Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

Valentine's Day used to be for lovers, right?  When I was a kid in elementary school, we gave out little paper cards, and somebody's mama would bring in cookies and juice.  This all took about half an hour out of our school day, and then we went right back to our math worksheets.  We knew that grown ups might have a night out on the town with champagne, roses and chocolates because Valentine's Day was primarily about romantic love, something that we, as 4th graders, had no interest in. Somehow this has all changed.  I do not have issues with the fact that the holiday has metamorphosed into a day that embraces children as well as lovers, but I do think that we have taken Valentine's Day for children way over the top.  Yesterday at school my kids had parties that included elaborate games (Cupid's archery, anyone?), craft projects, a sugar-laden refreshment buffet, and scads of trashy, plastic party favors.  The kids all gave each other not only paper car...

One of the best things about having children is that you are allowed to see life through their eyes. The things you thought were just ordinary turn out to be truly exciting. I love the fact that my kids get so excited about hot chocolate and picnics in the back garden. Yesterday, we had to run out to the post office at our local mini Tesco, and while we were there I noticed that the blackberries were on sale. I sent each girl to get a shopping basket (since that's the only way to be fair), and let them each carry a punnet of blackberries. We also picked up a few other things like curry sauce and bramley apple sausages which thrilled my two little moppets to no end. When we got home I washed the blackberries and mixed them with some capped strawberries. I called the girls into the kitchen for this snack, and they were downright giddy. While I emptied the dishwasher, I listened to their ever-so-civilized conversation about how lovely the berries were. Sophie couldn't beli...