Snapshots {5}

Oops! Snapshots {4} and {5} are out of order...I will have to live with it.

He does sleep occasionally...

They ate ALL the watermelon...

Sissys' room is the best place in the house...

Blob...

Baseball outing...I made my dad proud...knothole seats and we brought all our food from home - including foil wrapped organic hot dogs and peanuts in the shell...

Different: Words

We all know the UK and US speak the same but different language.  We still have a handful of words and phrases we say in the British way - knickers, nice - as in try this cheese it is quite nice, and buggy.

As we reintegrate we have noticed little differences.  Here is an example per speaking child:

Mary Kate:  A test question:  Is Mt Rushmore a natural or man made object?  She said natural because it is a mountain.

Caroline:  A getting to know you question: What is your favorite holiday?  She said a seaside holiday.

George:  he fell at the zoo and an employee offered him a band-aid.  He really started crying saying he needed a plaster not a band-aid. 

These are quickly fading.  Brent and I feel a little sad but it was bound to happen.   

Snapshots {4}

All car washes need one of these for little boys...

First day of 5th and 3rd grades...

Wacky Hair Baby...

After school snack...thumbs up...

Meeting Daddy for lunch...

First and only calm moment at preschool...

Helper...

Seriously wacky hair Baby...

Good Thing #8

A couple of weeks ago I needed a meal idea in a hurry - as in sitting-in-the-parking-lot-of-the-grocery-store-finishing-my-list-hurry.  I went to Food Network (wonder if there is an app?) and under quick fall week night meals I found Skillet Rosemary Chicken.  It is finger licking good!  The dish is easy enough for week nights, as promised, but also fancy enough for dinner guests.  I used legs and bone-in thighs because I find the meat juicier and more flavorful plus less expensive.  This week I threw in a few carrots since I had them on hand.  The dish is also a good one because it is easy to pop on a lid and hold it in a warm oven until dinner.  Bon appetit!  

Good Thing #7

From the drafts pile - written nearly a year ago:

I am in baby gear mode:

Medela Freestyle

This is the best pump and worth the money.  It is chargeable so it is portable without the bag or backpack of other models.  I was cheap when George was born and purchased a single pump.  I struggled with the pumping and feeding routine he needed on a single pump.  (He was tongue tied and unable to latch so for several weeks I pumped and gave him the milk in bottles.)  I anticipated needing to at least top up Celia so I decided to get the better pump.  Some will say to make sure breastfeeding will work out before investing in a good pump.  But I disagree.  A high grade pump can help with many issues and get through the critical first 6 weeks.

I am in the final weeks of nursing Celia.  She has not taken a bottle in many months but I still recommend having this pump on hand for the first weeks and beyond.  

Different: 70F/21C

70 Fahrenheit and 21 Celsius are the same temperature.  But your location calls for dramatically different clothing.  If you live in Houston and go to the playground on a day when the temperature is 70, you might find it very cold and dress in a hoodie and jeans.  If you live in London on a 21 degree day, you may wear as few clothes as possible and allow your child to play in the paddling pool (splash pad).  Different, definitely different.    

(As a hot-natured person, I lean to the London way regardless of location).  

Snapshots {3}

We are still alive and well! Let's catch up starting with July phone pictures...

Cousin hibachi...

Cousins on the beach...

Matching cousins...

First tractor ride with Papa...

Siblings...

Baby at the beach...

Riding Nana's deer...

Snapshots {2}

I found an unpublished phone picture post:

4th child eating crayons...

Happy 4th of July!

One boys weekend and George learned a new skill...

which he insists on doing every.time.at the playground...

Bubba brought ALL the toys to Baby...

Her eyes might be blue...

Downward facing baby...

Birthday porridge...

When babies eat off the floor, time to let them self-feed...

Time to replace the tabs on the cloth diapers...

I hold baby please...

The cutest undies EVER...

Moving Update

Our surprisingly easy transatlantic move took a bad turn yesterday:

Drunken mover, broken button on new dryer then over an hour on the phone with Best Buy trying to fix it (still not fixed), cancelled gas hook up appointment, rain and subsequent delay unloading sea crates.

On the plus side we have lightening fast wifi! Historically internet access has been the death of me when moving. Also the landlord's handyman is fantastic and taking very good care of things.

Today is off to a substantially better start. The gas has been turned on. The moving crew is sober and 3/4 of the crates are unloaded. Brent and two of the children are moving our things from temporary housing. The other two children are keeping busy...

Different: Home Tour

I have a few posts to wrap up London. Here is the first:

A friend visited from the US and asked for a house tour to show him all the different things. Here are a few differences:

Electrical outlets have on/off switches:  (and a different plug)

There are very few bugs so the windows do not have screens:

Front doors do not have door knobs:  (very easy to be locked out)

There are no power outlets or light switches in the bathrooms:

Most refrigerators are dorm size.  We had two of these and a freezer mounted under the counters: 

These charming old-fashion skeleton keys are commonly used: 

Yeah Celia

Babies and their (hopefully) natural progression amaze me...

Snapshots

After a long hotel night, Celia catches up on her beauty sleep at her baptism brunch with Aunt Katie...

George too...

La Hacienda Ranch horse love continues...

Melting at the zoo...

Toes or apples...so hard to choose...

Melting at the zoo but looking good...

7 months old and sitting up like a champ...

Repat Report

Thoughts on repatriation and other happenings:

George is potty trained!  He is nearly three so not remarkable but easy. 

As a reward for #2 potty training we went to the zoo yesterday.  Although it was HOT it was a nice outing.

Celia was so happy to be in Texas she moves from laying down to sitting up.  She is very close to crawling.  Well done Celia!  But on corporate housing carpet...ick.

Celia does not like bananas.

We missed our flight out of London and was delayed a day.  All our fault.  We thought we were on the 2:30 but was actually on the 10:30. 

The flight over was long but not too bad.

I am still a bit nervous driving.  The sense of space throws me and the cars coming from the right.  The roads are wide and the cars are large and drive too fast. 

I am also anxious about driving because technically I was not legal to drive in the UK.  I tense up when I see a police officer.  But have to remind myself I am perfectly legal to drive in the US! 

Mary Kate is shopping in both the girl's and junior department.

Caroline does interpretive dance all day.  :)

Packing the house was busy but not stressful. 

The UK landlord is being very picky and stressful.

She asked me to look in our things for the meat probe and some other piece to the oven.  First, who uses those things?!?  Next if we do have them, they are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a boat.  Standby while I hunt for them... 

The washing machine and dishwasher are amazingly fast and efficient here!

The grocery store is very stimulating and overwhelming.  They are huge and offer too many choices yet not exactly what I am accustomed to buying. 

Strangers smiling and saying hi are unnerving.  Makes me suspicious of them. 

I am loving the can-do American attitude. 

We are still undetermined about school and a permanent residence. 

Being back is better than I expected.  It is mostly very familiar and easy - like a well worn sweater.  It is great when others understand me when I speak.  I've read the books and articles.  We are in the honeymoon phase so reverse culture shock is still looming. 

Houston - I think we are going to like it here!