Pottery painting

Friday we went with our friend, Kristy, to paint pottery! We had so much fun and hope to get in a few more trips this summer. Meghan painted a large plate and Jenna painted a pig!

Show us Where You live Friday

Welcome to my home this week!......(well...this is actually my bedroom pictures from California).

We took some advice before moving to England and left all our oversized/large furniture. So the only thing from our bedroom we brought over the pond was our mattress/boxspring and a frame. I'm so happy we did that because we would be sleeping downstairs in the living room because my bedroom furniture would have never fit up the stairs.

We purchased this furniture when I was pregnant with Jenna and we had been married for about 8 years!

We love it and miss it so much. I really miss all the drawer space and my nightstand.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Summer Time

This summer is going to be a bit different than summer's past. Normally the girls and I head out on a plane to North Carolina, but this summer we are staying put. We were going to plan a trip to southern Germany, but that didn't work out. We are planning some day and weekend trips around the UK, so stay tuned for pictures!

The girls and I have planted a few fruits/veggies and flowers in the back garden. I have enjoyed some nice summer weather the past few days, except the warm weather has brought some little green flying bugs...and they are everywhere.

The girls and really enjoying the lazy days of summer!!

My strawberries!!

Two heads of lettuce, carrots, radishes and the strawberry plant

Today 5 years ago.....

Today 5 years ago.....I was waiting at home for Rob to return from LAX with Stephanie and Kayla. I felt a little "funny" and thought I might be in labor, but wasn't sure because I was two weeks from my due date. I called him and told him to come straight home, don't do any sightseeing. I then cleaned up the house and took a nap with Meghan (she was 21 months old). When he returned we hung out and then went to my scheduled doctor's appointment. Nothing much was told at the appointment....I was 2cm and 90%...so I was told to go home and if I started having contractions under 10 minutes apart to go to the hospital. (side note....we lived about 35 minutes from the hospital). I hung out with Steph and we started dinner. I noticed my back pain was getting closer together and it was about 3-5 minutes apart, so Rob and I gave her all the info about Meghan and the house and headed out. The hospital, Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster CA, wanted to send us home because I was still at 2cm and nothing had changed since my 3pm appointment. It was around 8pm and we told them we were not leaving, so they said I could walk around for an hour and if nothing changed, I would have to go home. Well....20 minutes later I was at 6cm, so they started to believe me;) I had to wait for a labor and delivery room and thought I was going to deliver in triage, but finally I was taken to L&D.... it was around 930-10pm. I was able to get an epidural and relax a little and my sweet little Jenna decided to check out the world at 1030pm!!!

Today is Jenna's 5th birthday!!! She has changed so much over the past five years and I have to say I have enjoyed each and every moment. Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Jenna!!!

Skating pictures part 2

Jenna with Daddy!

Averi and Jenna

Kristy, Meghan, Maren, Jenna, Summer, Averi

Hayden and Mikey

Roller Skating Party

We had Jenna's 5th birthday party this past weekend at the Lakenheath Roller Rink!!! It was her first time skating and the first time for a few of her friends too. This was also her first birthday party with friends...(normally it was with just the family and extended family).

The pictures speak for themselves!!

Averi, Allison, Jenna and Meghan

Kori, Mikey and Jenna

Me...helping Jenna skate

Before the party started....Kristy, Ryan and my crew!

Jenna singing

We watched High School Muscial 2 this evening ....we have watched it so many times the girls can sing all the songs...but they still don't know the exact words!  This is a video of Jenna singing for Rob!!  

New pictures of Baby

I had to wait to show off my new pictures because we had to scan them!!!  I never had a 3-d ultrasound picture of Meghan and Jenna.  Things have changed since I had the girls and I love that I have been able to see the baby a few times already!  These scan pictures were taken at Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge.  The staff was very nice and it was actually easy to find.  I took my friend, Kristy, with me because my appointment was at 8pm.  Rob stayed home with the girls but everyone will go for my 20 week appointment.  We will try to find out if it's a boy or girl at that time. The tech that did this 12 week scan told me by looking at the baby, he is making a 70% guess that it is a girl.....so we will see in about 8 weeks or so if he was right!

Baby is healthy and growing right on schedule!!!

12 weeks preggo

12 weeks pregnant and feeling great!!! 

My due date is estimated to be December 25!!!

Audley End House

We went to visit Audley End House on Saturday.  The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed our day out.  The girls and I have been to the house and gardens when Rob was deployed, but there were some changes from last year and I think I could go back every week to just hang out in the gardens.

Here is a little history about the house...... Taken from my English Heritage book....

Audley End takes its name from Sir Thomas Audley, Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor who, after 1538, adapted the extensive buildings of suppresed Walden Abbey as his mansion.   The house has changed hands a few times over the years and was much much larger at one time, but it cost so much to upkeep the house, most was torn down.   The Baron Braybrooke family was the last family to live in the house and the interior represents the taste of the third Baron BrayBrooke. 

We took the house tour and we couldn't take pictures inside. It is beautiful and they have rooms on two of the three floors for show.  We then headed to the gardens and tried to fly a kite (not enough wind).

Rob and the girls....side view of the house.

The girls sitting on the Temple of Concord.

Back of the house and gardens.

Rob and the girls running. 

(Temple of Concord in the far back of the picture)

Show us Where You live Friday

Welcome to my home and two of my three bathrooms. I was taking pictures of the bathrooms when my husband was showering, so I passed on taking a picture of our bathroom. I will explain our bathroom....it has only a shower, one sink with no counters and is super small!

My girls bathroom. 

The mirrors over the sink, we put in because they needed to see what they are brushing!

Most of their hair bows....the rest are on their babydolls.

My Mom had these towels made to match our bathroom in California.

This is the bathroom downstairs. It is next to the kitchen and laundry room.

Thanks for stopping by!!!  See you next week!!!

Kindergarten awards day!

Meghan and her awards!

Meghan showing Jenna all her goodies!

Ms. Shelton reading to the kids, one last time.

The class listening to the story.

The whole class singing a song!!

Today was Meghan's last day in kindergarten!!! Ms. Shelton (her teacher) put on an awards program and show for us!  It was so fun to watch Meghan and her class during the program.  I helped in her class the whole year...every week and on most special occasions too. I am so proud of the whole class and  have really enjoyed seeing each and every one of them grow and change so much this school year.  

 Ms. Shelton gave out awards for walking the UK...the kids walked a few laps every day before recess and Meghan received an award for walking 26 miles this year.  A few kids (the runners) received awards for "walking" 50 miles!!    They also received candy bar awards....Meghan received a Mr. Goodbar award for being a good friend to everyone.  Ms. Shelton really thought about the candy bar awards...one little boy received  a bag of sour heads....rough on the outside but sweet on the inside!  The best candy bar award went to an extra special little guy...he received an apple...Ms. Shelton said he was the "apple of their eye" ( someone who is cherished above all others).  

I am officially the mother of a first grader (and Kindergartener, since Jenna starts school this fall).

The kids all left today with a cloth bag with everyone's hand print and signature on it along with a scrapbook from their year. The scrapbook has art work from classmates in it, pictures of them each month of school and other cute updates.    Ms. Shelton is a fantastic teacher and we are hoping we get one more year with her, since Jenna is going to Kindergarten next year!!    

SUMMER BREAK!!!!

Birthday weekend

We celebrated my 36th birthday Friday!  I am not one to shy away from telling my real age.  I could say 30 something, but hey....I'm 36, pregnant and feeling great!!

The girls went shopping with Rob and he let them pick out their gifts for me on their own....I got two candles and two small stuffed dogs!!   They are so sweet and were so excited about the gifts...I'm just wondering how long they will let me keep the stuffed dogs!

The girls also helped bake my birthday cake and then Rob iced and decorated it when he got home from work. We had brauts and hot dogs for dinner and then went to the movies.  We went to see Night at the Museum- battle of the Smithsonian.  It was a very cute movie and we all four enjoyed it!

We spent Saturday cleaning up the yard and house. That evening we went to see one of Rob's high school friends and her family. Such a small world and we all had so much fun!!    

Show us Where You live Friday

Welcome back if you have stopped by before and hello to my new visitors!!!   I am really enjoying these home tours and really getting some great ideas.  For anyone new...I am currently an American living in the UK. I state this because the houses are much much smaller and I have left behind 2000 lbs of household goods and am still having a hard time finding room for what we brought.   We have out grown this house with expecting baby #3 but will make do until we move back to the states.   A few weeks ago we moved the girls into the playroom/craft room and moved my craft table and desk into the smallest bedroom.  I am planning on the baby sharing this room with my craft supplies and I will decorate it when I figure out how I want to do it!

We don't have a computer in this room because we have laptops.

This room is also storage for a while. The big bins are full of little people.

My craft table is messy because I'm going through pictures for the girls scrapbooks.

I do sew, but I have to put the machine on a transformer, so it is hidden until needed. I also have a shelf to hold the books I'm working on.

Thanks for stopping by!!  Nothing major, but it's mine;)

Have a great weekend.