loves his Crocs, but has had several wipe-outs on the sidewalk while running in them - his poor little knees (and elbows) are just now getting healed.

Today we did Susanna's back-to-school shopping.  It took about 5 minutes.  We bought a pair of grey trousers, a grey skirt, and two white polo shirts.  Along with her white button-downs, grey jumpers, and school dress, tie and cardigan from the year just ended, she'll be all set.  Having to wear a uniform certainly does simplify things!  

Summer holiday - day 1

Today is the first day of our summer holiday.  So far so good!  We got up as early as usual (Ben was in our room at 6:07) and got ready for some friends to come and play.  We had our playdate, then lunch, and now Ben is sleeping in his bed - a much needed nap.  It will be nice not having to wake him to pick up Susanna (assuming he actually sleeps that long...)  Susanna is having some quiet time herself, looking at books on the sofa.  

We have a few busy days ahead, and on Tuesday Brad's parents will arrive for a week and a half.  We'll do a bit of the tourist thing while they're here... a day or two in London, a castle, and maybe the seaside for a day.  We'll also spend some time closer to home - there is plenty to do right here!

Time to make a cup of tea and do some reading with Susanna!

Last day of school

Today is the last day of school!  Finally!

We still have our normal morning routine to complete, but I definitely feel more relaxed about it already.  The school is having 'hot dog day' so I don't have to pack a big lunch.  Pick up is at 2:00 today, so we actually get a bit of an afternoon with Susanna.  We'll have to go out and celebrate!

Bike riding

Since we've been in England, the kids haven't had much chance to ride their bikes.  When we were picking a house, there were so many factors to consider, and somehow the question of where the kids might ride their bikes wasn't one of them.  Our driveway is stones, not paved, we're on a fairly busy road, and all the neighbors have hedges, so you can't just ride along the sidewalk - you have to stop and check for cars at each driveway (hopefully others do this as well - really hard to see if anyone's coming when I'm backing out of my own driveway!)

There are parks, of course, but its easiest to drive the bikes there, and then ride them at the park.  We just don't do that as often as we should.  Maybe the cool, windy, sometimes rainy weather has something to do with that.

Today Brad got the bikes out in the back garden and decided that the kids would ride them there.  Before we came, Susanna was in the process of learning to ride without training wheels.  She was doing well, but now its been a while.  She did very well riding on two wheels through the garden this evening.  She can do it... now its just a matter of her knowing that she can!

Here are a few photos:

Can Daddy let go yet?

All by herself!
Ben, too (but with training wheels, of course)
Can you feel the love?

Zoo trip

Today Susanna had her big school field trip.  They went to a safari park about an hour away.  They got to ride in a coach, which was exciting in itself.  They had a full day at the zoo, leaving school at 8:30 and not returning until 5:00.

Susanna said that they saw a lot of animals in the comfort of the coach.  Vehicles can be driven through part of the park and the animals can get quite close.  She said that a monkey landed on the roof of the bus.  They also had some classroom time during which they had a chance to pet a snake.  The snake's name was Brian and he wasn't poisonous (of course!)  

Susanna's favorite part of the trip was "seeing the gigantic snake."  She also liked the classroom time, since it was in a special area "that only schools get to go in."

Sunny day

Today we finally had some warm, sunny weather here in cool, rainy England.  Brad and the kids decided it would be a good day to get the blow-up pool out and have some backyard fun.  It ended up not being quite as warm as expected, but the kids had a blast running around in their suits.  It did warm up a bit more later in the day, after they'd had enough of the pool.

Only one more full week of school, then a half-week, and that's it!  Poor Susanna is so tired from being at school so much.  I hope that the break rejuvenates her a bit.  She has a field trip this week to a safari park, and she is very much looking forward to that.

Ben has been going to a program called Tumble Tots, which is a bit like Gymboree and places like that, except the equipment is portable and they move it around to different towns every week.  He is very happy to go there and has a lot of fun playing on the equipment.  He is done with cooking classes, but still has football (soccer).  Ben is the biggest kid in his football class and is starting to get a bit bored with it...  Hopefully we'll be able to get him a place in the older kids class (3.5 - 5 years) in September.

Filling up the pool.

My sassy girl.
Life jackets, just in case...
Those toys are so bright I need my shades!
All organized (for the moment...)

Sports Day

Today was Sports Day at Susanna's school.  I think every school in England has a Sports Day.  I've heard and read a lot about it and was excited to see what it was all about.  

Schools here have "houses;" kids in each class are divided among the various houses so that each house has kids from each year.  Susanna is in the Blue house.  For Sports Day, each house sat together but competed only against other kids in the same year.  I think it was three relay-style races per class.  The first event was just a regular race.  Susanna was at the back of the line and therefore was among the last to race.  She raced against one of her favorite friends and another girl.  Susanna ran well but stopped before the finish line to see how her friends were doing.  It was very cute!  The second event was an egg-and-spoon race at which Susanna did very well.  The last event involved running, throwing a bean bag in a hula hoop, picking it up again and running back.  The events for the older kids were a bit more complicated and/or longer - challenges were age-appropriate.

Of course the weather for this event was cool and nearly rainy.  It rained quite a bit this morning and the blue sky appeared just in time to start Sports Day, but by the end it seemed like it might rain again.  The parents were all warm in coats, etc. while the kids looked quite chilly in shorts and t-shirts.

Only two more weeks of school left...

Where has summer gone?

After a nice, warm welcome to July, the weather has returned to more typical English fare.  The next three days are predicted to be 65 and rainy.  I'm not complaining, really, I actually like it.  It just makes it hard to believe that its really July, between the weather and still being in school.

We had a nice 4th of July here.  Of course it was a work/school day, but we had a little bbq for dinner that night.  The kids went to bed at the usual time.  Much later, we heard the sound of fireworks being set of nearby.  I looked out the window and didn't see them, but I very much heard them!  I do know there are quite a few Americans living in this town.

Of course we've heard that gas prices have gotten quite high in the States.  The prices here are just a bit higher - $10/gallon for regular, and $11.75/gallon for diesel.  When we get our keeper cars, they will both be diesel.  Slightly more expensive for the petrol, but better mileage.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!

Summer has arrived

Its the first day of July and it finally feels like summer here!  Its only in the 70's, but quite sunny.  Ben and I spent the morning at the park and its good to be back in our nice cool (but of course un-air-conditioned) house.

Now that July is here we can finally start the end-of-school countdown.  The last day is 3 weeks from tomorrow!