Hampton Court Palace

We have found our self locked inside the house most of the days due to the rain :((((
This Saturday however, we woke up to a clear blue sky and sunshine :)))))))))
Let's go and do something!!!!!! We are founding that here you have to work around the rain or learn to go with the rain.
So we decided to go and visit Hampton Court Palace
It is huge! It has 57,700 rooms! No, we did not see it all, but we sure tried.


It has an amazing history of many, many royal families. Kids had so much fun running around and looking at amazing wall-ceiling arts. ( though, Rylee didn't like all the nude art :) She just thougt it was grouse! )





We saw fools show, that was fan and then we fallowed queen's procession to see knights arm for the tournament. Kids really liked that.





I loved seeing how it build, almost like a village with in it's walls. I don't know how to explain it, but it it so cool. All the people who worked there had their own "apartment" (now, that's the wrong word for it, but the best I can come up with) Anyway, it is really cool.


Here is the Royal kitchen that were expected to feed up to 600 people twice a day.


We were sad that we came there way to late....you got to go there in the morning and get audio guide (of which we didn't know till 30 min to closing time :( But we still had such a good time there.

Who knew?

Did you know that there is such thing as cooking apples? Not the sour apples, like Granny Smith and such. This are actually impossible to eat, you MUST cook them. Now, for some of you, you may say,so what the big deal? Or may be some of you may actually know all about cooking apples. I'm going to let you in on a little secret, that some people may not know about me. I LOVE APPLES! Not like, oh, it's my favorite fruit, love apples. I love'em a lot! I probably eat 2-4 a day! My kids got the same likes for it and now we go through 4 bags of apples a week! Yes, you have heard me right! So with that said, you would of thought I should know all there is to know about apples. Find out I didn't know nearly as much as I thought.
So my neighbor has brought bag full of this lovelies and what girl to do, but cook'em.
Here is the lovely apple bread!

P.S. I have always dreamed of having apple orchard in my back yard! Maybe one day!

Our first and maybe last train ride

I hope this isn't going to be a habit of mine....skipping weeks of blogging that is. Because it's not fun to play catch up game. With that said, I will attempt to catch up with what had happen to us in this last couple of weeks.

We have attempted to take train and go to science museum. Well, it started with driving to the train station for about 20 min, by car.Than we took train to one of the main train/subway/tube stations. It's huge and their is so many ways to go, so many signs, so many ticket passing gates and lines towards them, SO MANY PEOPLE! ( I have been there 6 times now on my own, and I am almost know what I am doing, but on that day with 4 kids it was MADNESS)
After making sure that all of our little people are still attached to us, and after asking a few people which way to go, we have proceeded to the next station, which was underground tube. To get there we had to carry Ryder down and up, down and up,down and down many stairs in his heavy stroller while holding Brooklyn's hand and keeping an eye on Drew and Rylee, hopping that they won't just get carry a way by hundreds of people rushing to their destination and feeling very frustrated with us slowing down the traffic. (sense then I have been looking to see if there are many kids in the train/tube....NOT even one child has been found in my 6 times of travel.
Also, I don't know how people on wheel chairs are supposed to use this kind of transportation! Because, I haven't seen any way possible to move around for them. And so for us, bringing Ryder in his stroller is very much not the thing we want to do anymore.)
We have finally found the right tube we had to take, which was very humid, stuffy and packed to the limit. Underground train (no air conditioner, squished people, screaming Ryder, dirty looks from people.....good times!) At that moment I wished I could of screamed too and get away with it. Troy on the other hand started to laugh! That's right, laugh! I just looked at him and thought, well, good for you buddy!
When we finally arrived to the museum, we were exhausted!
The museum, was ok! I don't know if it was that we were hopping for something grand after all the travel, or it really was just ok.
Anyway, we made it back. That whole trip took us 6 hrs! And Troy said, he's glad he took tons of pictures, bcs, this is the last time we are doing it. I have to say, Brooklyn was the only one who didn't complained. She was cheerful from the beginning. In thrilled by the whole experience of it. She was fun to look at and get our minds off. Rylee said, it was the worst day ever! Drew was just plugging along.
Here are some pictures of our trip, with smiles on our faces, pretending we are having a grand time!


Let's see....which of those trains should we take?




Those dots are all the satellites that have sent out

We have met some of our neighbors. Just across from us leaves a family with 2 kids Charly she is 12, and Folle he is almost 5. They have been super nice to our kids inviting them over to play everyday. They have HUGE yard with swimming pool, trampoline, 2 huge dogs and 1 little dog, 1 guinea pig, a huge snake, 2 fish tanks and they own horses. Their yard faces forest and so it is fun for the kids to explore.
I am grateful they have been kind and welcoming to us and the kids.
Today we got invited for BBQ at their house, though I am a little bit worry about its happening....rain. It has been raining like crazy all morning. So we'll see what happens once 5pm comes around. In the main time, I have been wondering what we should bring? Some of the things that I'm a custom to make require food/spices that I can't find....So I think I will go with this salad I hope they like it!
The other day RS President came over and brought lovely flowers for me...that made me happy! I love fresh cut flowers. Troy has made a promise that I can have fresh flowers all the time while we are here! Yaaa, for Troy, he scored some brown points with me on that one.
Today we also driving to the other side of London to pick up Dryer! Did I tell you I love my new Washer. After not doing laundry for 2 weeks, I end up doing 9 loads of it. Our house for 3 days looked like laundry mat. I was becoming very creative in finding places to hang our clothes. Dryer will make things alot more civilized! (though, I told Troy I can do without it, but he found one really chip) I guess, he is trying to make my life easier, bless his heart.
We are meeting with bishop this Sunday....Troy thinks he has callings in mind for us. I think he just wants to chat and get the "feel on us"
Mom, you have asked if Temple is near by. Yes, it is about 20-30 min drive. It is London Temple. When we leaved in the hotel we drove by it quite bit. The grounds are quite beautiful as you can imagine, Brits know how to plan a garden.
We have spoke with Senator's office and awaiting on hearing back from National Visa Department. Once they contact us we will have to do all kids of paper work and then have an appointment where we will have to bring filled forms for both of mine wavers. I'm not sure if the decision is going to be made then at the appointment time or they do it on their own. I guess, we'll find out. Senator's office said, that she will try to get us out of here in 6 months. Let's hope that is the case. Though, I wouldn't mind staying here for 8 months to an year. Though, financialy,it would be wiser for us to be gone in 6 month. Troy will have to pay taxes both in US and UK if we stay here over 6 months. Don't really want to do that.
Anyway, I'm glad to see you all caring on with the Summer usuals. BBQ, swimming, tanning, hiking, swiming again,camping,seeing my kids hair geting really blond by the sun,family gatherings, friends hanging out,fireworks, more swimming,my kids cute little tan bodies,picnics, lunches with Girlfriends, movie nights, book clubs, ice cones,Brooks side french fries, Diet coke from the gas station...., just to name a few. Seeing all of your pictures on face book and blog makes me miss UT. I love you all !

My Rylee decided that she wants her own blog! So here it is, please visit, leave a comment or two, it will make her happy. Duches Rylee

Home Sweet Home

We are OUT of the hotel!!!!!

Hooray for all of us, we have survived!
This week has been exciting and busy. Though, we could of moved in on Sunday, we didn't due to our beds not arriving till Monday night. Troy has got a really great deal on all of our beds. Thank goodness for ebay! And then we drove to IKEA about...hmmm.....4 times! The first time we just went there to see the prices,and then on Saturday, they had up to 75% off sale and we entered into a "mad house" The play area had 45 min waiting list and we had to be there to get the spot, so we just decided to take all of our 4 kids on shopping with us. That was fun! Not!
We were there for 4 hrs and then some, and by the end it was existing! We did some serious damage to our checking account,but got some great and much needed things. I think Troy did all the shopping he could handle,for a very long time.
So, between ebay, Ikea, and and hand me downs we have managed to get just about everything we need to get by and then some.
In the house we have 4 bedrooms, girls got their own rooms and boys are sharing their room. Drew is actually very happy about that. Back home he would always get sad about not having sleeping buddy in his room.
In the house we don't have any, of what they call "white goods" so dishes are done by hand, which I don't mind. And I have been putting my early russian upbringings into practice, by washing our laundry by hand and air dry it! Now, THAT I do mind! Call me spoiled, if you wish, but family of 6, back home required 2 loads of laundry almost every other day. Yesterday, however, Troy has bought a washer on ebay, I am a happy women! Now if weather will just cooperate and let our laundry dry that would be so nice! I don't know how they dry their clothes here in the winter times?
The first day here, Troy has discovered how much he hates baths! (that's right, no showers)First of all, he can't really fit in it! :) Who new, we should of tried to sit in the bath, before we decided to rent this place. And then their is a hot water issue. (they really conserve here like crazy)I am learning that whenever hot water is involved, I have to REALLY plan what I need to have done in a short time slot with a limited amount of it. That's been kid of interesting. So,next time you are running hot water, think of me having a marathon of washing 4 kids,(in the same water) doing dishes and hoping I will have enough water left to do some laundry. And when you are in your hot endless shower think of Troy squishing his little toosh in a very narrow bath tab, sprinkling himself with lukewarm water and wondering what on earth is going on. Awesome, I know!
Ok, now for the good things.

I love my kitchen, it's white and roomy for the UK standards. I love our windows with much light coming through out the house.

I love the view of the lush green hills from the girls rooms. I love all of our new things that we bought.

I love that kids have tree house. See this big hage-tree? it's acctually has build in hiding place.




I love how quite our neighborhood is. This is my favorite view in Biggin Hill

I love a room in the house, called conservatory. It's like an extension of the house in the back that is all windows. That's Troy's favorite room.

I love wood flores throughout the house (some homes we looked at had scary purple/green carpets in it. I love that we are 3 min. walk from kid's school that we went last week and had a tour and meat their teachers. Here is the school play ground for Drew's age kids. Brooklyn will have her own play ground.

The town is small, but it has its basic things that we need. And then they got library/pool near by. So we are happy about that.
Now, for our visiting neighbors!!!! We have foxes, like tons of them! As soon as it gets just a little bit dark, they come out. The kids have been so excited to see them every night! The bad part, is that they attack something every single night! We always get to hear poor bird, animal, who knows what, making their last plea for life. The other night, Troy took the kids in the car and left them there for like 2 hrs. He pout some of our diner left overs near by to bring foxes in, and boy they sure did come. That was quite fun!



As some of you may know, on the day we have moved in, it was also Drew's birthday! I feel bad we couldn't have bigger celebration for him, but we tried. We have managed to buy some presents for him and wrap it up before he could see it. Then we went to the shop and he picked his cake. So we had pizza, and cake with ice cream. Song happy birthday, blew candles, open some gifts. Next day Troy took the kids to see Toy Story 3. I'm greatfull I have a child who is easy going and is happy with as little as he gets. We sure love him and his tender heart. He is a kind, caring boy.


Ryder has stopped screaming!!!!!!!!!!! I guess, now that he has tons of room to explore he is busy doing just that. He poles himself up every chance he gets and I believe walking is just around the corner.