Lisbon

Just made it to Lisbon!! Enjoying a glass of green wine, beautiful views, and Michael Jackson playing in the background!!

We made it!!

Barcelona is awesome!!! I can't lie...ice cream tastes so much better when you have to eat fast so it doesn't melt!

weekend tidbits

We had a great weekend...well sort of...while we made trips to the castle, park and had a date night, we I also lost blankie.  I cried...a lot...Parker took it in stride...actually, my favorite quote of the  situation was,

"it's ok mommy, we can just buy a new one and then maybe the babies will give my pluggies back."

Ha, nice try parker. 

After revisiting every store we had been and then calling them again the next day, I actually got lucky...H&M had blankie...thank goodness...I don't know what I would have done if we would have lost him (yep, blankie does have a gender).

Here are a few pics...

This is parker thinking he is 'magically' opening the automatic doors at the castle...silly parker...

Yep, the jersey usually makes more than a few appearances at the park....

"Daddy is a better pusher than you mommy."

Right before we met with our friends Kat and Tom for drinks...they are moving to London this weekend...we are so excited for them but so sad!

This is where Kat introduced me to a South African cider...

This is after I had two...and a half...they tasted like carbonated apple juice...delicious...

This is right after we got blankie back..."can I just lay with him for a minute mom?"

In case you were wondering...

...it really is July here too...

this week

This week has gone by so fast...I feel like we have been trying to make sure everything is ready for our trip next week and we haven't been home much.  Oh, and Parker is not wanting to nap (or go to sleep at night) in his room.  At first I just thought he was trying to give up his nap and I didn't push it too hard, but then I realized that he would fall asleep the second I put him in a stroller and started walking (I'm not kidding, he barely makes it to the end of the block).  He's had a cold so I'm wondering if the two are related.

Anyway, this means that I have been walking around town...with a sleeping boy...a lot.  Oh, this also means that I am back off the wagon...the Costa wagon.  Costa is basically the Starbucks here (we have Starbucks too), and I am addicted...when you have to walk everywhere and pass at least two (if not three or four) Costas (not including any other coffee shops), it is hard to resist.  I had been down to only one or two per week (I don't have a coffee maker at home), but this week, well, lets just say I'm on a bit of a caffeine high.

Sorry, I'm rambling...here are some of the other highlights of the week...

P discovered Youtube...after we showed him how to find 'I'm a farmer and I grow it' on my phone he realized the endless possibilities of Youtube...I caught him watching Mickey Mouse in a different language yesterday...and laughing.

I took P to the doctor and he screamed...through the whole visit...he even laid on the floor and cried when his name was called to go back...we were both exhausted when we left.  Oh, and lets just say that I will probably get on my soapbox and tell you how I feel about Universal Healthcare at some point in the future...get excited...

Parker loves to go to Boots (our version of CVS...sort of) and look at this bubble bath shaped like Lightning McQueen...Monday, Brady took me to work out (because I can't drive and it was raining) and when I came back he had bought P the car...Daddy's such a softie:)  Parker took it everywhere the next day...yep, still full of bubble bath.

I am really trying to be thankful for the rain here because I know how badly we need it back home...trying is the key word...

Parker had his last day of toddler group until the fall...it was a teddy bear picnic and we took dino...I have no pictures of P and dino because Parker was more concerned about his 'serious' car.

Parker broke the 'mittens' out again this week...aka socks on his hands...

I had to explain to P that our passports are not toys...he thinks his picture is hilarious.

I finally got little man to wear his 'cool uncle landon shoes' again...he has been wearing his disgusting old converse everywhere...

Oh, and we bought and put together a dinosaur model.  'We' is probably a bit strong...I think I had more fun than Parker...

So far it has been a great week...bring on Thursday!

Blowing all the leaves

"mommy! I'm blowing all the leaves, bzzzzzzzzzz...perfect! Now we can play in the park."

Quotes of the week

Yeah, so I keep a tub of chocolate spread for myself thinking I could 

keep it a secret from P...apparently not...

"Daddy can you do me a favorite?  Can you please get me a spoon of chocolate?" 

Parker, "Mommy, I want to go somewhere really far away."

Me, "Oh you do? Where do you want to go?"

Parker, "ummmm, Egypt."

Me, "Ha, me too Parker, me too."

After seeing a big group of motorcycles drive by for the second time in a couple of minutes...

"Mommy, did you see those motorcycles?  I can't believe this!"  

Happy Birthday Uncle Landon!

Yesterday, my little brother turned 28.  Seriously?  He is now officially older than my profile on this blog says I am (incidentally, he is the one who pointed out my error).

I can't lie, when we were younger we fought...a lot...I'm pretty sure we drove my parents crazy.  I can remember holding each other hostage in the kitchen with water guns...yeah, ok so I was a wimp and it was really him and Garrett holding me and my friend hostage in the kitchen (that is until we threatened to go to the bathroom in the sink)...yelling about how annoying the other was...and literally telling on him every time he looked at me the wrong way on long car trips.

Thank goodness we have grown up...a bit...we still give each other a hard time (we are both super sarcastic so it is how we bond:), but I am so proud to call him my brother.  He is one of the most amazing, smart, funny, sarcastic, maddening and big-hearted guys I know.  We love him so much!!

Not only was Landon's birthday yesterday, but his sweet, beautiful girlfriend, Babette's was also yesterday.  Happy birthday you two!!

Chocolate Cheerios

So...we can't buy regular Cheerios here (my favorite), but we can get chocolate Cheerios...go figure. Ok, so I can't lie...they are kind of awesome...

walking in the rain

Did you know that we live in one of the driest regions in the UK?  Don't get me wrong...it rains...often...but usually it is so light and short lived that  I don't get out the umbrella (for the first few months we lived here, I was the dork who opened my umbrella for every sprinkle).  In fact, I didn't buy Parker one until yesterday...it was necessary.  We got caught in a downpour while we were walking home so we decided to wait it out in the mall.  I bought P an umbrella and figured we wouldn't even need it once we left again.  However, about two seconds after I took the pictures below, it started pouring again.  We were getting wet anyway, so P and I decided to purposely walk through and splash in every puddle along the way.  I have never had so much fun walking home!

weekend review

Despite failing my driving test (tear), we had a pretty great weekend!  Here are a few of the highlights...

Our friends Kat and Tom brought over curry on Friday night...this was Brady and I's first experience and it was delicious!!  People here talk about getting 'a curry' like we talk about getting a burger or a sandwich so this was long overdue.

I bought a jar of Fluff from a nearby confectionary shop and found a recipe for marshmallow brownies that was amazing...even better was the Fluff dip I made for them...yummm...

Parker got a scooter...we went to buy a bike with training wheels but his little legs are still too short so we came home with this...

We had an awesome Saturday morning trip to the park...with Woody...

Parker went to his first birthday party...cried because he wanted to go home...went home and took a three hour nap...said he was ready to go to the party...shoot...

We watched the mayor's royal processional...

...then got a balloon sword...

...and saw a couple of fake gorillas who were pretty impressive (so much so I couldn't get P to get close enough to take his picture)...

And Sunday evening Matt and Mandy watched Parker while we went to a nearby village and had dinner at a pub that was built in the 1300's...awesome...

olympic torch

 We spent the 4th of July celebrating the UK and following the Olympic torch...I know, it was kind of a weird way to spend Independence Day, but (substituting US flags for UK) it was a pretty great way to spend the afternoon.  I love when everyone is out in the city centre and excited.  I especially love all of the street performers (both planned and not) who line the streets.  We had a great time!  Parker and I even went out early the next morning to watch it leave the city...so fun!!

Just some pictures of some of the performers and Parker waiting for the torch to come.

He actually slept for the first hour that we waited...oh and yes, that is a USA shirt he had on...we had to represent!

 Below are some pictures of the crowd and parts of the parade...oh and the torch...as you can see I waited for an hour and then almost missed it with my camera...I'm an idiot...

We were really lucky the next morning because it passed right through the Cathedral Close which is right next to our home.  P and I went to watch it again...so glad we did!

Parker wore his Team GB shirt this time...oh and he picked out his green pants.

We had such a great couple of days...and nice weather too!!

fail

Today I failed my driving test...no, I am not kidding.  To some of you, this might not come as a surprise...however, I have to tell you that I failed because I caused another driver to slow down behind me when I turned onto a road.  I thought I had plenty of time...nope.  I can't lie...I'm really embarrassed, super sad and overall kind of mad.  I am not the first to fail and I won't be the last...they actually have a television show here all about people who have failed their tests multiple times...most of them are older than me.  I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have failed for the same reason in the US, but I don't feel like I can say anything until I do some research on accident statistics between the two countries.  Maybe their cautiousness results in better drivers...hmmm something to ponder.  Anyway, I can take it again in 10 days.  Wish me luck!

I'm farming and I grow it

Have you seen this yet?  It is a parody of 'I'm sexy and I know it' by three young farmers in Kansas.  Not only do I love it because they're farming and wearing K-State t-shirts in some of the video, but it has also solved a major dilemma...Parker singing "I'm sexy and I know it."  Thanks to this video (which he would watch all day if I let him),  I now catch him singing, "I'm farming and I grow it..."  Wahoo!!!!

Now if they only had the song on itunes for me to download...

Animal Show

This last week was the annual Royal Norfolk Show.  It is basically just the state fair of Norfolk county. Almost everyone I know was going so I decided to take P and see what the fuss was all about.  We had so much fun.  I thought we would only stay for around an hour or so but we were there for four hours...we spent most of our time going back and forth between the tractors (thank goodness for a dealership will to let him get on) and the animals.

We got in a lot of tractors...

We hung out with some goats...

We finally went down a big pink slide (he stayed at the top for 15 minutes before the worker helped him come down)...

We jumped on some lily pads...

 We rode a ride...

 and played in some sand...

It was an awesome day!