It's do or die

I do miss home terribly, but in so many ways I'm glad we are were we are. In so many ways it has been such a blessing for our family. I can't even begin to explain all the wonderful personal and family changes that this has come to us. As a family we are SO much closer together. Kids have learned to rely on each other and found to be best friends. We don't go out hardly ever (do to leaving expense in here) and we don't have TV. But we manage to keep our selves busy, nevertheless. We have great home teachers, who happen to be also my RS President.;) and her husband. Troy calls her Marie Poppins...she is lovely lady, and when she comes over all the children(Troy and I included) just igger to seat around her and listen to her speak.(that English accent is captivating) We have one great friendly neighbor. They have been very kind to us and kids really love their kids. We have surrounded ourselves with "church" everything. It has brought us so much closer to the Lord ( I don't know why we allowed ourselves to get so distracted back home) The Lord has blessed us with an amazing calling opportunities. It is so nice to feel needed.
This day Troy is at the church with YM and YW having 24 hr merothan read of the Book of Mormon.
As you know I teach Youth Sunday School. I love it. It's neat to teach kids here. I think they really get it, they have to rise up every day to what they believe. I just love that! And that is what I also love about our kids being here. Is that they get to "play on the field" sort of speak after we teach them at home and church.
I love how many talks we had to have with all of them, every single day for all the gospel principals here became reality. From modesty, to word of wisdom, to church going, to clean language,obeying sabbath day, recognizing the Spirit, the list goes on.... Leaving here gives us as a parents stronger motive to teach, then we send them out on the "field", then fallow up with them and teach again. The circle never ends and we hope they will learn and get strong. I suppose that that is what we should do no matter what our address is, but being here it's almost like do or die. And we can't let our kids die. The opposition to the truth is right in our faces, right in our kids faces. I am grateful now, more then ever for the gospel in our life. What a safe harbor it is for our family! And I am so proud of my little kids for being such a great examples of faith and purity to those around them. Nothing brings more joy to Troy's and mine heart then hearing character appraising comments from teachers, neighbors and parents. Rylee sais, that she feels like she is being a missionary. And she sure is. ;)

First time on Double Decker

Was looking through some of our pictures and have realized that I did miss an event that needed to be recorded.
A few weeks ago Troy had to drive to London for his job and we were left with out a car at the house all Saturday. I really wanted to do SOMETHING! So kids and I are decided to go the "pound" store for Halloween decorations. The fun part about it was the "how" we were going to get there.
Double Decker here we come!

It was about 30 min drive, but the kids LOVED every minute of it! They all run to the second level and got to seat in the front row. They all had huge smiles across their faces, and they all told me that they feel like they are riding a roller coaster!




At the store we found few things that we got and people at the store asked us if we were from US. "Is our accent really give us away?" I asked. "Yes, and the fact that you bought this much Halloween decorations" said one lady. (Just for the record, I didn't buy "that" much. There wasn't much to choose from to begin with)
Anyway, I thought that was funny. At church, RS has asked me to tell'em about how Halloween is celebrated in US, it just made me miss home that much more.
This Friday we have decided to hold a Halloween party for the kids.We will have a few games, pizza, candy you know the usual stuff. And for my wonderful sisters-in-law and nieces and nieces-in-law I say lets start doing this as a tradition when I come back (you can start doing it with out me, of course)Here are some gals that've done this and loved it: Angela ,Caryn , Breanne
Anyway, I thought it might be so much fun for us girls. What do you say?

Hewiit's Farm

This Saturday we decided it is time to go and find some pumpkins. I actually had to google to find if they sell them here and where. (Halloween is not a big deal here). Lucky for us 20 min away is the pick your own farm. Those actually are popular in here. We saw them a lot in the summer. Well, anyways. I got my kids in there worm clothes and told them to put some rain boots on and off we went to Hewiit's Farm. We had sooo much fun out there and wished we had someone who could of taking pictures of all of us together. But we managed to take some good once of kids and with some creativity of my husband we even snapped a few with all of us in the shot.
Kids had such a blast picking their own fruits off the trees, and running freely through the orchards. I don't understand this, but orchards have always brought feeling of home into my heart. I think I had one of them, long time ago in the different "place"
We have found some divine looking vegetables and fruits and the weather, though wasn't worm or sunny, it didn't rain and we were greatfull!

Ryder is ONE!

Time surely doesn't stop, doesn't it?
On September 30th our little guy turn 1. He was sick that day, actually that whole week ;( So we just held him a lot on that day. Which he loved. And once he felt better we got together with our neighbors and had pizza, cake, ice cream, balloons, and presents.
Ryder has 5 teeth, 2 on the top and 3 on the bottom. He has darling light curls, mostly on the back of his head, that both mom and dad just adore. He is just about to start walking on his own, we think. He likes to hold on everything around the house(walls included) and walk that way.When he is done eating he troughs the rest of the food on the floor and often would finish it after we take him out of his high chair. (silly kid) He still screams! And at this stage we know he is doing it on purpose.(stinker) In the past few days I have found him laughing at....I'm not sure what....he is just cracking himself up, and talking his little baby talk in between loughs. It makes me giggle to hear him do that. He loves his brother and sisters and truly misses them when they go to school. He gets so excited about food. You would think that we don't feed him. He likes to point to things and he signs "give it to me" (I was trying to teach him how to sign "milk" somehow, it got lost in translation and now "milk" means "give it to me", or "come here" or "I want that")
On the sadder note, he has been getting his head banged more then I ever remember other kids doing it. I don't think his head has been bruise free ever.Poor guy.
He likes to cattle and he will give you those wonderful, open mouth baby kisses, if you ask him or if he feels like it. He says mamma, babba, and tink (thanks)He is our sweetheart and we ALL love him to pieces.

New Friends

We have gotten a couple of new friends in our house. The first one is Hopkin, he is old and rusty. Heavy and used. Loud,but could be quite. He likes to be touched and if you know just the right way to touch it,it can let out the most wonderful sound. Troy found him for 10 pounds on ebay, and we were excited to bring him home. Let me present to you Mr.Hopkin, Rylee's new friend

Rylee has been expressing interest in learning piano for quite a while now, so we are very excited for her. You should have seen her jumping up and down and out of her skin ;) when she found out we bought this and she gets to take lessons.
The second one is much smaller and she is on the loan to our home. Her name is Toyah. Her owner didn't know what to do with her and she was happy to let me train her. All the gifts that have been given her, she hasn't discover yet, for she is new. But I believe deep inside she knows she is great! I am trilled to help her to see just how wonderful she is. I KNOW she is going to bring much, much joy to me. Let me introduce you to Miss Toyah, my new friend.

Did you see that piano stool? I believe my friend Toyah will weep up something marvelous to make it look darling. First project is calling my name. I'm soooo excited!

Drew's education

Do you ever wright posts in your mind? I do. Tons of them. But they hardly ever make it to the blog ;( How sad. I have got to do something about it. I am open to suggestions. In the main time...
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We don't have TV, which has been great for us (though, there are days, I wish I had it) It's crazy... you have to license it if you get TV or watch shows on line. We can't access most shows from Home due to US/UK licensing agreement, and so we have found library our new friend(which is fantastic) Every night Drew asks me if he can fall asleep in our bedroom (Ryder is sleeping in his, and he can't turn the lights on) this is what we have been finding almost every night.

i love his choice of book....must learn everything about succer in here
Drew has been learning a lot about Greeks this year and I am happy to report that now he knows all about
"true love"

Reptile Zoo

Sensed school has started not much has been going on outside our house. Kids get home around 3.30, I start making diner very shortly, then home work and before you know it it's bed time.
Troy and I have been talking about being better organized in planning our weeks. Neither one of us are planners, but leaving here is forcing us in learning how to be one. I have to say we are failing miserably, but we still trying!
This Saturday we went to Reptile Zoo. It's only about 10 or so minute drive from our house. It is a low key zoo (actually zoo is way to big of a name for it), kids had a great time being outside the house and doing something different. Here are some pictures of us and "others"



Kids all thought, this was the coolest snake ever!

I have seriously almost peed my pants, when I saw this creature. He is huge! And evil looking! And that tong.....gush! I'm glad he was inside the cage.



Troy and I have finally got church callings. I am a Youth Sunday School teacher(15-16 yrs olds) and Troy was called to be Young Men President. I'm REALLY excited for him!!!
I have always wondered WHY he never had callings with teenagers? I feel that he is so wonderful with them. Troy just has a nook for youth, he just knows how they feel and what they like. And he seems to always know how to talk to them so that they listen. Anyway, though, he has NEVER been in YM organization and now he has to be president, I feel that he will do nothing short of a brilliant job!!!! That's just how Troy is!
Though, we miss our home back home and being around our comforts and friends/family, we feel that being here has cause us to be a better latter-day-saints. This has somehow refined us (and we still in the proses of it) I can REALLY tell BIG difference in Troy (it started a few months before we left UT). At times when Troy speaks or does something, I have to stop and mentally register and accept this "new" men in my life. It's not that Troy ever locked any of this newly visual characteristics, its just they are really surfacing up this days and becoming who he is.
We really like our word here. People are really friendly and just lovely! They give you kisses on both cheeks. Which was odd at first but I am getting used to it now.
I have asked Troy if it's crazy to see other man kissing me? He said, it wasn't. I guess it's all in the Spirit of it!So that's good ;)Women here are SO blunt! Kind, soft spoken ( I cannot picture them yell), but very honest! Which makes me feel right at home! Troy is like that. Not the soft spoken part, but the blunt one! I always can count to know where I stand with him. I remember when we were dating, he would often take me by surprise with his comments. I would ask my self, if I like this guy or hate him! In the end, I end up marring him! Thank goodness! He is the best!
It's getting REALLY cold here, really fast! I'm actually excited to go shopping for boots. It's a must have item in here! And I am very excited to get dress coat for Troy. He is going to look really smart. (really nice).I love all the different way people are talking in here. But mostly I love that we have our own little 5 yr. old "British" girl in our house. I kid you not, Brooklyn is 100% perfect accent and all, British child. I know people wounder if she is ours when we on our outings. At times Troy and I just look at each other and laugh, in disbelief of her speech. She has always been the cause for laughter in our home and she sure is now.

School

September 2nd my three little birds had started Oakland's Primary School.
Back home Rylee would of gone to 4th grade, Drew to 2nd and Brooky would of started Kindergarten. However, because school system is slightly different here, Rylee went to what they call year 5, Drew is in year 3 and Brooklyn is in year 1. Not having any schooling she is going straight into 6.5 hrs/day of school. :(
I have spoke to the teachers and some school officials and they didn't think that academically it's going to be a problem. They had kids in the past from the US and they have always been able to catch up. So catching up we do: Drew---time's table. Brook--abc's, site words, reading. Rylee---she said she hasn't heard anything that she doesn't already know :) OoooKay!!! I mean, she was ahead in Reading, but "anything" ?
Hmmmm, I guess, we will have to wait and see.
As you may already know they have to wear uniforms and I just love that! First of all, it was soooo much chipper to do school shopping this year. Uniforms for Primary kids are dirt chip here, thank goodness! Their school colors are white, red, grey, black. They even have PE kits/clothes and book backs (back packs) in those colors. Also coats and jackets, the whole wardrobe is color coordinated.
It sure was a site to drop our kids off on the first day and see everyone dress so proper! Troy was trying to take some pictures, but was politely asked to stop doing it. It is against school security. Speaking of which, they are really streak about that in here. I can't just walk into school and bring my kids lunch box, if they forgot it at home. It's gated and locked! If I must see my child, I have to buz by the gate and tell them who I am and why I am here. And then they will buz me in and have me wait in the reception. I guess, I shouldn't complain about security and safety of my kids, I'm glad they have it. It's just different and so I am blogging about it. They are very health promoting in here as well. For example: Kids, can't bring sweets in their lunch boxes. They can't have PB&J, or sodas, or anything that has sugar in it. They must have water bottle to help them to stay hydrated. And they must bring fresh fruit for snack during their break. Also, kids can't throw a way anything from lunch box. They want parents to see how much lunch their kids eaten....
Well, I'm sure there is a lot more going on that is different, Rylee should update her blog. She will know much more, I'm sure. But here are some photos of the kids in their uniforms. I just think they are so cute. I have hard time not snapping a shot of every outfit they put on. Skirts,slacks, and dresses. Short sleeve blouse, long sleeve blouse. Grey cardigans, red cardigans. Knee high socks, or grey tights. You got the idea :)
Anyway, here they are, in some of the choices of clothing they can wear.

Brook: "Mom! Do you know what boy I like?"
Me: "The one who had his arm around you the whole time we were waiting for your teacher?"
Brook: "No. The one with LONG, DARK eyelashes!"
Great! She is only 5. I'm in trouble!

2 DAYS LATER....

Getting Brooklyn for bed...
"Mom, do you want to talk about school?"
Me: "Sure honey."
Brook:" Or we can just talk about that boy I like, his name is Will"

O, Dear!

We have sense learned his name is not Will, it's James :)

The hills are a live.....

On Wednesday was a last day of summer break for our kiddos, Troy had to work for a while and so we didn't make any grand plans, but later that day we decided to go on exploring our "back yard" inviting some of our dear neighborhood kids. It was a lot more of hills climbing then we thought we asked for, but we sure had such a good time. Eating wild black berries as we went. I love England's' country site!