What a Difference a Day Makes

Poor Sophie had a rough day yesterday. She needs a holiday. She didn't want to go into school in the morning. I practically had to force her through the door. Not fun for me. At the end of the day, when she came racing out the door, she shoved a piece of paper in my face which she had written on detailing her thoughts throught the day. It said the following:" i want my mum! i want Emma! I want my lam!!: (Translated, I need a day off and a cuddle with Lambie.)

Things didn't get much better when we got home. She and Emma were at each other's throats over the usual nonsense. (i.e. Give that back. It's mine. Not yours!) I had to chuckle to myself when I was folding laundry in the other room and heard Sophie stomping up the stairs and shouting back to Emma, "And don't EVEN apologize to me because I KNOW you're not really sorry!!" This was, of course, followed by the slamming of her bedroom door. Emma, who cannot stand to have anyone cross with her, tore up the stairs and began crooning through Sophie's door, "But I AM SORRY!!" When this didn't work, Emma thought she'd try out the guilt tactic with, "Sophie, sometimes I think you don't even care about me!!" Those of you without children must think this sounds awful...unless you grew up with a sibling who was very close to your own age. Moms and Dads, you know, it is typically best just to let them try to work these things out on their own.

I had play rehearsal last night and had to jet out the door as soon as George walked in. Luckily Emma and Sophie seemed to have worked out the drama at that point. When I arrived back home around 9:30, the house was silent. I took the opportunity to make today's lunchboxes, being sure to tuck in a few special birthday treats for Sophia. When I got upstairs to my room, I found Daddy Bear, Sister Bear, and Baby Bear all tucked up sound asleep in my bed. Bliss.

This morning George, Emma and I woke Sophie with a rousing round of "Happy Birthday to You..." and this got things off to a good start. In fact a few minutes later, Sophie was nearly bouncing off the walls with the excitement of being FIVE! We had to go to school early this morning for Emma's Judo class, so I packed several birthday stories in the car to read to Soph. I also pinned a big badge on her chest that says" TODAY It's My Birthday!!" On the way to school, Sophie mused in her Sophie-voice, "Wait, why am I so happy today?? Oh yeah, I remember!!" When it was finally time to go into school, she raced through the door eager to declare the big news to anyone who cared to listen. What a difference a day makes!

In other news there was some excitement in Emma's class yesterday as the kids got to watch two baby chicks hatch out of their eggs. One was white with a brown bottom and the other was brown spotted according to Emma. There are still several more eggs to hatch, and this had been a much anticipated event. Emma was quite surprised my how long it took the eggs to hatch...not like in the cartoons.

I will post pictures later of Sophie's birthday dinner. She has requested that we have dinner out in an Italian Cafe. How civilized! So Cafe Latina, here we come! More later...

Happy Birthday, Sophie!!

Mothering Sunday

Although I didn't actually realize it until I was given lovely homemade cards and kisses, yesterday was Mothering Sunday here in the UK...or Mother's DUK as George referred to it. I was pleasantly surprised to get a bit of the royal treatment and cards that said lovely things like: Happy Mother's Day, Sweet Cheeks.

Luckily the British weather cooperated too. We had a beautifully sunny day with temperatures in the 60's. We all thought it sounded like a fantastic idea to splurge on a big bucket of greasy chicken from KFC (which Emma pronounced phonetically much to our horror) and to have a picnic at Roath Park in Cardiff. We were hoping to take a boat out on the lake, but apparently it is a bit too early in the the season, so we just made ourselves happy with sunshine and park...as well as ice cream. Sophie demonstrated that ice cream is not only a delicious treat for eating, but also makes a brilliant facial tonic and hair treatment. Gotta love drippy chocolate sauce!

So Happy Mother's Day to all you British (and non-British) Yummy Mummies. You know us... we'll surely be celebrating again in May... any excuse, and moms surely deserve at least two holidays every year, right?

Make Them Walk the Plank!

Know what the best part of a child's birthday party is? It's the moment just after all of the children have left. I don't mean that I didn't enjoy Sophie's fabulous pirate soiree, but the best bit for me was basking in the afterglow. Everyone went home smiling and in one piece, and I realized that we did a really good job! The weather was beautiful, the kids were happy, and everyone seemed to have a genuinely good time. At no time did complete chaos break out. A successful party indeed.

I think my favorite thing about the party was the treasure/ scavenger hunt designed by George, and since it was the last item on the agenda, it was, according to all the mommies at school this morning, the thing that all the kids went home talking about. George cleverly designed a series of ancient looking treasure maps which led the children all around our house and garden and eventually to a chest in our living room which contained everyone's goody boxes of pirate treats to take home. Perfection!

Sophie, of course, made it clearly known what a lovely time she had and gushed with gratitude for the rest of the afternoon, so all in all, we had a really lovely day. Now, of course, we get to celebrate again when it is her REAL birthday on the 31st of March. It is important to draw these things out. I am quite excited about the idea of making a summer berry trifle for the occasion since there seems to be a profusion of berries available in the Tesco these days. This will make me quite happy and when mama's happy, the land is happy.

In other news, Emma has been quite keen to discuss her future birthday party plans. Less than half an hour had passed after Sophie's party and she was busy scheming and planning her own birthday bash. She has decided she wants to have a nature-themed art party, and I think that opens us up to loads of possiblities. I am currently envisioning lots of little girls gathered round my dining room table painting ceramic flower pots and such... but, as I keep telling Emma, there is plenty of time to think on this.

Lenten Reflections

I cannot take credit for the passage below. I received it in an email from Westiminster Presbyterian in Greensboro, and really liked it. This year, I have not "given up" anything for Lent since I am often lucky to keep anything down (foodwise) these days, but I do like the idea of fasting from discontent, worry and anger...

Lenten Reflections
Fast from judging others; feast on the presence of God within each person.
Fast from focusing on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness and gloom; feast on the reality of light and enthusiasm.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the brilliance of Resurrection!

No one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled!

I heard this story on the BBC this morning, and it made me laugh. Check it out if you, too, could do with a chuckle:

20 Ridiculous Complaints Made by British Holiday Makers

What Do You Do With a Scurvy Pirate?

It's oh so quiet here this afternoon. Emma went home with her best friend Lili after school, so I am here on my own with just Sophie...and it's so strangely quiet. Sophie says she is very happy to have a break from her sister, which I can understand. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, and a little peace and quiet is very good for the soul.

So since we have this quality time with just the two of us, I have taken the opportunity to chat with Sophie about exactly what she is hoping will go down at her pirate party this weekend. I am still reeling over the fact that all ten of the children she invited have agreed to come. I honestly don't know where I am going to put them all, but at least, after my chat with Sophie, I do know what I am going to feed them and what she wants them all to do. There will be cheese balls, sandwiches, a chocolate layer cake and ice cream, dancing, games, and treasure hunts involved. And afterwards, there will be napping...on my part.

Stay tuned for more details.

A Good Week at School

This week, like most others recently, just slipped through my fingers. Both girls had a good week at school. Sophie impressed us with a stellar performance in her class assembly on Wednesday morning. She had several lines which were all heard loud and clear. She also got to play the role of one of the class scientists and demonstrate how the secondary color, purple, could be created by mixing red and blue. Truly brilliant!

I am also proud to report that both Emma and Sophie recieved the "Best Effort Awards" in their classes this week! Well done, girls!

On Friday, the girls were allowed to wear something "funny for money" in their schools for Red Nose Day . Emma decided to go in her pajamas and dressing gown with crazy curled hair. Sophie couldn't really be bothered with funny clothes, but decided instead to wear about six ponytails on top of her head.

Panic should be setting in for me since Sophie's birthday party has had to be moved up to next weekend. It looks as though I will have at least 10 small children dressed in costumes and ready for a pirate party in my house in less than a week! Let's just hope I make it through the affair without throwing up... and a little sunshine would be nice too!! More updates on the pirate party as it draws nearer...

Interview with Emma, Age 6 and a half

Someone sent me these questions on Facebook, and I thought some of Emma's answers were pretty good. Bet someone could come up with some better questions though...

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Hurry up!!

2. What makes mom happy?
If you do what she says

3. What makes mom sad?
If you say mean things

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
When you say something funny without trying to be funny

5. What was your mom like as a child?
beautiful

6. How old is your mom
?31? 21? 32?

7. How tall is your mom?
Well...about a few feet tall

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Writing

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
shop

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
a famous writer of books

11. What is your mom really good at?
cooking and writing

12. What is your mom not very good at?
maybe making pumpkin pie because Dad always does it

13. What does your mom do for her job?
The PTA

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
maybe pumpkin pie?

15. What makes your mom proud of you?
If I get a new Judo belt...that really mostly makes my Dad proud

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Yoko...the Japanese cat from Timothy Goes to School

17. What do you and your mom do together?
wrap presents? go to the city

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Well we've kind of got the same hair, but I've already got highlights; she's got to put them in.

19. How are you and your mom different?
Well, she sometimes likes to take naps, and I hate naps

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because she always tells me, and she hugs me and kisses me, and she moved me from a school that had a bad teacher

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Maybe to Mimi's place to have a massage

Feed Me Seymour!!

Nothing much new to report here. I continue to feel sick and tired...and hungry, although not many things sound good to me. My best friends for the past week or so have been Rice Krispies, cheese toast, cheese pizza and macaroni and cheese. If there are any valuable nutrients found in cheese, then I am full of them.

Trip Highlights

Yes, we have officially been back from the States for a whole week now, and you'd think I would have at least checked in with the ole blog by now, but I have spent this past week feeling very sick and very tired. Oh, poor me. The trip was mostly lovely and very hectic. I don't think I will plan a holiday with so many ports of call ever again...unless it is a cruise on which someone else is in charge of all of the planning and transportation...and a guy named Antonio is bringing me fruity drinks and rubbing my feet on demand.

So instead if boring you with all of the fiddly details, I will list some of the more memorable highlights from our two weeks abroad...those memorable ones which I can actually remember, of course.

1. When we landed in Dulles airport, Emma and Sophie immediately ran toward a larger than life cardboard cut-out of Barack Obama and demanded to have their photo taken with him. George and I found endless amusement in the fact that all of the shops were carrying Obama gear which touted "Hope:" t-shirts and ball caps emblazened with his image and the word "HOPE" in all caps, a biography about the Michelle Obama entitled First Lady of Hope, a cup of French Roast Hope from the local coffee shop. We cannot wait for the Obamas to adopt their first pet: the terrier of Hope.
2. Next stop, Orlando, FL and a short drive to Winter Haven from there to see Paw Paw and Barbara. During the drive, the kids were asleep and George and I were giddy with tiredness. (There are, in fact, several drives like this that we vaguely and fondly remember from the trip.) The thing that gave us the most giggles this time was all of the fiddly 75 cent toll booths and the fact that we had very little American money. At the first stop, George told the lady that we didn't have much money and asked what she recommended since there were apparently several more toll stops before we reached Winter Haven. She cryptically responded, "Well, you don't have to pay at some of them. Like you can just skip the next one." Then she said something about throwing a handfull of pennies in the automated toll acceptor and then flooring it. We were utterly confused and amused at the same time. At the next stop a much more helpful elderly Indian gentleman said, "First give me one dollar...then I will help." We counted out a dollar in dimes, nickels and pennies and thankfully, he told us how to exit the highway and make it the rest of the way to Winter Haven without encountering any more tolls.
3. While in Winter Haven for a couple of days, we enjoyed dining on American cuisine which I now find it difficult to discuss, but it was good at the time. We also enjoyed catching up with Paw Paw and Barbara, playing Backgammon and browsing the world's largest Wal-mart. It don't get much better, y'all.
4. Next we were off to Disney for a couple of days. I have to admit that I spent less time gawking at all of the fantastic Disney sights than I did gawking at all of the huge, huge, huge people waddling around the theme park. I am not talking about people who just need to shed a few pounds or even those who have to shop in the plus size section of the local Dress Barn... I mean massive, enormous, obese people EVERYWHERE! Americans have either gotten fatter since I moved to the UK or my perception has seriously changed.
5. My Sixth Sense-esque seeing of fat people everywhere was not, of course, the highlight of our trip to Disney. George and the kids really enjoyed the rides and roller coasters, especially Big Thunder Mountain. George even sneaked Sophie onto Space Mountain wearing Emma's shoes with an inch-thick layer of napkins tucked into the soles to make her appear tall enough. Sophie's threshold tolerance was tested when my husband took my four year old baby on a ride called The Tower of Terror, which she quickly renamed the Tower of Terrible when it was all said and done and promised to never, ever, EVER get on that "stupid ride" again!!
6. At the end of our day at Disney we were once again reminded of the fact that we were definitely on US soil when we overheard a stocky gentlemen with a thick Brooklyn accent walking past talking to his cohorts say, "Ay! So what I wanna know is...where da hell is Mickey?" Priceless.
7. Back in Winterhaven the next day, we enjoyed to local scenery...especially the beautiful grey-bearded trees and clear blue skies. We also enjoyed driving around town and seeing some of our favorite local establishments such as: the single-arched McDonald's, the Crisp-Coon Funeral Home (we wondered if they specialized in animal cremations), and of course, our favorite, Domino's Pizza (sponsored) Middle School... home of the fighting pepperonis?? (We wondered what the Domino's Pizza Middle School fight song may have been... our vote went to Mika's "Big Girl, You are Beautiful.")
8. We also enjoyed looking for gators that never surfaced with Paw Paw and just generally hanging out with him. Paw Paw was in high spirits and we all had an enjoyable time.
9. Next we were off by plane again to Charlotte, NC followed by a drive down to Columbia/ Lexington, SC to see Granddaddy and the gang. We especially enjoyed going to the farm shop with Granddaddy and grinding our own peanut butter. The honey roast was especially fabulous if I remember correctly.
10. I also cannot fail to mention what can only be classified as an official "Dudes Gone Wild" shopping spree with George and my Dad. They made a serious dent in several local shops. Watch out, Michael Collins, George's wardrobe is catching up!!
11. That night a three hour late night drive took us up to Greensboro to visit Mimi and her handsome hunk papillion, Simon. While in Greensboro I had a seriously rotten cold...or perhaps it had me. In any case, I enjoyed being mothered a little myself for a change.
12. I knew something was seriously wrong when I stood dumbfounded in the local Target and had to leave before I had even procured half of the items on my American shopping list. I was one sick puppy.
13. While in Greensboro we also enjoyed sharing circus peanuts and songs with Mom B as well as spending the afternoon (including a trip to the J&S cafteteria--you know it!) with Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Janet.
14. Before heading back to Charlotte, we stopped at Jenny and Jim's for an all to brief but wonderful visit. We were happy to see the whole gang including adorable, tripod Bailey. Since we are all a bunch of show-offs, we had the most fun taking ridiculous posed shots on Jenny's digital camera. All are available for viewing on Spacebook!
15. Next we were off by air (again) to Dulles to visit briefly with everybody's favorite Super Hero, Uncle David!! He showed us some of the finer things in life including some of the best pizza I've ever had at Don Corleon's as well as some excellent Cold Stone ice cream. We like Uncle David.
16. The next day, we decided to explore DC after arriving via the metro and annoying everyone in sight with Sophie's constant chanting of, "Maybe a DINGO ate your baby!" We explored the Washington Monument, Museum of Natural History, White House, WWII Memorial and Lincoln Memorial. (At no time did we see Sue Thomas or anyone else associated with the FBI-- buy we're pretty sure they saw us!) By the end of the day, I was pracically in tears. Usually I am an avid walker/hiker/goer, but on that day I was 'stuggling" (as my favorite former 4th grader Richard Tuttle would write). David was an excellent motivational coach and got me to the finish line...or, er, back to the Metro station at least. He even had me running up all of the steps to the Lincoln Memorial by "singing" the Rocky theme music beside me. (Speaking of the Lincoln Memorial, George had told Sophie that it was his favorite, so when we finally got there and up to the top, Sophie asked (obviously), "So when does the show start?" When she discovered there was no show, just a giant monument of Abraham Lincoln, she groaned, "OHHH, can we just go now!?")
17. That night we all got to meet David's lovely girlfriend who passed all the tests as she even (mostly) tolerated the boys singing at the top of their lungs in the Target pharmacy.
18. Early the next morning, we boarded a plane to Heathrow, and the rest is rather boring history...unless you want to hear about all of the heaps of laundry that have been and still need to be done.

Will now try to do better with blogging...especially since this week will likely hold some exciting events like a field trip for Emma's class to St. Fagans, Sophie's class assembly and Red Nose Day on Friday. Stay tuned.