Jolly Ol' England

Well, we made it here! Our flight over was, at the most... Uncomfortable, and at the very least crowded! But it got us here safely so I can't complain too much. But when I return and I'm still sleep deprived I will say it started there. We arrived at London Heathrow at about 12:30 London time. From there our first two days were pretty non-stop. We found our way to the tube as the Brits call the subway. As I've never been on a subway before I can say that the tube system in London is very easy to get around on, which was a pleasant surprise. We'll see if the same can be said of the Paris metro. In a whirlwind of walking and sightseeing our first one and 1/2 days took us to Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, The Houses of Parliament/Big Ben, the outside of Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London with a viewing of the Crown Jewels, all amidst the madness of the London Marathon! It has felt like we were running our own marathon. and that would explain my sore calves, hip muscles and back (from carrying our backpack)! That and the horrible plank like English beds! I thought the bed at the first place was just a fluke but we come to Crewe Hall and its just as stiff! Crewe Hall is an historic beauty in itself. The past two days we've been in Crewe for Marc's training and it has been very laid back, although haven't really gotten to make up for lost sleep unfortunately! So tomorrow we leave early for two train rides to Paris. We should arrive there about 12:30 and our first stop after our hotel will be the Louvre! So excited! For now, I'll try to get comfortable on this dastardly bed!

I wish life was like a spy movie

Well we're getting ready for our trip across the Atlantic to Jolly Old England and the City of Lights. Me being me and always wanting to be prepared, I decided we have to have our British Pounds Sterling and Euros on hand. So I go to the bank like a good little lamb and well I'm pretty much fleeced due to conversion rates. After the fleecing they tell me to "have a nice day" Yeah thanks... me now $600 poorer with only about 400 in euros and GBS to show for it... 'preciate it! As I meander from the bank missing the $200ish dollars that somehow disappeared into the conversion void I think to myself, as I'm sure many others in the same situation have before me, if only life were like a spy movie! You know what I'm talking about. You land at an airport in a foreign country, walk stealthily to the rows of lockers. Next you take out the key that you had retrieved from the 'out of order' bathroom sink's hot water knob in the gate 26B arrivals restroom. Opening the locker you pull out a nondescript backpack. Inside the backpack are several different passports with numerous aliases as well as great big wads of currency of different countries. You grab what you need, shove the bag back into the locker, and you're off. Viola! No fuss... No muss. Well, you'll probably have to run for you life at some point, might have to knock someone off (in self defense and in the name of national security of course) but really, I think it might just be worth avoiding those blasted conversion fees!

Another month and new goals

Another month has come and gone so quickly! I can't believe we're already half way  through the third month of the new year! It goes by too quick. Like any other month, it was a busy one. We took little one on her first trip to the zoo! She did wonderful. No fussing, just pure enjoyment and a little pooped at the end. She loved looking at the animals and called most of them "woof" a.k.a. dog, which is normal for her age! She did stare at the giraffes though! Amazed at how tall they were I imagine. But goodness that place is a zoo itself of kids and strollers and parents! Hopefully we can go during the week next time. Maybe we can take a day off to take her so it's not so crowded.

She's also starting to mimic, or try to mimic everything we say. Which, at this stage in her toddlerhood, is nothing but cute! I know that it won't always be that way so I try to enjoy it while I can. One example, the other day I was looking for what I wanted her to wear and I put my finger to my lips and said "hmmmmm" and she did the same thing! So adorable! She's looking more like a little girl now than a baby. Her hair is growing and I can put it in piggie tails, she walks, she talks (toddler talk) and she laughs when she thinks somethings funny. And it is such a laugh! Her laugh is pure joy and it makes me laugh and beam. The adorable thing is that she looks so much like Marc in almost everything she does. Even her laughing smile is very much his. It's amazing how that happens. On the weekends we love going to wake daddy up. I put her on the bed and she goes to uncover him. He loves it too :) I truly do try to enjoy every minute we spend together because, like the year... it goes by too fast.

Goal Update:

Goal #1

We were doing really good on our weekly spanish, and then it got interrupted and we haven't reconvened. Hopefully that will be corrected this week. As far as ASL though, I'm going to my weekly class and enjoying learning in a classroom and my vocabulary is certainly increasing. And just when I think M's not paying attention, she'll use a sign I showed her a day or so ago without prompting! :) little smartie pants.

Goal #2

Marc was informed that he would be sent to Crewe, England to see the Bentley factory for work, so we decided to make a trip out of it. We're going to England at the end of April! We're also going to take the high speed train to Paris!! We're so excited! It'll be the first time I'm away from M for more than a night (a whole week in fact) and I'm sad about that, but I know she'll be fine with grandma and papa and auntie for the week.

Goal #3

Easter's just a two weeks away! I think next weekend we'll do some practice hunting so she knows what to do :) and then the Saturday before Easter we're going to dye eggs at grandma's house!!

Goal #4

Well, we planned to get in the backyard this weekend to get the weeds pulled or at least started and make a "plan of attack"for the yard and garden, it looks like it's going to rain today so hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for that.

New Goals:

#5 Plan our summer camping weekends. We always say we want to camp more "this year" but the weeks fly by and before we know it it's almost September, so this year I'd like to plan what weekends to set aside for camping and if our plans have to change, at least we could say we tried! :)

#6 Practice guitar with my sister. Maybe I'm being a little too ambitious trying to learn two languages and an instrument while being a full time working mom to a toddler, but gotta squeeze things in where we can!

#7 Get M into swimming lessons. I tried to do this last summer while she was still tiny so she would be better acclimated to the water but she got an ear infection right before the class started. This time I hope that doesn't happen!!

... until next time!