TGIF

The week has flown by in a big blur of sleepless nights, crying fits that seems to last for hours, yucky colds, long exams, death-defying plummets over crib railings, long afternoon naps, and packing suitcases, with a few intermittent trips to the park thrown in to keep the sanity.

So to celebrate the fact that it is Friday and we have successfully made it to the weekend, the girls and I took a morning adventure to Highgate Wood - a park we haven't yet explored.

It's a straight shot from our house on either the bus or the train. Victoria has been wanting to ride the train for the last couple weeks, but since it's almost a mile walk to the train station, I decided we would take the train there, and then the bus to come home (since it drops us right outside our door).

We took our time getting to the train, stopping along the way at all our usual stops (it's the same route we take to Antalya's school everyday). Victoria was so excited when we made it to the train (you'd think this girl had never ridden the train before), but she played it cool sitting in her own seat for the entire 10 min ride.


The park was beautiful. But then again, all English parks are truly amazing. It's one of the things I will most miss about living in London. I loved walking through the wooded area, but Antalya all too quickly spotted a bright colored something in the distance and took off at mach-speed through the trees in hopes it was a playground.


The girls were happy to play while I chatted with a friend. It was like a little piece of heaven. I can't remember the last time I sat down on a park bench with a friend and was able to hold a conversation. Only once did I walk search the entire playarea in a bit of frantic wondering where Antalya had run off to (she was there the whole time, just hidden from my searching eye).

When we had had enough of the playground, we headed back to the wooded area for some climbing.


And then after a quick stop for ice cream we were on the bus back home - dirty and a bit tired, but happy!

And now for an update on all of us:

Jason is three exams down, two to go!

Sunny has surprisingly convinced her body that sleep isn't really all that necessary and is managing to get the house organized and things packed (hoping to be completely done and ready to go by next Saturday).

Antalya is finally on antibiotics for her sinus infection and eye infection. She was able to sleep last night, so I think we are on the mend (although watching Monsters Inc and eating popsicles at 1:00am was memorable, it's not something this momma enjoys on a regular basis).

Victoria has decided she is ready to be a big girl (despite my wishing that she would stay in a crib for another year). I took the side rail off her crib this morning and she was thrilled. And today instead of going down for a nap she got to sit on the couch with Antalya and watch a show. I was pleasantly surprised when this happened:

May Catch Up

I recently heard someone say that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. That seems so true lately!

We are down to less than a month in England, and it seems each week is flying by quicker than the one before, and we are finding ourselves more and more busy with each coming day.

Here's a little of what we've up to:

Our favorite treat lately is California strawberries. I can't always find them, but when I do, they are worth any price I have to pay. They are by far the juiciest, sweetest strawberries we have had while here in London. Sometimes we even hand dip them in melted Lindt chocolate. I'll tell ya, it is as close to heaven on earth as one can get!

When I first arrived here in London, I started talking to another mom at the park. She had two year old twins, and was just as stressed out as I was. We were a good match! Over these past two years that friendship has really blossomed and our children have all become great friends. Two weeks ago they moved to Australia. It was difficult to say goodbye knowing we might never see them again in this life. We miss Linda and her cute Lewis and Sienna!

Mine and Jason's niece, Kristen was here for two weeks at the beginning of May. We had such a wonderful time with her. We began taking evening trips to the park. It was the perfect way to wear the girls out before bed.

Since we moved here I have been anxious to visit the London LDS Temple. A temple is a building different than our regular Sunday meeting houses, a place that is very sacred and important to those of our faith. But it's more than a two hour drive from our house, so I hadn't yet been able to go there. While Kristen was in town, we decided to make the journey. It was such a wonderful experience and so worth the drive!

The night before Kristen flew out we got tickets to see Hamlet performed at the Globe Theatre. It was truly the most memorable experience I have had here in London. We purchase the groundling tickets that the common people would have bought back in Shakespeare's time (meaning the standing room only area in front of the stage). We arrived early and were able to get a standing spot right next to the stage. We were literally leaning on the stage the whole night, with the actors only inches from us. It was incredible! An experience I hope never to forget. I'm kicking myself for not taking a camera with me - so this picture I found on google will have to suffice.

Over this past weekend, my good friend Christine, and her family came to visit. They have been living in Qatar the past two years and are on their way back home to the states. We were so excited they decided to stop in London for a few days. While her husband took the two older boys to Paris, Christine and her two youngest stayed to play with us. The girls were in heaven having two play mates staying at our house.

And now, we have a couple days of calm before our last round of visitors arrive on Saturday. I feel like life has never than better than it is right now. I'm soaking up every last memory I can of London before I have to say farewell.

Cooking It Up and Other Fun

I can't believe we are more than half way through the week. Antalya is making good progress with the toilet training, but I don't think she will be ready to head to school on Tuesday diaper-free. I know she will eventually get it, so I'm not too concerned. I'm pretty confident that by her 5th birthday next fall we will be done with diapers during the day.

We've done our best to stay busy this week with all our usual activities which include:

painting (I am happy we have moved past face painting with Victoria):

cookie breaks on our small balcony to celebrate no rain:

indoor picnic lunch when we decided, that even though there was no rain, it still was a little too cold to spend the entire morning on the balcony with one of us only partly clothed:

and of course, my therapy, making yummy treats!

Antalya is getting really good at helping me in the kitchen. In this photo she mashed the bananas all by herself, and her stirring is now more circular instead of up and down.

We made some yummy fruit muffins, that were completely devoured within 24 hours (although that's not uncommon around here).

We used my favorite banana bread recipe and tweaked it since I was in the mood for blueberry muffins. Here's the recipe:

Lion House Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup bananas mashed (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp lemon juice

2 cups flour (I use 1 1/2 cup whole wheat, and 1/2 cup white)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs, mix well. Add bananas, milk, and lemon juice. Sift dry ingredients and add to wet mixture. Grease 1 loaf pan. Pour mix into pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Here's what we did differently to turn it into fruity muffins:

only used 1 banana

added 2 small apples, diced

added 1 cup frozen blueberries, tossed lightly in flour to prevent the whole mixture from turning blue.

spooned mixture into muffin tins instead of loaf, and baked for around 20 minutes.

Hope you like them as much as we did!

More Potty Training

This week is what the English call half-term. It's a week long break you have in the middle of every school term. It's a time when most of London is either vacationing elsewhere or planning daily trips to the museum, zoo, aquarium, etc. with their children.

But for me, it is the week I have been looking forward to as the perfect week to go completely diaper free with Antalya. So while everyone else is out soaking up the rainy weather and wearing themselves out going here and there, we are taking it easy indoors - singing, dancing, baking, playing, reading books, but most importantly, making lots of trips to the potty.

Wish us luck that this will be just what my little cutie needs to finally make the break from diapers!

Thursday Thirteen: Rain, Rain, and More Rain

Our two day dry spell has ended, we are all feeling very under the weather, and I am in need of a little pick-me-up. So today instead of focusing on all I don't like about the rain, I thought I would remind myself of all the reasons I am grateful for the rain.

1. It gives us a reason to pull on our wellies.

2. It gives me memories like this one.

3. It gives us the most beautiful spring flowers.

4. It makes me appreciate sunny, dry days all the more.

5. It gives us adventures in the rain.

6. It gives us the beautiful green landscape that I love.

7. It gives us reason to have impromptu picnics whenever the rain clears.

8. It can be a nice backdrop for pictures.

9. It produces mystical scenes such as this one (photo by Sonja).

10. It gives us a reason to stay indoors and make a mess.

11. It gives Antalya's hair the most beautiful natural curls.

12. It gives us a reason to do lots of baking.

13. It gives us puddles to play in.

Thursday Thirteen: The School Run

There are so many things about English culture that I have fallen in love with. In fact, I dare say, if all our family and friends weren't so far away, I would be happy staying in England forever. One of the things that I really love is, as they call it, the school run. There are no school buses in London, and parking is limited everywhere you go (meaning there is NO parking anywhere near a school), so it is custom that children are walked to and from school everyday by their parents or carers.

On the same street as Antalya's nursery school there is also: a Jewish school, a elementary school, and a middle school. It means every morning and every afternoon the small sidewalk is bustling with strollers, kids on scooters, dads on their way to/from work carrying briefcases and quizzing their children on the multiplication table, moms chatting to other moms as they walk with their children hand in hand, and greeting other moms that pass the opposite direction. I always feel such a sense of community during the school run.

Here are thirteen reasons why I love the school run:

1. It gets me out of the house by 8:30 every morning.
2. I start my day with some exercise.
3. I get to spend time outside with my girls everyday - rain or shine.
4. No missed buses - if we are running late, it just means I walk faster.
5. Less pollution
6. It provides me with daily quality one-on-one time with Victoria - after we drop Antalya off, I leave the stroller at school and Victoria and I take our time walking and exploring things as we head home or run errands on foot.
7. I get to know other moms.
8. Antalya is visually reminded that all children go to school in the morning and that children go to different schools.
9. As I pass Jews, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims I am reminded that people can live peacefully together.
10. My girls get some daily outdoor exercise even if its chucking down rain.
11. Watching the pigeons.
12. Daily opportunities to practice safe walking techniques in big city - stopping before we cross the road, waiting at the 'green man' at crosswalks, holding hands when neccessary, etc.
13. Taking part in such an English tradition makes me feel just a little bit English everyday.

Success Comes in All Shades

I've mentioned several times on this blog that Antalya is deathly afraid of doctors. That fear stems from the bigger fear of anyone or anything touching her that is not one of the accepted every day activities that she is used to. I have been working with her a lot lately to try and overcome this. And I am happy to say we are making progess!

Just this week she has made some giant steps. She will now let me look at her ears with a doctor play set and even listen to her heart. We've been working towards this for a year now. It may not seem like such a huge thing - but trust me...it is HUGE!

And an even bigger success was this...

Only once during the painting/drying process did I have to remind her that, 'no, your fingers aren't sick, and no, we are not going to the doctor'. I was so happy when she woke up this morning, looked at her fingers and said, "pretty"!

Success for Victoria these days usually means avoiding any cuts or serious falls. She had a big run in with a chair this week. I'm grateful she came out of it with just a swollen eye.

But, swollen eye, or not, she completely melts my heart!

Messy Play

Several weeks ago I was excited to find a messy play class at our local art center. I thought it would be perfect for Victoria, so I booked a session for her. She had lots of fun walking through paint, painting the windows, splashing in bubbles, and creating all sorts of messes. But while she was having her fun, I kept thinking about the overpriced fee I paid to allow her 45 minutes of messy play. I decided I would try to recreate it in our flat in a way that could be enjoyed whenever we wanted - without having to book a week in advance and pay the fees.

So yesterday I was out and about I found a big clear piece of plastic that I knew would be perfect to put down on top of our linoleum to allow us a work space. This afternoon we decided to give it a try.

It started out like any other painting session although this time we were all seated on the floor.


But then this happened...


And I quickly realized it would probably be best to remove all clothing while I had a chance.

And good thing too! Within ten minutes we were to this...


Which eventually led to this...


And although Antalya still won't join in on really messy things, she has finally decided it is really fun to watch Victoria get messy, which is a massive improvement for her. It wasn't long ago that she would begin gagging every time a some one's body part came in contact with anything messy.

Worth Remembering?

Every night for more than a year now, as I am tucking Antalya into bed I ask if she had a good day. The answer is always a very energetic "YA!" And then I ask her, "What did we do today?" The answer is always the same as the first. "YA!" Then I go on and talk about all the things we did, with her exclaiming, "Ya!" after every thing I say.

Tonight I asked the questions as usual, but was stunned when I got actual answers back. Here's how it went:

Me: "Did you have fun today?"
Antalya: "Ya!"
Me: "Where did we go today?"
Antalya: "Ya!"
Me: "Did we go to Costco?"
Antalya: "Ya!"
Me: "What did you eat at Costco?"
Antalya: "Hot Dog!"
Me: "What did you eat for dessert?"
Antalya: "Ice Cream!"
Me: "What did you eat for dinner?"
Antalya: "Spaghetti!"





When it comes to raising a child with special needs, moments like these are the icing on the cake!

It's Happening...

This week I'm having another birthday. I swear I just had one not to long ago. And although I don't feel any different than I did when I turned 21, this time around I will officially join the ranks of the thirty-something crowd.

Last night we had a family cookie making and decorating party. I was surprised that there was more stirring and helping than sneaking handfuls of cookie dough, and there was more cookie decorating than candy hoarding. In fact, it was a completely enjoyable family activity.

In two more weeks we will celebrate Christmas and I am thousands of miles away from our extended family. In fact, except for the two Christmas' I was away as a missionary, this will be my first Christmas Eve that I haven't spent at my parent's house.

Antalya has stopped fighting me about combing her hair in the mornings. In fact, she even lets me style it. The kind of styling that requires her to sit for 20 minutes while I part and braid and twist and make it look oh-so-cute!

Today as I was out doing some errands and it struck me just how much I enjoy the London way of life. I love that I have been without a car and cell phone for three weeks and I haven't really even noticed. I love the fact that I walk Antalya to and from school each morning. I love the fact that when I need to do any shopping I just walk to the High Street and I have all my stores right there - no driving all over town to get different things. I love that the mail and my grocery shopping is delivered right to my front door. I love the way a hot cup of tea and a biscuit helps warm you when it is so cold outside.

So what do all these things have in common? Change! And despite all my best efforts and keeping things the same, change seems to be happening all over the place lately. I'm a bit in shock lately at how quickly the months are passing. And it's left me feeling almost melancholy. I just want to smoother this two little cuties in kisses all day long, afraid that if I turn my head for a moment they will be grown up and gone.

On the Mend

I finally decided a trek to the Dr's office was necessary. Antalya hasn't had a cold linger this bad for so long since her T&A surgery over two years ago. So yesterday Antalya and I headed outside for the first time in a week. It's was nice to breathe outside air again! I've got her on some antibiotics now and after just a day I can already tell the difference, and obviously she can too. I woke a little after 3:00 am this morning to lots of noise. I couldn't figure out why my neighbors upstairs would be making so much noise at such an early hour. I wandered out of bed to get a drink and noticed Antalya's bedroom light was on. Then I realized the neighbor's below us were probably wondering the same thing about why their neighbor's were being so loud. I opened her bedroom door and found toys and books scattered everywhere. As soon as Antalya saw me, she yelled, with a big grin on her face, "Awake!"

I think we will all take one more day to lounge around and rest, with no where to go, and no one to see. Tomorrow it will be back to the hustle and bustle of life. But for now, I'm happy to watch Antalya dance around in her pajamas, singing the lyrics to a song from High School Musical as loud as she can:

"Start. New
Right. You. Ohhh.
Now. Eyes. Heart.
Start. New"
(Translation: It's the start of something new
It feels so right being here with you, ohhh
Now, looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart
That it's the start of something new.)

To the Doctor, Or Not?

The freezing temps and snow haven't cleared yet, and neither has Antalya's cold. She seems to be getting worse. Under normal circumstances I would head to the doctor, but considering the following I'm opting to stay home and wait this one out.
1. Did I mention it's below freezing outside? It's the kind of cold that I didn't for some reason I didn't expect to find in London.
2. Our car has been parked outside the house for two weeks now. I think the starter is finally out.
3. With no car, it leaves us the option of walking 20 minutes each way. I don't mind, but not sure it would be too good for the feverish, snot blowing, coughing little girl by my side.
4. But really, all of that seems very mild in comparison to what happens once we step foot in the door to the doctor's office. Complete fear overtakes Antalya, to the point that I'm always afraid all the screaming and thrashing on the floor will lead her to hyperventilate and pass out. I'd rather she use her energy to get better.
So, we are home! And doing our best to fight the boredom that inevitably ensues. Anyone have any good ideas of games to play with a 1 yr old and a 4 yr old?

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

We woke this morning to a wintery scene outside the window. Last night we got our first snow fall of the season, and all of London was draped with a good two inches of beautiful snowflakes. I was planning on keeping Antalya home from school this morning because she is still trying to get over her cold from several weeks ago, but once she saw the snow it was all I could do to get her to stop long enough to get her boots and coat on.

On our walk to school, every couple minutes she would reach her little out of the stroller and stretch as far as she could to grab another little ball of snow to munch on. Victoria quickly discovered how much she enjoys eating little snow balls too. I was planning on taking my camera to snap some pictures of our morning walk, but didnt' realize I had forgotten the camera until we were already on our way.

It's almost 2pm and the snow is coming down in little flurries. Hopefully there will still be some tomorrow so I can get some pictures of the girls playing in it. But for the remainder of today, I think we will stay bundled up safely inside.

Playing Hooky

Antalya's playing hooky from school this week. I think we both needed the break. She's been trying to fight off a cold and not sleeping well at night, and I needed some time to just be at home - away from the rushing here and there, time to just enjoy the company of my little girls.

It's been awhile since we've played with toys in Antalya fashion, which means dragging every toy and book out of her room and onto the family room floor. She was so excited.


Then we used up some of our uneaten, overripe bananas to make some delicious banana bread to snack on all day. My girls love to help out in the kitchen. They get so excited when ever they see me turn the oven on and reach for a mixing bowl.

Coping Strategies

Neither myself, nor Jason were very easy children to raise. So, it's only fitting that we would have two very independent, strong-willed children as payback for all the stress we caused our parents. And boy, are they strong willed! Thankfully Antalya is mellowing out a bit as she gets older, but Victoria flat out refuses to be restrained in any fashion - this includes car seats, strollers, shopping carts, and holding my hand. Over the last few months I've discovered ways to work around for those times when I need her cooperation. One such event, is our trip to Costco. They only way we make it through is follow a set pattern that includes stopping at the food court first to get Antalya a hotdog, and a jacket potato with baked beans for Victoria and I to share. I quickly scarf my food as fast I can to get something in before the girls decide they can longer sit at the table. Then we head back to food counter and buy one ice cream to share. I whip out the cones I bring from home and fix up a cone for each girl, and keep the rest of the ice cream as reserve for when we need it. Then I quickly buzz around the store throwing what we need in the cart feeling as if there is a timed bomb strapped to my back that could explode at any given moment. We get a mixture of odd looks and smiles from the other customers. And by the time we make it safely back out to the car I feel as if I have accomplished something great.

And so, if you ever happen on a scene such as the one below with a mother who instead of frantically reaching for a napkin chooses to pull out her cell phone camera, do yourself and her a favor and let her skip to the front of the line. It's not that she doesn't care that her child is covered in ice cream, it's just that she knows that if there is anyway of making it through the long check out line and to the car, she must make sacrifices.