Mini-chefs

After school today Savannah got to go "to town" with a friend, which upset Madison and Carson greatly. They both wanted to go too! So I had to do what I always do in situations like these; make it so they think that staying home with mom is going to be WAY more fun, of course out of ear shot of Savannah! So to lure the kids out of their slump I mentioned that while Savannah was gone we were going to make something sweet. So we made "banana cake." Ummm, delicious!


Of course, you can't make something so good and not indulge a little. I am just teaching my kids the good things life has to offer.




Rylie having a go at crying once again while we were baking! Just another reminder Harv of what your missing. Although I am sure you are lonesome, silence can't be all that bad.

Preschool Christmas Party!

Carson had his preschool Christmas Party today. It was an everlasting party with
2 1/2 hours of constant entertainment. I left for the first 20 minutes of it trying to get in school christmas shopping 2 year oldless. I left him there with the entire school worth of kids estimating around 40+. He looked so scared and somewhat out of place so the entire 20 minutes all I could think of was getting back to him. And I am so glad I did. When I got back to the party he was standing in the middle of this enormous gym all alone, staring in some sort of bewilderment. Exactly where I left him! I felt so bad.



Carson got his face painted like Spiderman, unfortunately I couldn't get the end result the battery died in my camera.

Baa Baa Boogey

Madison was in a school play called "A little Shepherd Boy." She was a cute little sheep. I was amazed at the production and how all these 4-6 year old's could not only memorize all these lines, but have very little fear of the audience.

One thing I love about England is that they include God in schools. I guess they assume if you are something other than Christian you can teach them at home if you disagree, if you are atheist I guess they agree as a whole that a little religion never hurt a child. It is wonderful.

So this play was of the nativity of course, but with a different take on it, seeing it all through the eyes of the shepherds. Madison was a rebellious sheep (naturally fitting). She got to sing an adorable song called "Baa Baa Boogey." I hope you can find her in this picture. Don't worry Harv I recorded it all for you.

A New Favorite!

I love the stage where one day kids can absolutely love a certain food and after a few days the desire for that food ceases and they are on to something else.
Unless your Madison, she will only eat PB sandwiches for lunch and that is it, it has been this way now for over a year!
Well Rylie's new favorite are clementines. She loves them! Carson does too, so he learned that Rylie can be fun at times, especially when that have something in common; like clementines!

There are the bad moments too!

So just in case you are feeling a little homesick Harv, I thought I would put in this blog of Rylie's nearly minute by minute activities. CRY! TEETHING! CRY! EAT SOMETHING OFF THE FLOOR! CRY! LOOSE BALANCE HIT HEAD ON THE FLOOR! CRY REALLY LOUDLY! See it isn't all sugar and spice and everthing nice! Just in case you forgot!

Picture of "My Daddy"

Carson came running in the kitchen with a handful of markers and some paper in his hand, saying, "I draw my daddy!" He was so excited about this project it was adorable to see his enthusiasm, and once he sat down to draw all enthusiasm was lost and total seriousness took over. He was ready to draw this picture. After a few gashes at the paper he said, "Look I draw my daddy!" I came over to see a bright red glob, that was his daddy, so cute. I then thought we need some serious art lessons, so I drew a circle and put two dots and a half circle smile. "See Carson that's how you draw a person!" He then took the marker and drew what he thought to be the exact replica of my drawing. "See Mama, I did it!" So the green almost looking circle with 4 eyes is now daddy. Hey Dad you just got more handsome! Oh I love these moments with kids. Carson was so proud of himself.

While Harvey is out of town I thought I would just write a daily chronicle of our day to day activities. Enjoy Daddy!

A Baptism

Savannah came home from her baptism and as she shut the door behind her she proclaims, "Mom this was the best day of my whole life!" I asked her why, she said, "Because I got the Holy Ghost!" I just thought that was so telling of Savannah and how aware she was of this whole day. She understands so much more than I did at that age about the Gospel and the purpose to being baptized. It truly was a wonderful day. There is something amazing about watching your child get baptized, I can't quite describe the feelings or the emotions that you feel. I think the most intense emotion I felt was the overwhelming feeling of love that I had for this sweet child. How proud I was of her for making this decision and her ability to already recognize the Spirit.

To top off the whole day both Savannah and Madison sang a duet. It was as close to hearing angels as you can possibly get. Madison being only 5 years old, was completely fearless. She sang with so much confidence. At the end Savannah bore her testimony. It was beautiful. What a great day and what a blessing these sweet children really are.

A Hannah Montana/Highschool Musical Experience

For Savannah's 8th Birthday Party we had a "Music" themed party. I picked up 15 little girls from school and brought them into our home which was made into a rock stage. I had a disco ball hanging with a guitar, microphones, keyboard, and highschool musical music pumpin'. The girls came running in and immediately started to scream and dance and sing with everything they had. I could have just shut the door and came back in two hours and the party would have been just as successful. Of all the games the most successful was the lip synch. It was hilarious watching these girls rock out as if they were truly Hannah Montana. We had a sheet music cake, and the party favors were a CD mix of Savannah's favorites, mostly made up of Hannah and Highschool Musical, surprise, surprise. All in all it was a success and we had a very happy 8 year old girl.

My Pride and Prejudice Moment

Ladies! I made it to Chatsworth House, the home of Mr. Darcy. Well at least many scholars believed that Jane Austen's description of the Pemberley house is based on the appearance of the Chatsworth House.

From the book:
"They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; - and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place of which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt, that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!"

This is a painting of what Chatsworth would have looked like when Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice.


It was absolutely surreal. It was beautiful! The gardens were so extensive, and house was extravagant; I felt I stood in awe most of the trip. It is located in the Peaks District which made the surrounding area amazing to look at as well. I know that when Jane Austen wrote this magnificent novel that she may not have had this house in mind, however, I wouldn't doubt it for a second if she did. If Mr. Darcy were to own a home such as this in a place like Derbyshire, he would have all the reasons in the world to have the pride that he was judged to possess. Oh I love this book and movie (the Colin Firth version, naturally!)! Now I have just have to find Longbourn, Rosings, and Netherfield Park.

The New "Do"

Oh yeah I am sportin' a new hair do. Once a year I splurge and give myself a transformation. I figured the ponytail had to go and I needed new hair; hair that made me look like I wasn't 30 years old, and a mom of 4 children. I went into the salon with no ideas, and no restrictions. The hairdresser got so excited and exclaimed, "I am going to funk you up!" I got really nervous after that comment, but the results left me (for the first time in my life) very happy. I walked out of that salon feeling like a new woman!

Girls and Soccer

I had to snap a photo of Madison on the way home from soccer practice. She was pushing Rylie wearing Savannah's cowboy hat and her soccer cleats and shin guards. It was so adorable and so very much Madison.


When Savannah first started playing soccer she was one of three girls in the club. The second being Madison. There were over 50 boys in the club; so it was hard for Savannah to get them to pass the ball to her. The boys often said, "Girls are rubbish," "Your rubbish at playing football," "You play like an old lady." They just aren't used to girls taking part of these so called "boy" sports. Now I wish I could say that Savannah got in there and tore up the field and made all the boys eat dirt. But I can't, however, I can say it never got her down, she persisted and is still trying to play with the boys. She wont give up and will eventually, I hope, prove to the boys that girls can do it too. Luckily the boys that are Madison's age barely notice the difference between boys and girls, and as long as she is out there playing with them, she is one of them.

Rylie's Bathtime

I think one of my most favorite times of the day is Rylie's bathtime. She loves the water so much. She splashes from the moment she gets in to the moment she gets out. She puts her face in the water and tries to drink it. She also makes a very loud screech followed by a giggle. It is a great way to get any last shreds of energy out before bedtime. Absolutely adorable!

CRAP!

Oh crap, the word crap is somehow part of my daily vocabulary. It has become a habit,and here in England it is considered a very bad habit. Just so you know "crap" really is a bad word here. I found out when we had some friends over for dinner and I kept saying it. They told me I was saying a swear word! So I felt terrible! But what is worse, I say it out of habit all the time! I say it jokingly to Rylie in public when she cries, "Oh, Rylie what's the matter, is life really so crappy!" I said it to Savannah's teachers at school. I really do say it all the time! "What the crap!" "Oh crap!" "Crap, crap, crap!" I am beginning to wonder if it is the hidden rebel inside me now finding the opportunity it has longed for! I am now that parent that swears in front of their children, even their infant baby! So funny! I somehow need to break myself of such a "dirty" habit. Maybe the kids can wash my mouth out with soap every time I say it! Any suggestions?!

Have a Happy "British" Halloween!

Carson loves his spiderman costume, but when halloween came around he refused to wear it and once I could finally convince him to put it on, he did nothing but cry. So off it came and we settled for him just wearing his spiderman rain boots!




Having halloween here in England was a very different experience for many reasons. First of all, the whole Halloween vibe here is negative. They aren't fond of it at all. I think it is the fact they have it all wrong! Many teenagers get into it here and use the TRICK of the "trick or treat" to terrorize people. Pulling off many mean tricks to make lives miserable. They also believe it to be an evil holiday, which is no wonder I have not once seen a princess costume, superhero costume, or anything creative or inventive. The only costumes we have seen are witches, devils, and evil zombies. I went to the girls school party and seeing all the evil creature type costumes, I spotted a kid that had dyed his hair red and had a few bandaides on his face. Interested in finally seeing something that wasn't evil looking I asked, "Are you someone who just got in a fight?" "No," he said, "I am a hunter!" Curious about what having red hair has to do with being a hunter I asked, "Do hunters just have red hair?" "No!" he says, "I got shot in the head, this is blood!" Great, so my girls joined in by doing halloween the England way and became a little devil and an evil witch (since those were the only costumes I could find here). But I was able to keep Carson innocent by finding him a Spiderman costume. However, there are positive things about halloween here, they get very little candy. At the churches "trunk or treat" party one car actually gave away a starburst, yes, one starburst to each child. I love it, this is the first year I didn't have to slowly take candy out of their trick or treating bags. I gave them free reign.

Carvin' Pumpkins

Our tradition for Halloween is to carve our pumpkins, then dip yummy apples in caramel, followed by eating daddy's roasted pumpkins seeds. I love this tradition. I especially love this time of year. By the way, we are renting so the matching orange walls in the background aren't my idea nor do they come from my decorating expertise!

Ashby Castle

Mandi (Harvey's sister) and her son Jasher are here for a visit. It is so nice having family close by!

We had a fun trip to Ashby Castle. It is so fun walking right through history. I love going through these old ruins and imagining who was there, what was there, and what life back then may have been like. The girls had a blast finding all the hidden ghosts within the castle and answering their "questions," Carson ran everywhere without once being called upon to STOP or SLOW DOWN and Rylie enjoyed the lazy stroll in her buggy!