Happy Christmas!!!!

We hope you all have a Happy Christmas and safe and enjoyable New Year. We will be spending ours on the beaches of Dubai, U.A.E. and Capetown, South Africa soaking up the sun and catching a glimpse of Santa in his swim trunks! We report back in mid-January. We send you all our love!

Merry Christmas!!!

Abby Quotes and Sammy-isms

Abby

Abby has been telling me for several weeks, “Mama, you are Belle, I am Cinderella and Sammy is Jasmine. Bishop Brad (our bishop) is Jasmine too.” Later she said Daddy was the king but I think she got some coaching on that one from Daddy... (December 2007)

She was playing with her manger scene and I was in the other room. I heard her say very sternly, “Mary sit down and be quiet. Shepherds stand up etc...” She was telling them all what to do. (December 2007)

Abby became very obsessed with the primary song “When Joseph went to Bethlehem.” She listened to it on the computer at least 20 times (no exaggeration). She was so proud of herself because she figured out how to move the mouse and push play to start it over. By doing this, she taught herself the second verse. (December 14, 2007)

Abby is obsessed with a child in her class named Tomiyah. She says the name all the time and always tries to get Sammy to say it. Sammy just says "Miyah." I did not know if this person was a boy or a girl. I asked Abby if Tomiyah was her friend. She said he was her boy! I was shocked at first but then she corrected herself and said he WAS a boy. I was relieved!
(December 2007)

Abby just got some dolls from our neighbor/landlord for Christmas. She named the mother, Gazilla and the little girl, Avery (after her friend) and the dog they came with is named
Jumpy-okey. I don’t know where she came up with Gazilla and the dog’s name. Hilarious!(December 2007)


Sammy




Last Saturday, my back was killing me so I laid on the couch most of the day. Charles ended up doing everything including Sammy's hair. It is an interesting do but the more I looked at it, the cuter I thought it was, so I got up off the couch and took a picture.

Sammy loves to have her legs rubbed. She will lay on her back and just quietly enjoy it. If she is crying she will stop for it. While rubbing her legs we always ask her “Do you like your legs rubbed Sammy?” She will always respond with a very soft “yah” and then just gaze at you so peacefully. It is adorable. While rubbing her legs I ask her that question over and over because I find her response so cute. (December 2007)

After changing her nappy, Sammy has to take the nappy, which I usually put in a nappy sack and SHE has to put it outside. (That’s where we put our nappies to be put in the outside bin as soon as we get a chance because they are so smelly.) She walks over to the side door and waits for you to open it, then she hurls the nappy with all her might out the door (it doesn’t go far at all). Then SHE has to shut the door and then wash her hands. It is quite a process! If you don’t let her do it though you will have one unhappy Sammy. (December 2007)

Sammy using two spoons to eat her rice.

Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

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Abby performed in her FIRST school program and her FIRST Christmas Pageant this past Tuesday. Charles and I really felt like parents. Words can not describe how adorable it was. Abby was an angel. The above video only shows snippets of the performance. I could not download the whole program. Afterward, Father Christmas made an appearance and handed out presents to all the children.

Abby sitting with one of the wise men in her classroom after the performance

Father Christmas handing out presents to all the children

Abby and her present

This is Abby's hook where she hangs her coat. They have her name spelled in English and Greek. Her school is partly run by the Greek Orthodox church and they offer to teach your child Greek. I opted not to have her learn Greek but she does pick up and learn things regardless. She is learning to write her name in both Greek and English and she has learned a few Greek songs like the one they sang for the pageant. I think it is kind of cool.

Father Christmas on the Farm

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Sammy and I accompanied Abby on her school trip to Willow Farm this past Wednesday. Abby has been talking about seeing Father Christmas (the name the English use for Santa) there for weeks. It is quite funny because Abby has become really confused about whether she should call him "Father Christmas" or "Santa Claus" (they look exactly the same). All of the teachers and children at school call him "Father Christmas." But apparently Abby is the only one who can distinguish between the two. She will inform me which one is which when we see them. So according to Abby, the fat, old guy at the farm was Father Christmas. I came a little late so I missed seeing Abby sit on his lap but he gave all the children a little voucher for the toy shop. Then the children could go pick whatever toy they wanted. Since Abby was just with her teachers, they let her pick a toy all on her own. She picked a pink cat (stuffed animal). When I came, I started noticing that all the other children had these huge nice toys i.e. tractors, trains, dolls, face painting sets etc. Then I saw what Abby chose. I wish I would have been there so I could have helped her get a really "cool" toy. Oh well, she doesn't care and she is so happy with her cat.

Speaking of British-isms, Abby now corrects me with the "proper" English term for things. Like the other day when I was telling Sammy good job, Abby politely reminded me, "no mama, it is well done" and then she proceeded to tell Sammy well done. She has also picked up "yes sir" which is funny because none of her teachers are male. Lastly, when it is time to pick up the toys Abby goes around the house saying, "tidy-up time" (definitely an English expression).

Here are a few other pictures I took at the farm:

Abby and her friend Avery splashing in the puddles while waiting to ride the tractor.

Petting a rabbit

A real reindeer!

Sammy and Abby ride their very own tractors.

Thanksgiving

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Abby memorized this poem for Thanksgiving. She loves to memorize things and she does it so quickly. She definitely takes after Charles in this respect.



As usual we had more Thanksgiving dinner opportunities than anyone's stomache could handle. I was involved with one on Wednesday night with the youth in our ward, Charles' firm held their annual Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (which we chose not to attend) and finally our friends in Surrey also offered us Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. I think that people have this unexplained need to overcompensate on Thanksgiving when they don't live in the U.S. It becomes even bigger than it actually is in the states. I am not quite sure why but it is an interesting phenomenon that has repeated itself every year since we moved here. Anyway, we had a nice Thanksgiving with our friends in Surrey (the Austins for those of you who know them).


While in Surrey, we checked out a church built by the Normans in 1239. For anyone familiar with architecture, it is before the flying buttresses so it is built more like a fortress.


The grounds of the church



From left to right: Abby, Helena Austin, Sammy, Lizzie (friend of Helena) and Beth Austin
The girls played dress ups all day long.

Abby in her Cinderella gown which she would not take off. I guess it is time for us to invest in one...

Even Sammy dressed up!

Princess Cupcakes and The Natural History Museum

So what do princess cupcakes and The Natural History Museum have in common? Nothing, other than the fact that I am posting both sets of pictures at the same time.

Princess Cupcakes



This past week, Abby, Sammy and I made princess cupcakes. As we were frosting them, Sammy discovered that she too can stand on a stool at the counter and "help" me. It was fine for making cupcakes but when it is time to make dinner and I have two eager beavers at the counter ready to "help," it is not so great. I find it gets a bit crowded and I am much less efficient. We are definitely going to have to figure out some other arrangement...

Our little tea party of princess cupcakes and water was....

quickly turned into a feast of plastic food with the princess cupcakes for dessert.

Frosting mustache from eating too many princess cupcakes.

Here is a picture of Abby on Remembrance Sunday. I love this tradition here. Throughout the months of October and November, people all over Britain buy poppies (the red flower Abby is wearing) and pin them on their coats, hats, and tops. Then every second Sunday in November there is a moment of silence to remember all those who have lost their lives in war (going as far back as WWI, which is still very important and well remembered here). This year, we all sported a poppy even Sammy. Abby was very excited about hers. She wore it on her coat to school several times. Charles was very proud.

The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum in London with a tree glove

This past Friday, some friends of ours were in town from Moscow, Russia so we went on an excursion to the Natural History Museum with them. There is a great ice rink and a lovely Christmas market setup out front. Abby loved watching the ice skaters.

The Christmas tree outside of the museum

The entrance to the museum

Abby and Sam admire the mammals

Abby loves riding the tube (the subway). It is the highlight to any trip downtown no matter what we are doing or where we are going.

Dance Party 2007 Starring Abby and Sammy

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For all of you who don't believe me that Abby and Sam are obsessed with Johnny Cash, here is proof. They request a Johnny Cash dance party at least once a day. Here's to Johnny...

Princess Sammy Cat shows us her moves

Abby, friend Avery and Princess Sammy Cat all boogie to Johnny!

Creepy Crawlies, Jack 'o lanterns and Diwali

A traveling zoo came for Abby's school Halloween party. There were lizards, snakes, an owl, a skunk, and worst of all big, hairy tarantulas.
Abby touched the lizards but nothing else. Everytime they offered to let her touch any of the other animals, she politely said "no thank you." It was cute!


She shivered when she saw the snake and put her arms up but still politely shook her head and replied, "no thank you."
There was no chance of her touching the tarantulas...

I don't blame her, I would not touch it either.

On a much less creepy crawly note, Sammy felt the need to dress up fancy when we carved the pumpkin this year. She looks dazzling, doesn't she?

We carved our pumpkin the weekend after Halloween because of being in Wales the weekend before. Abby and Sam didn't know the difference.

Abby celebrated Diwali (the holiday was this past Friday) with her school. She made candles and then the students got to dress up in saris. Abby loved dressing up in the beautiful and colorful saris. Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of Hindus. In India it is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and happiness. This festival is celebrated for five continuous days, with the third day being celebrated as the main Diwali or as 'Festival of Lights'. Fireworks are always associated with this festival. We heard a lot of fireworks Friday night, yet again as we were trying to go to sleep. The day is celebrated with people lighting candles all around their house.